<h2><SPAN name="XIII" id="XIII"></SPAN>XIII</h2>
<h3>THE FRIENDLY STRANGER</h3>
<p><span class="smcap">Of</span> course, anyone so beautiful as Betsy
Butterfly was bound to attract attention.
Wherever she went people turned their
heads—if they could—to look at her. And
those whose heads were so fastened to their
bodies that they simply couldn't crane their
necks at anybody—even those unlucky
creatures wheeled themselves about in order
to gaze at Betsy.</p>
<p>If they happened to be ladies they stared
at her because they wanted to see what
was the latest style in gowns, or maybe
hats. And if they happened to be gentlemen
they looked at her because they just
couldn't help it.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="p_64" id="p_64"></SPAN></span>It was no wonder, then, that Betsy Butterfly
had many admirers. In fact, she
was so accustomed to their flittering after
her that usually she paid little heed to
them. But now and then one of them made
himself so agreeable that Betsy favored
him slightly more than the others.</p>
<p>Such was a stranger dressed in yellowish
brown whom she chanced to meet
among the flowers one day. He was flying
from flower to flower with a loud
buzzing. And he reminded Betsy Butterfly
of somebody, but she couldn't just think
who it was.</p>
<p>"Ah!" said the stranger, as soon as he
caught Betsy's eye. "The blossoms are fine
and fresh after last night's shower, aren't
they?"</p>
<p>Betsy had to admit that what the
stranger said was true. And when he
came right over to the flower where she<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="p_65" id="p_65"></SPAN></span>
was breakfasting and began buzzing
around her, and eating pollen, Betsy Butterfly
thought that for a stranger he
seemed very friendly.</p>
<p>She looked at him for a time, out of the
corner of her eye, while she tried to recall
whom the newcomer resembled. But he
looked like no one she had even seen. And
then all at once Betsy knew what was so
familiar about him. It was his voice!</p>
<p>"You remind me of a friend of mine,"
she remarked. "He lives in the meadow
not far from here. It's your buzzing," she
explained. "If I didn't see you I should
think you were Buster Bumblebee."</p>
<p>Betsy's remark seemed to please the
stranger. And he smiled smugly while he
buzzed louder than ever.</p>
<p>"It's not surprising that I make you
think of him," he observed. "Indeed it
would be odd if I didn't, for I'm a sort of<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="p_66" id="p_66"></SPAN></span>
cousin of Buster's, so to speak. Perhaps
you didn't know that my name is Bumble—Joseph
Bumble."</p>
<p>Naturally Betsy and Joseph became
good friends on the spot. And after that
people often saw them rambling together
among the flowers.</p>
<p>Now, Joseph Bumble proved to be a
great talker. And since Betsy Butterfly
was an excellent listener, they spent many
agreeable hours together.</p>
<p>At least, Joseph enjoyed every minute
that he spent in Betsy Butterfly's company.
And if at times she found his
prattle a bit tiresome, she was too well-mannered
to say so.</p>
<p>If the truth were known, Joseph Bumble
proved to be somewhat of a braggart. He
was forever boasting of his connection with
the Bumblebee family. And Betsy couldn't
say anything to him without his remark<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="p_67" id="p_67"></SPAN></span>ing
that his cousin Buster Bumblebee's
mother, the well-known Queen, thought
this or that.</p>
<p>"And being of royal blood, the Queen
ought to know what's what," he frequently
said.</p>
<p>"I suppose—" Betsy said to him at last—"I
suppose you're of royal blood yourself,
Mr. Bumble?"</p>
<p>"Oh, very!" he replied with a smirk.
"We're all of us very royal indeed."</p>
<p>And Betsy Butterfly thought how pleasant
it was to be friends with anyone who
came from such a fine family as Joseph
Bumble's.</p>
<hr class="chapter" />
<p class="chapter"><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="p_68" id="p_68"></SPAN></span></p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />