But the next he could not bear even Diamond's sweet voice, and was very ill indeed; so Diamond took the baby into his own room, and had no end of quiet games with him there.

If he did pull all his bedding on the floor, it did not matter, for he kept baby very quiet, and made the bed himself again, and slept in it with baby all the next night, and many nights after.
But long before his father got well, his mother's savings were all but gone.

She did not say a word about it in the hearing of her husband, lest she should distress him; and one night, when she could not help crying, she came into Diamond's room that his father might not hear her.

She thought Diamond was asleep, but he was not.

When he heard her sobbing, he was frightened, and said-- "Is father worse, mother ?" "No, Diamond," she answered, as well as she could; "he's a good bit better." "Then what are you crying for, mother ?" "Because my money is almost all gone," she replied.
"O mammy, you make me think of a little poem baby and I learned out of North Wind's book to-day.