be! I have no children waiting for me, innocent
or otherwise! I am a toad--the well-known and popular Mr. Toad, a landed
proprietor; I have just escaped, by my great daring and cleverness, from
a loathsome dungeon into which my enemies had flung me; and if
those fellows on that engine recapture me, it will be chains and
bread-and-water and straw and misery once more for poor, unhappy,
innocent Toad!'

The engine-driver looked down upon him very sternly, and said, 'Now tell
the truth; what were you put in prison for?'

'It was nothing very much,' said poor Toad, colouring deeply. 'I only
borrowed a motorcar while the owners were at lunch; they had no need
of it at the time. I didn't mean to steal it, really; but
people--especially magistrates--take such harsh views of thoughtless and
high-spirited actions.'

The engine-driver looked very grave and said, 'I fear that you have been
indeed a wicked toad, and by rights I ought to give you up to offended
justice. But you are evidently in sore trouble and distress, so I will
not desert you. I don't hold with motor-cars, for one thing; and I don't
hold with being ordered about by policemen when I'm on my own engine,
for another. And the sight of an animal in tears always makes me feel
queer and softhearted. So cheer up, Toad! I'll do my best, and we may
beat them yet!'

They piled on more coals, shovelling furiously; the furnace roared, the
sparks flew, the engine leapt and swung but still their pursuers slowly
gained. The engine-driver, with a sigh, wiped his brow with a handful
of cotton-waste, and said, 'I'm afraid it's no good, Toad. You see, they
are running light, and they have the better engine. There's just one
thing left for us to do, and it's your only chance, so attend very
carefully to what I tell you. A short way ahead of us is a long tunnel,
and on the other side of that the line passes through a thick wood.
Now, I will put on all the speed I can while we are running through the
tunnel, but the other fellows will slow down a bit, naturally, for fear
of an accident. When we are through, I will shut off steam and put on
brakes as hard as I can, and the moment it's safe to do so you must jump
and hide in the wood, before they get through the tunnel and see you.
Then I will go full speed ahead again, and they can chase me if they
like, for as long as they like, and as far as they like. Now mind and be
ready to jump when I tell you!'

They piled on more coals, a