Here his tears burst out afresh.
'Look here,' said his uncle slowly, 'I won't say but what you've been a bad boy—your mother herself has been in sore trouble about you this last day or two; but if we gets a fall in the mud it ain't much good stopping there; the only thing is to pick ourselves up agen, get ourselves cleaned, and then start agen and walk more carefully. Can't you do that?'
'I'm a deserter,' sobbed the boy; 'my Captain won't have me back. I've disgraced Him, I've disgraced my banner, I've disgraced my button!'
'Your Captain will pick you up, I'm thinkin', if you ask Him. He'll clean you up fust-rate, and set you on your legs agen.'
'Will He?' And hope once more began to dawn in the dim blue eyes.
'Of course He will. I ain't good at verses and such like, but I do remember this one—"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Won't that one fit you?'
Teddy did not answer. He stood looking up wistfully into the blue sky, as if unconscious of his uncle's presence, and then he sighed. 'I think I'd rather be alone, Uncle Jake.'
Jake left him without a word, and went home to prepare Mrs. John for what had happened.'
She was much distressed, but, like a sensible woman, took the right view of the case.
'He wanted to be pulled up sharp; my poor boy, is he much hurt?'