Free The Willows in Winter by William Horwood, Patrick Benson Page A

must but — but not then to return it, to banish it, to —”
    “Mole is lost’ said the Rat.
    “‘Which mole?” repeated Toad, not understanding
him at all.
    “Your friend Mole,” said the Badger. “The same Mole who has
helped you, listened to you, risked his life for you in the past.”
    “O, Mole!” said Toad somewhat dismissively, his
desire to get aloft overwhelming his better nature. “The one
who lives in Mole End. Lost is he? Well he shouldn’t get into scrapes he
can’t get out of, should he? Me? Why, I fly down the river and far over the
‘Wide ‘World and back again and I don’t get lost, do I?”
    “It may already be too late’ said the Rat,
ignoring Toad’s splutterings , “but in case it is not,
we intend to requisition your flying machine and search for him while we still
can — before darkness comes, and before the river rises further.”
    Toad fell silent and listened to their quickly
told tale, beginning to wish he had not spoken so soon, but seeing a chance
that if Mole was found he might be allowed to keep his flying machine
after all.
    “You should have explained sooner,” said Toad,
bursting into sudden tears. “Of course you can use my flying machine to
save Mole’s life.” Then, wiping his eyes and sniffing somewhat, he added in a
low obsequious voice, “I shall fly it myself—”
    “I think that might be unwise, sir,” said the
pilot quietly behind him.
    “Yes, yes it would’ agreed Toad hastily, “for
you will need someone who knows these parts and has some common sense as a
lookout, to spot Mole wherever he may be sending signals of distress up from
the flooding ground.”
    “Quite so’ said the Badger. “ The
‘Water Rat has volunteered. Pilot, prepare the machine. Refuel it or
whatever you must do!”
    “I will, sir, and without delay!” said the
pilot, jumping to at this impressive command.
    “Toad!” boomed the Badger. “Off with those
ill-fitting garments at once! Give them to Rat so that he can at least keep
warm.
    Out-numbered and surrounded, Toad reluctantly did
as he was told, and watched the Rat quickly put on the splendid sheepskin
jacket, the modish leather headgear, the raffish goggles and finally the manly
parachute. But when he saw Rat heading for what had been his seat in the flying
machine, a look of grave alarm came over Toad’s face, quickly hidden by feigned
concern.
    For as Toad had been displaced by the ‘Water
Rat he had had a glimpsed vision, a nightmare vision, of the national fame and
celebrity that would be gained by Rat instead of him. Rat the Hero! Rat the One
Who Cared! Rat the Bold and Brave! ‘Worse still, Rat the Honoured One — a Baron
possibly, a Baronet probably, a knighthood certainly! O yes, there could be no
doubt of something of the sort for whoever rescued Mole so bravely, and Toad could
see it all in every dreadful detail.
    “And it is at my expense!” he fumed to
himself. “It is my machine, even if it is only on approval, so to speak. It is
my lawn. It is my opportunity!”
    So, ever the schemer, not reformed at all, no
sooner had he seen this unpleasant vision than Toad had hatched a plot to
thwart it, and gain all the glory for himself . He
suddenly seemed positively filled with interest and concern about the coming
search, and as the others busied themselves getting ready, and discussing where
they might look, he began muttering such things as: “Poor Mole!” and “It
shouldn’t have happened to him of all animals” and “We must do all we can”.
    Then, with a cry of “I should have thought of
it sooner! ”, he dashed up the steps of Toad Hall,
summoned a servant, gave him some orders and dashed down again.
    Toad filled with generosity and care? Toad meek and mild and biddable? Could this really be the
true Toad?
    It could not, and Badger and Rat would have
known better had they not been so engrossed in making plans for the coming
flight, and they might have guessed that something was wrong,