Summary

After Beryl puts in a hard day's work on her latest novel, she is approached by Water Rat, Badger, and Mole, who are carrying a newspaper that has the news of Toad's motorcycle joyride on the very front page. The animals all hypothesize that Toad and Rabbit went to the region of the Hills, since that is the home region of both Rabbit and Beryl.

Water Rat proposes that they all go for a leisurely rowing trip down the river, but Mole bows out -- because he still does not want to be anywhere near Beryl -- and Badger also declines the opportunity, citing that he is busy. This leaves just Water Rat and Beryl to go rowing together, which is a leisurely trip that they both enjoy immensely. They eventually come to a small island in the middle of the...