Still , he was honest and good-hearted , and if his father had come wrongfully by his wealth he felt he could never enjoy it , and at last he made up his mind to do as he had been bidden . He found out who were the people who were poorest in the village , and spent half of his money in helping them , and the other half he put in his pocket . From a rock that jutted right out into the sea he flung it in . In a moment it was out of sight , and no man could have told the spot where it had sunk , except for a tiny scrap of paper floating on the water . He stretched down carefully and managed to reach it , and on opening it found six shillings wrapped inside . This was now all the money he had in the world . The young man stood and looked at it thoughtfully . ` Well , I ca n't do much with this , ' he said to himself ; but , after all , six shillings were better than nothing , and he wrapped them up again and slipped them into his coat . He worked in his garden for the next few weeks , and he and his mother contrived to live on the fruit and vegetables he got out of it , and then she too died suddenly . The poor fellow felt very sad when he had laid her in her grave , and with a heavy heart he wandered into the forest , not knowing where he was going . By-and-by he began to get hungry , and seeing a small hut in front of him , he knocked at the door and asked if they could give him some milk . The old woman who opened it begged him to come in , adding kindly , that if he wanted a night 's lodging he might have it without its costing him anything . Two women and three men were at supper when he entered , and silently made room for him to sit down by them . When he had eaten he began to look about him , and was surprised to see an animal sitting by the fire different from anything he had ever noticed before . It was grey in colour , and not very big ; but its eyes were large and very bright , and it seemed to be singing in an odd way , quite unlike any animal in the forest . ` What is the name of that strange little creature ? ' asked he . And they answered , ` We call it a cat . ' ' I should like to buy it -- if it is not too dear , ' said the young man ; ` it would be company for me . ' And they told him that he might have it for six shillings , if he cared to give so much .
The young man took out his precious bit of paper , handed them the six shillings , and the next morning bade them farewell , with the cat lying snugly XXXXX his cloak .
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