[Illustration:  “EVEN HIS MOTHER LOOKED AT HIM WITH SURPRISE”]

Only two kangaroos escaped at this dreadful time; they were Keesa’s mother and another kangaroo mother, both of whom had fought fiercely and desperately for the sake of their little ones.

Away went the two kangaroos at breakneck speed, leaping from twelve to fifteen feet at a time.  But the hunters were prepared for this, and in a few minutes the kangaroo dogs were after them.

This was a terrible time.  The terror and agony of Keesa’s mother communicated itself in some way to him, and he shivered inside his pouch half dead with fear.

On and on went the kangaroos, and close behind came the dogs.  But the mother kangaroos, when too exhausted to run further, turned, only too ready to die, if need be, for their young ones.

Keesa’s mother was fortunate enough to find a fairly large tree, and against this she put her back, her little nose and mouth working wildly and agonizingly, her sharp, little teeth showing fiercely, and her usually gentle eyes looking fierce and desperate.

Only two dogs had been sent after them:  one faced Keesa’s mother somewhat uneasily; the other followed the second kangaroo to the water’s edge, only to be taken in her front paws and held under the water until he was drowned.[Footnote:  A fact, and a common thing among kangaroos.—­Author.]

Keesa’s mother, meanwhile, faced her enemy bravely, and for a few moments the dog could not make up his mind to attack her or not.  But as he wavered the hunters’ voices were heard urging him on, and, with a fierce yelp and a quick leap, he flew at the kangaroo.

But Keesa’s mother was prepared, and with a well directed blow from one of her hind feet her sharp, knife-like claws ripped him up, and the next moment he was lying on the ground panting his life away.  The mother kangaroo waited no longer.  She had done for her enemy, she must now look out for herself.  A few long, swift strides and she caught up with the other kangaroo, and, having been told that the other dog was drowned, the two mothers went swiftly on, and on, and on, getting more and more weary with the weight of their little ones, for they were now growing very heavy, but never stopping until they reached a place where they knew they would be safe.

This was only one of the many adventures that Keesa, as a baby, went through, and he no longer wondered that his mother was always looking about with frightened eyes, as though dreading some new danger.

Keesa spent very little time in the pouch now, for he was nearly eight months old.  After a while he did not care to stay in it at all, but he often went to it for a little drink.  He was very much surprised one day, when he went to get that drink, to find another little head in the pouch, and another tiny, soft body nestled in the very place where he had so often nestled himself.

Keesa was a handsome kangaroo, somewhat lighter in color than his mother, swift and agile, healthy and strong, with long, well marked hind legs, a straight, strong tail, that acted as a sort of stool whenever he wanted to sit down, and nimble little forepaws on which he rested occasionally when he wanted to feed; at other times they hung down as his mother’s had done the first time he had made her acquaintance.