best hat would have gone just the same," said Polly thankfully.
"The calf don'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 no 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.
