"It's a magic door," said Peter cheerfully. "Manunderthebed touched
something with his foot and that opened it and then he pushed you and
you pushed me and I bumped into Ann, and here we are."

"He's shut us up on purpose!" cried Ann. "It's just like him."

"He's shut us up to starve us into submission, like they do in books,"
said Rudolf gloomily.

"I'm starved now," began Peter, "and that was the very _nicest_ pie!"
But the other two were much provoked with Peter for having led them
into such a fix, and they would not listen to him any longer. By
Rudolf's orders, Ann lighted the other candle and both searched again
with the greatest care for some trace of the secret door. At last
Ann's sharp eyes spied not a door, but a small opening in the wall far
above their heads, like a little round window not much bigger than a
knothole. Rudolf climbed upon the table, but found he was hardly tall
enough to look through, so he was obliged to hoist Peter upon his
shoulders and let him have first look. When the little boy got his
eye to the window he gave such a shout of surprise that he nearly
knocked Rudolf and himself completely off the table.

"Hush," warned his brother, "you mustn't make a noise! Can you see
what the Bad Dreams are doing?"

"Yes, I can see 'em," whispered Peter.

"They're all sitting round the fire and Manunderthebed is making a
speech."