At the Back of the North Wind Illustrated - online book

A Complete Illustrated children's fantasy book by George MacDonald.

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Another Early Bird                231
out, but he was a stranger; and the shout the rest of them raised let him see it would not do, and made him so far ashamed besides, that he went away crawling.
Once, in a block, a policeman came up to him, and asked him for his number. Diamond showed him his father's badge, saying with a smile:
"Father's ill at home, and so I came out with the cab. There's no fear of me. I can drive. Besides, the old horse could go alone."
"Just as well, I daresay. You're a pair of 'em. But you are a rum 'un for a cabby—ain't you now?" said the policeman. "I don't know as I ought to let you go."
"I ain't done nothing," said Diamond. "It's not my fault I'm no bigger. I'm big enough for my age."
"That's where it is," said the man. "You ain't fit."
"How do you know that?" asked Diamond, with his usual smile, and turning his head like a little bird.
"Why, how are you to get out of this ruck now, when it begins to move?"
"Just you get up on the box," said Diamond, "and I'll show you. There, that van's a-moving now. Jump up."
The policeman did as Diamond told him, and was soon satisfied that the little fellow could drive.
"Well," he said, as he got down again, "I don't know as I should be right to interfere. Good luck to you, my little man!"
"Thank you, sir," said Diamond, and drove away.
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