forwardness as a rule.'

'Sam and Carrots and lots of the boys were with me, mother. He told us
that he and one or two more had come on to get billets--that's the
word--billets for the regiment that was marching through on their way to
Wales; and we shall see them come marching through the village in a few
days. He said most of them were going to put up in the town, but twenty
were coming to the Hare and Hounds, and they're going to sleep there.
He's such a nice man, mother; he's only going to sleep here to-night, and
then he's going on to-morrow to get some more billets ready in the next
town he comes to. Couldn't he come to tea this afternoon? Do let me ask
him, granny!'

Mrs. Platt laughed not ill-humouredly. 'You would have us take in any
scoundrel, provided he wore a red coat, wouldn't you?'

'Soldiers are never scoundrels!' asserted Teddy with hot indignation.

'Do you know all the soldiers in the British Army, then?' said his
grandmother.

'I daresay he wouldn't care to come to tea with strangers, sonny,' put in
Mrs. John gently.

'I'm sure he would, for he doesn't like the Hare and Hounds. He said he
was a teetotaller.'

'Come, that sounds good,' Mrs. Platt remarked. 'Well, you can ask him in
for your father's sake.'