Heidi was staring with wild eyes and trembling from head to foot.
"Heidi, what is going on?" asked Clara's father.
"Why did you come down here?"
White with terror, and hardly able to speak, Heidi answered, "I don't know."
The doctor quickly stepped in and helped Heidi up to bed.
"Don't be frightened, child.
It's all right," he told her.
The doctor settled Heidi into her bed and stayed with her until she stopped shaking.
Then he asked, "Now tell me, where were you going?"
"Nowhere," answered Heidi.
"I didn't know that I'd gone downstairs.
I was just there."
"Had you been dreaming?"
"Yes, I dream every night.
I think I am back in Grandfather's hut.
I wonder if the stars are shining, so in my dream I get up and open the door to the hut.
It's so beautiful, but when I wake up I am still in Frankfurt,"
said Heidi, struggling to keep back the tears.
"And where did you live with your Grandfather?" asked the doctor.
"Up the mountain," said Heidi,
"It is beautiful there," and then she broke into violent weeping.
"There, there. Go ahead and cry.
It will do you good. Don't worry.
Tomorrow everything will be all right."
The doctor left her quietly and went downstairs to Herr Sesemann.
"First," said the doctor, "let me tell you that Heidi was sleepwalking.
Second, she is consumed by homesickness.
It looks as if she has lost a lot of weight.
She is practically a skeleton.
There is only one remedy.
You must send her home to her mountain."
Herr Sesemann rose and paced up and down the room.
His face was pale with concern.
The next morning, the maid surprised Heidi by telling her to put on her best clothes.
When Heidi was ready, she went downstairs and found Herr Sesemann and Clara in the study.
"Well, what do you say about this, Heidi?
I've decided that you are going home!" said Clara's father.
"Home?" Heidi's face turned rosy with delight.
She couldn't believe her ears.
"Oh, yes, yes, home! I want to go home."
"All right then," said Clara's father, "your carriage is waiting outside.
Say your good-byes to Clara and Sebastian will escort you to Dorfli."
Heidi felt sad about saying good-bye to Clara.
The girls hugged each other, and Clara promised to visit Heidi as soon as she could.
She told Heidi she had filled a small suitcase with dresses and pretty scarves for her.
Then she handed Heidi a basket with 12 fresh rolls for Grannie wrapped in a cloth.
Heidi's delight and sorrow were so evenly mixed that she smiled with tears sparkling in her eyes.
She bundled her favorite book and old straw hat in her red shawl and added them to the basket.
Heidi was lifted into the carriage, and Sebastian took his place beside her.
Herr Sesemann lifted her suitcase up beside her and handed Heidi a small thick packet.
"Keep this package safe, Heidi.
It is a present for you and a letter for your grandfather."
Heidi thanked him with all her heart and hid the present in her basket.
Soon, they were on the way to the train station.
Throughout the train ride, Heidi held tightly to her basket with the precious rolls.
The next day, when they got down from the train, the baker from Dorfli was at the station, loading sacks onto his cart.
Sebastian asked him to take Heidi and her things to Dorfli, and she climbed up onto the seat of his cart.
As the cart headed up the road, Heidi watched Sebastian waving from behind.
Then she turned to face the mountain, trembling with excitement.