VI

A GUEST ON THE ALP

The early dawn was tinging the mountains and a fresh morning-breeze
rocked the old fir-trees to and fro. Heidi opened her eyes, for the
rustling of the wind had awakened her. These sounds always thrilled
her heart, and now they drew her out of bed. Rising hurriedly, she
soon was neatly dressed and combed.

Coming down the little ladder and finding the grandfather's bed empty,
she ran outside. The old man was looking up at the sky to see what the
weather was going to be like that day. Rosy clouds were passing
overhead, but gradually the sky grew more blue and deep, and soon a
golden light passed over the heights, for the sun was rising in all
his glory.

"Oh, how lovely! Good-morning, grandfather," Heidi exclaimed.

"Are your eyes bright already?" the grandfather retorted, holding out
his hand.

Heidi then ran over to her beloved fir-trees and danced about, while
the wind was howling in the branches.

After the old man had washed and milked the goats, he brought them out
of the shed. When Heidi saw her friends again, she caressed them
tenderly, and they in their turn nearly crushed her between them.
Sometimes when Baerli got too wild, Heidi would say: "But Baerli, you
push me like the Big Turk," and that was enough to quiet the goat.

Soon Peter arrived with the whole herd, the jolly Thistlefinch ahead
of all the others. Heidi, being soon in the mist of them, was pushed
about among them. Peter was anxious to say a word to the little girl,
so he gave a shrill whistle, urging the goats to climb ahead. When he
was near her he said reproachfully: "You really might come with me
to-day!"

"No, I can't, Peter," said Heidi. "They might come from Frankfurt any
time. I must be home when they come."

"How often you have said that," grumbled the boy.

"But I mean it," replied Heidi. "Do you really think I want to be away
when they come from Frankfurt? Do you really think that, Peter?"

"They could come to uncle," Peter growled.

Then the grandfather's strong voice was heard: "Why doesn't the army
go forward? Is it the field-marshal's fault, or the fault of the
troop?"

Peter immediately turned about and led his goats up the mountain
without more ado.

Since Heidi had come home again to her grandfather she did many things
that had never occurred to her before. For instance, she would make
her bed every morning, and run about the hut, tidying and dusting.
With an old rag she would rub the