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﻿Title: Dot and the Kangaroo
Author: Pedley, Ethel C., 1860?-1898
Language: English



[Illustration: Dot and the Kangaroo]

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_Australian Publications._

  G. V. F. MANN, Director of the National Art Gallery of New South
  Wales. With reproductions of 60 of Martens' pictures, mostly in
  colour. A handsome volume 10-1/4 x 8-3/4 inches, in cardboard box,

  and C. LLOYD JONES, with critical article by LIONEL LINDSAY and
  reproductions of 60 of Heysen's pictures, mostly in colour. A handsome
  volume 10-1/4 x 8-3/4 inches, 42s. [_Ready in November_

  and C. LLOYD JONES, with critical and biographical articles by P. G.
  KONODY and LIONEL LINDSAY, reproductions in colour of 36 of Mr.
  Streeton's landscapes and 20 others in black and white. A handsome

THE ART OF J. J. HILDER. Edited by SYDNEY URE SMITH, with Life by
  reproductions of 56 of Mr. Hilder's pictures (36 in color). A handsome
  volume 10-1/4 x 8-3/4 inches, in cardboard box, 42s.

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE IN AUSTRALIA. Special Number of Art in Australia.
  Edited by SYDNEY URE SMITH and BERTRAM STEVENS, in collaboration with
  W. HARDY WILSON. With articles by leading Australian Architects and 45
  full-page illustrations. 11-1/4 x 9 inches, 21s.

AUSTRALIA IN PALESTINE. A Record of the Work of the A.I.F. in Palestine
  and Egypt, with 263 coloured and other illustrations, 4 maps and 3
  battle plans, 10-3/4 x 8-3/4 inches, 10s. 6d.

SOCIETY OF ARTISTS PICTURES. Special Number of Art in Australia. With
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  black and white. 11 x 8-3/4 inches, 12s. 6d.

ART IN AUSTRALIA, No. VII. With reproductions in colour of pictures by
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  By VICTOR E. MARSDEN. With 40 illustrations. 10 x 7-1/2 inches, 5s.

SELECTED POEMS OF HENRY LAWSON. Selected and carefully revised by the
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  and 9 full-page illustrations by PERCY LEASON. 9-1/2 x 7-1/4 inches,
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COLOMBINE, AND OTHER POEMS. By HUGH McCRAE. With 11 illustrations by
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  beautiful plates, 11-1/4 x 8-3/4 inches, 42s.

THE MAGIC PUDDING. A Story by NORMAN LINDSAY, in Prose and Verse, and
  illustrated by him in 100 pictures, mostly full-page, the title-page in
  colour. 11-1/4 x 8-3/4 inches. 7s. 6d.

  K.B.E. With portraits and 27 full-page aeroviews of Sydney, its Harbour,
  the Suburbs, and many Country Towns. 10 x 7-1/2 ins. 2s. 6d.

DIGGERS ABROAD: Jottings on the Australian Front. By Capt. T. A. WHITE.
  Illustrated by DAVID BARKER. 6s.

ANGUS & ROBERTSON, LTD., Publishers, Sydney

And at all Booksellers

       *       *       *       *       *





THE BOOKMAN (London):--"Miss Pedley has written a story for Australian
its lost baby. Quite the right ending for Christmas-tide."

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD:--"'Dot and the Kangaroo' is without doubt one of
the most charming books that could be put into the hands of a child. It
is admirably illustrated by Frank P. Mahony, who seems to have entered
thoroughly into the animal world of Australia. The story is altogether
Australian.... It is told so simply, and yet so artistically, that even
the 'grown-ups' amongst us must enjoy it."

DAILY MAIL (Brisbane):--"A more fascinating study for Australian
children is hardly conceivable, and it endows the numerous bush animals
with human speech, and reproduces a variety of amusing conversations
between them and Dot, the little heroine of the book.... Adults may read
it with pleasure."

FREEMAN'S JOURNAL (Sydney):--"Miss Pedley brings much of graceful fancy
and happy descriptive faculty to her narrative of 'Dot and the
Kangaroo.'... The volume furnishes excellent reading for young folk."

Obtainable in Great Britain from The British Australasian Book-store,
51 High Holborn, London, W.C. 1., and all other Booksellers; and
(_wholesale only_) from The Australian Book Company, 16 Farringdon
Avenue, London, E.C. 4.

_Price 6s._

       *       *       *       *       *






_With 19 Illustrations by Frank P. Mahony_


  Printed by W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd.
  88 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia

  Obtainable in Great Britain from The British Australasian Book-store,
  51 High Holborn, London, W.C. 1., and from all Booksellers; and
  (_wholesale only_) from The Australian Book Company, 16 Farringdon
  Avenue, London, E.C. 4.




  THE PLATYPUS SINGS OF ANTEDILUVIAN DAYS                    _frontispiece_
  THE KANGAROO FINDS DOT                                                  2
  THE PREHISTORIC CREATURES OF THE SONG                                  22
  DOT DANCES WITH THE NATIVE COMPANIONS                                  26
  DOT, THE NATIVE BEAR, AND THE OPOSSUM                                  34
  THE CORROBOREE                                                         36
  A LEAP FOR LIFE                                                        44
  THE BITTERN HELPS DOT                                                  48
  THE BOWER BIRDS                                                        56
  THE EMUS HUNTING THE SHEEP                                             60
  THE COURT OF ANIMALS                                                   64
  THE COCKATOO JUDGE                                                     66
  THE PELICAN OPENS THE CASE                                             68
  THE KANGAROO CARRIES DOT OUT OF COURT                                  72
  DOT'S FATHER ABOUT TO SHOOT THE KANGAROO                               74
  DOT WAVING ADIEU TO THE KANGAROO                                       76
  BY THE LAKE (EVENING)                                                  80




She was too frightened in fact to cry, but stood in the middle of a
little dry, bare space, looking around her at the scraggy growths of
prickly shrubs that had torn her little dress to rags, scratched her
bare legs and feet till they bled, and pricked her hands and arms as
she had pushed madly through the bushes, for hours, seeking her home.
Sometimes she looked up to the sky. But little of it could be seen
because of the great tall trees that seemed to her to be trying to reach
heaven with their far-off crooked branches. She could see little patches
of blue sky between the tangled tufts of drooping leaves, and, as the
dazzling sunlight had faded, she began to think it was getting late, and
that very soon it would be night.

breath away with fear, and made her tired little legs tremble under her.
She gave up all hope of finding her home, and sat down at the foot of
the biggest blackbutt tree, with her face buried in her hands and knees,

might gather some bush flowers whilst she cooked the dinner, and Dot
she wished now that she had remembered this sooner! But whilst she was
sprang away into the bush, and she had run after it. When she found that
she could not catch the hare, she discovered that she could no longer
see the cottage. After wandering for a while she got frightened and ran,
and ran, little knowing that she was going further away from her home at
every step.

of what was happening at home. She remembered how, not very long ago, a
on the big bay horse to bring men from all the selections around to help
in the search. She remembered their coming back in the darkness; numbers
of strange men she had never seen before. Old men, young men, and boys,
all on their rough-coated horses, and how they came indoors, and what a
noise they made all talking together in their big deep voices. They
looked terrible men, so tall and brown and fierce, with their rough
bristly beards; and they all spoke in such funny tones to her, as if
they were trying to make their voices small.

During many days these men came and went, and every time they were more
sad, and less noisy. The little boy's mother used to come and stay,
crying, whilst the men were searching the bush for her little son. Then,
one evening, Dot's father came home alone, and both her mother and the
little boy's mother went away in a great hurry. Then, very late, her
mother came back crying, and her father sat smoking by the fire looking
very sad, and she never saw that little boy again, although he had been

ever see her again. She seemed to see her mother crying, and her father
very sad, and all the men very solemn. These thoughts made her so
miserable that she began to cry herself.

her head on her knees, and with her little hands covering her eyes so as
not to see the cruel wild bush in which she was lost. It seemed a long
time before she summoned up courage to uncover her weeping eyes, and
look once more at the bare, dry earth, and the wilderness of scrub and
trees that seemed to close her in as if she were in a prison. When she
did look up, she was surprised to see that she was no longer alone. She
forgot all her trouble and fear in her astonishment at seeing a big grey
Kangaroo squatting quite close to her, in front of her.


What was most surprising was that the Kangaroo evidently understood that
Dot was in trouble, and was sorry for her; for down the animal's nice
soft grey muzzle two tiny little tears were slowly trickling. When Dot
looked up at it with wonder in her round blue eyes, the Kangaroo did not
jump away, but remained gazing sympathetically at Dot with a slightly
puzzled air. Suddenly the big animal seemed to have an idea, and it
lightly hopped off into the scrub, where Dot could just see it bobbing
up and down as if it were hunting for something. Presently back came the
strange Kangaroo with a spray of berries in her funny black hands. They
were pretty berries. Some were green, some were red, some blue, and
others white. Dot was quite glad to take them when the Kangaroo offered
them to her; and as this friendly animal seemed to wish her to eat them,
she did so gladly, because she was beginning to feel hungry.

loneliness had seemed twenty times more lonely. Now, however, under the

They were all little voices, some indeed quite tiny whispers and
squeaks, but they were very numerous, and seemed to be everywhere. They
came from the earth, from the bushes, from the trees, and from the very
air. The little girl looked round to see where they came from, but
everything looked just the same. Hundreds of ants, of all kinds and
sizes, were hurrying to their nests; a few lizards were scuttling about
amongst the dry twigs and sparse grasses; there were some grasshoppers,
and in the trees birds fluttered to and fro. Then Dot knew that she was
hearing, and understanding, everything that was being said by all the
insects and creatures in the bush.

caught her attention, and she found that the Kangaroo was in the middle
of a speech.

since I lost my baby kangaroo. You also must have lost something. Tell
me what it is?"

understand her.

you had lost something! Isn't it a dreadful feeling? You feel as if you
had no inside, don't you? And you're not inclined to eat anything--not
even the youngest grass. I have been like that ever since I lost my baby
kangaroo. Now tell me," said the creature confidentially, "what your way
is like, I may be able to find it for you."

her way," and the Kangaroo was much interested.

you Humans; you are not fit for this country at all! Of course, if you
have only one home in one place, you _must_ lose it! If you made your
home everywhere and anywhere, it would never be lost. Humans are no good
in our bush," she continued. "Just look at yourself now. How do you
compare with a kangaroo? There is your ridiculous sham coat. Well, you
have lost bits of it all the way you have come to-day, and you're nearly
left in your bare skin. Now look at _my_ coat. I've done ever so much
more hopping than you to-day, and you see I'm none the worse. I wonder
why all your fur grows upon the top of your head," she said
reflectively, as she looked curiously at Dot's long flaxen curls. "It's
such a silly place to have one's fur the thickest! You see, we have very
little there; for we don't want our heads made any hotter under the
Australian sun. See how much better off you would be, now that nearly
all your sham coat is gone, if that useless fur had been chopped into
little, short lengths, and spread all over your poor bare body. I wonder
why you Humans are made so badly," she ended, with a puzzled air.

than a kangaroo, although the Kangaroo certainly seemed a very superior



The Kangaroo gently took the spray out of Dot's hand, and threw it away.



filled with tears.


"I was thinking," said Dot.


"I can't help it!" explained the little girl. "What do you do instead?"
she asked.

a headache."

very thirsty!"

had better start at once."

was very stiff, and her little legs were so tired and weak, that after a
few steps she staggered and fell.

less time than it takes a locust to shrill."

Timidly and carefully, Dot did the Kangaroo's bidding, and found herself
in the cosiest, softest little bag imaginable. The Kangaroo seemed
overjoyed, when Dot was comfortably settled in her pouch. "I feel as if
I had my dear baby kangaroo again!" she exclaimed; and immediately she
bounded away through the tangled scrub, over stones and bushes, over dry
water-courses and great fallen trees. And all Dot felt was a gentle
rocking motion, and a fresh breeze in her face, which made her so
cheerful that she sang this song:--

      If you want to go quick,
      I will tell you a trick
  For the bush, where there isn't a train.
      With a hulla-buloo,
      Hail a big kangaroo--
  But be sure that your weight she'll sustain--
      Then with hop, and with skip,
      She will take you a trip
  With the speed of the very best steed;
  And, this is a truth for which I can vouch,
  There's no carriage can equal a kangaroo's pouch.
  Oh! where is a friend so strong and true
  As a dear big, bounding kangaroo?

      "Good bye! Good bye!"
      The lizards all cry,
  Each drying its eyes with its tail.
      "Adieu! Adieu!
      Dear kangaroo!"
  The scared little grasshoppers wail.
      "They're going express
      To a distant address,"
  Says the bandicoot, ready to scoot;
  When you ride through the bush in a kangaroo's pouch.
  Oh! where is a friend so strong and true
  As a dear big, bounding kangaroo?

      "Away and away!"
      You will certainly say,
  "To the end of the farthest blue--
      To the verge of the sky,
      And the far hills high,
  O take me with thee, kangaroo!
      We will seek for the end,
      Where the broad plains tend,
  E'en as far as the evening star.
  Dear kangaroo, with me in your pouch."
  Oh! where is a friend so strong and true
  As a dear big, bounding kangaroo?


