ors flew
to the rescue; shrewdly darting at Andy's face, as if they knew where to
strike; and suddenly, while he was laughing at their rage, he got a
thrust in his forehead, and another in his neck, and a third under his
sleeve, where a courageous little soldier had rushed in and resolutely
driven in his rapier up to the hilt! Andy, who had no idea such little
weapons could hurt so, was terrified, and began to scream with pain. And
now, strange to see! the fairies were no longer fairies, but a nest of
bumblebees; it was the queen-bee he held in his fingers; and two of them
had left their stings sticking in his wounds!

Andy dropped the queen-bee, left his hat and handkerchief by the stump,
and began to run, screaming and brushing away the bees, that still
followed him, buzzing in his hair, and stinging him where they could. He
did not stop until he had run half across the fallow, and the last of
the angry swarm that pursued him had ceased buzzing about his ears.

"Oh! oh! oh!" he sobbed, with grief, and disappointment, and the pain of
the stings. "I didn't know they were bumblebees! And I've lost my hat!
And I don't know where I am! Oh! oh! oh!" And he sat down on a stone and
cried.

"Whoa! hush, haw!" said a loud voice.

And looking up through his tears, he saw an old farmer coming, with a
long whip in his hand, driving a yoke of oxen. Andy stopped weeping to
ask where he was, and the way home.

"About a peck and a half a day," replied the farmer.

Andy did not know what to make of this answer. So he said again,--"Can
you tell me where my father and mother live?"

"One in one stall, and the other in the other. Hush, haw!" cried the
farmer.

"I've got lost, and I wish you'd help me," said Andy.

"Star and Stripe," replied the farmer.

"How far is it to my father's?" the poor boy then asked.

"Well, about ninety dollars, with the yoke," said the farmer. "Whoa,
back!"

At this Andy felt so vexed, and weary, and bewildered, that he could not
help sobbing aloud.

"What!" said the farmer, angrily; "making fun of me?" And he drew up his
whip to strike.

"O, I wasn't making fun!" said Andy, frightened.

"You stopped me, and asked how much corn I feed my oxen; and I told you.
Then where I feed them; and I told you that. Then their names; and I
said, Star and Stripe. Then what I would sell them for; and I gave a
civil answer. And now you're laughing at me!" said the farmer, raising
his whip again.

Then And