Rat stuck out a brown paw.
He grabbed Toad by the neck.
"Here you go, Toad!" said Rat.
Rat pulled Toad into his hole.
"Oh Ratty!" cried Toad.
"My life has been awful!
Everyone was chasing me!
I've suffered so much!"
"Well, you're safe now," said Rat.
Rat patted Toad's head.
Then Toad smiled proudly.
"I escaped from jail!" he shouted.
"And I stole a horse!
Oh, I am a clever Toad!
I'll tell you all about it!"
"Wait," said Rat, holding up a paw.
"First, go change your clothes."
"What?" asked Toad, confused.
"You look like a washwoman," said Rat.
Toad held up a corner of his dress.
"Oh this," he said shyly.
"It's a long story. I—"
"Stop talking and clean yourself up!" said Rat.
"You look a mess!"
"Now, Rat," said Toad, getting angry.
Then he saw himself in the mirror.
"Oh my," said Toad.
"I do look awful."
He ran to the bedroom to wash up.
Toad put on some of Rat's best clothes.
He looked in the mirror again.
"I'm so handsome!" he said.
"Who could think I was a washwoman?"