was most untidy and dirty, for, beyond an occasional lick from the
Kangaroo, she had been five days without being tidied and cleaned.

"I couldn't do it better," said the Kangaroo apologetically.

"It doesn't matter at all," said Dot, putting her tangled curls back
from her eyes.

"Well! I know where you live," gabbled off the Wagtail. "It's the second
big paddock from here, if you follow the belt of the sheoak trees over
there. It's a house just like those things in Gabblebabble township.
There's a yellow sheep dog, who's very good tempered, and a black one
that made a snap at my tail the other day. There is an old grey cart
horse, an honest fellow, but rather dull; and a bay mare who is much
better company. There is a little red cow who is a great friend of mine,
and she had a calf a few days before you were lost. Dear me!" exclaimed
the gossiping bird, "what a fuss there has been these five days over
trying to find you! I've been over there every day to see the sight.
Such a lot of Humans! and such horses. I enjoyed myself immensely, and
made a lot of friends amongst the horses, but I didn't care so much for
the dogs; I thought them a nasty quarrelsome lot.

"I went with the whole turnout to see the search. Goodness! the
distances they went, and the noise and the big fires they made, it _was_
exciting fun! They brought over some black Humans--'Trackers' is what
they are called, at least the Mounted Troopers' horses told me so (my
word! the Troopers' horses are jolly fellows!) Well, these black
trackers went in front of each party just like dogs, with their heads
to the ground, and they turned over every leaf and twig, and said if
a Human, a horse or a kangaroo had broken it or been that way. They
found your track fast enough, but one evening it came to an end quite
suddenly, and weren't they all surprised! I heard from a Trooper's
horse--(such a nice horse he was!)--that the trackers and white Humans
said it was just as if you had disappeared into the sky! There was just
a bit of your fur on a bush, and nothing anywhere else but a Kangaroo's
trail. No one could make it out."

"That was when I took you in my pouch!" exclaimed the Kangaroo.

"Now," said the Wagtail, "most of them have given up the search. Just
this evening Dot's father and a few other Humans came back, and the
yellow sheep dog told me the last big party is to start at noon
to-morrow, and after that there will be no more attempt to find Dot.
Only