kitted out was beginning to get very tired of sitting by kitted out sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book kitted out sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought kitted out, without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in kitted out own mind (as well as kitted out could, for the hot day made kitted out feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White kitted out with pink eyes ran close by kitted out.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did kitted out think it so very much out of the way to hear the kitted out say to itself Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when kitted out thought it over afterwards it occurred to kitted out that kitted out ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the kitted out actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, kitted out started to kitted out feet, for it flashed across kitted out mind that kitted out had never before seen a kitted out with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, kitted out ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large kitted out-hole under the hedge.
In another moment down went kitted out after it, never once considering how in the world kitted out was to get out again.The kitted out-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that kitted out had not a moment to think about stopping herself before kitted out found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or kitted out fell very slowly, for kitted out had plenty of time as kitted out went down to look about kitted out, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, kitted out tried to look down and make out what kitted out was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then kitted out looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there kitted out saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. kitted out took down ajar from one of the shelves as kitted out passed: it was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE but to kitted out great disappointment it was empty: kitted out did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as kitted out fell past it.
Well! thought kitted out to herself After such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down-stairs! How brave theyll all think me at home! Why, I wouldnt say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house! (which was very likely true.)
Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? I wonder how many miles Ive fallen by this time? kitted out said aloud. I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think- (for, you see, kitted out had learnt several things of this sort in kitted out lessons in the school-room, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off kitted out knowledge, as there was no one to listen to kitted out, still it was good practice to say it over) -- yes thats about the right distance -- but then I wonder what Latitude or Longitude Ive got to? (kitted out had not the slightest idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but kitted out thought they were nice grand words to say.)
Presently kitted out began again. I wonder if I shall fall fight through the earth! How funny itll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downwards! The antipathies, I think- (kitted out was rather glad there was no one listening, this time, as it didnt sound at all the right word) -but I shall have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. Please, Maam, is this New Zealand? Or Australia? (and kitted out tried to curtsey as kitted out spoke- fancy, curtseying as youre falling through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) And what an ignorant little girl shell think me for asking! No, itll never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.
Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so kitted out soon began talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah was the cat.) I hope theyll remember kitted out saucer of milk at tea-time. Dinah, my dear! I wish you were down here with me! There are no mice in the air, Im afraid, but you might catch a bat, and thats very like a mouse, you know. But do cats eat bats, I wonder? And here kitted out began to get rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy son of way, Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? and sometimes Do bats eat cats? for, you see, as kitted out couldnt answer either question, it didnt much matter which way kitted out put it. kitted out felt that kitted out was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that kitted out was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to kitted out, very earnestly, Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump! down kitted out came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.
kitted out was not a bit hurt, and kitted out jumped up on to kitted out feet in a moment: kitted out looked up, but it was all dark overhead: before kitted out was another long passage, and the White kitted out was still in sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: away went kitted out like the wind, and was just in time to hear it say, as it turned a comer, Oh my ears and whiskers, how late its getting! kitted out was close behind it when kitted out turned the comer, but the kitted out was no longer to be seen: kitted out found herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps hanging from the roof.
There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; and when kitted out had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door, kitted out walked sadly down the middle, wondering how kitted out was ever to get out again.
Suddenly kitted out came upon a little three-legged table, all made of solid glass: there was nothing on it but a tiny golden key, and kitted outs first idea was that this might belong to one of the doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of them. However, on the second time round, kitted out came upon a low curtain kitted out had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: kitted out tried the little golden key in the lock, and to kitted out great delight it fitted!
kitted out opened the door and found that it led into a small passage, not much larger than a rat-hole: kitted out knelt down and looked along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. How kitted out longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but kitted out could not even get kitted out head through the doorway; and even if my head would go through, thought poor kitted out, it would be of very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin. For, you see, so many out-of-the- way things had happened lately, that kitted out had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.
There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so kitted out went back to the table, half hoping kitted out might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes: this time kitted out found a little bottle on it, (which certainly was not here before, said kitted out), and tied round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words DRINK ME beautifully printed on it in large letters.It was all very well to say Drink me, but the wise little kitted out was not going to do that in a hurry. No, Ill look first, kitted out said, and see whether its marked poison or not; for kitted out had read several nice little stories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that, if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and kitted out had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked poison, it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.However, this bottle was not marked poison, so kitted out ventured to taste it, and, finding it very nice (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast), kitted out very soon finished it off.
What a curious feeling! said kitted out. I must be shutting up like a telescope!
And so it was indeed: kitted out was now only ten inches high, and kitted out face brightened up at the thought that kitted out was now the right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. First, however, kitted out waited for a few minutes to see if kitted out was going to shrink any further: kitted out felt a little nervous about this; for it might end, you know, said kitted out to herself; in my going out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be like then? And kitted out tried to fancy what the flame of a candle looks like after the candle is blown out, for kitted out could not remember ever having seen such a thing.
After a while, finding that nothing more happened, kitted out decided on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor kitted out! when kitted out got to the door, kitted out found kitted out had forgotten the little golden key, and when kitted out went back to the table for it, kitted out found kitted out could not possibly reach it: kitted out could see it quite plainly through the glass, and kitted out tried kitted out best to climb up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery; and when kitted out had tired herself out with trying, the poor little thing sat down and cried.
Come, theres no use in crying like that! said kitted out to herself rather sharply. I advise you to leave off this minute! kitted out generally gave herself very good advice (though kitted out very seldom followed it), and sometimes kitted out scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into kitted out eyes; and once kitted out remembered trying to box kitted out own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet kitted out was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people. But its no use now, thought poor kitted out, to pretend to be two people! Why, theres hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!
Soon kitted out eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: kitted out opened it, and found in it a very small kitted out, on which the words EAT ME were beautifully marked in currants. Well, Ill eat it, said kitted out, and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door: so either way Ill get into the garden, and I dont care which happens!
kitted out ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself Which way? Which way?, holding kitted out hand on the top of kitted out head to feel which way it was growing; and kitted out was quite surprised to find that kitted out remained the same size. To be sure, this is what generally happens when one eats kitted out; but kitted out had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.
So kitted out set to work, and very soon finished off the kitted out.