Coppertop flew nearer. “Is it asleep, or only pretending?” she muttered, and breaking off a large twig, she threw it at the monster. But he never stirred. Then she came to the ground, and, picking up a large stone, she flew up with it and dropped it on to his forehead. But still he never moved an eyelid. Perhaps he was only pretending, and would snap at her suddenly, as soon as she was within reach. But in spite of her fears she flew down and touched him with a trembling finger. Nothing happened. Growing bolder, she crept up and placed her ear against his side, and listened. As she did so she heard a small voice say, “Wake up! Wake up, Kiddi! Something has happened! I can’t hear the old chap’s heart beating at all! And we’ve come to a full stop!” “’Es, so we must have!” she heard Kiddiwee say, sleepily. “Isn’t he simply too dear for words?” she cried out, forgetting the crocodile in her excitement. “I shall almost squeedge him to nothing when I see him. But how shall I let them know I’m here?” With a trembling hand, she tapped three times on the side of the crusty, carnivorous crocodile. And, to her joy, she heard a faint tap, tap, tap, in reply. “But that’s not much use unless they can find a way out, is it?” thought Coppertop. She studied the crocodile carefully to find some way of escape for them. She noticed that there was a board fastened on to its back, upon which was written-- “GOOD ACCOMMODATION WITHIN!” “That’s rather unusual!” exclaimed Coppertop. “Not at all!” chirped the Bird. “It’s done to attract the young monkeys.” “Well, it’s not the sort of place I should like to stay at!” “You can’t help staying, once you’re there!” explained the Bird. “No, I s’pose not! But it’s horrid of you to say so, when I’ve two brothers inside!” “Cannibal!” shrieked the Bird, glancing at her disdainfully. “Inside the crocodile, I mean!” cried Coppertop. “How stupid you are!” And the Bird looked reassured. “Well, the front door is closed,” he observed, after hopping round looking closely at the monster’s head. “Yes, it is!” agreed Coppertop, in a depressed tone. Then she said, “Do you happen to remember any funny stories?” “Why?” asked the Bird. “Because if you do, tell one to the crocodile, and when he smiles my brothers can just hop out!” “The only one I know was told me by a bear who had once been in a thing he called a circus.” “Say it all in a loud voice,” interrupted Coppertop, “so that the crocodile can hear!” “The man thing who looks after the animals,” began the Bird, chirping his loudest. “You mean the Keeper!” “Yes, the Keepit!” corrected the Bird, flurried by the interruption. “The Keepit man thing had to give the bear a powder. And so he put it in a long tube, and he put one end in the bear’s mouth and the other end in his own, ready to blow it down the bear’s throat. But the bear blew first!” They both waited anxiously for the smile on the face of the crocodile. But it never came.