t thing I have heard for a long time," said
the Kangaroo, full of admiration for the trick. "How did you jump to
that conclusion?"

"The idea sprang upon us," answered the Emu, with an immense hop in the
air, and a dancing movement when it came to the ground again. "Dear me!"
it exclaimed, "the sight of those sheep is beginning to excite me, and I
can hardly keep still! I wonder what there is so exciting about sheep!"

Dot could now see the advancing flock of sheep, with their attendant mob
of Emu, quite well. The animals had got scent of the water, and with
contented bleatings were slowly moving with a rippling effect across the
dusty plain. The mob of Emu soon left the sheep to go their own way,
and, grouped in a cluster, watched, with bobbing heads, every movement
of the flock.

Dot, the Kangaroo, and the Emu looked towards the tank with silent
interest. "I'm stationed here," whispered the bird, "to give a warning
in case there is any danger in this direction. Emus are posted all round
the tank on the same duty."

Dot could see the whole scene well, for beyond a few low shrubs on the
opposite side of the sheet of water, there was no sheltering bush near
the great tank which had been excavated on the bare plain.

[Illustration: THE EMUS HUNTING THE SHEEP]

Onward came the sheep, and quite stationary in the distance remained the
Emu mob. Just as the first sheep were descending the deep slope of the
tank, a Plover rose from amongst the bushes with a shrill cry. The Emu
started at the sound, and whispered to the Kangaroo, "There'll be no
drink to-night: watch!"

The cry of the Plover seemed to arrest the advance of the timid sheep:
they waited in a closely-packed flock, looking around. But presently the
old leader gave a deep bleat, and they moved forward towards the water.
"Shriek! Shriek!" cried the Plover from the bushes, screaming as they
rose and flew away; and suddenly the flock of sheep broke and hurried
back to the open plain. At the same instant Dot could hear the sharp
barking of a sheep dog, a noise that produced an instant effect on the
creatures she was with. With lightning speed the Kangaroo had popped her
into her pouch and was hopping away, and the Emu was striding with its
long legs as fast as it could for the cover of the Bush.

Just as they entered the Bush shelter, Dot peeped out of the pouch,
across the plain, and could see the mob of Emu in a cloud of dust,
running, and almost out of sight.