Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           "Don’tmoveaninch!I’mcomingforyou."

           Itwaskindofhim,thoughtEric,buthowunnecessary!Eric,whohadwanderedroundtheroofsalltheafternoon,wasperfectlyabletowalkanothertwosteps.

           "Didmymothersendyou?"heaskedwhen,inthearmsofthefireman,hewascomingdowntheladder.

           "Whatdoyouthink?"saidthefireman."Butlookhere…itseemedtomeforamomentthatthereweretwolittleboysupthereontheroof…"

           EricrememberedwhatKarlssonhadsaidandheansweredsolemnly,"No,therewasn’tanyboyexceptme."

           Mommycertainlywasworried.SheandDaddy,Betty,andBobby,andacrowdofotherpeopleweredownbelowinthestreettoreceiveEric.Mommyflungherarmsaroundhimandsqueezedhim,andlaughedandweptalternately.AndDaddycarriedhimuptotheflat,holdinghimtightallthetime.Bobbysaid,"Yousurecanfrightenthelifeoutofus,Eric!"

           Betty,too,wasweeping,andsaid,"Youmustneverdoathinglikethatagain,remember!"

           WhenEricwaslyinginbedalittlelater,theyallgatheredaroundhim,exactlyasifithadbeenhisbirthday.ButDaddyspokeveryseriously,saying,"Didn’tyourealizethatwe’dbeworried?Didn’tyourealizethatMommywouldcryandbeupset?"

           Ericfidgetedinhisbed.

           "Notasworriedasthat,"hemuttered.

           Mommyhuggedhimveryhardandsaid,"Supposingyou’dfallendown!Supposingwe’dlostyou!"

           "Wouldyouhavebeensad?"saidErichopefully.

           "Why,whatdoyouthink?"saidMommy