1Produced by David Widger. The previous edition was updated by Jose 2Menendez. 3 4 5 6 7 8 THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER 9 BY 10 MARK TWAIN 11 (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) 12 13 14 15 16 P R E F A C E 17 18MOST of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or 19two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were 20schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but 21not from an individual--he is a combination of the characteristics of 22three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of 23architecture. 24 25The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children 26and slaves in the West at the period of this story--that is to say, 27thirty or forty years ago. 28 29Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and 30girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, 31for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what 32they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, 33and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in. 34 35 THE AUTHOR. 36 37HARTFORD, 1876. 38 39 40 41 T O M S A W Y E R 42 43 44 45CHAPTER I 46 47"TOM!" 48 49No answer. 50 51"TOM!" 52 53No answer. 54 55"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!" 56 57No answer. 58 59The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the 60room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or 61never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her 62state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not 63service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. 64She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but 65still loud enough for the furniture to hear: 66 67"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--" 68 69She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching 70under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the 71punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat. 72 73"I never did see the beat of that boy!" 74 75She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the 76tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. 77So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and 78shouted: 79 80"Y-o-u-u TOM!" 81 82There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to 83seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight. 84 85"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in 86there?" 87 88"Nothing." 89 90"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that 91truck?" 92 93"I don't know, aunt." 94 95"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if 96you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch." 97 98The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate-- 99 100"My! Look behind you, aunt!" 101 102The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The 103lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and 104disappeared over it. 105 106His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle 107laugh. 108 109"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks 110enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old 111fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, 112as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, 113and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how 114long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he 115can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down 116again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, 117and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile 118the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for 119us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my 120own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash 121him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, 122and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man 123that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the 124Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * 125and [* Southwestern for "afternoon"] I'll just be obleeged to make him 126work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work 127Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more 128than he hates anything else, and I've GOT to do some of my duty by him, 129or I'll be the ruination of the child." 130 131Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home 132barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's 133wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in 134time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the 135work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already 136through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a 137quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways. 138 139While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity 140offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and 141very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like 142many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she 143was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she 144loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low 145cunning. Said she: 146 147"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?" 148 149"Yes'm." 150 151"Powerful warm, warn't it?" 152 153"Yes'm." 154 155"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?" 156 157A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. 158He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said: 159 160"No'm--well, not very much." 161 162The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said: 163 164"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect 165that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing 166that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew 167where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move: 168 169"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?" 170 171Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of 172circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new 173inspiration: 174 175"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to 176pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!" 177 178The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His 179shirt collar was securely sewed. 180 181"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey 182and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a 183singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. THIS time." 184 185She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom 186had stumbled into obedient conduct for once. 187 188But Sidney said: 189 190"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, 191but it's black." 192 193"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!" 194 195But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said: 196 197"Siddy, I'll lick you for that." 198 199In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into 200the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle 201carried white thread and the other black. He said: 202 203"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes 204she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to 205geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But 206I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!" 207 208He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very 209well though--and loathed him. 210 211Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. 212Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him 213than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore 214them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's 215misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This 216new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just 217acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. 218It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, 219produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short 220intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how 221to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave 222him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full 223of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an 224astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as 225strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with 226the boy, not the astronomer. 227 228The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom 229checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger 230than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive 231curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy 232was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply 233astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth 234roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes 235on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of 236ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The 237more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his 238nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed 239to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but 240only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all 241the time. Finally Tom said: 242 243"I can lick you!" 244 245"I'd like to see you try it." 246 247"Well, I can do it." 248 249"No you can't, either." 250 251"Yes I can." 252 253"No you can't." 254 255"I can." 256 257"You can't." 258 259"Can!" 260 261"Can't!" 262 263An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said: 264 265"What's your name?" 266 267"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe." 268 269"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business." 270 271"Well why don't you?" 272 273"If you say much, I will." 274 275"Much--much--MUCH. There now." 276 277"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with 278one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to." 279 280"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it." 281 282"Well I WILL, if you fool with me." 283 284"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix." 285 286"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!" 287 288"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it 289off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs." 290 291"You're a liar!" 292 293"You're another." 294 295"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up." 296 297"Aw--take a walk!" 298 299"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a 300rock off'n your head." 301 302"Oh, of COURSE you will." 303 304"Well I WILL." 305 306"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? 307Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid." 308 309"I AIN'T afraid." 310 311"You are." 312 313"I ain't." 314 315"You are." 316 317Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently 318they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said: 319 320"Get away from here!" 321 322"Go away yourself!" 323 324"I won't." 325 326"I won't either." 327 328So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and 329both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with 330hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both 331were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, 332and Tom said: 333 334"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he 335can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too." 336 337"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger 338than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." 339[Both brothers were imaginary.] 340 341"That's a lie." 342 343"YOUR saying so don't make it so." 344 345Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said: 346 347"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand 348up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep." 349 350The new boy stepped over promptly, and said: 351 352"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it." 353 354"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out." 355 356"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?" 