And it was no wonder that she wanted to get away from the crowd.

She didn't even beg Betsy b.u.t.terfly's pardon for calling her a thief.

But all the rest of the field people realized at last that Betsy was no thief.

The b.u.t.ter-and-eggs plant, they were well aware, was as free as the clover, or the milk-weed blossoms, or any other of the wild flowers.

Everybody knew that Farmer Green laid no claim to them, though they did grow in his meadow.

And when Betsy b.u.t.terfly thanked Daddy Longlegs for his explanation he wished more than ever that he had worn his new coat that day--and his new hat, too.

XIII

THE FRIENDLY STRANGER

OF course, anyone so beautiful as Betsy b.u.t.terfly was bound to attract attention. Wherever she went people turned their heads--if they could--to look at her. And those whose heads were so fastened to their bodies that they simply couldn't crane their necks at anybody--even those unlucky creatures wheeled themselves about in order to gaze at Betsy.

If they happened to be ladies they stared at her because they wanted to see what was the latest style in gowns, or maybe hats. And if they happened to be gentlemen they looked at her because they just couldn't help it.

It was no wonder, then, that Betsy b.u.t.terfly had many admirers. In fact, she was so accustomed to their flittering after her that usually she paid little heed to them. But now and then one of them made himself so agreeable that Betsy favored him slightly more than the others.

Such was a stranger dressed in yellowish brown whom she chanced to meet among the flowers one day. He was flying from flower to flower with a loud buzzing. And he reminded Betsy b.u.t.terfly of somebody, but she couldn't just think who it was.

"Ah!" said the stranger, as soon as he caught Betsy's eye. "The blossoms are fine and fresh after last night's shower, aren't they?"

Betsy had to admit that what the stranger said was true. And when he came right over to the flower where she was breakfasting and began buzzing around her, and eating pollen, Betsy b.u.t.terfly thought that for a stranger he seemed very friendly.

She looked at him for a time, out of the corner of her eye, while she tried to recall whom the newcomer resembled. But he looked like no one she had even seen. And then all at once Betsy knew what was so familiar about him. It was his voice!

"You remind me of a friend of mine," she remarked. "He lives in the meadow not far from here. It's your buzzing," she explained. "If I didn't see you I should think you were Buster b.u.mblebee."

Betsy's remark seemed to please the stranger. And he smiled smugly while he buzzed louder than ever.

"It's not surprising that I make you think of him," he observed. "Indeed it would be odd if I didn't, for I'm a sort of cousin of Buster's, so to speak. Perhaps you didn't know that my name is b.u.mble--Joseph b.u.mble."

Naturally Betsy and Joseph became good friends on the spot. And after that people often saw them rambling together among the flowers.

Now, Joseph b.u.mble proved to be a great talker. And since Betsy b.u.t.terfly was an excellent listener, they spent many agreeable hours together.

At least, Joseph enjoyed every minute that he spent in Betsy b.u.t.terfly's company. And if at times she found his prattle a bit tiresome, she was too well-mannered to say so.

If the truth were known, Joseph b.u.mble proved to be somewhat of a braggart. He was forever boasting of his connection with the b.u.mblebee family. And Betsy couldn't say anything to him without his remarking that his cousin Buster b.u.mblebee's mother, the well-known Queen, thought this or that.

"And being of royal blood, the Queen ought to know what's what," he frequently said.

"I suppose--" Betsy said to him at last--"I suppose you're of royal blood yourself, Mr. b.u.mble?"

"Oh, very!" he replied with a smirk. "We're all of us very royal indeed."

And Betsy b.u.t.terfly thought how pleasant it was to be friends with anyone who came from such a fine family as Joseph b.u.mble's.

XIV

A DEEP PLOT

AS time pa.s.sed, Betsy continued to see a great deal of Joseph b.u.mble.

And she noticed one peculiar thing: Although he talked continually of his cousin Buster b.u.mblebee, the Queen's son, no one had ever seen the two together.

"How does it happen," she asked Joseph at last, "that I never find you with your cousin? Aren't you friends?"

"We're certainly not _enemies_," said Joseph b.u.mble, "though I must admit that we're not quite so intimate as we might be. You see, Buster and I have different tastes. And now that the red clover is in blossom he spends all his time in the clover field. But as you know, like you I am very fond of flowers. And I'd far rather be here in the meadow--or the flower garden--with you, than in the clover patch with Buster b.u.mblebee."

Naturally such an answer was bound to please Betsy b.u.t.terfly. And after that she bothered her head no more about the friendship between the two cousins. Certainly Joseph b.u.mble's explanation sounded reasonable. And she had no cause to doubt his statement.

Meanwhile there were others among Betsy b.u.t.terfly's admirers who became very peevish on observing how much time Betsy and the newcomer in the neighborhood, Joseph b.u.mble, were spending in each other's society. And they agreed among themselves that something ought to be done to put an end to the upstart b.u.mble's boasting.

"Betsy b.u.t.terfly thinks the fellow is a cousin of Buster b.u.mblebee's,"

said Chirpy Cricket. "But I've noticed that he and Buster are never together. Let's ask Buster to come over to the meadow so that he may meet this cousin of his! And then perhaps we'll learn something more about Joseph b.u.mble than we know now."

Everybody said that that was a good plan. And Betsy's admirers chose Daddy Longlegs to call on Buster b.u.mblebee and invite him to a party to be given in the meadow the following day.

Daddy Longlegs agreed to do the errand, in spite of the fact that for him it was half a day's journey to the b.u.mblebee's home from the stone wall where he lived. But he thought that by hurrying he ought to be able to get back in time to put on his best coat and go to the party, though he might arrive somewhat late.

"Don't forget to ask Betsy b.u.t.terfly to the party!" Daddy called, as he started off on his long trip.

"Don't worry! I'll attend to that myself," Chirpy Cricket promised.

"And don't forget to invite Joseph b.u.mble!" Daddy cautioned him.

"Oh! we don't need to ask him," said Chirpy Cricket. "_He'll_ come without being invited, unless I'm greatly mistaken."

Luckily for Daddy Longlegs there was not a breath of wind either that day or the following one. So he made excellent time to the b.u.mblebee home, where he found Buster b.u.mblebee and gave him his invitation. Then Daddy turned around and started back towards his stone wall. Buster b.u.mblebee had promised to come to the party. And Daddy wanted to be present when the two cousins, Buster b.u.mblebee and Joseph b.u.mble, met--with Betsy b.u.t.terfly right there to watch them.

XV

JOSEPH b.u.mBLE'S COMPLAINT