Suddenly he gave a great start and nearly tumbled off the dictionaries, for he found himself staring down into the yellow hungry eyes of the big white wolf.  Peter had described him truly, he was very fierce, wolfier-looking, Rudolf thought, than any of his kind the boy had seen in the dens at the park.  Now the beast gave a low growl and opened his great red mouth.  Rudolf dropped a generous bit of cake straight into it.  The big jaws closed with a snap, and the white wolf looked up for more.  By this time the other beasts had discovered the presence of refreshments, and came slinking forward, squatting themselves one on either side of their companion.

Rudolf could hardly help a squeal of surprise at the sight of the yellow lion and the big shambling bear.  He remembered in time, though, to smother it, and hastily divided the rest of the cake between the two animals.  When they had licked it up greedily, Rudolf turned his attention again to the white wolf, and this time he could not suppress an exclamation of delight.

“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 children made for the thick woods ahead, not caring where they went so long as they could escape from their enemies.  The big tree was now between them and the plum-pudding fire around which the Bad Dreams lay asleep, so it really seemed as if they had a good chance of getting away unseen.

“Hurry, hurry,” Rudolf whispered, dragging Ann by the hand.  “If we can only get to those thick trees I am sure we shall be safe.”