357 358"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it." 359 360The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out 361with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys 362were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and 363for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and 364clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered 365themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and 366through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and 367pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he. 368 369The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage. 370 371"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on. 372 373At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up 374and said: 375 376"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next 377time." 378 379The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, 380snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and 381threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." 382To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and 383as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw 384it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like 385an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he 386lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the 387enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the 388window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called 389Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went 390away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy. 391 392He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in 393at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; 394and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn 395his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in 396its firmness. 397 398 399 400CHAPTER II 401 402SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and 403fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if 404the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in 405every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom 406and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond 407the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far 408enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting. 409 410Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a 411long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and 412a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board 413fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a 414burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost 415plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant 416whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed 417fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at 418the gate with a tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals. Bringing water from 419the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom's eyes, before, but 420now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at 421the pump. White, mulatto, and negro boys and girls were always there 422waiting their turns, resting, trading playthings, quarrelling, 423fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was only 424a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket of 425water under an hour--and even then somebody generally had to go after 426him. Tom said: 427 428"Say, Jim, I'll fetch the water if you'll whitewash some." 429 430Jim shook his head and said: 431 432"Can't, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis 433water an' not stop foolin' roun' wid anybody. She say she spec' Mars 434Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an' so she tole me go 'long an' 'tend 435to my own business--she 'lowed SHE'D 'tend to de whitewashin'." 436 437"Oh, never you mind what she said, Jim. That's the way she always 438talks. Gimme the bucket--I won't be gone only a a minute. SHE won't 439ever know." 440 441"Oh, I dasn't, Mars Tom. Ole missis she'd take an' tar de head off'n 442me. 'Deed she would." 443 444"SHE! She never licks anybody--whacks 'em over the head with her 445thimble--and who cares for that, I'd like to know. She talks awful, but 446talk don't hurt--anyways it don't if she don't cry. Jim, I'll give you 447a marvel. I'll give you a white alley!" 448 449Jim began to waver. 450 451"White alley, Jim! And it's a bully taw." 452 453"My! Dat's a mighty gay marvel, I tell you! But Mars Tom I's powerful 454'fraid ole missis--" 455 456"And besides, if you will I'll show you my sore toe." 457 458Jim was only human--this attraction was too much for him. He put down 459his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toe with absorbing 460interest while the bandage was being unwound. In another moment he was 461flying down the street with his pail and a tingling rear, Tom was 462whitewashing with vigor, and Aunt Polly was retiring from the field 463with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eye. 464 465But Tom's energy did not last. He began to think of the fun he had 466planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied. Soon the free boys 467would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and 468they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very 469thought of it burnt him like fire. He got out his worldly wealth and 470examined it--bits of toys, marbles, and trash; enough to buy an 471exchange of WORK, maybe, but not half enough to buy so much as half an 472hour of pure freedom. So he returned his straitened means to his 473pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys. At this dark 474and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a 475great, magnificent inspiration. 476 477He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. Ben Rogers hove in 478sight presently--the very boy, of all boys, whose ridicule he had been 479dreading. Ben's gait was the hop-skip-and-jump--proof enough that his 480heart was light and his anticipations high. He was eating an apple, and 481giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned 482ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat. As 483he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned 484far over to starboard and rounded to ponderously and with laborious 485pomp and circumstance--for he was personating the Big Missouri, and 486considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. He was boat and 487captain and engine-bells combined, so he had to imagine himself 488standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them: 489 490"Stop her, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!" The headway ran almost out, and he 491drew up slowly toward the sidewalk. 492 493"Ship up to back! Ting-a-ling-ling!" His arms straightened and 494stiffened down his sides. 495 496"Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow! ch-chow-wow! 497Chow!" His right hand, meantime, describing stately circles--for it was 498representing a forty-foot wheel. 499 500"Let her go back on the labboard! Ting-a-lingling! Chow-ch-chow-chow!" 501The left hand began to describe circles. 502 503"Stop the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Stop the labboard! Come ahead 504on the stabboard! Stop her! Let your outside turn over slow! 505Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ow-ow! Get out that head-line! LIVELY now! 506Come--out with your spring-line--what're you about there! Take a turn 507round that stump with the bight of it! Stand by that stage, now--let her 508go! Done with the engines, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling! SH'T! S'H'T! SH'T!" 509(trying the gauge-cocks). 510 511Tom went on whitewashing--paid no attention to the steamboat. Ben 512stared a moment and then said: "Hi-YI! YOU'RE up a stump, ain't you!" 513 514No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist, then 515he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as 516before. Ben ranged up alongside of him. Tom's mouth watered for the 517apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said: 518 519"Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?" 520 521Tom wheeled suddenly and said: 522 523"Why, it's you, Ben! I warn't noticing." 524 525"Say--I'm going in a-swimming, I am. Don't you wish you could? But of 526course you'd druther WORK--wouldn't you? Course you would!" 527 528Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said: 529 530"What do you call work?" 531 532"Why, ain't THAT work?" 533 534Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: 535 536"Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain't. All I know, is, it suits Tom 537Sawyer." 538 539"Oh come, now, you don't mean to let on that you LIKE it?" 540 541The brush continued to move. 542 543"Like it? Well, I don't see why I oughtn't to like it. Does a boy get 544a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" 545 546That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom 547swept his brush daintily back and forth--stepped back to note the 548effect--added a touch here and there--criticised the effect again--Ben 549watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more 550absorbed. Presently he said: 551 552"Say, Tom, let ME whitewash a little." 553 554Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: 555 556"No--no--I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's 557awful particular about this fence--right here on the street, you know 558--but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and SHE wouldn't. Yes, 559she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very 560careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two 561thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done." 562 563"No--is that so? Oh come, now--lemme just try. Only just a little--I'd 564let YOU, if you was me, Tom." 565 566"Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly--well, Jim wanted to 567do it, but she wouldn't let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn't 568let Sid. Now don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this 569fence and anything was to happen to it--" 570 571"Oh, shucks, I'll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say--I'll give 572you the core of my apple." 573 574"Well, here--No, Ben, now don't. I'm afeard--" 575 576"I'll give you ALL of it!" 577 578Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his 579heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in 580the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, 581dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more 582innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every 583little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time 584Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for 585a kite, in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in 586for a dead rat and a string to swing it with--and so on, and so on, 587hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being 588a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling 589in wealth. He had besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, 590part of a jews-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a 591spool cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, 592a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six 593fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass doorknob, a 594dog-collar--but no dog--the handle of a knife, four pieces of 595orange-peel, and a dilapidated old window sash. 596 597He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while--plenty of company 598--and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out 599of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village. 