Best or possible way to return XML from WebServices

Para retornar XML num web service:

< WebMethod(Description:="This method Gets Data") > _
Public Function GetData(ByVal intParameter As Integer) As XmlDataDocument
Dim myXml As New XmlDataDocument
myXml.LoadXml("Data to Return")
return myXml
End Function

Como obter os valores desse XML:
Dim myXml As New XmlDataDocument
myXml.LoadXml(WebService.GetData(intParameter).OuterXml())

Como obter os valores desse XML num só ramo:
Dim myXml As New XmlDataDocument
Dim strRet As String = ""
If (myXml.Item("EquipmentDataList").HasChildNodes()) Then
strRet = myXml.LastChild("Father").Item("Child").InnerText
end if

Para dúvidas peçam ajuda
Paulo A. J. Pires