Do n't talk to me about them any more ! '' `` I wo n't indeed ! '' said Alice , in a great hurry to change the conversation , `` are you -- are you -- fond of -- dogs ? '' The mouse did not answer , so Alice went on eagerly : `` there is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you ! A little bright-eyed terrier , you know , with oh ! such long curly brown hair ! And it 'll fetch things when you throw them , and it 'll sit up and beg for its dinner , and all sorts of things -- I ca 'n' t remember half of them -- and it belongs to a farmer , and he says it kills all the rats and -- oh dear ! '' said Alice sadly , `` I 'm afraid I 've offended it again ! '' for the mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go , and making quite a commotion in the pool as it went . So she called softly after it : `` mouse dear ! Do come back again , and we wo n't talk about cats and dogs any more , if you do n't like them ! '' When the mouse heard this , it turned and swam slowly back to her : its face was quite pale , -LRB- with passion , Alice thought , -RRB- and it said in a trembling low voice `` let 's get to the shore , and then I 'll tell you my history , and you 'll understand why it is I hate cats and dogs . '' It was high time to go , for the pool was getting quite full of birds and animals that had fallen into it . There was a Duck and a Dodo , a Lory and an Eaglet , and several other curious creatures . Alice led the way , and the whole party swam to the shore . -LSB- Illustration -RSB- Chapter II -LSB- Illustration -RSB- They were indeed a curious looking party that assembled on the bank -- the birds with draggled feathers , the animals with their fur clinging close to them -- all dripping wet , cross , and uncomfortable . The first question of course was , how to get dry : they had a consultation about this , and Alice hardly felt at all surprised at finding herself talking familiarly with the birds , as if she had known them all her life . Indeed , she had quite a long argument with the Lory , who at last turned sulky , and would only say `` I am older than you , and must know best , '' and this Alice would not admit without knowing how old the Lory was , and as the Lory positively refused to tell its age , there was nothing more to be said . At last the mouse , who seemed to have some authority among them , called out `` sit down , all of you , and attend to me ! I 'll soon make you dry enough ! ''
They all sat down at once , shivering , in a large ring , XXXXX in the middle , with her eyes anxiously fixed on the mouse , for she felt sure she would catch a bad cold if she did not get dry very soon .
Alice Chapter Dodo Duck Eaglet Lory authority first mouse things