Amy Le Feuvre

“ Teddy continued earnestly,—
'Do you think you could manage to forgive me, and let us shake hands? It would make it easier for me to love you if you could.'
There was such honesty of purpose in the blue eyes raised to his, such wistful curves to the sensitive little lips, that Jonathan Green for the first time felt the thrall of the child's power. ”

“ The fact is, a soldier can't be a
Christian in the Army.'
'I don't believe you want to be one of God's soldiers,' said Teddy in a disappointed tone; 'you keep making 'scuses!'
There was silence; then Tim Stokes heaved a heavy sigh.
'I won't come no further, youngster; I ain't in a mind to-day to see company, but I'll be at the tea to-night.'
'Oh, Bouncer, do come!' and Teddy's eyes filled with tears. 'You promised you would. I do want you to see mother and granny!'
But Tim wheeled round and strode off with something like a sob in his throat. ”

“ 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. ”

“ But Teddy was silent, and not another word did he say till the farmer came in again.
'This youngster is on the tack of reforming himself, Mary Ann,' said Jonathan, sitting down in the chair that Teddy immediately vacated upon his entrance; 'do you believe it?'
'I have no faith in boys,' said Mrs. Green, with a shake of her head, 'they're all alike, and are always taking you unawares!'
'You hear what the missus says; you won't get no help from that quarter.
But I'll give you a chance; would you like to stop to tea with us?'
Teddy smiled. ”

“ What do you think's an ugly name?'
'I don't think any name is very ugly,' his mother said. 'If you like a person, their name always seems to fit. I knew two boys named Tobiah and Eli. I didn't like the names at first, though they are Bible ones, but when I got to know and like the boys I liked the names.'
'I want a much more hideous name,' asserted Teddy; 'some name that would describe a very wicked person.'
'I hope you are not going to call any one by it,' observed his grandmother suspiciously. ”

“ But you're only a girl, and a sailor's girl can't be very brave—not like a soldier's girl would be.'
'Sailors are much braver than soldiers,' said Nancy, quickly swallowing down her tears; 'and when they do fight they're in much more danger than the soldiers. Father said, how would soldiers like the earth to swallow them up just when they've been fighting hard and got the victory? That's what the sea does to the poor sailors. ”

“ The boy's white brow was crumpled with anxious creases.
'I should like to be one of God's soldiers, but who shall I have to fight? Any real enemies, or only make believe?'
'I will tell you about your enemies after you have enlisted. I can show you one very real one that is your worst enemy.'
'Can you? A real live one?'
'A real live one.'
Teddy smiled contentedly.
'Now,' added Mr. Upton, 'I am going to send you home. If you enlist, the first person you will have to hold up your banner to is that little girl whom you said you hated. Before you go I want to pray for you. ”

“ Are you one of His soldiers?'
'I don't know.'
'God always wants each of us to present ourselves to Him, if we want to enlist in His army. Have you done that? There must come a time in our lives when we yield ourselves wholly and unreservedly to the one who is our rightful owner. Why, my boy, do you believe that Jesus died upon the cross to save you? Did He bear your sins for you there?'
'Yes,' said Teddy, fixing his blue eyes earnestly on the rector, 'I really believe He did, for mother has often explained it to me.'
'Then how dare you stand aloof from His army? ”

“ And so they talked, a strange couple; but the younger of them had a faith which the elder might envy, and a grasp of the unseen that the ripest saint could not surpass.
Not long after this, Teddy and his schoolfellows were having a delightful afternoon in the woods. It was Saturday afternoon, and they were playing their favourite war game, Teddy, of course, being prime instigator of the whole affair. A few of the more adventurous girls had joined them, Nancy amongst them. ”

“ Teddy agreed to this, and the trio trotted off along a flat, dusty road, Teddy beguiling the way by some of his wonderful stories till they came in sight of the low thatched cottage, covered with roses, that guarded the turnpike.
They soon saw the young damsel, for she was swinging on the gate, her dark hair flying in the wind, and her eyes and cheeks bright with the exercise. ”

