"
"That one was true, Nanny. You know it was. Didn't you come
to grief for doing what you were told not to do? And isn't that
true?"
"I can't get any sense into him," exclaimed Nanny, with an
expression of mild despair. "Do you really believe, Diamond,
that there's a house in the moon, with a beautiful lady and a
crooked old man and dusters in it?"
"If there isn't, there's something better," he answered,
and vanished in the leaves over our heads.
I went into the house, where I visited often in the
evenings. When I came out, there was a little wind blowing, very
pleasant after the heat of the day, for although it was late
summer now, it was still hot. The tree-tops were swinging about
in it. I took my way past the beech, and called up to see if
Diamond were still in his nest in its rocking head.
"Are you there, Diamond?" I said.
"Yes, sir," came his clear voice in reply.
"Isn't it growing too dark for you to get down safely?"
"Oh, no, sir -- if I take time to it. I know my way so
well, and never let go with one hand till I've a good hold with
the other."
"Do be careful," I insisted -- foolishly, seeing the boy
was as careful as he could be already.
"I'm coming," he returned.
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