with his horn."

"But surely you're not such a silly as to take it all for true, Diamond?"

"I think it must be. It looks true. That killing of the snake
looks true. It's what I've got to do so often."

His mother looked uneasy. Diamond smiled full in her face,
and added--

"When baby cries and won't be happy, and when father and you talk
about your troubles, I mean."

This did little to reassure his mother; and lest my reader should
have his qualms about it too, I venture to remind him once more
that Diamond had been to the back of the north wind.

Finding she made no reply, Diamond went on--

"In a week or so, I shall be able to go to the tall gentleman
and tell him I can read. And I'll ask him if he can help
me to understand the rhyme."

But before the week was out, he had another reason for going
to Mr. Raymond.

For three days, on each of which, at one time or other, Diamond's
father was on the same stand near the National Gallery, the girl
was not at her crossing, and Diamond got quite anxious about her,
fearing she must be ill. On the fourth day, not seeing her yet,