After a few more recitations, the wooden soldiers, under the direction of Miss Amanda and Miss Hepzibah, pushed back all the tables and chairs, rolled up the rugs, and made ready for a dance. Miss Amanda seated herself at the piano, the pink rabbit ran off to claim the Princess, and all the other Cozytown folk took partners for a Virginia Reel.
I wish you could have seen Princess Poppsy bowing and curtseying and romping through the figures; indeed, I think I may safely say that it was the most charming Virginia Reel that ever was, or ever will be danced. The wooden soldiers were a trifle stiff and precise, the knitted doll gentleman a trifle floppsy and lackadaisical, but who minded that? Miss Amanda struck the last few chords, swung around on the piano stool, and everybody, clapping and laughing, tumbled into chairs.
"One does have such a jolly time here" murmured the pink rabbit, fanning the Princess so briskly that her curls flew every which way. "I should say so!" agreed the Jack-in-the-box, hopping up and waving his arms enthusiastically, "I say—." What he was about to say, I have no idea, for at that instant the room grew dark as night. The windows were all at the end of the room, and a black cloud, or something black, shut out every bit of light.
"My heart!" gasped Miss Amanda, and one knew from the thump that followed that she had fallen off the piano stool.
"Halt! Silence! Keep your places!" cried the Captain of the wooden soldiers authoritatively. The knitted gentleman, rushing to the help of Miss Amanda, fell over a chair and lay groaning on the floor—and altogether the confusion was awful. No one halted, nor was silent, nor kept their places as the wooden soldier had commanded. Instead they all rushed for the door—or what they thought was the door—collided frightfully with each other and rolled about in the dark.
After what seemed to be an age, but was really only a few minutes, it grew light again. Holding their heads the
