“Here we are, brother Nibby,” said Malkin, and he appeared to be opening a door.
“Home again, brother Malkin,” said Nibby, and the three of them climbed a ladder, and Nibby raised a door overhead, and the next minute they were in the gnomes’ kitchen.
Malkin and Nibby sat themselves down at their little table, where a candle was burning, and Malkin said:
“I suppose we’d better ask her to stay to supper, brother.”
“Just what I was thinking,” said Nibby. “But which one of us will ask her?”
“Oh, you must be the one to do that, brother.”
“Oh, no, you can do it so much better, brother Malkin. You must——”
“Goodness gracious me!” said Merrimeg. “You don’t need to ask me. I can’t stay anyway.”
“Not very polite to-day, brother, not very polite,” said Malkin.
“I’m afraid not, brother, I’m afraid not,” said Nibby.