That was the only time Johnny used a boat. From then on he walked, hundreds and thousands of miles, carrying apple seeds with him. Most of the time he went barefoot, tramping through rain and snow. Wherever settlers gave him a small piece of land, he planted his orchards. Soon there were apple trees growing along the creeks and rivers all over Ohio and Indiana.

It was hard work, but Johnny did not think of it as work. It was what he wanted to do. Every time a sapling burst into bloom, he forgot about his tired feet and the iron kettle hat bumping his forehead. He slept out in the open most of the time, with only the sky for a cover and a fox or raccoon curled up beside him to help keep him warm. When it snowed or rained, he slept in a settler's barn. And sometimes he stayed with Indians.

Johnny had many Indian friends, even though most Indians in those days hated the white men, who were taking over their land.

"Johnny Appleseed is crazy," some of the white men said.

"He is powerful medicine man," most of the Indians said. "He heals the sick babies and warriors. He makes good medicine from plants, and he talks to the animals."

Often, Johnny walked through areas where there were neither kindly settlers nor Indians. One bitterly cold night, the only shelter he could find was a large hollow log. Johnny crawled into the log. He had gone only a few feet when he bumped into something big and soft, and he heard a sleepy, growling noise. It was dark inside the log, but Johnny could make out two eyes looking at him. The eyes belonged to a bear who had decided the log would make a fine bedroom for his winter‘s sleep.