[Illustration: THE NEW HORSE]
I
At Cloverfield Farm there were four horses--Dobbin and Bird, Dan and
Daisy. Dan was getting old so he could not go fast or work hard any
more.
"We need another horse," said Farmer Hill one morning. "Mr. Ross has
some for sale. I am going over to look at them to-day and perhaps I
will buy one."
"I hope," said John, "that you will get one that can go fast--faster
than Daisy."
"I hope," said Sue, "that you will get a fine-looking horse."
"And I hope," said mother, "that you will get a gentle horse, one that
will be safe for me to drive."
"I will try to please you all," said father, "but first of all we must
have a strong, willing horse--one that will do his share of the farm
work."
Father was gone all day, for Farmer Ross lived five miles away.
Toward supper-time Sue looked out of the window and exclaimed: "Oh,
there's father with the new horse."
Just then Bobby came running in and shouted: "Father's coming with the
new horse."
All three looked toward the road--mother and John and Sue.
Down the road was father in the buggy, driving Daisy while he led the
new horse behind the buggy with a halter.
All the family went out to see the new horse when Farmer Hill reached
the back yard.
"He is not as handsome as I had hoped," said Sue, "but he has a kind
face."
"Can he go fast?" asked John.
"He is not a race-horse," said father, "but he has long, slim legs and
can go over the ground pretty fast--quite fast enough for us."
"Is he gentle, so that I can drive him?" asked mother.
"Yes," said father, "he is a safe horse. He will not jump or run away
even if you meet a threshing machine."
"I am glad of that," said mother. "Daisy jumps to one side if even a
piece of paper blows near her."
"He is a good horse," said Farmer Hill. "He will not run away, but he
is very strong-bitted and will have his own way sometimes. It would
take a strong arm to hold him back if he wanted to run fast."
"What is his name?" asked Sue.
"His name is Prince," said father.
"That is a fine name," said Sue.
"I hope Prince will prove to be a good horse," said mother.
"He has one excellent trait," said father. "Farmer Ross says he always
knows the way home. His daughter lost her way once and Prince found the
right road and brought her safely home."
"What a wonderful thing!" said John.
"Now I will put Prince in the stall next to Daisy's," said father.
He went toward the barn leading Prince, while John and Bobby followed
along.
When they reached the barn, Farmer Hill gave Prince a drink from the
watering trough, opened the big door and led him into the stall.
In the manger were some oats, and the rack was filled with hay which he
could eat whenever he wished.
So Prince had plenty to eat and a good stall to stand in. But he was
not happy.
He kept thinking of his old home.
It was not nearly so big a stall as this and not nearly so fine a barn.
The oats there were no better and the hay no sweeter. But that had
been his home all his life, so he kept thinking about it and wishing he
were there.
The fact was that Prince was homesick.
"I'll go back there if I get a chance," thought Prince, "and live in my
old stall, with the horses in Farmer Ross's barn."
[Illustration: PRINCE SEES HIS OLD HOME]