but Elegant Parlor Curtains--One Able-bodied Intelligent Gardener,
with a Generous Disposition--hurry the gentleman forward, boys, he's a
curiosity! What's next? Aha! One niece, two nephews--three perfectly
good children." Sandy paused, stared about him at the throng of
jumping, pushing dreams--then added: "Don't see 'em."

"Why, yes you do!" Ann was pulling impatiently at the Sandman's
sleeve--"Here you are." Then she turned to Rudolf and whispered
excitedly: "Don't you see? We must make the Sandman believe we are
Aunt Jane's Good Dreams, and then he'll send us back to her."

"I'd like a ride on that slide, all right!" returned Rudolf.

"But I doesn't want to go back to Aunt Jane yet," came the voice of
Peter clearly from behind them. "I shan't go till I've seen the Bad
Dreams."

"Nonsense!" Rudolf turned round on him angrily. "Of course you'll go.
You're the youngest, and you've _got_ to mind us." And then without
paying any more attention to Peter, Rudolf thrust himself in front of
the Sandman. "Here we are," he said. "We're all ready."

The Sandman looked the boy up and down, consulted his list again,
smiled and shook his head very doubtfully.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I'm afraid you don't exactly answer. Just
listen to this." And he read aloud: "Number one. Boy: polite and
gentlemanly in manner--brown hair neatly smoothed and parted--Eton
suit, clean white collar, boots well polished--Latin grammar under
arm--"