“Why, you’d better turn round and go the other way,” said the Bird.
“And meet the crocodile face to face! Thank you very much, but I’d rather not!” replied Coppertop with decision.
“Well, it’s the only way!” cried the Bird, with a shrug of his wings, “otherwise you and the crocodile will go round and round for ever! And that’s an awful long time.”
“I have it!” exclaimed Coppertop; “I’ll fly across the island and catch the crocodile in the flank!”
“Oh, yes!” said the Bird, but he didn’t really understand, and she couldn’t wait to explain any further.
So, spreading her wings, she flew across the island.
When she reached the other side an unexpected sight met her eyes!
Close by the water’s edge lay the crocodile, motionless as a rock. Its tail was still in the water, as though it had fallen asleep in the very act of crawling out.
“It looks very much like Mrs. Grudge!” thought the child. “Just her expression—especially about the teeth! I wonder if it IS Mrs. Grudge! It might be, in a kind of way.”