dward, "and so, I believe, are all the
others. Let us stand by, and look on. I always enjoy seeing the children
dance." "No indeed," said Madeline, "I had rather dance myself. Here,
Ellen and Clara, go and sit down, and give us your places." The children
began to object; but she pushed them away and commenced the cotillon,
saying she was determined to dance every set.

The next set, however, no one asked Madeline to dance. She looked very
much displeased at being obliged to sit still, and was yet more so, when
Charles Templeton brought up a very handsome little midshipman, in his
uniform, who, on being introduced to both the young ladies, immediately
requested the pleasure of Miss Lansdowne's hand for the next set.

Juliet stood up with the midshipman; but there was some delay in forming
the cotillons, and her partner perceived that one of his shoe-strings
was broken. He asked Charles Templeton, who was in the next cotillon, if
he would put him in a way of repairing the accident; and Charles desired
the midshipman to accompany him to his room for the purpose. Madeline,
who had heard all that passed, stepped up to Juliet and said to
her--"Juliet, as you are one of the modest people, I suppose it will
embarrass you to stand here till your partner comes back again; so do
you sit down, and I will stand and keep your place for you. You know I
have brass enough for any thing."

Juliet, grateful for Madeline's unexpected kindness, and feeling really
some embarrassment at standing up in the cotillon without her partner,
consented willingly, and took Madeline's seat. In a few minutes the
midshipman returned, and looked much surprised when he saw another young
lady in the place of his partner; but before he had time to consider why
it was so, the music commenced, and Madeline began to right and left,
and led off the cotillon; disappointing Juliet of her dance.

The midshipman, however, did not speak to Madeline during the whole set;
and when he had led her to a seat, he left her, and went up to Edward,
and expressed his surprise that Miss Lansdowne, after being engaged to
dance with him, had substituted another young lady in her place. Edward,
to whom his sister had explained how it happened, repeated her account
to the midshipman, who was much vexed, and went immediately to apologize
to Juliet, and to ask her hand for the next set, which she was obliged
to refuse, as she was pre-engaged both for that set and the following.