little spiders twisted between their legs. "Think of the Hive,
traitors! The Holy Hive!"

"You should have thought before!" cried the sound bees., "Stay
and see the dawn of your New Day."

They reached the Gate at last over the soft bodies of many to
whom they had ministered.

"On! Out! Up!" roared Melissa in the Princess's ear. "For the
Hive's sake! To the Old Oak!"

The Princess left the alighting-board, circled once, flung
herself at the lowest branch of the Old Oak, and her little loyal
swarm--you could have covered it with a pint mug--followed,
hooked, and hung.

"Hold close!" Melissa gasped. "The old legends have come true!
Look!"

The Hive was half hidden by smoke, and Figures moved through the
smoke. They heard a frame crack stickily, saw it heaved high and
twirled round between enormous hands--a blotched, bulged, and
perished horror of grey wax, corrupt brood, and small
drone-cells, all covered with crawling Oddities, strange to the
sun.

"Why, this isn't a hive! This is a museum of curiosities," said
the Voice behind the Veil. It was only the Bee Master talking to
his son.