1. As Dick came up to the merchant, his knees trembled under him, and
he looked very ill and weak. He had put the little cat under his
jacket, so that the merchant did not notice her.
2. "You seem half starved," said the merchant. And he told the cook to
give Dick a good meal at once, make him up a bed in the garret, and let
him stay with them.
3. He might do what dirty work in the kitchen he could for the cook.
Little Dick would have been very happy now, but for the cross cook, who
was finding fault and scolding all the day long.
4. She would rush at poor Dick with her broom, and hit him hard on the
head. And what was worse, she chased his poor little cat right out of
the house, and said she would have no cats there.
5. Dick found his pussy again, and took her up into his own bare and
empty garret, where she was safe, for the cook never went there. And
pussy was his only friend at that time.
6. Dick was careful to carry food to his cat, of which there was always
plenty to be had in that house. But things became worse and worse in
the kitchen.
7. The temper of the cross cook was tried more and more by the little
mice, which ran over all her nice pies and puddings, and spoilt them as
fast as she made them.
8. She flew into a passion with Dick twenty times a day, but it was of
no use to do this. She set traps for the mice, but they soon found out
the trick, and would not go near them.
9. The cunning little things laughed at cook and her clumsy traps, and
made merry all night long over the floor of her room, running races,
and keeping her awake.
10. So she grew crosser and crosser, till at last Dick felt as if he
could not stand it much longer. But his master was always kind, and he
thought that he would never leave him if he could help it.
11. He thought that things might mend and he tried to be patient. And
his cat was always ready with a loving greeting for Dick when he came
to his room.
12. At last one day Dick's master called all his servants upstairs into
his room. He said that a ship of his was going to sail for a foreign
land in a few days.
13. He asked them if any of them would like to send some things out in
the ship to be sold. In those days much money was to be made by selling
English goods in other lands.
14. All said that they would like to send something. But poor little
Dick said not a word. He had nothing in the world but the clothes he
had on, and his cat.
* * * * *
_Write:_ Dick was told that he might do work for the cook. But she was
very cross to him and to his cat. He kept puss in his own room and took
care to feed her.
Questions: 1. What did the merchant say about Dick? 2. What
did the cook say about the cat? 3. Where did Dick keep her?
4. What was he careful to carry up for his cat? 5. What did
the merchant ask his servants? 6. Why did Dick say nothing
when all the rest spoke?