He grew very restless, for it was a long time before Grandfather Mole appeared. But at last the old gentleman's head came popping up out of the ground, and the owner of the head cried, "Here I am! And I'm glad to see you haven't kept me waiting, young man. I dug so fast I was afraid I'd get here before you did."
Really, he had made astonishing speed for one who had tunnelled his way under[p. 18]ground. And being a polite person, Jimmy Rabbit could only tell Grandfather Mole that he had been very quick.
"And now we're this far," Grandfather Mole remarked, "I'd like to stroll over in the meadow—if that suits you."
Jimmy Rabbit said that it did. There was clover in the meadow. And he had waited so long for Grandfather Mole that he had begun to feel hungry again. A luncheon of clover-tops! It would be exactly what he needed.
"Then let's be on our way!" Grandfather Mole cried again. "I'll join you on the other side of the duck-pond!"
V
JIMMY RABBIT CAN'T WAIT
After telling Jimmy Rabbit that he would meet him on the other side of the duck-pond, Grandfather Mole waded into the water and started to swim across.