the hard, rough
life so many do. I doubt if he could stand it.'

'He's not wanting in pluck and manliness,' Mrs. Platt observed, for she
always had a good word to say for her little grandson when he was not
present. 'I found him this morning careering round the field on that
fresh young foal, without any saddle or bridle! I gave him a sharp
scolding, for it was kicking up its hind legs like mad; but he only
looked up in my face and laughed. "It's my charger, granny," he says,
"and he smells the battle-field; that's why he's so excited!" I'm sorry
these soldiers are going to fill the place; he thinks and talks quite
enough of them as it is. We shan't have a moment's peace now till
they're gone.'

Teddy was up very early the next morning to see his friend go off. He had
another long conversation with him before wishing him good-bye; and then,
with thoughtful face, he went to school, revolving many plans in his
active little brain, and making innumerable mistakes in his lessons in
consequence. At twelve o'clock, when free at last, he made his way to the
rectory and asked for Mr. Upton, who greeted him very kindly.

'Any more troubles to tell me?'

'No, sir; but I want to tell you about the soldiers who are coming.'

'I have heard about them. It will be a grand time for you, won't it?'

'Please, sir, could you have a tea-party for them?'

Mr. Upton pushed up his glasses and looked very bewildered.

'A tea-party, did you say?'

'Yes; the corporal said a clergyman gave one hundred tea in a
schoolroom last year, and spoke to them after. The corporal said it
would keep them from drinking in the public-houses. He came to tea
with us last night; but granny won't have a lot of them, so I told him
I'd tell you about it.'

'It's rather an undertaking,' said Mr. Upton musingly, 'but we might do
something for them. When are they to be here?'

'In two or three days, the corporal said.'

'I think I might manage it. I will go and see Colonel Graham, and find
out if he will help.'

'I knew you would be able to do it,' said Teddy, beaming all over; 'and
p'raps, sir, you could tell some of them how to enlist, like you did me.
The corporal said I ought to try to be a recruiting sergeant for my
Captain, but they wouldn't listen to me, I am sure. I'm going to try to
enlist Nancy. I haven't tried half hard enough. But she says she'll only
be a sailor for Jesus, not a soldier. Can she be that, sir?'

Mr. Upton smiled. 'Yes, I t