he nurse came and told him it was time to go; and Diamond went,
saying to himself, "I can't help thinking that North Wind had something
to do with that dream. It would be tiresome to lie there all day and all
night too--without dreaming. Perhaps if she hadn't done that, the moon
might have carried her to the back of the north wind--who knows?"

CHAPTER XXXI. THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW

IT WAS a great delight to Diamond when at length Nanny was well enough
to leave the hospital and go home to their house. She was not very
strong yet, but Diamond's mother was very considerate of her, and took
care that she should have nothing to do she was not quite fit for. If
Nanny had been taken straight from the street, it is very probable she
would not have been so pleasant in a decent household, or so easy to
teach; but after the refining influences of her illness and the kind
treatment she had had in the hospital, she moved about the house just
like some rather sad pleasure haunting the mind. As she got better, and
the colour came back to her cheeks, her step grew lighter and quicker,
her smile shone out more readily, and it became certain that she would
soon be a treasure of help. It was great fun to see Diamond teaching
her how to hold the baby, and wash and dress him, and often they laughed
together over her awkwardness. But she had not many such lessons before
she was able to perform those duties quite as well as Diamond himself.

Things however did not go well with Joseph from the very arrival of
Ruby. It almost seemed as if the red beast had brought ill luck with
him. The fares were fewer, and the pay less. Ruby's services did indeed
make the week's income at first a little beyond what it used to be, but
then there were two more to feed. After the first month he fell lame,
and for the whole of the next Joseph dared not attempt to work him. I
cannot say that he never grumbled, for his own health was far from what
it had been; but I can say that he tried to do his best. During all
that month, they lived on very short commons indeed, seldom tasting meat
except on Sundays, and poor old Diamond, who worked hardest of all, not
even then--so that at the end of it he was as thin as a clothes-horse,
while Ruby was as plump and sleek as a bishop's cob.

Nor was it much better after Ruby was able to work again, for it was
a season of great depression in business, and that is very soon felt
amongst the cabmen. City men look more