Pausing a moment, she made a strange little noise that was something
between a grunt and a hiss: and she repeated this many times. At last
Dot saw what looked like a bit of black stick, just above the surface of
the pool, coming towards their side, and, as it moved forward, leaving two
little silvery ripples that widened out behind it on the smooth waters.
Presently the black stick, which was the bill of the Platypus, reached the
bank, and the strangest little creature climbed into view. Dot had
expected to see something big and hideous; but here was quite a small
object after all! It seemed quite ridiculous that the great Kangaroo
should be evidently discomposed by the sight.

Dot could not hear what the Kangaroo said, but she saw the Platypus
hurriedly prepare to regain the water. It began to stumble clumsily down
the bank. The Kangaroo then raised her voice in pleading accents.

"But," she said, "it's such a little Human! I have treated it like my baby
Kangaroo, and have carried it in my pouch."

This information seemed to arrest the movements of the Platypus; it had
reached the water's edge, but it paused, and turned.

"I tell you," it said in a high-pitched and irritable voice, "that all
Humans are alike! They all come here to interview me for the same purpose,
and I'm resolved it shall not happen again; I have been insulted enough by
their ignorance."

"I assure you," urged the Kangaroo, "that she will not annoy you in that
way. She wouldn't think of doing such a thing to any animal."

As the Kangaroo called the Platypus an animal, Dot saw at once that it was