When the time really came to wash and shear the sheep, Mary's father said the lamb wasn't big enough to spare any more wool—but he did get washed in the river. Mary and little Aunt Hannah went down in the meadow to gather cowslips—not for the pretty flowers but to boil in a pot for dinner. They took off their shoes and socks and splashed about in the wet grass, filling their bucket with cowslips. They picked some tall blue flowers too, and pulled sweet-flag to eat. To get the sweet flag, they had to cross a little bridge over the brook. The lamb followed them, but he stepped on a loose board, and it tipped him off into the water! It wasn't deep enough to be over his head, but he waded the wrong way and scrambled out on a little island in the middle of the brook. They couldn't coax him to wade ashore;—he didn't like water, and would only shake his head and say "Ba-a-a! No-o-o!" "We must build a bridge for him" said Mary. "No," said Aunt Hannah "we will get the boat. The boys keep it at the mill." They followed the brook up to the mill and untied the boat. There were no oars, but they found a long pole and pushed it along to the island. The little lamb was very glad to jump in with them. But they could not push the boat ashore, for the water ran too fast. So they floated along, dipping their fingers in the water, and watching the little fish swimming below, till they ran into a fence across the brook. Then they climbed ashore and went back for their bucket and shoes and socks. "Oh, you funny lamb!" said Mary, "What good times you do make us have!"
How Dollabella took a ride.
