While Mole shivered in the Wild Wood, Rat dozed.
Suddenly the fire crackled loudly.
Rat woke with a start.
The house was quiet.
"Mole! Moly!" Rat shouted.
He got up.
"Mole's hat is gone," he said.
"Mole's boots are not by the door.
I bet he's gone to the Wild Wood," Rat said.
Rat put on his coat.
He grabbed the biggest club from his closet.
"I hope Mole is safe," Rat said to himself.
Rat set out for the Wild Wood.
Inside the gloomy forest, wicked faces appeared.
But they disappeared when they saw Rat's club.
"Moly, Moly, Moly! Where are you!
It's me. It's old Rat!" Rat called out.
Rat searched every trail in the woods.
"Mole must have left the path," he said.
"Well, that means I will too."
Rat stepped off the path.
Rat looked behind rocks.
He looked under piles of leaves.
Then he heard a faint, scared voice.
"Ratty?" the voice said.
"Is that really you?"
Rat turned. Ahead was a hollow tree.
Rat went carefully to the tree and crept inside.
There was poor Mole, shaking with fear.