Alice now applied a smooth wooden roller to the cake with such quickness and skill, that the lump forthwith lay spread upon the board in a thin even layer, and she next cut it into little round cakes with the edge of a tumbler. Half the board was covered with the nice little white things, which Ellen declared looked good enough to eat already; and she had quite forgotten all possible causes of vexation, past, present, or future, when suddenly a large gray cat jumped upon the table, and coolly walking upon the moulding-board, planted his paw directly in the middle of one of his mistress's cakes.
"Take him off oh, Ellen!" cried Alice, "take him off! I can't touch him."
But Ellen was a little afraid.
Alice then tried gently to shove puss off with her elbow; but he seemed to think that was very good fun, purred, whisked his great tail over Alice's bare arm, and rubbed his head against it, having evidently no notion that he was not just where he ought to be. Alice and Ellen were too much amused to try any violent method of relief, but Margery happily coming in, seized puss in both hands and set him on the floor.
"Just look at the print of his paw in that cake," said Ellen.
"He has set his mark on it, certainly. I think it is his now, by the right of possession if not the right of discovery."
"I think he discovered the cakes too," said Ellen, laughing.
"Why, yes. He shall have that one baked for his supper."
"Does he like cakes?"
"Indeed he does. Captain Parry is very particular and delicate about his eating."