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"Thank you," said Alice, "it's very interesting. I never knew so

much about a whiting before."

"I can tell you more than that, if you like," said the Gryphon.

"Do you know why it's called a whiting?"

"I never thought about it," said Alice. "Why?"

"It does the boots and shoes," the Gryphon replied very solemnly.

Alice was thoroughly puzzled. "Does the boots and shoes!" she

repeated in a wondering tone.

"Why, what are your shoes done with?" said the Gryphon. "I mean,

what makes them so shiny?"

Alice looked down at them, and considered a little before she

gave her answer. "They're done with blacking, I believe."

"Boots and shoes under the sea," the Gryphon went on in a deep

voice, "are done with a whiting. Now you know."

"And what are they made of?" Alice asked in a tone of great

curiosity.

"Soles and eels, of course," the Gryphon replied rather

impatiently: "any shrimp could have told you that."