for a moment. Dulcimer crowed with pleasure; but when the roar
of thunder came after it, the little brother gave a loud cry
of terror. Nanny and Jim came running up to us, pale with fear.
Diamond's face, too, was paler than usual, but with delight.
Some of the glory seemed to have clung to it, and remained shining.

"You're not frightened--are you, Diamond?" I said.

"No. Why should I be?" he answered with his usual question,
looking up in my face with calm shining eyes.

"He ain't got sense to be frightened," said Nanny, going up to him
and giving him a pitying hug.

"Perhaps there's more sense in not being frightened, Nanny," I returned.
"Do you think the lightning can do as it likes?"

"It might kill you," said Jim.

"Oh, no, it mightn't!" said Diamond.

As he spoke there came another great flash, and a tearing crack.

"There's a tree struck!" I said; and when we looked round,
after the blinding of the flash had left our eyes, we saw a huge
bough of the beech-tree in which was Diamond's nest hanging
to the ground like the broken wing of a bird.

"There!" cried Nanny; "I told you so. If you had been up there
you see what would have happened, you little silly!"