"That is a nice song of yours," said the Kangaroo, "and I like it very
much, but please stop singing now, as we are getting near the water-hole,
for it's not etiquette to make a noise near water at sundown."

the side of a wall. Huge rocks were tumbled about here and there. Some
looked as if they would come rolling down upon them; and others appeared
as if a little jolt would send them crashing and tumbling into the
darkness below. Where the Kangaroo found room to land on its feet after
each bound puzzled Dot, for there seemed no foothold anywhere. It all
looked so dangerous to the little girl that she shut her eyes, so as not
to see the terrible places they bounded over, or rested on: she felt
sure that the Kangaroo must lose her balance, or hop just a little too
far or a little too near, and that they would fall together over the
side of that terrible wild cliff. At last she said:


front," she explained. "Don't be afraid," she continued. "I know every
jump of the way. We kangaroos have gone this way ever since Australia
began to have kangaroos. Look here!" she said, pausing on a big boulder
that hung right over the gully, "we have made a history book for
ourselves out of these rocks; and so long as these rocks last, long,
long after the time when there will be no more kangaroos, and no more
humans, the sun, and the moon, and the stars will look down upon what
we have traced on these stones."

saw the glow of the twilight sky reflected on the top of the boulder.
The rough surface of the stone shone with a beautiful polish like a
looking-glass, for the rock had been rubbed for thousands of years by
the soft feet and tails of millions of kangaroos; kangaroos that had
hopped down that way to get water. When Dot saw that, she didn't know
why it all seemed solemn, or why she felt such a very little girl. She
was a little sad, and the Kangaroo, after a short sigh, continued her

As they neared the bottom of the gully the Kangaroo became extremely
cautious. She no longer hopped in the open, but made her way with little
leaps through the thick scrub. She peeped out carefully before each
movement. Her long, soft ears kept moving to catch every sound, and her
black sensitive little nose was constantly lifted, sniffing the air.
Every now and then she gave little backward starts, as if she were going
to retreat by the way she had come, and Dot, with her face pressed
against the Kangaroo's soft furry coat, could hear her heart beating so
fast that she knew she was very frightened.

They were not alone. Dot could hear whispers from unseen little
creatures everywhere in the scrub, and from birds in the trees. High up
in the branches were numbers of pigeons--sweet little Bronze-Wings; and
above all the other sounds she could hear their plaintive voices crying,
"We're so frightened! we're so frightened! so thirsty and so frightened!
so thirsty and so frightened!"

"Why don't they drink at the water-hole?" whispered Dot.

"Because they're frightened," was the answer.

"Frightened of what?" asked Dot.

her ears wagging.


of a neighbouring branch, "you are so courageous, will you go first to
Last night, when we had waited for hours, to make certain there were
to get a drink since." Dot could see that the poor pigeon was suffering
great thirst, for its wings were drooping, and its poor dry beak was

evening; we sometimes can quench our thirst in the day, I wish we could
do without water! The Humans know all the water-holes, and sooner or
later we all get murdered, or die of thirst. How cruel they are!"

smell or hear a Human near the water-hole.

"I think we are safe," said the Kangaroo, having sniffed and listened as
before; "I will now try a nearer view."

left later; as some feared such foes as dingoes and night birds, should
stealthily forward, pushing aside the branches of the scrub, or standing
erect to peep here and there, there was absolute silence in the bush.
Even the pigeons ceased to say they were afraid, but hopped silently
from bough to bough, following the movements of the Kangaroo with eager
little eyes. The Brush Turkey and the Mound-Builder left their heaped-up
nests and joined the other thirsty creatures, and only by the crackling
of the dry scrub, or the falling of a few leaves, could one tell that so
many live creatures were together in that wild place.

which she crouched.

until I return, and the Bronze-Wings have had their drink; for, did they
see you, they would be too frightened to come down, and would have to
wait another night and day."

chest moving with the frightened beating of her heart; and her beautiful
brown eyes looked wild and strange with fear.

the bush. The Bronze-Wings were all together. Hundred of little heads
they regained their tree-tops. Like the bush creatures, Dot also was
to the shelter of the bush, where the Kangaroo was waiting for her.

"Jump in!" said the Kangaroo, "It's never safe by the water," and, a
like all the others from the water where men are wont to camp, and kill
with their guns the poor creatures that come to drink.

as Dot said she had never eaten grass, it got some roots from a friendly
Bandicoot, which the little girl ate because she was hungry; but she
thought she wouldn't like to be a Bandicoot always to eat such food.
Then in a nice dry cave she nestled into the fur of the gentle Kangaroo,
and was so tired that she slept immediately.

was lost, and she couldn't remember, at first waking, what had happened,
or where she was. It was dark in the cave, and outside the bushes and
trees looked quite black--for there was but little light in that place
from the starry sky. It seemed terribly lonesome and wild. When the
Kangaroo spoke she remembered everything, and they both sat up and
talked a little.

Kangaroo. "It hasn't got any voice to speak of, and the tune is stupid.
It gives me the jim-jams, for it reminds me I've lost my baby kangaroo.
There is something wrong about some birds that think themselves
musical," she continued: "they are well behaved and considerate enough
in the day, but as soon as it is a nice, quiet, calm night, or a bit of
a moon is in the sky, they make night hideous to everyone within
earshot--'Mo-poke! mo-poke!' Oh! it gives me the blues!"


sing elsewhere."

to be like that?"

I can bear. Please go a little farther off."

"Mo-poke! mo-poke!" croaked the Nightjar, farther and farther in the
distance, as it flew away.

'possum made that unlucky joke of telling the Nightjar it has a touching
'possum's. It doesn't matter to him, for he is awake all night, but it
is too bad for his neighbours who want to sleep."

Just then there arose from the bush a shrill wailing and shrieking that
was wailing in great pain and suffering.

"O Kangaroo!" she cried, "what is the matter?" "That," said the
"it's not so painful as it sounds. Willy Wagtail, who goes a great deal
amongst Humans, says they do that sort of thing also; he has often heard
them when he lived near the town."

Willy Wagtail meant, but she was too sleepy to ask; so she nestled a
and the mournful note of the distant mo-poke in her ears, she fell
asleep again.


When Dot awoke, she did so with a start of fear. Something in her sleep
had seemed to tell her that she was in danger. At a first glance she saw
that the Kangaroo had left her, and coiled upon her body was a young
black Snake. Before Dot could move, she heard a voice from a tree,
outside the cave, say, very softly, "Don't be afraid! keep quite still,
and you will not get hurt. Presently I'll kill that Snake. If I tried to

serious, and a smile played all round his huge beak. Dot could see that
he was nearly bursting with suppressed laughter. He kept on saying,
under his breath, "what a joke this is! what a capital joke! How they'll
all laugh when I tell them." Just as if it was the funniest thing in the
world to have a Snake coiled up on one's body; when the horrid thing
might bite one with its poisonous fangs, at any moment!


"To be sure _you_ don't see the joke," said the jovial bird. "On-lookers
laughter again.

"Where is my dear Kangaroo?" asked Dot.

here. That Snake got on you whilst I flew away to consult my doctor, the
White Owl, about the terrible indigestion I have. He's very difficult
to catch awake; for he's out all night and sleepy all day. He says
cockchafers have caused it. The horny wing-cases and legs are most
indigestible, he assures me. I didn't fancy them much when I ate them
last night, so I took his advice and coughed them up, and I'm no longer
feeling depressed. Take my advice, and don't eat cockchafers, little

Kookooburra, not to eat those hard green beetles that had disagreed with
it, for a little shivering movement had gone through the Snake, and
presently all the scales of its shining black back and rosy underpart
began to move. Dot felt quite sick, as she saw the reptile begin to
uncoil itself, as it lay upon her. She hardly dared to breathe, but lay
as still as if she were dead, so as not to frighten or anger the horrid
creature, which presently seemed to slip like a slimy cord over her bare
legs, and wriggled away to the entrance of the cave.

deadly Snake would go. It was very drowsy, having slept heavily on Dot's
warm little body; so it went slowly towards the bush, to get some frogs
with anxiety for the life of the jolly Kookooburra.

ground, in battle with the poisonous reptile, whilst the Snake wriggled,
and coiled its body into hoops and rings. The Kookooburra's strong
wings, beating the air just above the writhing Snake, made a great
noise, and the serpent hissed in its fierce hatred and anger. Then Dot
saw that the Kookooburra's big beak had a firm hold of the Snake by the
back of the neck, and that it was trying to fly upwards with its enemy.
In vain the dreadful creature tried to bite the gallant bird; in vain it
hissed and stuck out its wicked little spiky tongue; in vain it tried to
coil itself round the bird's body; the Kookooburra was too strong and
too clever to lose its hold, or to let the Snake get power over it.

At last Dot saw that the Snake was getting weaker and weaker, for,
little by little, the Kookooburra was able to rise higher with it, until
it reached the high bough. All the time the Snake was held in the bird's
beak, writhing and coiling in agony; for he knew that the Kookooburra
had won the battle. But, when the noble bird had reached its perch, it
did a strange thing; for it dropped the Snake right down to the ground.
Then it flew down again, and brought the reptile back to the bough, and

"Ah! ah! ah!--Ah! ah! ah!" laughed the Kookooburra, and said to Dot,
"Did you see all that? Wasn't it a joke? What a capital joke! Ha! ha!
ha! ha! ha! Oh! oh! oh! how my sides do ache! What a joke! How they'll
laugh when I tell them." Then came a great flight of kookooburras, for
they had heard the laughter, and all wanted to know what the joke was.
Proudly the Kookooburra told them all about the Snake sleeping on Dot,
and the great fight! All the time, first one kookooburra, and then
another, chuckled over the story, and when it came to an end every bird
dropped its wings, cocked up its tail, and throwing back its head,
opened its great beak, and all laughed uproariously together. Dot was
nearly deafened by the noise; for some chuckled, some cackled; some
said, "Ha! ha! ha!" others said, "Oh! oh! oh!" and as soon as one left
off, another began, until it seemed as though they couldn't stop. They
all said it was a splendid joke, and that they really must go and tell
it to the whole bush. So they flew away, and far and near, for hours,
the bush echoed with chuckling and cackling, and wild bursts of
laughter, as the kookooburras told that grand joke everywhere.

snake is just the right thing for breakfast. Will you have some, little

Kookooburra thought she was afraid of being poisoned.

"It won't hurt you," he said kindly, "I took care that it did not bite
itself. Sometimes they do that when they are dying, and then they're not

would like to begin breakfast at once, as the fight had made him hungry.
Then Dot saw him hold the reptile on the branch with his foot, whilst he
took its tail into his beak, and proceeded to swallow it in a leisurely
way. In fact the Kookooburra was so slow that very little of the snake
had disappeared when the Kangaroo returned.


a small spray of the magic ones, by eating which Dot was able to
until the next day.


The Kangaroo watched her eating with a look of quiet satisfaction.

to live than that cruel one of destroying us all. Humans have become so
cruel, that they kill, and kill, not even for food, but for the love of
murdering. I often wonder," she said, "why they and the dingoes are
allowed to live on this beautiful kind earth. The Black Humans kill and
beautiful bush away from us."

get home, I'll tell everyone of how you unhappy creatures live in fear,

one to ask." Then she dropped her voice, and came a little nearer to


"I _never_ think," said the Kangaroo, "but as the Platypus never goes



"I've never seen a Platypus," said Dot. "Do tell me what it is like!"

rest of us were made: or else it was made up of the odds and ends of the


"I should say not!" remarked the Kangaroo. "The animals in the Ark said
row. That's why the Platypus is so secluded. Ever since then no Platypus
is friendly with any other creature, and no animal or bird is more than
just polite to it. They couldn't be, you see, because of that trouble in
the Ark."

all the bush creatures the same now as then."

"No," returned the Kangaroo, "and some say there was no Ark, and no fuss
over the matter, but that, of course, doesn't make any difference, for
it's a very ancient quarrel, so it must be kept up. But if we are to go
to the Platypus we had better start now; it is a good time to see it--so
come along, little Dot," said the Kangaroo.


swallowed but part of the Snake, and the rest hung out of the side of
his beak, like an old man's pipe; so he couldn't speak. It wouldn't have
been polite to do so with his beak full.

smallest hops carried her far in front. After a time they arranged that
the friendly animal should hop a few yards, then wait for Dot to catch
her up, and then go on again. This she did, nibbling bits of grass as
she waited, or playing a little game of hide-and-seek behind the bushes.

Sometimes when she hid like this, Dot would be afraid that she had lost
her Kangaroo, and would run here and there, hunting round trees, and
clusters of ferns, until she felt quite certain she had lost the kind
animal; when suddenly, clean over a big bush, the Kangaroo would bound
into view, landing right in front of her. Then Dot would laugh, and rush
forward, and throw her arms around her friend; and the Kangaroo, with a
quiet smile, would rub her little head against Dot's curls, and they
were both very happy. So, although it was a long and rough way to the
little creek where the Platypus lived, it did not seem at all far.

The stream ran at the bottom of a deep gully, that had high rocky sides,
with strangely shaped trees growing between the rocks. But, by the
stream, Dot thought they must be in fairyland; it was so beautiful. In
the dark hollows of the rocks were wonderful ferns; such delicate ones
that the little girl was afraid to touch them. They were so tender and
green that they could only grow far away from the sun, and as she peeped
into the hollows and caves where they grew, it seemed as if she was
being shown the secret store-house of Nature, where she kept all the
most lovely plants, out of sight of the world. A soft carpet seemed to
spring under Dot's feet, like a nice springy mattress, as she trotted
along. She asked the Kangaroo why the earth was so soft, and was told
that it was not earth, but the dead leaves of the tree-ferns above them,
that had been falling for such a long, long time, that no kangaroo could
remember the beginning.

Then Dot looked up, and saw that there was no sky to be seen; for they
were passing under a forest of tree-ferns, and their lovely spreading
fronds made a perfect green tent over their heads. The sunlight that
came through was green, as if you were in a house made of green glass.
All up the slender stems of these tall tree-ferns were the most
beautiful little plants, and many stems were twined, from the earth to
their feather-like fronds, with tender creeping ferns--the fronds of
which were so fine and close, that it seemed as if the tree-fern were
wrapped up in a lovely little fern coat. Even crumbling dead trees, and
decaying tree-ferns, did not look dead, because some beautiful moss, or
lichen, or little ferns had clung to them, and made them more beautiful
than when alive.

