Which Alice?

The Gryphon and the Mock Turtle
nor loss with the second customer. So his profit remains at two
dollars.
"So," said the Gryphon, laughing, "one tells me he made three
dollars, one that he made two, and one that he made one dollar.
Don't you think that's funny?"
"Which of them is correct?" asked Alice.
"Why, they ain't none of 'em correct!" replied the Gryphon.
"They only thinks they is, you know."
"Then what is your solution?" asked Alice.
"The right one, child, the right one!" replied the Gryphon.
"There ain't but only one right way of looking at it, and it's this:
You can't tell the profit nohow unless you know what the dealer
paid for the gadget in the first place!"
"Will you please explain that?" asked Alice.
"Look," he said, "just what do we mean by profit? Well, when
someone buys and sells something, the profit is the difference
between the amount he got for the article and the amount he paid
for it. So, if I was to sell you something for nine dollars for which I
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