cups of tea without making any remarks; then, waddling up to the table, he took a huge piece of gingerbread and munching it hungrily took his departure.
"Well, it isn't the gingerbread!" exclaimed the knitted doll in great relief, fetching the Princess another piece. Everybody immediately began eating his gingerbread at that, and after they had eaten every bit of it, and after no one could possibly hold another crumb, they all went upstairs to the sitting room to finish the festivities with a concert. The pink rabbit agreed to act as master of ceremonies, and announced each number on the program with a bow and a flourish that was simply charming.
"A recitation by our talented friend, the knitted doll gentleman," said he, leading that person forward in the most approved style.
"Quoth a fat and jolly spider
To a thousand legger spry:
'Let us run a race, my hearty,
And the prize shall be a fly!'
So they raced across the ceiling
And the thousand legger's feet
Moved in companies—two together
In a manner very neat.
But, alas! he had not reckoned
With the ceiling as a track
And he lost his tenth and nineteenth foot
Within a yawning crack!
He lost his feet—also the race—
The victor was the spider,
And when the fly saw who had won
She tried to run and hide her—
Uh—self," finished the knitted gentleman, at which the applause was tremendous. Indeed, Miss Amanda clapped so loudly that she split her silk mittens.
