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That very night Diamond's father began to teach him to read. Diamond learned very quickly, because his father used the nursery ryhme book that Diamond and his mother had picked up on the beach.

On only a month Diamond could recognise all the letters and make out words, though slowly and carefully. The ryhmes all seemed to be like the one the stream sang at the back of north wind. At least they sounded like it. Although Diamond enjoyed them very much, his mother and father thought they were nonsense. Diamond often had to explain to his parents what the ryhmes meant. One, though, was hard to understand even for him. He decided to go see Mr.Raymond. He had an idea that Mr.Raymond might be able to tell him the meaning of this ryhme.

But one day, Diamond had another, more important reason to go see the gentleman.

Diamond had gone with his father on the cab for several days in a row. Each day he noticed that Nanny wasn't at her crossing. On the fourth day, Diamond grew troubled. He came up to the cab just as his father was helping a passenger inside.

"Father, I want to go look after the girl, Nanny," Diamond said. "She must not be well."

"All right," said his father, shutting the cab door. "Just take care, Diamond." He tousled Diamond's hair.

Diamond raced down the street, trying to remember how Nanny had led him to old Sal's that night. It seemed so long ago now. On a corner he asked a policeman for directions, and the policeman pointed out the street.

Diamond was right. Nanny wasn't well. He found her at Sal's, lying on a dirty mattress covered with blankets that were little better than rags. Her face was very pale.

Her eyes were glazed and staring and her dirty little cheeks were sunken. Sal wasn't home. Nanny didn't move, didn't even seem to know Diamond was there. He had to get help for her, and quickly!

When Diamond reached his father's place by the curb, his father wasn't there. He was probably driving passengers somewhere. Diamond's next thought was Mr.Raymond. Diamond's father had shown him where the gentleman lived, so Diamond ran now to that place.

"Come in, my little man," said Mr.Raymond. "I suppose you've come to claim your sixpence."

"Yes, I can now, a little. But I'll come for that next time. I came to tell you about Nanny." And Diamond told Mr.Raymond how he had found her.

Mr.Raymond looked alarmed now. He spoke quickly. "Wait right here." He ducked inside and returned with his hat and cane and took Diamond by the hand. "Come with me," he said. "We'll get help for your Nanny."

Mr.Raymond hailed a cab at the next street and sent the driver rushing to the children's hospital, a few blocks away. There Mr.Raymond had a stretcher sent at once to Sal's address to pick up nanny.

And later that day, washed and dressed in a clean white gown and safely tucked away in a warm clean bed, Nanny slept at the children's hospital. Diamond hardly recognised her as he and Mr.Raymond walked intot he big room where all the children stayed.

But the children recognised Mr.Raymond. Their faces lit up upon seeing him. Soon they were crying, "Give us a story, please! A story, a story!"

He laughed. "All right, children," he said, and sat down on the end of a bed in the middle of the room. The story he told was not one Diamond or any of the other children had ever heard.

Diamond didn't know it then but Mr.Raymond was a poet and a writer of the children's books. He already written several stories just for the children at the hospital, one of his favourite places. He went there often to read or tell stories to the children. The children of London were among his best friends.

That night Mr.Raymond led Diamond home. When they reached The Mews, Diamond ran inside to ask his mother if he could walk to Mr.Raymond's house with him. she was happy to let him. When Diamond came out again, he was carrying the nursery ryhme book.

"Ah, now you'd like to show me you can read," said Mr.Raymond, smiling. "And you'd like your sixpence."

"No, maybe some other time," said Diamond as they walked. "I wanted you to help me understand a ryhme in this book."

Mr.Raymond took the book. "Perhaps if I read it to you, then you might better understand it," he said. Diamond was happy for that, because it was still hard for him to make out all the words, and it went very slowly for him.

"Never you mind," said Little Boy Blue;
"That's what I tell you. If that you won't do,
"I'll get up at once, and go home without you,
I think I will; I begin to doubt you."
He rose; and up rose the snake on its tail,
And hissed three times, half a hiss, half a wail.
Little Boy Blue he tried to go past him;
But wherever he turned, sat the snake and faced him.
"If you don't get out of my way," he said,
"I tell you, snake, I will break your head."
The snake he neither would go nor come;
So he hit him hard with the stick of his drum.
The snake fell down down as if he were dead,
And Little Boy Blue set his foot on his head.
And all creatures they marched before him,
And marshalled him home with a high cockolorum.

"Well, I think it means that people may have their way for a while, if they like, but it will get them into such troubles that they'll wish they hadn't had their way."

"I know, I know!" said Diamond. "Like the poor cabman next door to us. He drinks too much."