Chapter 8

           AfterPippi’sperformanceatthecircustherewasnotasinglepersoninallthelittletownwhodidnotknowhowstrongshewas. Therewasevenapieceaboutherinthepaper. Butpeoplewholivedinotherplaces,ofcourse,didn’tknowwhoPippiwas. 

           OnedarkautumneveningtwotrampscamewalkingdowntheroadpastVillaVillekulla. Theyweretwobadthieveswanderingaboutthecountrytoseewhattheycouldsteal. TheysawthattherewasalightinthewindowsofVillaVillekullaanddecidedtogointoaskforasandwich. 

           ThateveningPippihadpouredoutallhergoldpiecesonthekitchenfloorandsattherecountingthem. Tobesure,shecouldn’tcountverywell, butshediditnowandthenanyway,justtokeepeverythinginorder. 

           ".....sixty-five,sixty-six,sixty-seven,sixty-eight,sixty-nine,sixty-ten,sixty-eleven,sixty-twelve,sixty-thirteen,sixty-sixteen-whew,itmakesmythroatfeellikesixty! Goodness,theremustbesomemorenumbersinthearithmetic-oh,yes,nowIremember—onehundredfour,onethousand. Thatcertainlyisalotofmoney,"saidPippi. 

           Therewasaloudknockonthedoor. 

           "Walkinorstayout,whicheveryouchoose!"shoutedPippi."Ineverforceanyoneagainsthiswill." 

           Thedooropenedandthetwotrampscamein. Youcanimaginethattheyopenedtheireyeswhentheysawalittlered-headedgirl sittingallaloneonthefloor,countingmoney. 

           "Areyouallaloneathome?"theyaskedcraftily. 

           "Ofcoursenot,"saidPippi. "Mr.Nilssonisathometoo." 

           Thethievescouldn’tverywellknowthatMr.Nilssonwasamonkey sleepinginalittlegreenbedwithadoll’squiltaroundhisstomach.