You see I carry it upside-down, so that the rain
can't get in.'
`But the things can get OUT,' Alice gently remarked. `Do you know
the lid's open?'
`I didn't know it,' the Knight said, a shade of vexation passing
over his face. `Then all the things much have fallen out! And the
box is no use without them.' He unfastened it as he spoke, and was
just going to throw it into the bushes, when a sudden though seemed
to strike him, and he hung it carefully on a tree. `Can you guess
why I did that?' he said to Alice.
Alice shook her head.
`In hopes some bees my make a nest in it -- then I should get the
honey.'
`But you've got a bee-hive -- or something like one -- fastened to
the saddle,' said Alice.
`Yes, it's a very good bee-hive,' the Knight said in a discontented
tone, `one of the best kind. But not a single bee has come near it
yet. And the other thing is a mouse-trap. I suppose the mice keep
the bees out -- or the bees keep the mice out, I don't know which.'
`I was wondering what the mouse-trap was for,' said Alice. `It
isn't very likely there would be any mice on the horse's back.'
`Not very likely, perhaps,' said the Knight: `but if they DO come,
I don't choose to have them running all about.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110