The Incredible Journey

It was in that time of year called Indian summer,

that season when the Canadian wilderness

is touched with Autumn's mystery.

It's a time when change is in the air,

when migration is in the blood...

And the homing instinct is strong in the heart.

It's a time of busy comings and goings,

of constant commotion and unexplained restlessness.

Yet, as each day ends, nature sleeps again,

and the night brings a peaceful calm.

It was in this uncertain season,

in this same wild section of Canada,

that this story had its beginnings.

One evening, a man named John Longridge...

Was passing the time with some old friends.

They were good company, these three.

For a bachelor, almost like having a family around.

Washing will be done on the floor.

Yet, things weren't as perfect as they seemed.

It so happened, this wasn't the animals' true home.

And this man, for all his hospitality and kindness,

Wasn't their real master.

And that accounted for the lonely look...

In the young retriever's eyes.

Hello.

Hello?

I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Mrs. Oakes?

Yes, it's me, Mr. Longridge. Can you hear me?

I hear you.

I wanted to know what time will you be leaving in the morning.

About seven.

Trouble is, I can't make it by then.

Sorry, Mrs. Oakes, I've lost you again.

I think it's somebody else on the line.

If that's you, Winifred, you get off the line this minute now.

Do you hear me?

Winifred?

You're still there. I can tell.

What I was trying to tell you, Mr. Longridge,

I can't get there until nine o'clock.

That's quite all right.

You're sure now about the morning? Nine o'clock

will be alright?

Of course, and before you get here I'll take

the 2 dogs and the cat...

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Mr. Longridge?

The joys of living in the country.

Well, that was your friend,

Mrs. Oakes.

Now, how about a run?

Come on, you two.

For a man who'd never kept pets,

Longridge had learned the ropes quickly.

He knew the animals expected and enjoyed

their nightly romp outdoors.

He'd learned not to worry about them.

They'd be back in their own good time.

"Dear Mrs. Oakes,

"we are out of coffee.

"Please order more.

"I'll be taking dogs...

"and Tao, too, of course,

"out for a morning run...

"before I leave.

"Don't worry yourself too much over them.

I know they will be fine."

No bears out tonight?

Rabbits? Skunks? No other cats?

Come on, Luath. You're letting in the cold.

At bedtime every night,

the retriever liked to get off by himself,

and so he slept in the kitchen.

The comfort-loving Siamese chose the hearth...

In front of the fire.

But the bull terrier wouldn't settle for anything less...

Than the master bedroom.

Old Bodger had his own basket, his own blanket,

and his own sly plans.

The moment the man dropped off to sleep,

the dog would sneak out of his own bed...

And then climb into the big one.

He practically never missed his chance.

But tonight for some reason, the man stayed awake.

He was calling to mind again,

how he'd come to have 3 remarkable animals...

Belonging to somebody else.

It was one weekend at Professor Hunter's house.

The Hunters were his closest friends.

In fact, he was godfather to the daughter,

and sort of an unofficial uncle to the son.

And this, somehow, gave him a special interest in their pets.

Come on, Bodger, jump!

Get the ball!

On this Sunday, as usual, he was invited to stay for dinner,

and this happened to be the day the exciting telegram came.

I've been offered a visiting fellowship at Oxford.

Here's what they say.

"A series of 12 lectures.

Lodging for you and family available. Hope you will accept."

Well of course it's wonderful news!

You are going to accept, aren't you, James?

Well, it does mean a lot to my career...

And Nancy's willing.

Nancy was more than willing.

In fact, everybody was thrilled,

and in their excitement had forgotten something important.

Mother, what will we do about Tao while we're away?

Hey, that's right. What about Bodger?

Nancy, I must confess, this is a problem I'd quite overlooked.

Now darling, don't worry, we'll find a good kennel and board them out.

But mother, not Tao.

You know how he hates to be cooped up.

Now, he wouldn't be all that cooped up. He'd be with other cats.

But he hates other cats.

Might do him good.

Sometimes, I think, he thinks he's a dog.

Well, suppose we settle this later.

No need to bother John with the problem.

Ah, but I have the answer.

There I am rattling around that big house of mine, right?

I know the animals. The animals know me.

So there's no need to board them out.

They will stay with me.

About the time everyone else was in bed,

it was the cat's habit to wake up and go prowling.

A shadow, a moth, a beam of moonlight,

his curiosity took him everywhere.

On this particular night, his exploring...

Would sort of miscarry.

Without his knowing it, he had opened the door...

For the incredible journey.

Next morning, as he'd planned,

John Longridge got off to an early start.

For as long as he could remember,

he'd never missed the opening day of duck season.

Here it was, that time of year again.

Luath,

young fella, now I'd know

you'd like to come along, but I'm afraid it wouldn't do.

You couldn't leave your friends, now, could you?

Why, Luath.

This is the first time.

You charmer, you.

Well, young fella, you're the steady one,

so you'll look after the other two.

Won't you?

Au revoir.

Now, the animals were alone,

and for all they knew, completely deserted.

Silence fell upon the scene,

silence that seemed to stretch away to the ends of the earth.

Then voices spoke.

Wild geese called,

Wild geese going home.

Somehow, this was an urge the young dog could understand.

For in him, the homing instinct was strong, too.

Among these three, the bond of friendship was binding.

Wherever one would go, the others would follow.

So it was,

the animals set out for home.

They couldn't know it was 200 miles away.

They only knew it was somewhere off to the west,

so they would follow the sun.

The incredible journey had begun.

That's funny. I don't see the animals anywhere.

They're always out to welcome us.

Probably Mr. Longridge left them inside...

Knowing you was coming. I s'pose so.

Bring the vacuum cleaner, will ya, Bert?

Now, where do you s'pose they've gone to?

Bodger, Luath?

Where could those rascals be?

Probably gone up to the school.

There's no note at all.

He goes up there sometimes to play with the kids.

Where's the cat? He wouldn't go up there.

Luath, Tao?

Here puss, puss, puss.

Bodger?

Here, boy. Here, boy!

Luath? Tao?

Bodger?

They're not outside.

Probably hunting.

The cat, maybe. I never saw such an animal for hunting that way.

But the dogs, they wouldn't go off.

Oh, quit stewing. They'll show up.

Where do you want this plugged in?

Right there, in front of your nose.

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

Here's a note from Mr. Longridge, after all.

That's funny.

It says, "I'll be taking the dogs and Tao too, of course."

Now what do you s'pose he means by that?

Just what it says. He's got the animals with him.

Well, why didn't he say so on the phone?

Don't ask me.