sixpence: O dear, I should like vastly to have the Ladder to Learning, and you shall see how fast I will climb up it; pray give me your fivepence, rather, and I will run to Farmer Giles with it directly, and desire him to bring it down for me, when he goes to Town next week; and away he ran to Farmer Giles, and gave him the money to buy the Ladder to Learning. You can't miss the shop, says Peter, it is just in the midst of the Town, the only place where all the pretty little books are sold: for, though Peter had never been in Town, he knew as well as could be, where his old friend the Publisher lived.

Now a great many silly boys would have spent that penny in apples or gingerbread, or some such trash, and when they had eaten it, what would they have been the better for it? Why nothing at all; but Peter did not lay out his money in such an idle manner; whenever he got a penny, he bought food for his mind, instead of his belly, and you will find he afterwards reaped the benefit of it.

Well, the next week Peter had his new book, and here he sits reading it under the hedge, where he was sent to keep away the crows from Farmer Giles's corn; and you see he neither neglected his book nor his work.

Away, Away, John Carrion Crow,
Your Master hath enow
Down in his Barley Mow.

See how he makes them fly, and as soon as they are gone, out he whips his little book, and reads till they come back again; for Gaffer Pippin, being but a poor labouring man, could not afford to keep Peter at school; so he was obliged to go out to work, though he was but six years old.

But good fortune is generally attendant on good and virtuous actions, and so it happened to Peter, who was certainly one of the best boys in the whole country; he always did what his father and mother bid him, not only without murmuring, but with pleasure in his countenance; he never went to bed, or got up in the morning, without kneeling down by his bed-side to say his prayers; nor was he ever known to tell a fib, or say a naughty word, or to quarrel with his play-fellows.

As he was coming home from work one evening, wishing for another new book, he could not help crying, because he had no money to buy one; so being met by Lady Bountiful, whose country seat was but a small distance from the little Ivy-house, she asked him what he cried for? Peter was afraid to tell at first, lest she should be angry with him; but her Ladyship insisted on knowing, and Peter was determined never to tell a fib, so out came the truth. Well, says she, Peter, you need not have been ashamed to tell me, there is no harm in it; dry up your tears. I know you are a good boy, very dutiful to your parents, and obliging to every one, and since I find you are so desirous of improving your mind, you shall not be deprived of the benefit of education because you are poor; so do you and your father come to me to-morrow morning, and I will