HAPPY 



into the entrance that choked and blinded both Crip 

 and me and the guards, and sent us scurrying into the 

 hive. Then, passing the smoker to the Little Master, 

 he carefully lifted off the top and the upper section of 

 our hive, and began an inspection of the brood-cham- 

 ber. He seemed to be right happy at discovering that 

 the queen-cells had been destroyed, which carried the 

 assurance to his mind that no further swarming was 

 in contemplation; but when his eyes fell upon the new 

 Queen-Mother, they widely distended and a smile of 

 joy lighted his face. 



" Wonderful creature," he murmured. 



The little Shadow cried: "Let me see. Isn't she a 

 beauty!" 



By this time the smoke had cleared away and my 

 disposition had changed. I said to Crip that we ought 

 to attack them. But he answered that it would be 

 folly now that only evil would result. Further par- 

 leying was cut short by a blast of smoke shot at us 

 by the Little Master, who apparently had discerned 

 outward signs of the rebellion, for my body was poised 

 and I suppose I must have been emitting the note of 

 anger. The smoke sent us all flying into a remote 

 corner of the hive. 



Then the Master replaced the section of hive he had 

 removed, and began to lift frame after frame, uttering 

 little exclamations, as though he had not suspected 

 that we had gathered such quantities of honey in so 

 short and late a season. It was easy for him now to 

 understand why we had developed the swarming fever, 

 although it evidently appeared to him a foolish ad- 

 venture. 



88 