Dot kept crying out with pleasure at all she saw; especially when little
Parrakeets, with feathers as green as the ferns, and gorgeous red
breasts, came in flocks, and welcomed her to their favourite haunt; and,
as she had eaten the berries of understanding, and was the friend of the
Kangaroo, they were not frightened, but perched on her shoulders and
hands, and chatted their merry talk together. The Kangaroo did not share
Dot's enthusiasm for the beauties of the gully. She said it was pretty,
certainly, but a bad place for kangaroos, because there was no grass.
For her part, she didn't think any sight in nature so lovely as a big
plain, green with the little blades of new spring grass. The gully was

stones in its shallow course, or crept round big grey boulders that were
wrapped in thick mosses, in which were mingled flowers of the pink and
red wild fuchsia, or the creamy great blossoms of the rock lily. Dot ran
down the stream with bare feet, laughing as she paddled in and out among
the rocks and ferns, and the sun shone down on the gleaming foam of the
water, and made golden lights in Dot's wild curls. The Kangaroo, too,
was very merry, and bounded from rock to rock over the stream, showing
what wonderful things she could do in that way; and sometimes they
paused, side by side, and peeped down upon some still pool that showed
their two reflections as in a mirror; and that seemed so funny to Dot,
that her silvery laugh woke the silence in happy peals, until more
green-and-red Parrakeets flew out of the bush to join in the fun.


approach and frighten it. "We shall have to be very careful," she said,
"so that the Platypus will neither hear nor smell you. We will therefore
walk on the opposite shore, as the wind will then blow away from its

banks of earth, under tufts of tall rushes, grasses, and ferns, and soon
it opened into a broad pool, which was smooth as glass. The clouds in
the sky, the tall surrounding trees, and the graceful ferns and rushes
of the banks, were all reflected in the water, so that it looked to Dot
like a strange upside-down picture. This, then, was the home of that
wonderful animal; and Dot felt quite frightened, because she thought she
was going to see something terrible.

pool, but she was able to see all that happened.

The Kangaroo evidently did not enjoy the prospect of conversing with the
Platypus. She kept on fidgetting about, putting off calling to the

"Are you frightened of the Platypus?" asked Dot.

never knows how to behave towards it. If you treat it as an animal, you
offend its bird nature, and if you treat it as a bird, the animal in it
is mighty indignant. One never knows where one is with a creature that
is two creatures," said the Kangaroo.

that they should not consult the Platypus. But the Kangaroo said it must
be done, because no one in the bush was so learned. Being such a strange
creature, and living in such seclusion, and being so difficult to
approach, was a proof that it was the right adviser to seek. So, with a
half desperate air, the Kangaroo left the little girl, and went down to
the water's edge.

Dot saw what looked like a bit of black stick, just above the surface of
the pool, coming towards their side, and, as it moved forward, leaving
two little silvery ripples that widened out behind it on the smooth
waters. Presently the black stick, which was the bill of the Platypus,
reached the bank, and the strangest little creature climbed into view.
Dot had expected to see something big and hideous; but here was quite a
small object after all! It seemed quite ridiculous that the great
Kangaroo should be evidently discomposed by the sight.

hurriedly prepare to regain the water. It began to stumble clumsily down

baby kangaroo, and have carried it in my pouch."

reached the water's edge, but it paused, and turned.

insulted enough by their ignorance."


altogether animal, or even a bird, but any a--a--a--." She seemed
puzzled how to speak of the Platypus, when the strange creature, seeing
the well-meaning embarrassment of the Kangaroo, said affably, "any
mammal or Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus."

least idea what a mammal was.


called out at this awkward method of hairdressing, and the Kangaroo
all she could do to tidy her. Then she started back a hop, and eyed the
child with her head on one side. She was not quite satisfied. "Ah!" she
said, "if only you were a baby kangaroo I could make you look so nice!
but I can't do anything to your sham coat, which gets worse every day,
and your fur is all wrong, for one can't get one's claws through it. You
Humans are no good in the bush!"

hair. Let us go to the Platypus now."

The Kangaroo felt sad as Dot spoke of returning home, for she had become
really fond of the little Human. She began to feel that she would be
lonely when they parted. However, she did not speak of what was in her

a nearer view of the Platypus, that the Kangaroo should think so much of
it. At her feet she beheld a creature like a shapeless bit of wet matted
fur. She thought it looked like an empty fur bag that had been fished
out of the water. Projecting from the head, that seemed much nearer to
the ground than the back, was a broad duck's bill, of a dirty grey
colour; and peeping out underneath were two fore feet that were like a
duck's also. Altogether it was such a funny object that she was inclined
to laugh, only the Kangaroo looked so serious, that she tried to look
serious too, as if there was nothing strange in the appearance of the


"I am Dot," said the little girl.

"Now we know one another's names," said the Platypus, with satisfaction.
"If the Kangaroo had introduced us, it would have stumbled over my name,
and mumbled yours, and we should have been none the wiser. Now tell me,
little Human, are you going to write a book about me? because if you
are, I'm off. I can't stand any more books being written about me; I've
been annoyed enough that way."

"I couldn't write a book," said Dot, with surprise; inwardly wondering

than half inclined to dive into the pool.

"Quite," said Dot.

fibs," it continued, as it squirted some dirty water out of the bag that
surrounded its bill, and swallowed some water beetles, small snails and
mud that it had stored there. "See, for instance, the way you have all
quarrelled and lied about me! One great Human, the biggest fool of all,
said I wasn't a live creature at all, but a joke another Human had
played upon him. Then they squabbled together--one saying I was a
Beaver; another that I was a Duck; another, that I was a Mole, or a Rat.
Then they argued whether I was a bird, or an animal, or if we laid eggs,
or not; and everyone wrote a book, full of lies, all out of his head.

The Platypus spluttered out more dirty water, in its indignation.



became quite fiery.

body that my ancestors were the Amphitherium, the Amphilestes, the
Phascolotherium, and the Stereognathus!" almost shrieked the little


Kangaroo for an explanation; but she saw that the Kangaroo didn't
say something to please Platypus; so she asked, very kindly, if the bone
ever hurt it. But this strange creature did not seem to notice the
remark. Settling itself more comfortably amongst the grass, it muttered
in calmer tones, "I trace my ancestry back to the Oolite Age. Where does
man come in?"

"I don't know," said Dot.

"Of course you don't!" replied the Platypus, contemptuously, "Humans are
so ignorant! That is because they are so new. When they have existed a
few more million years, they will be more like us of old families; they
will respect quiet, exclusive living, like that of the Ornithorhynchus
Paradoxus, and will not be so inquisitive, pushing, and dangerous as
now. The age will come when they will understand, and will cease to
write books, and there will be peace for everyone."


the Kangaroo spoke.

"The question is," concluded the Kangaroo, "who shall I ask to find it?
Someone must know where it is."

kind of bush creatures come about your burrow."

doing so, she hurriedly described the creatures she had seen there. She
Opossums, Flying Foxes, Kookooburras, Magpies, and Shepherd's

the right one."


continued. "If you can bring yourself to speak to anything so obtrusive
fraternise together. They're both post-glacial."

"I knew you could advise me," said the Kangaroo, gratefully.


that was unmistakable.

severely, "it means _broad-footed_, a vulgar pseudonym which could only
is Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus. Besides, even if my front feet can expand,
they can also contract; see! as narrow and refined as a bird's claw.
Observe, too, that my hind feet are narrow, and like a seal's fin,
though it has been described as a mole's foot."

you say or it will be terrible!"

Para--, Pa--ra--dox--us."

"_Ornithorhynchus_ Paradoxus, if you please," insisted the little
I called you one Jones, or one Smith, and did not say both the Jones and
the Smiths? You have no idea how sensitive our race is. You Humans have
no feelings at all compared with ours. Why! my fifth pair of nerves are
larger than a man's! Humans get on my nerves dreadfully!" it ended in
disgusted accents.


"There is nothing you can do," sighed the Platypus, now mournful and
depressed. "I must sing. Only music can quiet my nerves. I will sing a
little threnody composed by myself, about the good old days of this
world before the Flood." And as it spoke, the Platypus moved into an
upright position amongst the tussock grass, and after a little cough
opened its bill to sing.

The Kangaroo kept very close to Dot, and warned her to be very attentive
to the song, and not to interrupt it on any account. Almost before the
Kangaroo had ceased to whisper in her ear, Dot heard this strange song,
sung to the most peculiar tune she had ever heard, and in the funniest
of little squeaky voices.

  The fairest Iguanodon reposed upon the shore;
  Extended lay her beauteous form, a hundred feet and more.
  And sportive little Saurians disported on the strand;
  But oft the Iguanodon reproved them in their glee,

  Then, forth from that archaic sea, the Ichthyosaurus
  Uprose upon his finny wings, with neocomian fuss,
  "O Iguanodon!" he cried, as he approached the shore,
  Or leave these estuarian seas, and wander in the grove;

  The tender Iguanodon and Ichthyosaurian bride;
  And through the enubilious air, the carboniferous breeze,
  Awoke, with _their_ amphibious sighs, the silence in the trees.
  Our osseous fossil forms will be in some museum seen!"

  And when they reached the estuary, the excandescent sun
  Then raised they paraseline eyes unto the flaming moon,

  O Iguanodon! O Earth! O Ichthyosaurus!
  O Melanocephalous saurians! Oh! oh! oh!

                        (Here the Platypus was sobbing)

  Oh, Troglyodites obscure--oh! oh!

by the extreme sensitiveness of its fifth pair of nerves and the sadness
of its song, and wept in terrible grief.

stroked the little creature's head.

The Platypus seemed much soothed by their sympathy, but hurriedly bid
them farewell. It said it must try and restore its shattered fifth pair

eyes were dim with tears, for it was still thinking of the Iguanodon and
Ichthyosaurus, and of the good old days before the Flood.

mournfully shaking its head. "Fossils!" it repeated, as it plunged into
accents; and a second later it dived out of sight.

For several moments after the Platypus had disappeared from view, the


Platypus sings about."

"It was very sad," said Dot.

learned and interesting creature," she added hastily. "Its conversation
and songs are most edifying; everyone in the bush admits it."

"Does anyone understand its conversation?" asked Dot. She was afraid she
must be very stupid, for she hadn't understood anything except that
Willy Wagtail could help them to find her way.

"That is the beauty of it all," said the Kangaroo. "The Platypus is so
not expected that anyone should."



almost entirely with Humans, and the queer creatures they have brought
my pouch, and we will get on our way."

Once more Dot was in the kind Kangaroo's pouch. It was in the latter end
now very little protection to her against the cold, she was glad to be
back in that nice fur bag. She was used now to the springy bounding of
the great Kangaroo, and felt quite safe; so that she quite enjoyed the
wonderful and seemingly dangerous things the animal did in its great
leaps and jumps.

herself all those great men, on their big rough horses, coming back to
her father's cottage that night, and how they would begin to be quiet
and sad.

She thought it would not be half so bad to be lost, if the people at
home could only know that one was safe and snug in a kind Kangaroo's
pouch; but she knew that her parents could never suppose that she was
so well cared for, and would only think that she was dying alone in
the terrible bush--dying for want of food and water, and from fear and
exposure. How strange it seemed that people should die like that in the
bush, where so many creatures lived well, and happily! But then they had
not bush friends to tell them what berries and roots to eat, and where
to get water, and to cuddle them up in a nice warm fur during the cold
night. As she thought of this she rubbed her face against the Kangaroo's
soft coat, and patted her with her little hands; and the affectionate
animal was so pleased at these caresses, that she jumped clean over a
watercourse, twenty feet at least, in one bound.

watercourse until it widened out into a great shallow creek beside a
evening light, and every pink cloudlet in the sky looked doubly
beautiful reflected in the water. Here and there out of the water arose
giant skeleton trees, with huge silver trunks and contorted dead
branches. On these twisted limbs were numbers of birds: Shag, blue and
pretty sight that arrested Dot's attention at once. By the margin of the
creek, where tufted rushes and tall sedges shed their graceful
reflection on the pink waters, were a party of Native Companions


As the Kangaroo spoke, one of the Native Companions caught sight of her,
and leaving the dance, opened her wings, and still making dainty steps
with her long legs, half danced and half flew to where the Kangaroo was

Dot in the Kangaroo's pouch, and made a little spring of surprise. "Dear

"It's a Human," said the Kangaroo, apologetically; "it's quite a little
harmless one. Let me introduce you."

Native Companion was much interested in hearing her story.

Companions stopped dancing and gathered round her, whilst she was
introduced and her story told. Then they spread their wings, and with
stately steps escorted her to the edge of the water, whilst the Kangaroo
sat a little way off, and delightedly watched the proceedings.

was so lovely, and so was the pink sunset, and the Native Companions
were so elegant and gay, that, catching up her ragged little skirts in
both hands, she followed their movements with her bare brown feet as
best she could, and enjoyed herself very much. To Dot, the eight birds
that took part in the entertainment were very tall and splendid, with
their lovely grey plumage and greeny heads, and she felt quite small as
they gathered round her sometimes, and enclosed her within their
outspread wings. And how beautiful their dancing was! How light their
dainty steps! as their feet scarcely touched the earth; and what
fantastic measures they danced! advancing, retreating, circling
round--with their beautiful wings keeping the rhythm of their feet.
There was one figure that Dot thought the prettiest of all--when they
danced in line at the margin of the water; stepping, and bowing, and
gracefully gyrating to their shadows, which were reflected with the pink
clouds of evening on the surface of the creek.

slowly turned to grey; the creek had lost its radiant colour, and looked
like a silver mirror, and so desolate and sombre, that no one could have
imagined it to have been the scene of so much gaiety shortly before.

Dot hastily returned to the Kangaroo, and all the Native Companions came
daintily, and made graceful adieus to them both. Afterwards, they spread
their great, soft wings, and, stretching their long legs behind them,
wheeled upwards to the darkening sky. Then all the birds in the bare
trees preened their feathers, and settled down for the night; and the
Kangaroo took her little Human charge back to the bush, where there was
a cosy sheltering rock, under which to pass the night, and they lay down
together, with the stars peeping at them through the branches of the

awakened by a little voice saying:

"Wake up, Kangaroo! you are in danger. Get away, as soon as possible!"

knew at once that it was an Opossum.

