in a less moment than a lady's watch can tick, and catch you long before you reached the ground.

Diamond. I don't like it, though. (Screaming.) Oh! oh! oh! Why have you left me, North Wind? North Wind. Because I want you to walk alone and try to be brave. And I really must be going about my work.

Diamond. Oh, the poor ship! I wish you would stay here, and let the poor ship go.

North Wind. That I dare not do. Will you stay here till I come back?

Diamond. Yes. You won't be long?

North Wind. Not longer than I can help. Trust me, you shall get home before the morning.

[In a moment North Wind has gone, and Diamond hears a great roaring of wind about the church. He feels his way down the stairs and lies down on the steps of the chancel, facing the big stainedglass windows, just now beautifully lighted by the moon. These windows have large pictures of the Apostles in stained glass.]

St. Matthew. How comes he to be lying there, St. Peter?

St. Peter. I think I saw him awhile ago up in the gallery, under the Nicodemus window. Perhaps he has fallen down. What do you think, St. Matthew?

St. Matthew. I don't think he could have crept

here after falling from such a height. have been killed.

He must

St. Peter. What are we to do with him? We can't leave him lying there. And we could not make him comfortable up here in the window; it's rather crowded already. What do you say, St.

Thomas?

St. Thomas. Let's go down and look at him.
St. Matthew.

Luke?

What is the matter with him, St.

St. Luke. There's nothing the matter with him. He's in a sound sleep.

St. Thomas. Wind's tricks.

I have it. This is one of North

She has caught him up

and dropped him at our door, like a withered leaf. I don't understand that woman's conduct, I must say.

St. Luke. She should consider that a church is not a place for pranks, not to mention that we live in it.

St. Peter. It certainly is disrespectful of her. But she always is disrespectful. What right has she to bang at our windows as she has been doing the whole of this night? I dare say there is glass broken somewhere. I know my blue robe is in a dreadful mess with the rain first and the dust after. It will cost me shillings to clean it.

Diamond. North Wind knows best what she is about. She has a good right to blow the cobwebs from your windows, for she was sent to do it. She

sweeps them away from grander places, I can tell you, for I've been with her at it.

[Just as Diamond says the last words, he awakes and finds that he has been asleep in the summerhouse.]

Gardener. Hallo, little man!

out of your nap?

What woke you

Diamond. Because the sham Apostles talked such nonsense, they waked me up.

You must have been

See how the North

Gardener (staring at him). dreaming. But look here. Wind is breaking off the branches of this tree. What a pity! I wish we lived at the back of it, I'm

sure.

Diamond. Where is that? I never heard of the place.

Gardener. I dare say not, but if this tree had been there, it would not have had its branches broken, for there is no wind there.

Diamond (to himself).

I will ask North Wind next time I see her to take me to that country. I think she did speak about it once before.

From "At the Back of the North Wind," by George Macdonald

(adapted).

MAGGIE

TULLIVER'S

THE GYPSIES

VISIT ΤΟ

Maggie Tulliver was so vexed with her brother Tom that she had decided that she would run away to the gypsies, and that Tom should never see her again. She thought of her father as she ran along, and she decided to send him a letter by a small gypsy, telling him that she was well and happy. Suddenly, as she passed a bend in the road, she came upon the gypsy tents. A young woman with a baby in her arm walked to meet her.

Characters

Old Gypsy (woman)

Young Gypsy (woman)

Leader of the Gypsies (man)
Maggie Tulliver

Mr. Tulliver

Young Gypsy. My little lady, where are you going to ?

Maggie. Not any farther; I've come to stay with you, please.

Young Gypsy. That's pretty; come, then. Why, what a nice little lady you are, to be sure! (Taking Maggie up to the fire where the other gypsies are.)

Old Gypsy. What, my pretty lady, are you come to stay with us? Sit ye down, and tell us where you come from.

Maggie. I'm come from home because I'm unhappy, and I mean to be a gypsy. I'll live with you,