005.A Race to Get Dry

When the Mouse heard Alice calling, he turned around and swam slowly toward her. With a trembling voice, he said, "Let's swim to shore. After I tell you my story, you'll understand why I hate cats and dogs."
     Alice was happy to get out of the salt water. The pool was getting crowded with birds. Alice led the way, and everyone swam to shore.
     It was an odd-looking group that gathered at the edge of the pool. Everyone, including Alice, was dripping wet, grumpy, and uncomfortable. The main question was how to get dry again. The creatures discussed this among themselves, and Alice soon joined in. She wasn't surprised anymore that she could talk to birds and animals. Or that they could talk to her. In fact, she had a long argument with the Parrot.
     "We need towels," Alice finally said. "Lots and lots of towels. That's the fastest way to dry off."
     "You're completely wrong," the Parrot said. "Birds never use towels."
     "Do you have a better idea?" Alice was getting tired of arguing about towels.
     "I'm older than you are, so I know more than you do," the Parrot replied.
     "Really, Parrot? How old are you anyway?"
     But the Parrot refused to reveal her age, so that was the end of the argument.
     Fortunately the Mouse took charge of the group. "Sit down, everyone, and I'll tell you my story while you dry. My family has a long, sad history with cats and—"
     "Ugh," the Duck said with a shiver.
     "I beg your pardon," the Mouse said. "Did you say something?"
     But before the Duck could reply, the Dodo spoke up. "I know how to get dry. We'll have a race!"
     Alice looked around the hall. "Where will we race?"
     The Dodo was already marking off a rough circle. "The exact shape of the course doesn't matter," he said when he finished.
     It was the strangest race that Alice had ever seen. There was no starting line because the Dodo let everyone start in different spots. And he didn't say, "On your mark, get set, go!" Instead the creatures started whenever they liked.
     When they'd been running for thirty minutes, the Dodo called out, "The race is over!"
     Everyone was now dry and happy. The birds gathered around the Dodo. "But who is the winner?" one asked.
     This was a puzzling question, which the Dodo thought about for a long time. At last he said, "Everybody has won, and all must have prizes!"
     "But who will give out the prizes?" a bird asked.
     "She will, of course!" The Dodo pointed to Alice. Everyone crowded around her, shouting, "Prizes! Prizes!"
     Alice had no idea what to do. But reaching into her pocket, she found a box of candies. Luckily, they'd stayed dry, and she had enough to give everyone one piece. However, there wasn't one left for herself.
     "But you must have a prize!" the Mouse insisted.
     "Of course," the Dodo replied. He turned to Alice. "What else do you have in your pocket?"
     "Only a thimble," Alice said.
     "Hand it over," the Dodo commanded her.
     They all crowded around Alice once again as the Dodo solemnly awarded her the thimble. After he had finished a short speech, everyone cheered.
     Alice thought the whole thing was silly. But the birds looked so serious that she didn't dare laugh. So she simply bowed, thinking about what strange creatures she'd met in the rabbit hole.