“Lasttimewecametheywereeversomuchthickeroverthatwall­；greatbouncers；andthereisacavetherewheretheboysmadeafire。Let’sgoandfillourthingsquick，andthenhideinthecaveandlettheothersfindus，“proposedNan，thirstingforadventures。
　　Robconsented，andawaytheywent，scramblingoverthewallandrunningdowntheslopingfieldsontheotherside，tilltheywerehiddenamongtherocksandunderbrush。Theberrieswerethick，andatlastthepailswereactuallyfull。Itwasshadyandcooldownthere，andalittlespringgavethethirstychildrenarefreshingdrinkoutofitsmossycup。
　　“Nowwewillgoandrestinthecave，andeatourlunch，“saidNan，wellsatisfiedwithhersuccesssofar。
　　“Doyouknowtheway？“askedRob。
　　“’CourseIdo；I’vebeenonce，andIalwaysremember。Didn’tIgoandgetmyboxallright？“
　　ThatconvincedRob，andhefollowedblindlyasNanledhimoverstockandstone，andbroughthim，aftermuchmeandering，toasmallrecessintherock，wheretheblackenedstonesshowedthatfireshadbeenmade。
　　“Now，isn’titnice？“askedNan，asshetookoutabitofbread-and-butter，ratherdamagedbybeingmixedupwithnails，fishhooks，stonesandotherforeignsubstances，intheyounglady’spocket。
　　“Yes；doyouthinktheywillfindussoon？“askedRob，whofoundtheshadowyglenratherdull，andbegantolongformoresociety。
　　“No，Idon’t；becauseifIhearthem，Ishallhide，andhavefunmakingthemfindme。“
　　“P’rapstheywon’tcome。“
　　“Don’tcare；Icangethomemyself。“
　　“Isitagreatway？“askedRob，lookingathislittlestubbyboots，scratchedandwetwithhislongwandering。
　　“It’ssixmiles，Iguess。“Nan’sideasofdistancewerevague，andherfaithinherownpowersgreat。
　　“Ithinkwebettergonow，“suggestedRob，presently。
　　“Ishan’ttillIhavepickedovermyberries；“andNanbeganwhatseemedtoRobanendlesstask。
　　“Oh，dear!yousaidyou’dtakegoodcareofme，“hesighed，asthesunseemedtodropbehindthehillallofasudden。
　　“WellIamtakinggoodcareofyouashardasIcan。Don’tbecross，child；I’llgoinaminute，“saidNan，whoconsideredfive-year-oldRobbyamereinfantcomparedtoherself。
　　SolittleRobsatlookinganxiouslyabouthim，andwaitingpatiently，for，spiteofsomemisgivings，hefeltgreatconfidenceinNan。
　　“Iguessit’sgoingtobenightprettysoon，“heobserved，asiftohimself，asamosquitobithim，andthefrogsinaneighboringmarshbegantopipeupfortheeveningconcert。
　　“Mygoodnessme!soitis。Comerightawaythisminute，ortheywillbegone，“criedNan，lookingupfromherwork，andsuddenlyperceivingthatthesunwasdown。
　　“Iheardahornaboutanhourago；maybetheywereblowingforus，“
　　saidRob，trudgingafterhisguideasshescrambledupthesteephill。
　　“Wherewasit？“askedNan，stoppingshort。
　　“Overthatway；“hepointedwithadirtylittlefingerinanentirelywrongdirection。
　　“Let’sgothatwayandmeetthem；“andNanwheeledabout，andbegantotrotthroughthebushes，feelingatrifleanxious，forthereweresomanycow-pathsallaboutshecouldnotrememberwhichwaytheycame。
　　Ontheywentoverstockandstoneagain，pausingnowandthentolistenforthehorn，whichdidnotblowanymore，foritwasonlythemooofacowonherwayhome。
　　“Idon’trememberseeingthatpileofstones­；doyou？“askedNan，asshesatonawalltorestamomentandtakeanobservation。
　　“Idon’trememberanything，butIwanttogohome，“andRob’svoicehadalittletrembleinitthatmadeNanputherarmsroundhimandlifthimgentlydown，saying，inhermostcapableway，­；
　　“I’mgoingjustasfastasIcan，dear。Don’tcry，andwhenwecometotheroad，I’llcarryyou。“
　　“Whereistheroad？“andRobbywipedhiseyestolookforit。
　　“Overbythatbigtree。Don’tyouknowthat’stheoneNedtumbledoutof？“
　　“Soitis。Maybetheywaitedforus；I’dliketoridehome­；wouldn’tyou？“andRobbybrightenedupasheploddedalongtowardtheendofthegreatpasture。
　　“No，I’dratherwalk，“answeredNan，feelingquitesurethatshewouldbeobligedtodoso，andpreparinghermindforit。
