Then all was quiet for a few minutes while Farmer Green said something to
the men. And as soon as he had stopped talking some of the men began to
lift a sort of framework of wood into the air. When they had raised it
exactly as Farmer Green wanted it other men began to pound about the foot
of it with hammers. But Buster Bumblebee--though he watched everything
very closely--hadn't the slightest idea what they were doing.

"Hi, there!" he called to old dog Spot. "Where's the raising bee?"

Old Spot promptly looked bewildered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied. "I don't know
anything about any bee. And I wish you wouldn't trouble me with your
silly questions. These men are helping us to build our new barn; and I'm
too busy to talk to anyone."

Buster Bumblebee was certainly disappointed. And he soon decided that
Jimmy Rabbit must have been mistaken. It wasn't the raising bee, after
all, that had brought all the neighbors together there. They had come to
help Farmer Green with his new barn! Old dog Spot had said so. And he
ought to know, if anyone did.




XIX

THE FEAST AT FARMER GREEN'S