# ... setup code
my $NUM_CHILDREN = 10;

my $total_count;
my @pids;
for (my $i = 0; $i < $NUM_CHILDREN; $i++) {
        $pids[$i] = open(CHILD, "-|");
        if ($pids[$i]) {
                next;
        } elsif (defined $pid) { # child handler, $pid=0
                my $count = 0;
                my $done = 0;
                while (!$done) {
                     # make web request; set $done somewhere
                     $count++;
                }
        } else {
                die "Fork failed at number $i: $!\n";
        }
}