As they sang the last line they did turn themselves about so many times that it seemed a wonder to Quincy, who was an amused spectator, how they kept upon their feet.

Seeing that one of the young ladies in the line was without a partner, Quincy took his place beside her and joined in the merriment as heartily as the rest.  Then followed all the changes of “I put my left hand in,” “I put my right foot in,” “I put my left foot in,” and so on until the whole party was nearly as much exhausted as Hiram and Mandy had been.

At this moment the door leading to the parlor opened and Deacon Mason entered, accompanied by his wife.  They were greeted with shouts of laughter.  Quincy looked at them with astonishment, and had it not been for their familiar faces, which they had not tried to disguise, he would not have recognized them.

Out of compliment to their guests, the Deacon and his wife had gone back to the days of their youth.  Probably from some old chest in the garret each had resurrected a costume of fifty years before.  They advanced into the room, smiling and bowing to the delighted spectators on either side.  They went directly to Abner, and the latter bent over to hear what the Deacon whispered in his ear.  The Deacon then went to Strout and whispered something to him.

Strout nodded, and turning to the company said, “As it’s now half past ‘leven and most time for honest folks to be abed and rogues a runnin’, out of compliment to Miss Huldy’s grandpa and grandma, who have honored us with their presence this evenin’, we will close these festivities with a good old-fashioned heel and toe Virginia reel.  Let ’er go, Abner, and keep her up till all the fiddle strings are busted.”

Like trained soldiers, they sprang to their places.  Quincy and his partner took places near the end of the line.  He explained to her that he had never danced a reel, but thought he could easily learn from seeing the others, and he told her that when their turn came she need not fear but that he would do his part.

The Deacon and his wife led off, and their performance caused great enthusiasm.  Sam Hill was not a good dancer, so he resigned Miss Tilly James to Professor Strout.  Miss James was a superb dancer, and as Quincy looked at her his face showed his appreciation.

[Illustration:  “The Deacon and his wife led off.”]

His partner saw the glance, and looking up to him said, “Don’t you wish you could dance as well as that?”

“I wish I could,” said Quincy.  “I have no doubt you can,” he added, looking at his partner’s rosy face.

“Well,” said she, “you do the best you can, and I’ll do the same.”

Professor Strout and Tilly did finely, and their performance gained them an encore, which they granted.  One by one the couples went under the arch of extended arms, and one by one they showed their Terpsichorean agility on the kitchen floor, over which Mandy Skinner had thoughtfully sprinkled a handful of house sand.