At the Back of the North Wind

n double harness. Diamond’s father and mother got their things all packed up and were ready to go into the country at the shortest notic

k the country would make her any happier. Besides she would have to leave cripple Jim behind and maybe never see hi

o and inquire about her there. But when at length she went to live with Diamond’s family, Jim was willing enough to go and see her. It was after one of his visits during which he and Nanny had talked

sk him what they could do about it. “Jim can shine shoes very well indeed, sir,” said Diamond. “If you could take Jim i

and finally decided that there w

Raymond was to live. He went back to London that same night. The next day, he drove Ruby and Diamond down with the carriage behind them, and Mr. Raymond and a lady in the carriage.

to lie among them and breathe the pure air. As he lay there, he dreamed often of the country at the back of the north wind and tried to remember the songs the river used to sing. For this was more like being

hunting tower — a place, that is, from the top of which you could see the country for miles on all sides. From a window the Queen was able to follow with h

which, in June and July, the wind sprinkled with the red and white petals of the rose tree climbing up the walls. But Mr. and Mrs. Raym

mistress. “There is a little room at the top of the house

ond. “And I like best to be high

inding stair into one of the two towers that were on the house. Near the top, they entered a tiny room

room, then, Diamond

d. “I shall be near the stars and yet not far from

low him spread a lake of green leaves with glimpses of grass here and there at the bottom. As he

e cried. “My nest is b

an ring when I want you,” said his mistress. An

and mother sometimes looked at him very anxiously. Diamond thought that no one seemed to ask him to do much. Ofte

t Diamond talked about, but they could understand each other very well. They were never unkind to him but they liked better to go off by themselves.

g beech tree. When he reached the limb the rope hung from, he went on climbing higher and higher. Up among the

there, Diamond,” som

ves and the big sky over me. It goes swinging about. The earth is all behind my back. There

im when he was in the country at the back of the north wind. They seemed to be murmuring in his ea

made up songs to sing to the baby. But these never seemed to be just like the river’s s

you see if

tle nest

the sky like a

ide downwa

ou do if I t

le nest in

cries would

t she coul

get in the to

ur crying

ld you clutch

only gat

had lost your

to see f

in your hand a

eart a sh