The Wonderful Bed | Page 4

sleeping in the cot, and Betsy, after a gruff good night,
departed, carrying the lamp with her. Now that the room was in
darkness except for the flickering light of the dying fire, Ann's fears
began to come back to her. She sat up in bed and peered round her into
the dark corners.
"I--I wish Betsy had left the light," she said. "But it would have been no
use asking her."
"Not a scrap," said Rudolf. "Not that I mind the dark," he added hastily,
"I rather like it, only don't let's lie still and--and--listen for things. Let's
play something."
"Shall we try who can keep their eyes shut longest," suggested Ann.
"Oh, that's a stupid game! Beside Peter would beat anyway, for he's
half asleep now. Shake him up, Ann."

When shaken up Peter refused to admit that, he was even sleepy. He
was very cross, and immediately began to accuse Rudolf of having
taken his cat. This Rudolf--and also Ann--denied. They had seen Peter
smuggle Mittens into bed the second time, but had supposed he must
have escaped and followed Betsy out.
"No, he didn't neither," Peter insisted. "I had him after she went. He
was 'most tamed."
"Then," said Ann, "he must be in the room and we might as well have
him to play with. Rudolf, I dare you to get up and look for him!"
And Rudolf got up--just to show he was not afraid. Before stepping
into those dark shadows, however, he armed himself with his tin sword,
a weapon he was in the habit of taking to bed with him in case of
burglars, and with this he poked bravely under the bed and in all the
dark corners, calling and coaxing Mittens to come forth. At last both he
and Ann felt sure the cat could not be in the room.
"He must have got out somehow," said Rudolf. "Anyway, I sha'n't
bother any more looking for him." Still grasping his sword, he climbed
back into the big bed between his brother and sister. Peter was still
cross and grumbly. He kept insisting that Mittens might have
disappeared inside the bed--which was a piece of nonsense neither of
the others would listen to.
After some discussion Rudolf and Ann agreed that the very nicest thing
to do would be to make a tent out of the bedclothes, and seeing Peter
was again inclined to nod, they shook him awake and sternly insisted
on his joining in the game. By tying the two upper corners of the covers
to the posts at the head of the great bed a splendid tent was quickly
made, bigger than any the children had ever played in before, so big
that Rudolf, who was to lead the procession into its white depths, began
to feel just the least little bit afraid,--of what he hardly knew. How high
the white walls rose! Not like a snuggly bed-tent, but like--like a real
white-walled cave. Being a brave boy, he quickly put these unpleasant
thoughts out of his mind, and grasping his sword, crawled on his hands
and knees into the dark opening. Behind him came Ann, and behind

Ann, Peter.
"Are you ready?" asked Rudolf. "Then in we go!"
[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II
THE ANGRY WARMING-PAN
It was not surprising that the big bed should be different from any other
bed the children had ever played in, yet it was certainly taking them a
long, long time to crawl to the foot!
"It must have a foot," thought the brave captain of the band, as he
plunged farther and farther into the depths of the white cave. "All beds
have." Then he stopped suddenly as a loud squeal of mingled surprise
and terror came from just behind him.
"Oh, Rudolf," Ann cried, "I don't want to play this game any
longer--let's go back!" In the half-darkness Rudolf felt her turn round
on Peter, who was close behind her. "Go back, Peter," she ordered.
"I can't," came a little voice out of the gloom.
"You must--oh, Peter, hurry!"
"I can't go back," said Peter calmly, "because there isn't any back. Put
your hand behind me and feel."
It was true. Just how or when it had happened none of them could tell,
but the soft drooping bedcovers had suddenly, mysteriously risen and
spread into firm white walls behind and on either side, leaving only a

narrow passageway open in front. It was nonsense to go on their hands
and knees any longer, for even Rudolf, who was tallest, could not touch
the arched white roof when he stood up and stretched his arm above his
head. He could not see Ann's face clearly, but he could hear her
beginning to sniff.
"Now, Ann," said he sternly, though in rather a