Now Mr. Raymond was one of the kindest men in London. He sent at once to have the horse put to the brougham, took Diamond with him, and drove to the Children's Hospital. There he was well known to everybody, for he was not only a large subscriber, but he used to go and tell the children stories of an afternoon. One of the doctors promised to go and find Nanny, and do what could be done--have her brought to the hospital, if possible. That same night they sent a litter for her, and as she could be of no use to old Sal until she was better, she did not object to having her removed. So she was soon lying in the fever ward--for the first time in her life in a nice clean bed. But she knew nothing of the whole affair. She was too ill to know anything. CHAPTER XXII. MR. RAYMOND'S RIDDLE MR. RAYMOND took Diamond home with him, stopping at the Mews to tell his mother that he would send him back soon. Diamond ran in with the message himself, and when he reappeared he had in his hand the torn and crumpled book which North Wind had given him. “Ah! I see,” said Mr. Raymond: “you are going to claim your sixpence now.” “I wasn't thinking of that so much as of another thing,” said Diamond. “There's a rhyme in this book I can't quite understand. I want you to tell me what it means, if you please.” “I will if I can,” answered Mr. Raymond. “You shall read it to me when we get home, and then I shall see.” Still with a good many blunders, Diamond did read it after a fashion. Mr. Raymond took the little book and read it over again. Now Mr. Raymond was a poet himself, and so, although he had never been at the back of the north wind, he was able to understand the poem pretty well. But before saying anything about it, he read it over aloud, and Diamond thought he understood it much better already. “I'll tell you what I think it means,” he then said. “It means that people may have their way for a while, if they like, but it will get them into such troubles they'll wish they hadn't had it.” “I know, I know!” said Diamond. “Like the poor cabman next door. He drinks too much.” “Just so,” returned Mr. Raymond. “But when people want to do right, things about them will try to help them. Only they must kill the snake, you know.” “I was sure the snake had something to do with it,” cried Diamond triumphantly. A good deal more talk followed, and Mr. Raymond gave Diamond his sixpence. “What will you do with it?” he asked. “Take it home to my mother,” he answered. “She has a teapot--such a black one!--with a broken spout, and she keeps all her money in it. It ain't much; but she saves it up to buy shoes for me. And there's baby coming on famously, and he'll want shoes soon. And every sixpence is something--ain't it, sir?” “To be sure, my man. I hope you'll always make as good a use of your money.” “I hope so, sir,” said Diamond.