“I haven’t the slightest idea,” answered the Princess, sincerely. “It’s _almost_ as hard to get in here as to get out,—not quite, though!” she added, thoughtfully. “Well, first,” said Bab, “I’ll tell you about my journey to Santa Claus. That will explain a little.” And she told them all about her trip through the Wonderful Wood, and about the Sand Man, and the Brownies, and the Wooden Cow, and the arrival of the Dragon-Fly. “But,” cried Dick, at this point, “I—I only sent the message a minute ago!” Then he paused a minute, bewildered. _Was_ it only a minute ago, after all? He did not seem to be able to count the time. “My dear children,” said the Princess, “you must never try to count time in Make Believe Land. Time either does not exist here, or else there is so much of it that you simply can’t measure it. I don’t know which it is, but anyway it is silly to try to guess how long anything takes here.” “Well,” said Bab, who didn’t care anything about time herself, “I got into Santa Claus’s sleigh, and the reindeer brought me safely to the Red City. I left them in the wood, and came here as fast as I could go. A little boy showed me the way.” “Mudge!” said Dick. “But how did you get into the tower?” Bab chuckled. “I threw some sand at the men who tried to stop me,” she said, “and they—every—single—one—went—fast—asleep!” The Princess opened her eyes and mouth in amazement. “The guards outside this room, too?” she asked with a gasp. Bab nodded triumphantly. “I had just enough Sleep-Sand left for them!” she said. “Oh!” cried the Princess, with another little gasp. “Then I’m free!” And she jumped up, and ran to the door, stumbling over her flowing, gold-embroidered robes as she ran, and over-turning a box of jewels in her haste. She opened the door, and there, sure enough, were all the guards sound asleep on the floor outside. “Oh, oh, oh!” cried the Princess, and hugged Bab in her excitement. “You blessed little thing! You darling! You—you’ve set me free!” And then she hugged Dick too, and then all three of them laughed and talked all at once, and Wiggles rushed around them in a circle and howled his sympathy. “Now,” said the Princess, picking up her skirts, “let’s run!” And they all scurried away out of the Palace as fast as mice. They passed the men-at-arms that Bab had met below, who were all as sound asleep as possible, just where they had happened to be when Bab threw the sand at them,—all, that is, except one man. He was only half asleep, and was yawning and stretching and trying hard to wake up. “I’m afraid he did not get a whole grain!” said Bab, looking at him anxiously. “Well, never mind. I guess he won’t wake _quite_ up until we are safe away, anyway. Come, come! Hurry up!”