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“Don’t worry,” said Jack. “Listen to this—”

He read more from the book:

Koalas, like kangaroos, are active at night and sleep during the day, when the sun is hot. The name “koala” means “no drink,” because koalas rarely drink water. They get moisture from the leaves they eat.

Jack licked his lips. His mouth felt dry.

“Speaking of water,” he said, “I’m thirsty.”

“Me, too,” said Annie.

Teddy was panting, as if he was thirsty, also.

“Let’s find those campers,” said Jack, sighing. “Maybe they can give us some water.”

Jack put Teddy back into his pack. He tucked the book under his arm, in case he needed to look something up.

They began walking again. Suddenly, there was a loud, harsh cackle.

“Yikes,” said Annie.

“What was that? ” said Jack.

The loud cry rang again through the dry air.

Teddy barked.

Jack and Annie turned around in the clearing. It was hard to tell where the sound was coming from.

The terrible cackle came again.

“There!” said Annie.

She pointed at a bird in a gum tree. The bird had brown feathers and a large head with a long beak.

It stared down at Jack and Annie. Then it let out another cackle.

“Weird,” said Jack.

He found the bird in his book and read:

The kookaburra (say KOOK-uh-burr-uh) is the best-known bird of Australia. There is even a popular song about it. The kookaburra is also called the “laughing donkey.” This is because the strange sound it makes reminds people of a braying donkey.

“I know that song!” said Annie. She began singing:

“Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree-ee.

Merry, merry king of the bush is he-ee … ”

Jack wrote in his notebook:

Annie stopped singing. “Hey,” she said. “There’s another weird thing.”

“Where?” said Jack.

Annie pointed to a big bluish tan lump lying in a shallow, dusty hole.

“Is it alive?” said Jack.

They stepped closer to the big lump.

“It looks like it’s breathing,” said Annie.

The lump was an animal lying on its back. Its paws were crossed over its chest.

It had huge feet, large ears, a face like a deer’s, and a very long tail. It also had a very fat stomach.

Just then, a small head peered out of its stomach.

“Whoa!” said Jack.

“Oh, wow! It’s a kangaroo with her baby in her pouch!” said Annie.

“Great!” said Jack. “Remember, we have to get a gift from a kangaroo!”

Their voices woke the kangaroo. The animal jumped up from her shallow bed.

She glared at Jack and Annie. Her baby peeked out of her pouch.

The mother kangaroo gave an angry stamp.

“Oh, we’re sorry!” Annie said. “We didn’t mean to wake you up.”

The kangaroo eyed Annie curiously. Then she took a giant hop toward her.

Copying the kangaroo, Annie hopped toward the big animal.

The kangaroo hopped again.

Annie hopped.

The kangaroo and Annie began hopping around each other. They looked as if they were dancing.

Jack couldn’t believe how graceful the kangaroo was. She seemed to fly through the air, then land as softly as a butterfly.

He looked up “kangaroo” in his book and read:

The kangaroo is the most famous of the marsupials. The female carries her baby, known as a “joey,” in her pouch. Scientists call the kangaroo a “macropod,” which means “big foot.” And big feet help a kangaroo hop higher than any other animal in the world. With a running leap, a large kangaroo can jump over a school bus.

“Forget the hopping contest, Annie,” Jack called. “She can out-hop you by a mile.”

He pulled out his notebook and wrote:

The kangaroo began stamping her feet again.

“What’s wrong?” said Annie.

The kangaroo froze.

Grrrr! Teddy growled from Jack’s backpack.

Some nearby bushes moved.

A moment later, three dogs crept silently into the clearing. They were sand-colored and mean-looking.

Teddy growled once more.

But the dogs crept toward the kangaroo.

Suddenly, the mother kangaroo sprang into the air, away from the dogs.

The dogs chased after her.

“Stop!” cried Annie. “Stop! Leave her alone!”

As the kangaroo jumped, she turned in midair and landed facing a different direction. She