Toad Triumphant Read online

  Printed in the United States of America

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission

  except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  For information, address

  St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Horwood, William

  Toad triumphant/William Horwood; illustrated by

  Patrick Benson.

  p. cm.

  "A Thomas Dunne book."

  Summary: When a formidable female enters

  the comfortable bachelor world of the River

  Bank and seems to win Toad's heart, his

  companions attempt to save their infatuated

  friend from himself.

  Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger.

  ISBN:0-312-18304-6

  [1.Bachelors-Fiction. 2. Friendship-Fiction.

  3. Animals-Fiction.]

  I. Benson, Patrick, ill. II Title

  PZ7 H7928To 1996

  [Fic]-dc20 96-8700

  CIP

  AC

  First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Publishers.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Also by William Horwood

  Contents

  . . .

  I In Mr. Road's Garden

  II Mole in the Doldrums

  III A Last-Minute Delay

  IV The Madame

  V Summer Journey

  VI Cupid's Arrow

  VII At the Sign of the Hat and Boot

  VIII In Pursuit of Love

  IX The Lathbury Pike

  X In Loco Parentis

  XI Breach of Promise

  XII Toad Triumphant

  Copyright