HAPPY 



enthusiasm. Queen -cells had been started half a 

 dozen at least. I laid hold and helped draw out the 

 comb to build up a huge cell, where, in the mysterious 

 processes of time, a Queen would appear! 



Almost against her wishes, the Queen-Mother de- 

 posited eggs in the various cells and began, under mild 

 protest, to expand her brood-cHamber in anticipation 

 of the promised exodus of her children. While she 

 did not fear that enough would go to imperil the exist- 

 ence of her own colony, she doubted the wisdom of the 

 enterprise. She discouraged in every way possible 

 the ardor of the workers who continued to bring in 

 honey until there was no longer space to store it. In- 

 deed, they crowded the Queen so that she was driven 

 to despair. The very space she had set aside for her 

 brood-chamber 'for the winter was encroached upon 

 and heaped with bread and honey, but for the nonce 

 there was no stopping them. 



Crip said: '-You are crazy; it is too late in the 

 season to swarm; it means extinction." 



But one replied: "It is the law! There is a chance 

 for the swarm to survive, and the chance must be 

 taken; particularly when the parent colony shows its 

 ability to survive." 



"Truly said," added Crip. "I merely wanted to 

 find whether you knew what the higher law compels." 



But where would the swarm begin a home? This 

 question now began to be asked. It seemed that 

 nobody thought of the great Master who sat for hours 

 under the mesquite-tree. Would he not provide a 

 house? 



The next day Buzz-Buzz came to me, greatly excited. 

 78 



