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.

It was the Badger, who, having finished his pie, had turned round in
his chair and was looking at them severely. When he saw that he had
secured their attention, and that they were evidently waiting for him
to address them, he turned back to the table again and reached out for
the cheese. And so great was the respect commanded by the solid
qualities of that admirable animal, that not another word was uttered,
until he had quite finished his repast and brushed the crumbs from his
knees. The Toad fidgeted a good deal, but the Rat held him firmly
down.

When the Badger had quite done, he got up from his seat and stood
before the fireplace, reflecting deeply. At last he spoke.

"Toad," he said severely. "You bad, troublesome little animal! Aren't
you ashamed of yourself? What do you think your father, my old friend,
would have said if he had been here to-night, and had known of all
your goin