The Lion and the Unicorn The next moment soldiers came running through the wood , at first in twos and threes , then ten or twenty together , and at last in such crowds that they seemed to fill the whole forest . Alice got behind a tree , for fear of being run over , and watched them go by . She thought that in all her life she had never seen soldiers so uncertain on their feet : they were always tripping over something or other , and whenever one went down , several more always fell over him , so that the ground was soon covered with little heaps of men . Then came the horses . Having four feet , these managed rather better than the foot-soldiers : but even THEY stumbled now and then ; and it seemed to be a regular rule that , whenever a horse stumbled the rider fell off instantly . The confusion got worse every moment , and Alice was very glad to get out of the wood into an open place , where she found the White King seated on the ground , busily writing in his memorandum-book . ` I 've sent them all ! ' the King cried in a tone of delight , on seeing Alice . ` Did you happen to meet any soldiers , my dear , as you came through the wood ? ' ` Yes , I did , ' said Alice : ` several thousand , I should think . ' ` Four thousand two hundred and seven , that 's the exact number , ' the King said , referring to his book . ' I could n't send all the horses , you know , because two of them are wanted in the game . And I have n't sent the two Messengers , either . They 're both gone to the town . Just look along the road , and tell me if you can see either of them . ' ' I see nobody on the road , ' said Alice . ' I only wish I had such eyes , ' the King remarked in a fretful tone . ` To be able to see Nobody ! And at that distance , too ! Why , it 's as much as I can do to see real people , by this light ! '
All this was lost on XXXXX , who was still looking intently along the road , shading her eyes with one hand . '
Alice King THEY The feet first foot-soldiers memorandum-book rule soldiers