Then he stopped short.

"Annette," he said wistfully, "do you think she'll be caring to dance with a boy like me ?" "Of course she will, if you k-keep off her toes and don't forget to count the time.

Hurry and g-get off your things; I want you to try it before the crowd comes.

There are only a few couples for you to bump into now, and there will be a hundred after a while." O the fine rapture of that first moment when Sandy found he could dance! Annette knocked away his remaining doubts and fears and boldly launched him into the merry whirl.

The first rush was breathless, carrying all before it; but after a moment's awful uncertainty he settled into the step and glided away over the shining floor, counting his knots to be sure, but sailing triumphantly forward behind the flutter of Annette's pink ribbons.
He was introduced right and left, and he asked every girl he met to dance.