Rudolf was not really afraid now, for he saw at once that the Bad Dreams were not much at fighting, yet there were so many of them that by sheer force of their numbers they were slowly but surely pushing the three children back, back, until they were crowded against the trunk of the great oak tree where Manunderthebed had been crouching. He had run to fetch a great branch of burning holly from the fire, and holding this like a torch above his head, he pressed through the crowd toward Rudolf and dashed it almost into his eyes. Rudolf shrank back, half blinded by the glare, and bumped sharply into Peter, who in turn was pushed violently against Ann, who had set her back firmly against the tree trunk. The tree, as she described it afterward, seemed to give way behind her, and she fell backward into soft smothery darkness. Peter fell after her and Rudolf on top of Peter. The little door which had opened to receive them snapped to again, as if by magic, and from the other side of it the triumphant howls of the Bad Dreams came very faintly to their ears. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XIV IN THE HOLLOW TREE At first it seemed perfectly dark inside the tree, but after the children had rubbed out of their eyes the soft powdery dust which their fall had stirred up, they made out the dull glow of a dying fire, a real one in a real fireplace this time, and no plum-pudding affair. From the amount of furniture they knocked against in moving about they knew they must be in somebody's house. "Oh, dear," whispered Ann, "I hope the owner is not at home!" Rudolf said nothing, for he was groping about after the poker. He found it presently and stirred the embers into quite a cheerful blaze. By this light the children were able to see dimly what the room was like. It was circular in shape and the walls and ceiling were covered with rough bark. The floor was of earth, covered with a thick carpet of dry leaves. There were several chairs and a round table all made of boughs with the bark left on and the mantel-piece was built of curiously twisted branches. On it stood a round wooden clock and a pair of wooden candlesticks. A pair of spectacles lay on the top of a pile of large fat books upon the table. "I'd like to know whose house this is," said Rudolf. "It's Manunderthebed's house," said Peter calmly. "How do you know?" cried Ann and Rudolf. "'Cause I _do_ know," said Peter. "Oh, Peter, you naughty boy, you are so provoking!" exclaimed Ann, hugging him. "Tell sister what you mean, and what you've been doing and why you ran away to find those horrid creatures!" "Aren't horrid," said Peter, wriggling away from her, "and '_tis_ Manunderthebed's house, 'cause he came out by the little door when the Bad Dreams brought me. He came out of his little door, and he said 'Peter, will you come to my party?'"