“Suppose you tell him, brother,” said Nibby. But Sappy didn’t wait to be told; he had evidently heard all he needed to hear. He gave a slow wink with one eye, ruffled his feathers, and flew away among the trees without a word. [Illustration: THE TWO GNOMES FOLLOWED HIM OUT OF THE DOOR] “He’ll be back,” said the Painter, and in a little while old Sappy came back, and he was carrying in his beak the Apple-Seed Elf. “Let me go!” cried the Elf, kicking and squirming, and owl dropped him to the ground and stood over him. “What do you want?” piped the Elf, evidently frightened almost to death. “Say the words!” growled the owl, in a deep hoarse voice. “Say the words that’ll change the butterfly back again, and say ’em before I count ten, or else I’ll eat you. One, two, three, four,----” The Apple-Seed Elf started to scamper off through the grass, but the owl put his foot on him, quick as a wink. “Five, six, seven,----” “Let me go!” cried the Elf, struggling to get loose. “Eight, nine,----” “Go away, butterfly!” cried the Elf, in his shrill voice. “Come up, child! Go away, butterfly! Come up, child!” The minute he had said this, Nibby cried out, “My stars, brother, here’s a go!” And there, on Nibby’s shoulder, in place of the butterfly, sat Merrimeg herself, with her feet dangling to the ground. “Let me go!” screamed the Apple-Seed Elf, and Sappy the Owl gave him a kick with his foot and sent him off scampering through the grass. “I believe she’s here, brother,” said Malkin. “I’m sure of it, brother, I’m sure of it,” said Nibby, as Merrimeg slipped from his shoulder and stood on her feet. “Take me home!” said Merrimeg. “Take me home quick! Don’t stand there all day, I want to go home!” “Not very polite to-day, brother Nibby,” said Malkin. “Not very, indeed,” said Nibby. “Excuse me,” said Merrimeg, “but my mother’s been calling me, and I mustn’t keep her waiting.” “Well,” said the little old Painter of Butterflies, “I guess I’d better get back to my work.” “Why don’t you go, then?” growled Sappy the Owl. “I _must_ go,” said Merrimeg. “Mother wants me to help her with the dishes, and there’s some sweeping to be done, too, and----” “Come along, brother,” said Malkin, and the two gnomes led Merrimeg away in the direction of their house. When they reached it, Merrimeg thanked them, very politely, and ran away home; and when she opened the kitchen door her mother was peeling the potatoes for supper. “Why, Merrimeg!” said her mother. “Wherever have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Will you sit down and finish peeling these potatoes for me?” “Yes, mother,” said Merrimeg. [Illustration: MERRIMEG AND THE MAY-DEW] _MERRIMEG AND THE MAY-DEW_ “Don’t be long,” said Merrimeg’s mother. “No, mother,” said Merrimeg, and she ran off down the village street, into the woods.