into my head, and if I didn't hustle down
those stairs! An' here I be! Now ye just sit down and wait, and I'll
go 'long back wid ye."

The boy darted into the shadows and was lost. Polly and David felt
more alone than before.

"Queer, we should meet him 'way out here, at this time!" David had
lowered his voice, as if fearful of being overheard.

"He came just to find us," purred Polly. "What a nice boy he is!"

"Don't talk so loud!" cautioned David.

"He can't hear. He's too far away."

"Somebody might."

"There isn't anybody," she laughed, yet involuntarily she was obeying
David's injunction.

They sat there on the bench what seemed a very long time, still
Cornelius did not appear.

"Let's walk along a little way and meet him," proposed Polly.

The deserted park seemed vastly more lonely than an empty street.
Polly kept up a soft chatter. David wished silently that Cornelius
would come. The shrubbery that bordered the way made weird shadows
along the path, and more than once David had to grip his courage in a
hurry to keep from halting in the face of some grotesque shade. Queer
little prickles crept up and down his legs. Why didn't Cornelius come!

"You're not afraid?" he whispered, as Polly clutched his arm more
tightly in passing a clump of dogwoods.

"Oh, no!" she chirped contentedly, the harmless shadows behind them,
"not with you!"

The boy's retreating courage came back. He felt himself grown suddenly
taller and stronger. He walked forward with a firm, steady step.

"We mustn't go too far, or Cornelius might miss us," warned Polly.
"There he is now!" as the straight little figure swung into sight.

The three had a merry walk home, notwithstanding the distance and the
haunting fear in the hearts of two of them that there would be anxiety
because of their unexplained absence. Cornelius insisted on
accompanying them to within a block of home, and then he stood on the
corner and watched them away.

Mrs. Dudley met them at the foot of the steps, both hands
outstretched.

"Children! where have you been?"

Polly felt nearer than usual to a real reprimand, and she hurried to
explain.

"We didn't mean to be gone so long, but we got lost in Cherry Hill
Park--"

"Cherry Hill Park! What in the world started you up there this hot
night?"

"Why, we went up on Oregon Avenue, and then thought we'd just go over
to the park, and we got tired,--or I did,--and we sat down on a bench
and went to sleep--b