Chapter 4 - Portly Brings News

Late the following morning Badger and Radagast were still discussing all that they had seen and heard the previous night. Badger wanted to know about his visitor being "set upon". Radagast was concerned that the whole Wild Wood knew his name and where he was. Badger tried to re-assure him: "Ma was just putting two and two together; she had heard about a stranger being attacked and when she saw that brooch she realised that it was you. She is very sharp you know. And none of the others knew you, that was clear; nor will Ma tell them, apart from that daughter of hers who can keep a secret just as well as her mother. We did ask her not to talk, and she won't. But I still don't understand why. What are you afraid of? You are a wizard, and no ordinary one if there is such a thing."

The wizard was not reassured. "What she has worked out others will too. Moreover, the ferrets at least know that there is a stranger in the wood and what he looks like and that he is with Badger. My attempt to go under cover is a miserable failure. I was able to avoid the notice of all those rabbits, but the ferrets were much too alert."

They still hadn't got round to discussing Toad or Toad Hall when the front door bell rang. Badger went to investigate while the wizard stayed where he was. Radagast heard a muttered conversation which went on for some time, and then a young otter preceded Badger back into the room. "This is Portly, Otter's oldest" announced the badger. "We can trust him completely."

Portly looked pleased as Punch with this praise. "My father sent me with a message for Mister Badger; we had no idea that you were here. Pleased to meet you sir."

Badger prompted: "Otter's news is bit unexpected to say the least."

Portly took a deep breath. "The authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of a 'Radagast von Braun' on suspicion of spying! Father had heard talk of strangers in the area, and he sent me out to go round the wood to let people know. Naturally, I started with Mister Badger."

Badger explained "Otter is a magistrate and takes his role very seriously."

"There's more" said Portly. "Father says that wanted posters are already up around town, and he has to get some on view in the village and the post office. And he's been told that the newspaper will be offering a reward; you know: 'for information received leading to the apprehension of the miscreant'."

Badger shook his head. "Seems that you were right Radagast. I can trust the ferrets up to a point, but not when it comes to money. Someone who saw us last night is bound to 'shop' you, even if Ma forbids it. We'll have to find somewhere else for you to hide."

Portly agreed to tell no one, not even his father, and left to pass on his father's message to other eminent citizens. He would return later.

Over lunch Badger and the wizard had much to talk about. Radagast explained that two mornings ago he had been walking in a narrow lane with high banks on both sides, somewhere near the river, when men holding swords came up behind him, and men with pistols appeared in front. "Fortunately they must have been sent to take me alive. I couldn't agree to that so I attacked them with my staff. I put my full power into it and sent the men in front reeling. Then yet more men appeared above the hedgerows; all I could think of was to leave my staff behind as a diversion and run for it. I gave them the slip and entered the Wild Wood."

"A diversion, how so?"

"For a minute or so they were all convinced that the staff was me! By the time they had realised that they had wrestled a wooden pole to the ground I was out of sight."

"And they can't wield your staff themselves?"

"Only those capable of making their own could do that. What I said to Ma Ferret last night was true; it is of no use to anyone else. But that reminds me, from what Ma said some local must have witnessed the whole thing; I hope they enjoyed it."

Badger smiled grimly. "Your attackers may have been men from the town, but they probably had a local guide or two. I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't been secretly followed for days. The weasels in particular enjoy that sort of thing."

They agreed that Badger would visit the weasels alone and make discrete enquiries about the "wooden pole". He argued "Ma would not lie to me; if she said that no ferret has your staff then we must look elsewhere. The weasels are the most likely candidates."

The conversation finally turned to Toad and Toad Hall. Radagast had no knowledge of either, so Badger gave a brief description of the house followed by a long and lively account of the Toad. He went into Toad's obsession with motor cars and his imprisonment and escape, while the wizard listened intently. He recounted the takeover of Toad Hall by the Wild Wooders, and its recapture. He described Toad's resolution to behave.

"And he has, much to my surprise and delight. Not just that either, he has done very well for himself. While he no longer even owns a motor car he has seen the importance of them; he put all his money into motoring: motor car factories and sales rooms; petrol stations and garages; road building and mending; petroleum refining and so on; even motor racing. He must have had some good advice from someone because he has made a fortune; he has become a millionaire in just a few years. He is still the bachelor, as far as I know, but he has become a gad-about. Last I heard he had gone to Monte Carlo for the summer. Some silly yarn about organising a motor car race through the streets! Otter and I think he's gone for the gaming tables."

"Then Toad Hall is empty?"

"Thinking of that chest of yours, eh? No such luck, I'm afraid. Toad is nervous about leaving the old place empty, and who can blame him? He rented the whole place out to Fox and his family for the summer. The problem is that Fox and I don't get on. Last time we met he threatened me with his lawyers. It's a silly business; his father and I were at least on nodding terms. But Fox, that's another story; Toad is about only one around here that does get on with him – a very prickly character."

"So Toad Hall is out as a hiding place for me? Where can I go, it's getting a bit cool at nights to be out in the open?"

Just then the doorbell rang again and an excited Portly was with them. He had been round to all the notables he said, and nobody knew anything about a strange spy in their midst. He waved a copy of the local paper, "an independent paper, published every Saturday", and showed them the lead article, headed "£100 Reward for Spy":

"A rich patriot who wishes to remain anonymous has put up £100 as a reward for whoever leads to the arrest of the shady foreigner Radagast Von Braun, known to be in the area."

"He is dangerous" the article continued "and members of the public should not approach him." Radagast chuckled and took the paper from Portly to look at it more closely. He pointed to a second story on the front page "Mystery Fireworks Explosion?"

"This seems", he said, "to be about my encounter with those thugs a couple of days ago; it would have looked like fireworks from a distance. It is a good job the reporters didn't put two and two together or they really would have had a story."

Over cake and coffee in the kitchen the three of them discussed what to do next. It was decided that Badger would take the wizard to Water Rat's home that very night. "He is a good fellow" said Badger "and won't turn a hair if we arrive un-announced."

Portly volunteered to persuade his father, without giving the game away, to find out who was the "anonymous patriot" who could afford so large a sum as one hundred pounds. "It may help us" he said "to find out what all this is about. It may be the same as whoever paid those thugs to waylay you, sir."

Come evening Portly was expected at home and had to leave. "He's a bright lad" remarked Badger after he had gone. "He hopes to go up to Oxford in a year or two, if his father can afford it. It won't be easy for them, and I have been thinking how I might help without embarrassing them."