“Bless my soul, brother Nibby,” said Malkin. “I know where our handkerchief is. I put it there myself. It’s in the handkerchief box on the bureau. I wonder why we didn’t think to look for it there?”
“I believe you’re right, brother,” said Nibby. “It’s the last place I would have thought of looking for it.”
“Then we’d better take him back to get it before he cries again,” said Nibby. “Let’s go.”
“Oh, dear!” said the Rag-Bone Man. “Such a lot of running back and forth in the middle of the night! Come along,” he said to Merrimeg, “jump into the sack again, and let’s go back. Oh, dear! So much trouble, nothing but trouble! Quick, jump into the sack.”
“No, no!” cried Merrimeg, starting to run. “I’m home now. I’m not going back! Good-by!” And she ran away as fast as her feet would carry her, through the apple orchard, across the cabbage garden, and in at the kitchen door.
“Funny how we came to bring her back right to her own home, brother,” said Malkin.
“Very funny, very funny indeed,” said Nibby.
“Oh! oh! oh!” said the Rag-Bone Man. “What’ll my poor little Rags do now? Oh, what a terrible day I’ve had! Oh, dear! oh, dear!”
He put his head down and burst out crying, and the two gnomes led him away.
In the front room, Merrimeg’s mother was sitting at the window sewing.