Карлсон, который живет на крыше
Chapter 3
HetookanotherlumpofsugarandthoughtaboutKarlssonagain.Nomatterhowtheirtalkbuzzedaroundhim,EriconlythoughtaboutKarlssonandwonderedifhewouldseehimagain.
ItwasBettywhorousedhimoutofhisdaydreams.
"Eric,wakeup!Wouldyouliketoearnanickel?"
SlowlyitdawnedonEricwhatshewassaying.Hehadnoobjectiontoearningfivecents,butitalldependedonwhatBettywantedhimtodo.
"Anickel’snotenough,"hesaidwithouthesitation."Thecostofliving’sgoneup.Whatdoyouthinkaten-centicecreamcosts,forinstance?"
"Well,I’llguess,"saidBettywithatwinkleinhereye."Tencents,perhaps?"
"That’sjustit,"saidEric."Anickelistoolittle,yousee.
"Butyoudon’tknowwhatit’sforyet,"saidBetty."Youhaven’tgottodoanything—it’sonlyamatterofnotdoing."
"WhatisitIhavegotnottodo?"
"You’vegotnottoshowyourselfinthesittingroomlatertonight."
"Rogeriscoming,yousee,"saidBobby."Betty’snewboyfriend."
Ericnoddedhishead.Aha!sothatwaswhattheyhadworkedout.MommyandDaddyweregoingtothemovies,Bobbywasgoingtoafootballgame,andBettywasgoingtobeagrandladyinthesittingroomwhileEricwasbanishedtohisroom—forthemeaslysumoffivecents.Whatafamily!
"Whatarehisearslike?"askedEric."Dotheystickoutasmuchasthelastone’sdid?"
ThiswasthewaytoannoyBetty.
"Yousee,Mommy!"shesaid.