“ On came the regiment, with the colours flying and the band playing in the most orthodox style, and Teddy was bitterly disappointed when the warning bell of school prevented him from marching along the road with them.
The schoolmaster was very lenient with the boys that morning, or else they would have been in dire disgrace, for lessons were imperfectly learned and said, and never had he found it so difficult to keep their attention. ”

“ There was silence; the uncle puffed away at his pipe; he was a good man, and had more brains than his appearance warranted, but Teddy's speeches were often a sore puzzle to him. The boy continued in a slow, thoughtful tone, 'I saw some one to-day that I feel might be an enemy, but she's a girl; men don't fight with women.'
'I'd rather tackle a man than a woman any day. They be a powerful enemy sometimes, lad! ”

“ 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. ”

“ Hot tea-cakes, strawberry jam, and plum cake kept our little friend fully occupied for some time. He wondered if all the naughty boys interviewed by the rector had been treated to the same fare, and he began to think an invitation to Sunday tea at the rectory highly desirable.
'And now,' said Mr. Upton, towards the end of the meal, 'I want some more talk with you. Your father was a brave soldier; he died in saving the colours. You want to grow up like him, do you not?'
'Yes, sir, indeed I do.'
'There is a little verse in God's Word that describes our Lord's banner—His colours. ”

“ Then, whilst tea was being taken away by the women, he turned to his uncle, who, pulling out a pipe from his pocket, sat down by the open door to smoke.
'Uncle Jake!'
A grunt was the only response; but that was sufficient. The two perfectly understood each other, and a minute after Teddy was perched on his knee.
'I'm wondering if I can't get an enemy!' the boy proceeded, folding his small arms and looking up at his uncle steadily; 'all good people had enemies in the Bible, and I haven't one, I should like to have a good right down enemy!'
'To fight?' asked his uncle. ”

“ Into the wood he went, but he was hard to satisfy; roaming here and there, peeping round corners, and thrusting his curly head in amongst the bushes, it was fully half an hour before he chose his spot.
It was a secluded little nook under an old oak-tree, where the moss grew thick and green, and bushes of all sorts and sizes formed a natural bower round the gnarled trunk. ”

“ Dimly Jake Platt began to see the drift of the child's questions. Teddy shook his curly head mournfully. 'I'm sure He'll have to turn soldiers out of His army if they give up fighting, and let the banner drag in the dust, and just let the enemy do what they like with them. ”

“ Teddy began to laugh a little shamefacedly, but Nancy was very near tears.
'I'll tell my mother you nearly drowned me dead.'
'If you're a sailor's daughter, you oughtn't to be afraid of the water; sailors and fish are always in the sea.'
'They're never in it; never!'
'Well, they're on it, as close as they can be to it. Why, you're nearly crying! ”

“ This was accomplished safely; but having passed him Teddy stood still, and the spirit of mischief seized hold of him. Turning to Nancy, he said, with sparkling eyes, 'What fun to take him prisoner and tie him up to the tree with his own fishing-line! He's an enemy; I really think it's our duty to do it. ”

“ Graham.
'He's my own enemy; Mr. Upton told me about him. You see, I belong to God's army. He takes very little soldiers. I've been enlisted for months and months, and Ipse is just another part of me—the bad part!'
There was silence on the little company for a minute, then Major Tracy said with a laugh, 'What an original little oddity it is!—quite a character!'
And then Teddy was dismissed. He flew down the avenue home as fast as he could go. Snow was falling, but he heeded it not, and burst into the kitchen a little later in a breathless state of excitement. ”

“ He said most of them were going to put up in the town, but twenty were coming to the Hare and Hounds, and they're going to sleep there. He's such a nice man, mother; he's only going to sleep here to-night, and then he's going on to-morrow to get some more billets ready in the next town he comes to. Couldn't he come to tea this afternoon? Do let me ask him, granny!'
Mrs. Platt laughed not ill-humouredly. 'You would have us take in any scoundrel, provided he wore a red coat, wouldn't you?'
'Soldiers are never scoundrels!' asserted Teddy with hot indignation. ”

