not an easy matter to say
anything to Mrs. Ladybug. Mrs. Ladybug always liked to do most of the
talking herself. She preferred to let others listen.

He found her hard at work destroying insects on an old apple tree. And
when she caught sight of him Mrs. Ladybug paused in her labors.

"Well, young man!" she exclaimed, looking at Buster severely. "Are you
idling this lovely day away? You don't seem to be making any honey."

Buster wished that he had spoken first. He certainly had had no
intention of discussing such matters as honey making.

"I don't need to make honey," he told Mrs. Ladybug. "The workers in our
hive provide honey enough. Maybe you didn't know that I'm of royal
blood. I'm the Queen's son. I don't have to work," he declared somewhat
hotly.

"Rubbish!" cried Mrs. Ladybug, regarding him with a frown. "Go get
yourself some working clothes! Take off your black velvet and gold! And
save that suit for best!"

"You don't understand," Buster tried to explain. "Being a Queen's son,
I'm expected to wear my court costume every day."

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Ladybug retorted. "The sooner you get such silly
notions out of your head, the better off you'll be. Everybody ought to
work. Too much play is bad for folks."

Buster Bumblebee could feel himself flushing. The neighbors were not
expected to address a Queen's son in that fashion.

"That's exactly the way you talk about Betsy Butterfly!" he exploded.

"Huh!" Mrs. Ladybug sniffed. "You are a worthless pair. Betsy
Butterfly's wings--"

At this point Buster managed to interrupt her.

"Don't talk about wings, please!" he cried. "Who are you, to talk about
wings?--when you haven't any yourself."

Mrs. Ladybug started; and she gave him a queer look. "What's that?" she
inquired. "What's that? Say that again!"

"You haven't any wings."

"Ho!" she laughed. "You're mistaken. I _have_ wings."

"Then you've left them at home," he insisted.

Mrs. Ladybug smiled a very knowing sort of smile. When he saw it Buster
Bumblebee couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. Somehow he knew that he
had blundered. But just where he had erred he was unable to decide.

"Watch sharp, young sir!" Mrs. Ladybug bade him. "Watch sharp and
perhaps you'll be able to learn something."

Then Buster Bumblebee received the surprise of his life. As he watched,
little Mrs. Ladybug opened her shell-like, black-dotted, red back and
spread a pair of delicate brown wings.

"See these?" she said to