“Oh, no, though he could if he had taken a box with him,” said Mr. Bunker. “All he will do, very likely, is to notice where they light on a tree, perhaps. Then he may go back this evening and shake them into a hive.”
It was late that afternoon when Farmer Joel came back, very tired and looking rather discouraged.
“Did you find the bees?” asked Russ.
“No,” answered Mr. Todd. “They got away, and they took with them a queen worth fifty dollars. I wish I could have seen where they went, for then I might get them. But they are lost, I guess.”
“Don’t you think you’ll ever find them again?” Rose wanted to know.
“I’m afraid not,” answered Farmer Joel. “I’ve lost one of my best swarms and a fine queen bee. Yes, I’d give even more than fifty dollars for her if I could get her back. Well, it can’t be helped, I suppose.”
The six little Bunkers felt sorry for Farmer Joel, and they wished they might help him, but they did not see how they could go after a queen and a swarm of stinging bees.
“Come to supper!” called Mrs. Bunker, a little later, when Russ and Laddie were working over their water wheel and mill, and when Rose was swinging Margy and Violet under the apple tree.
“Where’s Mun Bun?” asked his mother, as the other little Bunkers came hurrying to the house at her call.
“I saw him a little while ago,” answered Violet. “He had a shovel and he was going toward the garden.”