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down something for him, but the Merchant told his daughter, that would not do; for it must be something of his own. Upon which poor Whittington said he had nothing but a cat, which he had bought for a penny that was given him. “Fetch thy cat, boy,” says the Merchant, “and send her.” Whittington brought poor puss, and delivered her to the Captain with tears in his eyes, for he said, he should now be disturbed by the rats and mice as much as ever. All the company laughed at the adventure, and Miss Alice, pitied the poor boy, gave him something to buy another cat.
While puss was beating the billows at sea, poor Whittington was severely beaten at home by his tyrannical mistress, the cook, who used him so cruelly, and made such game of him for sending his cat to sea, that at last the poor boy determined to run away from his place, and having packed up a few things he had, he set out very early in the morning on Allhallow’s-Day. He travelled as far as Halloway, and there fat down upon a stone to confider what course he should take ; but while he was thus ruminating, Bow Bells, of which there were only six, began to ring ; and he thought their founds addressed him in this manner:—
"Turn again Whittington
"Lord Mayor of great London"
