Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/134

Rh light of foot and graceful in every movement, pranced on, laughing back now at her mother, now at Floyd, who grinned and enjoyed the spectacle; the two small boys were now giggling, and Mr. Dunbar was the only one who remained serious and earnest, going through the motions with a dignified rhythm. "Positively not another step," gasped Mrs. Dunbar, dropping out of the line, which her husband instantly led round and round her in a derisive circle. Then they all stopped, out of breath and laughing.

"Grreat exercise," said Mr. Dunbar to Floyd. "I'm not so much winded, am I, for a man of my age and weight; that's because I do dumb-bells every night and morning."

"You didn't jump up on the bench," complained Laurie. "You did n't make Aunt Elinor jump up on the bench the way you always do."

"Aunt Elinor's getting too old and fat for such things," Mrs. Dunbar said to him. "I can't let your uncle drag me round much longer as he's done to-day."

"Your aunt needs training," Mr. Dunbar said. "You boys must come oftener and we'll limber her up again."

"You ought to let Floyd or me lead the procession," said Lydia. "I guess we would wear the kids out."

"Ho! I guess you would n't," cried Teddy. "You're nothing but a girl."

She "tagged" him and fled laughing, and he pursued her vainly, while she dodged round a tree and then round Floyd, and then caught Laurie and held him in front of her for defense.

"I think," said Mrs. Dunbar, "this is almost worse for Sunday afternoon than horseback riding. Let's go into the house."

Floyd stayed so late that evening that he had had much less than his usual eight hours of sleep when Letty knocked on his door at half-past five the next morning. He woke to a day of fog; through that week a heavy fog hung in