the nights! Oh"--groaned the poor fellow--"the nights are the worst of
all!"

"What do you do then?" asked Rudolf and Ann.

"Oh, I'm ridden to death," sighed the Knight-mare. "As if it wasn't
bad enough to scare folks all day _not_ meaning to, without being sent
out nights to do it on purpose!" He looked over his shoulder as if he
was afraid some one might be listening, and then added in a low
voice, "And it's not my fault, either, I swear it's not. _They_
actually make me do it!"

The children shivered, for they guessed at once that "they" meant the
Bad Dreams. Then they suddenly recollected poor little Peter, whom
their last adventure and the Knight-mare's talk had quite put out of
their minds.

"I tell you what," said Rudolf suddenly, "I'll make a bargain with
you. My little brother has run away to find the Bad Dreams, and we
have got to find him and bring him back. If you'll lead us to him and
help us all you can, why--why--I won't promise--but I'll see what I
can do for you."

The Knight-mare gave a loud triumphant neigh. "Ods-bodikins and bran
mash!" he cried. "You're worth rescuing for nothing, the whole lot of
you! But"--he added mournfully--"I ought to warn you to keep away
from that crowd--they're a bad lot. You'd do better to cut along
home."

"We can't do that," cried Rudolf and Ann together.