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Diamond quickly became a favourite among the other coachmen who lived at The Mews. At first they thought he was strange, always so happy and always so helpful and kind. But soon they began to notice that, far from being foolish, he had a sound mind. His questions, and his answers to theirs, were thoughtful. No, he wasn't crazy, they decided. He was just good.

Most mornings now would find a group of noisy but good-natured coachmen bickering over who would get to have Diamond ride with him that day - that is, when his mother could spare him herself.

One morning Diamond went with his father. They parked the cab at their usual spot. It was slow that morning. Diamond's father began reading a newspaper, sitting on the cab box. Diamond climbed down to take a little walk, as he often did on slow mornings like this.

Soon he came to Nanny's crossings. There she was with her broom. A tall gentleman came up to her just then and gave her a penny. She smiled and curtisied.

"Where do you live, my child?" he asked.

"Paradise Row," she said. "Down in the Area. I live with my wicked old granny."

The gentleman's brows creased. "You shouldn't call your granny wicked," he said.

"But she is," said Nanny, looking up at him with wide eyes. "If you don't believe me, you can come and take a look at her."

"Hmmm," said the man. "still, you shouldn't say so."

"I shouldn't? everybody calls her wicked old granny, even them that's as wicked as her. You should hear her swear. There's nothing else like it in the Row!" She looked proud.

The gentleman was looking down at the street. What a shame, he thought, such a nice little girl in such bad keeping.

"Please, sir," siad Diamond, "her granny's very cruel to her sometimes and shuts her out in the streets at night when she's late."

"Is this your brother?" the man asked Nanny. "No, sir," she said.

How does he know your granny, then? He doesn't look like one of her sort."

"Oh, no, sir. He's a good boy. He's quite..." She tapped her forehead with a finger and rolled her eyes. Then she stepped up to the man and whispered," The cabbues call him God's baby. He's not quite right in the head, you know."

The man nodded. Then he turned to Diamond. The quiet sweetness of Diamond's face did indeed seem silly, the man thought. He decided to say something to Diamond to be nice.

"Well, my little man," he said, "and what can you do?"

"Drive a cab," said Diamond.

"Good! And what else?"

"Nurse a baby, clean Father's boots, and make him a bit of toast for his tea. I can curry a horse, but only if somebody puts me on its back, so I don't count that."

The man was smiling now. "Can you read?" he asked.

"No, but Mother can and Father can," said Diamond. "And they're going to teach me someday soon."

"Well, here's a penny for you. When you can read, come and see me and I'll give you sixpence and a book with pictures in it."

"Please, sir, where am I to come?" asked Diamond.

Not quite right, indeed, thought the man. You're no silly, my boy. No silly at all. He handed Diamond a card. "This will tell you where I live," he said. Then he said goodbye to them and walked across the street.

On the sidewalk he turned and saw Diamond give his penny to the girl. "Here," Diamond said.

"You may have mine. I've got a father and mother and a little brother, and you've got nothing but a wicked old granny."

The gentleman smiled to himself as he continued on his way.

Back on the cab Diamond showed his father the gentleman's card. "A Mr.Raymond," his father read. "Why, the address is only a few blocks down from The Mews." He handed Diamond the card. "Take care of it, my boy, for it may lead to something. God knows, in these hard times a man wants as many friends as he's ever likely to get."

"Just let me count," said Diamond, holding up his fingers. "There's Mother first, and then baby, and then me. Next there's old Diamond and the cab - no, I won't count the cab. Then there's that man next door who drinks, and his wife and baby - "

His father stopped laughing suddenly. "Well, go on, Diamond," he said. "Tell me more of your friends."