Men and boys
pulled with all their might; and Putnam and the wolf were drawn out
together.
This happened when Israel Putnam was a young man. When the
Revolutionary War began he was one of the first to hurry to Boston to
help the people defend themselves against the British soldiers. He
became famous as one of the bravest and best of the generals who fought
to make our country free.
THE HORSESHOE NAILS
I
A blacksmith was shoeing a horse.
"Shoe him quickly, for the king wishes to ride him to battle," said
the groom who had brought him.
"Do you think there will be a battle?" asked the blacksmith.
"Most certainly, and very soon, too," answered the man. "The king's
enemies are even now advancing, and all are ready for the fight. To-
day will decide whether Richard or Henry shall be king of England."
The smith went on with his work. From a bar of iron he made four
horseshoes. These he hammered and shaped and fitted to the horse's
feet. Then he began to nail them on.
But after he had nailed on two shoes, he found that he had not nails
enough for the other two. "I have only six nails," he said, "and it
will take a little time to hammer out ten more.
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