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The River Bank
Whenallwasready,theRatsaid,"Now,pitchin,oldfellow!"andtheMolewasindeedverygladtoobey,forhehadstartedhisspring-cleaningataveryearlyhourthatmorning,aspeoplewilldo,andhadnotpausedforbiteorsup;andhehadbeenthroughaverygreatdealsincethatdistanttimewhichnowseemedsomanydaysago.
"Whatareyoulookingat?"saidtheRatpresently,whentheedgeoftheirhungerwassomewhatdulled,andtheMole’seyeswereabletowanderoffthetable-clothalittle.
"Iamlooking,"saidtheMole,"atastreakofbubblesthatIseetravellingalongthesurfaceofthewater.Thatisathingthatstrikesmeasfunny."
"Bubbles?Oho!"saidtheRat,andchirrupedcheerilyinaninvitingsortofway.
Abroadglisteningmuzzleshoweditselfabovetheedgeofthebank,andtheOtterhauledhimselfoutandshookthewaterfromhiscoat.
"Greedybeggars!"heobserved,makingfortheprovender."Whydidn’tyouinviteme,Ratty?"
"Thiswasanimpromptuaffair,"explainedtheRat."Bytheway—myfriendMr.Mole."
"Proud,I’msure,"saidtheOtter,andthetwoanimalswerefriendsforthwith.
"Sucharumpuseverywhere!"continuedtheOtter."Alltheworldseemsoutontheriverto-day.
