," exclaimed Heidi eagerly. "Oh
dear! if it has rolled all the way down to the village, it will be too
late to go to-day. It will take us a long time to fetch it."

"If it has rolled down there, we shall never get it any more, for it
will be smashed to pieces," said the old man, looking down and
measuring the distance from the corner of the hut.

"I don't see how it happened," he remarked.

"What a shame! now I'll never be able to go up to the pasture,"
lamented Clara. "I am afraid I'll have to go home now. What a pity,
what a pity!"

"You can find a way for her to stay, grandfather, can't you?"

"We'll go up to the pasture to-day, as we have planned. Then we shall
see what further happens."

The children were delighted, and the grandfather lost no time in
getting ready. First he fetched a pile of covers, and seating Clara on
a sunny spot on the dry ground, he got their breakfast.

"I wonder why Peter is so late to-day," he said, leading his goats out
of the shed. Then, lifting Clara up on one strong arm, he carried the
covers on the other.

"Now, march!" he cried. "The goats come with us."

That suited Heidi, and with one arm round Schwaenli and the other round
Baerli, she wandered up. Her little companions were so pleased at
having her with them again that they nearly crushed her with
affection.

What was their astonishment when, arriving on top, they saw Peter
already lying on the ground, with his peaceful flock about him.

"What did you mean by going by us like that? I'll teach you!" called
the uncle to him.

Peter was frightened, for he knew the voice.

"Nobody was up yet," the boy retorted.

"Have you seen the chair?" asked the uncle again.

"Which?" Peter growled.

The uncle said no more. Unfolding the covers, he put Clara down on the
dry grass. Then, when he had been assured of Clara's comfort, he got
ready to go home. The three were to stay there till his return in the
evening. When dinner time had come, Heidi was to prepare the meal and
see that Clara got Schwaenli's milk.

The sky was a deep blue, and the snow on the peaks was glistening. The
eagle was floating above the rocky crags. The children felt
wonderfully happy. Now and then one of the goats would come and lie
down near them. Tender little Snowhopper came oftener than any and
would rub her head against their shoulders.

They had been sitting quietly for a few hours, drinking in the beauty
about them, when Heidi suddenly began t