600 601Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He 602had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it--namely, 603that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only 604necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great 605and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have 606comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is OBLIGED to do, 607and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And 608this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers 609or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or 610climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in 611England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles 612on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them 613considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, 614that would turn it into work and then they would resign. 615 616The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place 617in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to 618report. 619 620 621 622CHAPTER III 623 624TOM presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open 625window in a pleasant rearward apartment, which was bedroom, 626breakfast-room, dining-room, and library, combined. The balmy summer 627air, the restful quiet, the odor of the flowers, and the drowsing murmur 628of the bees had had their effect, and she was nodding over her knitting 629--for she had no company but the cat, and it was asleep in her lap. Her 630spectacles were propped up on her gray head for safety. She had thought 631that of course Tom had deserted long ago, and she wondered at seeing him 632place himself in her power again in this intrepid way. He said: "Mayn't 633I go and play now, aunt?" 634 635"What, a'ready? How much have you done?" 636 637"It's all done, aunt." 638 639"Tom, don't lie to me--I can't bear it." 640 641"I ain't, aunt; it IS all done." 642 643Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see 644for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. 645of Tom's statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, 646and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even 647a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. 648She said: 649 650"Well, I never! There's no getting round it, you can work when you're 651a mind to, Tom." And then she diluted the compliment by adding, "But 652it's powerful seldom you're a mind to, I'm bound to say. Well, go 'long 653and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I'll tan you." 654 655She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took 656him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to 657him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a 658treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. 659And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he "hooked" a 660doughnut. 661 662Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway 663that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and 664the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a 665hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties 666and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, 667and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general 668thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at 669peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his 670black thread and getting him into trouble. 671 672Tom skirted the block, and came round into a muddy alley that led by 673the back of his aunt's cow-stable. He presently got safely beyond the 674reach of capture and punishment, and hastened toward the public square 675of the village, where two "military" companies of boys had met for 676conflict, according to previous appointment. Tom was General of one of 677these armies, Joe Harper (a bosom friend) General of the other. These 678two great commanders did not condescend to fight in person--that being 679better suited to the still smaller fry--but sat together on an eminence 680and conducted the field operations by orders delivered through 681aides-de-camp. Tom's army won a great victory, after a long and 682hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, 683the terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the 684necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and 685marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone. 686 687As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived, he saw a new 688girl in the garden--a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair 689plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered 690pantalettes. The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A 691certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a 692memory of herself behind. He had thought he loved her to distraction; 693he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor 694little evanescent partiality. He had been months winning her; she had 695confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest 696boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time 697she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is 698done. 699 700He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she 701had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, 702and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to 703win her admiration. He kept up this grotesque foolishness for some 704time; but by-and-by, while he was in the midst of some dangerous 705gymnastic performances, he glanced aside and saw that the little girl 706was wending her way toward the house. Tom came up to the fence and 707leaned on it, grieving, and hoping she would tarry yet awhile longer. 708She halted a moment on the steps and then moved toward the door. Tom 709heaved a great sigh as she put her foot on the threshold. But his face 710lit up, right away, for she tossed a pansy over the fence a moment 711before she disappeared. 712 713The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and 714then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if 715he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. 716Presently he picked up a straw and began trying to balance it on his 717nose, with his head tilted far back; and as he moved from side to side, 718in his efforts, he edged nearer and nearer toward the pansy; finally 719his bare foot rested upon it, his pliant toes closed upon it, and he 720hopped away with the treasure and disappeared round the corner. But 721only for a minute--only while he could button the flower inside his 722jacket, next his heart--or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not 723much posted in anatomy, and not hypercritical, anyway. 724 725He returned, now, and hung about the fence till nightfall, "showing 726off," as before; but the girl never exhibited herself again, though Tom 727comforted himself a little with the hope that she had been near some 728window, meantime, and been aware of his attentions. Finally he strode 729home reluctantly, with his poor head full of visions. 730 731All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered 732"what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding 733Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar 734under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: 735 736"Aunt, you don't whack Sid when he takes it." 737 738"Well, Sid don't torment a body the way you do. You'd be always into 739that sugar if I warn't watching you." 740 741Presently she stepped into the kitchen, and Sid, happy in his 742immunity, reached for the sugar-bowl--a sort of glorying over Tom which 743was wellnigh unbearable. But Sid's fingers slipped and the bowl dropped 744and broke. Tom was in ecstasies. In such ecstasies that he even 745controlled his tongue and was silent. He said to himself that he would 746not speak a word, even when his aunt came in, but would sit perfectly 747still till she asked who did the mischief; and then he would tell, and 748there would be nothing so good in the world as to see that pet model 749"catch it." He was so brimful of exultation that he could hardly hold 750himself when the old lady came back and stood above the wreck 751discharging lightnings of wrath from over her spectacles. He said to 752himself, "Now it's coming!" And the next instant he was sprawling on 753the floor! The potent palm was uplifted to strike again when Tom cried 754out: 755 756"Hold on, now, what 'er you belting ME for?--Sid broke it!" 757 758Aunt Polly paused, perplexed, and Tom looked for healing pity. But 759when she got her tongue again, she only said: 760 761"Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some 762other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." 763 764Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something 765kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a 766confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. 767So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. 768Tom sulked in a corner and exalted his woes. He knew that in her heart 769his aunt was on her knees to him, and he was morosely gratified by the 770consciousness of it. He would hang out no signals, he would take notice 771of none. He knew that a yearning glance fell upon him, now and then, 772through a film of tears, but he refused recognition of it. He pictured 773himself lying sick unto death and his aunt bending over him beseeching 774one little forgiving word, but he would turn his face to the wall, and 775die with that word unsaid. Ah, how would she feel then? And he pictured 776himself brought home from the river, dead, with his curls all wet, and 777his sore heart at rest. How she would throw herself upon him, and how 778her tears would fall like rain, and her lips pray God to give her back 779her boy and she would never, never abuse him any more! But he would lie 780there cold and white and make no sign--a poor little sufferer, whose 781griefs were at an end. He so worked upon his feelings with the pathos 782of these dreams, that he had to keep swallowing, he was so like to 783choke; and his eyes swam in a blur of water, which overflowed when he 784winked, and ran down and trickled from the end of his nose. And such a 785luxury to him was this petting of his sorrows, that he could not bear 786to have any worldly cheeriness or any grating delight intrude upon it; 787it was too sacred for such contact; and so, presently, when his cousin 788Mary danced in, all alive with the joy of seeing home again after an 789age-long visit of one week to the country, he got up and moved in 790clouds and darkness out at one door as she brought song and sunshine in 791at the other. 792 793He wandered far from the accustomed haunts of boys, and sought 794desolate places that were in harmony with his spirit. A log raft in the 795river invited him, and he seated himself on its outer edge and 796contemplated the dreary vastness of the stream, wishing, the while, 797that he could only be drowned, all at once and unconsciously, without 798undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature. Then he thought 799of his flower. He got it out, rumpled and wilted, and it mightily 800increased his dismal felicity. He wondered if she would pity him if she 801knew? Would she cry, and wish that she had a right to put her arms 802around his neck and comfort him? Or would she turn coldly away like all 803the hollow world? This picture brought such an agony of pleasurable 804suffering that he worked it over and over again in his mind and set it 805up in new and varied lights, till he wore it threadbare. At last he 806rose up sighing and departed in the darkness. 807 808About half-past nine or ten o'clock he came along the deserted street 809to where the Adored Unknown lived; he paused a moment; no sound fell 810upon his listening ear; a candle was casting a dull glow upon the 811curtain of a second-story window. Was the sacred presence there? He 812climbed the fence, threaded his stealthy way through the plants, till 813he stood under that window; he looked up at it long, and with emotion; 814then he laid him down on the ground under it, disposing himself upon 815his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast and holding his poor 816wilted flower. And thus he would die--out in the cold world, with no 817shelter over his homeless head, no friendly hand to wipe the 818death-damps from his brow, no loving face to bend pityingly over him 819when the great agony came. And thus SHE would see him when she looked 820out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon 821his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright 822young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? 