After dinner, a half-holiday having been given the school-children, Teddy stole out to the woods.  When out of sight he began a brisk conversation with himself, as was his wont; and it may give us an insight into his busy brain if we listen.

’Blackey might do, or Goggles, or Grubby, or Nigger, or Toad.  I want to have some name, else I shan’t be able to talk to him so well.  I wish mother had helped me; it’s very differcult.  I can’t seem to think of a name quite ugly enough.  I expect p’raps Mr. Upton could tell me.  I’ll wait and ask him.  I hope I shan’t have to wait long, for I want it all settled, so that I can begin to fight properly with him.  Now I’ve got to find Nancy.  Mr. Upton said I was to be friends with her, and I’ve got to hold up my banner of love over her.  I hope she’ll like it.  She’s a horrid—­Aha, that’s my enemy just going to speak!  A horrid girl, you were going to say, were you?  Now you just get out.  Nancy is a very nice girl—­at least, she soon will be.  I’ll try and think her nice, I will.  I’ve got to fight you, enemy, if you say such things.  Why, I do ’clare, there she is climbing that tree!’

Teddy’s conversation came to an end, and he stared with open mouth and eyes at the nimble way Nancy was climbing up an old beech-tree.  He gave a shrill whistle, which made the little girl look round.  Not a bit disconcerted was she.

‘Aha, it’s the stupid little button-boy.  You can’t catch me!’

It was a challenge.  Instantly Teddy stripped off his jacket, and darted to the tree.  She had got a good start, and even he caught his breath in wonder at her rapid ascent, and the fearless way in which she seemed to plant her small feet on the most fragile-looking branches.  Up they went, panting with the exercise; but at length she could go no further, and seating herself on a comfortable bough she looked mischievously down at him.

’You couldn’t catch me; you don’t know how to climb!  My father taught me.  I can go up the rigging as far as any sailor boy, and this is my ship, but I’ll let you sit down by me if you behave yourself.’

Teddy swung himself across a bough opposite her, and was silent for a moment.  Each child was trying to recover breath, and Teddy was considering how to make peace.  He did it in his own quaint fashion.

‘I think we’re pretty close to heaven,’ he remarked presently, lifting his soft blue eyes to the clear sky above.  ’I wonder if that’s the reason birds in their nests agree?  The angels can’t like to hear quallering so close to them.’

‘I’m not going to quarrel, and you didn’t say that word right’

‘What word?’

‘Quarrering.’  And Nancy’s tone was emphatic, though a doubt stole into her own mind as to whether her pronunciation was correct.  But Teddy was too intent upon pulling something out of his pocket to notice her correction.  He slowly unrolled a large white pocket-handkerchief, tied it carefully to a twig, which he broke off from an adjoining branch, and then held it up in front of her.