he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his
breakfast; for the people who lived in the village were very poor
indeed, and could not spare him much more than the parings of
potatoes, and now and then a hard crust of bread.

Now Dick had heard a great many very strange things about the great
city called London; for the country people at that time thought that
folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies; and that there was
singing and music there all day long; and that the streets were all
paved with gold.

One day a large waggon and eight horses, all with bells at their
heads, drove through the village while Dick was standing by the sign-
post. He thought that this waggon must be going to the fine town of
London; so he took courage, and asked the waggoner to let him walk
with him by the side of the waggon. As soon as the waggoner heard that
poor Dick had no father or mother, and saw by his ragged clothes that
he could not be worse off than he was, he told him he might go if he
would, so off they set together.

So Dick got safe to London, and was in such a hurry to see the fine
streets paved all over with gold, that he did not even stay to thank
the kind waggoner; but ran off as fast as his legs would carry him,
through many of the streets, thinking every moment to come to those
that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three times in
his own little village, and remembered what a deal of money it brought
in change; so he thought he had nothing to do but to take up some
little bits of the pavement, and should then have as much money as he
could wish for.