Ruth laughed, and so did Rose after a moment. “I guess she’ll think I’m a sort of monster too,” she said. “But that’s the _last_. Cross my heart.” “Well, off with us, then,” said the fairy. She took the children by the hand, while they shut their eyes tight. And then, with a drop and a jerk, she let them go. They opened their eyes to find themselves in a large, square, comfortable room, with big easy chairs standing on either side of a fireplace, in which burned a bright coal fire. On the mantelpiece were a clock and two vases, under glass domes. Round the room were low bookcases well filled with books, there was a round table near the middle, and other chairs and furniture, a bright coal-scuttle and fire irons, and on a low table near the fire a tea-tray with tea and cakes and sandwiches. Standing on the rug before the fire was Alice, her hands behind her back, watching a black and a white kitten playing together. But the minute the girls’ eyes fell on her she looked up with a delighted smile. “I’m so glad you could come,” she said. “Please, tea is ready. Of course it’s _mostly_ milk. Let’s have some right off, for I know I want it and I’m sure you do too.” Rose and Ruth nodded, drawing nearer. The kittens ran after a ball, thumping along with heavy sounding feet, like little lions. All three children laughed. “That’s much better,” said Alice, cheerfully. “Now we won’t be a bit shy any more. Will you begin with sandwiches, and have cake later?” They would. And as they ate and drank, they noticed that they were all dressed in neat little gowns with short puffed sleeves, and wore aprons with a ruffle. Their hair was brushed back and held by a ribbon tied on top of their heads in a neat bow, and on their feet were striped stockings and heelless black slippers. “It must be nice to be Alice in Wonderland,” Rose said, munching a piece of plum-cake with great care not to drop any crumbs. “Do you go there much?” “Oh, yes, indeed. I’m always running over, or else stepping through the Looking-Glass. It gets to be a habit, you know.” “Can we all go after we’ve had our tea?” asked Ruth, a little anxiously, for they seemed so settled that she could hardly believe they would do anything so wonderful as get to Wonderland. “Would you like to?” cried Alice, excitedly. “Oh, how perfectly splendid. You see, I’ve never had any little girls to play with, or to go _there_ with. I’m always alone. And it would be so nice if you would come with me this time.” “That’s just how it is with us. We haven’t any little girl friends either, and that’s why the fairy takes us with her through the Magic Gate ... that’s how we got here, you know.” Alice looked interested, finishing her tea quickly. “So that’s how you came? Not through a mirror or a hole in the ground?” “We’ve often tried to get through our big glass in the hall,” said Ruth, “but it never will soften up for us. And the prairie dog holes aren’t big enough to go down.”