what puzzles me. What is it
about the sight of sheep that excites one so? When one gets into a big
flock, one has to dance, one can't help oneself. We had a great dance in
a flock to-day, and the lambs would get under our feet, so I'm sorry to
say a good many of them were killed."

"Men will certainly kill you, if you do that," said Dot.

"We know it," chuckled the Emu; "that is why the tank is not quite safe
just now. But this evening I will show you a new plan by which to learn
if Humans are camped at a tank, or not. We have played the trick with
great success for several nights."

Conversing thus, the Emu, the Kangaroo, and Dot wandered on until the
Emu requested them to wait for a few minutes, whilst it peeped at the
tank, which was still a long way off.

It presently returned and said that it felt quite suspicious, because
everything looked so clear and safe. "From this point of high ground,"
said the bird, "you can watch our proceedings. I will now give the
signal and return to my post here."

The Emu then ran at a great pace along the edge of the plain, and
emitted a strange rattling cry. After disappearing from sight for a
time, it returned hurriedly to where Dot and her friend were waiting.

"Now, see!" said the Emu, nodding at the distant side of the plain.

Dot's eyes were not so keen of sight as those of an Emu; but she thought
she could see something like a little cloud of dust, far, far away
across the dry brown grass of the plain. Soon she was quite sure that
the little cloud was advancing towards her side of the plain, and in the
direction of the tank. As it came nearer she could see the bobbing heads
of Emus, popping up above the dust, and she could see some of the birds
running round the little cloud.

"What is the cause of all that dust?" she asked the Emu.

"Sheep!" it answered with a merry chuckle.

"But what are the Emus doing with the sheep?" asked Dot and the
Kangaroo, now fully interested in the Emu's manoeuvre.

"They are driving them to water at the tank," said the bird, highly
delighted with the scheme. "The sheep will soon know that they are near
water, and will go to it without driving. Then we shall watch, and if
they quietly drink and scatter, it will be safe for us, but if they see
anything unusual and break, and run--well, we shan't drink at the tank
to-night. There will be Humans and dogs there, and we don't cultivate
their society just now."

"Really that is the cleveres