"Friend Kangaroo's in a bad way," it said; "why don't you do
something sensible, instead of messing about with its head?"
"What can I do?" whimpered Dot.
"Give it water, and damp its skin, of course," said the little Bird,
contemptuously. "What fools Humans are," it exclaimed to itself. "And I
suppose you will tell me there is no water here, when all the time you are
sitting on a spring."
"But I'm sitting on grass," said Dot, now fully attentive to the bird's
remarks.
"Well, booby," sneered the bird, "and under the grass is wet moss, which,
if you make a hole in it, will fill with water. Why, I'd do it myself,
in a moment, only your claws are better suited for the purpose than mine.
Set about it at once!" it said sharply.
In an instant Dot did what the bird directed, and thrust her little hands
into the soft grass roots and moss, out of which water pressed, as if from
a sponge. She had soon made a little hole, and the most beautiful clear
water welled up into it at once. Then, in the hollows of her little hands,
she collected it, and dashed it over the Kangaroo's parched tongue, and,
further instructed by the kindly though rude little bird, she had soon well
wetted the suffering animal's fur. Gradually the breathing of the Kangaroo
became less of an effort, her tongue moistened and returned to the mouth,
and at last Dot saw with joy the brown eyes open, and she knew that her
good friend was not going to die, but would get well again.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97