"Oh, Rat," Mole cried.
"I've been so scared!"
Mole was shivering and tired.
Rat patted him.
"I tried to warn you, Mole," said Rat.
"We Riverbankers never come here by ourselves."
"I'm sorry, Rat," cried Mole.
"It can be a dangerous place," said Rat.
"There are tricks for hiking in the Wild Wood."
"Tricks?" said Mole.
"You need to know certain words.
You need special plants to carry.
You need to know the sounds in the wood.
It's easy if you know these things," said Rat.
"If you don't, you can get into big trouble."
"I bet Toad comes here by himself," said Mole.
"Old Toad?" Rat laughed.
"He wouldn't come here for a bag of gold!"
Mole was cheered by Rat's laugh.
"Come on, then," said Rat.
"It's time to go home.
We can't stay here at night.
It's too cold."
Rat poked his head out of the hollow tree.
"Oh no," said Rat.
"What's up, Ratty?" asked Mole.
"Snow is up," replied Rat.
"I mean down.
Snow is falling everywhere."
Mole looked out of the hollow.
The forest was covered in white.
Big white snowflakes filled the air.
"It's beautiful," said Mole.
"Yes, you're right," said Rat, sounding worried.
"The snow makes everything look different."
"What's the matter?" asked Mole.
"Now even I can't tell where we are!" said Rat.