Chapter 2 New Friends and a New Life.
What are you looking at, said the rat, when the edge of their hunger was somewhat dulled.
I am looking, said the mole, at a streak of bubbles that I see traveling along the surface of the water.
Suddenly, a flat, glistening nose showed itself above the edge of the bank and the otter pulled himself out and shook the water from his coat.
"'How greedy!' he cried.
"'Why didn't you invite me, Ratty?'
"'This was an unplanned lunch,' explained the rat.
"'By the way, meet my friend Mr.
Mole.'
"'Proud, I'm sure,' said the otter, and the two animals were friends.
There was a rustle behind them coming from a hedge where last year's leaves still clung thick.
A stripy head with high shoulders behind it popped out.
Come on, old badger, shouted the rat.
The badger trotted forth a pace or two, then grunted Company and turned his back and disappeared from view.
That's just the sort of fellow he is, observed Rat.
He simply hates society.
Well, tell us, who's out on the river?
Toad's out for one, replied the otter, in his brand-new racing boat.
New clothes, new everything.
Otter and Rat looked at each other and laughed.
"'Once it was nothing but sailing,' said the rat.
"'Then he tired of that and took to racing.
"'Whatever he takes up, he gets tired of it and starts something fresh.'
"'Such a good fellow, too,' remarked the otter.
"'But no stability, especially in a boat.
"'Did I ever tell you the story about Toad and that time when he—' "'But no one heard the end of the story that day.'
Just then, a fly swerved unsteadily above the river.
There was a swirl of water and a cloop, and the fly was gone.
So was Otter.
The mole looked down.
There was a streak of bubbles on the surface of the water.
The rat hummed a tune and Mole remembered that animal manners forbid any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment.
The afternoon sun was getting low as the rat rowed gently homeward in a dreamy mood, murmuring poetry over to himself and not paying much attention to Mole.
But the Mole was very full of lunch and self-satisfaction, and already quite at home in a boat.
So he thought
He was getting a bit restless besides and soon said, Ratty, please, I want to row now.
The rat shook his head with a smile.
Not yet, my young friend, he said.
Wait till you've had a few lessons.
It's not as easy as it looks.
The mole was quiet for a minute or two, but he began to feel more and more jealous of rat rowing so strongly and so easily along.
His pride began to whisper that he could do it every bit as well.
He jumped up and seized the oar so suddenly that the rat who was gazing out over the water was taken by surprise and fell backwards off his seat with his legs in the air.
Stop it, you silly fool, cried the rat from the bottom of the boat.
You can't do it.
You'll tip us over.
The mole flung his oars back with a flourish and made a great dig at the water.
He missed the surface altogether.
His legs flew up above his head, and he found himself lying on top of the rat.
Greatly alarmed, he made a grab at the side of the boat and the next moment sploosh over went the boat and the mole found himself struggling in the river.
Oh my, how cold the water was, and how very wet it felt.
How it sang in his ears as he went down, down, down.
Then a firm paw grabbed him by the back of his neck.
It was the rat, and he was laughing.
At least he could feel him laughing right down his arm and through his paw and into Mole's neck.
The rat got a hold of an oar and shoved it under Mole's arm.
Then he did the same by the other side of him and, swimming behind, propelled the helpless animal to shore.
He hauled him out and set him down on the bank, a squashy lump of misery.
So the dismal Mole, wet without and ashamed within, trotted about the bank till he was fairly dry.
The rat plunged into the water again, recovered the boat and turned it over and dived successfully for the picnic basket.
When they were ready to go again Mole, limp and dejected, took his seat in the stern of the boat and said in a low voice broken with emotion 'Ratty, my generous friend, I am very sorry for my foolish and ungrateful conduct'.
Hmm, that's all right, responded the rat cheerily.
What's a little wet to a water rat?
Don't you think any more about it?
And look here.
I really think you had better come and stop with me for a little while.
I'll teach you to row and to swim, and you'll soon be as handy on the water as any of us.
When they got home, the rat made a bright fire in the parlor and planted the mole in an armchair in front of it.
He fetched down a dressing gown and slippers for him and told him river stories till suppertime.
Very thrilling stories they were, too, to an earth-dwelling animal such as mole.
This day was only the first of many similar ones for the mole.
He came to live with the rat for a while.
There he learned to swim and to row and to listen to the wind whispering in the reeds.
He came to know the joy.
