"Easily. Several hives are within a mile of us. The bees like this
prairie, which is so well garnished with flowers, and I am never at
a loss for work, in this neighborhood. This is my favorite bee-
ground; and I have got all the little creatures so that they know
me, and are ready to do everything that I tell them. As I see that
the chiefs love honey, and wish to eat some, we will now go to one
of my hives."
Thus saying, le Bourdon prepared for another march. He moved with
all his appliances, Margery keeping close at his side, carrying the
honey-comb and honey. As the girl walked lightly, in advance of the
Indians, some fifteen or twenty bees, attracted by the flavor of
what she carried, kept circling around her head, and consequently
around that of Boden; and Peter did not fail to observe the
circumstance. To him it appeared as if these bees were so many
accompanying agents, who attended their master in order to do his
bidding. In a word, Peter was fast getting into that frame of mind,
when all that is seen is pressed into the support of the theory we
have adopted. The bee-hunter had some mysterious connection with,
and control over the bees, and this was one among the many other
signs of the existence of his power.
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