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; and so your father is a soldier?  What regiment?’

‘He’s dead, sir.  May I tell you father’s story?’

’Oh! ah!  I remember now, though I’m not sure that I recollect the details,’ said the colonel musingly.  ’Your father was John Platt, who enlisted in one of the line regiments—­the 24th, wasn’t it?  Tell us the story by all means.’

Teddy obeyed delightedly, not seeing in the interest of his tale how keenly he was being watched by the ladies.  He told it as he always did, with enthusiastic effect, and 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, and you’ll live to do something great yet!’ ’I should like to have him as a page-boy,’ said Lady Helen, as they walked away.  ’What a sensitive, refined little face it is!’

‘Too good to be spoilt by house service,’ said Colonel Graham.  ’His mother is a superior young woman, with a very good education, and the Platts are highly respected about here.’

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; and how can I show him I love him, mother?’

’I think you must wait a little, sonny.  Don’t do anything just yet, but try and not have angry thoughts about him.  You know it was very naughty of you to act so.  I am not a bit surprised that he lost his temper over it.’

‘I’ll never tie up anybody again, mother, never!’

CHAPTER VI

The Redcoats

‘Mother, grandmother, some soldiers are coming here!’

Teddy tore into the house one morning after school with this announcement, and his face was radiant with delight.  His mother was laying the cloth for dinner, and old Mrs. Platt was busy dishing up some potatoes.