Buddie had walked a long way from the Stork before it occurred to her that she had forgotten to inquire of him the way to the Corner: it was just possible he knew. But it was too far to go back; so she kept on in the hope of coming to the Corner or some path leading to it. This hope was soon realized. A very plain opening in the wall of fir-trees disclosed itself, and another sign-board gave information that this was the way to the Corner. Strange she had not noticed it when she passed that way a little while before!
It proved a pleasant path to follow, especially after it drew away from the swamp and began to climb a little ridge. The Christmas trees gave place to birches and poplars, and sweet-smelling Canada balsam, and other trees that prefer hard ground to swamp land; a white-throated sparrow, which seemed to be traveling Buddie’s way, sang every minute or two his happy little song; and a brook, which was traveling the other way, gurgled something that sounded like: “What’s the use of going uphill when it is so much pleasanter to go down?”
But Buddie had not much farther to go. There was one steep little hill to climb, and a huge fallen tree to get over, but, these passed, her journey was at an end. On a big pine-tree was a fourth sign-board which read:
THIS IS THE CORNER
“What a perfectly ’diculous corner!” cried Buddie, disappointed because, so far as she could see, it did not differ from any other part of the wood.
Nothing in the wood, Little One, is harder to find than a corner. And if you don’t know one when you see it, you shall never find it. There was a sign-board to tell Buddie, but I never heard of anybody else being assisted in that way.
Little as there was to see at the Corner, Buddie had no opportunity to look about. The patter of feet sounded close at hand, and the Rabbit made his appearance. He was equipped for a journey, and evidently no short one; on his back was a large pack—that is, large for a rabbit.
“On time to a minute,” he said, referring to himself. “Have you been waiting long?”
“I just came,” answered Buddie. “Is it far to the Greenwood Club?”
“Oh, no; only a little way. We can follow this path or take a short cut through the brush, as you prefer.”