Death of Hiini — Robbery — Restitution. 103 



bees. Pieces of breeding-comb were lying about, 

 and a sickly smell filled the air all round. It was a 

 hideous wreck — a pitiable end ! 



" What horrible thing can have happened ? " 

 thought Buz, as she flew wildly about. "And what 

 can have become of poor dear Hum ? When I 

 remember the orderly life we used to lead here, the 

 busy work, the watchful sentries, the combs full of 

 promising grubs, and the rich stores of beautiful 

 honey, how terrible this change appears ! It is too 

 sad — too dreadful ! " 



But after the first feeling of terror, her anxiety to 

 find out something about Hum overcame every other 

 consideration, and she alighted on the footbosird. 

 Tremblingly she approached a heap of bees — they 

 were indeed dead ! — stiff, cold, and in many cases 

 clogged with honey that had escaped when the hive 

 was torn from its stand. 



But not all dead — not quite all. Here and there 

 she saw a faint motion, as a bee gave a weary strug- 

 gle with her legs, or moved her antennae. Hurrying 

 from one to another, Buz came at last to a bee which 

 had evidently crept into an empty cell to die ; and 

 a thrill passed through her as she touched her an- 

 tennce, and discovered the object of her search. 



Yes, it was indeed Hum ! and she was not too late 



