He ignored it.

Stopping just at this critical point he proceeded with exasperating deliberation to roll himself another fat and clumsy cigarette.

Then he applied fresh earth to both the Babe's stings and his own.

At last he went on.
"That tree must have been hollow a long way down, for almost as soon as Teddy Bear's claws began to rattle on the bark the bees suspected trouble and began to get excited.

When he was not much more than halfway up, and hanging to the rough bark with all his claws, _biff_!--something sharp and very hot struck him in the nose.