‘How could you dance with candles?’ said Primrose’s astonished voice.

’Yes.  Six of us had great long wax candles, lighted; and we stood up on a chair.’

‘Six of you on a chair!’

’The old question of the schoolmen!’—­cried Nightingale, bursting into a laugh.

’Of course on six chairs, I mean.  Of course.  Six of us on a chair!’—­

‘But what did you get on chairs for?’

’Why!—­then the gentlemen danced round us, and at the signal—­ the leader gave the signal—­the gentlemen jumped up as high as they could and tried to blow out our lights; and they had to keep step and jump; and if any gentleman could blow out the candle nearest him he could dance with that lady.  Didn’t we make them jump, though!  We held our candles up so high, you know, they could not get at them.  Unless we liked somebody and wanted him for a partner.  O we had a royal time!’

‘Did the gentlemen dance—­and blow—­indiscriminately?’ inquired Miss Kennedy with a curl of her lips.

‘No, no!—­how you do tell things, Josephine!’ said Miss Burr.  ’Two gentlemen for each chair,—­and whichever of the two put the candle out, he danced with the lady.’

’Kitty had four or five round her chair’—­said Josephine.

‘And couldn’t the lady help herself?’ inquired Primrose, in a tone of voice which called forth a universal burst of laughter.

‘Why we did,’ said Josephine.  ’If you don’t like a man, you hold the candle up out of his reach.’

‘You couldn’t baffle everybody so,’ remarked Mr. Kingsland.  Several gentlemen had come up during the talk, closing in round Miss Kennedy.

‘Mr. Rollo is right about one thing,’ said Miss Burr; ’nobody has seen the German who has not seen it led by Kitty Fisher.  You should see her dance it, Miss Kennedy.’

‘Yes, you should,’ echoed Mr. May, ’I had rather look on than be in it, for my part.’

‘What do you think she did at Catskill the other day?’ said Miss Burr.  ’She took a piece of ice between her teeth, and went round the piazza asking all the gentlemen to take a bite.’

’Clever Kitty!  She’ll work that up into a new figure—­see if she dont,’—­said Mr. Kingsland.

‘To be called the noli me tangere!’ said Mr. May.  ’Partners secured at the melting point.’  The other gentlemen laughed.

‘I see you and Kitty are at swords’ points yet,’ said Miss Burr.

‘No,’ put in Rollo—­’she likes a foil better than a rapier.’

’Certainly it does not sound as if she was like you, Primrose,’ observed Wych Hazel.

‘Like Miss Maryland!—­Hardly,’ said Mr. May.  ’Nor like any one your thoughts could even imagine,’ he added softly.

It was growing late now, and the moon gradually passing along behind the trees, found a clear space at this point, and looked down full at the little party to see what they were about.  Just then, from the distance, came a stir and a murmur and sound of laughing voices.