“All right. My secret is—a bee, Apis mellifica,—a most lively little fellow with a saw in his latter end.”
“Beatrice!”
“Beg pardon. But I’m so excited! Mr. ‘Humpty-Dumpty’ and I are almost immediately to become apiarists!”
“Child, what has put such a notion as that into your head?”
“Our beloved Mr. Brook, and Miss Joanna also. They saw a chance for us to make some money, which we all agree we need, and suggested that method. They have explained the whole transaction to me, as well as anybody can explain by just talking, and to-morrow, if you approve, we are to drive a few miles into the country and visit a famous apiary of which Mr. Brook knows. There I can see the practical working of the thing, and I am assured that we can find a market for our honey—when we get it! What do you say, Motherkin?”
“What can I say, dearie, with so little knowledge of the subject as I possess?”
“But if Miss Brook and Mr. Brook and even Mr. Dolloway approve, you’ll say yes, won’t you?”
“I will always say yes to reasonable things. I foresee that I shall yet do so to this new scheme. But what is the connection between bees and lindens?”
“The same that there was between your hungry girl and Isabelle’s chicken-patties. The trees furnish the bees a favorite food in great abundance. Then, to supplement them, Roland will plant some crops which will be useful to Mr. Apis or Mrs. Apis, and that will also be good for us. The honey they take away will not hurt any crop he can raise. Robert is to be the one to help swarm the bees and to look after them while I am away. He is to share in the business.”
“If he makes it such a success as the hen affair, I am sure we shall be millionaires eventually!” laughed the elder sister, teasingly.