A Little Hero

Little Miss Vanity . Mrs. Henry Clarke. What Hilda Saw . Penelope Leslie. Kitty Carroll . L. E. Tiddeman. Rosa's Repentance . L. E. Tiddeman. The Coral Island . R. M. Ballantyne. The Two Prisoners . G. A. Henty. Among the Bushrangers . G. A. Henty. Manco, the Peruvian Chief . W. H. G. Kingston. An Indian Raid . G. A. Henty. The World of Ice . R. M. Ballantyne. The Loss of the Agra . Charles Reade. Charlie Marryat . G. A. Henty. Martin Rattler . R. M. Ballantyne. The Young Captain . G. A. Henty. Up the Rainbow Stairs . Sheila E. Braine. A Little Hero . Mrs. Musgrave. The Skipper . E. E. Cuthell. A Highland Chief . G. A. Henty.

He was eight years old, and his name was Geoffry. But everyone called him Jeff. The gentle lady who was his mother had no other children, and she loved him more than words can say; not because he was a good or pretty child—for he was neither—but because he was her one little child.
Jeff had big wide-awake, brown eyes, that seemed as if they never could look sleepy. His hair was yellow, but cut so short that it could not curl at all.
This was very sensible, for he lived in the hottest part of India. But his mother certainly thought more about keeping him cool and comfortable than about his good looks. His hair would have made soft and pretty curls all over his head if allowed to grow longer. Jeff had no black nurse, like most little boys have in India. An old Scotchwoman called Maggie, who had left her northern home with Jeff's mother when she was married, did everything for the little boy that was required. She certainly had a great deal of mending to do, for Jeff was active and restless, and tore his clothes and wore holes in his stockings very often. And Maggie was not always very good-tempered, and used to scold the little master for very trifling matters.
But she loved her lady's child dearly for all that, and Jeff very well knew that she loved him and that her cross words did not mean much.
I think everyone in his home loved the little lad. He was so merry and bright, so fearless of danger, so honest and bold in speech, that he won all hearts.