Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees by Odo Hirsch Page B

question out of his mind. It didn’t matter now, did it? Thanks to Mr Cuthbert, he had a plan, and that was all that mattered.
    He thought about it, too excited to sleep. It was perfect. It had to work. There was still the chance that the beekeepers wouldn’t want to bring their hives for fear that their bees would catch the disease. That was what Heberden said. But he was just a spiteful, selfish man who obviously didn’t want anyone else’s problems to be solved if his own problems weren’t. How could you compare his problem – the death of the bees in his two hobby hives – to the problems faced by Mr Fisher? No, the beekeepers would bring their hives. Wasn’t that what Mr Cuthbert had said? Now that all the bees in the city were dead, their bees might not catch the disease. They’d take the chance for the Bell honey. Of course they would, thought Darius. How could they resist?
    He tried to imagine how he would tell Mr Fisher. Perhaps he would go up to him tomorrow and announce that he had found a solution to the problem, just like that. What a look the gardener would have on his face! Or perhaps he would wait until Mr Cuthbert had given him a list of people with hives who would help. Perhaps it would be better not to get Mr Fisher’s hopes up until he definitely knew the plan would work. Then he would hand the list of beekeepers to Mr Fisher and tell him to call them. What a surprise Mr Fisher would get when they offered their hives!
    In the end, Darius didn’t quite manage to do it like that. When he saw the gardener the next day, Mr Fisher told him he had been offered a job.
    â€˜I’m very lucky,’ Mr Fisher said, although there was nothing in his tone of voice to suggest that he was happy about it. ‘It was someone who knew me who recommended me. They’ve got a gardener’s lodge that’s big enough for the whole family and they want me to start straight away.’
    â€˜Are you going to take the job?’ asked Darius.
    â€˜What choice do I have?’
    â€˜Have you told them yet?’
    â€˜Not yet.’
    â€˜Don’t. I mean, don’t tell them yet. Just wait, Mr Fisher.’
    Mr Fisher looked at him quizzically. ‘They want an answer, Darius.’
    â€˜Just wait a few days.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜I’m . . . working on something.’
    â€˜What is it?’
    Darius hesitated. He didn’t know for sure that the plan was going to work. He wouldn’t know that until Mr Cuthbert told him the outcome of his inquiries.
    â€˜They want an answer, Darius.’ Mr Fisher watched him. ‘Darius?’
    Darius hesitated a moment longer. Then he told Mr Fisher about Mr Cuthbert and the plan they had come up with.
    â€˜Where did you meet this Mr Cuthbert?’
    â€˜At an apiarists’ meeting.’
    Mr Fisher looked at Darius in amazement. ‘You went to an apiarists’ meeting? For me?’
    Darius nodded.
    â€˜I don’t know what to say.’
    â€˜You don’t have to say anything, Mr Fisher.’
    The gardener gazed at him for a moment, as if unable to speak.
    â€˜I only had to go to the Town Hall!’
    Mr Fisher laughed. ‘Do you really think Mr Cuthbert will find some people?’
    â€˜He seemed to think he would. He said they’ll do anything for Bell honey.’
    â€˜And he thinks they’ll take the chance of their bees catching the disease?’
    Darius nodded, although Mr Cuthbert hadn’t been as certain as that. ‘Don’t say yes to the job yet, Mr Fisher. Please, wait a bit longer.’
    â€˜Well, I did tell them I’d need to think about it. They said they definitely need to know by the end of this week, so I suppose I can wait a few days.’
    Darius smiled. ‘That’s more than you’ll need!’
    Later, when he saw Marguerite, Darius told her about the plan as well.
    â€˜How long will it take?’ demanded