"Tell us something about bees, Miss Miller. Now, that our hives have come and we are waiting for a swarm to live in them, we ought to know something about their habits," coaxed Hilda.
So, the Guide told the girls all she could remember from her experience with bees when she was a girl at home. She added, however, that so many wonderful inventions had come to make bee-culture easier and pleasanter since her time, that it would be better to secure a good book about bees. At the conclusion of her short talk, Miss Miller said, "Can any of you tell me what time the bee was first found of value to people?"
No one could, so Miss Miller changed her question. "Well, can you tell me why bees were so carefully guarded in the olden times—in Biblical days, for instance?"
Even this could not be answered by the girls, so Miss Miller explained.
"In those olden days sugar had been unheard of. The only sweetener they used was honey. Should the bees die off there would be no sweets. Consequently, people were most careful of their bees. Very few people to-day realise that honey used in cake instead of sugar keeps the cake much fresher and the flavour is richer."
Miss Miller got up from the grass and warned her charges that they would arrive nowhere if they did not start. With a general laugh at the Guide's eagerness to get somewhere, the girls jumped up, shook their short skirts and resumed the hike.
They reached the road that passed Hamilton's farm and had just turned down a narrow path that led across fields toward a wonderful wooded hill, with three of the girls leading, and Zan on the left side, Nita on the right side of the Guide, when Nita exclaimed at a gorgeous butterfly that flew over her head.
Catching the butterfly net from Zan's hand, she chased it, running swiftly down the pathway past the other girls. No sooner had she started off than a horse was heard galloping on the soft sod back of the Guide.
Miss Miller turned and saw a rider coming directly toward her. Thinking it might be a telegram or other message for her, she turned to meet him. As soon as she came within good sight of the rider, however, she saw to her chagrin that it was young Everton. She stood right in the path wondering what to do.