823 824The window went up, a maid-servant's discordant voice profaned the 825holy calm, and a deluge of water drenched the prone martyr's remains! 826 827The strangling hero sprang up with a relieving snort. There was a whiz 828as of a missile in the air, mingled with the murmur of a curse, a sound 829as of shivering glass followed, and a small, vague form went over the 830fence and shot away in the gloom. 831 832Not long after, as Tom, all undressed for bed, was surveying his 833drenched garments by the light of a tallow dip, Sid woke up; but if he 834had any dim idea of making any "references to allusions," he thought 835better of it and held his peace, for there was danger in Tom's eye. 836 837Tom turned in without the added vexation of prayers, and Sid made 838mental note of the omission. 839 840 841 842CHAPTER IV 843 844THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful 845village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family 846worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid 847courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of 848originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter 849of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai. 850 851Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get 852his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his 853energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the 854Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. 855At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, 856but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human 857thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary 858took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through 859the fog: 860 861"Blessed are the--a--a--" 862 863"Poor"-- 864 865"Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--" 866 867"In spirit--" 868 869"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--" 870 871"THEIRS--" 872 873"For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 874of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--" 875 876"Sh--" 877 878"For they--a--" 879 880"S, H, A--" 881 882"For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!" 883 884"SHALL!" 885 886"Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- 887blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for 888they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you 889want to be so mean for?" 890 891"Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't 892do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, 893you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. 894There, now, that's a good boy." 895 896"All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is." 897 898"Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice." 899 900"You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again." 901 902And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of 903curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he 904accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" 905knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that 906swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would 907not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was 908inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got 909the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its 910injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom 911contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin 912on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school. 913 914Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went 915outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he 916dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; 917poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the 918kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the 919door. But Mary removed the towel and said: 920 921"Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt 922you." 923 924Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time 925he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big 926breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes 927shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony 928of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from 929the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped 930short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line 931there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in 932front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she 933was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of 934color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls 935wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately 936smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his 937hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and 938his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of 939his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they 940were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the 941size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed 942himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his 943vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned 944him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and 945uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there 946was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He 947hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she 948coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them 949out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do 950everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively: 951 952"Please, Tom--that's a good boy." 953 954So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three 955children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his 956whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it. 957 958Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church 959service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon 960voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. 961The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three 962hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort 963of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom 964dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade: 965 966"Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?" 967 968"Yes." 969 970"What'll you take for her?" 971 972"What'll you give?" 973 974"Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook." 975 976"Less see 'em." 977 978Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. 979Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and 980some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other 981boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or 982fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of 983clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a 984quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, 985elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a 986boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy 987turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear 988him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole 989class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they 990came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses 991perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried 992through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a 993passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of 994the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be 995exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow 996tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty 997cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would 998have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even 999for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it 1000was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had 1001won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without 1002stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and 1003he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous 1004misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the 1005superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out 1006and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their 1007tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and 1008so the delivery of one of these prizes was a rare and noteworthy 1009circumstance; the successful pupil was so great and conspicuous for 1010that day that on the spot every scholar's heart was fired with a fresh 1011ambition that often lasted a couple of weeks. It is possible that Tom's 1012mental stomach had never really hungered for one of those prizes, but 1013unquestionably his entire being had for many a day longed for the glory 1014and the eclat that came with it. 1015 1016In due course the superintendent stood up in front of the pulpit, with 1017a closed hymn-book in his hand and his forefinger inserted between its 1018leaves, and commanded attention. When a Sunday-school superintendent 1019makes his customary little speech, a hymn-book in the hand is as 1020necessary as is the inevitable sheet of music in the hand of a singer 1021who stands forward on the platform and sings a solo at a concert 1022--though why, is a mystery: for neither the hymn-book nor the sheet of 1023music is ever referred to by the sufferer. This superintendent was a 1024slim creature of thirty-five, with a sandy goatee and short sandy hair; 1025he wore a stiff standing-collar whose upper edge almost reached his 1026ears and whose sharp points curved forward abreast the corners of his 1027mouth--a fence that compelled a straight lookout ahead, and a turning 1028of the whole body when a side view was required; his chin was propped 1029on a spreading cravat which was as broad and as long as a bank-note, 1030and had fringed ends; his boot toes were turned sharply up, in the 1031fashion of the day, like sleigh-runners--an effect patiently and 1032laboriously produced by the young men by sitting with their toes 1033pressed against a wall for hours together. Mr. Walters was very earnest 1034of mien, and very sincere and honest at heart; and he held sacred 1035things and places in such reverence, and so separated them from worldly 1036matters, that unconsciously to himself his Sunday-school voice had 1037acquired a peculiar intonation which was wholly absent on week-days. He 1038began after this fashion: 1039 1040"Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty 1041as you can and give me all your attention for a minute or two. There 1042--that is it. That is the way good little boys and girls should do. I see 1043one little girl who is looking out of the window--I am afraid she 1044thinks I am out there somewhere--perhaps up in one of the trees making 1045a speech to the little birds. [Applausive titter.] I want to tell you 1046how good it makes me feel to see so many bright, clean little faces 1047assembled in a place like this, learning to do right and be good." And 1048so forth and so on. It is not necessary to set down the rest of the 1049oration. It was of a pattern which does not vary, and so it is familiar 1050to us all. 1051 1052The latter third of the speech was marred by the resumption of fights 1053and other recreations among certain of the bad boys, and by fidgetings 1054and whisperings that extended far and wide, washing even to the bases 1055of isolated and incorruptible rocks like Sid and Mary. But now every 1056sound ceased suddenly, with the subsidence of Mr. Walters' voice, and 1057the conclusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent 1058gratitude. 