t's time you set about the windows,'
he said; `for there's rain coming, and if they're quite clean before,
then the rain can't spoil them.' I got up at once. `You needn't be
afraid,' he said. `You won't tumble off. Only you must be careful.
Always hold on with one hand while you rub with the other.' As he spoke,
he opened the door. I started back in a terrible fright, for there was
nothing but blue air to be seen under me, like a great water without a
bottom at all. But what must be must, and to live up here was so much
nicer than down in the mud with holes in my shoes, that I never thought
of not doing as I was told. The little man showed me how and where to
lay hold while I put my foot round the edge of the door on to the first
round of a ladder. `Once you're up,' he said, `you'll see how you have
to go well enough.' I did as he told me, and crept out very carefully.
Then the little man handed me the bundle of dusters, saying, `I always
carry them on my reaping hook, but I don't think you could manage it
properly. You shall have it if you like.' I wouldn't take it, however,
for it looked dangerous.

"I did the best I could with the dusters, and crawled up to the top
of the moon. But what a grand sight it was! The stars were all over my
head, so bright and so near that I could almost have laid hold of them.
The round ball to which I clung went bobbing and floating away through
the dark blue above and below and on every side. It was so beautiful
that all fear left me, and I set to work diligently. I cleaned window
after window. At length I came to a very little one, in at which I
peeped. There was the room with the box of bees in it! I laid my ear to
the window, and heard the musical hum quite distinctly. A great longing
to see them came upon me, and I opened the window and crept in.
The little box had a door like a closet. I opened it--the tiniest
crack--when out came the light with such a sting that I closed it again
in terror--not, however, before three bees had shot out into the room,
where they darted about like flashes of lightning. Terribly frightened,
I tried to get out of the window again, but I could not: there was no
way to the outside of the moon but through the door; and that was in
the room where the lady sat. No sooner had I reached the room, than the
three bees, which had followed me, flew at once to the lady, and settled
upon her hair. Then first I saw her move. She started, put up her hand,
and caught