"She deserves it," growled Peter, and again lifted his stick.
Then Heidi flung herself against him and cried indignantly, "You
have no right to touch her, it will hurt her, let her alone!"

Peter looked with surprise at the commanding little figure,
whose dark eyes were flashing, and reluctantly he let his stick
drop. "Well I will let her off if you will give me some more of
your cheese to-morrow," he said, for he was determined to have
something to make up to him for his fright.

"You shall have it all, to-morrow and every day, I do not want
it," replied Heidi, giving ready consent to his demand. "And I
will give you bread as well, a large piece like you had to-day;
but then you must promise never to beat Greenfinch, or
Snowflake, or any of the goats."

"All right," said Peter, "I don't care," which meant that he
would agree to the bargain. He now let go of Greenfinch, who
joyfully sprang to join her companions.

And thus imperceptibly the day had crept on to its close, and
now the sun was on the point of sinking out of sight behind the
high mountains. Heidi was again sitting on the ground, silently
gazing at the blue bell-shaped flowers, as they glistened in the
evening sun, for a golden light lay on the grass and flowers, and
the rocks above were beginning to shine and glow. All at once she
sprang to her feet, "Peter! Peter! everything is on fire! All
the rocks are burning, and the great snow mountain and the sky! O
look, look! the high rock up there is red with flame! O the