Пеппи Длинныйчулок

           TheythoughtthemanofthehousemustbenamedMr.Nilssonandtheywinkedateachother."Theycancomebackalittlelater"iswhattheymeant, buttoPippitheysaid, "Wejustcameintoaskwhatyourclockis." 

           Theyweresoexcitedthattheyhadforgottenallaboutthesandwich. 

           "Great,strongmenwhodon’tknowwhataclockis!"saidPippi. "Whereintheworldwereyoubroughtup? Theclockisalittleroundthingamajigthatsays’ticktack,ticktack,’andthatgoesandgoesbutnevergetstothedoor. Doyouknowanymoreriddles?Outwiththemifyoudo,"saidPippiencouragingly. 

           ThetrampsthoughtPippiwastoolittletotelltime,sowithoutanotherwordtheywentoutagain. 

           "Idon’tdemandthatyousay’tack’"[thanksinSwedish],shoutedPippiafterthem, "butyoucouldatleastmakeaneffortandsay’tick. ’Youhaven’tevenasmuchsenseasaclockhas. Butbyallmeansgoinpeace."AndPippiwentbacktohercounting. 

           Nosoonerwerethetrampsoutsidethantheybegantorubtheirhandswithdelight. "Didyouseeallthatmoney?Heavenlyday!"saidoneofthem. 

           "Yes,onceinawhileluckiswithus,"saidtheother. "AllweneedtodoiswaituntilthekidandthatNilssonareasleep. Thenwe’llsneakinandgrabthedough." 

           Theysatdownunderanoaktreeinthegardentowait. Adrizzlingrainwasfalling;theywereveryhungry, sotheywerequiteuncomfortable,butthethoughtofallthatmoneykepttheirspiritsup.