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Soon Diamond's mother got another letter from his father. His father had been able to buy old Diamond the horse and a four wheeled cab. And he had found a new place to live, a room over a stable called The Mews. Diamond and his mother could come home now.

But their new place was even smaller than their old one. It had only one main room, plus a very small one for Diamond to sleep in. And there was no garden for Diamond to play in here, only a stone-paved yard where other coachmen rigged their horses and cabs.

Now his father had to drive into London every day and park along the curbs, hoping to get enough customers to make a living. These days were not happy ones for Diamond's mother and father. They could never be sure of having enough money to buy food. And their home was so small and so dismal, compared with the bright, cheery rooms they had had at the Colemnas's coach house.

Diamond was recovered now from his illness. At least he seemed okay. His father began taking Diamond with him on his cab. runs in the city. He taught Diamond how to harness up the horse and how to drive the cab. Diamond was very proud to be with his father in his father's very own cab, with his very own horse, their beloved old Diamond.

It was during this time that Diamond's mother had another baby, a baby brother for Diamond. Now Diamond's mother was busier than ever with a new baby to take care of. Right away Diamond saw how he could help her. He would sit with the baby on his lap, talking to him and making him laugh, while his mother was busy with her work. If the baby cried in his crib, Diamond would pick him up and bounce him on his knee.

And Diamond found many other things to do - sweeping the hearth, toasting bread, feeding baby his bottle.

One morning Diamond was playing with the baby while his mother stepped outside to talk with his father. Diamond began to sing to the baby.

"Baby's asleeping, wake up, baby, for all the swallows are the merriest of fellows and have the yellowest children who would go sleeping and snore like a baby disturbing his mother and father and brother and all aboring their ears with his snoring..."

Diamond's mother stopped just outside the door, listening to Diamond's song. He went on and on, while the baby cooed in delight.

"....and Father's the best of all the swallows that build their nest out of the shining shallows and he has the merriest children that's baby and Diamond and Diamond and baby and baby and Diamond..."

His mother came into the room now. She looked at Diamond with tears in her eyes. Then she bent down, gave him a kiss, and gently took the baby. "Run along to your father, Diamond, dear," she said. "You can ride on the cab with him today. You're such a help to your mother! One would think you'd been among the fairies."

She stood in the doorway with the baby in her arms, gazing at Diamond as he scrambled up into his father's cab.

Downtown, Diamond and his father had only two customers that morning. It was time for lunch, and Diamond's father had parked the cab at the curb while he went into a little shop to buy some bread. Diamond stayed up on the cab box.

Just then a little girl in tattered clothing was sweeping her street crossing when suddenly three boys ran up to her and grabbed her broom.

One of them....punched Diamond right in the face.

"Stop it!" she cried, tugging on the broom. "Leave me alone!"

The boys laughed and began calling her names. Quickly, Diamond climbed down and ran to the girl. He grabbed the broom and helped her pull. The boys began tugging harder. Then one of them let go of the broom and punched Diamond right in th eface. The blood ran down from Diamond's nose, but he did not let go.

Jus tthen Diamond's father came out of the shop. "Hey!" he bellowed. Suddenly he was among the boys. His great arm swatted them like flies, sending them sprawling in the street. Then Diamond's father nodded to the little girl and picked up Diamond and carried him to the cab. He carefully wiped Diamond's nose with a handkerchief.

"I couldn't like them behave that way to a girl, could I, Father?" said Diamond.

His father smiled. "Certianly not, Diamond," he said. Just as North Wind had said, Diamond's father was a gentleman. He was very proud of Diamond.

As they were about to pull away from the curb, the little girl came running up. "Mister," she called. "There's two ladies here that be wantin' a ride."

Suddenly Diamond recognised the little girl. "Nanny!" he called. She smiled at him, gave a little curtsey, and ran off.

Diamond's father stepped down to help the ladies into the cab. "Oh, Mrs. Coleman, Miss Coleman," he said, sweeping off his cap.

"I see you've got your own cab now," she said. "Who would have thought things would turn out this way? We live in town now, you know. It's not very often we can afford to have a cab. I do hope you and your family are getting along well."

Then Miss Coleman, who had become very fond of little Diamond, saw him sitting on the cab box. "Oh, I see you've got both Diamonds with you," she said to his father, and she smiled at Diamond.

"He'll be fit to drive himself before long," Diamond's father said.

"Well, then, you must come and see us, now that you'll know where we live."

Then Diamond's father helped the ladies into the cab and drove them to the address Mrs.Coleman gave him.

Diamond didn't know it, but the ship North Wind had sunk belonged to Mr.Coleman. It was his last merchant ship.. North Wind had been sent to sink the ship so that Mr.Coleman might have one last chance to become an honest man. For years he had been growing richer and richer. But, sadly, he had also been growing more and more dishonest. Now that he had only a small home and a modest place of business in the city he seemed to be growing more honest and humble every day.

That night at supper Diamond's father told his mother about meeting the Coleman ladies.

"He'll be fit to drive himself before long."

"Poor dears!" said his mother. "It's worse for them than it is for us. They've been used to such grand things, and for them to come down to a little poky house like that - it breaks my heart to think of it."

"I wonder if Mrs.Coleman has bells on her toes," said Diamond, looking dreamily at the ceiling.

His father and mother stared at him. His father looked amused, his mother startled.

"Of course she has," said his mother. "As any lady would. What has that to do with it?"

"Is it really bad to be poor?" Diamond

"When we were at Sandwich, you said you would have to sell your mother's ring now that we were poor."

"Bless the child, he forgets nothing!" she said.

"Really, Diamond, a person has to mind what he says to you. Anyway, Mrs.Coleman is none so poor as all that. No, thnak heaven, she's not come to that."

"Is it really bad to be poor?" Diamond asked.

His mother didn't answer. Her mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. She stared at Diamond for several moments, then looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

Diamond's father took his wife's hand and smiled at her as she looked up at him. Then she smiled too, slowly, sadly. She looked at Diamond. How could a child be so....? Where did he get his notions? How was it that he came to say these things? It was so...so... what was it?

She didn't know, of course, that Diamond had been to the back of north wind.