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make a thing of it.”
    “Won’t you even sit down?”
    “No time for that,” cried the Rat, going instead to the Mole’s kitchen and poking about in his larder, his gaze not quite meeting his friend’s.
    “I think perhaps,” he said busily “that I was a little hasty in withdrawing from the expedition — that excellent expedition — that you proposed in Spring. And so, if you are still willing, if, that is, you are ready and prepared to have me along, and to provide the victuals that our trip will require, then I —”
    “But, Ratty!” cried the Mole, overjoyed. “Of course I —”
    “— then I shall be glad, honoured indeed, to see to all matters navigational and nautical.”
    “Of course I want to go,” said the Mole. “But it is our expedition and I could not possibly accept the role of leader.”
    The Rat shook his head and said, “I will have it no other way!”
    “O my!” said the Mole faintly “When do you suggest we leave?”
    “Three days from now? Is that enough time to prepare?”
    “More than enough!” cried the Mole, his mind racing with the possibilities, and feeling quite overwhelmed that the Badger could so soon have persuaded the Rat to change his mind.
    “It is agreed then,” said the Rat, still a shade uncomfortable as he turned back and went outside once more, quite unwilling to stay a moment longer, so much had he to do.
    “And Mole,” he said, turning and looking the Mole in the eye at last.
    “Yes?” said the Mole.
    “Next time I — I do not quite understand something, or, well — put my selfish interests before your own wiser counsel, will you be so kind as to do something for me?”
    “What’s that?” said the Mole, not at all sure that he knew.
    “Box my ears and tell me not to be a fool! That should do the trick!”
    He grinned ruefully his apology made in his own way and his amends far outweighing in the Mole’s eyes any disappointment that he had caused.
    “Three days then,” said the Mole. “All shall be ready in my department, but really I beg of you, do not call me the leader or others might hear of it and get a very false impression!”
    “I suggest we have our first planning meeting tonight at six o’clock, if that is agreeable to you,” said the Rat, ignoring the Mole’s protestations. “Otter will be in attendance, and Nephew has already agreed to take the Minutes!”
    “O my!” said the Mole as the Rat hurried off towards the River, “O my!”
    A short while later, when some rabbits came respectfully by saying they had heard he was about to lead a great expedition and would he be needing their help with matters of catering and suchlike, the thoroughly flummoxed Mole could not contain his excitement, but cried “Yes! Yes!”, and the startled rabbits stared in amazement as that famous expedition leader performed before their eyes a jig of joy and celebration.

 
     
    · III ·
    A Last-Minute Delay

    “I did try — I mean I did explain to him — but you all know how he —” faltered the Mole miserably looking first at the Badger, then at the Otter, and finally at the Water Rat.
    “But, Mole,” cried the exasperated Water Rat, “you knew we were planning to leave today You’ve known it for days past. Why it was you yourself who persuaded Badger to support our scheme, you who waxed most enthusiastic about it, and you who —”
    “I know, Ratty. O, I know,” said the poor Mole, raising a dejected paw to try to stem the flow of the Rat’s ire; “but you know just as well as the rest of us how very persuasive, very convincing, Toad can sometimes be.”
    “Toad! Humph!” expostulated the Water Rat. “Trust Toad to get in the way of things,” groaned the Otter.
    “So it is Toad who’s behind this delay is it? I might have guessed as much!” growled the Badger, though with a certain twinkle in his eye.
    “Yes, but what exactly did he say?” interjected the Rat.
    “Are we really to be delayed for some paltry and selfish