riven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary where the only
people were the Moors, whom the English had never known before.

The people then came in great numbers to see the sailors, who were of
different color from themselves, and treated them very civilly, and when
they became better acquainted were very eager to buy the fine things
that the ship was loaded with.

When the captain saw this, he sent patterns of the best things he had to
the king of the country, who was so much pleased with them that he sent
for the captain to the palace. Here they were placed, as it is the
custom of the country, on rich carpets marked with gold and silver
flowers. The king and queen were seated at the upper end of the room,
and a number of dishes were brought in for dinner. When they had sat but
a short time, a vast number of rats and mice rushed in, helping
themselves from almost every dish. The captain wondered at this and
asked if these vermin were not very unpleasant.

"Oh, yes," said they, "very offensive; and the king would give half his
treasure to be freed of them, for they not only destroy his dinner, as
you see, but they assault him in his chamber and even in bed, so that he
is obliged to be watched while he is sleeping for fear of them."

The captain jumped for joy; he remembered poor Whittington and his cat
and told the king he had a creature on board the ship that would
dispatch all these vermin immediately. The king's heart heaved so high
at the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off his
head. "Bring this creature to me," says he; "vermin are dreadful in a
court, and if she will perform what you say, I will load your ship with
gold and jewels in exchange for her."

The captain, who knew his business, took this opportunity to set forth
the merits of Mrs. Puss. He told his majesty that it would be
inconvenient to part with her, as, when she was gone, the rats and mice
might destroy the goods in the ship--but to oblige his majesty he would
fetch her. "Run, run!" said the queen; "I am impatient to see the dear
creature."

Away went the captain to the ship, while another dinner was got ready.
He put puss under his arm and arrived at the palace soon enough to see
the table full of rats.

When the cat saw them, she did not wait for bidding, but jumped out of
the captain's arms and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats and
mice dead at her feet. The rest of them in their fright scampered away