weeks, I'm afraid."

"It may be that. I'm very sorry. But if it don't please God to send us
enough, what am I to do, wife?"

"You can't help it, I know, my dear good man," returned Martha. "And
after all I don't know. I don't see why he shouldn't get on as well as
the rest of us. There I'm nursing baby all this time, and I get along
pretty well. I'm sure, to hear the little man singing, you wouldn't
think there was much amiss with him."

For at that moment Diamond was singing like a lark in the clouds. He had
the new baby in his arms, while his mother was dressing herself. Joseph
was sitting at his breakfast--a little weak tea, dry bread, and very
dubious butter--which Nanny had set for him, and which he was enjoying
because he was hungry. He had groomed both horses, and had got old
Diamond harnessed ready to put to.

"Think of a fat angel, Dulcimer!" said Diamond.

The baby had not been christened yet, but Diamond, in reading his Bible,
had come upon the word dulcimer, and thought it so pretty that ever
after he called his sister Dulcimer!

"Think of a red, fat angel, Dulcimer!" he repeated; "for Ruby's an angel
of a horse, Dulcimer. He sprained his ankle and got fat on purpose."

"What purpose, Diamond?" asked his father.

"Ah! that I can't tell. I suppose to look handsome when his master
comes," answered Diamond.--"What do you think, Dulcimer? It must be for
some good, for Ruby's an angel."

"I wish I were rid of him, anyhow," said his father; "for he weighs
heavy on my mind."

"No wonder, father: he's so fat," said Diamond. "But you needn't be
afraid, for everybody says he's in better condition than when you had
him."

"Yes, but he may be as thin as a tin horse before his owner comes. It
was too bad to leave him on my hands this way."

"Perhaps he couldn't help it," suggested Diamond. "I daresay he has some
good reason for it."

"So I should have said," returned his father, "if he had not driven such
a hard bargain with me at first."

"But we don't know what may come of it yet, husband," said his wife.
"Mr. Raymond may give a little to boot, seeing you've had more of the
bargain than you wanted or reckoned upon."

"I'm afraid not: he's a hard man," said Joseph, as he rose and went to
get his cab out.

Diamond resumed his singing. For some time he carolled snatches of
everything or anything; but at last it settled down into something like
what follows. I cannot tell where or how he got it.