1360, which is about 510 years ago. When he was a very little boy he lost both his father and mother, and so he had to fight his way through the world as best he could.

But he was a quick, active boy, and he listened eagerly to the stories he heard about the great city of London, and he thought if he could once get there, his fortune would soon be made. One day, seeing a wagon that was going to London, he asked the WAGONER to let him ride there, and he, being a kind man, was willing to help him in this way.

But poor Dick found when he had got to London that everything was strange to him, and that he could get nothing to eat. So, being very hungry, he laid down in a dark corner and cried till he went to sleep. In the morning he asked all the people he saw if they would give him a bit of bread, but no one seemed to take any notice of his question.

"Why don't you go to work?" said a gentleman who saw him begging.

"Because no one will give me anything to do, sir," replied poor Dick.

The gentleman then felt sorry for him, and took him to a field where people were haymaking, and there he worked so well as to give great SATISFACTION.

But when all the hay was made poor Dick was again in want of EMPLOYMENT. Being very hungry, he sat down on the doorstep of a rich MERCHANT, named Mr. Fitzwarren. But this gentleman's cook, who had a very bad temper, called out to him that he was not to sit there, and threatened to throw some water on him if he did not scamper away.

Mr. Fitzwarren was just at that time coming into the house. Finding poor Dick was willing to work, he took him into the KITCHEN, and gave him a good dinner, which made him very glad, for he was almost dead with hunger. The merchant then took him into his service, and told him his work was to help the cook in the kitchen, and to do anything that might be wanted.

But, as we have said before, the cook had a very bad temper, and she did not like poor Dick. Still, for

WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT.

57

some time he got on pretty well, as the footman was kind to him, and so was his master's daughter, who was called Miss Alice. The footman taught him to read, which was a great blessing to him, and sometimes he was sent to go with Miss Alice when she took a walk in the town.

One day, when Miss Alice dropped her purse, Dick was FORTUNATE enough to find it, and, being an honest boy, he at once gave it her back again. And 'when her parrot flew to the top of a high tree, Dick climbed up, chased it from bough to bough, and at last caught it, and brought it safely down.

But still Dick had many hard things to put up with. When he went to bed at night he could hardly sleep a wink for the rats and mice which SCAMPERED up and down all the while. So he thought the first time he had any money he would buy a cat. Soon after he was able to do this, and he bought a cat from a little girl, and put it in his room at night, to see to the rats and mice.

Dick was kind to his cat, and that it should have enough to eat, he shared his own meals with it. The cat FRIGHTENED all the rats and mice away, so that he could now sleep at peace. Dick and his cat became very fond of each other; in fact, it was almost the only friend he had in the world. We shall see in the next lesson how Richard and his cat AFTERWARDS got on.

EXERCISE.

What was Whittington's state when he got to London? What troubles had he while in Mr. Fitzwarren's service? How did he remove one cause of disturbance?

To work with life and will,
And PERSEVERING skill,

When in the school:

To play in playing time,
And when the weather's fine,
Should be our rule.

EXERCISE.

When is the season for cricket and football?

What should be our rule with regard to play and work? What is the meaning of "ancient"?

ABOUT this time, Dick's master was going to send a ship to trade with FOREIGN countries; that is, to change English goods for the PRODUCE of other lands. Being a generous man, he allowed each of his servants to send something to be sold or EXCHANGED, in order that they might profit by the occasion as well as himself; but poor Dick had nothing in the world except his cat. So his master said, "Fetch the cat, and put her in the ship, as Dick has nothing better to VENTURE."

Poor Dick was sorry to part with his cat, as he was very fond of her. Besides, the rats and mice would plague him now as much as ever. But he did as his