and mice; they were
so bold that they even crept about over him when he was in bed, and
prevented him sleeping. What could he do about this? In all the world
he had but one penny; how he came by this penny I do not know, but I
feel sure he earned it by doing some extra work. With it he bought a
cat and took her up to his garret, and there she lived and made war on
the rats and mice. Henceforth Dick slept in peace.

Whenever the merchant, Hugh Fitzwarren, sent a ship to trade with
foreign countries, he allowed each {42} of his servants to have some
little share in her; each might send out in her some silk or cloth, or
even a very little thing, whatever he had or could afford to buy; and
the money for which this thing was sold was the servant's own. This
the merchant did that "so God might give him greater blessing." Thus
it came about that one day Dick was called with all the other servants,
and each was asked what he would send out in the good ship _Unicorn_,
which was now ready for sea. When it came to Dick's turn, he said, "I
have nought to send." "Think again," said his master; "hast thou no
little thing thou canst spare? Hast thou nought to venture?" "Nought,
nought," answered Dick, "except my cat, and thou wilt not take her."
"Nay, why not?" said the merchant. "Send thy cat by all means." So,
though his fellow-servants laughed and mocked, Dick's cat was sent on
board the _Unicorn_.

Now he was lonely indeed; so lonely that the cook's angry words and
cross tempers were harder to bear than ever, and Dick made up his mind
to run away. Very early one morning--it was the Feast of
All-Hallows--while his fellow-servants were still fast asleep, he
slipped out of Master Fitzwarren's house and made his way northward out
of London. On Highgate Hill he sat down to rest. Hark! what was that
he heard? Now the wind brought the sound to him more clearly; now it
died away again. It was the chime of Bow bells, and this is what it
said to him:--

"Turn again, Whittington,
Lord Mayor of London!"

{43}

Lord Mayor of London! Was he to be Lord Mayor? If so, must he not
work faithfully, and, if need be, endure hardships--yes, even such
little hardships as the cruel words and blows of the bad-tempered cook?
Up he jumped, and hurried back so fast that he reached Master
Fitzwarren's house before the cook had missed him.

The _Unicorn_ had sailed to the Barbary Coast of Africa. The King of
this country was