his foot and tripped him up. There the rascal lay on his back, kicking
wildly, while the Knight stood guard over him. Seen close by,
Manunderthebed was not quite so dreadful as when he crouched in his
dark haunt near the hollow tree, but still his shaggy fur, sharp white
teeth, and gleaming green eyes were very terrifying to Ann, who gave a
little shriek and turned her face away. "Don't be afraid," cried the
Knight. "This is the end of Manunderthebed!" And he stooped and caught
hold of the shaggy fellow by the shoulder. A crack, a rip, and the
whole silly disguise came away in one piece, fur suit, teeth, claws,
and green glass eyes. The terrible King of the Bad Dreams was just a
big naughty boy in knickerbockers who kicked and cried and begged to
be let go! The children had to laugh, they could not help it, to hear
him blubber and whine and promise over and over again that he'd never,
no, _never_ frighten little girls and boys any more! So at last the
Knight let him scramble to his feet and rush off through the woods as
fast as he could go.

"That's the last of _him_" said the children's protector smiling, "but
now tell me, you three, what do you think of the change in _my_
appearance?"

For a moment the three children stared up at the tall figure, admiring
yet puzzled, then Ann clapped her hands and shouted: "Oh, I know _now_
who you are--you're the Knight-mare!"

The tall figure swept off his helmet and made Ann such a low bow that
his fair curling locks brushed the ground, fluttering like yellow
plumes about his ruddy face. "I'm all knight now," cried he, "and none
of me mare. I'm a Good Dream now, and I've no doubt she'll be rather
pleased to get me back--the lady I belong to in the castle, you know.