Soon the airship cabin was buzzing with them. “The wasps are coming in through the air circulation system!” Archie cried. “Actually, sir, they appear to be Vespa crabro,” Mr. Rivets said, examining one that was trying to sting his brass hand. “Hornets, not wasps.” Fergus leaned back on the medical bay bed, swatting the hornets away from him. “I don’t care what they are. They’ve got stingers and I can’t run. Help!” “There’s nowhere to run to,” the girl said. She batted hornets away as more came in through the air ducts. Soon they would be covered in the things. “Circus, showtime!” she said. From the pouches in her bandolier burst her five winged wind-up animals—a lion, gorilla, giraffe, elephant, and zebra. The girl pointed at Fergus. “Keep the wasps off him!” “Hornets, miss,” Mr. Rivets corrected her. The flying animals swooped into action, biting, clawing, stomping, and kicking the insects around Fergus. He leaned back on his elbows and watched them work with the wide-eyed appreciation of a tinker, all thoughts of mortal peril suddenly gone.
