Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           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.