He and Ann began the search once more, going over and over the walls
by the light of their candles, but without any success. Peter was
nosing about by himself in a little recess by the fireplace, and soon
the other two heard him give a gleeful chuckle.

"What is it? Have you found the spring of the secret door?" cried
Rudolf, running to him.

"Nope," said Peter. "It's nicer than that, it's a cake. I found it
right here on this little shelf that you went past and never noticed."

"Oh, Peter," Ann scolded, "I think you are the very greediest little
boy I ever knew!"

"That cake belongs to Manunderthebed, and you know it," said Rudolf
sternly. "It's a dream cake, of course, a Bad-dream cake, so you can't
eat it."

Peter clasped the small round cake tightly to his breast.

"It's a nice seed-cake like Cook makes," he said stubbornly, "and I
_must_ eat it."

"The seeds in it are poppy-seeds," explained Rudolf, "and you'll go
to sleep and dream Bad Dreams forever, like the Knight-mare said, so
you _sha'n't_ eat it!" He tried to get the cake away from his naughty
little brother who only grasped it the more tightly. There would have
been a quarrel, and a fierce one, if it had not been for Ann.