," she declared.

Jealous Mrs. Ladybug's story amazed all the field people. They could
scarcely believe that anyone so beautiful and dainty as Betsy Butterfly
would bemean herself by robbing Farmer Green--or anybody else. But Mrs.
Ladybug said that Daddy Longlegs had _seen_ Betsy with her face buried
in Farmer Green's butter. And no one could doubt the word of so
respectable a person as Daddy Longlegs.

"What steps do you think we ought to take to prevent Betsy from eating
any more butter and eggs that don't belong to her?" asked the queen of
the Bumblebee family.

"I think we ought to set a careful watch on her," said Mrs. Ladybug.
"I'm sure I don't see when she gets her stolen goods, because I've
watched her very closely myself for some time. And I've seen her dine on
nothing but flowers."

"Perhaps she goes to the farmhouse at night," Jennie Junebug suggested.

"That's a happy thought!" said Mrs. Ladybug approvingly. "We'll have to
get Freddie Firefly to follow her about after dark."

So Mrs. Ladybug and her neighbors made arrangements with Freddie Firefly
to have Betsy Butterfly spied upon that very night.

"I'll watch her till sunset," Mrs. Ladybug agreed. "And then _you_ must
relieve me," she told Freddie. "Don't let her out of your sight until
sunrise!" she warned him.

Freddie Firefly promised that he would be faithful to his trust. And
later that afternoon, when the sun began to drop behind the mountains,
he relieved Mrs. Ladybug, who had been spying upon Betsy ever since
their talk earlier in the day.

"She's behaved herself fairly well so far," Mrs. Ladybug whispered to
Freddie, as she prepared to fly home to her children. "But there's no
knowing when she may start for the farmhouse. So you mustn't take your
eyes off her all night long!"

"You can trust me," Freddie assured her. And then Mrs. Ladybug said good
evening.

* * * * *

Freddie Firefly always claimed that that was the longest night he ever
spent. And he said that if he had realized that he would have to stay in
one place from sunset to dawn he never would have agreed to watch Betsy
Butterfly.

For Betsy Butterfly went to sleep the moment the sun went down. Freddie
had to remain for hours and hours where he could flash his light upon
her. And all the while he knew that his whole family was having a
delightful time dancing in the hollow over towards the swamp.

It was especially hard for Freddie becaus