The Beacon Second Reader Part 18

He walked and walked and walked, but London was a long way from his home.

At last a man with a wagon came along. He was a kind man, and he gave d.i.c.k a ride.

"Where are you going?" asked d.i.c.k.

"I'm going to London," said the man.

"You are very good to give me a ride. I am going there, too," said d.i.c.k.

It was dark when they reached London.

That night d.i.c.k slept in a barn with the horses.

The next morning he looked for the golden stones in the streets.

He looked and looked, but he could find only dust and dirt.

There were many, many people in London, and d.i.c.k thought that he could soon find something to do.

He wandered around the streets, seeking for work.

He asked many people, but no one wanted the poor little country boy.

As d.i.c.k had no money for food, he soon became very, very hungry.

At last he grew so weak that he fell down before the door of a great house.

Here the cook found him and began to beat him with a stick.

"Run away, you lazy boy!" she cried.

Poor d.i.c.k tried to rise, but he was so faint from want of food that he could not stand.

Just then the owner of the house, Mr. Fitzwarren, came up. He took pity on the poor boy and ordered the cook to give him some food.

Then he turned to d.i.c.k and said:

"If you wish to work, you may help the cook in the kitchen. You will find a bed in the attic."

d.i.c.k thanked Mr. Fitzwarren again and again for his kindness.

The cook was very cross to d.i.c.k and whipped him almost every day.

His bed in the attic was only a pile of old rags.

He soon found that there were many rats and mice in the attic.

They ran over his bed and made so much noise every night that he could not sleep.

"I wish I had a cat," thought d.i.c.k, "for she could eat up these rats and mice."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

One day d.i.c.k earned a penny by blacking a man's shoes.

"I will try to buy a cat with this penny," thought d.i.c.k.

So he started out and soon met a woman with a large cat.

"Will you sell me that cat?" said d.i.c.k. "I will give you this penny for her."

"You are a good boy," said the woman, "and you may have the cat for a penny, for I know you will treat her kindly."

That night d.i.c.k's bed was free from rats, and Miss Puss had a good supper.

d.i.c.k began to love his cat dearly.

d.i.c.k WHITTINGTON--II

Now Mr. Fitzwarren had many ships which sailed to distant lands.

When a ship sailed Mr. Fitzwarren let every one in his house send something on it.

The things were sold, and when the ship came back, each person had the money for what he had sent.

One of the ships was ready to sail.

Every one in the house except d.i.c.k had sent something.

"What is d.i.c.k going to send in the ship?" said Mr. Fitzwarren.

"Oh, that boy has nothing to send," said the cross cook.

"It is true," said poor d.i.c.k; "I have nothing but my dear cat."

"Well, then you must send your cat," said Mr. Fitzwarren.

How lonely poor d.i.c.k was without Puss!

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The cook made fun of him for sending a cat on the ship.

At last d.i.c.k became so unhappy that he made up his mind to run away.

He started early in the morning, before any one in the house was up.