Surprised, Toad looked at Rat.
"What do you mean?" asked Toad.
"What haven’t I heard?"
"I thought you knew," said Rat.
"Go on, Ratty," said Toad. "Tell me!"
"It’s the weasels and ferrets," said Rat.
"The Wild-Wooders?" cried Toad, turning pale.
"What have they done?"
"I don’t know how to tell you," said Rat.
Rat stood up from the table.
He walked back and forth.
"Tell me, please!" said Toad.
"They took over Toad Hall!" said Rat.
"My beautiful Toad Hall?" cried Toad.
A big tear formed in each eye.
The tears splashed on the table: plop, plop!
"The police caught you," said Rat.
"Everyone here heard the news.
All the Riverbankers were on your side."
Toad smiled proudly.
"But the weasels called you a thief!" said Rat.
"The ferrets said you would go to jail!
They said you would never come back!"
Toad nodded sadly.
"Mole and Badger moved into Toad Hall," said Rat.
"They knew you would come home.
They watched your house for you."
"What great friends," said Toad.
"But one night," said Rat,
"the Wild-Wooders came with guns."
"Those bullies!" cried Toad.