Пеппи Длинныйчулок

           Ifyouonlydoitonce,you’llneverwanttodoanythingelse." 

           "Areyousure?"askedAnnika. 

           "Absolutely,"saidTommy. 

           WithtremblinglegsAnnikaclimbedupinthetreeagain,andPippihelpedherwiththelasthardbit. Shedrewbackalittlewhenshesawhowdarkitwasinthetreetrunk, butPippiheldherhandandkeptencouragingher. 

           "Don’tbescared,Annika,"sheheardTommysayfromdownbelow. "NowIcanseeyourlegs,andI’llcertainlycatchyouifyoufall." 

           ButAnnikadidn’tfall.ShereachedTommysafely, andamomentlaterPippifollowed. 

           "Isn’titgrandhere?"saidTommy. 

           AndAnnikahadtoadmitthatitwas. Itwasn’tnearlysodarkasshehadthought,becauselightcameinthroughthecrack. Shepeekedthroughandannouncedthatshetoocouldseethecoffeepotoutsideonthegrass. 

           "We’llhavethisforoursecrethidingplace,"saidTommy. "Nobodywillknowthatwearehere. Andiftheyshouldcomeandhuntaroundoutsideforus,wecanseethemthroughthecrack. Andwe’llhaveagoodlaugh." 

           "Wecanhavealittlestickandpokeitoutthroughthecrackandticklethem,andthenthey’llthinktheplaceishaunted,"saidPippi. 

           Atthisideathechildrenweresodelightedthattheyhuggedeachother,allthree. Thentheyheardthe"ding-dong"thatmeantthebellwasringingfordinneratTommy’sandAnnika’shouse. 

           "Oh,bother!"saidTommy."Nowwe’vegottogohome. Butwe’llcomeovertomorrowassoonaswegetbackfromschool." 

           "Dothat,"saidPippi. 

           Andsotheyclimbeduptheladder, firstPippi,thenAnnika,andTommylast.