"Yes, it's a road; but it can't be the one near Mrs. Anson's house," answered Bobby, puzzled. "We've walked too far. What's that sticking up?"
It proved to be a signboard, and, giving Meg the eggs to hold, Bobby tried to reach up high enough to brush the snow off so that they could read the lettering. The board was far above his head.
"Shinny up," urged Meg. "Or stand on my shoulders."
The pole was too wet for the first, and Bobby did not want to use his sister for a stepping stone. He finally managed, by jumping up and flirting his cap across the board at each jump, to knock off enough snow to enable them to read the letters.
"M-E-R-T-O-N, six miles" spelled Bobby. "R-I-C-E-V-I-L-L-E, four miles."
Meg looked at him, troubled.
"Where does it say Oak Hill is?" she asked.
"It doesn't say, but we'll find it," said Bobby stoutly, "Come on, Meg, we'll go the way that's four miles."
Meg had gone some distance down the road before she discovered that she had left her muff at the sign post. There was nothing to do but to go back for it. As they came up to it, nearly buried in the snow already, so fast it was falling, a little rabbit started up and hopped away over the road in a panic of fear.
"Guess he thought it was another rabbit," commented Bobby.