But now you must hear what befell Mrs. Puss all this while.  The ship Unicorn that she was on was a long time at sea, and the cat made herself useful, as she would, among the unwelcome rats that lived on board too.  At last the ship put into harbour on the coast of Barbary, where the only people are the Moors.  They had never before seen a ship from England, and flocked in numbers to see the sailors, whose different colour and foreign dress were a great wonder to them.  They were soon eager to buy the goods with which the ship was laden, and patterns were sent ashore for the King to see.  He was so much pleased with them that he sent for the captain to come to the palace, and honoured him with an invitation to dinner.  But no sooner were they seated, as is the custom there, on the fine rugs and carpets that covered the floor, than great numbers of rats and mice came scampering in, swarming over all the dishes, and helping themselves from all the good things there were to eat.  The captain was amazed, and wondered whether they didn’t find such a pest most unpleasant.

[Illustration:  When Puss saw the rats and mice she didn’t wait to be told]

“Oh yes,” said they, “it was so, and the King would give half his treasure to be freed of them, for they not only spoil his dinner, but they even attack him in his bed at night, so that a watch has to be kept while he is sleeping, for fear of them.”

The captain was overjoyed; he thought at once of poor Dick Whittington and his cat, and said he had a creature on board ship that would soon do for all these vermin if she were there.  Of course, when the King heard this he was eager to possess this wonderful animal.

“Bring it to me at once,” he said; “for the vermin are dreadful, and if only it will do what you say, I will load your ship with gold and jewels in exchange for it.”

The captain, who knew his business, took care not to underrate the value of Dick’s cat.  He told His Majesty how inconvenient it would be to part with her, as when she was gone the rats might destroy the goods in the ship; however, to oblige the King, he would fetch her.

“Oh, make haste, do!” cried the Queen; “I, too, am all impatience to see this dear creature.”

Off went the captain, while another dinner was got ready.  He took Puss under his arm and got back to the palace just in time to see the carpet covered with rats and mice once again.  When Puss saw them, she didn’t wait to be told, but jumped out of the captain’s arms, and in no time almost all the rats and mice were dead at her feet, while the rest of them had scuttled off to their holes in fright.