44 WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT.

For this reason he did not come into
the parlour with the rest ; but Miss Alice
guessed what was the matter, and ordered
him to be called in. She then said she
would lay down some money for him,
from her own purse; but the father told
her this would not do, for it must be
something of his own.

When poor Dick heard this, he said
he had nothing but a cat which he bought
for a penny some time since of a little
girl.

“Fetch your cat then, my good boy,”
said Mr Fitzwarren, ‘“and-let her go.”

Dick went upstairs and brought down
poor puss, with tears in his eyes, and
gave her to the captain; for he said he
should now be kept awake again all night
by the rats and mice.

All the company laughed at Dick’s odd
venture; and Miss Alice, who felt pity
for the poor boy, gave him some money
to buy another cat.

This, and many other marks of kind-
ness shown him by Miss Alice, made
the ill-tempered cook jealous of poor