"there, there!" said the queen-mother, coming up to where they were; "you must not talk in that way. it may be that you would rather do without drones, and perhaps they would rather do without you; but i need you both and i will not have any quarreling." when she said this she walked away with her head in the air, and the workers did not scold any more. they knew that she was right, and, after all, she was their queen, even if she did have to obey the laws.