"What is the matter?" asked the Kangaroo, softly. "Blacks!" said the
sight in a moment.

a 'possum, it was a good-natured act to wake me up. They are selfish,
spiteful little beasts, as a rule. Now I wonder where those Blacks are?
I shall have to go a little way to sniff and listen. I won't go far, so


sky, and watch the black ragged clouds hurry over the moon. But the bush
was not altogether quiet. She could hear an owl hooting at the moon. Not
far off was a camp of quarrelsome Flying Foxes, and the melancholy
Nightjar in the distance was fulfilling its mission of making all the
bush creatures miserable with its incessant, mournful "mo-poke!
mo-poke!" As Dot could understand all the voices, it amused her to
listen to the wrangles of the Flying Foxes, as they ate the fruit of a
wild fig tree near by. She saw them swoop past on their huge black wings
with a solemn flapping. Then, as each little Fox approached the tree,
the Foxes who were there already screamed, and swore in dreadfully bad
language at the visitor. For every little Fox on the tree was afraid
some other Flying Fox would eat all the figs, and as each visitor
arrived he was assailed with cries of, "Get away! you're not wanted

"This is my branch, my figs!"

"Go and find figs for yourself!"

the tree!"

Then the new-comer Flying Fox, with a spiteful squeal, would pounce down
on a branch already occupied, and angry spluttering and screams would
arise, followed by a heavy fall of fighting Foxes tumbling with a crash
through the trees. Then out into the open sky swept dozens of black
wings, accompanied by abusive swearing from dozens of wicked little
brown Foxes; and, as they settled again on the tree, all the fighting
would begin again, so that the squealing, screaming, and swearing never

the noise was like. It might have been the braying of a donkey mixed up
with the clattering of palings tumbled together, and with grunts and
snorts. Dot started to her feet in fright, and would have run away, only
she was afraid of being lost worse than ever, so she stood still and
looked round for the terrible monster that could make such extraordinary
sounds. The grunts and clattering stopped, and the noise died away in a
long doleful bray, but she could not see where it came from. Having
peered into the dark shadows, Dot went more into the open, and sat with
her back to a fallen tree, keeping an anxious watch all round.

"Perhaps it is the Blacks. What would they do with me if they found me?
What will happen if they have killed my dear Kangaroo?" and she covered
her face with her hands as this terrible thought came into her head.
Soon she heard something coming towards her stealthily and slowly. She
would not look up she was so frightened. She was sure it was some
fierce-looking Black man, with his spear, about to kill her. She shut
her eyes closer, and held her breath. "Perhaps," she thought, "he will
not see me." Then a cold shiver went through her little body, as she
felt something claw hold of her hair, and she thought she was about to
be killed. She kept her eyes shut, and the clawing went on, and then to
her astonishment she heard an animal voice say in wondering tones:

"Why, it's fur! how funny it looked in the moonlight!" Then Dot opened
her eyes very wide and looked round, and saw a funny Native Bear on the
tree trunk behind her. He was quite clearly to be seen in the moonlight.
His thick, grey fur, that looked as if he was wrapped up to keep out the
most terrible cold weather; his short, stumpy, big legs, and little
sharp face with big bushy ears, could be seen as distinctly as in
daylight. Dot had never seen one so near before, and she loved it at
once, it looked so innocent and kind.

"You dear little Native Bear!" she exclaimed, at once stroking its head.

"Am I a Native Bear?" asked the animal in a meek voice. "I never heard

"I'm a little girl," replied Dot, proudly.


burrow, or live in a tree?"

"I live at home," said Dot; but, wishing to be quite correct, she added,
"that is, when I am there."


clear to the little animal.

"Then you live where you don't live?" said the Koala; "where is it?" and
the little Bear looked quite unhappy in its attempt to understand what
Dot meant.


tree over there. Do you eat gum leaves?"



way home. It's lost, you see."

"I don't see," said the Native Bear. "I never can see far at night, and
in the moonlight, and I couldn't make out what it was, so I came to see.
If there is anything new to be seen, I must get a near view of it. I
don't feel happy if I don't know all about it. Aren't you cold?"


done with your fur?"

little head.

colour. Only Blacks have no fur, but what they steal from the proper

"How do they steal fur?" asked Dot.

with spears, and tear off our skins and wear them because their own
skins are no good."

"That's not stealing," said Dot; "that's killing"; and, although it
seemed very difficult to make the little Bear understand, she explained,
"Stealing is taking away another person's things; and when a person is
dead he hasn't anything belonging to him, so it's not stealing to take
what belonged to him before, because it isn't his any longer--that is,
if it doesn't belong to anyone else."

skin whole, all day long, and all night too. Good gracious! what is the
matter up there?"

A terrible hullabaloo between a pair of Opossums up a neighbouring gum
climbed out to the far end of a branch, where the moonlight shone on his
grey fur like silver. There he remained snapping and barking
and snarled and growled back equally unpleasant remarks.

his wife. "You know I get hungry before daylight is over and hate going
out in the light."


pretty quickly."

the billabong the other night!"

The taunt was too much for the Opossum on the branch; he scuttled up the
tree to reach his mate, who sprang forward from her perch into the air.
Dot saw her spring with her legs all spread out, so that the skinny
flaps were like furry wings. By this means she was able to break her
fall, and softly alighting on the earth, a moment after, she had
scrambled up another tree, followed by her mate. From tree to tree, from
branch to branch, they fled or pursued one another, with growls,
screams, and splutters, until they disappeared from sight.

"How unhappy those poor Opossums must be, living in the same tree," said
Dot; "why don't they live in different trees?"


"Then why do they quarrel?" asked Dot.

lived in different trees, and never quarrelled, they wouldn't like it at
all. They'd find life dull, and they'd get sulky. There's nothing worse
than a sulky 'possum. They are champions at that."

"They make a dreadful noise with their quarrelling," said Dot. "They are
nearly as bad as the Flying Foxes over there. I wonder if they made that
fearful sound I heard just before you came?"



"Was all that sound and many noises yours?" asked Dot with astonishment,
as she regarded the shaggy little animal on the tree trunk.

The Koala smiled modestly. "Yes!" it said; "when I'm pleased there is no
creature in the bush can make such a noise, or so many different noises
at once. I waken everyone for a quarter of a mile round. You wouldn't
think it, to see me as I am, would you?" The Koala was evidently very
pleased with this accomplishment.


everything is arranged for the day creatures?"


"That doesn't make any difference," observed the Koala.

"But it does," said Dot.

"How?" asked the Native Bear.

had the night it wouldn't be any good to them. So your night couldn't be
their day, and their day couldn't be your night."

differently if a flock of Kookooburras settled on your tree, and
guffawed idiotically when you wanted to sleep."

asked Dot.

to understand why the Koala's reason should suffice for one animal
making another's life uncomfortable, she was rejoiced to see the
forward to meet it.


"I'm so glad you've come back!" she exclaimed.

The Kangaroo was a little breathless and excited. "We are not in danger
at present," she said, "but one never knows when one will be, so we must
move; and that will be more dangerous than staying where we are."

"Then let us stay," said Dot.

"That won't do," replied the Kangaroo. "This is the conclusion I have
jumped to. If we stay here, the Blacks might come this way and their
easily if the dogs don't get scent of us, as all the Blacks are prancing
about and making a noise, having a kind of game in fact, and they are so
amused that we ought to get past quite safely. I've done it many times
before at night."

Dot looked round to say good-bye to the Koala, but the little animal had
heard the Kangaroo speak of Blacks, and that word suggested to its empty
little head that it must keep its skin whole, so, without waiting to be
polite to Dot, it had sneaked up its gum tree and was well out of sight.

started upon their perilous way.

For some distance the Kangaroo hopped along boldly, with an occasional
stopped for a moment.

beating sound. "Their camp is over there," said the Kangaroo, "that is
the sound of their game."


[Illustration: THE CORROBOREE]

The Kangaroo seemed to Dot to approach the whereabouts of the
Blackfellows as cautiously as when they had visited the water-hole the
first night. Dot's little heart beat fast as the sound of the Blacks'
dance. Soon she could hear the stamping of feet, the beating of weapons
together, and the wild chanting; and sometimes there were the whimpering
of dogs, and the cry of children at the camp a little distance from the
corroboree ground.

Blacks, but every sound of a dog caused it to stop and twist about its
big ears and sensitive nose, as it sniffed and listened.

ahead of their track, and she knew that in that place the tribe of Black
men were having a festive dance.

slipped past the Blacks without danger. But although the Kangaroo is as
timid an animal as any in the bush, it is also very curious, and Dot's
Kangaroo wished to peep at the corroboree. She whispered to Dot that it
would be nice for a little Human to see some other Humans after being so
long amongst bush creatures, and said, also, that there would be no
great danger in hopping to a rock that would command a view of the open
ground where the corroboree was being held. Of course Dot thought this
would be great fun, so the Kangaroo took her to the rock, where they
peeped through the trees and saw before them the weird scene and dance.

Dot nearly screamed with fright at the sight. She had thought she would
see a few Black folk, not a crowd of such terrible people as she beheld.
They did not look like human beings at all, but like dreadful demons,
they were so wicked and ugly in appearance. The men who were dancing
were without clothes, but their black bodies were painted with red and
white stripes, and bits of down and feathers were stuck on their skin.
Some had only white stripes over the places where their bones were,
which made them look like skeletons flitting before the fire, or in and
out of the surrounding darkness. The dancing men were divided from the
rest of the tribe by a row of fires, which, burning brightly, lit the
horrid scene with a lurid red light. The firelight seemed to make the
ferocious faces of the tribe still more hideous. The tribe people were
squatting in rows on the ground, beating boomerangs and spears together,
or striking bags of skin with sticks, to make an accompaniment to the
wailing song they sang. Sometimes the women would cease beating the skin
bags to clap their hands and strike their sides, yelling the words of
the corroboree song, as the painted figures, like fiends and skeletons,
danced before the row of fires.

are dreadful, horrid creatures."

"They're just Humans," replied the Kangaroo, indulgently.


"All Humans are the same underneath, they all kill kangaroos," said the
Kangaroo. "Look there! they are playing at killing us in their dance."

began acting like actors. One of the Blackfellows had come from a little
bower of trees, and wore a few skins so arranged as to make him look as
much like a kangaroo as possible, whilst he worked a stick which he
pretended was a kangaroo's tail, and hopped about. The other painted
savages were creeping in and out of the bushes with their spears and
boomerangs as if they were hunting, and the dressed-up kangaroo made

"What an idea of a kangaroo!" sniffed Dot's friend, "why, a real
kangaroo would have smelt or heard those Humans, and have bounded away
far out of sight by now."

"But it's all sham," said Dot; "the Black man couldn't be a real

friend. "Humans think themselves so clever," she continued, "but just
see what bad kangaroos they make--such a simple thing to do, too! But
their legs bend the wrong way for jumping, and that stick isn't any good
see, too, how those skins fit! Why it's enough to make a kangaroo's
sides split with laughter to see such foolery!" Dot's friend peeped at
the Black's acting with the contempt to be expected of a real kangaroo,
who saw human beings pretending to be one of those noble animals. Dot
thought the Kangaroo had never looked so grand before. She was so tall,
so big, and yet so graceful: a really beautiful creature.

"Well, that's over!" remarked the Kangaroo, as one of the Blacks
pretended to spear the dressed-up Blackfellow, and all the rest began to
dance around, whilst the sham kangaroo made believe to be dead. "Well, I
forgive their killing such a silly creature! There wasn't a jump in it."

Blackfellow came from the little bower in the dim background, with a
white man, although he had no more clothes on than the old hat and rags.
But, after a great deal of dancing, he strutted about, pulled up the rag
collar, made a great fuss with his rag cuffs, and kept taking off his
old straw hat to the other Blackfellows, and to the rest of the tribe,

"Now this is better!" said the Kangaroo, with a smile. "It's very silly,
but Willy Wagtail says that is just the way Humans go on in the town.
Black Humans can act being white Humans, but they are of no good as

strange. She had not seen any like the acting Blackfellow at her cottage
home. But she did not say anything, for it was quite clear in her little
mind that Blackfellows, kangaroos, and willy wagtails had a very poor
opinion of white people. She felt that they must all be wrong; but, all
the same, she sometimes wished she could be a noble kangaroo, and not a
despised human being.

"I wish I were not a little white girl," she whispered to the Kangaroo.

The gentle animal patted her kindly with her delicate black hands.

"You are as nice now as my baby kangaroo," she said sadly, "but you will
have to grow into a real white Human. For some reason there have to be
all sorts of creatures on the earth. There are hawks, snakes, dingoes
and humans, and no one can tell for what good they exist. They must have
dropped on to this world by mistake for another, where there could only
have been themselves. After all," said the kind animal, "it wouldn't do
for every one to be a kangaroo, for I doubt if there would be enough
grass; but you may become an improved Human."


and,"--here it hesitated a little, as though the subject were a most
unpleasant one to mention.

so as to be improved.

"Never, never eat kangaroo-tail soup!" said the Kangaroo, solemnly.


This conversation had been so serious to both Dot and the Kangaroo, that
they had quite forgotten the perilousness of their position. Perhaps
this was because the kangaroo cannot think, but it quickly jumped to the
conclusion that they were in danger.

Whilst they had been peeping at the corroboree, and talking, the dingo

sounds of the corroboree give place to a noise of shouting and disorder:
the dingo dogs and the Blacks were all in pursuit, and Dot's Kangaroo,
with little Dot in her pouch, was leaping and bounding at a terrific
pace to save both their lives!


befall them, or she never could have had the courage for the wonderful
pictured all kinds of terrible fates, was so overcome with fear that she
seemed hardly to know what had happened; and the more she thought, the
more terrified she became.

