"Well, Ben," said the colonel, "that is a very good story of the lions in the Tower, and here we are, I think, close to them."
A terrific roar at this moment proved the colonel's words to be tolerably true.
"Ah, they are feeding some on 'em," said Ben. "It just the time, and they will not be convinced as easy does it."
"It is hard enough, Ben," said Sir Richard Blunt, "to convince human beings of that piece of philosophy, to say nothing of lions and tigers."
"Oh, but," said Ben, with great gravity, "lions and tigers is generally much more reasonable than human beings."
Another roar from the menagerie joined in as bass to the laugh with which this piece of philosophy from so unlikely a person as Ben was received.
"Come on," he said; "come on. They can make a noise, but that's just about all they can do. Come on, my little dears—and if you fell at all afeard, all you have got to do is to take hold of the lion by the nose, and then you'll find he looks upon you as one of them as takes things easy, and he won't say another word to you anyhow."
"We will leave that to you, Ben," said Johanna, "and in the meantime, I will keep close to you, you know."
"Do, my little duck; and I'll just carry you."
"No—no—no!"