2IO 



CJiai'lcys Wo7iderfnl Jour7iey, 



fruit -were loaves of bread, so he picked a 

 long loaf, tasted it, and finding it very sweet, 

 sat down to refresh himself after his un- 

 usual exertions. "If I only had a good 

 bowl of milk," exclaimed he. 



"If you want milk," said the 'Possum, 

 "there's a cocoanut grove just beyond, and 

 my young ones will soon throw you a few 

 nuts down. Here you, Joeys, scramble off 

 and fetch some cocoanuts for the stranger." 



The cocoanuts were soon brought; the 

 'Possums dexterously inserted their finger 

 nails in the eyes, and opened a passage for 

 the milk. Charley widened them with his 

 knife, and emptied three or four of them 

 with gusto, washing down his bread fruit at 

 the same time. 



"What can that mean ? " said the 'Possum, 

 as he pointed to an open glade about a 

 quarter of a mile distant, the view of which 

 ■was shut out by a screen of low trees. 

 "There are little pillars of smoke all over 

 the plain." 



Charley and the 'Possums crept quietly 

 up to the screen of trees, and concealing 

 themselves got a full view of all that was 

 going on in front of them, and a strange 

 sight it was. In a space of perhaps an acre 

 in extent, the Kangaroos had lighted fifty 

 or sixty small fires of dry branches, and on 

 every fire was an earthen pot supported on 

 three stones. The pots of course were full 

 of water, and in front of each fire was a 

 Kangaroo with his tail simmering in the 



water, and all changing from leg to leg in 

 a manner that showed they were very un- 

 comfortable. 



"What ever can they be doing ? " said the 

 'Possum. "I never saw anything like it." 



"I know," said Charley. " They're mak- 

 ing kangaroo-tail soup, and I'd bet any- 

 thing they haven't put any salt in." 



By this time the water was so hot that 

 the Kangaroos could stand it no longer. 

 First one took his tail out, and then the 

 others in quick succession. As soon as the 

 cold air struck them the Kangaroos danced 

 around like mad. Then they took their 

 tails in their hands and examined them, and, 

 when they saw the hair and skin come off, 

 their faces became so expressive that Char- 

 ley thought he had better leave. 



"There he is!" shouted one of the Kan- 

 garoos before Charley had got fifty yards. 

 "There he is! " shouted all in chorus. 



Charley started to run, but they gained 

 rapidly on him, and were close behind him 

 when he reached the river. He cleared it 

 in grand style, and at once settled down 

 into jumping instead of running. He now 

 began to gain on the Kangaroos, although 

 as he looked over his shoulder he found 

 that the old man whose acquaintance he 

 first made was only a few jumps behind 

 him. 



Presently a dense hedge of low trees 

 barred his path; it was useless to turn aside; 

 he put on a tremendous spurt, cleared the 

 hedge at a bound, but as he alighted on the 

 other side a prickly sensation ran up his 

 leg, which felt as if it were asleep. He 

 stood still and breathless. The next min- 

 ute the old man Kangaroo bounded clear 

 over the hedge and alighted a couple of 

 yards in front of him. 



There was not a moment to lose, the 

 other Kangaroos were close behind, and 

 with a determined effort of the will, Char- 

 ley straightened his leg, cleared the Kan- 

 garoo at a bound, trying to kick him as he 

 passed. 