1059 1060A good part of the whispering had been occasioned by an event which 1061was more or less rare--the entrance of visitors: lawyer Thatcher, 1062accompanied by a very feeble and aged man; a fine, portly, middle-aged 1063gentleman with iron-gray hair; and a dignified lady who was doubtless 1064the latter's wife. The lady was leading a child. Tom had been restless 1065and full of chafings and repinings; conscience-smitten, too--he could 1066not meet Amy Lawrence's eye, he could not brook her loving gaze. But 1067when he saw this small new-comer his soul was all ablaze with bliss in 1068a moment. The next moment he was "showing off" with all his might 1069--cuffing boys, pulling hair, making faces--in a word, using every art 1070that seemed likely to fascinate a girl and win her applause. His 1071exaltation had but one alloy--the memory of his humiliation in this 1072angel's garden--and that record in sand was fast washing out, under 1073the waves of happiness that were sweeping over it now. 1074 1075The visitors were given the highest seat of honor, and as soon as Mr. 1076Walters' speech was finished, he introduced them to the school. The 1077middle-aged man turned out to be a prodigious personage--no less a one 1078than the county judge--altogether the most august creation these 1079children had ever looked upon--and they wondered what kind of material 1080he was made of--and they half wanted to hear him roar, and were half 1081afraid he might, too. He was from Constantinople, twelve miles away--so 1082he had travelled, and seen the world--these very eyes had looked upon 1083the county court-house--which was said to have a tin roof. The awe 1084which these reflections inspired was attested by the impressive silence 1085and the ranks of staring eyes. This was the great Judge Thatcher, 1086brother of their own lawyer. Jeff Thatcher immediately went forward, to 1087be familiar with the great man and be envied by the school. It would 1088have been music to his soul to hear the whisperings: 1089 1090"Look at him, Jim! He's a going up there. Say--look! he's a going to 1091shake hands with him--he IS shaking hands with him! By jings, don't you 1092wish you was Jeff?" 1093 1094Mr. Walters fell to "showing off," with all sorts of official 1095bustlings and activities, giving orders, delivering judgments, 1096discharging directions here, there, everywhere that he could find a 1097target. The librarian "showed off"--running hither and thither with his 1098arms full of books and making a deal of the splutter and fuss that 1099insect authority delights in. The young lady teachers "showed off" 1100--bending sweetly over pupils that were lately being boxed, lifting 1101pretty warning fingers at bad little boys and patting good ones 1102lovingly. The young gentlemen teachers "showed off" with small 1103scoldings and other little displays of authority and fine attention to 1104discipline--and most of the teachers, of both sexes, found business up 1105at the library, by the pulpit; and it was business that frequently had 1106to be done over again two or three times (with much seeming vexation). 1107The little girls "showed off" in various ways, and the little boys 1108"showed off" with such diligence that the air was thick with paper wads 1109and the murmur of scufflings. And above it all the great man sat and 1110beamed a majestic judicial smile upon all the house, and warmed himself 1111in the sun of his own grandeur--for he was "showing off," too. 1112 1113There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walters' ecstasy 1114complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a 1115prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow tickets, but none had enough 1116--he had been around among the star pupils inquiring. He would have given 1117worlds, now, to have that German lad back again with a sound mind. 1118 1119And now at this moment, when hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward 1120with nine yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and 1121demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Walters 1122was not expecting an application from this source for the next ten 1123years. But there was no getting around it--here were the certified 1124checks, and they were good for their face. Tom was therefore elevated 1125to a place with the Judge and the other elect, and the great news was 1126announced from headquarters. It was the most stunning surprise of the 1127decade, and so profound was the sensation that it lifted the new hero 1128up to the judicial one's altitude, and the school had two marvels to 1129gaze upon in place of one. The boys were all eaten up with envy--but 1130those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too 1131late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by 1132trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling 1133whitewashing privileges. These despised themselves, as being the dupes 1134of a wily fraud, a guileful snake in the grass. 1135 1136The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the 1137superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked 1138somewhat of the true gush, for the poor fellow's instinct taught him 1139that there was a mystery here that could not well bear the light, 1140perhaps; it was simply preposterous that this boy had warehoused two 1141thousand sheaves of Scriptural wisdom on his premises--a dozen would 1142strain his capacity, without a doubt. 1143 1144Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and she tried to make Tom see it in 1145her face--but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then she was just a grain 1146troubled; next a dim suspicion came and went--came again; she watched; 1147a furtive glance told her worlds--and then her heart broke, and she was 1148jealous, and angry, and the tears came and she hated everybody. Tom 1149most of all (she thought). 1150 1151Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his tongue was tied, his breath 1152would hardly come, his heart quaked--partly because of the awful 1153greatness of the man, but mainly because he was her parent. He would 1154have liked to fall down and worship him, if it were in the dark. The 1155Judge put his hand on Tom's head and called him a fine little man, and 1156asked him what his name was. The boy stammered, gasped, and got it out: 1157 1158"Tom." 1159 1160"Oh, no, not Tom--it is--" 1161 1162"Thomas." 1163 1164"Ah, that's it. I thought there was more to it, maybe. That's very 1165well. But you've another one I daresay, and you'll tell it to me, won't 1166you?" 1167 1168"Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas," said Walters, "and say 1169sir. You mustn't forget your manners." 1170 1171"Thomas Sawyer--sir." 1172 1173"That's it! That's a good boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. 1174Two thousand verses is a great many--very, very great many. And you 1175never can be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for 1176knowledge is worth more than anything there is in the world; it's what 1177makes great men and good men; you'll be a great man and a good man 1178yourself, some day, Thomas, and then you'll look back and say, It's all 1179owing to the precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood--it's all 1180owing to my dear teachers that taught me to learn--it's all owing to 1181the good superintendent, who encouraged me, and watched over me, and 1182gave me a beautiful Bible--a splendid elegant Bible--to keep and have 1183it all for my own, always--it's all owing to right bringing up! That is 1184what you will say, Thomas--and you wouldn't take any money for those 1185two thousand verses--no indeed you wouldn't. And now you wouldn't mind 1186telling me and this lady some of the things you've learned--no, I know 1187you wouldn't--for we are proud of little boys that learn. Now, no 1188doubt you know the names of all the twelve disciples. Won't you tell us 1189the names of the first two that were appointed?" 1190 1191Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, 1192now, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walters' heart sank within him. He said to 1193himself, it is not possible that the boy can answer the simplest 1194question--why DID the Judge ask him? Yet he felt obliged to speak up 1195and say: 1196 1197"Answer the gentleman, Thomas--don't be afraid." 1198 1199Tom still hung fire. 1200 1201"Now I know you'll tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first 1202two disciples were--" 1203 1204"DAVID AND GOLIAH!" 1205 1206Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene. 1207 1208 1209 1210CHAPTER V 1211 1212ABOUT half-past ten the cracked bell of the small church began to 1213ring, and presently the people began to gather for the morning sermon. 1214The Sunday-school children distributed themselves about the house and 1215occupied pews with their parents, so as to be under supervision. Aunt 1216Polly came, and Tom and Sid and Mary sat with her--Tom being placed 1217next the aisle, in order that he might be as far away from the open 1218window and the seductive outside summer scenes as possible. The crowd 1219filed up the aisles: the aged and needy postmaster, who had seen better 1220days; the mayor and his wife--for they had a mayor there, among other 1221unnecessaries; the justice of the peace; the widow Douglass, fair, 1222smart, and forty, a generous, good-hearted soul and well-to-do, her 1223hill mansion the only palace in the town, and the most hospitable and 1224much the most lavish in the matter of festivities that St. Petersburg 1225could boast; the bent and venerable Major and Mrs. Ward; lawyer 1226Riverson, the new notable from a distance; next the belle of the 1227village, followed by a troop of lawn-clad and ribbon-decked young 1228heart-breakers; then all the young clerks in town in a body--for they 1229had stood in the vestibule sucking their cane-heads, a circling wall of 1230oiled and simpering admirers, till the last girl had run their gantlet; 1231and last of all came the Model Boy, Willie Mufferson, taking as heedful 1232care of his mother as if she were cut glass. He always brought his 1233mother to church, and was the pride of all the matrons. The boys all 1234hated him, he was so good. And besides, he had been "thrown up to them" 1235so much. His white handkerchief was hanging out of his pocket behind, as 1236usual on Sundays--accidentally. Tom had no handkerchief, and he looked 1237upon boys who had as snobs. 1238 1239The congregation being fully assembled, now, the bell rang once more, 1240to warn laggards and stragglers, and then a solemn hush fell upon the 1241church which was only broken by the tittering and whispering of the 1242choir in the gallery. The choir always tittered and whispered all 1243through service. There was once a church choir that was not ill-bred, 1244but I have forgotten where it was, now. It was a great many years ago, 1245and I can scarcely remember anything about it, but I think it was in 1246some foreign country. 1247 1248The minister gave out the hymn, and read it through with a relish, in 1249a peculiar style which was much admired in that part of the country. 1250His voice began on a medium key and climbed steadily up till it reached 1251a certain point, where it bore with strong emphasis upon the topmost 1252word and then plunged down as if from a spring-board: 1253 1254 Shall I be car-ri-ed toe the skies, on flow'ry BEDS of ease, 1255 1256 Whilst others fight to win the prize, and sail thro' BLOODY seas? 1257 1258He was regarded as a wonderful reader. At church "sociables" he was 1259always called upon to read poetry; and when he was through, the ladies 1260would lift up their hands and let them fall helplessly in their laps, 1261and "wall" their eyes, and shake their heads, as much as to say, "Words 1262cannot express it; it is too beautiful, TOO beautiful for this mortal 1263earth." 