"If you knew what happened to your poor father last fall you would never
want even to hear the Robber Fly's name mentioned again," the Queen
declared, as a shiver--or a shudder--or both--passed up and down her
royal back.

But Buster Bumblebee, being very young and somewhat stupid as well, said
"Oh, nonsense!" under his breath, so low that his mother, the Queen,
could not hear him.




IX

THE ROBBER FLY AT LAST


Though Buster's mother, the Queen, did not hear him when he said "Oh,
nonsense!" under his breath, there were others standing near him that
caught the words. And they were quite indignant that anybody should scoff
at the Queen like that.

They were workers--those that overheard Buster Bumblebee's remark when
his mother as much as told him that he had better beware of the wicked
Robber Fly. They were workers; and they did not approve of the lazy
Buster.

"Let's teach that young loafer a lesson!" they said to one another (there
were three of them). And straightway they began to scheme and plan how