A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank -- the birds with draggled feathers , the animals with their fur clinging close to them , and all dripping wet , cross , and uncomfortable . The first question of course was , how to get dry again : they had a consultation about this , and after a few minutes it seemed quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with them , 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 better ' ; and this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was , and , as the Lory positively refused to tell its age , there was no more to be said . At last the Mouse , who seemed to be a person of authority among them , called out , ` Sit down , all of you , and listen to me ! I 'LL soon make you dry enough ! ' They all sat down at once , in a large ring , with the Mouse in the middle . Alice kept her eyes anxiously fixed on it , for she felt sure she would catch a bad cold if she did not get dry very soon . ` Ahem ! ' said the Mouse with an important air , ` are you all ready ? This is the driest thing I know . Silence all round , if you please ! `` William the Conqueror , whose cause was favoured by the pope , was soon submitted to by the English , who wanted leaders , and had been of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest . Edwin and Morcar , the earls of Mercia and Northumbria -- '' ' ` Ugh ! ' said the Lory , with a shiver . ' I beg your pardon ! ' said the Mouse , frowning , but very politely : ` Did you speak ? ' ` Not I ! ' said the Lory hastily . ' I thought you did , ' said the Mouse . ' -- I proceed .
`` Edwin and Morcar , the earls of Mercia and Northumbria , declared XXXXX him : and even Stigand , the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury , found it advisable -- '' ' ` Found WHAT ? '
At about after as by for on than to with