abman.

"Do you see this young oyster? He pretends to drive a cab," said his
enemy.

"Yes, I do see him. And I sees you too. You'd better leave him alone. He
ain't no oyster. He's a angel come down on his own business. You be off,
or I'll be nearer you than quite agreeable."

The drunken cabman was a tall, stout man, who did not look one to take
liberties with.

"Oh! if he's a friend of yours," said the other, drawing back.

Diamond got out the nose-bag again. Old Diamond should have his feed out
now.

"Yes, he is a friend o' mine. One o' the best I ever had. It's a pity
he ain't a friend o' yourn. You'd be the better for it, but it ain't no
fault of hisn."

When Diamond went home at night, he carried with him one pound one
shilling and sixpence, besides a few coppers extra, which had followed
some of the fares.

His mother had got very anxious indeed--so much so that she was almost
afraid, when she did hear the sound of his cab, to go and look, lest
she should be yet again disappointed, and should break down before her
husband. But there was the old horse, and there was the cab all right,
and there was Diamond in the box, his pale face looking triumphant as a
full moon in the twilight.

When he drew up at the stable-door, Jack came out, and after a good many
friendly questions and congratulations, said:

"You go in to your mother, Diamond. I'll put up the old 'oss. I'll take
care on him. He do deserve some small attention, he do."

"Thank you, Jack," said Diamond, and bounded into the house, and into
the arms of his mother, who was waiting him at the top of the stair.

The poor, anxious woman led him into his own room, sat down on his bed,
took him on her lap as if he had been a baby, and cried.

"How's father?" asked Diamond, almost afraid to ask.

"Better, my child," she answered, "but uneasy about you, my dear."

"Didn't you tell him I was the early bird gone out to catch the worm?"

"That was what put it in your head, was it, you monkey?" said his
mother, beginning to get better.

"That or something else," answered Diamond, so very quietly that his
mother held his head back and stared in his face.

"Well! of all the children!" she said, and said no more.

"And here's my worm," resumed Diamond.

But to see her face as he poured the shillings and sixpences and pence
into her lap! She burst out crying a second time, and ran with the money
to her husband.

And how pleased he was! It did him n