They waited patiently for a very long time, jumping up and down in the snow to keep warm. At last they heard feet coming slowly towards the door. Then the door opened, just enough to show a long nose and pair of sleepy eyes.

"And who," said a deep, angry voice, "is making visits at this time of night?"

"Oh, Badger," cried the Rat, "let us in, please. It's me, Rat, and my friend Mole, and we're lost in the snow."

"What?" said the Badger, in a very different voice. "My dear Ratty! Lost in the snow, and in the Wild Wood! Come in at once, both of you, and get yourselves warm."

That was a wonderful moment for the Mole and the Rat, when they heard the door close behind them, shutting out the Wild Wood. They followed the Badger down long dark tunnels until they came into a large kitchen. There was a bright fire, with comfortable armchairs round it, and a great wooden table with long seats.

"This is not the kind of night for small animals to be out," the Badger said, in a fatherly way. "Sit yourselves down by the fire, while I get you some supper."

"He's going from bad to worse," said the Rat sadly. "He had another crash only last week, and a bad one. You see, he thinks he's a wonderful driver, the best in the world. But he isn't. He's terrible! But he won't take lessons, he won't lis ten to anyone."

Then the Badger said, "Now then! Tell me the news from your part of the world. How's old Toad getting on?"

"How many has he had?" the Badger asked.

"Crashes, or motor-cars?" asked the Rat. "Well, with Toad, it's the same thing. This is the seventh car, and the seventh crash. His garage is full to the roof with bits of broken motor car!"

"He's been in hospital twice," the Mole added. "The police have arrested him for dangerous driving three or four times. And he's spending so much money!"

Soon the Mole and the Rat were warm and dry, and the dangers of the Wild Wood seemed a long way away, like a bad dream. Then supper arrived. It was enough for ten small hungry animals, and the Rat and the Mole realized just how hungry they were. When at last they could eat no more, they sat with the Badger round the fire, and told him the story of their adventures.

The Badger thought for a while. "You know, don't you, that I can't do anything now?" he said at last.

"That's another problem," the Rat went on. "Toad's rich, we all know that; but his money won't last for ever. Sooner or later, one of two things will happen. He'll kill himself in a crash, or he'll have no money left at all. Badger! We're his friends -- can't we do something?"

"No, no, of course not," the Rat and the Mole said together. Everybody knew that in the animal world the winter was a time for rest and sleep. Nobody wanted to do anything important or tiring.

The two tired animals slept long and deeply, and came down to breakfast very late indeed. In the kitchen they found two young hedgehogs, busy with bowls of bread and hot milk.

"Very well," continued the Badger. "But when the days are longer and warmer, then we'll do something. We -- you and me and our friend the Mole here -- we'll try to teach Toad a lesson. We won't listen to any silliness. We'll bring him back to reason, and turn him into a sensible Toad at last. But now, it's time for bed. Don't hurry tomorrow morning -- come for breakfast as late as you want!"

"Hello!" said the Rat pleasantly. "Where did you two come from? Lost your way in the snow, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir," said one of the hedgehogs politely. "We got lost on the way to school, and Mr Badger said we could come in and have some breakfast."

The breakfast things were all ready on the table, and the Mole and the Rat quickly got to work. The Rat made the coffee while the Mole fried several pieces of bread and an enormous number of eggs.

"Get off!" said the Raf, with his mouth full of fried bread.

When the door bell rang, one of the hedgehogs went to answer the door. He came back followed by the Otter, who gave a shout of happiness when he saw the Rat. He ran across the room and almost knocked the Rat off his chair.

"I thought I'd find you here all right," said the Otter happily. "Everybody along the river bank has been so worried about you. Rat never came home last night, and nor did Mole; something terrible has happened, they said. But if anyone's in trouble, Badger usually gets to hear about it, so I came straight here this morning. And oh my, didn't the Wild Wood look grand, with the snow everywhere and the red sun coming up, shining through the black trees! Halfway here I met one of those silly rabbits. He told me that Mole had lost his way last night, and that "They" were out and chasing him all over the wood. I'd like to meet one of "Them" myself this morning, and tell them what I think."

"This is a wonderful, comfortable home you have here," he said. "There's really nothing better than a place underground like this. You can shut off the world up there when you don't want it. And when you do, you can just go up and there's the world waiting for you."

"Afraid?" The Otter laughed and showed this strong white teeth. "I don't think any of them would argue with me. Here, Mole, be a good fellow and fry me some eggs. I'm terribly hungry, and I've got a lot to talk about with Ratty here. Haven't seen him for weeks."

The hedgehogs were sent home, the breakfast things were cleared away, and soon the four animals sat down to lunch together. The Rat and the Otter were having a long conversation about river-bank matters, so the Mole began to talk to the Badger.

"Weren't you at all -- um -- afraid?" asked the Mole, remembering how frightened he had been.

Breakfast was almost finished when the Badger entered, looking sleepy. "It's nearly time for lunch," he said. "Stay and have some with us, Otter. You must be hungry this cold morning."

The Mole agreed with everything that the Badger said. His own little home was underground, so it was natural for him to feel comfortable there. He and the Badger became very friendly, and after lunch the Badger took him all round his home, down tunnel after tunnel, through room after room. The Mole was interested in everything and thought it was all wonderful.

When they got back to the kitchen, the Rat was walking up and down, very restless. Unlike the Mole, he didn't really feel comfortable underground. He wanted to be back in his own home, where the windows looked out over the river, and where he could hear the wind whispering through the trees.

The Badger smiled warmly at him. "That's just what I say," he replied. "Down here, you're safe and dry and warm. With a house above ground, you've got to worry about fire, and wind and rain, holes in the roof and broken windows. No, above ground is fine in its way, but one's home should be underground."

"Come along, Mole," he said. "We must get off while it's daylight. We don't want to spend another night lost in the Wild Wood."

"It's all right," said the Otter. "I' m coming with you and I know all the paths."

"You mustn't worry, Ratty," added the Badger calmly. "My tunnels go further than you think, and I've several back doors at the edge of the wood -- although I keep them secret from most people."

So the journey home was really very easy. When they came out of the Badger's secret back door, they found a path across the fields and soon they could see the river in front of them. The Mole looked back at the Wild Wood for a moment, thinking of the terror that he had felt there. Then he hurried on after the others, happy to be back in the open fields, and looking forward to the bright firelight of home.