The Kangaroo did not attempt to continue the upward ascent, but followed
a slope of the rugged hill, leaping from rock to rock. This was better
than trying to escape where the trees and shrubs would have prevented
her making those astonishing bounds. But the clouds had left the moon
clear for a while, so that the Blackfellows and the dogs easily followed
every movement, as they pursued the hunt on a smoother level below. The
Blacks were trying to hurry on, so as to cut off the Kangaroo's retreat
at a spur of the hill, where, to get away, she would have to leave the
rocks and descend towards them. In the meantime Dot's ears were filled
with the sounds of snarling snaps from the dingo dogs, and hideous
noises from the Blacks, encouraging the animals to attack the Kangaroo.
But what pained her most were the gasps and little moans of her good
friend, as she put such tremendous power into every leap she made for
their lives; crashing through twigs, and scattering stones and pebbles,
in the wild speed of their flight.

Then Dot's busy little brain told her another thing, which made her more
miserable. It was becoming quite clear that the poor Kangaroo was
getting rapidly exhausted, owing to her having to bear Dot's weight. Her
panting became more and more distressing, and so did her sad moans; and
flecks of foam from her straining lips fell on Dot's face and hands. Dot
knew that her Kangaroo was trying to save her at the risk of her own
life. Without the little girl in her pouch, she might get away safely;
but, with her to carry, they would both probably fall victims to the
fierce Blacks and their dogs.

anywhere, but don't get killed yourself!"

which sounded like, "Never again!"

"You will be killed," moaned Dot.


In that moment Dot seemed to hear and see everything. They were perched
on a rock, and the moonlight lit all their surroundings like day. To the
right was a deep black chasm, with a white foaming waterfall pouring
into the darkness below. In front was the same wide chasm, only less
wide, and beyond it, on the other side of the great yawning cleft in the
earth, was a wild spread of morass country--a gloomy, terrible-looking
place. To the left was a steep slope of small rocks and stones, leading
downwards to the hollow of sedgy land that fringed the cliffs of the
chasm. The only retreat possible was to pass down this declivity, and
try to escape by the sedgy land, and this is what the Black huntsmen had
expected. It was a very weird and desolate place; and everything looked
dark and dismal, under the moonlight, as it streamed between stormy
black clouds. In that light Dot could see the Blacks hurrying forward.
Already one of the dogs had far outrun the others, and with wolfish gait
and savage sounds, was pressing towards their place of observation.

realize the movement, she found herself standing alone, whilst the
Kangaroo hopped forward to the front of a big boulder, as if to meet the
dog. Here the poor hunted creature took her stand, with her back close
to the rock. Gentle and timid as she was, and unfitted by nature to
fight for her life against fierce odds, it was brave indeed of the poor
Kangaroo to face her enemies, prepared to do battle for the lives of
little Dot and herself.

So noble did Dot's Kangaroo look in that desperate moment, standing
erect, waiting for her foe, and conquering her naturally frightened
either dogs or men should be so cruel as to take her life. For a moment
the dingo hound seemed daunted by her bravery, and paused a little way
off, panting, with its great tongue lolling out of its mouth. Dot could
see its sharp wicked teeth gleaming in the moonlight. For a few seconds
it hesitated to make the attack, and looked back down the slope, to see
if the other dogs were coming to help; but they were only just beginning
the ascent, and the shouting Blackfellows were further off still. Then
the dog could no longer control its savage nature. It longed to leap at
the poor Kangaroo's throat--that pretty furry throat that Dot's arms had
so often encircled lovingly, and it was impatient to fix its terrible
teeth there, and hold, and hold, in a wild struggle, until the poor
Kangaroo should gradually weaken from fear and exhaustion, and be choked
to death. These thoughts filled the dog with a wicked joy. It wouldn't
wait any longer for the other dingo hounds. It wanted to murder the
Kangaroo all by itself; so, with a toss of its head, and a terrible
snarl, it sprang forward ferociously, with open jaws, aiming at the
victim's throat.

Dot clasped her cold hands together. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and

defend herself from dogs and men,--the long sharp claw in her foot.
with that long, strong claw, tore open the dog's body. The dog yelped in
companion caused them to pause in fear and wonder, while the Black men

It was quite impossible to retreat that way; and where Dot and her
Kangaroo were, they were hemmed in by a rocky cliff and the deep black
chasm. The Kangaroo saw at a glance where lay their only chance of life.
She picked up Dot, placed her in her pouch, and without a word leaped
forward towards that fearful gulf of darkness and foaming waters. As
they neared the spot, Dot saw that the hunted animal was going to try
and leap across to the other side. It seemed impossible that with one
bound she could span that terrible place and reach the sedged morass
beyond; and still more impossible that it should be done by the poor
animal with heavy Dot in her pouch. Again Dot cried, "Oh! darling
Kangaroo, leave me here, and save yourself. You can never, never do it
carrying me!"

and a feeling of sickness came over her. Her head seemed giddy, and she
could not see, but she clasped her hands together and said, "God help my
Kangaroo!" and then she felt the fearful leap and rush through the air.

Yes! they had just reached the other side. No! they had not quite: what
was the matter? What a struggle! stones falling, twigs and grasses
wrenching, the courageous Kangaroo fighting for a foothold on the very
dashed to pieces on the rocks and the tree tops. But God did help Dot's
Kangaroo; the little reeds and rushes held tightly in the earth, and the
poor struggling animal, exerting all her remaining strength, gained the
reedy slope safely. She staggered forward a few reeling hops, and then
fell to the earth like a dead creature. In an instant Dot was out of the
pouch and had her arm round the poor animal's neck, crying, as she saw
blood and foam oozing from her mouth, and a strange dim look in her sad
eyes. "Don't die, dear Kangaroo! Oh, please don't die!" cried Dot,
wringing her hands, and burying her face in the fur of the poor gasping

"Dot," panted the Kangaroo, "make a noise,--Cry loud!--not safe yet!"

pursuers. But now she turned, and could hear the Blacks urging on their
dogs as they were making an attempt to skirt round the precipice, and
Kangaroo told her to go on doing so.

[Illustration: A LEAP FOR LIFE]

the echoes made them still more hobgoblinish. The Kangaroo's eyes
brightened, as she restrained her panting, and listened also. "Go on,"
she said, "we're safe now," so Dot made more crying, and her noises and
the others would have frightened anyone who had heard them in that
lonely place, with the wind storming in the trees, and the black clouds
flying over the moon. It frightened the Blackfellows directly.

They stopped in their headlong speed, shouting together in their shrill
voices, "The Bunyip! the Bunyip!" and they tumbled over one another in
until they regained the light of their camp fires. There they told the
"Gins," in awe-struck voices, how it had been no Kangaroo they had
hunted, but the "Bunyip," who had pretended to be one. And the Black
gins' eyes grew wider and wider, and they made strange noises and
exclamations, as they listened to the story of how the "Bunyip" had led
the huntsmen to that dreadful place. How it had torn one of the dogs to
pieces, and had leaped over the precipice into Dead Man's Gully, where
it had cried like a picaninny, and bellowed like a bull. No one slept in
the camp that night, and early next morning the whole tribe went away,
being afraid to remain so near the haunt of the dreaded "Bunyip."

Dot saw the flight of the Blacks in the dim distance, and told the good
their escape. She still lay where she had fallen, gasping, and with her
tongue hanging down from her mouth like that of a dog.

friend to die--leaving her lonely and helpless.

Presently she was startled by hearing a brisk voice, "Then it was a
turned her head without moving, and saw a little way behind her a brown
bird on long legs, standing with its feet close together, with the

ever open and look bright and gentle again.

The little brown bird strutted with an important air to where it had a
do something, sensible, instead of messing about with its head?"

"What can I do?" whimpered Dot.

contemptuously. "What fools Humans are," it exclaimed to itself. "And I
suppose you will tell me there is no water here, when all the time you
are sitting on a spring."



beautiful clear water welled up into it at once. Then, in the hollows of
her little hands, she collected it, and dashed it over the Kangaroo's
parched tongue, and, further instructed by the kindly though rude little
bird, she had soon well wetted the suffering animal's fur. Gradually the
breathing of the Kangaroo became less of an effort, her tongue moistened
and returned to the mouth, and at last Dot saw with joy the brown eyes
open, and she knew that her good friend was not going to die, but would
get well again.

Whilst all this took place, the little brown bird stood on one leg, with
its head cocked on one side, watching the exhausted Kangaroo's recovery
with a comic expression of curiosity and conceit. When it spoke to Dot,
it did so without any attempt at being polite, and Dot thought it the
strangest possible creature, because it was really very kind in helping
her to save the Kangaroo's life, and yet it seemed to delight in
spoiling its kindheartedness by its rudeness. Afterwards the Kangaroo
told her that the little Bittern is a really tender-hearted fellow, but
he has an idea that kindness in rather small creatures provokes the
contempt of the big ones. As he always wants to be thought a bigger bird
than he is, he pretends to be hard-hearted by being rough; consequently,

struggled up and squatted rather feebly on her haunches, looking about
in a somewhat dazed way.

"I'm better now," said the Kangaroo, "but, dear me! how everything seems

"That was rather a good jump of yours," said the Bittern, patronizingly,
as if jumps for life like that of Dot's Kangaroo were made every day,
and he was a judge of them!

"Ah! I remember!" said the Kangaroo, opening her eyes again and looking
round. "Where is Dot?"

"Umph! that silly!" exclaimed the Bittern, as Dot came forward, and she
have been to you with the Blacks, and their dogs after you, if we

of frightening them."

The Bittern was really touched by the Kangaroo's gratitude, and was
continued, with a nod of the head towards Dot, "her squeals were no more

save Kangaroo's life."

got still ruder, and making a face at Dot, exclaimed, "yah!" and stalked
off. But when it had gone a few steps it turned round and said to the
Kangaroo, roughly, "If you hop that way, keeping to the side of the
spread its wings and flew away.


The Kangaroo, hopping very weakly, and little Dot trudging over the oozy
ground, followed the Bittern's directions and found the cave, which
happiness at their escape, and being worn out with fatigue and
excitement, they were soon fast asleep.

The next day, before the sun rose, the Bittern visited the cave. "Hullo,
you precious lazy pair! I've been over there," and it tossed its beak in
the direction of the Black's camp. "They're off northward. Too
frightened to stay. I thought you might like the news brought you, since
you're too lazy to get it for yourselves!" and off it went again without
saying good-bye.

of telling us that we are safe."

frogs on its way.

All that day the Kangaroo and Dot stayed near the cave, so that the poor
animal might get quite well again. The Kangaroo said she did not know
before they faced fresh dangers. Neither of them was so bright and merry
as before. The weather was showery, and Dot kept thinking that perhaps
she would never get home, now she had been so long away, and she kept
remembering the time when the little boy was lost and everyone's

The Kangaroo too seemed melancholy. "What makes you sad?" asked Dot.

then I lost my baby Kangaroo," she replied.

before last night?"


"Tell me all about it," said Dot, "how did you escape?"


"I escaped then," said the Kangaroo, settling herself on her haunches to
sooner than do it again."

"Tell me," repeated Dot.

so strong, and could jump so well for its size. It had the blackest of
little noses and hands and tail you ever saw, and big soft ears which
heard more quickly than mine. All day long I taught it jumping, and we
played and were merry from sunrise to sunset. Until that day I had never
been sad, and I thought all the creatures must be wrong to say that in
this beautiful world there could be such cruel beings as they said White
Humans were. That day taught me I was wrong, and I know now that the
world is a sad place because Humans make it so; although it was made to
be a happy place. We were playing on the side of a plain that day, and
our game was hide-and-seek in the long grass. We were having great fun,
when suddenly little Joey said, 'Strange creatures are coming, big

"I hopped up the stony rise that fringed the plain, and thought as I did
so I could hear a new sound on the breeze. Joey hid in the grass, but
I went boldly into the open on the hillside to see where the danger was.
I saw, far off, Humans on their big animals that go so quickly, and
directly I hopped into the open, they raised a great noise like the
Blacks did last night, and I could see by the movement in the grass that
they had those dreadful dogs they teach to kill us: they are far worse
than dingoes. Joey heard the shouting and bounded into my pouch, and I
went off as fast as I could. It was a worse hunt than last night, for it
was longer, and there was no darkness to help me. I gradually got ahead
in the chase, and I knew if I were alone I could distance them all; for
we had seen them a long way off. But little Joey was heavy, though not
so heavy as you are, and in the long distance I began to feel weak, as
I did last night.

"I knew if I tried to go on as we were, that those cruel Humans, sitting
quietly on those big beasts (which have four legs and never get tired)
would overtake us, and their dogs (which carry no weight and go so fast)
would tear me down before their masters even arrived, for I was going
gradually slower. So I asked Joey if I dropped him into a soft bush
whether he would hide until I came back for him. It was our only chance.
I had an idea that if I did that he would be safe--even if I got killed;
as they would be more likely to follow me, and never think I had parted
from my little Joey. So we did this, and I crossed a creek, which put
the hounds off the scent, and I got away. In the dusk I came back again
to find Joey, but he had gone, and I could not find a trace of him. All
night and all day I searched, but I've never seen my Joey since," said
the Kangaroo sadly, and Dot saw the tears dim her eyes.

Dot could not speak all she felt. She was so sorry for the Kangaroo, and
so ashamed of being a Human. She realized too, how good and forgiving
this dear animal was; how she had cared for her, and nearly died to save
her life, in spite of the wrongs done to her by human beings.

creature. They shall all be happy where I am."

Kangaroos," said the animal reflectively, and shook her head.


The fourth day of Dot's wanderings in the Bush dawned brightly. The sun
world glittering with dewy freshness. Sweet odours from the aromatic
bush filled the air, and every living creature made what noise it could,
to show its joy in being happy and free in the beautiful Bush. Rich and
gurgling came the note of the magpies, the jovial Kookooburras saluted
the sun with rollicking laughter, the crickets chirruped, frogs croaked
in chorus, or solemnly "popped" in deep vibrating tones, like the ring
of a woodman's axe. Every now and then came the shriek of the plover, or
the shrill cry of the peeweet; and gayer and more lively than all the
others was the merry clattering of the big bush wagtail in the distance.

