spoon in their mouth. Victoria's boys is born with a gold spoon, set
with di'monds; but gold and silver was scarce when I was born, and
mine was pewter."

"Perhaps the gold and silver will come by and by, Dick. Did you ever
hear of Dick Whittington?"

"Never did. Was he a Ragged Dick?"

"I shouldn't wonder if he was. At any rate he was very poor when he
was a boy, but he didn't stay so. Before he died, he became Lord
Mayor of London."

"Did he?" asked Dick, looking interested. "How did he do it?"

"Why, you see, a rich merchant took pity on him, and gave him a
home in his own house, where he used to stay with the servants,
being employed in little errands. One day the merchant noticed Dick
picking up pins and needles that had been dropped, and asked him
why he did it. Dick told him he was going to sell them when he got
enough. The merchant was pleased with his saving disposition, and
when soon after, he was going to send a vessel to foreign parts, he
told Dick he might send anything he pleased in it, and it should
be sold to his advantage. Now Dick had nothing in the world but a
kitten which had been given him a short time before."

"How much taxes did he have to pay on it?" asked Dick.

"Not very high, probably. But having only the kitten, he concluded
to send it along. After sailing a good many months, during which the