CHAPTER V
"Now we must find Willy Wagtail," said the Kangaroo. "The chances areClick-i-ti-clack, his big cousin who lives in the bush, will be able totell us where to find him; for he doesn't care for the bush, and livesalmost entirely with Humans, and the queer creatures they have broughtinto the country now-a-days. We may have to go a long way, so hop intomy pouch, and we will get on our way."
Once more Dot was in the kind Kangaroo's pouch. It was in the latter endof autumn, and the air was so keen, that, as her torn little frock wasnow very little protection to her against the cold, she was glad to beback in that nice fur bag. She was used now to the springy bounding ofthe great Kangaroo, and felt quite safe; so that she quite enjoyed thewonderful and seemingly dangerous things the animal did in its greatleaps and jumps.
With many rests and stops to eat berries or grass on their way, theysearched the bush for the rest of the day without finding the big bushWagtail. All kinds of creatures had seen him, or heard his strangerattling, chattering song; but it always seemed that he had just flownoff a few minutes before they heard of him. It was most vexatious, andDot saw that another night must pass before they would be able to hearof her home. She did not like to think of that, for she could picture toherself all those great men, on their big rough horses, coming back toher father's cottage that night, and how they would begin to be quietand sad.
She thought it would not be half so bad to be lost, if the people athome could only know that one was safe and snug in a kind Kangaroo'spouch; but she knew that her parents could never suppose that she wasso well cared for, and would only think that she was dying alone inthe terrible bush--dying for want of food and water, and from fear andexposure. How strange it seemed that people should die like that in thebush, where so many creatures lived well, and happily! But then they hadnot bush friends to tell them what berries and roots to eat, and whereto get water, and to cuddle them up in a nice warm fur during the coldnight. As she thought of this she rubbed her face against the Kangaroo'ssoft coat, and patted her with her little hands; and the affectionateanimal was so pleased at these caresses, that she jumped clean over awatercourse, twenty feet at least, in one bound.
It was getting evening time, and the sun was setting with a beautifulrosy colour, as they came upon a lovely scene. They had followed thewatercourse until it widened out into a great shallow creek beside agrassy plain. As they emerged from the last scattered bushes and treesof the forest, and hopped out into the open side of a range of hills,miles and miles of grass country, with dim distant hills, stretchedbefore them. The great shining surface of the creek caught the rosyevening light, and every pink cloudlet in the sky looked doublybeautiful reflected in the water. Here and there out of the water arosegiant skeleton trees, with huge silver trunks and contorted deadbranches. On these twisted limbs were numbers of birds: Shag, blue andwhite Cranes, and black and white Ibis with their bent bills. Slowlypaddling on the creek, with graceful movements, were twenty or thirtyblack Swans, and in and out of their ranks, as they passed in statelyprocession, shot wild Ducks and Moor Hens, like a flotilla of littleboats amongst a fleet of big ships. All these birds were watching apretty sight that arrested Dot's attention at once. By the margin of thecreek, where tufted rushes and tall sedges shed their gracefulreflection on the pink waters, were a party of Native Companionsdancing.
"In these times it is seldom we can see a sight like this," said theKangaroo. "The water is generally too unsafe for the birds to enjoythemselves. It often means death to them to have a little pleasure."
As the Kangaroo spoke, one of the Native Companions caught sight of her,and leaving the dance, opened her wings, and still making dainty stepswith her long legs, half danced and half flew to where the Kangaroo wassitting.
"Good evening, Kangaroo," she said, gracefully bowing; "will you notcome a little nearer to see the dance?" Then the Native Companion sawDot in the Kangaroo's pouch, and made a little spring of surprise. "Dearme!" she said, "what have you in your pouch?"
"It's a Human," said the Kangaroo, apologetically; "it's quite a littleharmless one. Let me introduce you."
So Dot alighted from the pouch, and joined in the conversation, and theNative Companion was much interested in hearing her story.
"Do you dance?" asked the Native Companion, with a quick turn of herhead, on its long, graceful neck. Dot said that she loved dancing. Sothe Native Companion took her down to the creek, and all the otherCompanions stopped dancing and gathered round her, whilst she wasintroduced and her story told. Then they spread their wings, and withstately steps escorted her to the edge of the water, whilst the Kangaroosat a little way off, and delightedly watched the proceedings.
Dot didn't understand any of the figures of the dance; but the scenerywas so lovely, and so was the pink sunset, and the Native Companionswere so elegant and gay, that, catching up her ragged little skirts inboth hands, she followed their movements with her bare brown feet asbest she could, and enjoyed herself very much. To Dot, the eight birdsthat took part in the entertainment were very tall and splendid, withtheir lovely grey plumage and greeny heads, and she felt quite small asthey gathered round her sometimes, and enclosed her within theiroutspread wings. And how beautiful their dancing was! How light theirdainty steps! as their feet scarcely touched the earth; and whatfantastic measures they danced! advancing, retreating, circlinground--with their beautiful wings keeping the rhythm of their feet.There was one figure that Dot thought the prettiest of all--when theydanced in line at the margin of the water; stepping, and bowing, andgracefully gyrating to their shadows, which were reflected with the pinkclouds of evening on the surface of the creek.
Dot was very sorry, and hot, and breathless, when the dance came to anend. The sun had been gone a long time, and all the pink shades hadslowly turned to grey; the creek had lost its radiant colour, and lookedlike a silver mirror, and so desolate and sombre, that no one could haveimagined it to have been the scene of so much gaiety shortly before.
Dot hastily returned to the Kangaroo, and all the Native Companions camedaintily, and made graceful adieus to them both. Afterwards, they spreadtheir great, soft wings, and, stretching their long legs behind them,wheeled upwards to the darkening sky. Then all the birds in the baretrees preened their feathers, and settled down for the night; and theKangaroo took her little Human charge back to the bush, where there wasa cosy sheltering rock, under which to pass the night, and they lay downtogether, with the stars peeping at them through the branches of thetrees.
They had slept for a long time, as it seemed to Dot, when they wereawakened by a little voice saying:
"Wake up, Kangaroo! you are in danger. Get away, as soon as possible!"
The moon was shining fitfully, as it broke through swift flying clouds.In the uncertain light, Dot could see a little creature near them, andknew at once that it was an Opossum.
"What is the matter?" asked the Kangaroo, softly. "Blacks!" said theOpossum. And as it spoke, Dot heard a sound as of a half dingo doghowling and snapping in the distance. As that sound was heard, theOpossum made one flying leap to the nearest tree, and scrambled out ofsight in a moment.
"I wish he had told us a little more," said the Kangaroo. "Still, fora '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, sodon't be afraid, but stay quietly here until I come back."