d long light days； that brought the flowers out all over the mountain； so that every spot was bright with them and the air full of their sweet scents。 This month too was drawing to its close when one day Heidi； having finished her domestic duties； ran out with the intention of paying first a visit to the fir trees； and then going up higher to see if the bush of rock roses was yet in bloom； for its flowers were so lovely when standing open in the sun。 But just as she was turning the corner of the hut； she gave such a loud cry that her grandfather came running out of the shed to see what had happened。
〃Grandfather； grandfather！〃 she cried； beside herself with excitement。 〃Come here！ look！ look！〃
The old man was by her side by this time and looked in the direction of her outstretched hand。
A strange looking procession was making its way up the mountain； in front were two men carrying a sedan chair； in which sat a girl well wrapped up in shawls； then followed a horse； mounted by a stately…looking lady who was looking about her with great interest and talking to the guide who walked beside her； then a reclining chair； which was being pushed up by another man； it having evidently been thought safer to send the invalid to whom it belonged up the steep path in a sedan chair。 The procession wound up with a porter； with such a bundle of cloaks； shawls； and furs on his back that it rose well above his head。
〃Here they come！ here they come！〃 shouted Heidi； jumping with joy。 And sure enough it was the party from Frankfurt； the figures came nearer and nearer； and at last they had actually arrived。 The men in front put down their burden； Heidi rushed forward and the two children embraced each other with mutual delight。 Grandmamma having also reached the top； dismounted； and gave Heidi an affectionate greeting； before turning to the grandfather； who had meanwhile come up to welcome his guests。 There was no constraint about the meeting； for they both knew each other perfectly well from hearsay and felt like old acquaintances。
After the first words of greeting had been exchanged grandmamma broke out into lively expressions of admiration。 〃What a magnificent residence you have； Uncle！ I could hardly have believed it was so beautiful！ A king might well envy you！ And how well my little Heidi lookslike a wild rose！〃 she continued； drawing the child towards her and stroking her fresh pink cheeks。 〃I don't know which way to look first； it is all so lovely！ What do you say to it； Clara； what do you say？〃
Clara was gazing round entranced； she had never imagined； much less seen； anything so beautiful。 She gave vent to her delight in cries of joy。 〃O grandmamma；〃 she said； 〃I should like to remain here for ever。〃
The grandfather had meanwhile drawn up the invalid chair and spread some of the wraps over it； he now went up to Clara。
〃Supposing we carry the little daughter now to her accustomed chair； I think she will be more comfortable； the travelling sedan is rather hard；〃 he said； and without waiting for any one to help him he lifted the child in his strong arms and laid her gently down on her own couch。 He then covered her over carefully and arranged her feet on the soft cushion； as if he had never done anything all his life but attend on cripples。 The grandmamma looked on with surprise。
〃My dear Uncle；〃 she exclaimed； 〃if I knew where you had learned to nurse I would at once send all the nurses I know to the same place that they might handle their patients in like manner。 How do you come to know so much？〃
Uncle smiled。 〃I know more from experience than training；〃 he answered； but as he spoke the smile died away and a look of sadness passed over his face。 The vision rose before him of a face of suffering that he had known long years before； the face of a man lying crippled on his couch of pain； and unable to move a limb。 The man had been his Captain during the fierce fighting in Sicily； he had found him lying wounded and had carried him away； and after that the captain would suffer no one else near him； and Uncle had stayed and nursed him till his sufferings ended in death。 It all came back to Uncle now； and it seemed natural to him to attend on the sick Clara and to show her all those kindly attentions with which he had been once so familiar。
The sky spread blue and cloudless over the hut and the fir trees and far above over the high rocks； the grey summits of which glistened in the sun。 Clara could not feast her eyes enough on all the beauty around her。
〃O Heidi； if only I could walk about with you；〃 she said longingly； 〃if I could but go and look at the fir trees and at everything I know so well from your description； although I have never been here before。〃
