big black-and-yellow fuzzy bees, the ones with the nasty dispositions.
Perhaps--the thought paralyzed him--perhaps he was lying on its nest.
On it came, buzzing and blundering through the leaves. Suddenly it
was upon him, so close that he could feel the tiny breeze stirred up
by its wings. All self-control vanished. He beat at it wildly with his
hands, burst out of the thicket like an explosion, and smashed full
tilt into the bird before he could stop himself.

With a piercing squawk the bird shot into the air, flipped over, and
came fluttering down facing him--talons outstretched, hooked beak
open, eyes a-glare. Completely terrified, David turned and bolted for
the thicket. He managed to thrash halfway through when a vine trapped
his feet. He pitched forward, shielding his face with his arms, and
was caught up short by a dead branch snagging his shirt.

He was stuck. This was the end. He closed his eyes and waited, too
numb with fear to think or cry out.

Nothing happened. Slowly he turned his head around. The bird, although
it still glared menacingly, seemed undecided whether to attack or
flee.

"What, may I ask, are you doing here?" it said at last, in a severe
voice.

"I--I--I was taking a walk," David said faintly. "I'm awfully sorry if
I bothered you or anything."

"You should not have come up here at _all_," the bird snapped.

[Illustration]

"Well, I'm really sorry. But there was a bee in the bush here. I--I
didn't mean to...." The fright had been too much. Tears started in
David's eyes, and his lip began to tremble.

The bird seemed reassured, for its manner visibly softened. It lowered
and folded its wings, and the glare faded from its eyes.

"I'd go away," David mumbled apologetically, "only I'm stuck." He
rubbed his eyes on his sleeve.

The bird looked at his dismal face and began to fidget awkwardly.
"There, there," it said. "I had no intention of--I am afraid that
I--Stuck, did you say? Very easily mended, my dear fellow! Merely a
question of--Here, let me look." It crashed through the thicket to
where David was caught and thrust its head down through the branches.
Its muffled voice came floating up. "Take heart! There seems to
be--aha! just so--One moment, please--bit of vine--_there_ we are!"
There was a snapping sound from below, and David's foot was released.
He unstuck the snag from his shirt, pushed his way out of the thicket,
and sat down weakly on the grass. Whew! At least the bird wa