"You mean that you will walk down the locks," Erik corrected him. "After
this the boat will go downstairs until we reach the Göta River."

And when, on the last morning of the journey, they reached Trollhättan,
with its famous waterfalls and rapids, the children went ashore and left
the boat to walk down the steep hillside by itself, while they ran along
beside the canal, or took little trips through the groves to get a better
view of the falls. Gerda peered under the trees and bushes for a glimpse
of the water witches, but she saw not one.

"And now for your treasures," said Lieutenant Ekman, when they were once
more on the boat and it was steaming down the Göta River to Göteborg.

"I bought post-cards," Birger announced, and took a handful from his
pocket. "Here are pictures of the giant staircase of locks at
Trollhättan, Lake Vener at sunset, the fortress at Karlsborg, the castle
at Vettersborg, and the great iron works at Motala."

While Herr Ekman was examining the cards and asking Birger all sorts of
questions about them, Gerda was busy spreading out her souvenirs on one
of the deck chairs; and such a variety as she had! There was a box of
soap, a bag filled with squares of beet-sugar, a tiny hammer made in
the shape of the giant steam-hammer "Wrath" at Motala, a package of paper
made at one of the great paper-mills, lace collars, a lace cap and some
beautiful handkerchiefs from Vadstena.

When her father turned his attention to her collection, he held up his
hands in amazement. "Are all these things made in Sweden?" he asked.
"And did you buy them all with one krona?"