The ladies were delighted and touched by it, and Mrs. John quietly wiped some tears from her eyes.

And then Mr. Upton got up.  His dreamy manner in speaking was absent now, and he spoke straightly and forcibly to those in the Queen’s service of the battle to be waged with sin.  Touching on their special difficulties and temptations, he told them how absolutely impossible it was for them to be, in their own strength, a match for the devil with all the powers of evil at his back, and how the same Saviour who died for them, would keep them, and lead them on to certain victory, if they would but enlist in His service.  Nothing could exceed the attention with which he was listened to, and the evening ended by their rising to their feet and singing ‘God Save the Queen.’  Then a sergeant rose to propose a vote of thanks, cheers were given, and all departed, greatly pleased with their evening.  Teddy slipped up to Tim Stokes on going out.

‘Shall I see you again?’ he asked.

‘I shall be busy to-morrow; we march out at eight in the morning.’

‘Oh, I shall come and see you off.’

Tim lingered, then laying his hand heavily on the boy’s fair curls, he said, ‘God bless you, little chap!  I’ve done it.’

Teddy’s eyes lit up at once.  ‘Have you—­really and truly?’

He nodded.  ’My heart’s full, and I can’t speak of it, but I was away near the woods there by myself before the tea, and it’s all right with me.  I only wonder I didn’t do it before.  I wouldn’t yield, that’s the fact.  Don’t forget to pray for me, youngster.’

And he dashed out after his comrades, as if ashamed to show his emotion.

Teddy called his mother to him when in bed that night.

’Mother, I will be a soldier, I’m certain sure I will; but I’m very glad I can be one of God’s soldiers without waiting to grow up.  And I think I shall be a recruiting sergeant for God now; I’m sure He wants lots more soldiers, doesn’t He?’

’Indeed He does, my boy.  Now go to sleep; you have had a very exciting day.’

‘But the best of all is,’ said Teddy sleepily, ’that Bouncer has enlisted.’

There was quite a crowd of villagers and children the next morning round the Hare and Hounds.  The soldiers were drawn up outside, waiting for the approach of their regiment from the town to fall in and march on with them.  Teddy and Nancy were, of course, there; the little girl, in spite of her alleged disdain of soldiers, was delighted to be in their vicinity.  Teddy could not get near his friend Bouncer, but he received a friendly nod from him in the distance, and as for Bouncer’s face, it was like sunshine itself, a marked contrast to the day before.  As the band was heard approaching, cheers were given to the men now leaving, and a tall corporal who had much enjoyed his tea the night before stooped to ask of Nancy, who was standing close to him, ’What’s the name of that curly-headed youngster who got us the tea?’