ieking with
laughter. His father and mother had to laugh too and things began to
look better.

It was indeed a change for them all, not only from Sandwich but from
their old place. Instead of the great river where the huge barges with
their brown and yellow sails went up and down, their windows now looked
out upon a dirty paved yard. There was no garden more for Diamond to run
into when he pleased, with gay flowers about his feet, and lofty trees
over his head.

Neither was there a wooden wall at the back of his bed with a hole in
it for North Wind to come in at when she liked. Indeed, there was such a
high wall that North Wind seldom got into the place. And the wall at the
head of Diamond's new bed only divided it from the room where a cabman
lived who drank too much beer and came home to quarrel with and abuse
his wife. It was dreadful for Diamond to hear the scolding and the
crying. But he was determined it should not make him miserable for he
had been at the back of the north wind.

CHAPTER VI

DIAMOND LEARNS TO DRIVE A HORSE

The wind blew loudly all night long, the first night Diamond slept in
his new home, but he did not hear it. My own belief is that when Diamond
slept too soundly to remember anything about it in the morning, he had
been all night at the back of the north wind. Sometimes something did
seem to remain in his mind like the low far-off murmur of the river
singing its song. He sometimes tried to hold on to the words it sung.
But ever as he came _awaker_--as he would say--one line faded away and
then another. At last there was nothing left but the sense that
everything went right there and could--and must--be made to go right
here.

That was how he awoke that first morning and he jumped up at once
saying, "I've been ill a long time and given a great deal of trouble.
Now let's see how I can help my mother."

When he went into her room, he found her lighting the fire and his
father just getting up. So he took up the baby who was awake too and
cared for him till his mother had the breakfast ready. She was looking
gloomy and his father too was silent. Diamond felt that in a few
minutes, he would be just as miserable. But he tried with all his might
to be jolly with the baby and presently his mother just had to smile.

"Why, Diamond, child!" she said at last. "You are as good to your mother
as if you were a girl--nursing the baby and toasting the bread, and
sweeping up the hearth. I decl