“Beader, of the Dragoons,” the clown heard him shout, “and I’m bringing a friend with me.”
“Come along, then,” cried voices in answer.
“Now,” said Beader to Dan, “if you don’t mind getting down on your knees, you’ll be able to see fairly well.”
Dan did still more; he stretched out quite flat and, with his chin propped in his hands, peered in among the stalks of sweet-smelling wheat. Of course there was the moon to help out but, as any one knows who has peeped into a field even on the brightest of nights, there is little save darkness in the depths underneath. So what was the visitor’s surprise to see there quite clearly whole dozens of workers as busy as bees.
Yes, there they all were, around a mite of a bonfire that was scarcely larger than five candle flames. Yet, small as it was, it sent out its flickerings in every direction and so lighted the wheat stalks for a full yard away. Still other Fielders rushed about through the forest, carrying lanterns and tiny leaf baskets. Up the stalks they would go, fill their baskets with wheat, scurry back to the ground, take their loads to the fireside, and then hurry away to do it all over again.
“The Fielders are the very best of all the harvesters,” said Beader, who had by now taken a seat just under the end of Dan’s long, funny nose. “They have a system for everything they do. Those that you see sitting near the fire are the sack makers. They gather leaves and fashion them into the bags that hold all the wheat. Those who are filling the bags are called the sackers. They are mostly the younger Fielders, as are those who bring straws to keep up the fire. The most important workers are the gleaners. They must be good climbers and able to judge the very best wheat. Hey, there, Friend Nibbler,” Beader suddenly cried to a rather large mouse who seemed to be directing the work, “can you spare a moment?”
“Never too busy to pass the time of night,” answered the one called Nibbler, as he came toward them.
“This is Diggeldy Dan,” introduced Beader. “It’s his first time at a harvest bee. Nibbler is in charge of the harvesting.”
“Glad to see you,” nodded the Fielder.
“It’s all very interesting,” returned Dan, “though from what I’ve seen it mustn’t be very difficult to keep things going.”