　　Anotherlongtrudgethroughthefast-deepeningtwilightandanotherdisappointment，forwhentheyreachedthetree，theyfoundtotheirdismaythatitwasnottheoneNedclimbed，andnoroadanywhereappeared。
　　“Arewelost？“quaveredRob，claspinghispailindespair。
　　“Notmuch。Idon’tjustseewhichwaytogo，andIguesswe’dbettercall。“
　　Sotheybothshoutedtilltheywerehoarse，yetnothingansweredbutthefrogsinfullchorus。
　　“Thereisanothertalltreeoverthere，perhapsthat’stheone，“saidNan，whoseheartsunkwithinher，thoughshestillspokebravely。
　　“Idon’tthinkIcangoanymore；mybootsaresoheavyIcan’tpull’em；“andRobbysatdownonastonequitewornout。
　　“Thenwemuststayhereallnight。Idon’tcaremuch，ifsnakesdon’tcome。“
　　“I’mfrightenedofsnakes。Ican’tstayallnight。Oh，dear!Idon’tliketobelost，“andRobpuckereduphisfacetocry，whensuddenlyathoughtoccurredtohim，andhesaid，inatoneofperfectconfidence，­；
　　“Marmarwillcomeandfindme­；shealwaysdoes；Iain’tafraidnow。“
　　“Shewon’tknowwhereweare。“
　　“Shedidn’tknowIwasshutupintheice-house，butshefoundme。I
　　knowshe’llcome，“returnedRobby，sotrustfully，thatNanfeltrelieved，andsatdownbyhim，saying，witharemorsefulsigh，­；
　　“Iwishwehadn’trunaway。“
　　“Youmademe；butIdon’tmindmuch­；Marmarwilllovemejustthesame，“answeredRob，clingingtohissheet-anchorwhenallotherhopewasgone。
　　“I’msohungry。Let’seatourberries，“proposedNan，afterapause，duringwhichRobbegantonod。
　　“SoamI，butIcan’teatmine，’causeItoldMarmarI’dkeepthemallforher。“
　　“You’llhavetoeatthemifnoonecomesforus，“saidNan，whofeltlikecontradictingeverythingjustthen。“Ifwestayhereagreatmanydays，weshalleatupalltheberriesinthefield，andthenweshallstarve，“
　　sheaddedgrimly。
　　“Ishalleatsassafras。Iknowabigtreeofit，andDantoldmehowsquirrelsdiguptherootsandeatthem，andIlovetodig，“returnedRob，undauntedbytheprospectofstarvation。
　　“Yes；andwecancatchfrogs，andcookthem。Myfatheratesomeonce，andhesaidtheywerenice，“putinNan，beginningtofindaspiceofromanceeveninbeinglostinahuckleberrypasture。
　　“Howcouldwecookfrogs？wehaven’tgotanyfire。“
　　“Idon’tknow；nexttimeI’llhavematchesinmypocket，“saidNan，ratherdepressedbythisobstacletotheexperimentinfrog-cookery。
　　“Couldn’twelightafirewithafire-fly？“askedRob，hopefully，ashewatchedthemflittingtoandfrolikewingedsparks。
　　“Let’stry；“andseveralminuteswerepleasantlyspentincatchingtheflies，andtryingtomakethemkindleagreentwigortwo。“It’salietocallthemfire-flieswhenthereisn’tafireinthem，“Nansaid，throwingoneunhappyinsectawaywithscorn，thoughitshoneitsbest，andobliginglywalkedupanddownthetwigstopleasetheinnocentlittleexperimenters。
　　“Marmar’sagoodwhilecoming，“saidRob，afteranotherpause，duringwhichtheywatchedthestarsoverhead，smeltthesweetferncrushedunderfoot，andlistenedtothecrickets’serenade。
　　“Idon’tseewhyGodmadeanynight；dayissomuchpleasanter，“saidNan，thoughtfully。
　　“It’stosleepin，“answeredRob，withayawn。
　　“Thendogotosleep，“saidNan，pettishly。
　　“Iwantmyownbed。Oh，IwishIcouldseeTeddy!“criedRob，painfullyremindedofhomebythesoftchirpofbirdssafeintheirlittlenests。
　　“Idon’tbelieveyourmotherwilleverfindus，“saidNan，whowasbecomingdesperate，forshehatedpatientwaitingofanysort。“It’ssodarkshewon’tseeus。“
　　“Itwasallblackintheice-house，andIwassoscaredIdidn’tcallher，butshesawme；andshewillseemenow，nomatterhowdarkitis，“
　　returnedconfidingRob，standinguptopeerintothegloomforthehelpwhichneverfailedhim。
　　“Iseeher!Iseeher!“hecried，andranasfastashistiredlegswouldtakehimtowardadarkfigureslowlyapproaching。Suddenlyhestopped，thenturnedabout，andcamestumblingback，screaminginagreatpanic，­；
