s fast as it could for the cover of the
Bush.
Just as they entered the Bush shelter, Dot peeped out of the pouch,
across the plain, and could see the mob of Emu in a cloud of dust,
running, and almost out of sight.
When they had reached a place of safety, the friendly Emu bid the
Kangaroo and Dot good night. "We shall have to be thirsty to-night,"
it said, "but there will be a heavy dew, and the grass will be wet
enough 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 solitudes of the Bush.
CHAPTER XI.
The next day they travelled a long distance. At about noon they came
to a part of the country which the Kangaroo said she well knew. "But
we must be careful," she added, "as we are very near Humans in this
part."
As Dot was tired (for she had had to walk much more than usual) the
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
make promises of returning soon, the Kangaroo went in search of Willy
Wagtail; and the little girl was left all alone.
Dot looked for a nice shady nook, in which to lie down and rest; and
she 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
drea
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