Answer: Mrs. Putnam has lost a number of babies-- (nowadays it might be stillbirth or SIDS) She hopes that Ruth can have Tituba conjure the spirits of the babies.
Explanation: Tituba is a servant to Betty's father. She comes from Barbados where they have different dances and rituals. The girls seem to join in for fun, but there seems to be a spiritual aspect to her practices that the Puritans regard as satanic.
