jump in it."

After more dancing to the singing and noise of the on-lookers, a
Blackfellow came from the little bower in the dim background, with a
battered straw hat on, and a few rags tied round his neck and wrist, in
imitation of a collar and cuffs. The fellow tried to act the part of a
white man, although he had no more clothes on than the old hat and rags.
But, after a great deal of dancing, he strutted about, pulled up the rag
collar, made a great fuss with his rag cuffs, and kept taking off his
old straw hat to the other Blackfellows, and to the rest of the tribe,
who kept up the noise on the other side of the fires.

"Now this is better!" said the Kangaroo, with a smile. "It's very silly,
but Willy Wagtail says that is just the way Humans go on in the town.
Black Humans can act being white Humans, but they are of no good as
kangaroos."

Dot thought that if men behaved like that in towns it must be very
strange. She had not seen any like the acting Blackfellow at her cottage
home. But she did not say anything, for it was quite clear in her little
mind that Blackfellows, kangaroos, and willy wagtails had a very poor
opinion of white people. She felt that they must all be wrong; but, all
the same, she sometimes wished she could be a noble kangaroo, and not a
despised human being.

"I wish I were not a little white girl," she whispered to the Kangaroo.

The gentle animal patted her kindly with her delicate black hands.

"You are as nice now as my baby kangaroo," she said sadly, "but you will
have to grow into a real white Human. For some reason there have to be
all sorts of creatures on the earth. There are hawks, snakes, dingoes
and humans, and no one can tell for what good they exist. They must have
dropped on to this world by mistake for another, where there could only
have been themselves. After all," said the kind animal, "it wouldn't do
for every one to be a kangaroo, for I doubt if there would be enough
grass; but you may become an improved Human."

"How could I be that?" asked Dot, eagerly.

"Never wear kangaroo leather boots--never use kangaroo skin rugs,
and,"--here it hesitated a little, as though the subject were a most
unpleasant one to mention.

"Never do what?" enquired Dot, anxious to know all that she should do,
so as to be improved.

"Never, never eat kangaroo-tail soup!" said the Kangaroo, solemnly.

"I never will," said Dot, earnestly, "I will be an improved Human."

This conversat