The tales of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad. Mole goes boating with the Water Rat instead of spring-cleaning; Toad's craze for fast travel leads him and his friends on a whirl of trains, barges, gypsy caravans and stolen motor cars - and even into battle! Ratty and Mole become lost in the snowy woods and find a haven with wise Mr. Badger; and on a search for missing little Portly, the otter, there is a magical encounter with the Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Illustrated by Ernst. H. Shepard.