FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108  
109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   >>   >|  
tream that was becoming sluggish and low, he wandered country-wards, crossed a field or two of pasturage already looking dusty and parched, and thrust into the great sea of wheat, yellow, wavy, and murmurous, full of quiet motion and small whisperings. Here he often loved to wander, through the forest of stiff strong stalks that carried their own golden sky away over his head--a sky that was always dancing, shimmering, softly talking; or swaying strongly to the passing wind and recovering itself with a toss and a merry laugh. Here, too, he had many small friends, a society complete in itself, leading full and busy lives, but always with a spare moment to gossip, and exchange news with a visitor. Today, however, though they were civil enough, the field-mice and harvest-mice seemed preoccupied. Many were digging and tunnelling busily; others, gathered together in small groups, examined plans and drawings of small flats, stated to be desirable and compact, and situated conveniently near the Stores. Some were hauling out dusty trunks and dress-baskets, others were already elbow-deep packing their belongings; while everywhere piles and bundles of wheat, oats, barley, beech-mast and nuts, lay about ready for transport. 'Here's old Ratty!' they cried as soon as they saw him. 'Come and bear a hand, Rat, and don't stand about idle!' 'What sort of games are you up to?' said the Water Rat severely. 'You know it isn't time to be thinking of winter quarters yet, by a long way!' 'O yes, we know that,' explained a field-mouse rather shamefacedly; 'but it's always as well to be in good time, isn't it? We really MUST get all the furniture and baggage and stores moved out of this before those horrid machines begin clicking round the fields; and then, you know, the best flats get picked up so quickly nowadays, and if you're late you have to put up with ANYTHING; and they want such a lot of doing up, too, before they're fit to move into. Of course, we're early, we know that; but we're only just making a start.' 'O, bother STARTS,' said the Rat. 'It's a splendid day. Come for a row, or a stroll along the hedges, or a picnic in the woods, or something.' 'Well, I THINK not TO-DAY, thank you,' replied the field-mouse hurriedly. 'Perhaps some OTHER day--when we've more TIME----' The Rat, with a snort of contempt, swung round to go, tripped over a hat-box, and fell, with undignified remarks. 'If people would be more careful,' said
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108  
109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

fields

 

horrid

 
stores
 

furniture

 

baggage

 

machines

 

clicking

 

severely

 

people

 
thinking

careful

 
winter
 
quarters
 
explained
 
shamefacedly
 

stroll

 

hedges

 

picnic

 

replied

 

hurriedly


tripped

 

contempt

 

Perhaps

 

splendid

 

ANYTHING

 

nowadays

 

picked

 

remarks

 
undignified
 

quickly


making

 

STARTS

 

bother

 

softly

 
shimmering
 
talking
 

swaying

 
passing
 
strongly
 

dancing


carried
 
golden
 

recovering

 

leading

 

complete

 

moment

 

society

 

friends

 

stalks

 

strong