Poor Dick ran till he was so tired that he could run no farther. It was growing dark, and in every street there was only dirt instead of gold. He sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep.
When he woke up the next morning, he was very hungry; but there was not even a crust of bread for him to eat. He forgot all about the golden pavements, and thought only of food. He walked about from one street to another, and at last grew so hungry that he began to ask those whom he met to give him a penny to buy something to eat.
"Go to work, you idle fellow," said some of them; and the rest passed him by without even looking at him.
"I wish I could go to work!" said Dick.
II. THE KITCHEN.
By and by Dick grew so faint and tired that he could go no farther. He sat down by the door of a fine house, and wished that he was back again in the little town where he was born. The cook-maid, who was just getting dinner, saw him, and called out,—
"What are you doing there, you little beggar? If you don't get away quick, I'll throw a panful of hot dish-water over you. Then I guess you will jump."
Just at that time the master of the house, whose name was Mr. Fitz-war´ren, came home to dinner. When he saw the ragged little fellow at his door, he said,—
"My lad, what are you doing here? I am afraid you are a lazy fellow, and that you want to live without work."
"No, indeed!" said Dick. "I would like to work, if I could find anything to do. But I do not know anybody in this town, and I have not had anything to eat for a long time."