Everybody was laughing and the Italian was all excited, waving his whip in the air and running about shouting, “Hey, giva de gas! Pulla de donk!” All of a sudden the donkey gave way and back he went after the wagon. He kept trying to brace himself but it wasn’t any use; the little engine went ck, ck, ck, ck, ck, ck, shaking and trembling, and back went the donkey after the wagon, till the whole outfit was off the track. “He followed his leader all right,” Bert Winton shouted. “Come on,” I said, “we have no time to be wasting here, let’s thank the donkey for the good turn he did us and then see if we can find out where we’re at. We’re probably somewhere.” “Sure if we’re somewhere we ought to be able to get somewhere else,” Garry said. “We don’t know which way to go,” Pee-wee said. “We’ll go every which way,” I said, “and then we’ll be sure to strike the right way. One direction is just as good as another if not better. Come on, follow your leader.” So off we marched into the woods singing: Don’t ask where you’re headed for nobody knows, Just keep your eyes open and follow your nose; Be careful, don’t trip and go stubbing your toes, But follow your leader wherever he goes. As the train started all the passengers looked out of the windows laughing at us and waving their hands. Anyway we were more powerful than that train because a donkey could stop it and we could move him off the track, so it could get started, and that proves how smart boy scouts are even when they don’t know where they’re at. CHAPTER VII WE REACH THE FICKLE GUIDE POST “I’d like to know where we are,” Warde said. “We’re in the Catskill Mountains,” I told him. “You might as well say we’re in the universe,” Pee-wee said. “What good does that do us?” “You mean to tell me it isn’t good to be in the universe?” I asked him. “It’s one of the best places I know of,” Garry said. “Sure it is,” I told him. “Anybody who isn’t satisfied with the universe——” “You’re crazy!” Pee-wee yelled. “Follow your leader,” I said. “Follow your leader wherever he goes.” “Follow your nose,” Bert said. “No wonder he goes up in the air so often if he follows that,” Garry said. “Do you think I’m going to go marching around the country for the rest of my life?” the kid piped up. “Don’t quit or complain at the stunts that he shows,” I said. “You want to go somewhere, don’t you? Well, I promise to lead you somewhere. That’s just where you want to go. What more can you ask?”