Josefina is Faith's pet hen, but she is too old to lay eggs and too tough to eat, so Pa thinks she isn't worth taking along in the covered wagon as the family sets out for California. Faith pleads for her friend and Pa relents, reluctantly. As they travel, Faith sews patches for a quilt that will tell the story of the trip. Josefina causes trouble, which is recorded in the quilt, but she also ends up earning her keep.