Chapter 3

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.

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!