for his hay-cork, found it, stuck it in harder, and was just dropping
off once more, when, pop! with an angry whistle behind it, the cork
struck him again, this time on the cheek. Up he rose once more,
made a fresh stopple of hay, and corked the hole severely.
But he was hardly down again before--pop! it came on his forehead.
He gave it up, drew the clothes above his head, and was soon
fast asleep.

Although the next day was very stormy, Diamond forgot all about
the hole, for he was busy making a cave by the side of his mother's
fire with a broken chair, a three-legged stool, and a blanket,
and then sitting in it. His mother, however, discovered it,
and pasted a bit of brown paper over it, so that, when Diamond had
snuggled down the next night, he had no occasion to think of it.

Presently, however, he lifted his head and listened. Who could that
be talking to him? The wind was rising again, and getting very loud,
and full of rushes and whistles. He was sure some one was talking--
and very near him, too, it was. But he was not frightened,
for he had not yet learned how to be; so he sat up and hearkened.
At last the voice, which, though quite gentle, sounded a little angry,
appeared to come from the back of the bed. He crept nearer to it,
and laid his ear against the wall. Then he heard nothing but the wind,
which sounded very loud indeed. The moment, however, that he moved
his head from the wall, he heard the voice again, close to his ear.
He felt about with his hand, and came upon the piece of paper his
mother had pasted over the hole. Against this he laid his ear,
and then he heard the voice quite distinctly. There was, in fact,
a little corner of the paper loose, and through that, as from a mouth
in the wall, the voice came.