in as if she were in a prison. When she
did look up, she was surprised to see that she was no longer alone. She
forgot all her trouble and fear in her astonishment at seeing a big grey
Kangaroo squatting quite close to her, in front of her.

[Illustration: THE KANGAROO FINDS DOT]

What was most surprising was that the Kangaroo evidently understood that
Dot was in trouble, and was sorry for her; for down the animal's nice
soft grey muzzle two tiny little tears were slowly trickling. When Dot
looked up at it with wonder in her round blue eyes, the Kangaroo did not
jump away, but remained gazing sympathetically at Dot with a slightly
puzzled air. Suddenly the big animal seemed to have an idea, and it
lightly hopped off into the scrub, where Dot could just see it bobbing
up and down as if it were hunting for something. Presently back came the
strange Kangaroo with a spray of berries in her funny black hands. They
were pretty berries. Some were green, some were red, some blue, and
others white. Dot was quite glad to take them when the Kangaroo offered
them to her; and as this friendly animal seemed to wish her to eat them,
she did so gladly, because she was beginning to feel hungry.

After she had eaten a few berries a very strange thing happened. While
Dot had been alone in the bush it had all seemed so dreadfully still.
There had been no sound but the gentle stir of a light, fitful breeze
in the far-away tree-tops. All around had been so quiet, that her
loneliness had seemed twenty times more lonely. Now, however, under the
influence of these small, sweet berries, Dot was surprised to hear
voices everywhere. At first it seemed like hearing sounds in a dream,
they were so faint and distant, but soon the talking grew nearer and
nearer, louder and clearer, until the whole bush seemed filled with
talking.

They were all little voices, some indeed quite tiny whispers and
squeaks, but they were very numerous, and seemed to be everywhere. They
came from the earth, from the bushes, from the trees, and from the very
air. The little girl looked round to see where they came from, but
everything looked just the same. Hundreds of ants, of all kinds and
sizes, were hurrying to their nests; a few lizards were scuttling about
amongst the dry twigs and sparse grasses; there were some grasshoppers,
and in the trees birds fluttered to and fro. Then Dot knew that she was
hearing, and understanding, everything that was being said by all the