"You are indeed kind, my dear Uncle," she exclaimed. "I was just thinking myself that a stay up here might be the very thing she wanted. But then the trouble, the inconvenience to yourself! And you speak of nursing and looking after her as if it were a mere nothing! I thank you sincerely, I thank you from my whole heart, Uncle." And she took his hand and gave it a long and grateful shake, which he returned with a pleased expression of countenance. Uncle immediately set to work to get things ready. He carried Clara back to her chair outside, Heidi following, not knowing how to jump high enough into the air to express her contentment. Then he gathered up a whole pile of shawls and furs and said, smiling, "It is a good thing that grandmamma came up well provided for a winter's campaign; we shall be able to make good use of these." The two had meanwhile ascended to the hay-loft and begun to prepare a bed; there were so many articles piled one over the other that when finished it looked like a regular little fortress. Grandmamma passed her hand carefully over it to make sure that there were no bits of hay sticking out. "If there's a bit that can come through it will," she said. The soft mattress, however, was so smooth and thick that nothing could penetrate it. Then they went down again well satisfied, and found the children laughing and talking together and arranging all they were going to do from morning till evening as long as Clara stayed. The next question was how long she was to remain, and first grandmamma was asked, but she referred them to the grandfather, who gave it as his opinion that she ought to make trial of the mountain air for at least a month. The children clapped their hands for joy, for they had not expected to be together for so long a time. The bearers and the horse and guide were now seen approaching; the former were sent back at once, and grandmamma prepared to mount for her return journey. "It's not saying good-bye, Grandmamma," Clara called out, "for you will come up now and then and see how we are getting on, and we shall so look forward to your visits." Grandmamma mounted her sturdy animal, and Uncle took the bridle to lead her down the steep mountain path; she begged him not to come far with her, but he insisted on seeing her safely as far as Doerfli, for the way was precipitous and not without danger for the rider, he said. Grandmamma did not care to stay alone in Doerfli, and therefore decided to return to Ragatz, and thence to make excursions up the mountain from time to time. [Illustration] Peter came down with his goats before Uncle had returned. As soon as the animals caught sight of Heidi they all came flocking towards her, and she, as well as Clara on her couch, were soon surrounded by the goats, pushing and poking their heads one over the other, while Heidi introduced each in turn by its name to her friend Clara.