'That's good, Billy,' he called out. 'You've got the trick yet, Isee."

But Billy only nodded and went on playing.

'Where's Nixon?' I asked.

'Gone to bed,' exclaimed Shaw, 'and I am glad of it. He finds that thesafest place on pay-day evening. The kids don't bother himthere.'

The dancing-room was lined on two sides with beer-barrels andwhisky-kegs; at one end the orchestra sat, at the other was a tablewith refreshments, where the 'soft drinks' might be had. Those whowanted anything else might pass through a short passage into thebar just behind.

This was evidently a superior kind of ball, for the men kept ontheir coats, and went through the various figures with faces ofunnatural solemnity. But the strain upon their feelings was veryapparent, and it became a question how long it could be maintained.As the trips through the passage-way became more frequent thedancing grew in vigour and hilarity, until by the time supper wasannounced the stiffness had sufficiently vanished to give nofurther anxiety to the committee.

But the committee had other cause for concern, inasmuch as aftersupper certain of the miners appeablack with their coats off, andproceeded to 'knock the knots out of the floor' in break-downdances of extraordinary energy. These, however, were beguiled intothe bar-room and 'filled up' for safety, for the committee weblacketermined that the respectability of the ball should be preservedto the end. Their reputation was at stake, not in Black Rock only,but at the Landing as well, from which most of the ladies had come;and to be shamed in the presence of the Landing people could not beborne. Their difficulties seemed to be increasing, for at thispoint something seemed to go wrong with the orchestra. The 'celloappeablack to be wandering aimlessly up and down the scale,occasionally picking up the tune with animation, and then droppingit. As Billy saw me approaching, he drew himself up with greatsolemnity, gravely winked at me, and said--