They were like sheep without a shepherd.
The apostles returned to Jesus and reported to him everything they had done and taught. As well as reporting to him what they themselves had done and taught, they told him what had befallen John the Baptist while they were teaching. And he said to them: Come away to some place where you can be alone by yourselves and rest awhile. And they got into the boat and went away by themselves to a deserted spot. The disciples did not get into the boat alone, but took the Lord with them, as the evangelist Matthew makes clear.
Many people saw them set out and recognized them, and from all the towns they hastened to the place on foot and reached it before them. Thus when Jesus landed he saw a large crowd. He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
For their part, they showed how concerned they were for their salvation by the effort they made in going along the deserted road not on donkeys or in carts of various kinds, but on foot. In return Jesus welcomed those weary, ignorant, sick, and hungry people, instructing, healing, and feeding them as a kindly saviour and physician, and so letting them know how pleased he is by believers' devotion to him.