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before I got restless； and wanted to DO things。'
‘Stroll quietly down to Toad Hall？' cried the Rat； greatly excited。
‘What are you talking about？ Do you mean to say you haven't HEARD？'
‘Heard what？' said Toad； turning rather pale。 ‘Go on； Ratty！ Quick！
Don't spare me！ What haven't I heard？'
‘Do you mean to tell me；' shouted the Rat； thumping with his little fist
upon the table； ‘that you've heard nothing about the Stoats and Weasels？'
What； the Wild Wooders？' cried Toad； trembling in every limb。 ‘No；
not a word！ What have they been doing？'
‘And how they've been and taken Toad Hall？' continued the Rat。
Toad leaned his elbows on the table； and his chin on his paws； and a
large tear welled up in each of his eyes； overflowed and splashed on the
table； plop！ plop！
‘Go on； Ratty；' he murmured presently； ‘tell me all。 The worst is over。 I
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am an animal again。 I can bear it。'
‘When yougotinto thatthattrouble of yours；' said the Rat； slowly
and impressively； ‘I mean； when youdisappeared from society for a time；
over that misunderstanding about aa machine； you know'
Toad merely nodded。
‘Well； it was a good deal talked about down here； naturally；' continued
the Rat； ‘not only along the river…side； but even in the Wild Wood。
Animals took sides； as always happens。 The River…bankers stuck up for
you； and said you had been infamously treated； and there was no justice to
be had in the land nowadays。 But the Wild Wood animals said hard things；
and served you right； and it was time this sort of thing was stopped。 And
they got very cocky； and went about saying you were done for this time！
You would never come back again； never； never！'
Toad nodded once more； keeping silence。
‘That's the sort of little beasts they are；' the Rat went on。 ‘But Mole
and Badger； they stuck out； through thick and thin； that you would come
back again soon； somehow。 They didn't know exactly how； but somehow！'
Toad began to sit up in his chair again； and to smirk a little。
‘They argued from history；' continued the Rat。 ‘They said that no
criminal laws had ever been known to prevail against cheek and
plausibility such as yours； combined with the power of a long purse。 So
they arranged to move their things in to Toad Hall； and sleep there； and
keep it aired； and have it all ready for you when you turned up。 They didn't
guess what was going to happen； of course； still； they had their suspicions
of the Wild Wood animals。 Now I come to the most painful and tragic part
of my story。 One dark nightit was a VERY dark night； and blowing hard；
too； and raining simply cats and dogsa band of weasels； armed to the
teeth； crept silently up the carriage…drive to the front entrance。
Simultaneously； a body of desperate ferrets； advancing through the
kitchen…garden； possessed themselves of the backyard and offices； while a
company of skirmishing stoats who stuck at nothing occupied the
conservatory and the billiard…room； and held the French windows opening
on to the lawn。
‘The Mole and the Badger were sitting by the fire in the smoking…
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room； telling stories and suspecting nothing； for it wasn't a night for any
animals to be out in； when those bloodthirsty villains broke down the
doors and rushed in upon them from every side。 They made the best fight
they could； but what was the good？ They were unarmed； and taken by
surprise； and what can two animals do against hundreds？ They took and
beat them severely with sticks； those two poor faithful creatures； and
turned them out into the cold and the wet； with many insulting and
uncalled… for remarks！'
Here the unfeeling Toad broke into a snigger； and then pulled himself
together and tried to look particularly solemn。
‘And the Wild Wooders have been living in Toad Hall ever since；'
continued the Rat； ‘and going on simply anyhow！ Lying in bed half the
day； and breakfast at all hours； and the place in such a mess （I'm told） it's
not fit to be seen！ Eating your grub； and drinking your drink； and making
bad jokes about you； and singing vulgar songs； aboutwell； about prisons
and magistrates； and policemen； horrid personal songs； with no humour in
them。 And they're telling the tradespeople and everybody that they've
come to stay for good。'
‘O； have they！' said Toad getting up and seizing a stick。 ‘I'll jolly soon
see about that！'
‘It's no good； Toad！' called the Rat after him。 ‘You'd better come back
and sit down； you'll only get into trouble。'
But the Toad was off； and there was no holding him。 He marched
rapidly down the road； his stick over his shoulder； fuming and muttering to
himself in his anger； till he got near his front gate； when suddenly there
popped up from behind the palings a long yellow ferret with a gun。
‘Who comes there？' said the ferret sharply。
‘Stuff and nonsense！' said Toad； very angrily。 ‘What do you mean by
talking like that to me？ Come out of that at once； or I'll'
The ferret said never a word； but he brought his gun up to his shoulder。
Toad prudently dropped flat in the road； and BANG！ a bullet whistled over
his head。
The startled Toad scrambled to his feet and scampered off down the
road as hard as he could； and as he ran he heard the ferret laughing and
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other horrid thin little laughs taking it up and carrying on the sound。
He went back； very crestfallen； and told the Water Rat。
‘What did I tell you？' said the Rat。 ‘It's no good。 They've got sentries
posted； and they are all armed。 You must just wait。'
Still； Toad was not inclined to give in all at once。 So he got out the
boat； and set off rowing up the river to where the garden front of Toad Hall
came down to the waterside。
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 fitsthat 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 animalsI 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 friend's criticism
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and won them back to his side； ‘Ratty！ I see that I have been a headstrong