y had just begun to play as Nina and Ada reached the spot, and the
dancers had formed in line to commence their amusement. A pretty and
graceful girl, with a chaplet composed of flowers and shells, the spoils
of the sea and land, and a garland of the same nature hung like a scarf
across her shoulders, led off the dance; a handsome youth, with one hand
holding hers, and the other another girl's, came next, and so a chain
was formed of alternately a young man and a maiden. At first the leader
advanced with a slow and seemingly sedate pace, all following, in a
measured time, to the musician's solemn strain. By degrees, as the
music became more lively and animated, so did the movement of the
dancers increase in rapidity. First, the foremost girl led her chain of
dancers along the smooth sand at a rapid rate; then she suddenly turned,
and setting to her partner, flew off, and darted under the upraised arms
of those at the furthest extremity, dragging the rest after her; then
she twisted among the rocks, on the shore, and when weary of that
movement, joined her hand to that of the youth at the other end, and
commenced circling round and round at as rapid a rate as the feet of the
dancers could more. When all were panting and dizzy, suddenly she broke
the circle, and led off again in a line towards the sea, till she
reached the very brink, where the sparkling wavelets washed the shining
pebbles and many-tinted shells; and watching till the water receded, she
darted after it, and flew back before it caught her; though many who
were in honour bound to follow her, in vain hurried their steps before
the returning wave overtook them, amid the shouts of laughter of their
more fortunate companions. Nothing would, however, induce them to break
the indissoluble chain. Then she led them smiling and shaking their
heads as they went in review before their older friends, who were seated
as spectators, and the rest expected they were thus to visit all the
groups; off again she darted to chase the retreating wave, and then once
more to join hands in the lively wheel, and at last, overcome with their
exertion, they sank on the sands exhausted, though they quickly again
sprang up to renew their sport. Several other similar sets were formed
at the same time; one of which, composed of the younger people, was led
by little Mila; nor was it the least lively or joyous of them all.

Ada Garden looked anxiously around to discover whether Fleetw