Grandfather looked from Heidi and Clara to Grandmamma. They were all sitting at the table outside Grandfather's hut and it was time for Clara to get ready to go. "I've been thinking," Grandfather said to Grandmamma. "If you are willing, Clara can stay here. We can make a soft bed for her just like Heidi's upstairs."
Grandmamma wasn't sure. Clara and Heidi watched her eagerly as she thought. After a pause, she decided it would do no harm for Clara to stay up on the mountain, and it would be less tiring for her not to be carried up and down from Dorfli every day. "Your offer is very kind," she said. "I agree."
The girls were overjoyed. Grandfather set to work making Clara's bed, and Grandmamma made sure she had lots of warm blankets for the night. They made arrangements for Grandmamma to return in a week. When the men arrived with Grandmamma's horse, she said goodnight to Grandfather and thanked him again.
"I am sure she will grow stronger here," Grandfather said.
Grandfather woke up early the next morning to prepare a picnic for Clara and Heidi. He wheeled Clara's chair out in front of the hut and then made them a lunch. When Peter arrived and saw Clara's wheelchair waiting outside, he knew it meant Clara was coming up the mountain. He looked around to complain to someone, but no one was around. In a burst of anger, Peter gave the chair a mighty kick. It went flying down the mountainside and smashed far below against some rocks. "Clara will have to go away now," he thought, "and it will be just me and Heidi again."
Inside the hut, Grandfather was feeding the girls breakfast. Clara finished another big bowlful of the delicious milk. "It's curious," she said. "For as long as I can remember, I have eaten only because I had to, but this morning I woke up with a real appetite."
When the three came out of the hut, they could not find Clara's wheelchair. "It must have been the wind," said Heidi. "Maybe it rolled down the mountain."
"Now, we won't be able to go," said Clara sadly. But Grandfather wasn't going to let the two little girls down.
"I can carry Clara on my back this time. But where's Peter? Daisy and Dusky are still here. We will have to take them with us." The girls were thrilled with the news, and they all set off up the mountainside with the two happy goats.
Up on the mountain, Heidi found a sunlit spot, and Grandfather settled Clara comfortably onto the grass. Then, he headed back down to see what he could discover about Clara's wheelchair. The sky was deep blue and not a single cloud could be seen. The snow field higher up on the mountain sparkled as if sprinkled with thousands of silver stars. After chatting happily with Clara for a few hours, Heidi wanted to wander about to pick flowers. "Would you think me unkind, Clara, if I left you for a few minutes?" asked Heidi. Clara kindly agreed, and Heidi ran off in search of the brightly colored blossoms she loved.
As Clara rested by herself, she found an unexpected pleasure in sitting all alone. She picked some fresh grass and waved it at Daisy who was grazing nearby. "Here Daisy, here Daisy," she called. The goat wandered over and Clara wiggled the grass under the goat's nose. Daisy snorted happily and Clara laughed. For the first time, she felt a great desire to be independent and to be able to help others instead of everyone having to look after her.