e nearer to see the dance?" Then the Native Companion saw
Dot in the Kangaroo's pouch, and made a little spring of surprise. "Dear
me!" she said, "what have you in your pouch?"

"It's a Human," said the Kangaroo, apologetically; "it's quite a little
harmless one. Let me introduce you."

So Dot alighted from the pouch, and joined in the conversation, and the
Native Companion was much interested in hearing her story.

"Do you dance?" asked the Native Companion, with a quick turn of her
head, on its long, graceful neck. Dot said that she loved dancing. So
the Native Companion took her down to the creek, and all the other
Companions stopped dancing and gathered round her, whilst she was
introduced and her story told. Then they spread their wings, and with
stately steps escorted her to the edge of the water, whilst the Kangaroo
sat a little way off, and delightedly watched the proceedings.

Dot didn't understand any of the figures of the dance; but the scenery
was so lovely, and so was the pink sunset, and the Native Companions
were so elegant and gay, that, catching up her ragged little skirts in
both hands, she followed their movements with her bare brown feet as
best she could, and enjoyed herself very much. To Dot, the eight birds
that took part in the entertainment were very tall and splendid, with
their lovely grey plumage and greeny heads, and she felt quite small as
they gathered round her sometimes, and enclosed her within their
outspread wings. And how beautiful their dancing was! How light their
dainty steps! as their feet scarcely touched the earth; and what
fantastic measures they danced! advancing, retreating, circling
round--with their beautiful wings keeping the rhythm of their feet.
There was one figure that Dot thought the prettiest of all--when they
danced in line at the margin of the water; stepping, and bowing, and
gracefully gyrating to their shadows, which were reflected with the pink
clouds of evening on the surface of the creek.

Dot was very sorry, and hot, and breathless, when the dance came to an
end. The sun had been gone a long time, and all the pink shades had
slowly turned to grey; the creek had lost its radiant colour, and looked
like a silver mirror, and so desolate and sombre, that no one could have
imagined it to have been the scene of so much gaiety shortly before.

Dot hastily returned to the Kangaroo, and all the Native Companions came
daintily, and made graceful adieus to them bot