they graciously look on. I don't dance either, I do not consider it
dignified, so I sit here, conduct the ceremony, and beat time to the
music with my paw."

That dance was the wildest, gladdest, merriest thing the children ever
remembered, and the threads of golden light filtering through the flash
of the coloured costumes as they wound in and out, added tints of
splendour as of an ancient pageant.

Who could keep from dancing to such an exquisite tune, and who could
help being glad when ropes of lovely flowers were being twined round
lovelier childish faces, flower-like themselves, flushed with gay
excitement, with perfect health, with gladness?

Ribbons of changing light they threaded in and out, round and through,
no one could tell how many times, and over all the golden scented dew
of perfect health and beauty fell from the two fountains upon the
up-turned faces.

It is true the Griffin made several ineffectual attempts to break
through the laughing, whirling ring, under the impression that the
circle was incomplete without him, but Gamble, Grin, and Grub were
always at hand to pull him back, and prevent this amiable but mistaken
intrusion.

From the piano-organ which he turned so gaily, Carry-on-Merry found it
was necessary to caution the Griffin after his last frantic attempt to
break through the ring of dancing children.

"I want to dance," urged the Griffin.

"I think you want a keeper," grinned Carry-on-Merry, "or a policeman or
something, to keep you in order."

The Griffin turned pale.

"Oh! no," implored the Griffin, "not a _policeman_."

"Well, then, behave," grinned Carry-on-Merry.

"Very well," sulked the Griffin, "as I am not wanted I think I shall go
home and give a party to myself."

"Don't go," grinned Carry-on-Merry, "I have thought of something you
could do presently."

The Griffin flushed with delight.

"Will it be something grand?" asked the Griffin breathlessly,
"something that will show me off, something that will make me talked
about, something so big that it won't be like anything else?"

"Rather," grinned Carry-on-Merry; "you bet it won't be like anything
else, at least," added Carry-on-Merry truthfully, "it won't be like
anything else I have ever known."

"Oh, thank you, thank you," gushed the Griffin. "I could swoon with
joy, I feel so overwrought that I shall go to one of the fountains and
ask the dear Dolphins for some light refreshment."

"No, you don't," inst