down his other hand got hold of Alice, and held her till she had recovered a little. In a few moments more they reached the fork of the tree, and there they sat and rested. “This is capital!” said Richard, cheerily.
“What is?” asked Alice, sulkily.
“Why, we have room to rest, and there’s no hurry for a minute or two. I’m tired.”
“You selfish creature!” said Alice. “If you are tired, what must I be!”
“Tired too,” answered Richard. “But we’ve got on bravely. And look! what’s that?”
By this time the day was gone, and the night so near, that in the shadows of the tree all was dusky and dim. But there was still light enough to discover that in a niche of the tree sat a huge horned owl, with green spectacles on his beak, and a book in one foot. He took no heed of the intruders, but kept muttering to himself. And what do you think the owl was saying? I will tell you. He was talking about the book that he held upside down in his foot.
“Stupid book this‑s‑s‑s! Nothing in it at all! Everything upside down! Stupid ass‑s‑s‑s! Says owls can’t read! I can read backwards!”
“I think that is the goblin again,” said Richard, in a whisper. “However, if you ask a plain question, he must give you a plain answer, for they are not allowed to tell downright lies in Fairyland.”
“Don’t ask him, Richard; you know you gave him a dreadful blow.”
“I gave him what he deserved, and he owes me the same.—Hallo! which is the way out?”