nd don't chuckle and splutter in your coffee while
you're talking; it's not manners. What I mean is, the Banquet will be
at night, of course, but the invitations will have to be written and
got off at once, and you've got to write 'em. Now sit down at that
table--there's stacks of letter-paper on it, with 'Toad Hall' at the
top in blue and gold--and write invitations to all our friends, and if
you stick to it we shall get them out before luncheon. And _I'll_ bear
a hand, too, and take my share of the burden. _I'll_ order the
Banquet."

"What!" cried Toad, dismayed. "Me stop indoors and write a lot of
rotten letters on a jolly morning like this, when I want to go around
my property and set everything and everybody to rights, and swagger
about and enjoy myself! Certainly not! I'll be--I'll see you--Stop a
minute, though! Why, of course, dear Badger! What is my pleasure or
convenience compared with that of others! You wish it done, and it
shall be done. Go, Badger, order the Banquet, order what you like;
then join our young friends outside in their innocent mirth, oblivious
of me and my cares and toils. I sacrifice this fair morning on the
altar of duty and friendship!"

The Badger looked at him very suspiciously, but Toad's frank, open
countenance made it difficult to suggest any unworthy motive in this
change of attitude. He quitted the room, accordingly, in the direction
of the kitchen, and as soon as the door had closed behind him, Toad
hurried to the writing-table. A fine idea had occurred to him while he
was talking. He _would_ write the invitations; and he would take care
to mention the leading part he had taken in the fight, and how he had
laid the Chief Weasel flat; and he would hint at his adventures, and
what a career of triumph he had to tell about; and on the fly-leaf he
would set out a sort of a programme of entertainment for the
evening--something like this, as he sketched it out in his head:--

SPEECH BY TOAD.
(There will be other speeches by TOAD during
the evening.)

ADDRESS BY TOAD.
SYNOPSIS--Our Prison System--the Waterways of Old
England--Horse-dealing, and how to deal--Property,
its rights and its duties--Back to the Land--A
Typical English Squire.

SONG BY TOAD.
(_Composed