The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Page 3

the cat demanded.
"That would be hard to tell," Mr. Crow answered.
Farmer Green's cat had never liked Mr. Crow, for no particular reason. And now she certainly had a very special reason for being angry with him.
"It's all your fault," she scolded. "If you hadn't spoken to me I'd never have taken my eyes off Grandfather Mole.... The least you can do," she added, "is to tell me this instant where Grandfather Mole is."
"I've already told you," Mr. Crow reminded her. "He's here in the garden. Find him if you can!"
At that Farmer Green's cat began to run up and down between the rows of vegetables. But she had no luck at all. So after a while she came back and told Mr. Crow that she didn't believe him.
"Tut, tut!" said Mr. Crow. "You haven't looked in the right place."
"I've searched the whole garden!" the cat cried.
"Oh, no!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "You've looked only on top of the ground. If you want to find Grandfather Mole you must look beneath the surface."
The cat was greatly disappointed when she heard that.
"You don't mean to say that he went into a hole, do you?" she asked.
"I do," Mr. Crow declared.
"I don't see one anywhere," she said.
"If I had I'd have been more careful how I let him run about."
"Ah!" said Mr. Crow. "I see you don't know that Grandfather Mole always carries a hole around with him, wherever he goes. He believes in having one handy, in case of sudden need."
"I didn't see it," the cat told him angrily.
"Of course not!" Mr. Crow agreed. "How could you see a hole until it's put in a certain place, ready to use?"
Well, the cat was puzzled. Somehow she couldn't quite understand Mr. Crow's remarks. And yet there seemed some sense in them, too. But she pretended that she understood, because she didn't want him to think she was stupid. And without thanking him for his explanation (for she was still angry) she turned and went off towards the meadow.
The whole affair amused Mr. Crow greatly. It kept him in a good humor all that day. And he went about telling everybody how Grandfather Mole had dug himself out of sight in the garden, almost under the cat's nose.
For that was exactly what had happened.

IV
A NEW WAY OF TAKING A STROLL
GRANDFATHER MOLE was digging a new gallery under the garden, leading out from his house into a field of corn, where he expected to find a good many fine grubs.
His work was half done, and he was under the cabbage-patch, when he found himself in the open air. Farmer Green's hired man's hoe had left a small hollow between two heads of cabbage; and as luck had it, Grandfather Mole's gallery led straight into it. So the first thing he knew, there he was right out in the light of early morning! And somebody called out in a cheery sort of voice, "How-dy-do, Grandfather Mole! It's a pleasure to see you! And isn't this a beautiful day?"
Grandfather Mole knew at once that he had nothing to fear, for he recognized Jimmy Rabbit's voice. And he knew, too, without being told, that he was in the cabbage-patch. For Jimmy Rabbit could be nowhere else at breakfast time.
"Good morning!" said Grandfather Mole. "I hope you are enjoying your breakfast."
"I am," Jimmy Rabbit answered. "And as soon as I've finished this leaf I'm eating now, I'm going to take a stroll. Won't you join me?"
"I don't care if I do," said Grandfather Mole--meaning that he'd be glad to walk with Jimmy. And in about half a minute Jimmy Rabbit said he was ready.
"Very well!" Grandfather Mole told him. "Let's be on our way! I'll see you at the edge of the duck-pond." And to Jimmy Rabbit's amazement he stuck his nose straight down into the loose dirt, thrust out his strong fore-feet, and was out of sight before Jimmy Rabbit could speak.
The duck-pond was just beyond the garden fence. And since Grandfather Mole had accepted Jimmy's invitation there was nothing for Jimmy Rabbit to do but to go to the edge of the pond and wait.
He grew very restless, for it was a long time before Grandfather Mole appeared. But at last the old gentleman's head came popping up out of the ground, and the owner of the head cried, "Here I am! And I'm glad to see you haven't kept me waiting, young man. I dug so fast I was afraid I'd get here before you did."
Really, he had made astonishing speed for one who had tunnelled his way underground. And being a polite person, Jimmy Rabbit could only tell Grandfather Mole that he had been very quick.
"And now we're this far," Grandfather Mole remarked, "I'd like to stroll over in the meadow--if that suits you."
Jimmy Rabbit said