"Does that kind go smoothly?" the Knight asked, in a tone of great interest, clasping his arms round the horse's neck as he spoke, just in time to save himself from tumbling off again.
"Much more smoothly than a live horse," Alice said, with a little scream of laughter, in spite of all she could do to prevent it.
"I'll get one," the Knight said, thoughtfully, to himself. "One or two—several."
There was a short silence after this, and then the Knight went on again. "I'm a great hand at inventing things. Now, I dare say, you noticed the last time you picked me up that I was looking rather thoughtful?"
"You were a little grave," said Alice.
"Well, just then I was inventing a new way of getting over a gate. Would you like to hear it?"
"Very much, indeed!" Alice said, politely.