, my lad."

Just then the good old minister came by. "Yes, Nahum," he said, "you
must stay at home. Who knows but that you will find a greater work to do
for your country right here?"

And lame Nahum dropped out of the line.

Then the volunteers marched off, every man and boy in the village except
Nahum Prince. Poor Nahum! His heart was heavy.

"What can I do for my country in this small village?" he said to
himself. "Oh, I wish I could be a soldier!"

He walked toward his home slowly and sadly. Just as he passed the
blacksmith shop, three horseman galloped up to the door.

[Illustration: The horseman speaks to Nahum]

"Where is the blacksmith?" asked one.

"He and all the men and boys have gone to join the army," said Nahum.
"There isn't a man or a boy in town except me. I wouldn't be here if I
were not lame."

"We cannot have this horse shod," said the rider to the others. "We
shall not reach there in time."

"Why, I can set a shoe," said Nahum.

"Then it is lucky you are left behind," said the man. "Light up the
forge and set the shoe."

Nahum lighted the fire, blew the coals with the bellows, and soon put on
the shoe.

"You have done a great deed to-day, my boy," said the rider as he
thanked Nahum and rode away.

The next week the boys came home and told of a great battle. They told
how the Americans were about to lose the fight when Colonel Seth Warner,
leading a band of soldiers, rode up just in time to save the day.

Nahum said nothing, but he knew that Colonel Warner would not have
arrived in time if he had not set that shoe. And it was really Nahum
Prince and Colonel Seth Warner who won the victory of Bennington.

THE LITTLE COOK'S REWARD

Betty lived a long, long time ago on a farm in North Carolina. She knew
how to clean up the house, to wash the dishes, to sew, and to cook. She
knew how to knit, and to spin and weave, too.

One day Betty's father said, "Let us go to town to-morrow. President
Washington is passing through the South, and a man told me to-day that
he will be in Salisbury to-morrow."

"Yes," said Betty's brother Robert, "and our company has been asked to
march in the parade. One of the boys is going to make a speech of
welcome."

"I should like to go," said their mother, "but I can't leave home."

"Oh, yes, you can, mother," said Betty. "I have stayed here by myself
many times, and I can stay to-morrow. You go with father, and I will
take care of things."

T