wn
the bank. The Kangaroo then raised her voice in pleading accents.

"But," she said, "it's such a little Human! I have treated it like my
baby kangaroo, and have carried it in my pouch."

This information seemed to arrest the movements of the Platypus; it had
reached the water's edge, but it paused, and turned.

"I tell you," it said in a high-pitched and irritable voice, "that all
Humans are alike! They all come here to interview me for the same
purpose, and I'm resolved it shall not happen again; I have been
insulted enough by their ignorance."

"I assure you," urged the Kangaroo, "that she will not annoy you in that
way. She wouldn't think of doing such a thing to any animal."

As the Kangaroo called the Platypus an animal, Dot saw at once that it
was offended, and in a great huff it turned towards the pool again. "I
beg your pardon," said the Kangaroo nervously. "I didn't mean an
altogether animal, or even a bird, but any a--a--a--." She seemed
puzzled how to speak of the Platypus, when the strange creature, seeing
the well-meaning embarrassment of the Kangaroo, said affably, "any
mammal or Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus."

"Exactly," said the Kangaroo, brightening up, although she hadn't the
least idea what a mammal was.

"Well, bring the little Human here," said the Platypus in a more
friendly tone, "and if I feel quite sure on that point I will permit an
interview."

Two bounds brought the Kangaroo to where Dot was hidden. She seemed
anxious that the child should make a good impression on the Platypus,
and tried with the long claws on her little black hands to comb through
Dot's long gleaming curls; but they were so tangled that the child
called out at this awkward method of hairdressing, and the Kangaroo
stopped. She then licked a black smudge off Dot's forehead, which was
all she could do to tidy her. Then she started back a hop, and eyed the
child with her head on one side. She was not quite satisfied. "Ah!" she
said, "if only you were a baby kangaroo I could make you look so nice!
but I can't do anything to your sham coat, which gets worse every day,
and your fur is all wrong, for one can't get one's claws through it. You
Humans are no good in the bush!"

"Never mind, dear Kangaroo," said the little girl; "when I get home
mother will put me on a new frock, and will get the tangles out of my
hair. Let us go to the Platypus now."

The Kangaroo felt sad as Dot spoke of returning home, for she had become