The Farthing Wood Collection 1 (32 page)

Now Whistler felt he must atone for his error. He came sailing back after the frightened boys and stabbed at them with his pointed beak, with the idea of making them drop Toad. So vicious were his attacks that this ploy met with quick success. All the jars were dropped by the shrieking boys, the one carrying Toad rolling down the bank and landing with a plop in the stream. There it was buffeted and swept along by the current, the jar pivoting end to end as it spun away.

Inside the jar Toad was stunned, dazed, stupefied. One minute the jar had been standing on end on the bank, then it had been grabbed up in the air and he had bobbed up and down while the boy ran with it; then it had fallen with a thud to the ground, rolled over and over and now was racing along on the water, the reeds and rushes shooting past on either side of his clear glass prison. He did not know that any of his friends were involved in the events, for all had happened too quickly. The next thing he knew the jar came to rest against a submerged barrier in the water. He looked out of the glass and saw two stilt-like legs pressed against the side. Then down came a huge beak and Toad, jar and all, was hoisted up, higher and higher and higher still into the sky.

‘Don’t drop him!’ shouted Fox. ‘Carry him to the Park!’

‘And back to the Park with us!’ cried Badger. ‘The party is complete!’

Once safely inside the Park fence again, the five friends made for the Hollow. Whistler carefully deposited the jar on the ground and they all stood looking at it. By now Toad had recognized the faces and was leaping about desperately.

‘Now what do we do?’ Kestrel queried. Whistler was resting his aching beak and was unable to speak. The three animals stared at Toad and frowned. Toad settled down and stared back.

Eventually Whistler said, ‘The other toad came to no harm when I dropped it. May I suggest a repeat performance?’

Fox shook his head. ‘No. We can’t risk it. The other
toad was lucky not to have been cut by the glass. But it may not be such a lucky drop again.’

‘Well, I’m afraid if that lid doesn’t come off soon, Toad might suffocate,’ Badger said worriedly. ‘We don’t know how long he’s been in there.’

‘What if we found a large stone and dropped it on the jar?’ Kestrel suggested.

‘Who could carry such a stone?’ Fox asked. ‘And it would be even more dangerous for Toad inside.’

‘I think there’s only one way he’ll get out of there,’ Vixen said.

‘Well, Vixen, what is it?’ Fox asked quickly.

‘The Warden,’ she replied.

‘Bravo!’ cried Badger. ‘We’ll take the jar to him. He can open it.’

‘Well, Counsellor, you’ve done it again,’ Fox smiled at her. ‘Whistler, are you up to portering a little further?’

‘The heart is always willing, my dear Fox. But my poor bill does the carrying,’ he answered. ‘However, if it’s a case of life and death ….’

‘I’m afraid it is,’ said Fox. ‘We’ll meet you at the cottage.’

So once again the baffled and desperate Toad was hoisted into the air, and once again the ground rushed away from beneath him. The next time he was set down he was terrified to see a cat’s face come and peer at him, and he became more frantic than ever. Whistler stood by the side of the jar enigmatically. His large size made him quite fearless of the Warden’s pet. He knew Fox, Badger and Vixen would be a long time arriving for, even without snow on the ground, the journey was a considerable one. Kestrel discreetly stayed well out of the way.

‘Whatever have you got here?’ Ginger Cat whispered, prowling all round the container.

‘An old friend of mine,’ answered Whistler, ‘who’s got himself into a spot of bother.’

‘He has, hasn’t he? He won’t get out of there very easily.’

‘Not on his own, no. Is your master within?’

‘I have no –’ Ginger Cat began, then shrugged. ‘I believe so,’ he finished. ‘I see now. You want his assistance. Bring that object outside the door, and I’ll try to attract his attention.’

Whistler complied, and Ginger Cat commenced an almighty howling outside the cottage door. There was no response. ‘I’ll have to fetch him,’ he said, and squeezed through the cat flap. Whistler heard more miaowing and wailing going on inside and then, at last, the door opened. Ginger Cat stepped daintily out, followed by a puzzled Warden.

The man looked down and saw a sedentary heron guarding a large glass jar with something inside it. He did not know what to make of such a sight. Whistler decided to give him a clue. ‘Kraaank,’ he cried raucously, and pushed the jar towards the man’s feet. The man bent and picked up the jar and saw the toad inside. Whistler snapped his bill excitedly, producing a sound like a Castanet. The man looked at him and looked back at the jar. He knew herons ate creatures like frogs and could only surmise it had discovered this titbit and could not get at it. He unscrewed the lid and gently tipped Toad out, intending to save him from the two predators at hand. But before he could pick up the small creature, Toad leapt away as fast as he could, making for cover.

Ginger Cat saw the movement and made as if to pounce. But Whistler forestalled him. ‘Leave it all to me, Toad, my friend,’ he said and carefully lowered his beak. The Warden watched enthralled as the heron, instead of gobbling the morsel straight down its gullet
as he had expected, gently took it up and flew away into the centre of the Park.

Fox, Badger and Vixen saw Whistler coming, carrying Toad, and ceased to run. Then they made a circle round Toad as he put his feet hesitantly on the ground, and gave him encouraging licks.

‘Dear old Toad,’ said Badger, almost overcome. ‘What an adventure you’ve had! Oh, it’s good to have you safe with us.’

‘Thank you, Badger, thank you,’ said Toad. ‘And, Whistler, thank you most of all. I never thought I would see any of you again.’

‘Why did you do it? Why did you leave the Park?’ Fox asked. ‘We came looking for you this morning at the Pond and Adder said you had gone.’

‘I just can’t stop myself, Fox,’ Toad answered. ‘I know it’s silly, but in the spring I feel I have to go home. I seem to lose all control over myself. It’s like being taken over by some kind of Power, much greater and stronger than I am.’

