Teddys Button | Page 3

the child's wants. 'Your father was never late for his meals,' the grandmother put in with asperity.
'Never, granny? Not when he was a boy? I shall be always in time when I'm a soldier.'
'Better begin now, then; bad habits, like weeds, grow apace!'
Teddy had no answer for this; his mouth was full of bread and butter, and he did not speak till the meal was over. Then, whilst tea was being taken away by the women, he turned to his uncle, who, pulling out a pipe from his pocket, sat down by the open door to smoke.
'Uncle Jake!'
A grunt was the only response; but that was sufficient. The two perfectly understood each other, and a minute after Teddy was perched on his knee.
'I'm wondering if I can't get an enemy!' the boy proceeded, folding his small arms and looking up at his uncle steadily; 'all good people had enemies in the Bible, and I haven't one, I should like to have a good right down enemy!'
'To fight?' asked his uncle.
'To carry on with, you know; he would lay traps for me, and I would for him, like David and Saul; we should have a fine time of it. And then perhaps, if he did something dreadfully wrong, mother would give me leave to fight him, just once in a way. Don't you think that would be nice?'
'Fightin' ain't the only grand thing in this world; peace is grander,' was the slow response to this appeal.
'That's what mother says. She made me learn this morning--"Blessed are the peacemakers!" but you must have an enemy to make peace with, and I haven't got one.'
There was silence; the uncle puffed away at his pipe; he was a good man, and had more brains than his appearance warranted, but Teddy's speeches were often a sore puzzle to him. The boy continued in a slow, thoughtful tone, 'I saw some one to-day that I feel might be an enemy, but she's a girl; men don't fight with women.'
'I'd rather tackle a man than a woman any day. They be a powerful enemy sometimes, lad! And what have this young maid done to you?'
'She said,'--and Teddy's eyes grew bright whilst the blood rushed into his cheeks--'she said she didn't believe a word of father's story--not a word of it! And she laughed, and walked away.'
'That was coming it strong; and who is she, to talk so?'
'She's a stranger; Sam said she's come to live with old Sol at the turnpike.'
'That must be Grace's child,' said old Mrs. Platt, coming up and joining in the conversation. 'I heard she was coming to stay with her father this summer, and glad I am of it too--the old man is very lonely. I suppose her husband is at sea again.'
'What is her husband?' inquired Teddy's mother, as with work in hand she came out and took a seat in the old-fashioned porch.
'A sailor. Grace was always a roving nature herself. She never would settle down quiet and take a husband from these parts. She was maid to our squire's lady then, and went to foreign parts with her; but folks say she's steadied down now wonderful. They've been living at Portsmouth, she and her little girl.'
CHAPTER II
'When Greek Meets Greek Then Comes The Tug Of War!'
Two little determined figures, with flushed, resolute faces, stood opposite one another on a narrow footbridge over a running stream.
Neither could pass the other, but neither intended going back, and the sturdy maiden, in her sailor dress, with her small hands placed on her hips, appeared quite a match for Teddy, who, with his golden head well up, looked like a war-horse scenting the battle-field.
It was thus they met again; both employing their Saturday afternoon in roaming along the edge of a stream, they had suddenly come face to face with one another.
'You're to let me come over first,' she asserted very emphatically, 'because I'm a girl.'
[Illustration: 'YOU'RE TO LET ME COME OVER FIRST,' SHE ASSERTED.]
'Boys never go back. A soldier's son never! I'm not going to turn my back before the enemy--I would disgrace my button if I did.'
'That old button!' The tone was that of utmost scorn.
Teddy's cheeks grew rosy red at once, but he said nothing.
'I got to this bridge before you did,' she continued.
'I began to cross it first. And you, who are you? No one knows anything about you. I have been crossing this bridge for years.'
'More reason you shouldn't cross it now. My name is Nancy Wright, that's who I am.'
A princess could not have revealed her name more royally. She added, after a pause, 'And I mean to come over first, so go back.'
'Never! I never go back!'
'Then I shall push you over in the water.'
'Come on and try, then!'
Then there was silence; both the little people