ble 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, he said to his father, who
had that moment shut the door of his cab upon a fare--

"Father, I want to go and look after the girl, She can't be well."

"All right," said his father. "Only take care of yourself, Diamond."

So saying he climbed on his box and drove off.

He had great confidence in his boy, you see, and would trust him
anywhere. But if he had known the kind of place in which the girl lived,
he would perhaps have thought twice before he allowed him to go alone.
Diamond, who did know something of it, had not, however, any fear. From
talking to the girl he had a good notion of where about it was, and he
remembered the address well enough; so by asking his way some twenty
times, mostly of policemen, he came at length pretty near the place. The
last policeman he questioned looked down upon him from the summit of six
feet two inches, and replied with another question, but kindly:

"What do you want there, my small kid? It ain't where you was bred, I
guess."

"No sir" answered Diamond. "I live in Bloomsbury."

"That's a long way off," said the policeman.

"Yes, it's a good distance," answered Diamond; "but I find my way about
pretty well. Policemen are always kind to me."

"But what on earth do you want here?"

Diamond told him plainly what he was about, and of course the man
believed him, for nobody ever disbelieved Diamond. People might think he
was mistaken, but they never thought he was telling a story.

"It's an ugly place," said the policeman.

"Is it far off?" asked Diamond.

"No. It's next door almost. But it's not safe."

"Nobody hurts me," said Diamond.

"I must go with you, I suppose."

"Oh, no! please not," said Diamond. "They might think I was going to
meddle with them, and I ain't, you know."

"Well, do as you please," said the man, and gave him full directions.

Diamond set off, never suspecting that the policeman, who was a
kind-hearted man, with children of his own, was following him close, and
watching him round every corn