Presently we
came to the place where Corrus's herd lay sleeping. The angel smote one
of the cows with the flat of his hand, so that it got upon its feet; and
straightway the stranger thrust the flowing blossom into its face.
"The cow shrank back, Cunora! 'Twas deadly afraid of that beautiful
flower!"
"That is odd," admitted Cunora. She was getting interested.
"Then he took me by the hand again, and we floated once more through the
air. In a short time we arrived at the city of the masters. [Footnote:
Having no microscopes, the Sanusians could not know that the soldier
bees were unsexed females; hence, "masters."] Before I knew it, he had
me standing before the door of one of their palaces. I hung back, afraid
lest we be discovered and punished; but he smiled again and spake so
reassuringly that I fled not, but watched until the end.
"With his finger he tapped lightly on the front of the palace. None of
the masters heard him at first; so he tapped harder. Presently one of
them appeared, and flew at once before our faces. Had it not been for
the stranger's firm grasp I should have fled.
"The master saw that the stranger was the offender, and buzzed angrily.
Another moment, and the master would surely have returned to the palace
to inform the others; and then the stranger would have been punished
with the Head Out punishment.
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