134 FRESH WOODS. 



I am quite of opinion that they had already 

 commenced building another nest in an ad- 

 joining rotten old pollard more inaccessible 

 than this one, for it had partly fallen, and its 

 head hung over the very middle of the water. 

 Here I could see bits of fresh debris con- 

 stantly dropping into the water a sure proof 

 that the builders were at work laying the 

 foundation of a new nest. 



There were scores of hornets buzzing 

 about the tree they were evidently puzzled ; 

 one came straight at me, but only to give me 

 a parting malediction. When he was within 

 a yard of my nose he turned suddenly away 

 and flew over the barn to tell his friends on 

 the lime tree of the terrible disaster that had 

 befallen the castle. 



No doubt those that were at home when 

 Joyce stormed the fortress had been suffo- 

 cated ; but my impression is that many of 

 the insects carried on business in the lime 

 tree all night, or were away on some maraud- 

 ing expedition elsewhere, or they may have 

 been friendly neighbours come over to con- 

 dole with or mourn over their murdered 

 relations. 



I was obliged to leave for town the same 

 morning ; but Joyce has vowed that he will 

 have that hornets' nest if he has to fell the tree. 



