ound us huddled apprehensively together
outside the kitchen garden, talking nervously about the Budget. All
was very quiet. A fragrant blue smoke stole up gently from the
'smoker,' which I held at arm's length. Berry and Daphne were arrayed
in veils and gauntlets. They reminded me irresistibly of Tenniel's
Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

"Mind you're ready with the 'smoker' when I want it," said Berry
shortly.

"I--er--I thought you'd take it with you," I said uneasily.

"Nonsense," said Daphne. "We can't do everything. You must be ready to
hand it to Berry if the bees get infuriated."

Thank you.

"Look here," said I, "I'm sure I shall do something wrong. You'd much
better have the gardener's boy."

"And have to pay him hundreds of pounds compensation. I don't think,"
said Berry.

At the mention of compensation I started violently and dropped the
'smoker'. When I had picked it up:

"Look here," I said, "I'll stand on the path and keep the beastly thing
smoking and if--if they should get--er---- excited, well--er--there
it'll be all ready for you."

"Where?" said Daphne suspiciously.

"On the path."

"And you?"

"I shall probably be just getting my second wind."

They looked at one another and sneered into their veils.

"It's murder," I said desperately, "sheer murder. You ask my death."

The stable clock chimed a quarter past seven.

We entered the kitchen garden in single file.

The hive was as silent as the tomb. It seemed almost wicked to--

All went well until Berry was on the point of lifting the skep.
Suddenly something jumped in the wallflowers by Daphne, and she started
against her husband with a little scream. It was a toad. I felt
braver. We were not alone. But my pleasure was shortlived. Berry's
hand had been upon the skep and the jolt had aroused the bees.

Uprose an angry murmur. I felt instinctively it was an angry one.

My brother-in-law had the 'smoker' in his hand. They told me
afterwards that I had gone and given it him. That shows the state I
was in. I was not responsible for my actions.

With all speed he applied the nozzle to the mouth of the skep. He was
in time to stop the main body, but a few had already emerged.

I stood as if rooted to the spot.

Immediately seven bees alighted on Berry's left hand. I saw them black
against the white of his gauntlet. Spellbound I watched him train the
'smoker' upon them one by one. Three rolled slowly off before