this catastrophe, so _they_
couldn't come hurrying to her rescue.

Suddenly down, in the grass, she heard some one growling:

"Make way! _I'm_ coming."

Maya's agonized heart began to beat stormily. She recognized the
voice of Bobbie, the dung-beetle.

"Bobbie," she called, as loud as she could, "Bobbie, dear
Bobbie!"

"Make way! _I'm_ coming."

"But I'm not in your way, Bobbie," cried Maya. "Oh dear, I'm
hanging over your head. The spider has caught me."

"Who are you?" asked Bobbie. "So many people know me. You know
they do, don't you?"

"I am Maya--Maya, the bee. Oh please, please help me!"

"Maya? Maya?-- Ah, now I remember. You made my acquaintance
several weeks ago.-- The deuce! You _are_ in a bad way, if I
must say so myself. You certainly do need my help. As I happen
to have a few moments' time, I won't refuse."

"Oh, Bobbie, can you tear these threads?"

"Tear those threads! Do you mean to insult me?" Bobbie slapped
the muscles of his arm. "Look, little girl. Hard as steel. No
match for _that_ in strength. I can do more than smash a few
cobwebs. You'll see something that'll make you open your eyes."

Bobbie crawled up on the leaf, caught hold of the thread by
which Maya was hanging, clung to it, then let go of the leaf.
The thread broke, and they both fell to the ground.

"That's only the beginning," said Bobbie.-- "But Maya, you're
trembling. My dear child, you poor little girl, how pale you
are! Now who would be so afraid of death? You must look death
calmly in the face as I do. So. I'll unwrap you now."

Maya could not utter a syllable. Bright tears of joy ran down
her cheeks. She was to be free again, fly again in the sunshine,
wherever she wished. She was to live.

But then she saw the spider coming down the blackberry vine.

"Bobbie," she screamed, "the spider's coming."

Bobbie went on unperturbed, merely laughing to himself. He
really was an extraordinarily strong insect.

"She'll think twice before she comes nearer," he said.

But there! The vile voice rasped above them:

"Robbers! Help! I'm being robbed. You fat lump, what are you
doing with my prey?"

"Don't excite yourself, madam," said Bobbie. "I have a right,
haven't I, to talk to my friend. If you say another word to
displease me, I'll tear your whole web to shreds. Well? Why so
silent all of a sudden?"

"I am defeated," said the spider.

"That has nothing to do with the case," observed Bobbie. "Now
you'd better b