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THE TARTS ? 165
writing down “stupid things!” on their slates,
and she could even make out that one of them
didn’t know how to spell “stupid,” and that he
had to ask his neighbour to tell him. “A nice
muddle their slatesll be in before the trial’s
over!” thought Alice.
_One of the jurors had a pencil that squeaked.
This, of course, Alice could not stand, and she
went round the court and got behind him, and
very soon found an opportunity of taking it
away. She did it so quickly that the poor
little juror (it was Bill, the Lizard) could not
make out at all what had become of it; so,
after hunting all about for it, he was obliged
to write with one finger for the rest of the
day; and this was of very little use, as it left
no mark on the slate.
“Herald, read the accusation!” said the
King.
On this the White Rabbit blew three blasts
on the trumpet, and then unrolled the parch¬
ment scroll, and read as follows :-—