"Well, I will," said Nero. "Only I didn't know about them before. Was it the crocodile who knocked me into the water?"

"Yes," answered Switchie, "it was. A crocodile has a long and very strong tail, with knobs and sharp ridges on it. They can knock you into the water with their tail, and then they bite you. I didn't know there were crocodiles at our spring, or I wouldn't have gone there in the daytime for a drink. At night it's all right, for then they can't see you so plainly."

[Illus]

[!-- Image 3 --]

Nero saw what he had thought was a
log of wood open a big mouth

[Page 18]

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"Well, this one saw me all right," said Nero. "My side is sore where he knocked me into the spring."