"Is he going to make it, Thomas?" Ben asked Thomas the next day.
"Sooner he gets back to England, the better." replied Thomas.
"Well, let's hope the wind is with him." said Lon.
"Is the ship ready yet, sir?" asked Marcie.
"Almost, Marcie." replied Peppermint Patty as she and Marcie left the rowboats to check on John. "They're just loading the last bit of cargo. And for the last time, stop calling me 'sir!'"
The last bit of cargo Peppermint Patty was referring to was actually a chained and gagged Rattcliffe, who was thrown into one of the rowboats.
"How dare you!" he said through his cloth gag. "Untie me at once! I'll have your head for this!"
"And he came so highly recommended." Lucy and Wiggins said in unison as they watched their former leader being rowed away.
The settlers had gathered around the stretcher, where John was laying, with Thomas and the Peanuts Gang by his side.
"The ship's almost ready." he said. "We'd better get you on board. We'll lose the tide."
"No, not yet." said John. "She said she'd be here."
"Look." gasped Pig-Pen, for at that moment, Pocahontas appeared through the mist.
The villagers were with her too carrying baskets of food.
As Pocahontas slowly walked past the men, who donned their caps in respect, and towards John's stretcher, Peppermint Patty and Marice approached her.
"Going back is his only chance." said Peppermint Patty.
"He'll die if he stays here." added Marcie.
Pocahontas gave them a nod and knelt down beside John's stretcher.
"Here." she said, revealing a small leather pouch. "It's from Grandmother Willow's bark. It'll help with the pain."
"What pain?" asked John. "I've had worse pain than this. Can't think of any right now, but…"
As he spoke, Powhatan approached him and Pocahontas, smiling.
"You are always welcome among our people." he said, laying his cloak over John. "Thank you, my brother."
As the chief stepped back, Woodstock and Flit flew up to John, landing on his finger.
"And I thought you didn't like strangers." John said to Flit, who squeaked as if he was saying "At first."
The two birds, then, flew over to Snoopy, dressed as a Pilgrim, Percy, dressed like an Indian and Meeko, wearing Percy's collar, who presented to Pocahontas...
"My mother's necklace."
As she put it back on, John mussed Percy's fur one last time, saying. "See ya, Percy."
Although his fur was mussed for the last time, this time, Percy didn't even mind.
Meeko, on the other hand, handed John one of the biscuits he had saved.
As he took the biscuit, John took one last look at Snoopy, then turned to Charlie Brown.
"You keep an close eye on Snoopy, won't you, Charlie Brown?" he asked.
Charlie Brown smiled a bit and shook John's hand.
"I'll do my best, sir." he replied.
John, then, turned his gaze at Pocahontas.
"Come with me?" he asked.
Pocahontas looked up to her father, who said. "You must choose your own path."
She looked down to see the villagers, settlers, and Peanuts Gang staring at her, then, with tears starting to well in her eyes, turned back to John, saying. "I'm needed here."
"Then I'll stay with you." said John.
"No. You have to go back."
"But I can't leave you."
"You never will." assured Pocahontas, recalling his last words. "No matter what happens, I'll always be with you. Forever."
Then she leaned down and gave John one last kiss.
Soon John's stretcher was lifted and carried into one of the rowboats.
The Peanuts Gang followed closely behind, hoping to say goodbye to him.
"You're a good man, John Smith." said Lucy as she shook John's hand.
"Take care of yourself, OK?" said Peppermint Patty.
"Get well soon." said Linus.
Pocahontas held back her tears as she and the Peanuts Gang sadly watched John being rowed back to the Susan Constant.
Peppermint Patty, Lucy, Linus and Powhatan respectively comforted Pocahontas and Charlie Brown as Sally waved goodbye with her handkerchief.
"Weigh anchor!" cried one of the settlers aboard the Susan Constant, which started to set sail.
As she watched, Pocahontas broke away from her father's embrace and fled through the forest.
When she arrived at the edge of the cliff, she could see the Susan Constant moving away.
The wind picked up and blew towards the ship, where on deck, John could feel the sails being blown.
He looked back to see Pocahontas perched on her cliff and waved goodbye in the way she taught him.
Pocahontas waved back as the Susan Constant sailed further into the open sea.
To David Ogden Stiers, the voice of Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins, who passed away on my 26th birthday on March 3rd, 2018.