Dot and the Kangaroo

supposed to mean hearty good-will at parting. He would have spoken, only he had swallowed part of the Snake, and the rest hung o

not to get too far ahead. This was very difficult for the Kangaroo, because even the smallest hops carried her far in front. After a time they arranged that the friendly animal should

ind animal; when suddenly, clean over a big bush, the Kangaroo would bound into view, landing right in front of her. Then Dot would laugh, and rush forward, and throw her arms around her friend; and the Kangaroo, wi

to touch them. They were so tender and green that they could only grow far away from the sun, and as she peeped into the hollows and caves where they grew, it seemed as if she was being shown the secret store-house of Nature, where she kept all the most lovely plants, out of sight of the world. A soft carpet seem

n a house made of green glass. All up the slender stems of these tall tree-ferns were the most beautiful little plants, and many stems were twined, from the earth to their feather-like fronds, with tender creeping ferns-the fronds of which were so fine and close, that

, and was the friend of the Kangaroo, they were not frightened, but perched on her shoulders and hands, and chatted their merry talk all together. The Kangaroo did not share Dot's enthusiasm for the beauties of the gully. She said it was pretty, certainly,

ith bare feet, laughing as she paddled in and out among the rocks and ferns, and the sun shone down on the gleaming foam of the water, and made golden lights in Dot's wild curls. The Kangaroo, too, was very merry, and bounded from rock to rock over the stream, showing what wonderful things she could do i

; and the Kangaroo said, that as they were nearing the home of the Platypus, they must not play in the stream any more; to do so might warn the creature of their approach and frighten it. "W

was smooth as glass. The clouds in the sky, the tall surrounding trees, and the graceful ferns and rushes of the banks, were all reflected in the water, so that it looked to Dot

ttle way from the edge of the pool, but

the Platypus. She kept on fidgeting about, putting off calling to t

ned of the Platy

he instant I set eyes upon it. Then, too, it's so difficult to be polite to the Platypus, because one never knows how to behave towards it. If you treat it as an animal, you off

one, because no one in the bush was so learned. Being such a strange creature, and living in such seclusion, and being so difficult to approach was

towards their side, and, as it moved forward, leaving two little silvery ripples that widened out behind it on the smooth waters. Presently the black stick, which was the bill of the Platypus, reached the bank, and the stranges

hurriedly prepare to regain the water. It began to stumble clumsily

man! I have treated it like my baby Kan

ements of the Platypus; it had reached th

re alike! They all come here to interview me for the same purpose, and I'm reso

e will not annoy you in that way. She wouldn

r 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

ghtening up, although she hadn't

typus in a more friendly tone, "and if I feel qui

e 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 to tidy her. Then she started back with a hop, and eyed the child with her head on one side. She was not quit

get home mother will put me on a new frock, and will get

he little Human. She began to feel that she would be lonely when they parted. However, sh

ooked like an empty fur bag that had been fished out of the water. Projecting from the head, that seemed much nearer to the ground than the back, was a broad duck's bill, of a dirty grey colour; and peeping out underneath were two fore fee

hus Paradoxus!" said t

said the l

d over my name, and mumbled yours, and we should have been none the wiser. Now tell me, little Human, are you going to write a boo

e inwardly wondering what anyone could find to ma

us, doubtfully, and evidently more th

," sai

urrounded its bill, and swallowed some water beetles, small snails and mud that it had stored there. "See, for instance, the way you have all quarrelled and lied about me! First one great Human, the biggest fool of all, said I wasn't a live creature at all, but a joke another Human

nd of the world, who, never took the trouble to come here to see me, wrote books about me. Those who did come were more impudent than those who stayed away. Their idea of learning all about a creature was to dig up its home, and frighten it out of its wits, and

ising anger of the Platypus, and whispered to D

nt to think of anything better to say. But this remark angered the

rect position, and its little

ody that my ancestors were the Amphitherium, the Amphilestes, the Phasc

end of a long grass she held in her fore paw. But Dot noticed, by the slight trembling of the little black paw, that the Kangaroo was very nervous. She thought she would try and say something to please Platypus; so she asked, very kindly

know,"

years, they will be more like us of old families; they will respect quiet, exclusive living, like that of the Ornithorhynchus Paradoxus, and will not be so i

ct, and gently introduced the topic of Dot's lost way, saying how

rested, and yawned more than o

angaroo, "whom shall I ask to find

ot in front of its bill, which Dot thought very rude, or else very ancient manners.

ked quite shocked at her doing so, she hurriedly described the creatures she had seen there. She said there were Crick

pus, with a wave of its web f

angaroo and Dot an

, it continued, "If you can bring yourself to speak to anything so obtrusive and gossiping, without any ancestry or manners what

dvise me," said the

ver you are!" cried Do

the queer little creature before her. It raised itself

om the brutally coarse expressions of a Human. My name is Ornithorhyncus Paradoxus. Besides, even if my front feet can expand, they can also contract; see

edged a little closer to Dot and whispered in her ear. "It's getting angry, and i

; "I did not wish to hurt you

u one Jones, or one Smith, and did not say both the Joneses and the Smiths? You have no idea how sensitive our race is. You Humans have no feelings

le Kangaroo, soothingly. "Is there anything w

s. I will sing a little threnody composed by myself, about the good old days of this world before the Flood." And as it spo

pt it on any account. Almost before the Kangaroo had ceased to whisper in her ear, Dot heard this strang

uanodon repose

auteous form, a hun

lammivomous, beat on

le Saurians dispo

nodon reproved t

s Saurian Age is not

that archaic sea,

finny wings, wit

e cried, as he app

sthynic, love? Come,

uarian seas, and w

e reptile fish is

coniferous grove they

nodon and Ichth

bilious air, the ca

phibious sighs, the

ed, botaurus-toned,

forms will be in

mous path, they crush

thunder, marked the

hed the estuary, t

hefted sea; their s

araseline eyes unt

omian Age was pas

oh, earth! oh

halous sauria

Platypus w

odites obs

g emotion and sobbing in each verse, broke down, overcome by the extreme sensitivenes

ypus in such sorrow, and Dot mastered her aversion to touc

hem farewell. It said it must try and restore its shattered fifth pair o

roo and Dot, who called out "Good-bye" to it. Its eyes were dim with tears, for it was st

ng its head. "Fossils!" it repeated, as it plunged into the pool and swam away. "Fossil

eared from view, the Kangaroo and Dot remained ju

aid she, "what was

wistfully, "no one ever knows

ery sad,"

learned and interesting creature," she added hastily. "Its conver

afraid she must be very stupid, for she hadn't understood anyt

atypus is so learned and so instructive, that no one tries