But Heidi answered without hesitation, "It is meant for eating,
not for anything else."
Peter came tumbling in at this minute. "Uncle is just behind me,
he is coming--" he began, and then stopped short, for his eye
had caught sight of the sausage, and he was too much taken aback
to say more. But Heidi understood that her grandfather was near
and so said good-bye to grandmother. The old man now never passed
the door without going in to wish the old woman good-day, and she
liked to hear his footstep approaching, for he always had a
cheery word for her. But to-day it was growing late for Heidi,
who was always up with the lark, and the grandfather would never
let her go to bed after hours; so this evening he only called
good-night through the open door and started home at once with
the child, and the two climbed under the starlit sky back to
their peaceful dwelling.
CHAPTER XVII. A COMPENSATION
The next morning the doctor climbed up from Dorfli with Peter
and the goats. The kindly gentleman tried now and then to enter
into conversation with the boy, but his attempts failed, for he
could hardly get a word out of Peter in answer to his questions.
Peter was not easily persuaded to talk. So the party silently
made their way up to the hut, where they found Heidi awaiting
them with her two goats, all three as fresh and lively as the
morning sun among the mountains.
"Are you coming to-day?" said Peter, repeating the words with
which he daily greeted her, either in question or in summons.
"Of course I am, if the doctor is coming too," replied Heidi.
Peter cast a sidelong glance at the doctor. The grandfather now
came out with the dinner bag, and after bidding good-day to the
doctor he went up to Peter and slung it over his neck. It was
heavier than usual, for Alm-Uncle had added some meat to-day, as
he thought the doctor might like to have his lunch out and eat
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