But there was no need to go out after tea to look for him, for the next moment Kit was down from the table and had her arms round Ben's knees. He had just lifted the latch of the kitchen door very gently and walked in. His face was quite calm, with a smile 'twixt hope and fear on it. Before Mr. and Mrs. Gray could speak he walked straight up to the mother. "I'm awfully sorry I fought Jim this morning, and if you'll give me another chance I'll try and do better, though he mocks and laughs at me, and calls me 'Baby, in the low class,' I won't heed it. I want to be--to be what the lady said, 'A brave soldier for Jesus.' He never struck any one." "That's right, Ben dear. It's all forgiven and forgotten--you won't do it again. We're glad to have you home," said the mother, with fast filling eyes. And, holding out his hands to him, the father added, "Aye, we need to remember that He was mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and yet He never even threatened them, but prayed God the Father to forgive." "I'll try hard, and do like Him," said Ben. "Remember, boy, that when they laugh at you, if you _take it in fun_ they'd soon stop. Suppose they call you a 'Baby in the low class,' if you could just turn round and say, 'I know I'm in the baby class, but it isn't my fault, and I don't mean to stay there'; it would be better and more kind if you helped me with my lessons.' If you said that, Ben, they would soon stop it." "There's some sense in that," said Ben, shrewdly. "I'll try it to-morrow, though it will be very hard." "I am afraid it will. When we do wrong, we must suffer; but I'll try and help you through it, lad." "You are kind," replied the little fellow. "He's the _kindest_ father," echoed Kit, for which she was well kissed, and they all laughed. "She was quite _sure_ you would come back, Ben!" "It was a good thing I _promised_ her, for I never told her a lie; and when I got into the old barn, up the road far away, I thought I couldn't face any of you again, for I knew you would not approve of fighting ways; but I remembered what the lady, our teacher, said about being a brave little soldier for Jesus, and I thought: 'If they will try me again, I'll go back, because I could never leave my little Kit.' See, I nearly forgot what I had brought you, Kit." "Oh--h! oh--h! the beau-fullist little bird," she cried, as Ben drew a little dead nestling from his breast pocket. "But it's dead!--dead!" she added.