‘But this is your home now,’ said Badger. ‘There
is
no other home for you. Your birthplace no longer exists.’

‘I know. I know it. But I
have
to go.’

‘Well, you see what happens when you stray outside the safety of the Reserve,’ Fox admonished him. ‘You’re lucky to be back here.’

‘Oh, don’t you think I know it? You’re all so sensible. Everything you say is true. You’ll have to restrain me.’

‘Perhaps we should have kept you in the jar until you can see sense,’ Badger said and laughed.

‘If only Adder had been awake when I woke,’ Toad said, ‘he might have dissuaded me. Oh, it’s wonderful to see you all. Where are the others? Are they all right?’

‘Not all of them,’ Vixen said quietly. ‘It was a cruel
winter, Toad. Some of your friends are no longer around to welcome you back.’

‘But – but – surely –’ he stammered, ‘there are – more – than just – you four?’

‘Oh
yes
,’ Fox said reassuringly. ‘You’ve already seen Kestrel. And there’s Mole and Hare and his family – well, less one actually – and
most
of the rabbits and squirrels and Weasel, of course. And Tawny Owl – he’s indestructible.’

‘And all the mice?’

‘Er – no, not all. Well, not many, really. They took it the hardest.’

‘The hedgehogs?’

‘Yes, yes, the hedgehogs are all right. They slept through it all, just like you and Adder.’

‘And then, Toad, off you were going to go without even coming to see if we were still alive?’ Badger said pointedly.

‘Oh, Badger! I feel so guilty,’ said the wretched animal. ‘How could I? Never to know what you’ve all suffered!’

His friends fell silent as they watched Toad’s anguish.

Badger, compassionate as always, spoke first. ‘What can we do to help?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know,’ croaked Toad miserably. ‘Except not to let me out of your sight – at least until the mating season’s over.’

‘Well, well, perhaps we can keep shifts,’ Badger said jokingly.

‘We’ve a lot more to tell you about our months without you,’ said Fox. ‘And Adder hasn’t heard the tale yet. You’ll both want to meet up with all the others again, won’t you? I think we should all meet in the Hollow just like we used to. We haven’t all been together since last autumn.’

‘An excellent idea,’ agreed Badger. ‘We must pass the word. Er – Toad, I want you to stay with me for the time being. For safety’s sake, you know. Would you care to climb on my back?’

While his friends had been thus occupied, Kestrel had continued in his usual pastime of skimming over the Reserve on effortless wings, soaring and diving again. But he saw something that made him drop earthwards in curiosity. Through the gap in the fence where Fox, Badger and Vixen had recently passed in and out of the Park now came a solitary, plump toad – the very one Whistler had rescued and then dropped. Kestrel landed and spoke to the stranger.

‘Are you seeking sanctuary here now?’ he asked. ‘You’d be wise to do so.’

‘In a way,’ replied the toad. ‘This is my home. I was born here in the pond. It’s spring and I’ve been travelling towards it since I came out of hibernation. During the summer I wander quite a way and last winter I hibernated outside the Park.’

Kestrel was struck by the irony of the opposing directions Toad and the stranger had taken to return to their respective birthplaces, meeting in the middle, as it were, by the brook-side. ‘How strange,’ he murmured. The toad gave him a quizzical look which prompted him to explain.

‘Yes, that is the way of things,’ said the toad. ‘We didn’t speak. I was already in a jar when the young humans caught your friend. I believe he’d been swimming in the stream.’

‘So you are returning to mate?’ Kestrel asked.

‘Yes. I’m full of spawn at this time of year,’ replied the toad, revealing that she was a female. ‘When I’m
paired the eggs will be released in the water and fertilized by my mate.’

Kestrel glared at the toad. An idea had struck him. ‘I beg your pardon,’ he said. ‘I’m not an expert amphibia. I hadn’t realized you are a lady toad. What are you called?’

‘Paddock,’ she replied.

‘I’m delighted to have had this talk,’ said Kestrel. ‘And I think our friend will be interested to hear about it.’

‘May I say how grateful I am for my rescue,’ said Paddock. ‘Now my babies will be born in safety.’

‘I hope we may meet again,’ the hawk said courteously. ‘But now I’ll leave you to continue your journey.’ He spread his wings again.

In the air he floated blissfully on warm currents, thinking hard. Unexpectedly, he had perhaps discovered the one thing that might keep Toad in White Deer Park. The pull of Farthing Pond could perhaps be surmounted by Toad’s desire for a mate.

No sooner had Kestrel come to this conclusion than he went in search of Fox, who told him that Toad had been restored to them. The hawk described his discussion with Paddock and asked Fox’s opinion of his idea.

‘Kestrel, I really think you’ve hit upon something,’ he replied. ‘After all, the sole reason for these journeys of toads and frogs to their home ponds is to breed. We’ll introduce a dash of romance into our friend’s life.’

‘Where
is
Toad?’ asked Kestrel. ‘Perhaps we should intercept Paddock’s journey to the pond before any other male shows interest.’

‘A good point,’ acknowledged Fox. ‘Come on. He’s with Badger.’

‘By the set they found Toad talking to an excited
Mole. Badger was doing the rounds of the Farthing Wood animals, now back in their individual homes, to tell them of the meeting in the Hollow.

‘Isn’t it grand to have Toad back?’ Mole chattered. ‘It’s just like old times.’

‘Did Badger get tired of carrying you?’ Fox asked Toad with a grin.

‘He made me get down,’ Toad said ruefully. ‘He said I was tugging at his coat so. It’s my grasping pads, you see.’ He held up his horny front feet, one at a time, to demonstrate. ‘They become very developed at this time of year. That’s so that we males can hang on tight to our mates and not get separated.’