1264 1265After the hymn had been sung, the Rev. Mr. Sprague turned himself into 1266a bulletin-board, and read off "notices" of meetings and societies and 1267things till it seemed that the list would stretch out to the crack of 1268doom--a queer custom which is still kept up in America, even in cities, 1269away here in this age of abundant newspapers. Often, the less there is 1270to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it. 1271 1272And now the minister prayed. A good, generous prayer it was, and went 1273into details: it pleaded for the church, and the little children of the 1274church; for the other churches of the village; for the village itself; 1275for the county; for the State; for the State officers; for the United 1276States; for the churches of the United States; for Congress; for the 1277President; for the officers of the Government; for poor sailors, tossed 1278by stormy seas; for the oppressed millions groaning under the heel of 1279European monarchies and Oriental despotisms; for such as have the light 1280and the good tidings, and yet have not eyes to see nor ears to hear 1281withal; for the heathen in the far islands of the sea; and closed with 1282a supplication that the words he was about to speak might find grace 1283and favor, and be as seed sown in fertile ground, yielding in time a 1284grateful harvest of good. Amen. 1285 1286There was a rustling of dresses, and the standing congregation sat 1287down. The boy whose history this book relates did not enjoy the prayer, 1288he only endured it--if he even did that much. He was restive all 1289through it; he kept tally of the details of the prayer, unconsciously 1290--for he was not listening, but he knew the ground of old, and the 1291clergyman's regular route over it--and when a little trifle of new 1292matter was interlarded, his ear detected it and his whole nature 1293resented it; he considered additions unfair, and scoundrelly. In the 1294midst of the prayer a fly had lit on the back of the pew in front of 1295him and tortured his spirit by calmly rubbing its hands together, 1296embracing its head with its arms, and polishing it so vigorously that 1297it seemed to almost part company with the body, and the slender thread 1298of a neck was exposed to view; scraping its wings with its hind legs 1299and smoothing them to its body as if they had been coat-tails; going 1300through its whole toilet as tranquilly as if it knew it was perfectly 1301safe. As indeed it was; for as sorely as Tom's hands itched to grab for 1302it they did not dare--he believed his soul would be instantly destroyed 1303if he did such a thing while the prayer was going on. But with the 1304closing sentence his hand began to curve and steal forward; and the 1305instant the "Amen" was out the fly was a prisoner of war. His aunt 1306detected the act and made him let it go. 1307 1308The minister gave out his text and droned along monotonously through 1309an argument that was so prosy that many a head by and by began to nod 1310--and yet it was an argument that dealt in limitless fire and brimstone 1311and thinned the predestined elect down to a company so small as to be 1312hardly worth the saving. Tom counted the pages of the sermon; after 1313church he always knew how many pages there had been, but he seldom knew 1314anything else about the discourse. However, this time he was really 1315interested for a little while. The minister made a grand and moving 1316picture of the assembling together of the world's hosts at the 1317millennium when the lion and the lamb should lie down together and a 1318little child should lead them. But the pathos, the lesson, the moral of 1319the great spectacle were lost upon the boy; he only thought of the 1320conspicuousness of the principal character before the on-looking 1321nations; his face lit with the thought, and he said to himself that he 1322wished he could be that child, if it was a tame lion. 1323 1324Now he lapsed into suffering again, as the dry argument was resumed. 1325Presently he bethought him of a treasure he had and got it out. It was 1326a large black beetle with formidable jaws--a "pinchbug," he called it. 1327It was in a percussion-cap box. The first thing the beetle did was to 1328take him by the finger. A natural fillip followed, the beetle went 1329floundering into the aisle and lit on its back, and the hurt finger 1330went into the boy's mouth. The beetle lay there working its helpless 1331legs, unable to turn over. Tom eyed it, and longed for it; but it was 1332safe out of his reach. Other people uninterested in the sermon found 1333relief in the beetle, and they eyed it too. Presently a vagrant poodle 1334dog came idling along, sad at heart, lazy with the summer softness and 1335the quiet, weary of captivity, sighing for change. He spied the beetle; 1336the drooping tail lifted and wagged. He surveyed the prize; walked 1337around it; smelt at it from a safe distance; walked around it again; 1338grew bolder, and took a closer smell; then lifted his lip and made a 1339gingerly snatch at it, just missing it; made another, and another; 1340began to enjoy the diversion; subsided to his stomach with the beetle 1341between his paws, and continued his experiments; grew weary at last, 1342and then indifferent and absent-minded. His head nodded, and little by 1343little his chin descended and touched the enemy, who seized it. There 1344was a sharp yelp, a flirt of the poodle's head, and the beetle fell a 1345couple of yards away, and lit on its back once more. The neighboring 1346spectators shook with a gentle inward joy, several faces went behind 1347fans and handkerchiefs, and Tom was entirely happy. The dog looked 1348foolish, and probably felt so; but there was resentment in his heart, 1349too, and a craving for revenge. So he went to the beetle and began a 1350wary attack on it again; jumping at it from every point of a circle, 1351lighting with his fore-paws within an inch of the creature, making even 1352closer snatches at it with his teeth, and jerking his head till his 1353ears flapped again. But he grew tired once more, after a while; tried 1354to amuse himself with a fly but found no relief; followed an ant 1355around, with his nose close to the floor, and quickly wearied of that; 1356yawned, sighed, forgot the beetle entirely, and sat down on it. Then 1357there was a wild yelp of agony and the poodle went sailing up the 1358aisle; the yelps continued, and so did the dog; he crossed the house in 1359front of the altar; he flew down the other aisle; he crossed before the 1360doors; he clamored up the home-stretch; his anguish grew with his 1361progress, till presently he was but a woolly comet moving in its orbit 1362with the gleam and the speed of light. At last the frantic sufferer 1363sheered from its course, and sprang into its master's lap; he flung it 1364out of the window, and the voice of distress quickly thinned away and 1365died in the distance. 1366 1367By this time the whole church was red-faced and suffocating with 1368suppressed laughter, and the sermon had come to a dead standstill. The 1369discourse was resumed presently, but it went lame and halting, all 1370possibility of impressiveness being at an end; for even the gravest 1371sentiments were constantly being received with a smothered burst of 1372unholy mirth, under cover of some remote pew-back, as if the poor 1373parson had said a rarely facetious thing. It was a genuine relief to 1374the whole congregation when the ordeal was over and the benediction 1375pronounced. 1376 1377Tom Sawyer went home quite cheerful, thinking to himself that there 1378was some satisfaction about divine service when there was a bit of 1379variety in it. He had but one marring thought; he was willing that the 1380dog should play with his pinchbug, but he did not think it was upright 1381in him to carry it off. 1382 1383 1384 1385CHAPTER VI 1386 1387MONDAY morning found Tom Sawyer miserable. Monday morning always found 1388him so--because it began another week's slow suffering in school. He 1389generally began that day with wishing he had had no intervening 1390holiday, it made the going into captivity and fetters again so much 1391more odious. 1392 1393Tom lay thinking. Presently it occurred to him that he wished he was 1394sick; then he could stay home from school. Here was a vague 1395possibility. He canvassed his system. No ailment was found, and he 1396investigated again. This time he thought he could detect colicky 1397symptoms, and he began to encourage them with considerable hope. But 1398they soon grew feeble, and presently died wholly away. He reflected 1399further. Suddenly he discovered something. One of his upper front teeth 1400was loose. This was lucky; he was about to begin to groan, as a 1401"starter," as he called it, when it occurred to him that if he came 1402into court with that argument, his aunt would pull it out, and that 1403would hurt. So he thought he would hold the tooth in reserve for the 1404present, and seek further. Nothing offered for some little time, and 1405then he remembered hearing the doctor tell about a certain thing that 1406laid up a patient for two or three weeks and threatened to make him 1407lose a finger. So the boy eagerly drew his sore toe from under the 1408sheet and held it up for inspection. But now he did not know the 1409necessary symptoms. However, it seemed well worth while to chance it, 1410so he fell to groaning with considerable spirit. 1411 1412But Sid slept on unconscious. 1413 1414Tom groaned louder, and fancied that he began to feel pain in the toe. 1415 1416No result from Sid. 1417 1418Tom was panting with his exertions by this time. He took a rest and 1419then swelled himself up and fetched a succession of admirable groans. 1420 1421Sid snored on. 1422 1423Tom was aggravated. He said, "Sid, Sid!" and shook him. This course 1424worked well, and Tom began to groan again. Sid yawned, stretched, then 1425brought himself up on his elbow with a snort, and began to stare at 1426Tom. Tom went on groaning. Sid said: 1427 1428"Tom! Say, Tom!" [No response.] "Here, Tom! TOM! What is the matter, 1429Tom?" And he shook him and looked in his face anxiously. 1430 1431Tom moaned out: 1432 1433"Oh, don't, Sid. Don't joggle me." 1434 1435"Why, what's the matter, Tom? I must call auntie." 1436 1437"No--never mind. It'll be over by and by, maybe. Don't call anybody." 1438 1439"But I must! DON'T groan so, Tom, it's awful. How long you been this 1440way?" 1441 1442"Hours. Ouch! Oh, don't stir so, Sid, you'll kill me." 1443 1444"Tom, why didn't you wake me sooner? Oh, Tom, DON'T! It makes my 1445flesh crawl to hear you. Tom, what is the matter?" 1446 1447"I forgive you everything, Sid. [Groan.] Everything you've ever done 1448to me. When I'm gone--" 1449 1450"Oh, Tom, you ain't dying, are you? Don't, Tom--oh, don't. Maybe--" 1451 1452"I forgive everybody, Sid. [Groan.] Tell 'em so, Sid. And Sid, you 1453give my window-sash and my cat with one eye to that new girl that's 1454come to town, and tell her--" 1455 1456But Sid had snatched his clothes and gone. Tom was suffering in 1457reality, now, so handsomely was his imagination working, and so his 1458groans had gathered quite a genuine tone. 1459 1460Sid flew down-stairs and said: 1461 1462"Oh, Aunt Polly, come! Tom's dying!" 1463 1464"Dying!" 1465 1466"Yes'm. Don't wait--come quick!" 1467 1468"Rubbage! I don't believe it!" 1469 1470But she fled up-stairs, nevertheless, with Sid and Mary at her heels. 1471And her face grew white, too, and her lip trembled. When she reached 1472the bedside she gasped out: 1473 1474"You, Tom! Tom, what's the matter with you?" 1475 1476"Oh, auntie, I'm--" 1477 1478"What's the matter with you--what is the matter with you, child?" 