"Bless you, no!" he exclaimed.
"Then why does he grunt?"
"Oh, that's just a way he has," said Ebenezer. "Some blacksmiths think it's stylish to grunt like that."
By this time the white mare seemed to be in a pleasanter frame of mind. At least, she let the blacksmith nail a shoe on each of her feet without making any objection—except to switch her tail now and then. And just as the blacksmith finished with her a man came and led her away.
"Now," said the blacksmith, "I'm ready to shoe the pony. And if he's as clever as he looks I shan't have a bit of trouble with him."
When he heard that, Twinkleheels made up his mind that he would behave his best, no matter what happened.
XVIII
NEW SHOES
The blacksmith patted Twinkleheels and picked up one of his forefeet. Then the blacksmith took a chisel and began to pare away at the horny hoof. Twinkleheels looked over the blacksmith's shoulder. And what he saw gave him a start.