The lights were extinguished, the good-nights said, and everyone settled down to sleep. For a time it was dead still in the cabin. Then, all at once, the floor began to go up and down in the strangest way! The little girl rolled like a ball, first over toward Fru Lagerlöf’s sofa, then back toward the nurse. It was great fun; only she could not understand why the floor did not hold still. Presently she heard her mother and her aunt whisper to each other. “I must have eaten too much of that rich salmon at the Sjöstedts’,” said her mother. “I thought at the time it was not very sensible food they set before us,” Aunt Lovisa remarked. “And they knew we were to be out on Vänern.” “No, Vänern isn’t pleasant!” sighed Fru Lagerlöf. Then Back-Kaisa, too, began to whisper. “Say, _Frua_, are we there yet?--there where the sea stops, and the water rushes down the bottomless pit?” “My dear girl, there’ll be no stop to the sea to-night!” said Fru Lagerlöf, who did not know what Back-Kaisa was talking about. Again there was silence for a space, but not stillness. The floor rocked on and the little girl continued her delightful rolling. Fru Lagerlöf struck a match and lit the lantern. “I must see whether the children are able to hold themselves on their shelves,” she said. “Lord be praised for the light!” said Mamselle Lovisa. “Anyhow, there’s no chance of our getting a wink of sleep to-night.” “Oh, Frua! Oh, Mamselle Lovisa! don’t you feel that we’re going down and down?” Back-Kaisa wailed. “Oh, how’ll we ever get out of this deep? How’ll we ever get back home?” “Now, whatever does she mean?” queried Mamselle Lovisa. “She says that we have reached the last extremity,” Fru Lagerlöf interpreted--no more comprehending than the other. The little girl had a faint suspicion that they were uneasy. As for herself, she was exceedingly comfortable, lying as it were in a big rocking-swing. The door-handle turned, the red hanging was swept to one side, and in the doorway stood Lieutenant Lagerlöf, chuckling. “How is it, Gustaf?” asked Fru Lagerlöf anxiously. “Will it be a gale, do you think?” “So you’re awake, all of you,” said the Lieutenant. “Ay, it has blown up a bit,” he conceded in a reassuring tone. “The Captain thought I’d better come down and tell you it will be no worse than it is.” “What are you up to now?” Mamselle Lovisa asked him. “Aren’t you going to bed?”