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 the bee garden blue?’ And I’ll have to tell you the answer because you would never guess it in a thousand years. The answer is, ‘Because of God.’”

Jamie’s face betrayed the astonishment he felt. His brow wrinkled in thought; his eyes narrowed. He stared at the little Scout and repeated softly: “Because of God’?"

“Yes,” said the little Scout. “That’s what makes bees so interesting. About half the things you’ll have to learn are because of God, and why the bee garden is blue is the very first thing. Now, you listen and I’ll tell you the reason.”

With uplifted hand to caution silence, slowly and deliberately, the little Scout repeated the explanation that had been given to the first question concerning bees.

“The bee garden is blue because blue is the perfect colour’ and bees are the most perfect of any insect in the way they live, and the most valuable on account of the work they do, and so blue would be the colour they love best, and it is! If you don’t believe it, watch them. And because why—the nearest we come to a perfect insect loves a perfect colour best, why, that’s because God made them as they are!”

The little Scout looked hard at Jamie and Jamie’s face was noncommittal.

“I guess you don’t get it," ventured the youngster. “Well, wait a minute and you will. The first thing you’ve got to learn is some figures. Because you are big and maybe been to college, you ought to learn ’em if I can. For one thing, there’s four thousand five hundred different