"You remind me of a friend of mine," she remarked. "He lives in the meadow not far from here. It's your buzzing," she explained. "If I didn't see you I should think you were Buster Bumblebee."
Betsy's remark seemed to please the stranger. And he smiled smugly while he buzzed louder than ever.
"It's not surprising that I make you think of him," he observed. "Indeed it would be odd if I didn't, for I'm a sort of[p. 66] cousin of Buster's, so to speak. Perhaps you didn't know that my name is Bumble—Joseph Bumble."
Naturally Betsy and Joseph became good friends on the spot. And after that people often saw them rambling together among the flowers.
Now, Joseph Bumble proved to be a great talker. And since Betsy Butterfly was an excellent listener, they spent many agreeable hours together.
At least, Joseph enjoyed every minute that he spent in Betsy Butterfly's company. And if at times she found his prattle a bit tiresome, she was too well-mannered to say so.
If the truth were known, Joseph Bumble proved to be somewhat of a braggart. He was forever boasting of his connection with the Bumblebee family. And Betsy couldn't say anything to him without his remark[p. 67]ing that his cousin Buster Bumblebee's mother, the well-known Queen, thought this or that.
"And being of royal blood, the Queen ought to know what's what," he frequently said.
"I suppose—" Betsy said to him at last—"I suppose you're of royal blood yourself, Mr. Bumble?"
"Oh, very!" he replied with a smirk. "We're all of us very royal indeed."