But there was the old horse, and there was the cab all right, and there was Diamond in the box, his pale face looking triumphant as a full moon in the twilight.
When he drew up at the stable-door, Jack came out, and after a good many friendly questions and congratulations, said: "You go in to your mother, Diamond.

I'll put up the old 'oss.

I'll take care on him.

He do deserve some small attention, he do." "Thank you, Jack," said Diamond, and bounded into the house, and into the arms of his mother, who was waiting him at the top of the stair.
The poor, anxious woman led him into his own room, sat down on his bed, took him on her lap as if he had been a baby, and cried.
"How's father ?" asked Diamond, almost afraid to ask.
"Better, my child," she answered, "but uneasy about you, my dear." "Didn't you tell him I was the early bird gone out to catch the worm ?" "That was what put it in your head, was it, you monkey ?" said his mother, beginning to get better.
"That or something else," answered Diamond, so very quietly that his mother held his head back and stared in his face.
"Well! of all the children!" she said, and said no more.
"And here's my worm," resumed Diamond.
But to see her face as he poured the shillings and sixpences and pence into her lap! She burst out crying a second time, and ran with the money to her husband.
And how pleased he was! It did him no end of good.

But while he was counting the coins, Diamond turned to baby, who was lying awake in his cradle, sucking his precious thumb, and took him up, saying: "Baby, baby! I haven't seen you for a whole year." And then he began to sing to him as usual.