“I can’t find ’em,” he was saying to himself. “Where are the plaguey handkerchiefs, anyway? To think that after I’ve tried so hard, and brought one of ’em here at last, she wants to go right away home, before she’s been here ten minutes! They’re all alike, that’s what it is. They don’t like me, and they run away from me, and when one of ’em comes here at last she wants to go right off home again. There ain’t one of ’em can abide the sight of me, and it’s a cruel shame, that’s what it is. It’s _cruel_. Oh, dear, I’m going to cry again--I just _know_ I am--it’s coming on--I can feel it--_where_ are those handkerchiefs, anyway?” [Illustration: “I CAN SEE HER PEEKING IN THROUGH THE DOOR.”] He opened another drawer, and rummaged about inside, and then sat down on a chair with his head on his hands. “Plague take it,” said he, “I just _know_ I’m going to cry. And there’s no handkerchiefs in the house. _Why_ do they all run away from me? And she wants to go home before she’s been here ten minutes, and there’s no handkerchiefs in the house--boo-hoo-hoo!” “I believe he’s crying,” said a voice outside. “I believe he is, brother, I believe he is,” said another voice. “How would it do to go in?” said the first voice. “That’s a very clever idea, brother, very clever,” said the other voice. The front door opened, and in walked the two gnomes. “I believe she’s here, too, brother Nibby,” said Malkin. “I can see her peeking in through the door.” “Then,” said brother Nibby, “I wonder why she doesn’t come in?” “I _will_ come in,” said Merrimeg. “Oh, but I’m glad you’ve come!” And she stepped into the room. “But she wants to go home!” said the Rag-Bone Man, wiping his eyes and nose with the back of his hand. “Have you got a dry handkerchief?” “Have you got a handkerchief, brother Nibby?” said Malkin. “Oh dear no,” said Nibby. “I always forget it.” “Do you know where you left it, brother?” said Malkin. “Oh dear yes,” said Nibby. “In the ice box under the kitchen sink.” “Then please!” said the Rag-Bone Man. “Please! Take me there and give it to me! Oh, oh! When I think of all the children running away from me, and now she wants to go home, and no handkerchiefs in the house,--I’m going to cry again, I’m going to cry again, I just _know_ it!” And sure enough, he began to cry, harder than ever. “Maybe he’d feel better,” said Malkin, “if we took him home and got him a handkerchief.” “Maybe he would, there’s something in that,” said Nibby. “Then let’s do it,” said Malkin. “But oh, dear!” said the Rag-Bone Man, pointing at Merrimeg. “I can’t leave _her_ here. She’d run away.” “Then we’d better take her with us, brother Nibby,” said Malkin. “What do you say?” “Just what I was thinking,” said Nibby. “You took the words out of my mouth.” “All right,” said the Rag-Bone Man. “When I’ve gotten the handkerchief I’ll bring her back again. Now then,” said he to Merrimeg, picking up his bag, “jump into the sack. Quick. Will you, or won’t you?”