CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

 The Death of theCjueen 



we hurried in search of her, on 

 all sides there was wailing: "Ai 

 ai ai ! Woe woe woe ! Our 

 Queen is dead!" 



A spirit of dread and disaster 

 filled the place and shook us mightily. Crip said 

 never a word. 



"I remember you told me once you had lost your 

 Queen-Mother that was the time I found you in the 

 hive that we robbed. You were going to tell me 

 about it." 



"Yes; but now it is too late it is terrible. You 

 do not understand " 



At length we came to where she lay asleep on the 

 bottom-board of the house she had graced for so short 

 a space. Around her surged her children, weeping 

 for the queenly dead. 



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