on't you help that little
girl?"

"I cannot leave my work, Diamond. But you can help her if you like.
Only, I can't wait for you. And mind, the wind will get hold of you
too!"

"But how shall I get home again," cried Diamond, "if you don't wait for
me?"

"Well, you must think of that!" said North Wind.

"Oh," cried Diamond. "I am sure the wind will blow her over! I _must_
help her anyway! Let me go!"

Without a word, North Wind dropped into the street and set him down. The
same moment, he was caught in the coils of the blast and all but swept
away. North Wind vanished. The wind was roaring along the street. The
little girl was scudding before it, her hair flying, while behind her
she dragged her broom with which she swept her crossing. Her little legs
were going as fast as they could, to keep her from falling.

"Stop! stop! little girl!" shouted Diamond, starting in pursuit.

"I can't!" wailed the girl. "The wind won't let me!"

Diamond ran after her and caught hold of her frock but it tore in his
hand. Then he ran fast enough to get in front of her and turning around,
caught her in his arms. Just then, he thought he got a glimpse of North
Wind turning the corner in front of them. They must go with her of
course, and sure enough, when they turned the corner after her, they
found it quite quiet there.

"Now, you must lead me," said Diamond. "You show me the way you must go
to get home and I will take care of you."

So the little girl put her free hand in his and began to lead him. They
went around turning after turning, till they stopped at a cellar-door in
a very dirty lane. There the little girl knocked.

"What an awful place!" said Diamond. "I should not like to live here."

"Oh yes, you would, if you had no where else to go!" answered the girl.
"I only hope they'll let me in."

"Don't they always let you in?" said Diamond.

"No, they don't. And then I have to stay in the street all night and
scud back to my crossing the first thing in the morning. You see they
don't answer, now!"

"Well," said Diamond, "I don't want to get in. I want to go back to my
mother. Come with me and I will take you to my own home."

The little girl thought this would be much better than sitting in the
streets all night. So they started off. The trouble was that Diamond was
not at all sure that he could find the way without North Wind. But the
only thing to do was to try. So they wandered on and on, turning in this
direct