They entered the house from another door and passed through the closed veranda. Upon the floor of the living room, in a large circle facing the center, the infants sat, tailor fashion, singing lustily, and greeted Bobby Shafto’s appearance with shouts of glee. They made him get into their midst and dance, which he did with all the grace of a jackdaw, while Betty Tremaine played the accompaniment on the piano.
Bobby Shafto’s gone to sea
Silver buckles on his knee
He’ll come back and marry me
Darling Bobby Shafto.
“But who is he going to marry?” maliciously chortled one of the débutantes, in the ensuing pause.
“You, my angel, if you’ll have me?” and leaning over he quickly kissed her.
There was a laugh at the girl’s expense and Bibby retired in triumph.
One by one the characters were summoned and noisily greeted: Old King Cole, who was Yates Rowland; Old Mother Hubbard, who was Percy Endicott (“Aptly taken, by Jove!” was Spencer’s comment) and Simple Simon, who was Dirwell De Lancey (and looked the part). But the hit of the occasion was the dance which followed between Jill and the Infant Bacchus. It was clear that no nursery music would be suitable here. So Betty Tremaine’s fingers hurried into the presto of Anitra’s Dance from the “Peer Gynt” music, which caught the requirements of the occasion. The dancers were well-matched and the audience upon the floor, which had at first begun to clap its hands to the gay lilt, slowly drew back to give more room, and then finding itself in danger from the flying heels dispersed and looked on from adjacent doorways. The dance was everything and it was nothing—redowa, tarantella, cosaque, fandango, and only ended when the dancers and pianist were exhausted.
The party broke up amidst wild applause and led by Mrs. Pennington the guests were already on their way to the dressing-rooms, when Nina Jaffray, still breathless from her exertions stepped before Gallatin and whispered amusedly:
“It almost seems as if you might go with me after all, doesn’t it, Phil?” she laughed. “It’s too late for a train and all the machines but mine are crowded——”
“You’re very kind, but I think I’ll walk. It’s only twenty miles.”
“Don’t be disagreeable, Phil. Larry Kane wanted to go with me, but I’ve sent him along with Ogden Spencer—just because I wanted to apologize to you.”