GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 192, 16 August 1927, Page 11

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Peggy Has a Surprise. (Told by BLANCHE SILVER for PETER PAN.) "Goodness me!" Peggy exclaimed when she saw the five little "bees all standing in a row one behind the other, "What in the world are those fellows doing? I'd like to know. Dear! I wish Squeedee- -" "Just about time you were calling me," laughed a merry voice, and out from the bushes stepped the wee elfin himself, his face all smiles. "So you've disco\ered the Carder Family, have you ?" "Carder Family?" questioned the astonished Peggy sitting down very carefully on a stump so as not to disturb the strange little bees. "Are those Carder Bees " "Of course we are Carder Bees," laughed the first bee in line as he passed what looked to Peggy like a tangle of grass to the bee back of him. "Mighty gjad to see you and your friend Squeedee." "And I'm glad to see you folks so busy," laughed the elfin. "This is Little Peggy, a great friend of mine. Peggy, this is the Carder Bee Family. By the way, .Mrs. Carder Bee, what's this thing you folks are doing* I don't believe I've ever seen you combing grass before. What are you going to do with it?" "Shall we show them what we are going to do with this grass?" Mrs. Carder Bee asked the other bees. "It will be perfectly all right to show Squeedee ? s friends. I'm sure Peggy will keep our secret. You sec we Carder Bees build in a little hollow on the surface of the ground, and the only way we have of disguising our dwelling place is to weave a moss-like covering over the hollow nest. Come alonji and I'll show you our nest. You folks keep on combing the tangled grass until you get it just right," and she passed the grass she had drawn between her six little feet on to the nest bee. "Come alonjr and take a peep."

She led Sqiieedee and Peggy to a little hollow place in the ground almost hidden under a little dome of moss and grass. "But doesn't the water get in and spoil your cells?" asked Peggy, peeking inside the wee nest. "I should think the water would go right through the moss and grass covering." "You wouldn't think so if you'd glance in at the inner lining we put in," buzzed : Mrs. Carder Bee. x "You see it's made waterproof by the inside coating of dark, coarse wax." By this time the rest of the Carder Bees had the combing process finished, and they carefully pulled the little blades of grass and'moss over the wee dome until it looked just like a tuft of ordinary moss upon the ground. "Well, you folks certainly know how I disguise yo:ir house all right," laughed^Peggy." 1 ' 7 "l'd never in the world , think that tuft of moss and grass hid a treasure box." , "Thanks for the compliment," buzzed I Mrs. Carder Bee. "Now, if you'll excuse us, well get to work." Peggy and Squeedee bowed very politely and ran on through the woods in search of new adventure.

Opposite' HJL Theatre! Auckland.