Teddy's Button

Vict

r, may I sp

church after a choir pract

'You may walk home with me and

head bent and his hands crossed behind him, and the boy all eag

me a name for my e

ed. 'Have you had any

was so angry that she took me by the collar and she locked me into the back kitchen; and mother was out, and I cried, I was so miserable. Granny said I would come to the workhouse; she called me the wickedest, mischievousest boy she'd ever seen, and said she would like to give me a good whipping. And at las

gan?' suggested the re

enemy away, but I was an awful long tim

often

and I climbed in again. W

, my

, but I told her how nearly I had run away, and asked her to see that th

Don't shirk the hottest part of t

a horrid, ugly n

ur enemy's na

have a name for him-a d

u like Ego

nk I like Ipse best I'll

he last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." "Nay, in all these things we are more than conqu

uestioned a soft

hat's our Captain's word: if you f

t Ipse have his way. Will tha

sure and cer

ptain won't let me be beate

them had a faith which the elder might envy, and a gras

A few of the more adventurous girls had joined them, Nancy amongst them. Her respect for Teddy was gradually increasing, though nothing seemed to quench her self-assertion and independence of thought and action. At length Teddy annou

we to do?'

ast them without them seeing us; we must crawl through the long grass, or we

don't mee

ishing in the river. Now look out, don't you talk loud, and step sof

they

ancy was too occupied in holding her hat on her head as they cre

a day of it, for he sat under the shade of a tree with the remnants of a substantial lunch around him; his fishing-rod

isper. 'If he wakes, all is up with

f him. Turning to Nancy, he said, with sparkling eyes, 'What fun to take him prisoner and tie him up to the tre

the line in his hand, he spun round and round the tree till the line was wound round to its very last extremity, and the farmer looked like some big bluebottle fly entangled in the fine meshes

able to get away. What fun!

rmer Green, and he's an

tying an old saucepan t

done it, and I did tie

far before Teddy came to a standstill, and

?' asked Nancy. 'H

going to have a

most in a whisper, and Na

-to leave him there awfully, but mother would say it was very naughty, and I t

catch it! Let him undo himself!' Teddy shook his head, and then stole

an. Alas! Farmer Green's nap was over, and with a hasty start he was roused to the full use of his faculties. When he dis

f you keep still, I shall undo you very soon,

acious piece of impudence! You're the plague of the parish, and a go

to unwind the line from the struggling and exasperated farmer

ier would shake a rat; then, without leaving go of him, he pulled out a piece of cord from his coat pocke

, tying his hands together with his handkerchief; then, as Nancy ste

the same fate till I think fit to release you. I'll teac

cy wrathfully. 'Why, he was undoing you when you woke up, whi

as he had done the boy; and then, picking up his fishing-basket, strode away, calling ou

t you?' asked Nancy anx

d not sa

he's so awful strong; but I'm not very hurt, only I'm sorry, and I'

e all the evening

go soon. It isn't fair on yo

sn't hurt. You haven't told me ever what I asked you about Jesus' sailors. Tell me

were soldiers, they were sea soldiers.

picture of sailors cutting the enemy's arms off, as they tried to scramble on board ship. I shan't n

two ladies and a gentleman appeared, evidently going home after a fishing excursion. The

the squire, Colonel Graham, and his wife, with a visitor staying

this is one of the young hopefuls in our village, I have been told the ringleader i

admiringly. 'And who is the little gi

but the colonel good-naturedly put down his fishi

tell us who bound you in this fashion, and what

bravely and told the story briefly and cle

adn't gone back to undo him,' put in Nancy;

ack, my boy?' asked

s cheeks, but he never he

bered it was wrong to hav

'Wasn't it you and some others who scared our dairymaid into fits one ni

' said Ted

away when the old man

said Teddy, his head more erect

so your father is a so

May I tell you

said the colonel musingly. 'Your father was John Platt, who enlisted in on

when he offered to show the ladies his button they were charmed with him. The colonel patted him on his head as he left, saying, 'Keep your father's spirit in you, my lad,

am. 'His mother is a superior young woman, with a very good

sobered by their experience, and Teddy very soon made hi

mer Green? If you won't tell any one, I've been having a talk with Ipse-he's my enemy, Mr. Upton told me about-and he-he hate

ry and not have angry thoughts about him. You know it was very naughty of

up anybody again