"We give him a Municipal Bond," explained the Hatter. "It's a ten per cent. bond costing two cents to print. When he cracks a hickory nut for the public, the man he cracks it for pays him a cent. He rings this up on a cash register he carries pinned to his vest, and at the end of every week turns in the cash to the City Treasury. That money is used to pay the interest on the bonds. The scheme has the additional advantage that it makes a man's teeth negotiable property in the sense that whereas under the old system he couldn't very well sell his teeth, under the new system he can sell the bond if he gets hard up. Moreover, the City Government having acquired control has to pay all his dentist's bills, supply tooth powder and so on, which results in a great saving to the individual. It hardly costs the city anything, except for the Tooth Inspector, who is paid $1,200 a year, but we can handle that easily enough, provided the people will use the Public Teeth in sufficiently large numbers to bring in dividends. Anyhow, we have gone in for it, and I see no reason why it should not work as well as any other Municipal Ownership scheme." "I should love to go and see your city," said Alice, who, though not quite convinced as to the desirability of the Municipal Ownership of Teeth, was nevertheless very much interested. "Very well," said the Hatter. "We can go at once, for I see the train is already standing in the Station." "The Station?" cried Alice. "What Station?" [Illustration: "HANDING HER A CARD"] But before the Hatter could answer, Alice, glancing through the window, caught sight of a very beautiful train standing before the veranda, and in a moment she found herself stepping on board with her friends, while a soft-spoken guard at the door was handing her an engraved card upon a silver salver "Respectfully Inviting Miss Alice to Step Lively There." CHAPTER II THE IMMOVABLE TROLLEY "What an extraordinary car," said Alice, as she stepped into the brilliantly lighted vehicle. "It doesn't seem to have any end to it," she added as she passed down the aisle, looking for the front platform. "It hasn't," said the Hatter. "It just runs on forever." "Doesn't it stop anywhere?" cried Alice in amazement. "It stops everywhere," said the Hatter. "What I mean is it hasn't any ends at all. It's just one big circular car that runs all around the city and joins itself where it began in the beginning. We call it the M. O. Express, M. O. standing for Municipal Ownership----" "And Money Owed," laughed a Weasel that sat on the other side of the car. [Illustration: "PUT THAT FELLOW OFF"] "Put that fellow off," said the March Hare indignantly. "Conductor--out with him." The Conductor immediately threw the Weasel out of the window, as ordered, and the Hatter resumed. "We call it the express because it is so fast," he continued. "You'd hardly think it was going at all," observed Alice, as she noticed the entire lack of motion in the car.