'And are you really enlisted?'

'I don't quite know, but I'm trying to be good, and I ask Jesus to help me every day.'

Then there was silence. Nancy sat down on the rug, and took the large tabby cat on her lap.

'Did you think you was going to die?' she asked presently.

'I didn't think nothing at all till I woke up, and saw mother crying over me, and then I felt dreadful tired and ill. I asked her one day where she would bury me, for I was sure I was much too ill to get better, and she--well, she smiled, and said G.o.d was making me stronger every day. I didn't feel I was better a bit.'

'Would you like to have died and gone to heaven?'

'Yes,' Teddy answered promptly, 'of course I should. Wouldn't you?'

Nancy shook her head. 'I might if I was quite sure the angel would carry me safely all the way without dropping me, or leaving me in the clouds before we got there; but I think I like to live here best. Besides, I don't think I'm good enough to go to heaven yet.'

'I don't think it's being good gets us to heaven. Jesus died to let us, you know, like the hymn says,--

"Jesus loves me! He who died Heaven's gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in."

Have you asked Him to forgive you, Nancy?'

Nancy nodded. 'Yes, when you was so ill. I felt I had been so wicked that G.o.d was punishing me.'

Here, reverting to more earthly topics, Nancy held up the cat arrayed in her sailor hat and jacket.

'Look, this is Jack Tar! Doesn't she make a jolly sailor?'

A gleeful, hearty peal of laughter came from Teddy, and was heard in the adjoining room by his grandmother with comfort. She called Mrs. John.

'Hear that, now! Why, he's getting quite himself again; it does him good to have a child to talk to. She must come again.'

And this Nancy did, and the roses began to come back to Teddy's cheeks, and then others of his playfellows were allowed to come and see him.

Certainly no little invalid could have received greater attention than he did during that time of convalescence. Every day small offerings were presented at the door by the village children, and very diverse were the gifts. Sometimes a bunch of wild-flowers, sometimes birds' eggs, marbles, boxes of chalk, a packet of toffee or barley-sugar, a currant bun, a tin trumpet, a whistle, a jam tart, a penny pistol, and so on, till his mother declared she would have to stop taking them in, as they were getting such an acc.u.mulation of them.

'And how is my little fellow-soldier?' asked Mr. Upton, as he came in one day for his first visit to the little invalid after being downstairs.

'He'll soon be out of hospital,' responded Teddy brightly.

'And is he still fighting for his Captain?'

'I think, sir, Ipse has been very good while I've been ill.'

'He has been lying low, has he? If I mistake not, you will have a brush with him yet before long, so be on the look-out.'

And Teddy found the good rector's words come true. Days came when he tried his mother's patience much by his fractiousness and restlessness, and he was more often the vanquished than the conqueror.

Even Nancy one day remonstrated with him.

'You're nasty and cross to-day. No one pleases you.'

'I want to get out. I'm tired of this old kitchen.'

'If you can't get out, you can't. Being cross won't take you out.' This logic convinced, but did not comfort.

'I expect your Captain won't come near you when you're cross.' And then Teddy burst out crying,--

'I'm not a soldier at all. I don't know how to stand fire, and it's all Ipse, and I'm too tired to fight him!'

Poor little soldier! One above took note of the physical weakness and weariness, and in His tenderness pitied and forgave.

CHAPTER X

Found

It was winter time, and Teddy was back at school, full of health and spirits, yet, through all his boyish mirth, the loss of his b.u.t.ton was never forgotten. Daily he prayed for it to be found, and his hope and faith in G.o.d never failed him.

'Perhaps G.o.d will send it to me for a Christmas surprise. Perhaps I shall find it in my stocking on Christmas morning,' he used to say to his mother; and she told him to pray on.

He had come in from school one cold day in the beginning of December, and was watching with keen interest the roasting of an apple suspended from a string in front of the fire, when there was a sharp knock at the door, and the footman from the Hall appeared.

'The master wants you to let the youngster come up with me now and speak to him.'

'What about?' questioned Mrs. John, rather alarmed at this summons, and wondering if Teddy had been up to mischief.

'He won't keep him long.' Then, as excited Teddy began pulling on his great-coat, he whispered something into his mother's ear, which had the effect of completely rea.s.suring her, and bringing a pleased smile about her lips. Teddy was delighted to go up to the Hall, and he trotted along by the side of the tall young footman, keeping up a brisk conversation as he went.

'I shall never be a footman,' he was a.s.serting; 'I couldn't keep my legs so stiff. You're always like the soldiers when they stand at Attention. Don't you never kick your legs out in the kitchen, or have you got stiff knees?'

'I can kick out as much as I like,' responded the young man, in rather an offended tone.

'Don't you think it's nicer to be a soldier? Wouldn't you like to be one?'

'No; their grub is something shocking, and they live like cattle!'

Teddy would not allow this, and the discussion began to get somewhat heated, when their arrival at the house put an end to it.

'I say, just tell me, is the colonel angry?' asked Teddy, as looking into the large, brightly lighted hall, he suddenly felt his diminutive size.

'Not he. Wipe your feet, and take your cap off.'

Teddy stepped in upon the soft rugs almost on tiptoe, and the colonel himself came out into the hall to meet him. 'Come in, my little man, and don't be frightened.'

Teddy held his head erect as he followed the colonel into a bright, cheery room, where a group of ladies and gentlemen were round the fire enjoying their cup of five o'clock tea.