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