how do you have time to look after bees?"

"I don't look after bees. I had this one to look after. It was hard
work, though."

"Hard work! Why, you could blow a chimney down, or--or a boy's cap off,"
said Diamond.

"Both are easier than to blow a tulip open. But I scarcely know the
difference between hard and easy. I am always able for what I have to
do. When I see my work, I just rush at it--and it is done. But I mustn't
chatter. I have got to sink a ship to-night."

"Sink a ship! What! with men in it?"

"Yes, and women too."

"How dreadful! I wish you wouldn't talk so."

"It is rather dreadful. But it is my work. I must do it."

"I hope you won't ask me to go with you."

"No, I won't ask you. But you must come for all that."

"I won't then."

"Won't you?" And North Wind grew a tall lady, and looked him in the
eyes, and Diamond said--

"Please take me. You cannot be cruel."

"No; I could not be cruel if I would. I can do nothing cruel, although I
often do what looks like cruel to those who do not know what I really am
doing. The people they say I drown, I only carry away to--to--to--well,
the back of the North Wind--that is what they used to call it long ago,
only I never saw the place."

"How can you carry them there if you never saw it?"

"I know the way."

"But how is it you never saw it?"

"Because it is behind me."

"But you can look round."

"Not far enough to see my own back. No; I always look before me. In
fact, I grow quite blind and deaf when I try to see my back. I only mind
my work."

"But how does it be your work?"

"Ah, that I can't tell you. I only know it is, because when I do it I
feel all right, and when I don't I feel all wrong. East Wind says--only
one does not exactly know how much to believe of what she says, for she
is very naughty sometimes--she says it is all managed by a baby; but
whether she is good or naughty when she says that, I don't know. I just
stick to my work. It is all one to me to let a bee out of a tulip, or to
sweep the cobwebs from the sky. You would like to go with me to-night?"

"I don't want to see a ship sunk."

"But suppose I had to take you?"

"Why, then, of course I must go."

"There's a good Diamond.--I think I had better be growing a bit. Only
you must go to bed first. I can't take you till you're in bed. That's
the law about the children. So I had better go and do something else
first."

"Very well, North Wind," said Diamond. "What a