Then Dot and the Kangaroo
hurried on their way again, the little girl sometimes running and walking
to rest the kind animal, and sometimes being carried in that soft cosy
pouch that had been her cradle and carriage for all those days.
It was quite dusk by the time they arrived at a split-rail fence, and
heard a little bird singing, "Sweet pretty creature! Sweet pretty
creature!"
"That is Willy Wagtail making love," said the Kangaroo, with a humorous
twinkle in her quiet eyes. "Peep round the bush," she said to Dot,
"and you'll see them spooning."
Dot glanced through the branches, and saw two wagtails, who looked very
smart with their black coats and white waistcoats, sitting on two posts of
a fence a little way off. They were each pretending that their long big
tails were too heavy to balance them properly, and they seemed to be
always just saving themselves from toppling off their perch. Occasionally
Willy would dart into the air, to show what an expert flyer he was; he
would shoot straight upwards, turn a double somersault backwards, and wing
off in the direction one least expected. Afterwards he would return to
his post as calm and cool as if he had done nothing surprising and say
"Pretty pretty Chip-pi-ti-chip!" that name meaning the other wagtail.
Then Chip-pi-ti-chip showed off HER flying, and they both said to one
another "Sweet pretty creature!"
At the sound of Dot and the Kangaroo's approach Chip-pi-ti-chip hid
herself in a tree, and Willy Wagtail, not knowing who was disturbing them,
scolded angrily; but when he saw the Kangaroo and the little girl, he gave
them the most cordial greeting, and wobbled about on a rail as if he must
tumble off every second.
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