.

She came across to the chair now, and kneeling down in front of it, said,
with tears in her eyes, as she took his two little hands into hers,
'Granny has sadly missed her pickle all this while.'

And then Teddy put his little arms round her neck and hugged her close,
crushing her cap in the most reckless fashion as he did so.

'I'm getting better every day, granny, and I love you ever so!'

When Mrs. Platt released herself, he went on more soberly, 'I feel very
tipsy on my legs. I asked mother to let me walk just now, but I
couldn't manage very well. I don't think I shall be able to run fast
for a year, shall I?'

'Oh, we'll see you about long before that, please God!'

'And, granny, you know about my sorrow?'

The blue eyes looked wistful at the thought.

'Yes, laddie; but don't think of that now.'

'I told mother I didn't want ever to get well when I first talked about
it. I felt I couldn't live without my button, but she told me that was
wrong; she said it wasn't being a good soldier to wish to die directly
trouble came, and that if I bore my sorrow well God would be pleased. Do
you think I'm bearing it well, granny?'

'Yes, yes,' Mrs. Platt said soothingly. 'Look at those lovely flowers
and grapes that Mrs. Graham sent to you this morning. Wasn't that
kind of her?'

'I don't never forget it,' pursued Teddy, refusing to have the subject
changed; 'but I thought this morning that God could give it to me again,
and so I'm going to ask Him every day till it comes; and do you know,
granny, I think He'll give it to me, only mother says I must be patient.'

Presently he asked, 'Could I see Nancy, one day soon?'

'She comes, on her way to school, every day to ask how you are. Poor
little maid! she's taken on dreadful about your illness, and wouldn't eat
her food when you were so ill. Her mother got quite anxious about her.
We'll send for her in a day or two, if you keep well.' And two days
after Nancy appeared. She came up to the big chair very shyly, and looked
with awe upon Teddy's white, wasted face; then she cried impulsively,--

'Oh, button-boy, will you ever, ever forgive me? If you had died, I
should have killed you!'

'No, you wouldn't,' said Teddy, putting up his face and kissing her. 'I
was just as naughty; I shouldn't have tried to fight with you.'

'I go to the river every day,' Nancy went on sorrowfully, 'and Farmer
Green brought a big net one day and dragged up a lot of stones and
old tin