The river bank (5)

The river bank (5)

'About in boats or WITH boats,' the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh.
'Nothing seems really to matter.'
'
Look here!

If you've really nothing else on hand this morning,
supposing we drop down the river together,
and have a long day of it?'

The Mole waggled his toes from sheer happiness,
spread his chest with a sigh of full contentment,
and leaned back blissfully into the soft cushions.

'WHAT a day I'm having!' he said.
'Let us start at once!'

'Hold hard a minute, then!' said the Rat.

He looped the painter through a ring in his
landing-stage, climbed up into his hole above.

And after a short interval, he reappeared with a fat,
wicker luncheon-basket.

He passed it to the Mole.

Then he untied the painter and took the sculls
again.

'What's inside it?' asked the Mole,
wriggling with curiosity.

'There's cold chicken inside it,' replied the
Rat briefly;
'coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeefpickledgherkins
saladfrenchrollscresssandwichespottedmeat
gingerbeerlemonadesodawaterー'

'O stop, stop,' cried the Mole in ecstacies.
'This is too much!'

'Do you really think so?' inquired the Rat
seriously.
'It's only what I always take on these
little excursions.'

' And the other animals are always telling me
that I'm a mean beast and cut it VERY fine!'

The Mole trailed a paw in the water and
dreamed long waking dreams.

The Water Rat, like the good little fellow
he was, sculled steadily on.

'I like your clothes awfully, old chap,'
he remarked after some half an hour
or so had passed.
'I'm going to get a black velvet smoking-suit
myself some day, as soon as I can afford it.'



'You must think me very rude, but all this is
so new to me,' said the Mole.
'SoーthisーisーaーRiver !'

'THE River,' corrected the Rat.

'Do you really live by the river?
What a jolly life!'　
said the Mole.

(5/20)

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