70 Buz. 



Whether the heat within the hive became so great 

 as to melt the wax, or whether the top of the hive 

 was too smooth for the comb to be securely fas- 

 tened thereto, it is impossible to say ; but, whatever 

 might be the cause, one of the center combs, nearly 

 filled with honey, suddenly broke down, and fell to 

 the bottom of the hive. 



The result was dreadful ! Numbers of bees were 

 crushed to death or suffocated, the floor of the hive 

 was deluged with honey, for the comb had not been 

 sealed, and there was a barrier formed right in the 

 line of traffic. 



Luckily for her. Buz was away when the accident 

 happened ; and by the time she returned to the hive 

 the bees were beginning to repair the mischief. 



Their first care was to collect all the honey that 

 had escaped, and to store it in the empty cells. 

 After that they began to clear away the broken 

 pieces of comb, and to carry out the dead. 



" Of course we are not going to let that great 

 comb stay where it is?" said Buz softly to an older 

 bee. 



" Of course we are, though," was the reply. 

 "Why, what a waste of time it would be to carry all 

 that wax away and make a fresh comb! " 



" But it's so dreadfully in the way." 



