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 finding¹ 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 chased² his poor little cat right out of the house, and said she would have no cats there.
 
5. Dick found his pussy³ again, and took her up into his own bare and empty garret, where she was safe, for the cook never[Pg 10] 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 temper⁴ of the cross cook was tried more and more by the little mice, which ran over all her nice pies and puddings, and spoilt⁵ 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 cunning⁶ little things laughed at cook and her clumsy⁷ 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.[Pg 11]
 
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 spoke⁸?