Ветер в ивах

           Thefront-doorbellclangedloudly,andtheRat,whowasverygreasywithbutteredtoast,sentBilly,thesmallerhedgehog,toseewhoitmightbe.Therewasasoundofmuchstampinginthehall,andpresentlyBillyreturnedinfrontoftheOtter,whothrewhimselfontheRatwithanembraceandashoutofaffectionategreeting.

           "Getoff!"splutteredtheRat,withhismouthfull.

           "ThoughtIshouldfindyouhereallright,"saidtheOttercheerfully."TheywereallinagreatstateofalarmalongRiverBankwhenIarrivedthismorning.Ratneverbeenhomeallnight—norMoleeither—somethingdreadfulmusthavehappened,theysaid;andthesnowhadcoveredupallyourtracks,ofcourse.ButIknewthatwhenpeoplewereinanyfixtheymostlywenttoBadger,orelseBadgergottoknowofitsomehow,soIcamestraightoffhere,throughtheWildWoodandthesnow!My!itwasfine,comingthroughthesnowastheredsunwasrisingandshowingagainsttheblacktree-trunks!Asyouwentalonginthestillness,everynowandthenmassesofsnowslidoffthebranchessuddenlywithaflop!makingyoujumpandrunforcover.Snow-castlesandsnow-cavernshadsprungupoutofnowhereinthenight—andsnowbridges,terraces,ramparts—Icouldhavestayedandplayedwiththemforhours.Hereandtheregreatbrancheshadbeentornawaybythesheerweightofthesnow,androbinsperchedandhoppedonthemintheirperkyconceitedway,justasiftheyhaddoneitthemselves.