“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？“