LESSON XXIV.
1. “Billy” was a fine pony, brought from Shetland for a little boy to ride to and from school, as the distance was too great to walk. When Billy first came he was barefoot, and when he began his daily journeys he was shod for the first time.
2. The blacksmith who put on the shoes lived quite a long distance from Billy’s home, and the pony had never been over the road but on the day he went to be shod. A few weeks after, theblacksmith saw Billy, without halter or bridle, coming up the road toward the shop.
3. Thinking the pony had strayed away, the blacksmith turned him round, and threw stones at him to make him go back toward home.
4. The pony trotted off; but the blacksmith had only fairly got to work again, when he heard a noise, and, looking up, there stood Billy at the door.
5. This time, before driving him away, the blacksmith took a look at his feet, and found that Billy had lost a shoe. He at once made a new one, and put it on, and then waited to see what Billy would do.
6. The pony looked at the blacksmith for a moment, as if asking whether he was done; then he pawed, to see if the new shoe was all right, gave a neigh for a “thank you, sir,” and set off for home on a brisk trot. His master knew nothing about the matter until next day.