ion had been so serious to both Dot and the Kangaroo, that
they had quite forgotten the perilousness of their position. Perhaps
this was because the kangaroo cannot think, but it quickly jumped to the
conclusion that they were in danger.

Whilst they had been peeping at the corroboree, and talking, the dingo
dogs that had been prowling around the camp, had caught scent of the
Kangaroo; and, following the trail, had set up an angry snapping and
howling.

The instant this sound was heard by the Kangaroo, she made an immense
bound, and as she seemed to fly through the bush, Dot could hear the
sounds of the corroboree give place to a noise of shouting and disorder:
the dingo dogs and the Blacks were all in pursuit, and Dot's Kangaroo,
with little Dot in her pouch, was leaping and bounding at a terrific
pace to save both their lives!

CHAPTER VIII

It was fortunate that the Kangaroo could not think of all that might
befall them, or she never could have had the courage for the wonderful
feats of jumping she performed. Poor little Dot, whose busy brain
pictured all kinds of terrible fates, was so overcome with fear that she
seemed hardly to know what had happened; and the more she thought, the
more terrified she became.

The Kangaroo did not attempt to continue the upward ascent, but followed
a slope of the rugged hill, leaping from rock to rock. This was better
than trying to escape where the trees and shrubs would have prevented
her making those astonishing bounds. But the clouds had left the moon
clear for a while, so that the Blackfellows and the dogs easily followed
every movement, as they pursued the hunt on a smoother level below. The
Blacks were trying to hurry on, so as to cut off the Kangaroo's retreat
at a spur of the hill, where, to get away, she would have to leave the
rocks and descend towards them. In the meantime Dot's ears were filled
with the sounds of snarling snaps from the dingo dogs, and hideous
noises from the Blacks, encouraging the animals to attack the Kangaroo.
But what pained her most were the gasps and little moans of her good
friend, as she put such tremendous power into every leap she made for
their lives; crashing through twigs, and scattering stones and pebbles,
in the wild speed of their flight.

Then Dot's busy little brain told her another thing, which made her more
miserable. It was becoming quite clear that the poor Kangaroo was
getting rapidly exhausted, owing to her having