Teddy looked on, awed by these nautical terms, which seemed to slip so easily from her lips. To him they seemed wonderfully clever, but he was not one to stand aside long in a scene of excitement, and with one of his wild war whoops he rushed forward.

'On, boys! Charge! Hurrah!'

The gate rocked violently, and Nancy began to feel her position was a perilous one. All the little people were screaming at the top of their voices, when suddenly, in the midst of the din, appeared old Sol.

'What now! Who are these trying to break one of Her Majesty's gates down?

Be off, you young ruffians! Teddy Platt, you're at the bottom of all the mischief brewing in the parish. I'll get my big stick out and give you a thrashing before I've done with you.'

Old Sol's words were fierce, but the boys knew he had the softest heart in the village, and they stood their ground. 'It's all the b.u.t.ton-boy,'

said Nancy eagerly, as she descended from her perch, and laid her little hand confidingly on the old man's arm. 'He brought these boys up to fight me, but I was up the mast, and they couldn't shake me off!'

'We told you we wouldn't fight a girl,' protested Teddy indignantly; 'you don't speak the truth.'

'Well, what did you bring the boys for?' demanded the small maiden severely.

'We came,' put in Sam boldly, 'to tell you that if you were so cheeky you would soon get into trouble. We ain't going to stand sauce from you.'

'What has the little la.s.s been doing, you young scoundrels?'

'They're only boys, grandfather; let us come in to mother, and leave them. They're the rudest boys I've ever seen, and the b.u.t.ton-boy is the worst, and his b.u.t.ton isn't worth a farthing!'

There was a yell from all three boys at this.

'That's it!' cried Carrots excitedly. 'It's the b.u.t.ton she's so cheeky about. We ain't going to have Teddy's b.u.t.ton laughed at. We won't stand it, Sol--we won't!'

'It shows she don't know nothing, or she wouldn't talk so. She's just a baby, that's what she is.'

'Why, she doesn't believe father's story is true, Sol! You know it is, don't you?'

'She isn't as old as the b.u.t.ton itself.'

'Ha! ha! she wasn't born when it was in battle. Much she knows about it!'

Sol had difficulty in quieting the indignant voices.

'Lookee here, you boys, go home and leave my little la.s.s to me; she knows nothing about the b.u.t.ton. I'll tell her the story, and then she won't laugh at it any more. Ay, I remember seeing your father, youngster. He was a brave man, he was, but he would never have made war against little maids like this. Shame on you; get you home! Get you gone, I say, or I'll bring my stick out.'

'She's been told the story. She listened, and she laughed. She ought to say she's sorry.'

Teddy stood with his legs wide apart, and his hands in his pockets. His tone was severe.

'I'll never, never, never say I'm sorry. I'm glad of what I said. I don't believe a word of it!'

And with this parting shot Nancy ran into the cottage, and the boys returned to the village more slowly than they came.

'Mother,' said Teddy that night, as his mother bent down for a 'good-night' kiss, 'I haven't been good to-day, and I don't feel good now. I feel, when I think it over, so angry inside.'

'What is it about, sonny?'

'Father's b.u.t.ton.' The tone was drowsy, and seeing his eyelids droop heavily Mrs. John said no more, only breathed a prayer that her little son might fight as bravely for Christ's honour as he did for that of his father's b.u.t.ton.

CHAPTER III

A Recruiting Sergeant

It was Sunday morning. Along a sweet-scented lane, with shady limes overhead and honeysuckle and wild roses growing in profusion on the hedges at each side, walked Teddy's mother, holding her little son tightly by the hand. The bells of the village church were ringing out for the service, and groups of two and three were pa.s.sing in at the old lych gate. Mrs. John was talking in her sweet clear voice to her boy, and he, letting his restless blue eyes rove to and fro, noting every bird on the hedges and every flower in the path, kept bringing them back to his mother's face with a dreamy upward gaze. 'I will try, mother, I really will. I will keep my hands tight in my pockets, and my feet close together; I will pretend I'm going to be shot by a file of soldiers, and then I really think that will help me not to fidget. I promise you I'll be good to-day.'

And having received this protestation from him, Mrs. John pa.s.sed into church with a relieved mind. Teddy's restless little body was a sore trial to any one who sat next him in church, and many were the lectures that had been bestowed on him by Sunday-school teacher and pastor, besides the gentle admonitions of his mother.

As Teddy quietly perched himself on the seat beside his mother, he murmured to himself, 'Twenty soldiers in front of me, twenty rifles pointing--I shall stand like a rock--I'll set my teeth, and I shan't even blink my eyes. Now I see the officer coming--he's going to say, "Present!" I'm not moving a muscle. Five minutes more they'll give me--'

His active brain here received a check. There on the opposite side, facing him, was Nancy, seated between her mother and old Sol. She was still in her sailor suit, and with her dark mischievous brown eyes fixed steadily on him, Teddy could not remain unmoved beneath her gaze for long. His little hands were working nervously in his coat pockets. Why did she stare at him so? Well, he could stare back, and then blue eyes and brown confronted each other for some moments with unblinking defiance in their gaze. At last Teddy's patience gave way, and twisting up his little features into a most grotesque grimace, he mounted a ha.s.sock to give her the full benefit of it.

Instantly, out came a little red tongue at him, and at this daring piece of audacity he gasped out loud, 'I hate you!' Then, as all eyes in the surrounding pews were turned upon him, and his mother's shocked gaze met his, Teddy crimsoned to the roots of his hair, and taking up a large Prayer-book, he used it as a shield from his small antagonist during the remainder of the service. As the congregation were leaving the church later on, the rector made his way to young Mrs. Platt, who was lingering talking to a neighbour. He was a grey-haired, gentle-faced man, with a slow dreamy manner in speaking.

'Mrs. John, what has happened to make your little boy so forget himself this morning?'

'Indeed, sir, I cannot say. I really thought he was going to be good to-day.'

'I think he had better come to tea with me this afternoon, and we will have a little talk together.'

Teddy looked up with awe in his blue eyes. He well knew that this was the rector's usual practice when any delinquent was brought before his notice, but it had never yet fallen to his lot to receive the invitation.

Mr. Upton had his own way of doing things, so people said, and he had greater faith in reasoning with any culprits than scolding them, whether they were grown men, or women, or children.

Teddy's restless ways in church had been a trial to him for a long time, and he felt that this morning's action must receive a check. 'Thank you, sir,' responded Mrs. John; 'he shall come to you after school is over this afternoon.'

And Teddy, completely sobered, walked home beside his mother without uttering a word.

At half-past four he stood on the rectory doorsteps looking into the cool broad hall in front of him, which led out of a gla.s.s door at the opposite end into a brilliant flower garden. Spotless white druggeting covered the floor and stairs, and everything indoors denoted a careful housekeeper.

Mr. Upton was a widower, and was to a great extent ruled by two or three old and faithful servants.

As the boy stood there the rector appeared, and led him into his study.

'We shall have half an hour before tea, to have a little conversation, my boy. Sit down, and tell me what you have been learning at Sunday-school this afternoon.'

'Teacher was telling us about the children of Israel in Egypt. I'm afraid I don't remember very much what he said, for I was busy thinking about coming to see you.'

Mr. Upton smiled, and drew the child on to talk; then, after he was thoroughly at ease, he put a large Bible in front of him.

'I want you to read me a verse in the First Epistle of St. John, and the third chapter. It is the fifteenth verse; can you find it?'

'Yes, sir,' and with an eager importance Teddy turned over the leaves.

'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer,' he read solemnly.