rry to go, and they took the bells and the portfolio with
them. I didn't find this out till after they had gone, and
then I was sorry too, and wished for them back again. What
do I mean by "them"? Never mind.

How are Arthur, and Amy, and Emily? Do they still go up and
down Finborough Road, and teach the cats to be kind to mice?
I'm _very_ fond of all the cats in Finborough Road.

Give them my love.
Who do I mean by "them"?
Never mind.

Your affectionate friend,

Lewis Carroll.

[Illustration: Arthur Hughes and his daughter Agnes. _From
a photograph by Lewis Carroll._]

My dear Amy,--How are you getting on, I wonder, with
guessing those puzzles from "Wonderland"? If you think
you've found out any of the answers, you may send them to
me; and if they're wrong, I won't tell you they're right!

You asked me after those three cats. Ah! The dear creatures!
Do you know, ever since that night they first came, they
have _never left me?_ Isn't it kind of them? Tell Agnes
this. She will be interested to hear it. And they _are_
so kind and thoughtful! Do you know, when I had gone out for
a walk the other day, they got _all_ my books out of
the bookcase, and opened them on the floor, to be ready for
me to read. They opened them all at page 50, because they
thought that would be a nice useful page to begin at. It was
rather unfortunate, though: because they took my bottle of
gum, and tried to gum pictures upon the ceiling (which they
thought would please me), and by accident they spilt a
quantity of it all over the books. So when they were shut up
and put by, the leaves all stuck together, and I can never
read page 50 again in any of them!

However, they meant it very kindly, so I wasn't angry. I
gave them each a spoonful of ink as a treat; but they were
ungrateful for that, and made dreadful faces. But, of
course, as it was given them as a treat, they had to drink
it. One of them has turned black since: it was a white cat
to begin with.

Give my love to any children you happen to meet. Also I send
two kisses and a half, for you to divide with Agnes, Emily,
and Godfrey. Mind you divide them fairly.

Yours affectionately,

C.L. Dodgson.

The intelligent reader will make a discovery about the first of the
two following letters, which Miss Maggie Cunningha