They left the village and went into the woods. They found a path which Merrimeg had never seen before, and they walked along this path, under the trees and bushes, and across little streams, for a long, long time; and the woods grew thicker and thicker, so that at last they could not see the sun, and it was very dark; and all the while the two pairs of little shoes went on before, and Merrimeg followed behind.
“I suppose we’d better tell her the right word now,” said the voice of Malkin, “before we meet old Verbum Sap.”
“Yes, before we meet old Sappy,” said Nibby’s voice.
“Dear me!” said Malkin’s voice. “Blest if I haven’t forgotten the word myself!”
“Oh, mercy on us, whatever will we do now?” said Nibby’s voice.
“Oh dear, oh dear!” said Malkin’s voice. “If I could only remember the word! Isn’t it something like cat-tails?”
“No, no, brother, nothing like that!”
“Can’t you remember the word, brother Nibby?”
“Oh, me? Oh dear yes, brother, I know what the word is. But you’ve forgotten it, brother Malkin! Whatever shall we do now? We’ll never get our bodies back without the word, never, never!”
“But don’t you know what it is, brother Nibby?”