“But as you haven’t,” interrupted the Rat, rather unkindly, “I suppose you’re going to sit on the snow all night and talk ? Get up at once and hang on to that bellpull you see there, and ring hard, as hard as you can, while I hammer!”

While the Rat attacked the door with his stick, the Mole sprang up at the bellpull, clutched it and swung there, both feet well off the ground, and from quite a long way off they could faintly hear a deep-toned bell respond.