“Now, you dear good old Ratty, don’t begin talking in that stiff and sniffy sort of way, because you know you’ve got to come. I can’t possibly manage without you, so please consider it settled, and don’t argue—it’s the one thing I can’t stand. You surely don’t mean to stick to your dull fusty old river all your life, and yet live in a hole in the bank, and boat? I want to show you the world! I’m going to make an animal of you, my boy!”

“So this rat has a boat?”
“Yes. Because rats can’t swim.”
“Yes they can. I’ve seen them.”
“You haven’t. You wouldn’t know what a rat looks like.”
“Like a mouse, only bigger,”
“Yeah. Just about your size.”
“You’re the rat cos you’re always dobbin’ me in.”
“Dad! Zed just called me a rat!”
“Shut up and read him the bloody story or none of us’ll get any bloody sleep tonight.”