The Bee-Hunters. 



a flat tin saucer mounted on the top of a pointed stick. He 

 stuck this in the ground near the edge of the clover-field 

 so that the saucer stood on a level with the highest blos- 

 soms. Now he took a small bottle of honey from his 

 pocket, emptied it into the tin receptacle, and beckoned me 

 to come near. Already three or four bees had discovered 

 this unawaited feast and settled on it ; a minute more and 

 the saucer was black with crowding bees. Now the bee- 

 master took a wire-gauze cover and softly inverted it over 

 the saucer. Then, plucking his ingenious trap up by the 

 roots, he set off towards the forest with his prisoners, fol- 

 lowed by his men. 



" These," said he, " are our guides to the secret 

 treasure-chamber. Without them we might look for a 

 week and never find it. But now it is all plain sailing, as 

 you'll see." 



He pulled up on the edge of the wood. By this time 

 every bee in the trap had forsaken the honey, and was 

 clambering about in the top of the dome-shaped lid, eager 

 for flight. 



" They are all full of honey," said the bee-master, 

 " and the first thing a fully-laden bee thinks of is home. 

 And now we will set the first one on the wing." 



He opened a small valve in the trap-cover, and allowed 

 one of the bees to escape. She rose into the air, made a 

 short circle, then sped away into the gloom of the wood. 

 In a moment she was lost to sight, but the main direction 

 of her course was clear ; and we all followed helter-skelter 

 until our leader called another halt. 



" Now watch this one," he said, pressing the valve 

 again. 



This time the guide rose high into the dim air, and was 

 at once lost to my view. But the keen eyes of the old bee- 

 man had challenged her. 



"There she goes! " he said, pointing down a long 

 shadowy glade somewhat to his left. " Watch that bit of 

 sunlight away yonder ! ' ' 



I followed this indication. Through the dense wood- 

 canopy a hundred feet away the sun had thrust one long 

 golden tentacle ; and I saw a tiny spark of light flash 

 through into the gloom beyond. We all stampeded 

 after it. 



53 



