e had nothing to do
but to take up some little bits of pavement, and he would then have as
much money as he could wish for. Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and
had quite forgotten his friend the driver. At last, finding it grow
dark, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of
gold, he sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep. Next
morning, being very hungry, he got up and walked about, and asked
everybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving.
At last, a good-natured-looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked.

"Why don't you go to work, my lad?" said he.

"I would," answered Dick, "but I do not know how to get any."

"If you are willing," said the gentleman, "come with me;" and so
saying, he took him to a hayfield, where Dick worked briskly, and lived
merrily till the hay was all made. After this, he found himself as badly
off as before; and being almost starved again, he laid himself down at
the door of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant. Here the cook, an
ill-tempered woman, called out to poor Dick:

"What business have you there, you lazy rogue? If you do not take
yourself away, we will see how you like a sousing of some dish-water I
have here, that is hot enough to make you jump."

[Illustration]

At this time Mr. Fitzwarren himself came home to dinner; and when he saw
a dirty ragged boy lying at the door, he said, in a kind and gentle
voice:

"Why do you lie there, my lad? you seem old enough to work; I am afraid
you are lazy."

"No, sir," said Dick to him. "I would work with all my heart; but I do
not know anybody, and I am sick for want of food."

"Poor fellow!" answered Mr. Fitzwarren; "get up, and let me see what
ails you."

Dick tried to rise, but was too weak to stand, for he had not eaten
anything for three days. So the kind merchant ordered him to be taken
into the house, and have a good dinner given to him; and to be kept to
do what dirty work he could for the cook.

Dick would have lived happily in this good family, if it had not been
for the ill-natured cook, who was finding fault and scolding him from
morning till night; and, besides, she was so fond of basting, that,
when she had no roast meat to baste, she would be basting poor Dick.

But though the cook was so ill-tempered, the footman was quite
different. He had lived in the family many years, and was an elderly
man, and very kind-hearted. He had once a little son of his own, who
di