“Have you got the May-dew?” said the first voice. “Right here, in the little bottle.” “Then pour it out in my hand.” It was Malkin and Nibby, the gnomes, and brother Nibby was holding out a little bottle filled with what looked like water. He poured out a little into the hollow of brother Malkin’s hand. Brother Malkin rubbed it gently on the old lady’s cheek. [Illustration: “HAVE YOU GOT THE MAY-DEW?”] As he did so, all the others faded away out of sight, and left the gnomes and Merrimeg alone in the room. Brother Nibby poured out more of the May-dew into brother Malkin’s hand, and Malkin rubbed it gently over the poor wrinkled old face. The face began to take on color, and the wrinkles began to disappear. “More, brother,” said Malkin. In another moment the May-dew was all used up. The instant it was gone--well, Merrimeg herself, a little girl, her own little self, rosy-cheeked, barefoot, lively as a lark, was sitting in the chair before the fire. She jumped down and cried out: “What have you been doing to me, you naughty gnomes?” “Rather cross to-day,” said Malkin. “No, please, tell me! I’m sorry,” said Merrimeg. “You tell her,” said Malkin. “I think you’re the one to tell her, brother,” said Nibby. “You’re so--” “What did you have in that bottle?” said Merrimeg, rather impatiently. “I thought she knew we had May-dew in it,” said Malkin. “Yes, I certainly thought she knew that,” said Nibby. “Have you been washing my face with May-dew?” said Merrimeg. “I should think she’d know that without being told; wouldn’t you, brother Nibby?” said Malkin. “I should certainly think so, if you ask me,” said Nibby. “Then let’s start home at once!” cried Merrimeg. “Mother will be worried if I’m later than usual. Come along!” Through the rear door they found their way to a cave in the mountain, and at the end of this cave they found an underground stream, and beside this stream they found the gnomes’ canoe. They were in it in a jiffy, and in another jiffy the gnomes were paddling up stream for dear life. “Here we are,” said Malkin at last, and they got out at the bottom of a ladder that climbed the wall of their tunnel. At the top of the ladder Malkin pushed open a trapdoor, and they all went up through the opening into the gnomes’ kitchen. “I suppose we ought to invite her to stay and rest,” said Malkin. “Just what I was going to say, if you hadn’t taken the words out of my mouth,” said Nibby. “Suppose you--” “Oh no, thank you, I can’t,” said Merrimeg. “But I’m ever so much obliged to you, just the same, and now I’ve got to run home in a hurry.” “Quite polite, after all, brother,” said Malkin. “Just what I was thinking,” said Nibby.