The Mouse did not notice this question, but hurriedly went on,

“‘—found it advisable to go with Edgar Atheling to meet

William and offer him the crown. William’s conduct at first was moderate.

But the insolence of his Normans—’ How are you getting on now, my

dear?” it continued, turning to Alice as it spoke.


“As wet as ever,” said Alice in a melancholy tone: “it

doesn’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 don’t know the

meaning of half those long words, and, what’s more, I don’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.” (And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter day,

I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.)


First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (“the exact shape

doesn’t matter,” it said,) 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