The bees, nearly torpid from the smoke, were crawling sluggishly
along on the underside of the roof, and offered no resistance when
Addison broke off the combs.
With his basket and pail well filled, he tiptoed back to the scuttle and
handed the spoils to Uncle Hannibal, who instantly led the way down the
back stairs and outdoors.
"We have despoiled the Egyptians!" he cried. "I didn't do much myself,
but a younger hero has appeared. Now for a sweet time!" And he passed
the pail and basket round.
There was as much as twenty pounds of honey, and every one got at least
a taste. The old Squire and I had now stopped puffing smoke, and we
joined the others outside. To this day I remember just how Uncle
Hannibal looked as he stood there on the meetinghouse platform, with a
chunk of white, dripping comb in his hand. He took a big bite from it;
and I said to myself that, if he took many more bites like that one,
there would not be much honey left for the old Squire and me. But we got
a taste of it, and very good honey it was.
Our victory over the Egyptians, however, was not yet complete. Either
because the smoke was now clearing up, or because they smelled the honey
that we were eating, they began to come round to the front end of the
house, where they hovered over the people and darted down savagely at
them.
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