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 do so now it
might bite you; so let it sleep on."

She looked up in the direction of the tree, and saw a big Kookooburra
perched on a bough, with all the creamy feathers of its breast fluffed
out, and its crest very high. The Kookooburra is one of the jolliest
birds in the bush, and is always cracking jokes, and laughing, but this
one was keeping as quiet as he could. Still he could not be quite 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!

Dot said she didn't see any joke, and it was no laughing matter.

"To be sure YOU don't see the joke," said the jovial bird. "On-lookers
always see the jokes, and I'm an on-looker. It's not to be expected of
you, because you're not an on-looker;" and he shook with suppressed
laughter again.

"Where is my dear Kangaroo?" asked Dot.

"She has gone to get you some berries for breakfast," said the Kookooburra,
"and she asked me to look after you, and that's why I'm here. That Snake
got on you whilst I flew away to consult my doctor, the White Owl, about