She was much distressed, but, like a sensible woman, took the right view of the case.

'He wanted to be pulled up sharp; my poor boy, is he much hurt?'

The caning was such a minor point of Teddy's grief that Jake confessed to knowing nothing about it. Mrs. Platt was inclined to be indignant with the schoolmaster.

'Such a tiny little chap as he is, so full of feeling and nerves--he hadn't ought to have done it.'

Yet only that morning she herself had almost given him a sound whipping for one of his mad pranks!

Shortly after Teddy crept in, and shutting the door behind him, put his back against it.

'Mother, granny,' he said, 'I've been an awful boy at school this morning, and I'm in disgrace. I've been caned.'

His tone was tragic, then he added slowly, 'But I'm very sorry, and I'm sorry I've been so naughty at home, and I'm going to start again, because my Captain has forgiven me.'

And then Mrs. John did the wisest thing she could do. She asked no questions, but got some warm water and took him off to wash his face and hands. She saw the red marks across the little hand, but refrained from making much of it; and then, after putting his curly head in order, she drew it to her shoulder, and putting her arms round him, she said,--

'My sonny, mother is so glad her little son feels his naughtiness. She has been praying much for him to-day. And now tell me all about it.'

CHAPTER VIII

In the Clover Field

'Please, Mrs. Platt, can I see Teddy?'

'I think he is out in the clover field. Don't you be romping round with him now, for he's taken his Sunday book out, and is as quiet as can be.'

It was Nancy who was standing at the farmhouse door one lovely Sunday evening. Old Mrs. Platt was the only one at home, and she motioned with her hand where her little grandson would be found.

Nancy discovered him a few minutes later, lying full length in the sweet-scented clover, an open book before him. When he raised his face to hers, it wore his most angelic look.

'Hulloo! what have you come here for?' he asked.

'To talk to you,' and, without more ado, Nancy squatted down beside him.

'What are you doing?' she went on; 'and what's your Sunday book?'

'It's the _Pilgrim's Progress_. I love it; don't you? I haven't been reading it though for a long time. I've been having a beautiful make-up.'

'Tell me,' and Nancy's tone was eager.

Teddy looked away to the purple hills in the distance, and beyond and above them to the soft evening sky, with its delicate fleecy clouds flitting by, and taking every imaginable form and shape as they did so.

The dreamy, far-away look came into his eyes as he said slowly,--

'It's a Sunday make-believe, quite one to myself, and I've never told it to any one. I can only tell it to myself out of doors, when it's still and quiet, and then I feel sometimes it's quite real!'

'Do tell me,' pleaded Nancy coaxingly.

'Well, it's getting to heaven--after I'm got there, you know.'

Nancy's eyes grew big with awe.

'Shall I tell you how I begin it?'

She nodded, and Teddy, turning over on his side, brought forth another book--a New Testament.

Turning to an open page he began to read with great emphasis,--

'"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from G.o.d."'

'That's the Bible,' said Nancy.

'Yes; now listen. I'm lying here in this field; it's very, very still. I hear a little rustle behind. I don't look round, and then, flash! comes a beautiful white angel. Now he's standing in front of me.'

'What's he like?'

'He's dressed in white shiny stuff, and he has very white feathery wings. His face is smiling. He has eyes like mother's, and hair like Sally White's.'

'Flaxen, mother says it is,' put in Nancy.

'Yes; he stands quite still. Hush! hear him!--"Teddy, I've come to fetch you to heaven." And then I stand up. I listen hard, but I don't say anything. He says, "You haven't been altogether a good soldier, but the Captain says He wants you. Come along." Then I get up and sit myself between his wings, and put my arms round his neck, and he begins to go up. I see mother, and granny, and Uncle Jake, and I wave my hand to them, and mother throws a kiss at me and calls out, "Give my love to father," and away we go, over our fields and across the high road, and over Farmer Green's fields, and then we fly right to the top of that mountain over there!'

'Do let me come, too!' said Nancy. 'I want to be on the angel's back with you.'

'P'raps you can follow behind on another angel; I want mine all to myself. We get up to the top of the mountain, then I stand down on the ground.'

'And me, too!' put in Nancy.

'You mustn't keep stopping me; I can't feel it if you do. I stand there, and I think at first I can't see nothing but a lot of little soft clouds, one above the other, just like those over there; but the angel says, "Put your foot on one of them, and then on the next one--they're the steps to heaven!"'

'Oh!' gasped Nancy, following it with keen reality; 'you'll tumble!'

'I don't; it's like putting your foot in cotton wool. I go up--I have to go quite by myself, but the angel comes behind, to see I don't fall. And then he says, "Look up; don't you see the gates?" And then I look, and I see them--shining gold gates, very big, and covered with jewels like Mrs.

Graham wears on her fingers. I go up and up, and then I'm there.'

'Is that all?'

'Why, that's just the beginning. I'm only outside. The gates are shut, but when they see me coming, two more angels come and swing them wide open, and I'm feeling rather frightened, but I walk in. There's a long wide street made like the gates, and I walk very carefully, for fear of slipping down, then I see a lot of angels coming along with trumpets, and then they go first and begin to play like the soldiers' band. I march on to a very, very, very big door, and there on the steps leading up stands my Captain.'

Teddy paused. 'I can't tell you what He's like, but I feel what He's like myself. Such a loving, kind face, and He puts His hand on my head and says, "Well done, Teddy!" And then I take hold of His hand, and I think I cry.'

Matter-of-fact Nancy sees with surprise that Teddy's eyes are filling with tears at the thought.

He went on softly, 'I think He takes me up in His arms then, because I'm very tired, and He carries me into the most beautiful garden you ever saw in your life, and He takes me to father, who is waiting there.'