edge into a hole in the river
bank, a little above the water. The Mole and the Rat followed
silently, swinging themselves successfully into the hole as they had
seen the Badger do; but when it came to Toad's turn, of course he
managed to slip and fall into the water with a loud splash and a
squeal of alarm. He was hauled out by his friends, rubbed down and
wrung out hastily, comforted, and set on his legs; but the Badger was
seriously angry, and told him that the very next time he made a
fool of himself he would most certainly be left behind.

[Illustration: _The Badger said, "Now then, follow me!"_]

So at last they were in the secret passage, and the cutting-out
expedition had really begun!

It was cold, and dark, and damp, and low, and narrow, and poor Toad
began to shiver, partly from dread of what might be before him, partly
because he was wet through. The lantern was far ahead, and he could
not help lagging behind a little in the darkness. Then he heard the
Rat call out warningly, "_Come_ on, Toad!" and a terror seized him of
being left behind, alone in the darkness, and he "came on" with such a
rush that he upset the Rat into the Mole, and the Mole into the
Badger, and for a moment all was confusion. The Badger thought they
were being attacked from behind, and, as there was no room to use a
stick or a cutlass, drew a pistol, and was on the point of putting a
bullet into Toad. When he found out what had really happened he was
very angry indeed, and said, "Now this time that tiresome Toad _shall_
be left behind!"

But Toad whimpered, and the other two promised that they would be
answerable for his good conduct, and at last the Badger was pacified,
and the procession moved on; only this time the Rat brought up the
rear, with a firm grip on the shoulder of Toad.

So they groped and shuffled along, with their ears pricked up and
their paws on their pistols, till at last the Badger said, "We ought
by now to be pretty nearly under the Hall."

Then suddenly they heard, far away as it might be, and yet apparently
nearly over their heads, a confused murmur of sound, as if people were
shouting and cheering and stamping on the floor and hammering on
tables. The Toad's nervous terrors all returned, but the Badger only
remarked placidly, "They _are_ going it, the weasels!"

The passage now began to slope upwards; they groped onward a little
further, and then the noise broke out again, quite distinct this time,
and ve