At the exact time when their mother always called the little ones for bed Lippo cried, "Uncle Philip, we must sing the evening song now and after that Mäzli and I must go to bed." This did not suit Mäzli at all, however, for she was full of the game just then. Salo, who was sitting beside her, had been so funny, that it suited her better to stay here than to go to bed, Quickly climbing up the uncle's chair from behind, she put both round arms caressingly about his neck and whispered in his ear, "Oh, darling Uncle Philip, to-day is a feast-day, isn't it? Can't we stay up a little longer? The game is such fun and it's so tiresome to go to bed." "Yes, yes, it is a feast-day," the uncle assented; "the little ones can stay up a little longer. Let us all keep on playing." Mäzli joyfully skipped back to her place, and the merriment was resumed. The game, which was very amusing, was made more so by Uncle Philip's funny remarks. Nobody had noticed therefore how quiet Mäzli had grown. Salo suddenly remarked, "Oh, look! Mäzli is sound asleep. She is nearly tumbling from her chair." And the little girl would have dropped had not Salo held her by quickly putting his arm about her. Uncle Philip went to her. "Come, Mäzli, come," he said encouragingly, "open your eyes quickly and Mea will take you to bed." "No, no," Mäzli lamented, and would not move. "But you must! Just look, we are all going," the uncle said vigorously. "Do you want to stay behind?" "No, no, no," Mäzli moaned, full of misery. "Mea, give her some cake," the uncle ordered, "then she'll wake up." "We have no cake, uncle," Mea replied. "What, you don't have a thing so necessary as that in a house full of children! Well, I shall get some to-morrow," he said, quite agitated. "Do you want a candy, Mäzli? Come, just taste how sweet it is." "No, no, no," Mäzli moaned again in such sorrowful tones as no one had ever heard from the energetic little child. Suddenly a most disturbing thought shot through the uncle's brain: "Suppose the child has already caught the fever? What should I do? What ought one to do?" he cried out with growing anxiety. Kathy had entered the room in the meantime to see if anything more was needed. "That is the way, Mr. Falcon," she said, going up to Mäzli, and quickly lifting her in her strong arms, she carried her upstairs. Despite all her lamenting the child was then undressed and put to bed. In the shortest time she was sound asleep again without a trace of fever. "Well, that's over now," Uncle Philip said, quite relieved when Kathy came back with the news. "I really think that the time has come for us all to seek our beds. Lippo actually looks as if he could not stand on his little legs." The boy was as white as chalk from staying up so late. From time to time he tried to open his eyes, but they always fell shut again. The uncle, taking his hand, wanted to lead him away, but he fought against it.