And then L M must follow at once Or punished you'll be for a sorry dunce. If you knew what next awaited you You'd haste to learn N O P Q. Now R S T be quick about Or worse will follow there's little doubt. Heidi paused, for Peter was so quiet that she looked to see what he was doing. These many secret threats and hints of dreadful punishments had so affected him that he sat as if petrified and stared at Heidi with horror-stricken eyes. Her kind heart was moved at once, and she said, wishing to reassure him, "You need not be afraid, Peter; come here to me every evening, and if you learn as you have today you will at least know all your letters, and the other things won't come. But you must come regularly, not only now and then as you do to school; even if it snows it won't hurt you." He promised, and the lessons being finished for this day he now went home. Peter obeyed Heidi's instructions punctually, and every evening went diligently to work to learn the letters, taking the sentences thoroughly to heart. The grandfather was frequently in the room smoking his pipe comfortably while the lesson was going on, and his face twitched occasionally as if he was overtaken with a sudden fit of merriment. Peter was often invited to stay to supper after the great exertion he had gone through, which richly compensated him for the anguish of mind he had suffered with the sentence for the day. So the winter went by, and Peter really made progress with his letters; but he went through a terrible fight each day with the sentences. He had got at last to U. Heidi read out:-- And if you put the U for V, You'll go where you would not like to be. Peter growled, "Yes, but I shan't go!" But he was very diligent that day, as if under the impression that some one would seize him suddenly by the collar and drag him where he would rather not go. The next evening Heidi read:-- If you falter at W, worst of all, Look at the stick against the wall. Peter looked at the wall and said scornfully, "There isn't one." "Yes, but do you know what grandfather has in his box?" asked Heidi. "A stick as thick almost as your arm, and if he took that out, you might well say, look at the stick on the wall." Peter knew that thick hazel stick, and immediately bent his head over the W and struggled to master it. Another day the lines ran:-- Then comes the X for you to say Or be sure you'll get no food today. Peter looked towards the cupboard where the bread and cheese were kept, and said crossly, "I never said that I should forget the X." "That's all right; if you don't forget it we can go on to learn the next, and then you will only have one more," replied Heidi, anxious to encourage him. Peter did not quite understand, but when Heidi went on and read:-- And should you make a stop at Y They'll point at you and cry, Fie, fie.