was a graceful little thing and she had been teaching
Peter how to dance. But now she stood stiff with fright and
embarrassment.

"Why, don't be afraid of my mother, Mollie," Peter said gently, for he
himself was in no way frightened at his mother's appearance.

So when Mrs. Dustin repeated her question, Mollie said shyly: "Yes,
ma'am, we were trying to dance."

"Bless me," laughed Mrs. Dustin. "Why, I never realized that Peter was
old enough to want to dance. You should have told me, Peter Boy. Why,
you should have all told me, because," she smiled gloriously at them
all, "because I used to be the star dancer twenty-five years ago.
Wasn't I, Joe?"

"You sure were," Joe answered promptly. His face still looked a little
queer and his voice was not quite steady but he was bravely following
the wise little woman with the blue eyes.

"Let me show you. Play something, Peter."

Mrs. Dustin picked up Mollie and began to dance. And in exactly five
turns about the room all the poetry, the joy of motion in Mollie caught
fire and her little slim feet just fairly twinkled in happy abandonment.

"Why, Mollie, girl, you're a fairy on your feet," praised Mrs. Dustin
and the happy face at her breast flushed with pleasure and gratitude at
the words.

Peter was not the least bit surprised at his mother's antics. He knew
that she was a glorious mother and full of surprises. The other
youngsters however were not so sure. So Peter suggested to the
proprietor that he start the graphophone. The proprietor nodded and
soon they were all dancing, Mrs. Dustin taking a new partner every few
minutes.

"And children," she suddenly remembered, "Joe can jig--why, he used to
jig beautifully."

So Joe took his turn in amusing the children and while he did it Mrs.
Dustin examined some machines lined up along the wall.

"When you drop a nickel in the slot do you get gum, peanuts or your
fortune told or does a Punch and Judy pop out?" she laughingly and
innocently asked Sim and Sammy Berwick who stood near.

Sim looked uneasy and Sammy said, "Aw, them things are no good, Mrs.
Dustin. You don't want to monkey with them. You might--"

But Mrs. Dustin was already dropping her nickel in and when Peter came
up she was shaking out an empty purse.

"Why, Peter, what's the matter with these machines? I guess I didn't
work them right. I've dropped all my money in, and I haven't gotten a
thing. It's the money I was saving for the fr