Toad's next appearance was as a limp and miserable prisoner in the dock at the Magistrates' Court.

He was charged with dangerous driving, stealing a motor-car, and, worst of all, cheeking the police. The Magistrate took a serious view and sentenced him to twenty years' imprisonment.

The wretched Toad was handcuffed and marched across the square to the ancient castle, with its tall towers and grim keep, guarded by men-at-arms, and warders. He was dragged through the arched gateway, and through courtyards where huge bloodhounds strained at their leashes. Down spiral stone staircases he went, passing the rack room and the thumbscrew room, until he reached the deepest dungeon of all. In front of the heavy nail-studded door sat an ancient gaoler with a mighty bunch of keys.

Toad could never hope to get out of there, for it was the best guarded prison in England.

The unhappy Toad realised what a foolish animal he had been.

"What has happened to the clever, popular Mr Toad whom everybody respected?" he whimpered. "O wretched animal, so justly punished!"

He refused all food and lay limply on his bed, fat tears rolling down his flabby cheeks.

6 Toad's Escape

The gaoler's daughter was a kind young girl who was very fond of animals. She took pity on Toad, and coaxed him to eat some hot buttered toast, asking him to tell her all about Toad Hall. Soon the Toad revived a little, and began to puff himself up, and boast about his home and his possessions.

In spite of his conceit, the young girl was sorry for him. She hated to see animals shut up. So she thought of a plan to help him to escape. He was to dress in her aunt's clothes.

Her aunt was a washerwoman, who came to the castle once a week. She was short and stout (like Toad!) She wore a long, cotton dress, a shawl, and an old blue bonnet, and carried a basket full of washing. Toad did not like the idea of dressing up as a poor old woman, but in the end he agreed to pay her some money and tie her up, so that she would not get into trouble for help him.

The gaoler's daughter giggled as she tied the bonnet strings under Toad's chin.

"You look exactly like her!" she laughed (much to Toad's annoyance.) "Goodbye, and good luck! Be careful what you say to the sentries!"

There were some anxious moments as Toad set off, especially as the sentries made rude remarks. But Toad entered into the spirit of the thing, for he fancied himself as an actor. Soon he came through the prison gate into the sunlight and was free at last.

He made for the railway station and was about to buy a ticket, when he realised he had left his waistcoat, with all his money, in his cell. What could he do now? Then he spotted the engine driver, cleaning down his steam engine with a handful of cotton waste.

"Oh, sir," he cried, "I'm a poor washerwoman who's lost her purse. How am I going to get home and what will my little children do without me?"

The kind engine driver said, "Tell you what, missus, I'll give you a ride on my footplate, and you can wash some shirts for me when you get home."

Toad accepted eagerly and hopped up on the engine. They got up steam and set off. They were soon thudding away down the track, with a trail of white smoke and a whooping whistle.

Suddenly the engine driver looked back. "There's another train following us down the line!" he cried. "It's full of people—policemen with truncheons—plain clothes men with bowler hats and umbrellas—prison warders with sticks—all shouting STOP! STOP! STOP!"

Toad fell on his knees among the coal and begged for help. "I am not a washerwoman at all," he confessed. "I am the well-known daring criminal, Mr Toad. Please help me."

The engine driver hated to see an animal hunted. "Never mind, I'll help you," he said. "When we get through this tunnel, I'll slow down, and you can jump off and hide in the wood."

They piled on more coal to get up speed, and the sparks flew as they roared through the tunnel. Then they slowed down. Toad jumped off, and rolled down the bank into the wood. He laughed as he saw the other train tear past, full of policemen and warders, waving their weapons and shouting "STOP!"

Then he found an old tree, and lay down on a bed of leaves to wait for morning.

7 The Pipes of Pan

Meanwhile, on the River Bank, everyone was worried. Otter's baby son was missing from home. He had never been away so long before. Search parties went out to look for him, but no one could find him anywhere.

Mole and Ratty were very upset.

"Otter is watching by the ford," said Ratty. "It's where he taught him to swim. It was little Portly's favourite place. Otter thought he might come back there. He has been waiting there all night."

It was getting towards dawn when Mole said, "Come on, Rat, I can't sleep for thinking of him. Let's go and look for him ourselves."

So they took their boat and sculled quietly up the river, as the sun came up and the birds began to twitter. Everything smelled fresh and green.

They went further up the river than they had ever been before, and came to a little island.

"Listen!" said Ratty, shipping his oars. "Do you hear music?" Mole rowed closer. He could not hear anything. Ratty's eyes were shining. He seemed very far away, as if he were under a spell.

"Go closer!" said Ratty. They moored their bat and made their way through the reeds to the grassy bank. Now Mole could hear the music, too.

It was piping, very high and clear. It seemed to draw the two animals towards a little clearing under the trees. They felt as if they were in some holy place.

