The Wonderful Bed Part 13

"All the choice bits of torturing. Why, I've not had so much as a single toss since I've been on this job; no I haven't!" And she shook her sharp curved horns at Ann.

"Not a tooth out yet!" complained the Dentist, "not a single one." He sighed, glancing from Ann to Rudolf and from Rudolf back again to Ann, as if he expected they might be coaxed into presenting him with a full set each.

"'Tis himsilf does all the arristin'," muttered the Policeman sadly.

"Big-boss-chief take all good scalp," Thunder-snorer, the Indian, grunted.

The children began to think this "Boss" must indeed be a terror.

"Now, come, come," continued the Knight-mare soothingly, "it's not so bad as that. You all get plenty of fun, but you mustn't mix it up with business. We're in a row now, every one of us, for being out of bounds. Better move along and have it over, that's my advice."

The Policeman looked more cheerful. "That's it," cried he. "Move on!"

Ann put her little arms around the Knight-mare's neck and whispered something in his ear. He turned to the Cow and said:

"Madam, this young lady wishes to know if anything has been seen or heard of another prisoner, a small fat one called Peter?"

"Sir," said the Cow, "he was taken just a little while ago. That's why we four went off in a huff. We wanted a little fun with him, just a bit of our pretty play, you know, but the Boss wouldn't have it. He's saving him up for the Banquet, and not one of us is to be let at him till after that."

Rudolf and Ann looked at each other, both suddenly remembering the Sandman's warning that on no account were any of them to taste the Bad Dreams' food. Could Peter be expected to refuse any kind of refreshments at any time? They knew that he could not.

"Come," cried Rudolf, pulling at the Knight-mare's arm. "Take us to him, please. We've got to hurry."

The Knight-mare obligingly stepped forward, leading Ann by the hand, and the Bad Dreams--to the children's surprise--rose meekly to accompany them. It was decided that the Cow should go first, to clear a way through the forest by her simple method of trampling down everything before her. The Indian walked next, stepping softly and silently on his moccasined feet, and turning now and then to make a horrid face at the children who followed behind him, one on either side of the Knight-mare. The Dentist and Policeman, walking arm in arm, brought up the rear. The party had not gone a great distance through the wood, before Ann and Rudolf noticed that the underbrush was growing thinner and the trees beginning to be taller and farther apart. At last they could see through a veil of branches the light of a fire burning on the ground not a great distance ahead of them, and soon they came close to the enormous oak tree under which this fire was kindled. Its flames were a strange bluish color, and as they shot up into the darkness which was almost complete under the shade of that great tree, the children could plainly see strange figures showing black against the light, leaping and dancing around the fire.

"The party's begun, but not the Banquet," whispered the Knight-mare.

"You can come a little closer, but you mustn't interrupt till it's over."

In silence they all moved a little nearer to the cleared s.p.a.ce under the tree, but not so near as to be discovered. Rudolf and Ann gazed anxiously at the scene before them. First of all they noticed that the fire was not an ordinary fire, but a huge blazing plum pudding which accounted for the queer color of its flames. It was stuck full of bits of crackling holly and dripped sweet-smelling sauce in every direction. On the other side of the fire, just opposite to them, was a moss-grown log, and on this log sat Peter. His big brown eyes, shining with excitement, were fixed on the dancers pa.s.sing before him, his little nose sniffed the burning plum pudding with great satisfaction.

As soon as her eye fell on her little brother, Ann started toward him, but the Knight-mare held her back.

"No use," said he. "Wait a bit, and I'll tell you when the real trouble's going to begin."

The children had no choice but to obey, and their attention was soon occupied by the strange sights before them. As one odd figure after another sprang out of the dark into the firelight, capered and pranced, and then disappeared into the blackness again, Ann and Rudolf drew closer together and squeezed hands, very queer feelings creeping up and down their back-bones. The strangest part of it all was that among that crazy company were many whom the children did not see for the first time, who were old acquaintances of theirs! There--grinning and brandishing his stick--was the Little Black Man who had worried Rudolf many a night as far back as he could remember. There was the Old Witch on the Broomstick, whom Ann had often described to him.

There again, were other Bad Dreams that made the children almost smile as they remembered certain exciting times. The Angry Farmer--Rudolf had seen him before; he remembered his fierce expression, yes, and his short black whip, too! Also the Cross Cook, her fat arms rolled up in her ap.r.o.n, and "I'm going to tell your mother," written plainly on her round red face. A great white Jam Pot danced just behind the Cook, and was followed by a dozen bright Green Apples. A Dancing-master came next, bowing and smiling at Peter as he pa.s.sed him, then a Bear paddling clumsily along on its hind legs, its great red mouth wide open to show its long white teeth, then a Gooseberry Tart marked "Stolen", then an Arithmetic with a mean sort of face, rulers for legs, and compa.s.ses for arms; then a Clock that had been meddled with by somebody (Rudolf felt certain it was not by him) and kept striking all the time; then a Piano with a lot of horrid exercises waiting to be practised; then last of all a familiar clumsy figure with one red glaring eye--their old enemy, the Warming-pan!

