‘Come here!’

And amidst the sudden hush that fell on all the boys, Teddy walked up to the master’s desk with hot cheeks and bent head.

’Edward Platt, for the last three days you have been incorrigible.  I have kept you in, and given you extra tasks, but neither has had any effect.  Now I shall have to do what I have never yet done to you.  Hold out your hand.’

Teddy’s head was raised instantly, and holding himself erect he bore unflinchingly the three or four sharp strokes with the cane that the master thought fit to give him.

‘Now,’ said the master, ’you can go home.  I will dispense with your attendance for the rest of this morning.’

Teddy walked out without a word:  he felt the disgrace keenly, but it was the means of bringing him to himself, and rushing away to a secluded corner in a field he flung himself down on the ground and sobbed as if his heart would break.  Half an hour after his uncle, happening to pass through that field, came across him.

‘Why, Ted, what be the matter?’ he inquired as he lifted him to his feet.

Teddy’s tear-stained face and quivering lips touched him so, that he sat down on a log of wood near, and drew him between his knees.

‘Are you feeling bad—­are you hurt?’ was the next question; and then Teddy looked up, and in a solemn voice asked, ’What does the Queen do when her soldiers are beaten instead of getting a victory?’

’I—­I’m sure I doan’t know.  I can’t remember the time when we was beaten.  I reckon she’s sorry for them.’

‘Doesn’t she turn them out of her army?’

‘Why, noa!’

’What does God do when His soldiers leave off fighting, and knock under to their enemy?’

‘I reckon He’s sorry too.’

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.  Why, I’ve done worse than that!’—­here he clenched his little fists and raised his voice excitedly—­’I’ve gone with the enemy, I’ve joined Ipse, and that’s being a deserter, and now I shan’t never, never be able to get back again!’

His uncle looked sorely puzzled.

‘Why ain’t you at school?  What have you been a’doin’?’

Teddy told him all in a despairing tone, adding,—­

’I can’t meet mother—­I’ve been caned, and—­and I’ve disgraced my button!’

Here his tears burst out afresh.

‘Look here,’ said his uncle slowly, ’I won’t say but what you’ve been a bad boy—­your mother herself has been in sore trouble about you this last day or two; but if we gets a fall in the mud it ain’t much good stopping there; the only thing is to pick ourselves up agen, get ourselves cleaned, and then start agen and walk more carefully.  Can’t you do that?’