Mole lay on the riverbank.
Rat was away visiting Otter.
"Oh, why didn't I go with Rat?" said Mole.
"He's late, and now the sun is setting."
At last Mole heard Rat's footsteps.
Rat sat down beside him.
"Why did you stay so long?" asked Mole.
"I had to," said Rat.
"Otter is in trouble."
"What is it?" asked Mole.
"Otter's son, Little Portly," said Rat.
"He's missing again."
"Oh, Portly is always running off," said Mole.
"I know," said Rat.
"And he always comes back," said Mole.
"But Portly has been missing for days," said Rat.
Mole listened closely to Rat's news.
"Otter looked everywhere," said Rat.
"He asked every animal.
No one saw Little Portly anywhere."
"What will Otter do?" asked Mole.
"Otter goes to the old bridge," said Rat.
"He taught Portly to swim there.
Portly caught his first fish there too."
"It's a place Portly remembers," said Mole.
"Yes, Portly loves the old bridge," said Rat.
"Otter waits there every night."
Rat and Mole sat quietly for a while.
They both imagined Otter at the bridge.
They thought of him worrying all night.
"Rat," said Mole, "we just can't go to bed."
"I agree," said Rat.
"Let's find Portly."