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150 crocodile tears about it. Are you trying to talk Tosh?"

"No, this is really truly. By a ford of the Soni River dwelt an eenormous crocodile. I saw it several times myself. And if not a really strict fruitarian and vegetarian, it, at any rate, never took anything stronger than fish. Meat it could not abide."

"If this turns out to be Tosh, I shall be angry with you. Buster," said the President, who was still sceptical. "I want a tale."

"No—this is Honest Injun. Honestest Injun as ever was. There are fish-eating crocodiles, you know. Live on fish altogether. Have conscientious objections to taking the life of a dumb animal. "

"Fishes is dumb animals," interjected the Vice. "We kept some once. I heard them be dumb."

"Quite so, Mr. Vice," assented Buster. "But are they exactly animals, so to speak?"

"They're not vegetables nor minerables," opined the President.

"Look here—you little dev—I mean darlings,—are too much for me," said Buster. "This