old horse Ebenezer, he didn't object to that part of his duties so much.
What he hated most was pitching hay with a pitchfork. And next to that,
he disliked going to the spring for a jugful of water.

But those unpleasant tasks were nothing at all compared with what
happened to him one day when he stepped squarely upon the doorway of the
Bumblebee family's house.

Johnnie's carelessness made the workers angry at once. And several of
them rushed out and stung Johnnie Green severely.

Then _he_ was angry. And he declared he would "fix them"--as soon as he
could think of a good way to do it.

And that very afternoon, while he was bringing the heavy jug from the
spring, Johnnie Green thought of a fine plan for punishing the Bumblebee
family. He liked his plan so well that he could hardly wait to try it;
and he went back to the hayfield almost at a run, whereas he usually
sauntered along so slowly that his father often had to speak to him
somewhat sharply.

But this time Farmer Green could not complain. Johnnie even brought the
jug--and the tin cup too--to the knoll in the meadow where his father and
the hired man were working. And then Farmer Green said:

"How are your stings now?"

"Awful!" Johnnie informed him hopefully.

"Maybe you'd like to stop work for the rest of the day and go swimming,"