"Why, then, of course I must go."

"There's a good Diamond.--I think I had better be growing a bit.
Only you must go to bed first. I can't take you till you're in bed.
That's the law about the children. So I had better go and do something
else first."

"Very well, North Wind," said Diamond. "What are you going
to do first, if you please?"

"I think I may tell you. Jump up on the top of the wall, there."

"I can't."

"Ah! and I can't help you--you haven't been to bed yet, you see.
Come out to the road with me, just in front of the coach-house, and I
will show you."

North Wind grew very small indeed, so small that she could not
have blown the dust off a dusty miller, as the Scotch children
call a yellow auricula. Diamond could not even see the blades
of grass move as she flitted along by his foot. They left the lawn,
went out by the wicket in the-coach-house gates, and then crossed
the road to the low wall that separated it from the river.

"You can get up on this wall, Diamond," said North Wind.

"Yes; but my mother has forbidden me."

"Then don't," said North Wind.