Then they saw the Protector of all animals, sitting under a tree, with the Pan pipes in his hand. They saw his horns and his strong, kind face, brown chest and shaggy goat limbs. Nestled between his hooves slept the podgy childish form of the baby otter.

For one second the little animals saw this vision, and heard the music. Then suddenly it was gone, and the glade was empty. The baby otter awoke and with whimpering cried searched the clearing for its lost friend.

Mole and Ratty took Portly back with them to the ford where the Otter waited so patiently. From a little way off, they watched the happy meeting. Then they went home, wondering, and feeling that something very special had happened to them that day. But they could not remember it.

8 The Further Adventures of Toad

Toad was getting nearer and nearer to home, and still had on his washerwomen's disguise. (By now it was looking the worse for wear.) Presently he came to a tow-path, running alongside a canal. An old horse was plodding along it, pulling a gaily painted barge. A big stout woman sat in it, her brawny arm along the tiller.

Toad saw the chance of a lift, so he told his tale of losing a purse and having to get back to the children. "I'll give you a lift as far as Toad Hall," the barge-woman bargained, "if you'll do my dirty washing for me." Toad had been boasting what a good washerwoman he was!

The barge-woman gave him a great pile of washing, some soap and clean water in a big tub. Toad had no idea how to set about it. Soon he was puffing and blowing and rubbing and dubbing, but the clothes were no cleaner.

The barge-woman took a closer look at him.

"You're no washerwoman!" she shrieked. "You're a dirty ugly toad—get off my nice clean barge!"

Toad was so annoyed he jumped off the barge, undid the tow-rope, and rode off on the horse, leaving the barge-woman shaking her fist at him.

He galloped along, thinking how clever he was. By now he was feeling hungry, and as he passed a hedge, the most delicious smell came floating over it. A gipsy was cooking a stew of rabbit, pheasant and onions, in an iron pot on a fire. Quickly Toad struck a bargain. He sold the horse, in exchange for a few pence and a plate of stew.

He was feeling his old self again and began to make up a boastful song about his adventures. White he was singing,

#"The world has held great heroes,

As history books have showed,

But never a name to go down to fame

Compared to Mr Toad—"#

a familiar noise was heard.

Along the highway came a motor-car, and it was the very one Toad had stolen!

Toad pretended to faint and the car stopped. The passengers took him to be a poor washerwoman and put him in the font seat, where the fresh air would revive him. It was not long before Toad perked up enough to ask a favour.

"I've always wanted to see if I could drive a motor-car," he said longingly. "Please let me try!"

The passengers were very amused to think of a humble washerwoman wanting to drive. "Let her have a go!" they said to the chauffeur.

Toad drove off, slowly at first, then faster and faster!

"Be careful, washerwoman!" they cried.

"I'm not a washerwoman!" said he. "I'm the great, the famous Toad!" and he drove faster than ever, terrifying the passengers, until he took a corner too fast and drove straight into a pond.

He jumped out and hopped off across the fields, singing another verse of his boastful song, leaving the passengers standing up to their waists in muddy water.

#"The clever men at Oxford

Know all that is to be knowed

But none of them knows half as much

As intelligent Mr Toad!"#

But when he looked back he saw the chauffeur and two policemen running after him.

Poor Toad puffed along. He was a very fat animal and they were gaining on him. What a fool he had been, showing of like that! Suddenly he tripped up. He had come to the River Bank, and—splash!—he fell into the water.

He swam along, gasping, till he came to a hole in the bank. He clutched the edge and looked in.

A small, bright thing shone and moved towards him. A face grew up around it.

Brown and small, with whiskers.

Grave and round, with neat ears.

It was the Water Rat!

9 The Battle for Toad Hall

When Toad had been dried off and given a suit of Ratty's to wear, Rat told him what had happened while he had been away.

The Wild Wooders had taken over Toad Hall. Weasels, ferrets and stoats were living there, eating Toad's food and drinking his drink and telling everybody he was never coming back.

Toad was all for going up there at once and turning them out. But Ratty explained that they had armed sentries posted and all the entrances were guarded. He and Badger and Mole patrolled the Hall every day, and there was no way in.

Just then two tired, shabby animals entered. The Badger's clothes were covered with mud.

He said solemnly: "Welcome home, Toad. alas, what am I saying? This is a poor homecoming. Unhappy Toad." And he sat down and cut himself a piece of cold pie.

But Mole, whose fur was full of bits of hay and straw, danced round Toad joyously and said: "You must have escaped! O clever Toad!"

At this, Toad began to tell all his adventures and show off to the admiring Mole.

"Don't egg him on, Mole," said Ratty. "We have to think what to do next."

They all began to talk at once, until they were silenced by the Badger.

