` As wet as ever , ' said Alice in a melancholy tone : ` it does n't seem to dry me at all . ' ` In that case , ' said the Dodo solemnly , rising to its feet , ' I move that the meeting adjourn , for the immediate adoption of more energetic remedies -- ' ` Speak English ! ' said the Eaglet . ' I do n't know the meaning of half those long words , and , what 's more , I do n't believe you do either ! ' And the Eaglet bent down its head to hide a smile : some of the other birds tittered audibly . ` What I was going to say , ' said the Dodo in an offended tone , ` was , that the best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race . ' ` What IS a Caucus-race ? ' said Alice ; not that she wanted much to know , but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that SOMEBODY ought to speak , and no one else seemed inclined to say anything . ` Why , ' said the Dodo , ` the best way to explain it is to do it . ' -LRB- And , as you might like to try the thing yourself , some winter day , I will tell you how the Dodo managed it . -RRB- First it marked out a race-course , in a sort of circle , -LRB- ` the exact shape does n't matter , ' it said , -RRB- and then all the party were placed along the course , here and there . There was no ` One , two , three , and away , ' but they began running when they liked , and left off when they liked , so that it was not easy to know when the race was over . However , when they had been running half an hour or so , and were quite dry again , the Dodo suddenly called out ` The race is over ! ' and they all crowded round it , panting , and asking , ` But who has won ? ' This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought , and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead -LRB- the position in which you usually see Shakespeare , in the pictures of him -RRB- , while the rest waited in silence . At last the Dodo said , ` EVERYBODY has won , and all must have prizes . ' ` But who is to give the prizes ? ' quite a chorus of voices asked . ` Why , SHE , of course , ' said the Dodo , pointing to Alice with one finger ; and the whole party at once crowded round her , calling out in a confused way , ` Prizes ! Prizes ! '
Alice had no idea what to do , and in despair she put her hand in her pocket , and pulled out a box XXXXX comfits , -LRB- luckily the salt water had not got into it -RRB- , and handed them round as prizes .
In as at down of over that while with without