"You'd better not!" Freddie Firefly told him. "It will be dark by that
time. And Chirpy Cricket tells me your family always goes to bed at
sunset."

"So we do!" Buster agreed. "But my mother, the Queen, is going to order
her honey-makers to work overtime for the present. And she wants you and
your family to furnish lights so they can see what they're doing." "Oh!
That's different!" Freddie Firefly exclaimed. "I thought she wanted me
to help make honey. And that's something I know nothing about. ... But
when it comes to furnishing a light, I'm certainly a shining success."
Freddie then laughed heartily. And much to his surprise, Buster
Bumblebee gave him several hard slaps on the back, which hurt him not a
little.

"Don't do that!" Freddie Firefly cried.

"I thought you were choking," Buster, explained.

Freddie Firefly shook his head.

"I was joking," he said.

"Well, I didn't make much of a mistake; for joking and choking sound
about the same," Buster Bumblebee replied.

"I hope your mother's honey-makers can tell the difference," Freddie
Firefly grumbled. "If they can't, I certainly don't care to spend a
night in their company."

"Oh, you won't have any trouble with them. They'll be working so busily