'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 vociferous applause when he had finished.
'Here, youngster,' said one of the older men, holding out his pewter pot to him, 'take a drink like a man; you deserve it!'