“Keep back, all of you,” said Farmer Joel, “and I’ll soon find out if there are bees in there.”
While the others moved back he tossed a stick against the tree. It struck with a hollow sound, and instantly a cloud of bees flew out.
“There they are! My bees!” cried Farmer Joel. “The queen must be with them, for the bees wouldn’t stay and make honey without a queen. Well, now that I know where they are, I’ll mark this tree and when cold weather comes I’ll come here and take my bees back again—my bees and the fifty dollar queen.”
“Are you glad we helped you find them?” asked Laddie.
“Indeed I am, little man! Thank you!” said Farmer Joel. “And to-night you shall have hot biscuits and honey for supper.”
Marking the location of the tree, so it could easily be found again, Farmer Joel returned to the house with Mr. Bunker, Russ and Laddie and the two girls. They had found what they set out to find, and later on, after the six little Bunkers returned home, there came a letter from Mr. Todd, saying he had gotten his queen and swarm of bees back and that also in the hollow tree was found fifty pounds of good honey.
“My bees kept on working for me, even if they ran away from home,” he said in the letter.
With the finding of the lost swarm, the most exciting adventures of the six little Bunkers at Farmer Joel’s came to a close. They did not return home at once, for summer was not over and Miss Todd was not ready to come home. But the peddler boy did not again bother them.
From Dr. Snow it was learned that the shoe-lace chap went back to the city to sell things after his bee stings were cured. And I think he never again took the picnic lunch of any little boys and girls.
“Well, Mother, and children, we must soon begin to think of getting back home,” said Daddy Bunker, one day after a pleasant trip in the woods and fields.