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.
"Oh, Peter, you naughty boy, you are so provoking!" exclaimed Ann,
hugging him. "Tell sister what you mean, and what you've been doing
and why you ran away to find those horrid creatures!"
"Aren't horrid," said Peter, wriggling away from her, "and '_tis_
Manunderthebed's house, 'cause he came out by the little door when the
Bad Dreams brought me. He came out of his little door, and he said
'Peter, will you come to my party?'"
"But there isn't any little door now," interrupted Rudolf, "anyway,
_I_ can't find it." He had taken a candle from the mantel-piece, had
lighted it at the fire, and was making a careful search of the walls.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125