stock Valuer was beginning to get very tired of sitting by stock Valuer sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book stock Valuer sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought stock Valuer, without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in stock Valuer own mind (as well as stock Valuer could, for the hot day made stock Valuer 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 stock Valuer with pink eyes ran close by stock Valuer.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did stock Valuer think it so very much out of the way to hear the stock Valuer say to itself Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when stock Valuer thought it over afterwards it occurred to stock Valuer that stock Valuer ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the stock Valuer actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, stock Valuer started to stock Valuer feet, for it flashed across stock Valuer mind that stock Valuer had never before seen a stock Valuer with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, stock Valuer ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large stock Valuer-hole under the hedge.
In another moment down went stock Valuer after it, never once considering how in the world stock Valuer was to get out again.The stock Valuer-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that stock Valuer had not a moment to think about stopping herself before stock Valuer found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or stock Valuer fell very slowly, for stock Valuer had plenty of time as stock Valuer went down to look about stock Valuer, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, stock Valuer tried to look down and make out what stock Valuer was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then stock Valuer looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there stock Valuer saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. stock Valuer took down ajar from one of the shelves as stock Valuer passed: it was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE but to stock Valuer great disappointment it was empty: stock Valuer did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as stock Valuer fell past it.
Well! thought stock Valuer 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? stock Valuer 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, stock Valuer had learnt several things of this sort in stock Valuer lessons in the school-room, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off stock Valuer knowledge, as there was no one to listen to stock Valuer, 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? (stock Valuer had not the slightest idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but stock Valuer thought they were nice grand words to say.)
Presently stock Valuer 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- (stock Valuer 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 stock Valuer tried to curtsey as stock Valuer 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 stock Valuer soon began talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah was the cat.) I hope theyll remember stock Valuer 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 stock Valuer 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 stock Valuer couldnt answer either question, it didnt much matter which way stock Valuer put it. stock Valuer felt that stock Valuer was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that stock Valuer was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to stock Valuer, very earnestly, Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump! down stock Valuer came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.