As soon as the Kangaroo heard the Bush Wagtail, she and Dot hurried away
to find him. No Christy Minstrel rattling his bones ever made a merrier
sound. "Click-i-ti-clack, click-i-ti-clack, clack, clack, clack, clack,
click-i-ti-clack," he rattled away as fast as he could, just as if he
hadn't a moment to waste for taking breath, and as if the whole lovely
world was made for the enjoyment of Bush Wagtails.

in surprise as soon as he saw his visitors.

so as to conceal his astonishment at seeing Dot and the Kangaroo

much, for insects were getting scarce, and I believe grass was getting
rank, and not very plentiful. There will be a green shoot in a few days,
will happen in the Bush to anyone. We were most fortunate in our brood;
none of the chicks fell out of the nest, every one of them escaped the
Butcher Birds and were strong of wing. They are all doing well in the

dropping his voice, said:

You know I have quite set my face against them, although my cousin
is intimate with the whole race. Take my word for it, they're most
uncertain friends. Two Kookooburras were shot last week, in spite of
Government protection. Fact!" And as the bird spoke he nodded his head
warningly towards the place where Dot was standing.

had to take care of her, you know."

"Of course, of course; there are exceptions to all rules," chattered the
Wagtail. "And so this is really the lost little Human there has been
such a fuss about!" added he, eyeing Dot, and making a long whistle of
surprise. "My cousin told me all about it."

"Then your cousin, Willy Wagtail, knows her lost way," said the Kangaroo
joyfully, and Dot came a little nearer in her eagerness to hear the good

"Of course he does," answered the bird; "there's nothing happens that he
doesn't know. You should have hunted him up."

this country, which is new to me."

distance off," exclaimed the Wagtail. "If you could fly, you'd be there
almost directly!" Then the bird gave a long description of the way they
were to follow to find his cousin Willy, and with many warm thanks the
Kangaroo and Dot bade him adieu.

which shows what a merry, happy fellow he is:

  "Click-i-ti, click-i-ti-clack!
      Clack! clack! clack! clack!
   Who could cry in such weather, 'alack!'
   With a sky so blue, and a sun so bright,
      Sing 'winter, winter, winter is back!'
   Sportive in flight, chatter delight,

  "I'm so glad that I have the knack
      Of singing clack! clack! clack!
   If you wish to be happy, just follow my track,
   Take this for a motto, this for a code,
      Sing 'winter, winter, winter is back!'
   Leave care to a toad, and live _à la mode_!
      Click-i-ti, click-i-ti-clack!"

They had no difficulty in following the Wagtail's directions. They soon
struck a creek they had been told to pursue to its end, and about noon
they found themselves in very pretty country. It reminded Dot of the
beautiful growths of fern and shrubs. There were also great trailing
creepers which hung down like ropes from the tops of the tall trees they
had climbed. These rope-like coils of the creepers made capital swings,
and often Dot clambered into one of the big loops and sat swinging
herself to and fro, laughing and singing, much to the delight and
amusement of the Kangaroo.

  "Swing! swing! a bird on the wing
     Is not more happy than I!
   Stooping to earth, and seeking the sky.
     Swing! swing! swing!
   See how high upward I fly!
     Here, midst the leaves I swing;
   Then, as fast to my swing I cling,
     Down I come from the sky!
   Swing! swing! a bird on the wing
     Is not more happy than I!"

Kangaroo came to the conclusion that there was something very sweet
about little Humans, and that Dot was certainly quite as nice as a Joey

the tree on which Dot was swinging. Dot was so struck by the bird's
beautiful blue-black glossy appearance, and its brightly contrasting
yellow beak and legs, that she stopped swinging at once. "You _are_ a
pretty bird!" she said.

to invite you to one of our assemblies which will take place shortly.
she will do us the pleasure of accompanying you to our little

not been at any of your parties for a long time. You know, I suppose,
that I lost my little Joey very sadly."

Kangaroo should think that it felt very deeply for her loss. "We were in
the middle of a meeting at the time the Wallaby brought the news, and we
were so sad that we nearly broke up our assembly. But it would have been
a pity to do so, really, as the young birds enjoy themselves so much at
the 'Bower of Pleasure.' But," said the Satin Bird, with a sudden change
of tone from extreme sorrow to one of vivacious interest, "I must show
you the way to the bower, or you would never find it."

most densely-grown scrub. As they were pushing their way through a
thicket of shrubs, before reaching the open space where the Satin Birds'
bower was built, they heard an increasing noise of birds all talking to
one another. The din of this chattering was enhanced considerably by the
shrill sounds of tree-frogs and crickets, and the hubbub made Dot feel
like the little Native Bear--as if her "head was empty."

plenty of conversation, so everyone's in a good humour."

the Kangaroo timidly.

impossible against the music of the tree frogs and crickets, so everyone

"I should tell the tree-frogs and crickets to be quiet," said Dot, "no
one seems to care for their music."

"Oh, without music it would be very dull," explained the Satin Bird, "no
one would care to talk. You understand, it would be awkward, someone
might overhear what was said."


Dot thought it a most curious sight. In the middle of an open space the
birds had built a flooring of twigs, and upon that they had erected a
bower about three feet high, also constructed of twigs interwoven with
grass, and arranged so as nearly to meet at the top in an arched form.

Bird with an air of satisfaction. "What do you think of the

Dot and the Kangaroo praised the bower and its decorations, and enquired
politely how the birds had managed to procure such a collection of
ornaments for their pleasure hall. Several young bower birds came and
joined in the chat, and Dot was surprised to see how different their
plumage was from the satin blue-black of the old birds. These younger
members of the community were of a greenish yellow colour, with dark
pencillings on their feathers, and had no glossy sheen like their

Each of them pointed out some ornament that it had brought with which to
deck the bower. One had brought the pink feathers of a Galah, which had
been stuck here and there amongst the twigs. Others had collected the
delicate shells of land snails, and put them round about the entrance.
But the birds that were proudest of their contributions were those who
had picked up odds and ends at the camps of bushmen.

bird, indicating a tag from a cake of tobacco.

stopper of a sauce bottle.

of the bower.

to be compared with that beautiful object I found to-day and arranged

its singed edges.

The day Dot had lost her way she had been threading beads, and she still
had upon her finger a ring of the pretty coloured pieces of glass. She
saw the old Satin Bird look at this ring longingly, so she pulled it
off, and begged that it might be added to the other decorations. It was
instantly given the place of honour--over the entrance and above the
piece of milk tin.

This gift from Dot caused an immediate flow of conversation, because
to say how beautiful the beads were. "Quite too lovely!" said one. "What
a charming little Human!" exclaimed another. "Just the finish that our
bower required," was a general remark, and a great many kept exclaiming,
"So tasteful!" "So sweet!" "How elegant!" "Exquisite!" "It's a love!"
"It's a dear!" and so on. A great deal more was said, but the oldest
bower bird, thinking that all the adjectives were getting used up, told
the frogs and crickets to start the music again, so as to keep the
excitement going, and all further observations were drowned in the

and dance. Like a troop of children, they ran round and round the bower,
and to and fro through it, gleefully chasing each other. Then they would
assemble in groups, and hop up and down, and dance to one another in
what Dot thought a rather awkward fashion; but she was thinking of the
elegance and grace of the Native Companions, who can make beautiful
movements with their long legs and necks, whilst these little bower
birds are rather ungainly in their steps.

they had five or six little hens looking admiringly at their every
movement. At such times they would dance and hop with great delight; and
the little hens, in a circle round them, watched their hops and steps
with absorbed interest. Immensely pleased with himself, the young dancer
would fluff out his feathers, so as to look as big as possible, and
after strutting about, would suddenly shoot out a leg and a wing, first
on one side and then on the other, then spring high into the air, and do
a sort of step dance when his feet touched the earth again. Endless were
the tricks he resorted to, to show off his feathers and dancing to the
best advantage; and the little hens watched it all with silent

little party of elderly hens were discussing the young birds who were
dancing at the bower.

rustled their feathers, closed their beaks tightly, and nodded their


[Illustration: THE BOWER BIRDS]

above them, and interrupted pertly, "Dear me! can't you good birds find
the groups of gossips whispered angrily to one another "Minx!" "Hussy!"
"Wild Cat!" etc., and the rude young bird flew back to her companions.

"is their appearance. Some of them do nothing all day but preen their
and the affected exactness of their tail feathers! One looks in vain for

feathers at all," observed yet another of the group. "Many of the young
disapproval from all present supported this remark. "Studies that
one bird.

and fruit?" asked another.


"I am thankful to say all my little hens care for nothing beyond playing
at the Bower and preening their feathers," said an affectionate bower
bird mother, "They get a deal of attention paid to them."

"No young Satin Bird would look at a learned little bower-hen," said the
part, I never allow a chick of mine even to mention insects, unless they
are well-known beetles!"

them all, more or less, in a grumbling humour.

finished amusing themselves," answered its friend. The only satin birds
discussing the scarcity of berries and the wrongs done to bower birds
by White Humans destroying the wild fig and lillipilli trees. This
grievance, and the question as to what berries or figs agreed best with
each old bower bird's digestion, were the only topics discussed with any

who asked her if she cared to stay any longer. The little girl said she
had seen and heard enough, and, judging by this one, she didn't care for

spite of all the gaiety."

had felt rather dull and miserable.

suppose it is," answered the Kangaroo.

they left the bower place without any of the birds noticing their
berry or digestion questions.

Emu the way to a waterhole or tank.


"Do you think it will be safe to drink to-night"; enquired the Kangaroo

little difficult. There is a somewhat strained feeling between the White
Humans and ourselves just now. In consequence, we have to resort to a
little strategy on our visits to the tanks, and we avoid eating anything
tempting left about at camping places."

"Are they laying poison for _you_?" asked the Kangaroo in horrified tones.

surprised, for hitherto there has been no better cure for Emu
worst symptoms have yielded to scraps of barbed wire in my own case. But
these Emus died in spite of all remedies."

Government. I never understood why."

Australian Arms."

"So do we," said the Kangaroo, "but we are not protected."

make a pound cake. But the time will come, friend, when there will be
neither Emu nor Kangaroo for Australia's Arms; no creature will be left


entertaining. We have great fun with them, and we've learnt some capital
sheep games from those dogs Humans drive them with. It's really exciting
to drive a big mob, when they want to break and scatter. We were chasing
them, here and there, all over the plain to-day."


about the sight of sheep that excites one so? When one gets into a big
flock, one has to dance, one can't help oneself. We had a great dance in
a flock to-day, and the lambs would get under our feet, so I'm sorry to
say a good many of them were killed."


just now. But this evening I will show you a new plan by which to learn
if Humans are camped at a tank, or not. We have played the trick with
great success for several nights."

tank, which was still a long way off.

It presently returned and said that it felt quite suspicious, because
everything looked so clear and safe. "From this point of high ground,"
signal and return to my post here."

emitted a strange rattling cry. After disappearing from sight for a


Dot's eyes were not so keen of sight as those of an Emu; but she thought
she could see something like a little cloud of dust, far, far away
across the dry brown grass of the plain. Soon she was quite sure that
the little cloud was advancing towards her side of the plain, and in the
direction of the tank. As it came nearer she could see the bobbing heads
of Emus, popping up above the dust, and she could see some of the birds
running round the little cloud.


"Sheep!" it answered with a merry chuckle.

Kangaroo, now fully interested in the Emu's manoeuvre.

delighted with the scheme. "The sheep will soon know that they are near
water, and will go to it without driving. Then we shall watch, and if
they quietly drink and scatter, it will be safe for us, but if they see
anything unusual and break, and run--well, we shan't drink at the tank
to-night. There will be Humans and dogs there, and we don't cultivate
their society just now."

that conclusion?"

air, and a dancing movement when it came to the ground again. "Dear me!"
it exclaimed, "the sight of those sheep is beginning to excite me, and I
can hardly keep still! I wonder what there is so exciting about sheep!"

Dot could now see the advancing flock of sheep, with their attendant mob
of Emu, quite well. The animals had got scent of the water, and with
contented bleatings were slowly moving with a rippling effect across the
dusty plain. The mob of Emu soon left the sheep to go their own way,
and, grouped in a cluster, watched, with bobbing heads, every movement
of the flock.

in case there is any danger in this direction. Emus are posted all round
the tank on the same duty."

the great tank which had been excavated on the bare plain.


Onward came the sheep, and quite stationary in the distance remained the
Emu mob. Just as the first sheep were descending the deep slope of the
tank, a Plover rose from amongst the bushes with a shrill cry. The Emu
started at the sound, and whispered to the Kangaroo, "There'll be no
drink to-night: watch!"

The cry of the Plover seemed to arrest the advance of the timid sheep:
they waited in a closely-packed flock, looking around. But presently the
old leader gave a deep bleat, and they moved forward towards the water.
"Shriek! Shriek!" cried the Plover from the bushes, screaming as they
rose and flew away; and suddenly the flock of sheep broke and hurried
back to the open plain. At the same instant Dot could hear the sharp
barking of a sheep dog, a noise that produced an instant effect on the
creatures she was with. With lightning speed the Kangaroo had popped her
into her pouch and was hopping away, and the Emu was striding with its
long legs as fast as it could for the cover of the Bush.

running, and almost out of sight.

Kangaroo and Dot good-night. "We shall have to go thirsty to-night," it
to cool one's mouth. That pretty trick of ours was such a success that
it is almost worth one's while to lose one's drink in proving it."
Turning to Dot it said, "You will be able to tell the big Humans that we
Emus are not such fools as they think, and that we find their flocks of
silly sheep most useful and entertaining animals."

Chuckling to itself, the Emu strode off, leaving Dot and the Kangaroo to
pass another night in the solitude of the Bush.


The next day they travelled a long distance. At about noon they came to
a part of the country which the Kangaroo said she knew well. "But we
must be careful," she added, "as we are very near Humans in this part."

