to the land, and, whoever
went, he stayed; still, he could not help noticing what was in the air,
and feeling some of its influence in his bones.

It was difficult to settle down to anything seriously, with all this
flitting going on. Leaving the water-side, where rushes stood thick
and tall in a stream 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. To-day, however, though they were
civil enough, the field-mice and harvest mice seemed pre-occupied.
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 t