ay long she comes out and looks for the child. One
knows, now, that the poor little one can never come back to us," and as
the big man spoke there was a queer choking in his voice.

The younger man did not speak, but he patted his friend's shoulder in a
kindly manner, which showed that he too was very sorry.

"Even you have lost heart, Jack," said the big bushman, "but we shall
find her yet; the wife shall have that comfort."

"You'll never do it now," said the young fellow with a mournful shake of
the head. "There is not an inch of ground that so young a child could
reach that we have not searched. The mystery is, what could have become
of her?"

"That's what beats me," said the tall man, who was Dot's father. "I
think of it all day and all night. There is the track of the dear little
mite as clear as possible for five miles, as far as the dry creek. The
trackers say she rested her poor weary legs by sitting under the
blackbutt tree. At that point she vanishes completely. The blacks say
there isn't a trace of man, or beast, beyond that place excepting the
trail of a big kangaroo. As you say, it's a mystery!"

As the men walked towards the bush, close to the place where Dot had run
after the hare the day she was lost, neither of them noticed the fuss
and scolding made by a Willy Wagtail; although the little bird seemed
likely to die of excitement.

Willy Wagtail was really saying, "Dot and her Kangaroo are coming this
way. Whatever you do, don't shoot them with that gun."

Presently the young man, Jack, noticed the little bird. "What friendly
little chaps those wagtails are," he said, "and see how tame and
fearless this one is. Upon my word, he nearly flew in your face that
time!"

[Illustration: DOT WAVING ADIEU TO THE KANGAROO]

Dot's father did not notice the remark, for he had stopped suddenly, and
was peering into the bush whilst he quietly shifted his gun into
position, ready to raise it and fire.

"By Jove!" he said, "I saw the head of a Kangaroo a moment ago behind
that iron-bark. Fancy it's coming so near the house. Next time it shows,
I'll get a shot at it."

Both men waited for the moment when the Kangaroo should be seen again.

The next instant the Kangaroo bounded out of the Bush into the open
paddock. Swift as lightning up went the cruel gun, but, as it exploded
with a terrible report, the man, Jack, struck it upwards, and the fatal
bullet lodged in the branch of a tall gum tree.

"Great Sc