"One day the blacksmith saw the pony trotting up to his shop without a
halter. He supposed the little thing had strayed from home, and drove
him off, and when he refused to go, threw stones at him to make him run
away. But in a few moments back he came again. When the blacksmith went
out a second time to drive him off he noticed his feet and saw that one
shoe was missing. So he made a shoe, the pony standing by, quietly
waiting. When the new shoe was fitted Elf King pawed two or three times
to see if it felt comfortable, gave a pleased little neigh, as much as
to say, 'Yes, that's all right; thank you!' and started for home on a
brisk trot.
"Think how surprised and pleased Herbert was when he went to the stable
to ride Elf King to the blacksmith's, to find that the sharp little
pony had taken the business into his own hands."
"I tell you," said Roy, "that's a horse worth having. What do you
suppose that boy would take for him?"
"More money than you could raise in a hurry," said Sammy. "Miss Ruth, if
you had a horse now that jibbed, would you lick him?"
"That jibbed," she repeated doubtfully.
"Why, yes; stopped in the road, you know; wouldn't go."
"Oh, yes; now I understand. No, indeed, Sammy! If I had a horse
that--jibbed, I should be very patient with him and try to cure him of
the bad habit by kindness.
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