"Be quiet, all of you," he growled. He finished his pie and had a piece of cheese before he spoke again.

"Toad, you bad, troublesome little animal! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? What do you think father, my old friend, would have said if he'd known of your goings-on?"

The Toad rolled over on his face on the sofa and began to sob.

"Never mind that!" said Badger. "We'll let bygones be bygones. I'll tell you my plan to get Toad Hall back again. There is an underground passage—" And the Badger outlined his plan to the eager listeners.

The secret passage came up inside Toad Hall, in the butler's pantry, next to the banqueting hall. That night there was to be a birthday party for the Chief Weasel. Everyone would be in the banqueting hall having a good time, except for a few sentries outside in the grounds.

Badger and his men would creep along the tunnel, armed to the teeth, then come up inside the Hall and take the Wild Wooders by surprise.

Badger had a pile of weapons, and Ratty distributed them into four little heaps. As he ran from one to the other, he muttered busily, "Here's a sword for the Rat here's a sword for the Mole, here's a sword for the Toad, here's a sword for the Badger! Here's a pistol for the Rat, here's a pistol for the Mole—" and so on, till all the weapons were sorted out.

Then they had a supper of baked beans and macaroni cheese. When it was dark, they put on their belts and their pistols and swords, and set off for the secret passage. Badger led the way, flourishing a thick stick.

They kept stopping in the darkness, and bumped into each other several times. This gave Toad, who was last, quite a right. But soon they could hear the noise of the feast, overhead—the stamping of little feet, clinking of glasses, and cheers.

"Now, boys, all together!" said Badger, and they heaved at the trapdoor. They came up into the butler's pantry, and could hear the Chief Weasel giving a speech of thanks.

"I should like to say a word about our kind host, Mr Toad," he sniggered. "Good Toad! Modest Toad! Honest Toad!"

Everybody laughed. "In return for his hospitality, I have made up a little song about him!"

Then the Chief Weasel began to sing a very rude song, all about motor-cars and prison, at the top of his squeaky little voice.

"Let me get at him!" said Toad.

"NOW!" cried the Badger, and they burst into the banqueting hall, laying about them with their weapons.

My!

What a squeaking and a squealing and a screeching filled the air!

Terrified weasels dived under the tables. Ferrets rushed madly for the fireplace, and got hopelessly stuck in the chimney.

The mighty Badger laid about him with his stick. Mole gave a terrible war cry, "A Mole! A Mole!" Rat flourished his pistol. Toad, swollen to twice his usual size, went straight for the Chief Weasel. There were only the four of them, but to the Wild Wooders they seemed like an army.

At last the room was clear, and all the weasels fled squeaking back to the Wild wood, except for a few Mole had given brooms and aprons, and set to tidy up the Hall.

10 The Wanderer's Return

Next day Toad wanted to give a banquet for his friends and neighbours to celebrate his homecoming. He spent the morning making out a programme, full of Songs (by Toad), and Speeches (by Toad), on subjects like "Our Prison System" and "Horse-dealing".

When his friends saw it they told him what they thought of him. "You must turn over a new leaf, Toad," they said, "and stop showing off!"

"No speeches?"

"No speeches!"

"Not one little song?"

"Not one little song!"

Poor Toad! He had to promise to reform. But up in his bedroom, looking in the mirror, he sang his last little song in praise of himself. It was called "When the Toad Came Home."

The Toad—came—home!

There was panic in the parlour and howling in the hall,

There was crying in the cowshed and shrieking in the stall,

When the Toad—came—home!

When the Toad—came—home!

There was smashing in of window and crashing in of door,

There was chivvying of weasels that fainted on the floor,

When the Toad—came—home!

Bang! go the drums!

The trumpeters are tooting and the soldiers are saluting,

And the cannon they are shooting and the motor-cars are hooting,

As the Hero comes!

Shout—Hoo—ray!

And let each one of the crowd try and shout it very loud,

In honour of an animal of whom you're justly proud,

for it's Toad's—great—day!

Toad sang this very loudly, with expression, and when he came to the end, he sang it all over again. Then he went quietly downstairs to greet his guests. He refused to take any credit for the victory. "No, no, it was all Badger's idea. Mole and Rat did most of the fighting," he said modestly. Mole and Rat looked at each other. This was indeed an altered Toad!

The gaoler's daughter and the engine driver were sent letters of thanks and presents. The barge-woman was sent the value of her horse, though Toad protested. The gipsy was sent nothing, as he had done rather well out of the deal.

The four friends sometimes took a stroll together in the Wild Wood of a summer evening. Respectful mother weasels pointed them out to the young ones, and told them to behave, or the terrible great grey Badger would get them. This was somewhat unfair to Badger, who was fond of children. But it never failed to make them behave.

(THE END)