along, then;' and he took her on his arm, ran
down-stairs with her, and before she well knew where she was, or what
was going on, she found herself in his great grasp passive as a doll,
dragged off into the midst of a vehement polka that took her breath
away. She trusted to him, and remained in a passive, half-frightened
state, glad he was so happy; but in the first pause heartily wishing he
would let her go, instead of which she only heard, 'Well done, old
Ethel, you'll be a prime dancer yet! you're as light as a feather;' and
before she had recovered her breath, off he led her with 'Go it again!'

When at length, panting and bewildered, she was safely placed on a
seat, with 'You've had enough, have you? mind, I shan't let you off
another time,' she found that her aberration had excited a good deal of
sensation in her own family. Blanche and Gertrude could not repress
their amusement; and Dr. May, with merry eyes, declared that she was
coming out in a new light. She had only time to confide to him the
reason that she had let Harry do what he pleased with her, before two
volunteers were at her side.

'Miss May, I did not think you ever danced!'

'Nor I,' said Ethel; 'but you see what sailors can do with one.'

'Now, Ethel' said the other over his shoulder, 'now you have danced
with Harry, you must have this waltz with me.'

'A dangerous precedent, Ethel,' said the Doctor, laughing.

'I couldn't waltz to save my life, Aubrey,' said Ethel; 'but if you can
bear me through a polka as well as Harry did, you may try the next.'

'And won't you--will you--for once dance with me? said his companion
imploringly.

'Very well, Leonard, if I can get through a quadrille;' and therewith
Ethel was seized upon by both boys to hear the story of every hit and
miss, and of each of the difficulties that their unpractised corps had
encountered in getting round the corners between Stoneborough and the
Grange. Then came Leonard's quadrille, which it might be hoped was
gratifying to him; but which he executed with as much solemn deference
as if he had been treading a minuet with a princess, plainly regarding
it as the great event of the day. In due time, he resigned her to
Aubrey; but poor Aubrey had been deluded by the facility with which the
strong and practised sailor had swept his victim along; and Ethel grew
terrified at the danger of collisions, and released herself and pulled
him aside by force, just in time to avoid being