Alice was a little worried for her friend, but when the executioner arrived, everybody began to argue.
‘I can’t cut off a head,’ said the executioner, ‘if there isn’t a body to cut if off from.’
‘You can cut the head off,’ said the King, ‘from anything that’s got a head.’
‘If somebody doesn’t do something quickly,’ said the Queen, ‘I’ll cut everybody’s head off.’
Nobody liked that plan very much, so they all tuned to Alice. ‘And what do you say?’ they cried.
‘The Cat belongs to the Duchess,’ said Alice carefully.
‘Perhaps you could ask her about it.’
‘She’s in prison,’ the Queen said to the executioner.
‘Bring her here at once.’
But then the Cat’s head slowly began to vanish, and when the executioner came back with the Duchess, there was nothing there. The King ran wildly up and down, looking for the Cat, and the Duchess put her arm round Alice. ‘I’m so pleased to see you again, my dear!’ she said. Let’s get on with the game,’ the Queen said angrily, and Alice followed her back to the croquet-ground.