Heidi in response put out all her strength； and after a slight effort； managed to wheel Clara's chair quite easily round the hut to the fir trees。 There they paused。 Clara had never seen such trees before； with their tall； straight stems； and long thick branches growing thicker and thicker till they touched the ground。 Even the grandmamma； who had followed the children； was astonished at the sight of them。 She hardly knew what to admire most in these ancient trees： the lofty tops rising in their full green splendor towards the sky； or the pillar…like stems； with their straight and gigantic boughs； that spoke of such antiquity of age； of such long years during which they had looked down upon the valley below； where men came and went； and all things were continually changing； while they stood undisturbed and changeless。
Heidi had now wheeled Clara on to the goat shed； and had flung open the door； so that Clara might have a full view of all that was inside。 There was not much to see just now as its indwellers were absent。 Clara lamented to her grandmother that they would have to leave early before the goats came home。 〃I should so like to have seen Peter and his whole flock。〃
〃Dear child； let us enjoy all the beautiful things that we can see； and not think about those that we cannot；〃 grandmamma replied as she followed the chair which Heidi was pushing further on。
〃Oh； the flowers！〃 exclaimed Clara。 〃Look at the bushes of red flowers； and all the nodding blue bells！ Oh； if I could but get but and pick some！〃
Heidi ran off at once and picked her a large nosegay of them。
〃But these are nothing； Clara；〃 she said； laying the flowers on her lap。 〃If you could come up higher to where the goats are feeding； then you would indeed see something！ Bushes on bushes of the red centaury； and ever so many more of the blue bell…flowers； and then the bright yellow rock roses； that gleam like pure gold； and all crowding together in the one spot。 And then there are others with the large leaves that grandfather calls Bright Eyes； and the brown ones with little round heads that smell so delicious。 Oh； it is beautiful up there； and if you sit down among them you never want to get up again； everything looks and smells so lovely！〃
Heidi's eyes sparkled with the remembrance of what she was describing； she was longing herself to see it all again； and Clara caught her enthusiasm and looked back at her with equal longing in her soft blue eyes。
〃Grandmamma； do you think I could get up there？ Is it possible for me to go？〃 she asked eagerly。 〃If only I could walk； climb about everywhere with you； Heidi！〃
〃I am sure I could push you up； the chair goes so easily；〃 said Heidi； and in proof of her words； she sent the chair at such a pace round the corner that it nearly went flying down the mountain…side。 Grandmamma being at hand； however； stopped it in time。
The grandfather； meantime； had not been idle。 He had by this time put the table and extra chairs in front of the seat； so that they might all sit out here and eat the dinner that was preparing inside。 The milk and the cheese were soon ready； and then the company sat down in high spirits to their mid…day meal。
Grandmamma was enchanted； as the doctor had been； with their dining…room； whence one could see far along the valley； and far over the mountains to the farthest stretch of blue sky。 A light wind blew refreshingly over them as they sat at table； and the rustling of the fir trees made a festive accompaniment to the repast。
〃I never enjoyed anything as much as this。 It is really superb！〃 cried grandmamma two or three times over； and then suddenly in a tone of surprise；
〃Do I really see you taking a second piece of toasted cheese； Clara！〃
There； sure enough； was a second golden…colored slice of cheese on Clara's plate。
〃Oh； it does taste so nice； grandmammabetter than all the dishes we have at Ragatz；〃 replied Clara； as she continued eating with appetite。
〃That's right； eat what you can！〃 exclaimed Uncle。 〃It's the mountain air which makes up for the deficiencies of the kitchen。〃
And so the meal went on。 Grandmamma and Alm…Uncle got on very well together； and their conversation became more and more lively。 They were so thoroughly agreed in their opinions of men and things and the world in general that they might have been taken for old cronies。 The time passed merrily； and then grandmamma looked towards the west and said；
〃We must soon get ready to go； Clara； the sun is a good way down； the men will be here directly with the horse and sedan。〃
Clara's face fell and she said beseechingly； 〃Oh； just another hour； grandmamma； or two hours。 We haven't seen inside the hut yet； or Heidi's bed； or any of the other things。 If only the day was ten hours long！〃
〃Well； that is not possible；〃 said grandmamma； but she herself was anxious to see inside the hut； so they all rose from the table and Uncle wheeled Clara's chair to the door。 But there they came to a standstill； for the chair was much too broad to pass through the door。 Uncle； however； soon settled the difficulty by lifting Clara in his strong arms and carrying her inside。
Grandmamma went all round and examined the household arrangements； and was very much amused and pleased at their orderliness and the cozy appearance of everything。 〃And this is your bedroom up here； Heidi； is it not？〃 she asked； as without trepidation she mounted the ladder to the hay loft。 〃Oh； it does smell sweet； what a healthy place to sleep in。〃 She went up to the round window