Teddy's Button by Amy Le Feuvre

'I don't think much of soldiers,' she said, her nose tilted up in
disdain. 'They're very dirty men, and covered with dust, and they've no
band, nor flags flying, nor nothing.'
If Teddy was disappointed in the look of his heroes, he did not say
so; but Sam remarked, 'I expect they've left the band and the flags in the
town; these are only the lot that they can't put up there.'
Later in the afternoon Teddy made his way to the old elm outside
the Hare and Hounds, where several of the men were resting on the
wooden benches, some with pots of beer, and round whom some of the
admiring villagers had made a little circle.
He pushed his way in with his accustomed fearlessness.
'Please, is Mr. Tim Stokes here?'
The soldiers laughed, and bandied a few jokes on the comrade alluded
to.
'What do you want with him, youngster?'
'I want to speak to him.'
'I guess you'll find him under one of the tables in the tap-room;
old Bouncer is pretty dry after a march like we've had to-day.'
There was a roar of laughter at this, but Teddy did not understand
the joke.
'I mustn't go inside the Hare and Hounds,' he said; 'I promised
mother I never would. Will you fetch him out for me?'
And turning to a good-natured-looking young fellow, Teddy put
his hand coaxingly on his arm. The soldier looked into the boy's fair face
with a laugh and then a sigh, and rising to his feet said, 'All right, little
chap, I'll fetch him out to you.'
He was gone some time, and Teddy improved his opportunity by
making friends with those around him; it was not long before he had
acquainted them with the fact of his being a soldier's son, and from that
he drifted into telling the story of 'Father's button!' There was
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