, as one should who hopes to be worthy to bear the name of
John."

Just then Brutus came sauntering from the hut, shaking himself lazily
after his nap.

"Ho, Brutus!" called John, snapping his fingers. "Shall we go on a
journey together, you and I? Shall we take these little friends on a
wonderful pilgrimage? And will you be my guide, as you were once
before, good Brutus?"

The dog seemed to understand. He pricked up his ears, and leaped up to
John's shoulders with a joyous bark. Then, rushing to the edge of the
wood, he looked back, inviting John to follow.

"Oh, let us be off!" he seemed to say. "I have been longing to go to
our dear master. Let us hasten, little brother!"

"Not so fast!" said John. "We have first to gather our provisions and
make ready our company of pilgrims. I must take all the food I can.
For I dare not trust wholly to the silver Cross. What could my father
mean by that?"

Still wondering, John set about his preparations. They did not take
long. There was neither lock nor bolt on the door of the Hermit's hut,
nor aught of value to hide. When John's basket was packed with simple
food, and the animals were gathered about him outside in the little
clearing, he rolled a stone against the door, and they were ready to go.

XIX

THE JOURNEY

A strange company they were, these citizens of the Animal Kingdom
traveling to town! Foremost went Brutus, leading the way and feeling
very important with a bundle bound upon his strong back. Gray and
gaunt, the wolf trotted along at his side, like another dog. Next came
John, with a knapsack on his shoulders, in which three little kittens
slumbered beside the provisions for their journey; there were always
new kittens in the Animal Kingdom. On his shoulder perched the raven,
and by a rope he led the bear, whom he felt safer to have close by his
side. Sometimes the bear trotted on all fours. Sometimes he walked
upright like a big brown man, towering over John's head. Now before
and now behind them went Blanche the cat, pretending as cats do that
she was neither following nor leading, but traveling quite
independently of them all. Frequently she disappeared into the bushes
or up a tree, but soon came scampering past, when she would stop to
make a hasty toilet. Overhead fluttered from tree to tree the carrier
pigeon and the other birds, who were John's pets and bound to follow
wherever he went.

The deer and her fawn went part