there all day long; and that the
streets were all paved with gold.

One day a large wagon and eight horses, all with bells at their heads,
drove through the village while Dick was standing by the sign-post. He
thought that this wagon must be going to the fine town of London; so he
took courage, and asked the wagoner to let him walk with him by the side
of the wagon. As soon as the wagoner heard that poor Dick had no father
or mother, and saw by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off
than he was, he told him he might go if he would, so they set off
together.

It has never been found out how little Dick contrived to get meat and
drink on the road; nor how he could walk so far, for it was a long way;
nor what he did at night for a place to lie down and sleep. Perhaps some
good-natured people in the towns that he passed through, when they saw
he was a poor little ragged boy, gave him something to eat; and perhaps
the wagoner let him get into the wagon at night, and take a nap upon one
of the boxes or large parcels in the wagon.

Dick however got safe to London, and was in such a hurry to see the fine
streets paved all over with gold, that he ran as fast as his legs would
carry him, through many of the streets, thinking every moment to come to
those that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three times
in his own little village, and remembered what a deal of money it
brought in change; so he thought he had nothing to do but to take up
some little bits of the pavement, and should then have as much money as
he could wish for.

Poor Dick ran till he was tired; but at last, finding it grew 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.

Little Dick was all night in the streets; and 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; but nobody stayed to answer
him, and only two or three gave him a halfpenny; so that the poor boy
was soon quite weak and faint for the want of food.

At last a good-natured looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked. "Why
don't you go to work, my lad?" said he to Dick. "That I would, but I do
not know how to get any," answered Dick. "If you are willing, come along
with me," said the gentleman, and took him to a hay-field, where Dick
worked briskly, and lived merrily till the hay was made.

After thi