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 , spilling the berries all over the path . The little girl began to cry , and Polly to laugh , saying , in a scornful tone : `` How silly to cry for a few berries ! '' `` I 've been all day picking 'em , '' said the girl ; `` and I 'm so tired and hungry ; 'cause I did n't dare to go home till my pail was full , -- mother scolds if I do , -- and now they 're all spoilt . Oh , dear ! dear me ! '' And she cried so hard that great tears fell on the moss . Polly was sorry now , and sat looking at her till she saw her shadow down on its knees , picking up the berries ; then it seemed to fold its little handkerchief round the girl 's bruised foot , and give her something from its pocket . Polly jumped up and imitated the kind shadow , even to giving the great piece of gingerbread she had brought for fear she should be hungry . `` Take this , '' she said gently . `` I 'm sorry I frightened you . Here are the berries all picked up , and none the worse for falling in the grass . If you 'll take them to the white house on the hill , my mamma will buy them , and then your mother wo n't scold you . '' `` Oh , thank you , miss ! It 's ever so good . I 'll take the berries to your mother , and bring her more whenever she likes , '' said the child gratefully , as she walked away munching the gingerbread , and smiling till there were little rainbows in her tears . Meanwhile Ned had poked about in the bushes , looking for a good pole . Presently he saw a willow down by the pond , and thought that would give him a nice , smooth pole . He forgot his promise , and down he went to the pond ; where he cut his stick , and was whittling the end , when he saw a boat by the shore . It was untied , and oars lay in it , as if waiting for some one to come and row out .
`` I 'll just take a little pull across , and get those cardinal-flowers for XXXXX , '' he said ; and went to the boat .
Ned Polly day gingerbread girl laugh oars pole pond rainbows