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`--Let me sing you a little song,' went on the voice, `which I have composed on the subject of Toad'--(prolonged applause). |
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Then the Chief Weasel--for it was he--began in a high, squeaky voice-- |
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`Toad he went a-pleasuring Gaily down the street--' |
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The Badger drew himself up, took a firm grip of his stick with both paws, glanced round at his comrades, and cried-- |
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`The hour is come! Follow me!' |
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And flung the door open wide. |
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My! |
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What a squealing and a squeaking and a screeching filled the air! |
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Well might the terrified weasels dive under the tables and spring madly up at the windows! Well might the ferrets rush wildly for the fireplace and get hopelessly jammed in the chimney! Well might tables and chairs be upset, and glass and china be sent crashing on the floor, in the panic of that terrible moment when the four Heroes strode wrathfully into the room! The mighty Badger, his whiskers bristling, his great cudgel whistling through the air; Mole, black and grim, brandishing his stick and shouting his awful war-cry, `A Mole! A Mole!' Rat; desperate and determined, his belt bulging with weapons of every age and every variety; Toad, frenzied with excitement and injured pride, swollen to twice his ordinary size, leaping into the air and emitting Toad-whoops that chilled them to the marrow! `Toad he went a-pleasuring!' he yelled. `I'LL pleasure 'em!' and he went straight for the Chief Weasel. They were but four in all, but to the panic-stricken weasels the hall seemed full of monstrous animals, grey, black, brown and yellow, whooping and flourishing enormous cudgels; and they broke and fled with squeals of terror and dismay, this way and that, through the windows, up the chimney, anywhere to get out of reach of those terrible sticks. |
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