Merrimeg drew her head back a little, getting ready to run if she had to, but she watched them with both eyes. “I think this is a house,” said a voice. “I believe it is, brother, I believe it is,” said another voice. Merrimeg looked all around, but she could see nobody. The voices seemed to be coming from the spot where the shoes were standing. “What if she should be cross to-day?” said the first voice. “Then she wouldn’t help us, brother,” said the other voice, “and what on earth _would_ we do then?” “But it’s Sunday,” said the first voice, “and they aren’t cross on Sunday, hardly ever.” “That’s so, brother, that’s so,” said the other voice. “You do think of everything.” “How would it do to knock?” said the first voice. “I was just thinking about that myself,” said the other voice. Merrimeg was listening with both ears, and she heard, as plain as could be, three knocks on the front door; but what it was that was knocking at the door, she couldn’t see. All that she could see was that two pairs of wooden shoes moved up onto the doorstep, and stood there. While she was wondering about it the knock sounded again, and without stopping to think any more she jumped up and ran to the door and opened it, not very wide, and looked down at the shoes. “It’s herself, brother Nibby,” said a voice in the doorway. “So it is, brother Malkin, so it is,” said the other voice. “Why, it’s the two gnomes!” cried Merrimeg. “But where are you?” “She can’t see us, of course,” said the first voice. “No, of course not,” said the second voice. “I forgot that.” “If you’re there,” said Merrimeg, “come in!” and she opened the door wide. The two pairs of shoes stepped into the room, and stood with their toes towards Merrimeg. “Do you suppose she’ll be willing to help us?” said the voice of Malkin the gnome. “Just what I’m wondering, brother,” said the voice of Nibby. “Of course I’ll help you!” said Merrimeg. “What’s the matter?” “She’s pretty good to-day,” said Malkin’s voice. “I can see that, brother,” said Nibby’s voice. “I can’t see anything at all!” cried Merrimeg. “Where _are_ you, anyway? Are you _here_, or where?” “Of course she doesn’t know what the witch has done to us,” said the voice of Malkin. “No, she doesn’t know that the witch has taken away our bodies,” said the voice of Nibby. “And we want to get them back,” said Malkin’s voice. “And we want her to help us,” said Nibby’s voice. “It’s a frightful nuisance being without a body,” said Malkin’s voice. “She ought to know that without being told, I should think,” said Nibby’s voice. “How can I help you?” said Merrimeg. “I’ll do anything I can.” “She isn’t cross at all to-day,” said Malkin’s voice. “No, it’s Sunday,” said Nibby’s voice. “She’d better come along with us at once, then,” said Malkin’s voice. “Yes,” said Nibby’s voice, “they’ll throw our bodies down the well if we don’t hurry.” “Suppose you tell her, then.” “Oh, no, brother, _you’re_ the one to tell her.”