Arriving within sight of his old home,he rested on his oars and surveyed the land cautiously.All seemed very peaceful and deserted and quiet.He could see the whole front of Toad Hall,glowing in the evening sunshine,the pigeons settling by twos and threes along the straight line of the roof;the garden, a blaze of flowers;the creek that led up to the boat-house,the little wooden bridge that crossed it; all tranquil,uninhabited, apparently waiting for his return.He would try the boat-house first, he thought.Very warily he paddled up to the mouth of the creek,and was just passing under the bridge, when ... _Crash_!
A great stone, dropped from above,smashed through the bottom of the boat.It filled and sank,and Toad found himself struggling in deep water.Looking up, he saw two stoats leaning over the parapet of the bridge and watching him with great glee. "It will be your head next time, Toady!" they called out to him.The indignant Toad swam to shore,while the stoats laughed and laughed,supporting each other, and laughed again,till they nearly had two fits--that is, one fit each, of course.
The Toad retraced his weary way on foot,and related his disappointing experiences to the Water Rat once more.
"Well, _what_ did I tell you?" said the Rat very crossly. "And, now, look here!See what you've been and done!Lost me my boat that I was so fond of,that's what you've done!And simply ruined that nice suit of clothes that I lent you!Really, Toad, of all the trying animals--I wonder you manage to keep any friends at all!"
The Toad saw at once how wrongly and foolishly he had acted.He admitted his errors and wrong-headedness and made a full apology to Rat for losing his boat and spoiling his clothes. And he wound up by saying, with that frank self-surrender which always disarmed his friends' criticism and won them back to his side, "Ratty!I see that I have been a headstrong and a wilful Toad!Henceforth, believe me, I will be humble and submissive,and will take no action without your kind advice and full approval!"
"If that is really so," said the good-natured Rat,already appeased,"then my advice to you is,considering the lateness of the hour,to sit down and have your supper,which will be on the table in a minute,and be very patient.For I am convinced that we can do nothing until we have seen the Mole and the Badger, and heard their latest news, and held conference and taken their advice in this difficult matter."
"Oh, ah, yes, of course, the Mole and the Badger," said Toad, lightly. "What's become of them, the dear fellows?I had forgotten all about them."
"Well may you ask!" said the Rat reproachfully."While you were riding about the country in expensive motor-cars,and galloping proudly on blood-horses,and breakfasting on the fat of the land,those two poor devoted animals have been camping out in the open,in every sort of weather,living very rough by day and lying very hard by night;watching over your house, patrolling your boundaries,keeping a constant eye on the stoats and the weasels,scheming and planning and contriving how to get your property back for you.You don't deserve to have such true and loyal friends,Toad, you don't, really. Some day, when it's too late,you'll be sorry you didn't value them more while you had them!"
"I'm an ungrateful beast, I know," sobbed Toad,shedding bitter tears."Let me go out and find them,out into the cold, dark night,and share their hardships,and try and prove by--Hold on a bit!Surely I heard the chink of dishes on a tray!Supper's here at last, hooray!Come on, Ratty!"
The Rat remembered that poor Toad had been on prison fare for a considerable time, and that large allowances had therefore to be made. He followed him to the table accordingly, and hospitably encouraged him in his gallant efforts to make up for past privations.
They had just finished their meal and resumed their arm-chairs,when there came a heavy knock at the door.
Toad was nervous, but the Rat,nodding mysteriously at him,went straight up to the door and opened it,and in walked Mr. Badger.
He had all the appearance of one who for some nights had been kept away from home and all its little comforts and conveniences. His shoes were covered with mud, and he was looking very rough and touzled; but then he had never been a very smart man, the Badger, at the best of times. He came solemnly up to Toad, shook him by the paw, and said,"Welcome home, Toad!Alas!what am I saying?Home, indeed!This is a poor home-coming. Unhappy Toad!" Then he turned his back on him, sat down to the table,drew his chair up, and helped himself to a large slice of cold pie.
Toad was quite alarmed at this very serious and portentous style of greeting;but the Rat whispered to him, "Never mind;don't take any notice;and don't say anything to him just yet.He's always rather low and despondent when he's wanting his victuals.In half an hour's time he'll be quite a different animal. "
So they waited in silence,and presently there came another and a lighter knock.The Rat, with a nod to Toad,went to the door and ushered in the Mole,very shabby and unwashed,with bits of hay and straw sticking in his fur.
"Hooray!Here's old Toad!" cried the Mole, his face beaming."Fancy having you back again!" And he began to dance round him."We never dreamt you would turn up so soon!Why, you must have managed to escape, you clever,ingenious, intelligent Toad!"
The Rat, alarmed, pulled him by the elbow;but it was too late.Toad was puffing and swelling already.
"Clever?O, no!" he said. "I'm not really clever,according to my friends.I've only broken out of the strongest prison in England, that's all!And captured a railway train and escaped on it, that's all!And disguised myself and gone about the country humbugging everybody, that's all!O, no!I'm a stupid ass, I am!I'll tell you one or two of my little adventures, Mole,and you shall judge for yourself!"
"Well, well," said the Mole,moving towards the supper-table;"supposing you talk while I eat.Not a bite since breakfast!O my!O my!" And he sat down and helped himself liberally to cold beef and pickles.
Toad straddled on the hearth-rug,thrust his paw into his trouser-pocket and pulled out a handful of silver. "Look at that!" he cried, displaying it. "That's not so bad, is it,for a few minutes' work?And how do you think I done it, Mole?Horse-dealing!That's how I done it!"
"Go on, Toad," said the Mole, immensely interested.
"Toad, do be quiet, please!" said the Rat. "And don't you egg him on, Mole,when you know what he is;but please tell us as soon as possible what the position is,and what's best to be done,now that Toad is back at last."
"The position's about as bad as it can be," replied the Mole grumpily;"and as for what's to be done, why, blest if I know!The Badger and I have been round and round the place,by night and by day; always the same thing.Sentries posted everywhere, guns poked out at us,stones thrown at us; always an animal on the look-out,and when they see us, my!how they do laugh!That's what annoys me most!"
"It's a very difficult situation," said the Rat,reflecting deeply."But I think I see now,in the depths of my mind, what Toad really ought to do.I will tell you. He ought to--"
"No, he oughtn't!" shouted the Mole, with his mouth full."Nothing of the sort!You don't understand. What he ought to do is, he ought to--"
"Well, I shan't do it, anyway!" cried Toad, getting excited."I'm not going to be ordered about by you fellows!It's my house we're talking about,and I know exactly what to do, and I'll tell you. I'm going to--"
By this time they were all three talking at once,at the top of their voices,and the noise was simply deafening, when a thin,dry voice made itself heard, saying, "Be quiet at once, all of you!" and instantly every one was silent.