Kangaroo suggested that she should rest at the pretty spot they had
reached, whilst she herself went in search of Willy Wagtail. Dot had to
promise the Kangaroo over and over again, not to leave the spot during
her absence. She was afraid lest the little girl should get lost, like
the little Joey.

After many farewells, and much hopping back to give Dot warnings and
Wagtail; and the little girl was left all alone.

found the place so cheerful and pretty, that she was not afraid of being
alone. She was in the hollow of an old watercourse. It was rather like
an English forest glade, it was so open and grassy; and here and there
were pretty shrubs, and little hillocks and hollows. At first Dot
thought that she would sit on the branch of a huge tree that had but
recently fallen, and lay forlornly clothed in withered leaves; but
opposite to this dead giant of the Bush was a thick shrub with a decayed
tree stump beside it, that made a nice sheltered corner which she liked
better. So Dot laid herself down there, and in a few minutes she was
fast asleep; though, as she dropped off into the land of dreams, she
thought how wonderfully quiet that little glade was, and felt somewhat
surprised to find no Bush creatures to keep her company.

Some time before Dot woke, her dreams became confused and strange. There
seemed to be great crowds in them, and the murmur of many voices talking
together. As she gradually awakened, she realized that the voices were
real, and not a part of her dreams. There was a great hubbub, a
fluttering of wings, and rustling of leaves and grass. Through all this
confusion, odd sentences became clear to her drowsy senses. Such phrases
as, "You'd better perch here!" "This isn't your place!" "Go over there!"
"No! no! I'm sure I'm right! the Welcome Swallow says so." "Has anyone
gone for the Opossum?" "He says the Court ought to be held at night!"
"Don't make such a noise or you will wake the prisoner;" "Who is to be
the Judge?" This last enquiry provoked such a noise of diverse opinions,
that Dot became fully awake, and sitting up, gazed around with eyes full
of astonishment.

but now she was literally hemmed in on every side by birds and small

noonday sky.


This greeting from Dot caused an instant silence amongst the creatures,
and she could not help seeing that they looked very uncomfortable. There
was soon a faint whispering from bird to bird, which rose higher and
higher, until Dot made out that they were all saying, "She ought to be
shift an unpleasant task upon its neighbours.

Presently the solemn Pelican waddled forward and stood before Dot,
saying to the assemblage, "I will explain our presence." Addressing the
little girl it said, "We are here to place you on trial for the wrongs
we Bush creatures have suffered from the cruelties of White Humans. You
will meet with all fairness in your trial, as the proceedings will be
conducted according to the custom of your own Courts of Justice. The
Welcome Swallow, having built its nest for three successive seasons
under the eaves of the Gabblebabble Court House, is deeply learned in
human law business, and will instruct us how to proceed. Your conviction
will, therefore, leave you no room for complaint so far as your trial is

plead as Prosecutor.


with relish.

another as if they didn't quite understand the justice of the

prisoner guilty? She seems very small, and harmless."

"That doesn't matter at all, you've got to get her made out as guilty by
creatures said "_Oh!_" "Now for the defence," said the Swallow briskly;
"there ought to be someone for that. Who is friendly with the King?"

"Who's the King?" asked all the creatures breathlessly.

"He's a bigger Human than the rest, and everybody's business is his
business, so he's always going to law."


were all the other creatures, at the Magpie's accomplishment; "you must
save the prisoner from the jury finding her guilty."

"But," objected the Magpie, "how can I? when only last fruit season my
ate a few grapes."

Swallow, irritably; "go over there, and ask her what you are to say." So
the Magpie flew over to Dot's side, and she at once began to teach it
the rest of "God save the King."


"Do you?" said the Magpie with surprise; "It seems to me very slow, and
there's no sense in it."

five minutes, the Peeweet keeps quarrelling with the Soldier Bird, and
none of them can bear the English Sparrow."

[Illustration: THE COURT OF ANIMALS]

"The Swallow says that's the jury," answered the Magpie. "Their business
is to do just what they like with you when all the talking is done, and
whether they find you guilty or not, will depend on if they are tired,
or hungry, and feel cross; or if the trial lasts only a short time, and
they are pleased with the grubs that will be brought them presently."

think that any of them wished to hurt her.


broke out into open fighting, because the English Sparrow was a
foreigner, and they said that it would certainly sympathize with the
had never wished to belong to it, and flew away joyfully. Then all the
rest of the jury grumbled at the good luck of the Sparrow in getting out
of the trial--for they could see it picking up grass seed and enjoying
itself greatly, whilst they were all crowded together on one branch, and
were feeling hungry before the trial had even begun.

Although Dot had eaten the berries of understanding, it was generally
considered that, to be quite fair, the Judge must be able to understand
was appointed.

near Dot. "You're quite sure you understand human talk?" Said the little
Wallaby to the Cockatoo. It was the first remark he had made, for he had
been quite bewildered by all the noise and fuss.

learning, he elevated his sulphur crest and gabbled off, "Go to Jericho!
Twenty to one on the favourite! I'm your man! Now then, ma'am; hurry up,
don't keep the coach waiting! Give 'um their 'eds, Bill! So long!
Ta-ra-ra, boom-di-ay! God save the King!"

All the creatures present looked gravely at Dot, to see what effect this
harangue in her own language would have upon her, and were somewhat
surprised to see her holding her little sides, and rolling about with

and the whole Court became attentive to the proceedings.

At this moment the Swallow skimmed overhead, and having caught the words
"God save the King," called out, "That's the way to do it! keep that
up!" and the Cockatoo, thinking that the Swallow meant him to scream
still more, set up another yell, which he continued until everyone felt
deafened by the noise.


recital of wrongs done to the Bush creatures by white humanity.

Dot could not realize that she was being tried seriously, and was
delighted that the Pelican had come nearer to her stump, so that she had
a better view of him. She thought him such an old, odd-looking bird,
with his big bald head, and gigantic beak. She could not help thinking
that his beak must be too heavy for him, and asked if he would like to
rest it on the stump. The Pelican did not understand Dot's kindness, and
gave her a look of offended dignity that was quite withering; so Dot did
not speak to him again; but she longed to feel if the bag of skin that
drooped under his beak had anything in it. The Pelican's legs seemed to
Dot to be too frail and short to bear such a big bird, not to mention
the immense beak; and, when the creature stood on one leg only, she
laughed; whereat the Pelican gave her another offended look, which
effectually prevented their becoming friends.


[Illustration: THE COCKATOO JUDGE]

This interruption, and the Swallow's repeated assurance that no human
trial of importance could take place without horsehair, set all the
creatures chattering with astonishment and questions. Some said the
Swallow was joking; others said that it was making senseless delays, and
that night would fall before they could bring the prisoner to justice.
There was much grumbling on all sides, and complaints of hunger, and the
jury began to clamour for the grubs that they had been promised, at
which the Magpie whispered to Dot that she certainly would be found
guilty. The fact was now quite clear to the jury before the trial began.

But the Swallow persisted that they must have horsehair.

"What for?" asked everyone, sulkily.

Judge looks like a Cockatoo."

he looks like one!"

"Yes," cried the Swallow, "but you must stick horse hairs on his head.
Human justice must be done with horsehair. The prisoner won't believe
the Cockatoo is a judge without. Good Gracious!" exclaimed the Swallow,
"just look! The prisoner is scratching the Judge's poll! We really
_must_ have horsehair!"

Dot, seeing the Swallow's indignation, drew away from the stump, and the
Cockatoo tried to look as if he had never seen her before, and as if the
idea of having his poll scratched by the prisoner was one that could
never have entered his head.

"But if we do put horsehair on the Cockatoo's head," argued the
creatures, "what will it do?"

"It will impress the prisoner," said the Swallow.

"How?" they all asked curiously.

with exasperation.



Perfect silence followed this explanation, for every bird and animal was
trying to understand human sense and reason. Then the smallest Kangaroo
Rat broke the stillness.

surely the prisoner can imagine the Judge isn't a Cockatoo, without our

to himself.

feathers, and half closed his eyes. His solemnly attentive attitude won
the admiration of all the Court, and the absence of horsehair was not
felt by anyone. The Welcome Swallow, having got over its ill temper,
returned to help the proceedings; and the jury all put their heads under
their wings and went to sleep.


and adjudged," gabbled the Swallow) "on a charge of cruelty" ("and
feloniously killing and slaying," prompted the Swallow) "to birds and
animals," ("the term not applying to horse, mare, pony, bull, ox, dog,
cat, heifer, steer, calf, mule, ass, sheep, lamb, hog, pig, sow, goat,
or other domestic animal," interposed in one breath the Swallow, quoting
the Cruelty to Animals Act) "she is" ("hereby," put in the Swallow)
"brought to trial on" ("divers," whispered the Swallow) "charges,"
("hereinafter," said the Swallow) "to be named and described by the"
denizens of the Bush" ("and in no wise relating to horse, mare, pony,
bull, ox,"--began the Swallow again, when the Cockatoo raised his crest,
and screamed out "STOP THAT, I TELL YOU!" and the Pelican continued
stating the charge.) "Bush law" ("enacts," said the Swallow) "that"
("whereas," prompted the Swallow) "all individual rights" ("whatsoever,"
put in the Swallow) "shall be according to the statute Victoria--"

"Victoria! Twenty to one against the field," shouted the Judge.

the Cockatoo, "I've forgotten everything I was going to say! I shan't go

"Never mind," said the Swallow cheerfully, "you've said quite enough,
then for the witnesses."

As the Swallow spoke, there was a great disturbance amongst the
creatures. The swan, ducks, cranes, and waterfowl, besides honeysuckers,
and many other birds, were all fanning the air with their wings, and
crying, "Turn him out!" "Disgusting!" "I never heard of such a thing in
my life! the smell of it always gives me a headache!" and there was such
a noise that the jury all woke up, and Dot covered her ears with her
hands. The Cockatoo, seeing Dot's distress at the screams and hubbub,
and thinking that she wanted to say something, but could not make
herself heard in the general riot, decided to speak for her; so he
screamed louder than all the rest, and shouted, "Apples, oranges, pears,
lemonade, cigarettes, _and_ cigars! I say! what's the row?"


into Court a pouch full of gum leaves, which it was eating. It had also
given some to the Native Bear, and Wallaby, and in consequence the whole
air was laden with the odour of eucalyptus.


Swallow; and everyone echoed, "Contempt of Court! contempt of Court!
Turn them out!"

"But they are witnesses," objected the Pelican.

"That doesn't matter!" shouted the Waterfowl, "it's a disgusting smell!
Turn them out!"



"My eye! what a spree!" said the Judge.

A Galah amongst the Jury, wishing to be thought intelligent, enquired

wickedness known as 'Sport,'" answered the Pelican.

Whilst the Pelican was making this explanation, the Judge, who had been
whispered softly to her, "Scratch Cockie!" But, just as he was enjoying
the delicious sensation Dot's fingers produced amongst his neck
feathers, as he held his head down, the Pelican caught sight of the
proceeding. The Pelican said nothing, but stared at the Judge with an
eye of such astonishment and stern contempt, that the Cockatoo instantly
remembered that he was a judge, and, getting into a proper attitude,
said hastily, "Advance Australia! who's the next witness?" And again the
Kookooburra laughed to himself on the tree.


"The Platypus won't come!" cried the Kangaroo Rat.

"Well, I never!" exclaimed the Judge.

representative of Antediluvian custom, the most ancient and learned
creatures, such as the Iguana, the Snake, and Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus.
That it would prefer to associate with the meanest Troglodite, rather
those deeply learned in fossils."

"'Pon my word!" ejaculated the Judge. "Shiver my timbers! What blooming

"Oh! you naughty bird to use such words!" exclaimed Dot. But all the

the Native Cat nearly every bird, and all the small game, prepared to
get away.

"Why don't you call the Dingo at once?" laughed the Kookooburra, who was
really keeping guard over Dot, although she did not know it. "Humans
kill Dingoes."

"The Dingo! the Dingo!" every creature repeated in horror and
chuckled to himself at all the stir his words had made.

the nature of birds and animals to kill, where is the sense and justice
of trying the prisoner for what she can't help doing?"


At this unexpected turn of the trial the Judge softly whistled to
himself, "Pop goes the weasel."

Pelican, contemptuously. "This is a Court of law, we have nothing to do
with any of them!"


"Call the Kangaroo!" cried the white Ibis.

"It's no good," jeered the Kookooburra. "Kangaroo and Dot are great

"'Till all's blue!" interrupted the Judge, and he went on with "Pop goes
the weasel." This news caused a buzz of excitement. Everyone was
wouldn't appear against the prisoner.


"All," said the Kookooburra.

"The hunting?" asked the Pelican.

"Yes," answered the Kookooburra.

"The rugs?"


"The boots?"


Court listened in breathless attention, "and has she forgiven
_Kangaroo-tail soup_?"



"What a go!" said the Judge; and he might have said more, only Dot could
not hear anything on account of the racket and confusion. The trial had
failed, and every creature was making all the noise it could, and
preparing to hurry away. In the middle of the turmoil, Dot's Kangaroo
bounded into the open space, panting with excitement and delight.

"Dot! Dot!" she cried, "I've found Willy Wagtail, and he knows your way!
Come along at once!" And, putting Dot in her pouch, the Kangaroo leaped
clean over the Judge and carried her off!


anxious to carry her to Willy Wagtail before nightfall to wait and
enquire what had happened. Dot, too, was so excited at hearing that her
way home had been found, that she could only think of the delight of
seeing her father and mother again. So the Kangaroo had hopped until she
was tired and needed rest, before they spoke. Then Dot described the
Trial, and made the Kangaroo laugh about the Cockatoo Judge, but she did
not say how it had all ended because the Kangaroo had forgiven Dot for
Humans making rugs of her fur, boots of her skin, and soup of her tail.
She was afraid of hurting her feelings by mentioning such delicate
subjects. The Kangaroo never noticed that anything was left out, because
she was bursting to relate her interview with Willy Wagtail.

