The shadow seemed to like this, and bobbed about so comically it made Will laugh till his eyes were full of tears. Ned came back, and they went on, having grand times in the wood. They found plenty of berries to fill the basket; they swung down on slender birches, and got rolls of white bark for canoes; they saw all sorts of wild-wood insects and birds; and frolicked till they were tired. As they crossed a field, a cow suddenly put down her head and ran at them, as if she was afraid they meant to hurt her calf. All turned, and ran as fast as they could toward the wall; but poor Will in his fright tumbled down, and lay screaming. Ned and Polly had reached the wall, and, looking back, saw that their shadows had not followed. Ned's stood before Will, brandishing his pole; and Polly's was flapping a shadowy sun-bonnet with all its might. As soon as they saw that, back they went,--Ned to threaten till he broke his pole, and Polly to flap till the strings came off. As if anxious to do its part, the bonnet flew up in the air, and coming down lit on the cross cow's head; which so astonished her that she ran away as hard as she could pelt. "Wasn't that funny?" said Will, when they had tumbled over the wall, and lay laughing in the grass on the safe side. "I'm glad I wore the old bonnet; for I suppose my best hat would have gone just the same," said Polly thankfully. "The calf doesn't know its own mother with that thing on," laughed Ned. "How brave and kind you were to come back and save me! I'd have been deaded if you hadn't," said Will, looking at his brother and sister with his little face full of grateful admiration. They turned towards home after this flurry, feeling quite like heroes. When they came to the corner where two roads met, Ned proposed they should take the river-road; for, though the longest, it was much the pleasantest. "We shan't be home at supper-time," said Polly. "You won't be able to do your jobs, Ned, nor I mine, and Will's chickens will have to go to bed hungry." "Never mind: it's a holiday, so let's enjoy it, and not bother," answered Ned. "We promised mamma we'd come home early," said Will. They stood looking at the two roads,--one sandy, hot, and hilly; the other green and cool and level, along the river-side. They all chose the pleasant path, and walked on till Ned cried out, "Why, where are our shadows?" They looked behind, before, and on either side; but nowhere could they see them. "They were with us at the corner," said Will. "Let's run back, and try to find them," said Polly. "No, let 'em go: I'm tired of minding mine, and don't care if I never see it again," said Ned. "Don't say so; for I remember hearing about a man who sold his shadow, and then got into lots of trouble because he had none. We promised to follow them, and we must," said Polly. "I wish," began Ned in a pet; but Polly clapped her hand over his mouth, saying: