Dick and His Cat, and Other Tales

by Unknown

4. WHAT THE BELLS SAID.

1. Now the merchant had a little daughter, called Alice. And she was a kind little girl. She looked at the sad face of poor Dick, and she said in a whisper to her father, "Why does not that little boy speak like the rest?"

2. "You had better ask him," said the father, giving his little girl a kiss before he went out of the room.

3. So Alice went up to Dick and asked him why he had not sent some small thing that could be sold for much money in the foreign land, though it cost only a little here.

4. "All the rest are going to send," said little Alice, "and when the ship comes back they will get the money. Why do you not send something in the ship too?"

5. "I have nothing to send," said poor Dick, looking very sad. "I am a poor boy. The cook is unkind to me, and I have nothing of my own but a cat."

6. "I have got some money in my purse, I will give it to you," said little Alice. But Dick said that he should not like to take money from the little girl.

ALL DICK HAD.

7. Just then the merchant came back into the room. He had heard what Dick said about having nothing but a cat.