“How sudden people are here,” complained Ruth. “Just when you really think of something you want to say, they hurry away—and so fast!” “It is rather provoking of them,” Alice agreed, in her quiet way. “But see, here we are at the village already.” And so they were. In fact, they were right in the middle of it, though none of them had noticed arriving. They were in a square, with a bit of lawn in the centre where Rose felt relieved to see the cow peacefully grazing. Around the square was a row of little houses looking just like Noah’s Arks, with hinges on the roofs, and long ladders leading up. Several of the roofs were raised and from beneath them looked out the various creatures that belonged in Wonderland. Ruth pointed out the Mock Turtle excitedly. It was leading out from one of the houses, trying to arrange the ladder, while big tears rolled down its cheeks. Each time it almost got the ladder properly adjusted, it would raise one of its flippers to wipe its eyes, and let the ladder slip again. The square was already fairly crowded, with new creatures crowding down the ladders every minute. “There is the White Knight,” said Alice, in Rose’s ear. “Let’s go over and see if he has any new inventions.” Ruth had gone to the assistance of the Mock Turtle, and was holding the ladder while he struggled to climb out from his house. The White Knight was sitting his horse at the edge of the grassplot. He had taken off his helmet, and was wiping his forehead with a huge handkerchief, while slowly shaking his head. As Alice and Rose came up he smiled at them, pushing back his shaggy hair with both hands, just as he used to do. “It’s very nice to see you both here,” he began. “Did you——” but his horse, which had been grazing quietly, just then took a step forward, and the Knight promptly fell off. Rose and Alice both hurried to help him to his feet. “Won’t you stand with us a little while, instead of mounting again?” Alice asked. “You see, we sha’n’t waste so much time.” “It’s better than wasting shoes,” the White Knight objected. “There’s so much more of it, you know.” “Do tell us,” Alice put in hastily, “have you invented anything new lately?” A gratified look passed over the Knight’s gentle face. “Yes,” he answered. “I’ve been working on it a long, long time—that’s why I know there’s so much, you see—and now it’s all done but the making. I haven’t quite decided how to _make_ it yet.” “But isn’t that the most important part?” asked Rose. “Well, of course, it _has_ its importance,” the Knight replied, looking vexed, “but after all the inventing is the main thing, isn’t it?” “Yes, I’m sure it is,” Alice agreed, and then she whispered to Rose, “One can’t argue with him at all, he doesn’t understand it. And he gets _so_ troubled, poor old thing.” Rose nodded, smiling. “Could you tell us just what the invention is?” she went on, turning to the Knight.