3.  “It is mine,” said John, “for I was the first to see it.”

4.  “No, it is mine” said James, “for I was the first to pick it up.”

[Illustration:  Three boys standing by a fence, one older than the others.]

5.  Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut.

6.  As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy, and asked him.

7.  The older boy said, “I will settle this quarrel.”

8.  He took the nut, and broke the shell.  He then took out the kernel, and divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could.

9.  “This half of the shell,” said he, “belongs to the boy who first saw the nut.

10.  “And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up.

11.  “The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the quarrel.

12.  “This is the way,” said he, laughing, “in which quarrels are very apt to end.”

LESSON XXI.

crea’tures drones in’side hive i’dle

de fense’ driv’en killed cells size

work’ers queen stings shape wax

THE BEE.

1.  Bees live in a house that is called a hive.  They are of three kinds,—­workers, drones, and queens.

2.  Only one queen can live in each hive.  If she is lost or dead, the other bees will stop their work.

[Illustration:  Three bee-hives; wooden boxes about two feet square and four feet high, with a sloped roof.]

3.  They are very wise and busy little creatures.  They all join together to build cells of wax for their honey.

4.  Each bee takes its proper place, and does its own work.  Some go out and gather honey from the flowers; others stay at home and work inside the hive.

5.  The cells which they build, are all of one shape and size, and no room is left between them.

6.  The cells are not round, but have six sides. 7.  Did you ever look into a glass hive to see the bees while at work?  It is pleasant to see how busy they always are.

8.  But the drones do not work.  Before winter comes, all the drones are driven from the hive or killed, that they may not eat the honey which they did not gather.

9.  It is not quite safe for children to handle bees.  They have sharp stings that they know well how to use in their defense.

SLATE WORK.

[Illustration:  Script Exercise: 

How doth the little busy bee
  Improve each shining hour. 
And gather honey all the day
  From every opening flower!
]

LESSON XXII.

blos’soms drear’y wea’ry pinks smell’ing toil’ing

lev’ies buzz fra’grant this’tle weeds scent