t, and with tears streaming down
their faces beseeched him to help them. They had foolishly been making
use of the authority which the Little Panjandrum's Ambassador had given
to the children; and although it acted one way, and made them the size
that they wished to be, it would not turn them back again.

[Illustration: "They were crying bitterly."]

"And my wife and family refuse to have anything to do with me," said one
ridiculously tall individual.

"And I can't squeeze into my own house, anyhow," wept the stout one.

"The only way," said the Sage, after a moment's thought, with his
forehead wrinkled into deep furrows, "is to send the Ki-Wi to the Court
of the Little Panjandrum for a fresh authority. It's no use your having
this one back if it won't act properly, is it?" he inquired, turning to
the children.

"Certainly not," said Dick; "but who is the Ki-Wi, please?"

"Oh, he's the Court Messenger," explained the Sage, "and is the only one
here allowed to enter the Court of the Little Panjandrum without
permission."

"Go and fetch him," he continued.

And the gnomes disappeared, returning presently with the Ki-Wi (who
turned out to be a curious kind of bird), and the written authority,
which had been taken from the children.

"Let me look at it," said the Sage, holding out his hand for the paper.

[Illustration: "Produced a large document and began to read."]

"Why, no wonder it won't act for the gnomes," he exclaimed, when he had
read it.

"It mentions you all by name--just try it yourselves, will you?"

Dick took the paper from him, and said loudly, "We wish to be our own
size again."

To their great delight the children at once found themselves their usual
height, and the onions, which had looked before like huge trees, now
only reached a little above their heads, while the Sage and the other
gnomes looked the tiniest little creatures again.

"This is better," said Dick, shaking himself as though he had come out
of the water.

"Yes, isn't it good to be ourselves once more," said Marjorie.

While Fidge jumped about delightedly, breaking down several of the onion
plants, and almost treading on the Sage's hut.

"Don't caper about like a lot of lunatics," shouted the little man,
angrily. "Come and sit down and talk business. The Ki-Wi has something
to tell you."

All excitement to know what it could be, the children sat down again,
and the Ki-Wi after fumbling about in his coat tail for some t