The next morning at breakfast, Boris suddenly thought again of the wide
green country around his old home in Russia. I don't know why he thought
of it again. He just did! And then he thought of the Hudson River he had
found by walking west and of the East River he had found by walking
east. "I might try walking north this time," he thought. And so he said
to his mother, "I think I'll go on another hunt for grass,--grass that's
everywhere!" and again he waved his arms.
"All right," answered his mother. "But I'm afraid you'll have to walk a
long way to find grass everywhere!"
Out on the street he began to walk north. Then he remembered what a long
long ride north in the subway he had had the other day. "I'd better
take something if I want to get to the country wide," he thought.
So Boris went down to the subway and took the train. He rode for ever
and ever so long. He kept wondering if there were still houses above him
or if it was all grass,--lots and lots of grass. "I guess I'll go up and
see," he thought. So up he went at the next station. But there were
still houses everywhere. They weren't so high nor quite so close
together; but still there was no grass. So he kept on walking north.
Then he saw something that made him run. He could hardly believe his
eyes. There was _another river_! "Oh! dear! oh! dear!" thought Boris.
"I'll never in the world find the country wide if I strike a river
whatever way I go. I think I'll take the subway and go way, way south.
Surely I can get through that way. West a river, east a river, north a
river. Yes, I'll go south!"
So again Boris went down to the subway and took a train going south. He
stayed on it so long that he thought he must surely be way out in the
country wide under grass, grass, everywhere. "I guess I'll go up and
see," he thought.
So up he went at the next station. But when he came up he found himself
on a street. There were high buildings all around him. He began to walk
south. The farther he walked, the higher the buildings he found. At last
he came to a place where the buildings reached up, up, up,--up to the
clouds, he thought. He threw back his head to look at them,--so high
above him that it made him almost dizzy to look at their tops. He wasn't
sure they weren't going to fall either! Then he looked down again. And
what did he see at the end of the street? Trees, yes, green trees!
"Perhaps I am coming to the wide green country," he thought. And he
hurried on.
[Illustration]
But when he got to the trees he saw that the city came to an end again.
And what a wonderful end it was too! All around him was water,--water so
full of boats that it made Boris gasp. When he looked to the west he
could see a great river with another city on the other side. "That's the
Hudson," thought Boris for he remembered what the coal man had told him.
When he looked to the east he could see another great river. "That's the
East River," he thought for he remembered that name too.
But what river was that out in front of him? Then suddenly Boris
remembered. That was New York Harbor! This was where he had landed when
he had come in the giant steamer from Russia! Out there was Ellis Island
where he had stayed with his father and his mother and his sisters and
his brothers until they had been looked at! He thought he could see
Ellis Island from where he stood. But there were so many islands he
couldn't be sure. But he _could_ see the Statue of Liberty, that
enormous woman holding a torch in her hand. He was sure of that. And he
could see the boats everywhere all over the harbor. Boris stood there
some time just staring and listening and staring.
When Boris he went out again
To find the country wide
And he went north and north he went
To Harlem River's side.
Again he turned himself about
And went the other way
And he went south and south he went
And there the harbor lay!