A NIGHT ATTACK

That night they camped within a wood

And built a fire with oak,

Against a hollow tree that served

To carry off the smoke.

But so it chanced that in the tree

A swarm of bees were caged,

And when the smoke disturbed their rest,

They sallied forth, enraged.

And how they chased those twenty mules,

And punctured well their hide!

But, lo! their smarts were straightway eased,

When Borax was applied.

“And how they chased those twenty mules, and punctured well their hide!”