her
fall, and softly alighting on the earth, a moment after, she had
scrambled up another tree, followed by her mate. From tree to tree, from
branch to branch, they fled or pursued one another, with growls,
screams, and splutters, until they disappeared from sight.

"How unhappy those poor Opossums must be, living in the same tree," said
Dot; "why don't they live in different trees?"

"They wouldn't be happy," observed the Koala, "they are so fond of one
another."

"Then why do they quarrel?" asked Dot.

"Because they live in the same tree of course," said the Koala. "If they
lived in different trees, and never quarrelled, they wouldn't like it at
all. They'd find life dull, and they'd get sulky. There's nothing worse
than a sulky 'possum. They are champions at that."

"They make a dreadful noise with their quarrelling," said Dot. "They are
nearly as bad as the Flying Foxes over there. I wonder if they made that
fearful sound I heard just before you came?"

[Illustration: DOT, THE NATIVE BEAR, AND THE OPOSSUM]

"I expect what you heard was from me," said the Koala; "I had just
awakened, and when I saw the moon was up I felt pleased."

"Was all that sound and many noises yours?" asked Dot with astonishment,
as she regarded the shaggy little animal on the tree trunk.

The Koala smiled modestly. "Yes!" it said; "when I'm pleased there is no
creature in the bush can make such a noise, or so many different noises
at once. I waken everyone for a quarter of a mile round. You wouldn't
think it, to see me as I am, would you?" The Koala was evidently very
pleased with this accomplishment.

"It isn't kind of you to wake up all the sleeping creatures," said Dot.

"Why not?" asked the Koala. "You are a night creature, I suppose, or you
wouldn't be awake now. Well, don't you think it unfair the way
everything is arranged for the day creatures?"

"But then," said Dot, "there are so many more day creatures."

"That doesn't make any difference," observed the Koala.

"But it does," said Dot.

"How?" asked the Native Bear.

"Because if you had the day it wouldn't be any good to you, and if they
had the night it wouldn't be any good to them. So your night couldn't be
their day, and their day couldn't be your night."

"You make my head feel empty," said the Koala. "But you'd think
differently if a flock of Kookooburras settled on your tree, and
guffawed idiotically when you wanted to sleep."

"As you don't like being