Part 14 (2/2)

”It's her Joey; her lost Joey!” cried Dot, running to the Kangaroo ”Oh!

dear Kangaroo, I alad!” she said, ”for noe are all happy; as happy as can be!” Dot hugged her Kangaroo, and kissed the little Joey, and they all three talked together, so that none of the, only that they were all hted

”Wife,” said Dot's father, ”I'll tell you what'saway to those ani one another, as if it was the aroos as if they were hus!”

”I expect,” said his wife, ”that their feelings are not much different fro back its little one, just as we are over having our little Dot again”

”To think of all the poor things I have killed,” said Dot's father sadly; ”I'll never do it again”

”No,” said his wife, ”we et everyone to be kind to the bush creatures, and protect them all we can”

This book would never come to an end if it told all that passed that day How Dot explained the wonderful power of the berries of understanding, and how she told the kangaroos all that her parents wanted her to say on their behalf, and what kind things the Kangaroo said in return

All day long the Kangaroo stayed near Dot's hoirl persuaded her to eat bread, which she said was ”rass”

Every effort was aroo to live on their selection, so that they ht protect her from harm But she said that she liked her own free life best, only she would never go far away and would coood-bye to Dot, a little sadly, and the child stood in the rosy light of the aftergloaving her hand, as she saw her kind animal friend hop away and disappear into the dark shadow of the Bush

She wandered about for so to the voices of birds and creatures, who calad everyone was that her way had been found, and that no harm was to befall thearoo's finding her Joey, had been spread far and near, by willy Wagtail and the Kookooburra; and she could hear the shouts of laughter fro the story until nearly dark

Quite late at night she was visited by the Opossuhtjar, who entered by the open , and, sitting in the ht, conversed about the day's events They said that their whole rest and sleep had been disturbed by the noise and exciteh the Bush The Mo-poke wished to sing a sad song because Dot was feeling happy, but the Opossuht on thesill andin the distance The Native Bear said that the story of Dot's return and the finding of Kangaroo's Joey was so strange that it made its head feel quite e in Dot's rooot the Koala to look into the et an idea into its little empty head if it did When the Koala had taken a timid peep at itself, the Opossum said that the Koala now had an idea of how stupid it looked, and the little bear went off to get used to having an idea in its head The Opossuood night, and hurried away to tell it to the other 'possums

Gradually the voices of the creatures outside became more and ht of the dawn

When she went out in the pies arbling, the parrakeets tail was most lively; but Dot was astonished to find that she could not understand what any of the creatures said, although they were all very friendly towards her When the Kangaroo cans that she wanted soe as it aroo pretended not to understand

Dot has often wondered why the Kangaroo would not understand, but, re what that considerate aniave her the berries, she is inclined to think that the Kangaroo is afraid of her learning too estion Dot and her parents have often sought for the berries, but up to now they have failed to find the verythat day every creature Dot had known in the Bush came to see her, for they all knew that their lives were safe now, so they were not afraid It greatly surprised Dot's parents to see such nuirl, and they thought it very pretty when in the evening a flock of Native Coraceful dance with the little girl joining in the galad laugh, ”that the place has becoerie!”

[Illustration: BY THE LAKE (EVENING)]

Later on, Dot's father round near the house, which soon became full of water, and is surrounded by beautifultrees There all the thirsty creatures come to drink in safety

And very pretty it is, to sit on the verandah of that happy ho near the water surrounded by her Bush friends, who coirl beside the pretty lake And no one in all the Gabblebabble district hurts a bush creature, because they are all called ”Dot's friends”

FINALE

Before putting away the pen and closing the inkstand, now that Dot has said all she wishes to be recorded of her bewildering adventures, the writer would like to warn little people, that the best thing to do when one is lost in the bush, is to sit still in one place, and not to try to find one's way hoone off in the Kangaroo's pouch, she would have been found almost directly As the ets lost, and as helpful Kangaroos like Dot's are very scarce, the best way to get found quickly, is to wait in one place until the search parties find one Don't forget this advice! And don't eat any strange berries in the bush, unless a Kangaroo brings them to you