, I'm
afraid."

The children thanked Sandy for all his kindness, and turned to leave
him. "One moment," he cried, and he ran ahead of them to draw aside
the wall of prickly bushes and show them the little path he had spoken
of which wound from the Good Dreams' glade toward the heart of the
wood.

"Keep right on," said Sandy, "and don't be afraid. Remember--they're a
queer lot, those fellows, but they can't hurt you if you are careful.
Don't answer 'em back and don't ask 'em too many questions. One thing
in particular--if they offer you anything to eat, don't taste a
mouthful of it. If you do it'll be the worse for you!"

Rudolf and Ann thought of Peter and his passion for "refreshments",
and they started hastily forward.

"Just _one_ thing more," called Sandy after them. "About that
consignment of your aunt's, you know! I'll hold that over till you get
back, and we'll see what can be done. Maybe we can fit you in yet,
somehow. Now good-by, and good luck to you!"

"Good-by, and thank you!" Rudolf and Ann called back to him, and then
they plunged into the path. The wall of bushes sprang back again
behind them, and cut them off from the shelter of the Good Dreams'
glade. As the path was very narrow, Rudolf walked first, sword drawn,
and Ann trotted behind him, trying not to think of what queer things
might be waiting behind the trees to jump out at them, trying only to
think of her naughty Peter, and how glad she would be to see him
again.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII

ENTER THE KNIGHT-MARE

At first it was easy enough for the children to follow the narrow
winding path which the Sandman had pointed out, but soon they came to
a part of the wood where the underbrush grew thicker and their path
lost itself in a network of other little paths spread out as if on
purpose to confuse them. Rudolf and Ann hurried along as fast as they
could go, but it was hard work to make their way through the tangled
undergrowth where the twisted roots set traps for their feet--and
caught them, too, sometimes--while overhead the tall trees met and
mingled their branches. From these hung down great masses of trailing
vines and spreading creepers like long, lean, hairy arms stretched
out to bar their way. Rudolf had to stop now and then to hack at these
arms with his sword before he and Ann could pass through. Worst of
all--the thick growth of trees made the wood so dark that they could
not see more than a