"Oh, what _is_ it, tell us," cried Ann, while Peter jumped up and down
impatiently, begging to be allowed to see.

"He's going to sleep--the white wolf is," whispered Rudolf. "He's
rocking from side to side--he can hardly stand up--his red tongue is
hanging out of his mouth--he looks too silly for anything--now he's
rolled over on his back--now he's snoring!"

"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