"Let me pass, good friends," begged John, looking up in their faces
with his simple smile. "I will promise to do no harm. Among friends
my friends are quite harmless. But tell me, I pray you, where I may
find the good Hermit who healed the Prince's wound? I come at his
bidding."

At these words the guards pulled themselves together and exchanged
looks. They began to swagger.

"Ah, is it so?" growled the Captain. "You are a friend of the wizard
himself. We must let the King know of this. Yes, you shall enter.
Here! Take him captive! Off with him to the prison."

"To prison!" cried John in amazement. "For what ill deed, I pray?"

But already the guards were pressing forward upon him. At the sight of
their threatening looks Brutus ran in front of John and began to growl
warningly, crouching ready to spring upon the first who should lay
hands on the boy. The wolf bristled and showed his fangs. And the
bear, rising on his hind legs, growled and blinked his little red eyes
so terribly that the men fell back. John was protected by powerful
friends. The other animals shrank close to him, and the raven began to
scream.

[Illustration: John was protected by powerful friends.]

"Have a care!" warned John. "My friends are armed with sharp teeth and
claws, and they will not readily let a stranger touch me."