Part 18 (1/2)

But Charlie only shook his head more and more emphatically.

”Why, a swarm of bees,” he burst out, unable to keep his secret any longer, ”bee-skip and all; and the man is bringing them almost at once.”

”Bees?” cried Tom. ”What do you know about bees?”

”Nothing; but I s'pose I can learn. Come and choose a place for the bee-skip to stand. Where shall they go?”

”Oh, not anywhere near me!” cried Bella; ”I don't like bees.”

”P'raps you'll like the honey. The man says he had pounds and pounds of honey last year. Come on, Bella. Come and help me choose a spot.”

Bella went, but not very joyfully, and Tom followed. ”You won't expect me to help you look after them, will you?” she asked nervously, ”for I tell you I am afraid of them.”

”Oh no,” said Charlie seriously; ”and when the honey is ready for market, I'll walk behind the cart with it, for fear it should sting you.”

Bella laughed. ”Tom,” she called back, ”can you paint a sign-board?

I'm sure we ought to have one over the gate to say 'Fruit, flowers, vegetables, honey, eggs, fowls, porkers, and dried herbs sold here.'”

The idea pleased the boys immensely. ”Can't we sell anything else?” cried Charlie. ”Do try and think of something.”

”Perhaps Aunt Emma will sell cakes and apple-pasties, and provide tea and coffee for twopence a cup.”

”And a penny more to watch Charlie's bees,” laughed Bella. ”Oh, here comes Margery. Perhaps she has come to say she has bought a cow!

Wouldn't it be fun!”

Charlie burst into a peal of laughter. ”Hullo, Margery!” he shouted; ”what have you got? A cow?”

Margery stood still in the path and stared at him, her blue eyes full of puzzled surprise.

”A cow?” she repeated, as though she could hardly believe her ears.

”How should I have a cow? What do you mean?” looking questioningly from one to the other.

”Do you mean to say you haven't brought home anything new?”

”Why, yes, I've got two of the dearest darling little white ducks you ever saw in all your life. Bella, do come and see them! Mrs. Carter gave them to me, and I've brought them home in a basket, but I've been a long time, because I let them paddle in all the nice big puddles we came to, and oh, they loved it. Do come, all of you. Oh, they are so pretty, and I think they know me already. I've called one Snowdrop, and the other Daisy.

Hark!” she cried, as they hurried after her, ”don't you hear them calling to me?”

”I should think I did,” laughed Tom. ”They were shouting, 'Mag, Mag, Mag,' as plain as could be. I hope Charlie's bees won't begin shouting to him, too, or we shan't be able to hear ourselves speak. I shouldn't be surprised if we grew to love them best of all, because they are nice and quiet.”

”You wait till they are angry,” said Charlie knowingly, ”or are swarming----”

”That's just what I shan't wait for,” said Bella.

”Oh!” cried Margery, as though her patience was exhausted, ”don't keep on talking so, please. I do want to hear my ducks. There!” as they suddenly came on the little yellow, waddling, screaming creatures, ”ain't they lovely?”

”Lovely?” cried Charlie. ”Why, you said they were white.”

”Well, they will be,” she explained eagerly. ”Of course they are yellow to begin with. All the best ones are. Look at their feathers beginning to come already. Hush, hush, dears, don't cry so! I expect they were frightened 'cause I went away,” she explained, as she knelt down and took them both in her arms.

”Where are they going to sleep to-night?” asked Bella.

Margery looked up with a troubled face. ”I s'pose Aunt Emma wouldn't let them sleep in my room, in a basket? They would be very good, I'm sure.