1479 1480"Oh, auntie, my sore toe's mortified!" 1481 1482The old lady sank down into a chair and laughed a little, then cried a 1483little, then did both together. This restored her and she said: 1484 1485"Tom, what a turn you did give me. Now you shut up that nonsense and 1486climb out of this." 1487 1488The groans ceased and the pain vanished from the toe. The boy felt a 1489little foolish, and he said: 1490 1491"Aunt Polly, it SEEMED mortified, and it hurt so I never minded my 1492tooth at all." 1493 1494"Your tooth, indeed! What's the matter with your tooth?" 1495 1496"One of them's loose, and it aches perfectly awful." 1497 1498"There, there, now, don't begin that groaning again. Open your mouth. 1499Well--your tooth IS loose, but you're not going to die about that. 1500Mary, get me a silk thread, and a chunk of fire out of the kitchen." 1501 1502Tom said: 1503 1504"Oh, please, auntie, don't pull it out. It don't hurt any more. I wish 1505I may never stir if it does. Please don't, auntie. I don't want to stay 1506home from school." 1507 1508"Oh, you don't, don't you? So all this row was because you thought 1509you'd get to stay home from school and go a-fishing? Tom, Tom, I love 1510you so, and you seem to try every way you can to break my old heart 1511with your outrageousness." By this time the dental instruments were 1512ready. The old lady made one end of the silk thread fast to Tom's tooth 1513with a loop and tied the other to the bedpost. Then she seized the 1514chunk of fire and suddenly thrust it almost into the boy's face. The 1515tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 1516 1517But all trials bring their compensations. As Tom wended to school 1518after breakfast, he was the envy of every boy he met because the gap in 1519his upper row of teeth enabled him to expectorate in a new and 1520admirable way. He gathered quite a following of lads interested in the 1521exhibition; and one that had cut his finger and had been a centre of 1522fascination and homage up to this time, now found himself suddenly 1523without an adherent, and shorn of his glory. His heart was heavy, and 1524he said with a disdain which he did not feel that it wasn't anything to 1525spit like Tom Sawyer; but another boy said, "Sour grapes!" and he 1526wandered away a dismantled hero. 1527 1528Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village, Huckleberry 1529Finn, son of the town drunkard. Huckleberry was cordially hated and 1530dreaded by all the mothers of the town, because he was idle and lawless 1531and vulgar and bad--and because all their children admired him so, and 1532delighted in his forbidden society, and wished they dared to be like 1533him. Tom was like the rest of the respectable boys, in that he envied 1534Huckleberry his gaudy outcast condition, and was under strict orders 1535not to play with him. So he played with him every time he got a chance. 1536Huckleberry was always dressed in the cast-off clothes of full-grown 1537men, and they were in perennial bloom and fluttering with rags. His hat 1538was a vast ruin with a wide crescent lopped out of its brim; his coat, 1539when he wore one, hung nearly to his heels and had the rearward buttons 1540far down the back; but one suspender supported his trousers; the seat 1541of the trousers bagged low and contained nothing, the fringed legs 1542dragged in the dirt when not rolled up. 1543 1544Huckleberry came and went, at his own free will. He slept on doorsteps 1545in fine weather and in empty hogsheads in wet; he did not have to go to 1546school or to church, or call any being master or obey anybody; he could 1547go fishing or swimming when and where he chose, and stay as long as it 1548suited him; nobody forbade him to fight; he could sit up as late as he 1549pleased; he was always the first boy that went barefoot in the spring 1550and the last to resume leather in the fall; he never had to wash, nor 1551put on clean clothes; he could swear wonderfully. In a word, everything 1552that goes to make life precious that boy had. So thought every 1553harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 1554 1555Tom hailed the romantic outcast: 1556 1557"Hello, Huckleberry!" 1558 1559"Hello yourself, and see how you like it." 1560 1561"What's that you got?" 1562 1563"Dead cat." 1564 1565"Lemme see him, Huck. My, he's pretty stiff. Where'd you get him?" 1566 1567"Bought him off'n a boy." 1568 1569"What did you give?" 1570 1571"I give a blue ticket and a bladder that I got at the slaughter-house." 1572 1573"Where'd you get the blue ticket?" 1574 1575"Bought it off'n Ben Rogers two weeks ago for a hoop-stick." 1576 1577"Say--what is dead cats good for, Huck?" 1578 1579"Good for? Cure warts with." 1580 1581"No! Is that so? I know something that's better." 1582 1583"I bet you don't. What is it?" 1584 1585"Why, spunk-water." 1586 1587"Spunk-water! I wouldn't give a dern for spunk-water." 1588 1589"You wouldn't, wouldn't you? D'you ever try it?" 1590 1591"No, I hain't. But Bob Tanner did." 1592 1593"Who told you so!" 1594 1595"Why, he told Jeff Thatcher, and Jeff told Johnny Baker, and Johnny 1596told Jim Hollis, and Jim told Ben Rogers, and Ben told a nigger, and 1597the nigger told me. There now!" 1598 1599"Well, what of it? They'll all lie. Leastways all but the nigger. I 1600don't know HIM. But I never see a nigger that WOULDN'T lie. Shucks! Now 1601you tell me how Bob Tanner done it, Huck." 1602 1603"Why, he took and dipped his hand in a rotten stump where the 1604rain-water was." 1605 1606"In the daytime?" 1607 1608"Certainly." 1609 1610"With his face to the stump?" 1611 1612"Yes. Least I reckon so." 1613 1614"Did he say anything?" 1615 1616"I don't reckon he did. I don't know." 1617 1618"Aha! Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame 1619fool way as that! Why, that ain't a-going to do any good. You got to go 1620all by yourself, to the middle of the woods, where you know there's a 1621spunk-water stump, and just as it's midnight you back up against the 1622stump and jam your hand in and say: 1623 1624 'Barley-corn, barley-corn, injun-meal shorts, 1625 Spunk-water, spunk-water, swaller these warts,' 1626 1627and then walk away quick, eleven steps, with your eyes shut, and then 1628turn around three times and walk home without speaking to anybody. 1629Because if you speak the charm's busted." 1630 1631"Well, that sounds like a good way; but that ain't the way Bob Tanner 1632done." 1633 1634"No, sir, you can bet he didn't, becuz he's the wartiest boy in this 1635town; and he wouldn't have a wart on him if he'd knowed how to work 1636spunk-water. I've took off thousands of warts off of my hands that way, 1637Huck. I play with frogs so much that I've always got considerable many 1638warts. Sometimes I take 'em off with a bean." 1639 1640"Yes, bean's good. I've done that." 1641 1642"Have you? What's your way?" 1643 1644"You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some 1645blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and 1646dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of 1647the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean. You see that piece 1648that's got the blood on it will keep drawing and drawing, trying to 1649fetch the other piece to it, and so that helps the blood to draw the 1650wart, and pretty soon off she comes." 1651 1652"Yes, that's it, Huck--that's it; though when you're burying it if you 1653say 'Down bean; off wart; come no more to bother me!' it's better. 1654That's the way Joe Harper does, and he's been nearly to Coonville and 1655most everywheres. But say--how do you cure 'em with dead cats?" 1656 1657"Why, you take your cat and go and get in the graveyard 'long about 1658midnight when somebody that was wicked has been buried; and when it's 1659midnight a devil will come, or maybe two or three, but you can't see 1660'em, you can only hear something like the wind, or maybe hear 'em talk; 1661and when they're taking that feller away, you heave your cat after 'em 1662and say, 'Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I'm 1663done with ye!' That'll fetch ANY wart." 1664 1665"Sounds right. D'you ever try it, Huck?" 1666 1667"No, but old Mother Hopkins told me." 1668 1669"Well, I reckon it's so, then. Becuz they say she's a witch." 1670 1671"Say! Why, Tom, I KNOW she is. She witched pap. Pap says so his own 1672self. He come along one day, and he see she was a-witching him, so he 1673took up a rock, and if she hadn't dodged, he'd a got her. Well, that 1674very night he rolled off'n a shed wher' he was a layin drunk, and broke 1675his arm." 1676 1677"Why, that's awful. How did he know she was a-witching him?" 1678 1679"Lord, pap can tell, easy. Pap says when they keep looking at you 1680right stiddy, they're a-witching you. Specially if they mumble. Becuz 1681when they mumble they're saying the Lord's Prayer backards." 1682 1683"Say, Hucky, when you going to try the cat?" 1684 1685"To-night. I reckon they'll come after old Hoss Williams to-night." 1686 1687"But they buried him Saturday. Didn't they get him Saturday night?" 1688 1689"Why, how you talk! How could their charms work till midnight?--and 1690THEN it's Sunday. Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't 1691reckon." 1692 1693"I never thought of that. That's so. Lemme go with you?" 1694 1695"Of course--if you ain't afeard." 1696 1697"Afeard! 'Tain't likely. Will you meow?" 1698 1699"Yes--and you meow back, if you get a chance. Last time, you kep' me 1700a-meowing around till old Hays went to throwing rocks at me and says 1701'Dern that cat!' and so I hove a brick through his window--but don't 1702you tell." 1703 1704"I won't. I couldn't meow that night, becuz auntie was watching me, 1705but I'll meow this time. Say--what's that?" 1706 1707"Nothing but a tick." 1708 1709"Where'd you get him?" 1710 1711"Out in the woods." 1712 1713"What'll you take for him?" 1714 1715"I don't know. I don't want to sell him." 1716 1717"All right. It's a mighty small tick, anyway." 1718 1719"Oh, anybody can run a tick down that don't belong to them. I'm 1720satisfied with it. It's a good enough tick for me." 1721 1722"Sho, there's ticks a plenty. I could have a thousand of 'em if I 1723wanted to." 1724 1725"Well, why don't you? Becuz you know mighty well you can't. This is a 1726pretty early tick, I reckon. It's the first one I've seen this year." 1727 1728"Say, Huck--I'll give you my tooth for him." 1729 1730"Less see it." 1731 1732Tom got out a bit of paper and carefully unrolled it. Huckleberry 1733viewed it wistfully. The temptation was very strong. At last he said: 1734 1735"Is it genuwyne?" 1736 1737Tom lifted his lip and showed the vacancy. 1738 1739"Well, all right," said Huckleberry, "it's a trade." 1740 1741Tom enclosed the tick in the percussion-cap box that had lately been 1742the pinchbug's prison, and the boys separated, each feeling wealthier 1743than before. 1744 1745When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in 1746briskly, with the manner of one who had come with all honest speed. 1747He hung his hat on a peg and flung himself into his seat with 1748business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in his great 1749splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. 1750The interruption roused him. 1751 1752"Thomas Sawyer!" 1753 1754Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble. 1755 1756"Sir!" 1757 1758"Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?" 1759 1760Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of 1761yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric 1762sympathy of love; and by that form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the 1763girls' side of the schoolhouse. He instantly said: 1764 1765"I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!" 1766 1767The master's pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of 1768study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his 1769mind. The master said: 1770 1771"You--you did what?" 1772 1773"Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn." 1774 1775There was no mistaking the words. 