"What my brother do next?" demanded Bear's Meat, who, being a
somewhat vulgar-minded savage, was all for striking and wonder-
working exhibitions of necromancy. "P'raps he find some honey now?"
"If you wish it, chief. What says Peter?--shall I ask my bees to
tell where there is a hive?"
As Peter very readily assented, le Bourdon next set about achieving
this new feat in his art. The reader will recollect that the
positions of two hives were already known to the bee-hunter, by
means of that very simple and every-day process by which he earned
his bread. One of these hives was in the point of wood already
mentioned, that lay along the margin of the prairie; while the other
was in this very copse, where the savages had secreted themselves.
Boden had now no thought of giving any further disturbance to this
last-named colony of insects; for an insight into their existence
might disturb the influence obtained by the jugglery of the late
discovery, and he at once turned his attention toward the other hive
indicated by his bees.
Nor did le Bourdon now deem it necessary to resort to his usual
means of carrying on his trade. These were not necessary to one who
knew already where the hive was to be found, while it opened the way
to certain mummeries that might be made to tell well in support of
his assumed character.
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