ng how the last year's jackets of the cicadas, which they had quite
grown out of, were clinging to the Cabbage trees with their tiny claws,
slipped her hands and feet into a set of them and through this clever
idea of hers was able to climb right up the trunk, followed by Tiki, who
was busy all the time trying to explain that he had just been going to
think of the plan himself.

When they were at last nestled in the crown of leaves they began to look
about for the cabbages, but could find nothing resembling Swanki's idea
of a cabbage, which wasn't very clear, but quite different from anything
they found in that tree.

They nibbled some of the leaves which were bitter and stringy, and tried
some of last year's flowers, which were very little better, and then
Swanki cried out in disappointment:

"You've played me a trick, Tiki. These are not cabbages."

She gave him an angry little push, and to her surprise he fell backward
out of the tree splash into the swamp, where she saw him struggling in
the muddy water.

Very frightened Swanki hurried down the tree and ran to the edge of the
water, where she held out her hands to Tiki who grabbed them tightly.

But just as she was drawing him to land the boggy piece of ground on
which she was standing gave way, and she, too, fell into the water.

Luckily it was not very deep, and a friendly old frog gave them a leg up
the bank, and very wet and muddy and miserable they started back for the
bush.

The worst of it was that tiresome Miss Fantail had spread it all abroad
that they had left the bush, and on the way home they met her and all
her relations, and all the Piccaninnies too, setting out on a search
party.

[Illustration: "To her surprise he fell backward out of the tree."]

How they stared and questioned and teased the poor little tired
travellers, standing before them so wet and grimy and weary, and when
they had heard the whole story how they all laughed at Swanki and Tiki!

And glad, indeed, were those two Piccaninnies to sit down to
a delicious tea of fern root, young nikau, and assorted berries,
and never again did any one hear Swanki complain of just
"berries--berries--berries--roots--roots--roots."

[Illustration]

[Illustration: " ... he rocked himself to sleep among the pretty little
starry flowers."]

TEA TREE.

One of the Piccaninnies had a horrid adventure one day.
He had heard a tui that morning singing in the Bush, and had made up