And when
the rain-drops began to patter on top of Grandfather Mole's sunshade Mr.
Meadow Mouse cried in a brisk voice: "I'll thank you, sir, for the loan
of your umbrella!"

Now, Grandfather Mole had never used his umbrella until that very day.
It was not a quarter of an hour since he had discovered it standing in
the garden. And when he had made his promise to Mr. Meadow Mouse he had
had no idea that it was going to rain so soon. He didn't like the
thought of loaning a new umbrella the first day he owned it.

"Can't you wait?" he asked Mr. Meadow Mouse. "Wouldn't some other day
suit you just as well?"

But Mr. Meadow Mouse reminded him that a promise was a promise.

"Well, then--can't you squeeze in beside me?" Grandfather Mole asked
him.

But Mr. Meadow Mouse said that he didn't see how he could do that. "Now
that it rains there's no more room under your umbrella than there was a
few moments ago, when the sun was shining."

"You're mistaken," said Grandfather Mole.

Mr. Meadow Mouse looked surprised. "I don't understand how that can be,"
he muttered.

"This toadstool is growing bigger all the time," Grandfather Mole
explained.

"Very well!" said Mr. Meadow Mouse. "If you think there's room for two,
I'll crowd in." As he spoke he wedged himself between Grandfather Mole
and the stem of the toadstool umbrella. And immediately Grandfather Mole
found himself out in the rain. The old gentleman didn't like that very
well; and he said as much, too.

"It's plain that your umbrella didn't grow as much as you thought," Mr.
Meadow Mouse retorted.

"You're mistaken," Grandfather Mole told him once more. "My umbrella
grew exactly as much as I expected it would. But there was one thing I
forgot."

"What was that?"

"You were growing at the same time," Grandfather Mole replied.

"Yes! And there's another thing that you forgot!" Mr. Meadow Mouse
exclaimed.

"I doubt it," said Grandfather Mole. And though he didn't ask what it
was, Mr. Meadow Mouse told him.

"You were growing too!" he cried.

But Grandfather Mole couldn't agree with Mr. Meadow Mouse.

"I'm too old to grow any more," he said.

"Pardon me," said Mr. Meadow Mouse, "but I don't see how a person with
your well known appetite can help growing fat. And anyhow I'm sorry
you're out in the rain. But it's certainly not my fault."

"We won't discuss that," Grandfather Mole told him. "And since I don't
want to get wet I'm going home.... I hope you'll ta