Page:Heidi - Spyri - 1922.djvu/296

 Peter gave a tug to his cap in alarm, for there was no one of whom he stood in so much awe as Alm-Uncle.

“And an army leader like yourself ought to be doubly ashamed of running away,” continued Alm-Uncle. “What would you think of your goats if one went off this way and another that, and refused to follow and do what was good for them? What would you do then?”

“I should beat them,” said Peter promptly.

“And if a boy behaved like these unruly goats, and he got a beating for it, what would you say then?”

“Serve him right,” was the answer.

“Good, then understand this: next time you let your sleigh carry you past the school when you ought to be inside at your lessons, come on to me afterwards and receive what you deserve.”

Peter now understood the drift of the old man’s questions and that he was the boy who behaved like the unruly goats, and he looked somewhat fearfully towards the corner to see if anything happened to be there such as he used himself on such occasions for the punishment of his animals.

But now the grandfather suddenly said in a cheerful voice, “Come and sit down and have something, and afterwards Heidi shall go with you. Bring her back this evening and you will find supper waiting for you here.”

This unexpected turn of conversation set Peter grinning all over with delight. He obeyed without hesitation and took his seat beside Heidi. But the child could not eat any more in her excitement at the thought of going to see grandmother. She pushed the potatoes and toasted cheese which still stood on her