"And the other animals--the lion and the bear?" "They are lying down, too, they will be asleep in a moment! There, Peter, didn't I tell you it was a dream cake?" But even then Peter did not appear grateful. He went back to the shelf where he had found the cake and stood looking at it wistfully, as if he hoped he would find another. Rudolf came up behind him and looked over his shoulder. "It's no use," said Peter mournfully, "there isn't any more." "There's this!" cried Rudolf triumphantly, and reaching over Peter he pressed a little round knob of wood half hidden under the shelf. Instantly the whole shelf, together with a large piece of the wall, swung aside, and the children were standing on the threshold of just such another little door as that by which they had entered, only on the other side of the tree. For a moment the three children hesitated, half afraid to believe in their good luck, and then, taking hold of hands they stepped softly out of their prison. Almost at their feet lay the great white wolf, the yellow lion, and the shaggy bear, all snoring in concert. Carefully avoiding them, the children made for the thick woods ahead, not caring where they went so long as they could escape from their enemies. The big tree was now between them and the plum-pudding fire around which the Bad Dreams lay asleep, so it really seemed as if they had a good chance of getting away unseen. "Hurry, hurry," Rudolf whispered, dragging Ann by the hand. "If we can only get to those thick trees I am sure we shall be safe." "If they only don't wake up!" she panted. Just at that exciting moment Peter had to make trouble--as usual. He stumbled and fell over a twisted root, hurt his knee, and gave a loud angry squeal. Rudolf clapped a hand over his mouth and dragged him to his feet, but it was too late--they were discovered. A tall form shot up out of the grass just behind them, and instantly a loud war-whoop rang through the woods. "It's Thunder-snorer--it's the Indian," Rudolf cried. "Run for your lives!" [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XV COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF The Bad Dreams were all aroused by Thunder-snorer's war-whoop, and in an instant the whole pack of them, headed by Manunderthebed, were at the children's heels. Rudolf and Ann ran as fast as ever they could, dragging Peter after them, but it was both difficult and dangerous to run fast through that dark wood, especially as they had no idea in what direction they ought to go. Each moment they expected to be overtaken, each moment they seemed to feel Manunderthebed's long black arm stretched out to drag them back to their prison--or to something worse.