't see me, if I slip down the back
way; and I do so want Mary to know that my hat is prettier than hers,"
said Polly, up in her little room.

Now Polly was rather vain, and liked to prink; so she got out the new
hat, and spent some time in smoothing her braids and putting on her
blue ribbons. But when all was ready, and the boys getting impatient,
she found her shadow, with a sun-bonnet on, standing by the door, as if
to prevent her going out.

"You tiresome thing! do you mean that I mustn't wear my hat, but that
old bonnet?" asked Polly.

The shadow nodded and beckoned, and patted its head, as if it was all
right.

"I wish I hadn't promised to do as you do; then I could do as I like,
and not make a fright of myself," said Polly, rather sulkily, as she put
away the hat, and tied on the old bonnet with a jerk.

Once out in the lovely sunshine, she soon forgot the little
disappointment; and, as they didn't go through the village, but by a
green lane, where she found some big blackberries, she was quite
contented. Polly had a basket to hold fruit or flowers, Ned his
jackknife, and Will a long stick on which he rode, fancying that this
sort of horse would help his short legs along; so they picked, whittled,
and trotted their way to the wood, finding all manner of interesting
things on the road.

The wood was full of pleasant sights and sounds; for wild roses bloomed
all along the path, ferns and scarlet berries filled the little dells,
squirrels chattered, birds sang, and pines whispered musically
overhead.

"I'm going to stop here and rest, and make a wreath of these pretty wild
roses for baby: it's her birthday, and it will please mamma," said
Polly, sitting down on a mound of moss, with a lapful of flowers.

"I'm going to cut a fishing-pole, and will be back in a minute." And Ned
went crashing into the thickest part of the wood.

"I shall see where that rabbit went to, and maybe I'll find some
berries," said Will, trotting down the path the wild rabbit had gone.

The sound of the boys' steps died away, and Polly was wondering how it
would seem to live all alone in the wood, when a little girl came
trudging by, with a great pail of berries on her arm. She was a poor
child: her feet were bare, her gown was ragged, she wore an old shawl
over her head, and walked as if lame. Polly sat behind the ferns, and
the child did not see her till Polly called out. The sudden sound
startled her; and she dropped her pail, s