the
first time felt the thrall of the child's power.

'Come into the house with me,' he said, 'and I'll see what the missus has
to say to you.'

Teddy followed him without the slightest misgiving, and he was led into
the farmhouse kitchen, where Mrs. Green sat knitting over the fire, and
one of her daughters was laying the cloth for tea.

'Mary Ann, here's the scamp of the village come to see you; keep him here
till I come back. I'm after some stray sheep'; and shutting the door with
a bang the farmer disappeared.

Teddy shook hands with the old lady and the young one, and then seated
himself in the big chair opposite Mrs. Green.

'What have you been doing?' the latter inquired; 'how is it your mother
can't keep you out of mischief?'

'I haven't been in mischief, really I haven't'; and poor Teddy felt the
truth of the saying, 'Give a dog a bad name, and hang him.'

He tried to tell his story, and then when that did not seem to be
understood, he deftly changed the subject.

'What does Farmer Green like best in the world?' he asked.

This astonishing question struck Mrs. Green dumb, but her daughter
Natty laughed.

'Gooseberry pudding!' she said. 'Now then, what's the next question?

But Teddy was silent, and not another word did he say till the farmer
came in again.

'This youngster is on the tack of reforming himself, Mary Ann,' said
Jonathan, sitting down in the chair that Teddy immediately vacated upon
his entrance; 'do you believe it?'

'I have no faith in boys,' said Mrs. Green, with a shake of her head,
'they're all alike, and are always taking you unawares!'

'You hear what the missus says; you won't get no help from that quarter.
But I'll give you a chance; would you like to stop to tea with us?'

Teddy smiled. 'Thank you, sir, but mother will expect me home to tea; may
I go now? And do you forgive me for what I did the other day?'

Farmer Green stretched out a hard horny hand, and took the boy's small
one. 'Here's my hand on't!' he said with his grim smile. 'I may be a fool
for believing you, but if you're sorry for the past, I won't be the one
to rake it up.'

Teddy's upward look was so full of innocence that he received a clap on
the shoulder.

'Run along; you've made your peace with me.'

And speeding away Teddy whispered to himself,--

'I shall ask mother to make it, and I shall pick the gooseberries myself,
and then he'll know I love him!'

Farmer Green was much bewildered a few