Dot and the Kangaroo

  CHAPTER IX

  The Kangaroo, hopping very weakly, and little Dot trudging over the oozyground, followed the Bittern's directions and found the cave, whichproved a very snug retreat. Here they lay down together, full ofhappiness at their escape, and being worn out with fatigue andexcitement, 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 inthe direction of the Black's camp. "They're off northward. Toofrightened to stay. I thought you might like the news brought you, sinceyou're too lazy to get it for yourselves!" and off it went again withoutsaying good-bye.

  "Now isn't he a kind little fellow?" said the Kangaroo. "That's his wayof telling us that we are safe."

  "Thanks, Bittern! thanks!" they both cried, but the creamy brown birdpaid no attention to their gratitude: it seemed absorbed in looking forfrogs on its way.

  All that day the Kangaroo and Dot stayed near the cave, so that the pooranimal might get quite well again. The Kangaroo said she did not knowthat part of the country, and so she had better get her legs againbefore they faced fresh dangers. Neither of them was so bright and merryas before. The weather was showery, and Dot kept thinking that perhapsshe would never get home, now she had been so long away, and she keptremembering the time when the little boy was lost and everyone'ssadness.

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

  "I am thinking of the last time before this that I was hunted. It wasthen I lost my baby Kangaroo," she replied.

  "Oh! you poor dear thing!" exclaimed Dot, "and have you been huntedbefore last night?"

  "Yes," said the Kangaroo with a little weary sigh. "It was just a fewdays before I found you. White Humans did it that time."

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

  THE BITTERN HELPS DOT]

  "I escaped then," said the Kangaroo, settling herself on her haunches totell the tale, "in a way I could have done last night. But I will diesooner than do it again."

  "Tell me," repeated Dot.

  "There is not much to tell," said the Kangaroo. "My little Joey wasgetting quite big, and we were very happy. It was a lovely Joey. It wasso strong, and could jump so well for its size. It had the blackest oflittle noses and hands and tail you ever saw, and big soft ears whichheard more quickly than mine. All day long I taught it jumping, and weplayed and were merry from sunrise to sunset. Until that day I had neverbeen sad, and I thought all the creatures must be wrong to say that inthis beautiful world there could be such cruel beings as they said WhiteHumans were. That day taught me I was wrong, and I know now that theworld is a sad place because Humans make it so; although it was made tobe a happy place. We were playing on the side of a plain that day, andour game was hide-and-seek in the long grass. We were having great fun,when suddenly little Joey said, 'Strange creatures are coming, bigones.'

  "I hopped up the stony rise that fringed the plain, and thought as I didso I could hear a new sound on the breeze. Joey hid in the grass, butI 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, anddirectly I hopped into the open, they raised a great noise like theBlacks did last night, and I could see by the movement in the grass thatthey had those dreadful dogs they teach to kill us: they are far worsethan dingoes. Joey heard the shouting and bounded into my pouch, and Iwent off as fast as I could. It was a worse hunt than last night, for itwas longer, and there was no darkness to help me. I gradually got aheadin the chase, and I knew if I were alone I could distance them all; forwe had seen them a long way off. But little Joey was heavy, though notso heavy as you are, and in the long distance I began to feel weak, asI did last night.

  "I knew if I tried to go on as we were, that those cruel Humans, sittingquietly 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 goinggradually slower. So I asked Joey if I dropped him into a soft bushwhether 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 partedfrom my little Joey. So we did this, and I crossed a creek, which putthe hounds off the scent, and I got away. In the dusk I came back againto find Joey, but he had gone, and I could not find a trace of him. Allnight and all day I searched, but I've never seen my Joey since," saidthe Kangaroo sadly, and Dot saw the tears dim her eyes.

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

  "When I grow up," she said, "I will never let anyone hurt a bushcreature. They shall all be happy where I am."

  "But there are so many Humans. They're getting to be as many asKangaroos," said the animal reflectively, and shook her head.