He was certain he had never seen anything half as funny as Billee that day, sliding down the “corkscrew,” unless it was Billee trying to navigate the whirling bowl and crawling out on hands and knees, her little jaws set hard and eyes imploring him. For they took in all the features of the Island, did all the undignified stunts, rode the wooden race horses, and flying-jennies, shot the chutes, journeyed through Wonderland, circled the Ferris wheel, shot at targets, threw rings for dolls and balls at grinning “coon” heads, saw the fat woman and alligator boy and the Hawaiian dancers.
The offer of a free trip up and five dollars by the captive balloon man, if they would marry in the air, was promptly accepted by King but spurned by Billee.
Then they ran races on the beach with other carefree couples, built sand houses with little children, ate popcorn, “hot dog” and cotton candy and saw the movies. And Billee drank a pony of beer and lit a cigarette for King.
Once they came across a wild, ragtime dance scene, and Billee screamed with delight. It seemed to be everybody’s frolic.
“Come on, King, I must dance with you!”
“But,” sadly, “it’s the one accomplishment I lack, Billee. All the others I have. My young life was not cast in ragtime circles.”
“Come, sir, come! I’ll teach you!” He went. She said it was easy. It was not easy. “It’s easy” is a fiction of the game. She did not teach him, but among the dancers was a young man, coat buttoned tight across his waist and lapels spread wide and a little felt hat slouched across his northeast temple, who handled himself and partner like a pair of Indian clubs. It was a pleasure to watch him and the little “skirt” he toyed with. His eyes met Billee’s. He left his partner in the middle of the floor, as a matter of course.
“What’s the matter, Bo’?” he said to King. “Can’t little Beauty dance?” King regarded the visitor with amusement. He was too cosmopolitan to take offense. This was New York’s playground.
“Ask her,” he said, ironically.
“Dance, kid?” said the boy cryptically, to Billee.