14 THE ROMANCE OF EVERIFARM 



"Pardon me if I am a bit heavy, Mr. Steer, but 

 I just had to stop and rest," apologized Billy Bee. 



"Oh! That's all right. If you hadn't spoken, I 

 wouldn't have known you were there," wearily re- 

 plied Prince. 



"Ho, hum! That's a good one," cried Clover. 

 "Some folks have a good opinion of themselves, don't 

 they? What are you doing out here in this clover 

 field anyway? Don't you know that you can't get 

 honey from us? It takes Old Bumble Buzzer to bore 

 for honey here. You had better buzz along over to 

 the other field, where my cousin White Clover is. 

 He is more of your size," advised Clover. 



So without more comment Billy Bee buzzed away. 

 His departure did not awaken or in the least disturb 

 Prince, who had now fallen fast asleep. 



Many days of this kind followed. As the autumn 

 days arrived, the translocation of starches from the 

 stems and leaves of the plant to the roots began to 

 take place. Clover was preparing for winter, and 

 sure enough, one night a great white blanket of snow 

 fell all over the big farm. Clover fell fast asleep, and 

 did not awaken until one day in the spring, when 

 he felt a slight commotion and opening his eyes he 

 looked up, and there was Reddy Fox just digging 

 away for all he was worth, preparing a home for him- 



