CHAPTER TEN

The Fight at Toad Hall

"Rat!" cried Toad. "I can't believe it's you! Oh, you'll never believe all that's happened to me. I've had so many adventures. Wait until you hear how clever and brave I am! My enemies tried to harm me, but I escaped them every time!"

The Rat looked serious. "Toad, come inside immediately. Go upstairs and take off that dress. It looks like it belonged to a maid! Take a bath, and then put on some of my clothes. After that, come downstairs to the kitchen. I'll speak to you later!"

At first Toad was annoyed. He didn't like to be told what to do. But then he looked at himself in a mirror. He was very dirty and silly-looking! So Toad went upstairs to take a bath and change clothes.

When he came downstairs to the kitchen, Rat had made some lunch. While they ate, Toad told Rat the whole story of his adventures. He talked a lot about how great, brave, and clever he was. While Toad told his story, Rat became very quiet and serious.

Finally Toad finished his story. Rat said, "Now, Toad, please listen to me. I don't want to make you upset. But don't you understand how many mistakes you've made? You think the things you have done are exciting, good things. Well, they aren't. Do you know what all the animals are saying about you? They say that you are no good. They ask me why I am your friend, since you are always getting in trouble. You should try to think of your friends, Toad. Your actions are embarrassing to us."

Toad felt a little sad. He really was a good animal, and he did not mean to cause his friends any problems. "You're right, Rat," he said. "I have been very stupid, and I have acted very badly. I promise from now on to be a good Toad, and stay home. I won't ever touch another car again. They're terrible!"

Rat was a very kind animal, and he forgave Toad almost immediately.

"Now, we'll have our coffee and a nice conversation," said Toad. "Then I'll go down to Toad Hall. It will be nice to return home again. I will change my clothes and read a book. I'm going-to live a quiet, respectable life from now on, Rat. No more adventures!"

Rat stared at him. "Wait a minute. Don't you know what's happened to Toad Hall?"

Toad turned very white. "Rat! What's happened to my house! Tell me, quickly!"

"You mean you haven't heard about the animals of the Wild Forest?"

"What have they done?" cried Toad.

"The weasels have captured Toad Hall. They're living in it now," said Rat.

Toad did not say anything for a long time. Tears ran down his face. When he finally stopped crying, he said, "All right, Rat. Tell me the whole story. I feel like an ordinary animal again."

"Well, you were gone for a long time, you see. All the animals in the Wild Forest knew that you were gone. The weasels said that you would never return to Toad Hall. They said you should stay away forever. But Mole and Badger always told them you would return. All the river animals agreed with us. But the weasels didn't want you to return. They said you should be stopped."

Toad went on listening.

"Well, Mole and Badger moved into Toad Hall. They wanted to take care of the house for you. They didn't guess what was going to happen. One night it was dark and raining. A large group of weasels came to Toad Hall. They had many weapons. Many other animals from the Wild Forest came too. Mole and Badger were sitting in your living room, telling stories. All the animals came into the house and attacked them! They threw Mole and Badger out of the house. They called them terrible names, too!"

When Toad heard this last thing, he almost laughed. But he tried to look very serious.

"So the weasels have been living in Toad Hall ever since that night," said Rat. "They are very dirty animals. Your house is a terrible mess. All those animals do is drink and eat your food. They tell everyone that Toad Hall is their home now! Poor Badger and Mole haven't stopped watching Toad Hall. They've been trying to think of a plan."

Toad wasn't listening any more. He was too angry. "I'll make those weasels leave!" he shouted. He stood up from the table and was about to run out of the house. Suddenly, Rat's door opened. Badger and Mole entered the room. "Rat told me you were back," said Badger. "Welcome home, Toad!" Badger looked very serious. He immediately went to find some food. He was always very serious when he was hungry!

However, Mole was very happy to see Toad. "Toad, I can't believe you're back. You must have escaped, you clever animal! You'll have to tell me everything while I eat. I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast!"

Toad was very happy that someone wanted to listen to his stories. While Badger and Rat talked and ate, Toad told Mole the story of his adventures. He enjoyed telling Mole about how clever and brave he was!

When everyone had finished eating, Badger looked at Toad very carefully. Finally he said, "Toad! You bad, terrible little animal. Look at all the trouble you have caused! You should be ashamed of yourself. Your father was a friend of mine before he died. What do you think he would say if he were here tonight? What do you think he would say, if he knew about everything you've done?"

Then Toad really began to cry. "I know, I've been a terrible animal," he cried. "Oh, I am so sorry!" He felt very sorry for everything. He lay down on the couch and put his face in his hands.

"All right, Toad," said Badger kindly. "Don't cry so much! We're going to forget all about it. But now we must think of a way to get Toad Hall back. The weasels are guarding your house right now. We can't fight them in the daytime."

"Oh, I'll never see my dear Toad Hall again!" cried Toad.

"But Toad, I have a surprise for you," said Badger. He was smiling. "Your father told me a secret that will help us. Under the ground, there is a secret path. It begins near Rat's house, and leads up into Toad Hall! If you follow this path, you will arrive in the inside of your house."

Toad was amazed. His father had never told him this secret.

"Tomorrow night the weasels are having a large party at Toad Hall. They will not be paying attention to anything. We will take some weapons with us, and walk through the secret passage. The passage will take us to a little room in your house, next to the dining room. When we arrive, we will run into the dining room and attack the weasels. They won't have any weapons on them, and we can chase them away!"

Everyone thought this was a very good idea. Toad was a little afraid, however. He did not like the underground.

The next evening, Rat gave everyone the weapons he had collected. There were sticks, knives, and a few guns. Then the four friends walked to the entrance of the secret passage. It was hidden behind some bushes. Badger said to Toad, "Toad, tonight you've got to be quiet and not talk so much. Otherwise we'll have to send you back!" Toad was a little annoyed. But Badger knew that Toad did like to talk a lot!

Quickly and quietly, the animals walked through the underground passage. Soon they could hear the sounds of a party. Then they were standing under Toad Hall! Toad suddenly felt very afraid. What if the weasels attacked them? What if he got hurt? But Toad also felt very angry. Toad Hall was his house. He wasn't going to let the weasels stay there! He knew he had to have courage.

Quietly badger opened a door that was above them. The animals climbed up. They were standing in a little room that was next to the dining room. The weasels were talking and laughing. They sounded very drunk. "All right, everyone. When I say 'go', we run into the room!" said Badger. The weasels began to sing some loud songs. "Go!" whispered Badger.

The animals opened the door and ran into the room. They were all shouting loudly. All the animals of the Wild Forest were very afraid of Badger. When they saw Badger, the weasels screamed and ran around the room. Badger had a gun in one hand, and a stick in the other! Toad ran straight for the leader of the weasels. "I'll teach you to steal my house!" he shouted. Mole and Rat were also fighting to the weasels. The weasels didn't know what to do. They were very drunk, and the four friends were very frightening.

After a few minutes the weasels began to run. They had never been so scared in their lives! All they wanted to do was escape. Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad were hitting them with sticks. After a few moments, all the weasels jumped out of the windows and ran away shouting!

The fight was over. Toad had returned to Toad Hall!

(end of section)