crocodile takes this piece of wood in his right hand, and goes into the
river, where he wades till one of these creatures perceives him. As soon
as that happens the animal comes up to him to seize him, extending his
wide and horrid jaws, which are armed with several rows of pointed
teeth; but the man, with the greatest intrepidity, waits for his enemy,
and the instant he approaches thrusts his hand, armed with the splinter
of wood, into his terrible mouth, which the creature closes directly,
and by these means forces the sharp points into each of his jaws, where
they stick fast. He is then incapable of doing hurt, and they pull him
to the shore by the cord. "Pray, sir," said Tommy, "is this dreadful
animal capable of being tamed?" "Yes," answered Mr Barlow; "I believe,
as I have before told you, there is no animal that may not be rendered
mild and inoffensive by good usage. There are several parts of Egypt
where tame crocodiles are kept; these animals, though of the largest
size, never do hurt to anything, but suffer every one to approach them,
and even little children to play about them and ride securely upon their
enormous backs."

This account diverted Tommy very much. He thanked Mr Barlow for giving
him this description of the crocodile, and said he should like to see
every animal in the world. "That," answered Mr Barlow, "would be
extremely difficult, as almost every country produces some kind which is
not found in other parts of the world; but if you will be contented to
read the descriptions of them which have been written, you may easily
gratify your curiosity."

It happened about this time that Tommy and Harry rose early one morning
and went to take a long walk before breakfast, as they used frequently
to do; they rambled so far that at last they both found themselves
tired, and sat down under a hedge to rest. While they were here a very
clean and decently-dressed woman passed by, who, seeing two little boys
sitting by themselves, stopped to look at them; and, after considering
them attentively, she said, "You seem, my little dears, to be either
tired or to have lost your way." "No, madam," said Harry, "we have not
lost our way, but we have walked farther than usual this morning, and we
wait here a little while to rest ourselves." "Well," said the woman, "if
you will come into my little house--that you see a few yards farther
on--you may sit more comfortably; and as my daughter has by this time
milked the cow