ee, and saw a big Kookooburra
perched on a bough, with all the creamy feathers of its breast fluffed
out, and its crest very high. The Kookooburra is one of the jolliest
birds in the bush, and is always cracking jokes, and laughing, but this
one was keeping as quiet as he could. Still he could not be quite
serious, and a smile played all round his huge beak. Dot could see that
he was nearly bursting with suppressed laughter. He kept on saying,
under his breath, "what a joke this is! what a capital joke! How they'll
all laugh when I tell them." Just as if it was the funniest thing in the
world to have a Snake coiled up on one's body; when the horrid thing
might bite one with its poisonous fangs, at any moment!

Dot said she didn't see any joke, and it was no laughing matter.

"To be sure _you_ don't see the joke," said the jovial bird. "On-lookers
always see the jokes, and I'm an on-looker. It's not to be expected of
you, because you're not an on-looker;" and he shook with suppressed
laughter again.

"Where is my dear Kangaroo?" asked Dot.

"She has gone to get you some berries for breakfast," said the
Kookooburra, "and she asked me to look after you, and that's why I'm
here. That Snake got on you whilst I flew away to consult my doctor, the
White Owl, about the terrible indigestion I have. He's very difficult
to catch awake; for he's out all night and sleepy all day. He says
cockchafers have caused it. The horny wing-cases and legs are most
indigestible, he assures me. I didn't fancy them much when I ate them
last night, so I took his advice and coughed them up, and I'm no longer
feeling depressed. Take my advice, and don't eat cockchafers, little
Human."

Dot did not really hear all this, nor heed the excellent advice of the
Kookooburra, not to eat those hard green beetles that had disagreed with
it, for a little shivering movement had gone through the Snake, and
presently all the scales of its shining black back and rosy underpart
began to move. Dot felt quite sick, as she saw the reptile begin to
uncoil itself, as it lay upon her. She hardly dared to breathe, but lay
as still as if she were dead, so as not to frighten or anger the horrid
creature, which presently seemed to slip like a slimy cord over her bare
legs, and wriggled away to the entrance of the cave.

With a quick, delighted movement, she sat up, eager to see where the
deadly Snake would go. It was very drowsy, having slept heavily on Dot's
warm lit