As Rudolf was trying to take in these, and many others in that curious throng, he felt himself sharply pinched by Ann. "Look, look," she whispered, "over there where it's so dark, close to Peter. Oh, don't you know _now_ who their Boss is?"

Rudolf looked. Clearly enough now he saw two flaming green eyes and a clumsy black figure crouching on the ground. Before this figure every one of the dancers made a low bow as he pa.s.sed.

"Don't you know him?" repeated Ann, shivering with excitement. "It's Manunderthebed!"

"Oh, well, what if it is?" whispered Rudolf. "I stopped bothering about _him_ years ago. He's only for babies."

Ann was not deceived by Rudolf's cheerful tone. Manunderthebed might not amount to much at home with nurse and mother to frighten him away, but here in his own country it was not pleasant to meet him.

"He's horrid," said she. "Oh, look, Ruddy, what is he doing now?"

Manunderthebed had stretched out a long black arm and pointed to the fire. Instantly the Bad Dreams stopped their dance and vanished into the darkness. When they came again into the firelight the children saw that the Cook, the Dancing-master, and several others carried large dishes in their hands which they now presented with low bows to Peter.

"It's the Banquet!" whispered the Knight-mare nervously. "If he touches a morsel, he's lost. He'll go to sleep and dream Bad Dreams forever and a day--which won't be pleasant, I a.s.sure you."

Ann and Rudolf had not waited for the Knight-mare to finish his speech. They rushed on Peter, just as he had helped himself to an enormous slice of mince pie, and while Ann threw her arms about his neck, Rudolf s.n.a.t.c.hed the tempting morsel out of his hand and cast it in the fire. Of course Peter struggled and fussed and was not a bit grateful, but Rudolf and Ann did not care, for the Knight-mare's warning rang in their ears. Meanwhile the Bad Dreams had gathered round the three children in an angry circle, and Manunderthebed growled out:

"Seize 'em, some of you! Where's that fat Policeman?"

"Here, sorr." Very much against his will the Policeman had been pushed forward till he stood in front of the children, hanging his head and looking very uncomfortable.

"Arrest 'em, why don't you?" shouted the Boss.

"Please, sorr, Oi have," muttered the Policeman humbly, shifting from one foot to the other and looking more and more unhappy.

"Then do it all over again, and be quick about it--or--"

Manunderthebed made a terrible face at the Policeman, who shivered, and edging up to Rudolf, laid a timid hand on his shoulder.

"No you don't!" cried Rudolf. "I'm not afraid of _you_!" And he gave the Policeman a poke with his sword, just a little one, about where his belt came. The Policeman gave a frightened yell, doubled up as if he had been shot, and ducking under the shoulders of the crowd made off into the darkness. Manunderthebed was furious. The children heard him roar out a command, and then the Bad Dreams advanced on them in a body. The leaping dancing flames of the plum-pudding fire showed their angry faces and strange figures.

Rudolf was not really afraid now, for he saw at once that the Bad Dreams were not much at fighting, yet there were so many of them that by sheer force of their numbers they were slowly but surely pushing the three children back, back, until they were crowded against the trunk of the great oak tree where Manunderthebed had been crouching.

He had run to fetch a great branch of burning holly from the fire, and holding this like a torch above his head, he pressed through the crowd toward Rudolf and dashed it almost into his eyes. Rudolf shrank back, half blinded by the glare, and b.u.mped sharply into Peter, who in turn was pushed violently against Ann, who had set her back firmly against the tree trunk. The tree, as she described it afterward, seemed to give way behind her, and she fell backward into soft smothery darkness. Peter fell after her and Rudolf on top of Peter.

The little door which had opened to receive them snapped to again, as if by magic, and from the other side of it the triumphant howls of the Bad Dreams came very faintly to their ears.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER XIV

IN THE HOLLOW TREE

At first it seemed perfectly dark inside the tree, but after the children had rubbed out of their eyes the soft powdery dust which their fall had stirred up, they made out the dull glow of a dying fire, a real one in a real fireplace this time, and no plum-pudding affair. From the amount of furniture they knocked against in moving about they knew they must be in somebody's house.

"Oh, dear," whispered Ann, "I hope the owner is not at home!"

Rudolf said nothing, for he was groping about after the poker. He found it presently and stirred the embers into quite a cheerful blaze.

By this light the children were able to see dimly what the room was like. It was circular in shape and the walls and ceiling were covered with rough bark. The floor was of earth, covered with a thick carpet of dry leaves. There were several chairs and a round table all made of boughs with the bark left on and the mantel-piece was built of curiously twisted branches. On it stood a round wooden clock and a pair of wooden candlesticks. A pair of spectacles lay on the top of a pile of large fat books upon the table.

"I'd like to know whose house this is," said Rudolf.

"It's Manunderthebed's house," said Peter calmly.

"How do you know?" cried Ann and Rudolf.

"'Cause I _do_ know," said Peter.