A few weeks after this birthday, Frankie went a journey with papa, and mamma, and Willie, and Nelly.
Nelly's father and mother had been home two or three months; but they found their little girl improving so fast under her aunt's care and teaching, that they did not like to take her away.
Nelly was very well contented to remain with her kind friends; and when she found Frankie alone in a room by himself, crying because he thought her mother had come to carry her home, she promised she would live with him always.
Mr. Gray hired a carriage and a span of handsome horses, and one fine morning in September they started off; papa and Willie on the front seat, and mamma with Frankie and Nelly on the back. Sometimes, though, they wanted to change, and the two little ones rode in front with papa, while Willie took their place behind.
Then once in a while, when they were tired, papa would stop the horses, and let them all get out and walk up a long hill; and O, how fast the little feet would fly, trying to see who would reach the top first!
It made this good papa and mamma happy to see their children enjoy themselves so well.
They travelled on for several days; and one night they came to a small town, where Mr. Gray said he would put up. They drove to the tavern, and soon were shown to a room up stairs. While they were waiting for supper, Frankie asked, "What is the name of this town, papa?"
"It is Canaan, my dear," replied his father.
The little boy now gazed around with great interest; went to the window and looked out, and presently said, "It don't seem very pleasant, papa; but I suppose the Israelites were glad to get here."
Frankie thought this Canaan was the pleasant land which God promised to his chosen people. If you don't know about it, ask your mamma to tell you how the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, eating manna for bread, and quails for meat, all the time longing to reach Canaan, where there was an abundance of milk and honey, and you will know why Frankie thought they would be glad to get there.