"Poor Brutus!" he said. "You kept still as long as you could, I know.
And indeed, it is time we were moving. Come, Brutus!"

The pair continued their voyage of discovery. The woods are so full of
thrilling stories for those who know how to read them! A field-mouse's
nest in a tuft of grass; a beehive in a hollow tree; tracks of a wild
boar in the muddy edge of the brook; a beautiful lizard changing color
to match the leaves and moss over which it crept. John longed to carry
this little brother home to join the circle of pets. But he knew it
was kinder to leave him there, where perhaps he had a home and family.

And oh, the flowers! So many kinds, so fragrant and so beautiful!
John gathered a great armful to carry back to the Hermit. And so the
minutes went; the shadows began to lengthen, and it was time to turn
homeward.




XIV

THE WOLF-BROTHER

John whistled to Brutus, to call him for the home-going. But just then
he spied a new plant whose name he did not know. He was stooping over
to examine the lovely pink blossoms, when Brutus came bounding up to
him, behaving strangely. He whined and looked distressed; he started
away into the bushes, begging John to follow. Evidently he had found
something which he wished John to see. The boy laid down his armful of