Today is Saturday.
They couldn't do that and Pippi sat so absolutely still that it was impossible to budge her although they tried as hard as they could. At last they shrugged their shoulders and went off. Meanwhile the next number had begun. It was Miss Elvira about to walk the tightrope. She wore a pink tulle skirt and carried a pink parasol in her hand. With delicate little steps she ran out on the rope. She swung her legs gracefully in the air and did all sorts of tricks. It looked so pretty. She even showed how she could walk backward on the narrow rope. But when she got back to the little platform at the end of the rope, there stood Pippi. When she saw how astonished Miss Elvira looked, she asked delighted what she was going to do. Miss Elvira said nothing at all but jumped down from the rope and threw her arms around the ringmaster's neck, for he was her father. And the ringmaster once more sent for his guards to throw Pippi out. This time he sent for five of them, but all the people shouted to let Pippi stay and they wanted to see the red-headed girl and they stamped their feet and clapped their hands.
