[2005] Array list of array lists?

The title should sum it up fairly well... if it were VB6, I'd create a 2D array of strings, since that's what I need... kinda. I keep jumping ahead of myself...

I'm reading information in from an XML file. If anyone's seen the threads I posted about it last week, yes it's the same project... probably the same problem, but I think I have an edge now. This XML file is comprised of three second-level tables. By second level, I mean I have the root tag, a table name, then elements of that table, each element having it's own properties. Brief example:

Code:

<root> <ShippingCosts> <ship type="PD" cost="2.99" value="10.00" ></ship> <ship type="FEGR" cost="8.99" value="10.00" ></ship> </ShippingCosts> </root>

I have six other XML files that I'm playing with, but they are all first-level tables.. meaning there is no <ShippingCosts> equivilant table, just information.

So, what I need to do is look at every table in the file and scan it for the fields it contains. I have a loop that does that right now and relays it in outline format, but I need to keep that information stored for when I turn around and start adding items. One method would be to use one arrayList and have the first part be the table name with each element appended to it with a delimiter... but I'd like to avoid that if possible. And a VB6-style 2D array would be overkill because the tables don't all have the same number of entries. Any pointers how to do this?