her sometimes, and enclosed her within their outspread wings. And how
beautiful their dancing was! How light their dainty steps as their feet
scarcely touched the earth; and what fantastic measures they
danced--advancing, retreating, circling round--with their beautiful wings
keeping the rhythm of their feet! There was one figure that Dot thought
the prettiest of all--when they danced in line at the margin of the water;
stepping, and bowing, and gracefully gyrating to their shadows, which were
reflected with the pink clouds of evening on the surface of the creek.

Dot was very sorry, and hot, and breathless, when the dance came to an end.
The sun had been gone a long time, and all the pink shades had slowly
turned to grey; the creek had lost its radiant colour, and looked like a
silver mirror, and so desolate and sombre, that no one could have imagined
it to have been the scene of so much gaiety shortly before.

Dot hastily returned to the Kangaroo, and all the Native Companions came
daintily, and made graceful adieus to them both. Afterwards, they spread
their great, soft wings, and, stretching their long legs behind them,
wheeled upwards to the darkening sky. Then all the birds in the bare
trees preened their feathers, and settled down for the night; and the
Kangaroo took her little Human charge back to the bush, where there was a
cosy sheltering rock, under which to pass the night. Here they lay down
together, with the stars peeping at them through the branches of the trees.

They had slept for a long time, as it seemed to Dot, when they were
awakened 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.