’I told mother it was getting loose yesterday.  She says she is always sewing it on.  I think I’ll take it right off and put it in my pocket.  Whatever should I do if I was to lose it?’

He was jerking at it as he spoke, and it slipped from his grasp and rolled away on the path.  It was too great a temptation for Nancy.  Like lightning she was after it, and a moment after stood upright and exultant, with the button clenched tightly in her little hand.

‘Give it to me at once!’ demanded Teddy, quivering all over with excitement.

Nancy’s brown eyes sparkled with mischief.

’Aha! little button-boy, I’ve got it at last, and I shall take it home and have it sewed on my jacket.’

‘I shall fight you,’ cried Teddy, ’if you don’t give it up at once!  It isn’t yours.  You would be a thief if you kept it.  Give it to me this minute!’

‘Shall I throw it into the river?’ questioned the saucy little maiden.

Teddy darted forward, and then began a tussle.  He tried to wrench her hands apart, and she exerted all her strength to keep them closed.  Suddenly, with a triumphant cry from Teddy, as Nancy’s fingers were beginning to yield, the button was liberated with such force that it flew violently out, and splash into the river it went!  Nancy gave a cry, but without a word or sound Teddy plunged in head foremost after it.  It was done without a thought.  He was a good swimmer, and for a minute Nancy watched him in breathless silence.  But when his little head rose out of the water he seemed half stupefied, and cried out in a weak voice, ‘Help!  I’m drowning!’ then sank again.  Nancy set up a shout then of frantic agony, and a carter coming over the bridge fortunately heard her, and came to the rescue, not a moment too soon.  He threw off his coat and heavy boots, and plunged in just as Teddy’s curly head rose for the third and last time.  It did not take long to bring him to shore, but he lay in the carter’s arms limp and lifeless, and Nancy burst into an agony of tears.

‘He’s dead! he’s dead, and I’ve killed him!’ she cried.

The carter wasted no time in trying to restore animation to the little frame, but all his efforts were unavailing, and at last he said, ’I’ll put him in my cart, and drive as fast as I can to the doctor’s.  It isn’t more than a mile off, if so be that he’s at home.  You go home and fetch his mother as fast as you can.’

Nancy raced off, sobbing as she went, and she was in such a state of excitement that when at length she burst open the farmhouse door she seemed to have lost her speech.

Mrs. John saw her face, and started forwards.  ‘It’s Teddy!’ she cried; ‘what has happened?’

‘He’s at—­he’s going to the doctor’s dead!’ she gasped, then fell breathless to the floor.  Without a word Mrs. John snatched up a shawl, and with white, set face, and lips moving in agonised prayer, she flew along the road to the doctor’s.  She was shown into the room where the doctor was hard at work; but Teddy lay like a waxen image, with the sweetest smile on his lips, his fair curls clustering round his brow, and only an ugly bump amongst the curls told the reason of his sinking under the water again so suddenly.