“ Nancy forgot her wet clothes in her eloquence, and Teddy stared wonderingly at her.
'Well,' he said, as if considering the matter, 'they may be sometimes brave, but they don't fight like the soldiers, and they have no banners, and red coats, and band; and they don't know how to march. A sailor walks anyhow. ”

“ There was silence, then Carrots started forward.
'Look here, you'll have to learn your manners, and we won't have a strange girl like you stick yourself up so. We've come to tell you to look out for yourself if you don't stop it.'
Nancy laughed again, and swung herself violently backwards and forwards. 'Yo ho! my lads, yo ho!' she sang. 'I'm on my ship, and I don't care for boys a bit; they're all as stupid as they can be. ”

“ We have yarns by the hour together, but if he's billeted in the Hare and Hounds, or any other public-house, for that matter, I don't know what he'll do. There's nothing for them when they come in tired but to sit in the bar or tap-room and drink. They can't get away from it.' Teddy's brow was knitted with deep thought.
'I didn't know soldiers drank too much,' he said. 'I thought they never did anything wrong.'
The corporal smiled. 'It isn't many that is of your opinion,' he said. ”

“ The children ran back to their playfellows considerably sobered by their experience, and Teddy very soon made his way home, and told his mother all that had befallen him.
'It's dreadful difficult to remember in time, mother. I'm not a very good soldier, am I? Do you think I ought to love old Farmer 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 hates Farmer Green; but I tell him the banner is "Love," and we must try to love him ”

“ Upton for his untiring zeal and energy in making arrangements; we must thank the ladies for trying to make the evening pleasant by their songs; but we must thank a little man here, I am given to understand, for the proposal in the first instance.'
And to Teddy's intense surprise the colonel swung him up on the impromptu platform, to receive a deafening round of applause.
He made a pretty picture as the light fell on his golden curls and sparkling blue eyes; his cheeks were flushed with excitement, but he bore himself bravely, and he held his head erect as he faced the crowded room. ”

“ At length Teddy announced his intention of going off on an expedition as a scout, and on Nancy's insisting that she should come too, the two children started, made their way out of the wood and down to the banks of the stream, which soon joined the river.
'What have we to do?' asked Nancy.
'It's great fun. You see, every one we meet is an enemy, and we have to get past them without them seeing us; we must crawl through the long grass, or we must climb a tree, or get through the bushes ”

“ Upton thoughtfully, 'the enemy confronted with it on every side. In the thick of the fight we can but hoist our colours, "Love." God's love to man, when man is fighting from his infancy against his Maker. What host would not march to meet the foe with such a banner dyed red with the life-blood of their Captain, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world?'
Teddy drew a long breath, and when the rector paused, he cried enthusiastically, 'Please go on, sir. ”

“ The colour rose in Teddy's cheeks, but he never hesitated to speak the truth.
'I went back when I remembered it was wrong to have done it,' he said simply.
'But you are not such a paragon of goodness generally,' said the colonel. 'Wasn't it you and some others who scared our dairymaid into fits one night last winter, by playing pranks, after dark, outside the dairy window?'
'Yes, sir,' said Teddy humbly.
'And why didn't you run away when the old man woke?' asked Lady Helen.
'I never run away from anybody,' said Teddy, his head more erect than ever. 'I'm a soldier's son.'
'Capital, my boy ”

“ He fingered his button proudly.
'I'm wearing something that has been in the thick of a bloody battle; that's more than you can do. Sailors don't know much of fighting.'
'They know just as much as soldiers, and as to your old button, I b'lieve you just picked up the old brass thing from the gutter!'
'If you weren't a girl, I'd fight you!' sputtered Teddy now, with rising wrath.
'Pooh! I expect I could lick you; I don't b'lieve you have half as big a muscle as I have on my arm.'
'A girl have muscle! It's just a bit of fat!'
The tone of scorn proved too much for Nancy's self-control ”