124 



RECREATION 



I saw the queen smile 



"So I am to be sacrificed to those 

 bloodthirsty creatures," I reflected, 

 "kept as a dainty morsel for their 

 queen ! But I shall not die without a 

 struggle !" and I thrust my hand into 

 the pocket of my blouse, where I car- 

 ried my hunting-knife. 



As I gloomily considered my prob- 

 able fate, I glanced at my guards, and 

 noticed that they seemed agitated. 

 Their eyes were turned upward, and 

 they acted as if about to launch them- 

 selves into the air. I looked upward, 

 and saw an enormous but very grace- 

 ful mosquito hovering above me. While 

 wondering whether this was "Her 

 Majesty," my doubts were set at rest 

 by hearing the following chorus from 

 my guards : 



Wave every gauzy wing! 



Ye Amazons, now sing! 

 Dashing through the air, 

 At once, from everywhere, 



Singing softly, singing loud, 



Dancing in a mazy cloud ; 



Poising, rising, sly and fleet, 

 Rainbow wings and feather feet. 



All hail our Queen ! 



She comes scarce seen ! 



With busy, buzzing wing, 

 Ye Amazons, now sing! 



Tantalize the foe, 



Piercing as we go, 



Slyly sipping — oh, how sweet! — 



Swiftly advancing, sharp retreat, 

 Teasing with our mocking song, 

 Stealing nectar, drowsing long. 



She comes, our Queen! 



With lance so keen ! 



When the song was ended, the Queen 

 descended, singing softly to herself and 

 bowing graciously to her subjects. She 

 alighted gracefully upon a little ledge 

 of rock within a few feet of my face 

 and eyed me sharply. 



I grasped my hunting-knife, pre- 

 pared for the worst, but did not yet 

 draw it from my pocket. As my fingers 

 closed upon the weapon, I thought I 



