’O God! here I am.  Have You been waiting for me?  I’ve come to enlist.  And, please, I forget all Mr. Upton told me to say; but will You forgive me my sins, and write my name down in Your book in heaven?—­Edward James Platt is my name.  I’ve come to be Your soldier for ever and ever.  Will You please keep me always?  I never want to go back from being Your soldier.  Make me fight a grand fight, and help me to hold Your colours up well; and please, God, will You tell father I’ve enlisted this afternoon?  Mr. Upton said You would take me.  I thank You for letting Jesus die for me, and I’m very sorry I haven’t belonged to His army before, but I didn’t quite understand that He wanted me.  Help me to be a good boy, for Jesus Christ’s sake.  Amen.’

A child’s prayer, but it was prayed with a child’s strong faith, and as Teddy rose to his feet, he had the assurance that God had accepted him.  That scene in the wood, when he dedicated himself to the service of the King of kings, would be stamped on his memory as long as he lived.  And now that the deed was done a great load seemed to be lifted off his mind.  He came into the midst of the boys on the green a short time afterwards with a radiant face, and took his share in fielding, bowling, and batting with such a vigour and will, that he proved himself the hero of the hour.  Later in the evening he wandered into the dairy, where his mother was busy, and asked her if he could go and see the rector.

‘What for, sonny?’

’He asked me to come.  Is it too late, do you think?  I should like to go to-night.’

Mrs. John looked down upon the eager little face lifted to hers.

‘Run away, then; but don’t stay long.’

And so it was that for the second time that week Teddy was a visitor at the rectory.

‘Please, sir, I’ve done it!’ he exclaimed breathlessly, as soon as he was ushered into the presence of the rector.

‘Eh?  What have you been doing?’

And Mr. Upton roused himself from a reverie into which he had fallen as he sat at his study window and watched his favourite beehives.  Then, noting the disappointed look on the child’s face, and recognising who it was, he added briskly, ’Ah! it is Teddy Platt, is it?  And so you’ve done it, have you?  Thank God!  Yes, I remember all about it.  You’re a fresh recruit.’

Teddy’s eyes glistened.  ‘I enlisted this afternoon, sir.’

‘For life, did you?  No short-service system with God!’

Mr. Upton had at one time been chaplain to troops abroad, and it was his knowledge of military matters that so attracted the boy.

‘Yes, for life, sir.’

‘May God keep you true to Himself, my boy, in life and in death!’

There was a pause, then Teddy said eagerly, ’Please, sir, you said you would show me one of the enemies I have got to fight.’

‘Ah! did I?  One of the many—­which one, I wonder?’

‘"A real live one,” you said.’