“My young friend,” said the Badger, with great severity, “your father, who was a worthy animal⁠—a lot worthier than some others I know⁠—was a particular friend of mine, and told me a great deal he wouldn’t have dreamt of telling you. He discovered that passage⁠—he didn’t make it, of course; that was done hundreds of years before he ever came to live there⁠—and he repaired it and cleaned it out, because he thought it might come in useful some day, in case of trouble or danger; and he showed it to me. ‘Don’t let my son know about it,’ he said. ‘He’s a good boy, but very light and volatile in character, and simply cannot hold his tongue. If he’s ever in a real fix, and it would be of use to him, you may tell him about the secret passage; but not before.’ ”

The other animals looked hard at Toad to see how he would take it. Toad was inclined to be sulky at first; but he brightened up immediately, like the good fellow he was.