She told Dot how she had found Willy Wagtail near his old haunt; how
that gossiping little bird had told all the news of the Gabblebabble
town and district in ten minutes, and how he had said he believed he
knew Dot by sight, and that if such were the case he would show Dot and
the Kangaroo the way to the little girl's home. Then Dot and the
Kangaroo hurried on their way again, the little girl sometimes running
and walking to rest the kind animal, and sometimes being carried in that
soft cosy pouch that had been her cradle and carriage for all those

heard a little bird singing, "Sweet pretty creature! sweet pretty

twinkle in her quiet eyes. "Peep round the bush," she said to Dot, "and
you'll see them spooning."


of the fence a little way off. They were each pretending that their
long big tails were too heavy to balance them properly, and they seemed
to be always just saving themselves from toppling off their perch.
Occasionally Willy would dart into the air, to show what an expert in
flying he was; he would shoot straight upwards, turn a double somersault
backwards, and wing off in the direction one least expected. Afterwards
surprising, and say "Pretty pretty Chip-pi-ti-chip!" that name meaning
the other wagtail. Then Chip-pi-ti-chip showed off _her_ flying, and
they both said to one another "Sweet pretty creature!"

At the sound of Dot and the Kangaroo's approach "Chip-pi-ti-chip" hid
them, scolded angrily; but when he saw the Kangaroo and the little girl,
he gave them the most cordial greeting, and wobbled about on a rail as
if he must tumble off every second.

breathless with the speed she had made.

"Just as I had expected!" exclaimed Willy Wagtail, with a jerk of his
preening," he added.

This last remark was in allusion to Dot's appearance, which certainly


from her eyes.

big paddock from here, if you follow the belt of the sheoak trees over
there. It's a house just like those things in Gabblebabble township.
There's a yellow sheep clog, who's very good tempered, and a black one
that made a snap at my tail the other day. There is an old grey cart
horse, an honest fellow, but rather dull; and a bay mare who is much
better company. There is a little red cow who is a great friend of mine,
and she had a calf a few days before you were lost. Dear me!" exclaimed
the gossiping bird, "what a fuss there has been these five days over
trying to find you! I've been over there every day to see the sight.
Such a lot of Humans! and such horses. I enjoyed myself immensely, and
made a lot of friends amongst the horses, but I didn't care so much for
the dogs; I thought them a nasty quarrelsome lot.

"I went with the whole turnout to see the search. Goodness! the
distances they went, and the noise and the big fires they made, it _was_
exciting fun! They brought over some black Humans--'Trackers' is what
they are called, at least the Mounted Troopers' horses told me so (my
word! the Troopers' horses are jolly fellows!) Well, these black
trackers went in front of each party just like dogs, with their heads
to the ground, and they turned over every leaf and twig, and said if
a Human, a horse or a kangaroo had broken it or been that way. They
found your track fast enough, but one evening it came to an end quite
suddenly, and weren't they all surprised! I heard from a Trooper's
horse--(such a nice horse he was!)--that the trackers and white Humans
said it was just as if you had disappeared into the sky! There was just
a bit of your fur on a bush, and nothing anywhere else but a Kangaroo's
trail. No one could make it out."




here until then."

be a pity to risk losing it again, so we had better wait for Willy
Wagtail to guide us to-morrow."


you would never come to see me. You will live on our selection, won't

she was afraid of Humans and their dogs.


the night in a little bower of bushes. But they talked until very late,
of how they were to manage to reach Dot's home without danger from guns
and dogs. At last, when they tried to sleep, they could not do so on
account of Willy Wagtail's singing to his sweetheart, "Sweet pretty
creature! Sweet pretty creature!" without stopping, for more than five
minutes at a time.


"She never does," yawned the Kangaroo, "and he never tires of singing it."

"Sweet pretty creature," sang Willy Wagtail.


Two men were walking near a cottage in the winter sunlight of the early
morning. There came to the door a young woman, who looked pale and
to the cottage she paused, and shading her eyes, that were red with
weeping, lingered awhile, looking far and near. Then, with a sigh, she
returned indoors and worked restlessly at her household duties.

knows, now, that the poor little one can never come back to us," and as

kindly manner, which showed that he too was very sorry.

find her yet; the wife shall have that comfort."

"You'll never do it now," said the young fellow with a mournful shake of
the head. "There is not an inch of ground that so young a child could
reach that we have not searched. The mystery is, what could have become
of her?"

think of it all day and all night. There is the track of the dear little
mite as clear as possible for five miles, as far as the dry creek. The
trackers say she rested her poor weary legs by sitting under the
blackbutt tree. At that point she vanishes completely. The blacks say
there isn't a trace of man, or beast, beyond that place excepting the
trail of a big kangaroo. As you say, it's a mystery!"

As the men walked towards the bush, close to the place where Dot had run
after the hare the day she was lost, neither of them noticed the fuss
and scolding made by a Willy Wagtail; although the little bird seemed
likely to die of excitement.




Dot's father did not notice the remark, for he had stopped suddenly, and
was peering into the bush whilst he quietly shifted his gun into
position, ready to raise it and fire.

that iron-bark. Fancy it's coming so near the house. Next time it shows,
I'll get a shot at it."


bullet lodged in the branch of a tall gum tree.


"Dot!" cried her father, dropping his gun, and stumbling blindly forward
with outstretched arms, towards his little girl, who had just tumbled

little face hidden in his big brown beard.


all the time the good Kangaroo sat up on her haunches, still panting
with fear from the sound of the gun, and a little afraid to stay, yet so
interested in all the excitement and delight, that she couldn't make up
her mind to hop away.

"Dadda," said Dot, "You nearly killed Dot and her Kangaroo! Oh! if you'd

the Kangaroo's pouch?"





the Kangaroo looked delighted at the good news.

hand touching the Kangaroo's little paw. "This is my own dear Kangaroo."
Dot's father, not knowing quite how to show his gratitude, stroked the
Kangaroo's head, and said "How do you do?" which, when he came to think
of it afterwards, seemed rather a foolish thing to say. But he wasn't
used, like Dot, to talking to Bush creatures, and had not eaten the
berries of understanding.

The Kangaroo saw that Dot's father was grateful, and so she was pleased,
but she did not like to be stroked by a man who let off guns, so she was
glad that Dot's mother had run to where they were standing, and was
hugging and kissing the little girl, and crying all the time; for then
Dot's father turned and watched his wife and child, and kept doing
attention to spare for Kangaroos.

her life was quite safe, wanted to peep about Dot's home and see what it
was like--for kangaroos can't help being curious. So presently she
happened. Just as the Kangaroo was wondering what the great iron tank by
the kitchen door was meant for, there popped out of the open door a joey
Kangaroo. Now, to human beings, all joey Kangaroos look alike, but
amongst Kangaroos there are no two the same, and Dot's Kangaroo at once
recognised in the little Joey her own baby Kangaroo. The Joey knew its
mother directly, and, whilst Dot's Kangaroo was too astonished to move,
and not being able to think, was trying to get at a conclusion why her
Joey was coming out of a cottage, the little Kangaroo, with a
hop-skip-and-a-jump, had landed itself comfortably in the nice pouch Dot
had just vacated.

suddenly looking round for her Kangaroo friend, clapped her hands with
the point of a little black tail, hanging out of the pouch that had
carried her so often.

"Why!" exclaimed Dot's mother, "if she hasn't got the little Joey, Jack

"It's her Joey; her lost Joey!" cried Dot, running to the Kangaroo. "Oh!
happy as can be!" Dot hugged her Kangaroo, and kissed the little Joey,
and they all three talked together, so that none of them understood what
the others were saying, only that they were all much pleased and

"Wife," said Dot's father, "I'll tell you what's mighty queer, our
little girl is talking away to those animals, and they're all
world to treat Kangaroos as if they were human beings!"


sadly; "I'll never do it again."

bush creatures, and protect them all we can."

day. How Dot explained the wonderful power of the berries of
understanding, and how she told the kangaroos all that her parents
said in return.

would get tired of it sooner than of grass."

Every effort was made by Dot and her parents to get the Kangaroo to live
on their selection, so that they might protect her from harm. But she
said that she liked her own free life best, only she would never go far
away and would come often to see Dot. At sunset she said good-bye to
afterglow, waving her hand, as she saw her kind animal friend hop away
and disappear into the dark shadow of the Bush.

her safe return, and of the Kangaroo's finding her Joey, had been spread
far and near, by Willy Wagtail and the Kookooburra; and she could hear
the shouts of laughter from kookooburras telling the story until nearly

moonlight, conversed about the day's events. They said that their whole
rest and sleep had been disturbed by the noise and excitement of the day
creatures spreading the news through the Bush. The Mo-poke wished to
sing a sad song because Dot was feeling happy, but the Opossum warned it
that it was sitting in a draught on the window sill and might spoil its
beautiful voice, so it flew away and only sang in the distance. The
Native Bear said that the story of Dot's return and the finding of
Kangaroo's Joey was so strange that it made its head feel quite empty.
The Opossum inspected everything in Dot's room, and tried to fight
itself in the looking-glass. It then got the Koala to look into the
mirror also, and said it would get an idea into its little empty head if
it did. When the Koala had taken a timid peep at itself, the Opossum
said that the Koala now had an idea of how stupid it looked, and the
little bear went off to get used to having an idea in its head. The
Opossum was so pleased with its spiteful joke that it hastily said good
night, and hurried away to tell it to the other 'possums.

Gradually the voices of the creatures outside became more and more faint

laughing, the magpies were warbling, the parrakeets made their
twittering, and Willy Wagtail was most lively; but Dot was astonished to
although they were all very friendly towards her. When the Kangaroo came
to see her she made signs that she wanted some berries of understanding,
but, strange as it may seem, the Kangaroo pretended not to understand.
Dot has often wondered why the Kangaroo would not understand, but,
remembering what that considerate animal had said when she first gave
her the berries, she is inclined to think that the Kangaroo is afraid of
her learning too much, and thereby getting indigestion. Dot and her
parents have often sought for the berries, but up to now they have
failed to find them. There is something very mysterious about those

and danced their graceful dance with the little girl joining in the

place has become a regular menagerie!"

[Illustration: BY THE LAKE (EVENING)]

Later on, Dot's father made a dam on a hollow piece of ground near the
lake. And no one in all the Gabblebabble district hurts a bush creature,
because they are all called "Dot's friends."

       *       *       *       *       *


in the Kangaroo's pouch, she would have been found almost directly. As
the more one tries to find one's way home, the more one gets lost, and
as helpful Kangaroos like Dot's are very scarce, the best way to get
found quickly, is to wait in one place until the search parties find
one. Don't forget this advice! And don't eat any strange berries in the
bush, unless a Kangaroo brings them to you.

       *       *       *       *       *

W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd., Printers, Sydney, Australia

       *       *       *       *       *


       *       *       *       *       *

_Australian Publications._

POEMS OF HENRY KENDALL. Enlarged edition, with biographic note by
  BERTRAM STEVENS, and portraits, 7s, 6d.

CASTLE VANE: An Australian Historical Novel. By J. H. M. ABBOTT. 5s.

POEMS BY RODERIC QUINN. With portrait, 5s.

AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS. By HON. H. Y. BRADDON, ex-Commissioner for the
  Commonwealth. 5s.

JIM OF THE HILLS. A Story in Rhyme. By C. J. DENNIS, With frontispiece,
  title-page, and jacket in colour, by HAL GYE. 7-1/2 x 6 inches, 5s.

DIGGER SMITH: POEMS. By C. J. DENNIS. With frontispiece, title page and
  jacket in colour, and other illustrations, by HAL GYE. 7-1/2 x 6
  inches, 5s.

  title-page and jacket in colour and other illustrations by HAL GYE,
  7-1/2 x 6 inches, 5s. Pocket Edition, 4s.

DOREEN: A Sequel to "The Sentimental Bloke." By C. J. DENNIS. With
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THE MOODS OF GINGER MICK: Poems. By C.J. DENNIS, With frontispiece,
  title-page and jacket in colour, and other illustrations by HAL GYE,

  Sentimental Bloke," etc. New edition, revised, with 16 new pieces,
  wholly printed from new type, with frontispiece, title-page and jacket
  in colour, by HAL GYE. 7-1/2 x 6 inches. 5s.

THE GLUGS OF GOSH: Poems. By C. J. DENNIS. With frontispiece,
  title-page, and jacket in colour, and other illustrations by HAL GYE,

BUSHLAND STORIES (For Children). By AMY ELEANOR MACK. With coloured
  illustrations. 4s. 6d.

SCRIBBLING SUE, and Other Stories for Children. By AMY ELEANOR MACK.
  With coloured illustrations, 4s. 6d.

GEM OF THE FLAT. A Story of Young Australians. By CONSTANCE MACKNESS.
  With coloured and other illustrations, 4s. 6d.

  Boomerang"). 465 pages, 3s. 6d.

  colour, 22 full-page and many other illustrations. 10 x 7-1/2 inches,

LITTLE RAGGED BLOSSOM, and more about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. By MAY
  GIBBS. With 21 full-page plates (2 in colour) and many other
  illustrations. 10 x 7-1/2 inches, 6s.

BORONIA BABIES. By MAY GIBBS. With 2 coloured and 12 other pictures,
  8-3/4 x 5-3/4 inches. 1s. 6d.

WATTLE BABIES. By MAY GIBBS. With 2 coloured and 12 other pictures,
  8-3/4 x 5-3/4 inches, 1s. 6d.

GUM-BLOSSOM BABIES. By MAY GIBBS With 2 coloured and 12 other pictures,

GUM-NUT BABIES. By MAY GIBBS. With 2 coloured and 12 other pictures,

  illustrations (1 in colour) by F. P. MAHONY. New edition, 10 x 7-1/2
  inches, 6s.

ANGUS & ROBERTSON, LTD., Publishers, Sydney

And at all Booksellers

       *       *       *       *       *

[Illustration: Back Cover]


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