　　“No，it’sabear，abigblackone!“andhidhisfaceinNan’sskirts。
　　ForamomentNanquailed；everhercouragegaveoutatthethoughtofarealbear，andshewasabouttoturnandfleeingreatdisorder，whenamild“Moo!“changedherfeartomerriment，asshesaid，laughing，­；
　　“It’sacow，Robby!thenice，blackcowwesawthisafternoon。“
　　Thecowseemedtofeelthatitwasnotjustthethingtomeettwolittlepeopleinherpastureafterdark，andtheamiablebeastpausedtoinquireintothecase。Sheletthemstrokeher，andstoodregardingthemwithhersofteyessomildly，thatNan，whofearednoanimalbutabear，wasfiredwithadesiretomilkher。
　　“Silastaughtmehow；andberriesandmilkwouldbesonice，“shesaid，emptyingthecontentsofherpailintoherhat，andboldlybeginninghernewtask，whileRobstoodbyandrepeated，athercommand，thepoemfromMotherGoose：­；“Cushycow，bonny，letdownyourmilk，Letdownyourmilktome，AndIwillgiveyouagownofsilk，Agownofsilkandasilvertee。“
　　Buttheimmortalrhymehadlittleeffect，forthebenevolentcowhadalreadybeenmilked，andhadonlyhalfagilltogivethethirstychildren。
　　“Shoo!getaway!youareanoldcrosspatch，“criedNan，ungratefully，asshegaveuptheattemptindespair；andpoorMollywalkedonwithagentlegurgleofsurpriseandreproof。
　　“Eachcanhaveasip，andthenwemusttakeawalk。Weshallgotosleepifwedon’t；andlostpeoplemustn’tsleep。Don’tyouknowhowHannahLeeintheprettystorysleptunderthesnowanddied？“
　　“Butthereisn’tanysnownow，andit’sniceandwarm，“saidRob，whowasnotblessedwithaslivelyafancyasNan。
　　“Nomatter，wewillpokeaboutalittle，andcallsomemore；andthen，ifnobodycomes，wewillhideunderthebushes，likeHop-’o-my-thumbandhisbrothers。“
　　Itwasaveryshortwalk，however，forRobwassosleepyhecouldnotgeton，andtumbleddownsooftenthatNanentirelylostpatience，beinghalfdistractedbytheresponsibilityshehadtakenuponherself。
　　“Ifyoutumbledownagain，I’llshakeyou，“shesaid，liftingthepoorlittlemanupverykindlyasshespoke，forNan’sbarkwasmuchworsethanherbite。
　　“Pleasedon’t。It’smyboots­；theykeepslippingso；“andRobmanfullycheckedthesobjustreadytobreakout，adding，withaplaintivepatiencethattouchedNan’sheart，“Iftheskeetersdidn’tbitemeso，IcouldgotosleeptillMarmarcomes。“
　　“Putyourheadonmylap，andI’llcoveryouupwithmyapron；I’mnotafraidofthenight，“saidNan，sittingdownandtryingtopersuadeherselfthatshedidnotmindtheshadownorthemysteriousrustlingsallabouther。
　　“Wakemeupwhenshecomes，“saidrob，andwasfastasleepinfiveminuteswithhisheadinNan’slapunderthepinafore。
　　Thelittlegirlsatforsomefifteenminutes，staringaboutherwithanxiouseyes，andfeelingasifeachsecondwasanhour。Thenapalelightbegantoglimmeroverthehill-topandshesaidtoherself­；
　　“Iguessthenightisoverandmorningiscoming。I’dliketoseethesunrise，soI’llwatch，andwhenitcomesupwecanfindourwayrighthome。“
　　Butbeforethemoon’sroundfacepeepedabovethehilltodestroyherhope，Nanhadfallenasleep，leaningbackinalittleboweroftallferns，andwasdeepinamid-summernight’sdreamoffire-fliesandblueaprons，mountainsofhuckleberries，andRobbywipingawaythetearsofablackcow，whosobbed，“Iwanttogohome!Iwanttogohome!“
　　Whilethechildrenweresleeping，peacefullylulledbythedrowsyhumofmanyneighborlymosquitoes，thefamilyathomewereinagreatstateofagitation。Thehay-cartcameatfive，andallbutJack，Emil，Nan，andRobwereatthebarsreadyforit。FranzdroveinsteadofSilas，andwhentheboystoldhimthattheothersweregoinghomethroughthewood，hesaid，lookingill-pleased，“TheyoughttohaveleftRobtoride，hewillbetiredoutbythelongwalk。“
　　“It’sshorterthatway，andtheywillcarryhim，“saidStuffy，whowasinahurryforhissupper。
　　“YouaresureNanandRobwentwiththem？“