Page:Carroll - Tangled Tale.djvu/126

110 shrouded in mystery—I scarcely feel competent to criticize it. says "if Zuzu makes 4 while Lolo makes 3, Zuzu makes 6 while Lolo makes 5 (bad reasoning), while Mimi makes 2." From this she concludes "therefore Zuzu excels in speed by 1" (i.e. when compared with Lolo; but what about Mimi?). She then compares the 3 kinds of excellence, measured on this mystic scale. takes the statement, that "Lolo makes 5 while Mimi makes 2," to prove that "Lolo makes 3 while Mimi makes 1 and Zuzu 4" (worse reasoning than ), and thence concludes that "Zuzu excels in speed by $1⁄8$"! Janet should have been, "mystery of mysteries!"

The fourth set actually put Mimi at the top, arranging them as "Mimi, Zuzu, Lolo." They are, S. B. B. (first initial scarcely legible: may be meant for "J"), and.

The fifth set consist of and. These ill-assorted comrades, by dint of foot and fin, have scrambled into the right answer, but, as their method is wrong, of course it counts for nothing. Also has very ancient and fishlike ideas as to how numbers represent merit: she says "Lolo gains $2 1⁄2$ on Mimi." Two and a half what? Fish, fish, art thou in thy duty?

Of the five winners I put and  slightly below the other three— for