1776 1777"Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever 1778listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your 1779jacket." 1780 1781The master's arm performed until it was tired and the stock of 1782switches notably diminished. Then the order followed: 1783 1784"Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you." 1785 1786The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but 1787in reality that result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of 1788his unknown idol and the dread pleasure that lay in his high good 1789fortune. He sat down upon the end of the pine bench and the girl 1790hitched herself away from him with a toss of her head. Nudges and winks 1791and whispers traversed the room, but Tom sat still, with his arms upon 1792the long, low desk before him, and seemed to study his book. 1793 1794By and by attention ceased from him, and the accustomed school murmur 1795rose upon the dull air once more. Presently the boy began to steal 1796furtive glances at the girl. She observed it, "made a mouth" at him and 1797gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she 1798cautiously faced around again, a peach lay before her. She thrust it 1799away. Tom gently put it back. She thrust it away again, but with less 1800animosity. Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it 1801remain. Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it--I got more." The 1802girl glanced at the words, but made no sign. Now the boy began to draw 1803something on the slate, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time 1804the girl refused to notice; but her human curiosity presently began to 1805manifest itself by hardly perceptible signs. The boy worked on, 1806apparently unconscious. The girl made a sort of noncommittal attempt to 1807see, but the boy did not betray that he was aware of it. At last she 1808gave in and hesitatingly whispered: 1809 1810"Let me see it." 1811 1812Tom partly uncovered a dismal caricature of a house with two gable 1813ends to it and a corkscrew of smoke issuing from the chimney. Then the 1814girl's interest began to fasten itself upon the work and she forgot 1815everything else. When it was finished, she gazed a moment, then 1816whispered: 1817 1818"It's nice--make a man." 1819 1820The artist erected a man in the front yard, that resembled a derrick. 1821He could have stepped over the house; but the girl was not 1822hypercritical; she was satisfied with the monster, and whispered: 1823 1824"It's a beautiful man--now make me coming along." 1825 1826Tom drew an hour-glass with a full moon and straw limbs to it and 1827armed the spreading fingers with a portentous fan. The girl said: 1828 1829"It's ever so nice--I wish I could draw." 1830 1831"It's easy," whispered Tom, "I'll learn you." 1832 1833"Oh, will you? When?" 1834 1835"At noon. Do you go home to dinner?" 1836 1837"I'll stay if you will." 1838 1839"Good--that's a whack. What's your name?" 1840 1841"Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer." 1842 1843"That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me 1844Tom, will you?" 1845 1846"Yes." 1847 1848Now Tom began to scrawl something on the slate, hiding the words from 1849the girl. But she was not backward this time. She begged to see. Tom 1850said: 1851 1852"Oh, it ain't anything." 1853 1854"Yes it is." 1855 1856"No it ain't. You don't want to see." 1857 1858"Yes I do, indeed I do. Please let me." 1859 1860"You'll tell." 1861 1862"No I won't--deed and deed and double deed won't." 1863 1864"You won't tell anybody at all? Ever, as long as you live?" 1865 1866"No, I won't ever tell ANYbody. Now let me." 1867 1868"Oh, YOU don't want to see!" 1869 1870"Now that you treat me so, I WILL see." And she put her small hand 1871upon his and a little scuffle ensued, Tom pretending to resist in 1872earnest but letting his hand slip by degrees till these words were 1873revealed: "I LOVE YOU." 1874 1875"Oh, you bad thing!" And she hit his hand a smart rap, but reddened 1876and looked pleased, nevertheless. 1877 1878Just at this juncture the boy felt a slow, fateful grip closing on his 1879ear, and a steady lifting impulse. In that wise he was borne across the 1880house and deposited in his own seat, under a peppering fire of giggles 1881from the whole school. Then the master stood over him during a few 1882awful moments, and finally moved away to his throne without saying a 1883word. But although Tom's ear tingled, his heart was jubilant. 1884 1885As the school quieted down Tom made an honest effort to study, but the 1886turmoil within him was too great. In turn he took his place in the 1887reading class and made a botch of it; then in the geography class and 1888turned lakes into mountains, mountains into rivers, and rivers into 1889continents, till chaos was come again; then in the spelling class, and 1890got "turned down," by a succession of mere baby words, till he brought 1891up at the foot and yielded up the pewter medal which he had worn with 1892ostentation for months. 1893 1894 1895 1896CHAPTER VII 1897 1898THE harder Tom tried to fasten his mind on his book, the more his 1899ideas wandered. So at last, with a sigh and a yawn, he gave it up. It 1900seemed to him that the noon recess would never come. The air was 1901utterly dead. There was not a breath stirring. It was the sleepiest of 1902sleepy days. The drowsing murmur of the five and twenty studying 1903scholars soothed the soul like the spell that is in the murmur of bees. 1904Away off in the flaming sunshine, Cardiff Hill lifted its soft green 1905sides through a shimmering veil of heat, tinted with the purple of 1906distance; a few birds floated on lazy wing high in the air; no other 1907living thing was visible but some cows, and they were asleep. Tom's 1908heart ached to be free, or else to have something of interest to do to 1909pass the dreary time. His hand wandered into his pocket and his face 1910lit up with a glow of gratitude that was prayer, though he did not know 1911it. Then furtively the percussion-cap box came out. He released the 1912tick and put him on the long flat desk. The creature probably glowed 1913with a gratitude that amounted to prayer, too, at this moment, but it 1914was premature: for when he started thankfully to travel off, Tom turned 1915him aside with a pin and made him take a new direction. 1916 1917Tom's bosom friend sat next him, suffering just as Tom had been, and 1918now he was deeply and gratefully interested in this entertainment in an 1919instant. This bosom friend was Joe Harper. The two boys were sworn 1920friends all the week, and embattled enemies on Saturdays. Joe took a 1921pin out of his lapel and began to assist in exercising the prisoner. 1922The sport grew in interest momently. Soon Tom said that they were 1923interfering with each other, and neither getting the fullest benefit of 1924the tick. So he put Joe's slate on the desk and drew a line down the 1925middle of it from top to bottom. 1926 1927"Now," said he, "as long as he is on your side you can stir him up and 1928I'll let him alone; but if you let him get away and get on my side, 1929you're to leave him alone as long as I can keep him from crossing over." 1930 1931"All right, go ahead; start him up." 1932 1933The tick escaped from Tom, presently, and crossed the equator. Joe 1934harassed him awhile, and then he got away and crossed back again. This 1935change of base occurred often. While one boy was worrying the tick with 1936absorbing interest, the other would look on with interest as strong, 1937the two heads bowed together over the slate, and the two souls dead to 1938all things else. At last luck seemed to settle and abide with Joe. The 1939tick tried this, that, and the other course, and got as excited and as 1940anxious as the boys themselves, but time and again just as he would 1941have victory in his very grasp, so to speak, and Tom's fingers would be 1942twitching to begin, Joe's pin would deftly head him off, and keep 1943possession. At last Tom could stand it no longer. The temptation was 1944too strong. So he reached out and lent a hand with his pin. Joe was 1945angry in a moment. Said he: 1946 1947"Tom, you let him alone." 1948 1949"I only just want to stir him up a little, Joe." 1950 1951"No, sir, it ain't fair; you just let him alone." 1952 1953"Blame it, I ain't going to stir him much." 1954 1955"Let him alone, I tell you." 1956 1957"I won't!" 1958 1959"You shall--he's on my side of the line." 1960 1961"Look here, Joe Harper, whose is that tick?" 1962 1963"I don't care whose tick he is--he's on my side of the line, and you 1964sha'n't touch him." 1965 1966"Well, I'll just bet I will, though. He's my tick and I'll do what I 1967blame please with him, or die!" 1968 1969A tremendous whack came down on Tom's shoulders, and its duplicate on 1970Joe's; and for the space of two minutes the dust continued to fly from 1971the two jackets and the whole school to enjoy it. The boys had been too 1972absorbed to notice the hush that had stolen upon the school awhile 1973before when the master came tiptoeing down the room and stood over 1974them. He had contemplated a good part of the performance before he 1975contributed his bit of variety to it. 1976 1977When school broke up at noon, Tom flew to Becky Thatcher, and 1978whispered in her ear: 1979 1980"Put on your bonnet and let on you're going home; and when you get to 1981the corner, give the rest of 'em the slip, and turn down through the 1982lane and come back. I'll go the other way and come it over 'em the same 1983way." 1984 1985So the one went off with one group of scholars, and the other with 1986another. In a little while the two met at the bottom of the lane, and 1987when they reached the school they had it all to themselves. Then they 1988sat together, with a slate before them, and Tom gave Becky the pencil 1989and held her hand in his, guiding it, and so created another surprising 1990house. When the interest in art began to wane, the two fell to talking. 1991Tom was swimming in bliss. He said: 1992 1993"Do you love rats?" 1994 1995"No! I hate them!" 1996 1997"Well, I do, too--LIVE ones. But I mean dead ones, to swing round your 1998head with a string." 1999 2000"No, I don't care for rats much, anyway. What I like is chewing-gum." 2001 2002"Oh, I should say so! I wish I had some now." 2003 2004"Do you? I've got some. I'll let you chew it awhile, but you must give 2005it back to me." 2006 2007That was agreeable, so they chewed it turn about, and dangled their 2008legs against the bench in excess of contentment. 2009 2010"Was you ever at a circus?" said Tom. 2011 2012"Yes, and my pa's going to take me again some time, if I'm good." 2013 2014"I been to the circus three or four times--lots of times. Church ain't 2015shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the time. 2016I'm going to be a clown in a circus when I grow up." 2017 2018"Oh, are you! That will be nice. They're so lovely, all spotted up." 2019 2020"Yes, that's so. And they get slathers of money--most a dollar a day, 2021Ben Rogers says. Say, Becky, was you ever engaged?" 2022 2023"What's that?" 2024 2025"Why, engaged to be married." 2026 2027"No." 2028 2029"Would you like to?" 2030 2031"I reckon so. I don't know. What is it like?" 2032 2033"Like? Why it ain't like anything. You only just tell a boy you won't 2034ever have anybody but him, ever ever ever, and then you kiss and that's 2035all. Anybody can do it." 2036 2037"Kiss? What do you kiss for?" 2038 2039"Why, that, you know, is to--well, they always do that." 2040 2041"Everybody?" 2042 2043"Why, yes, everybody that's in love with each other. Do you remember 2044what I wrote on the slate?" 2045 2046"Ye--yes." 2047 2048"What was it?" 2049 2050"I sha'n't tell you." 2051 2052"Shall I tell YOU?" 2053 2054"Ye--yes--but some other time." 2055 2056"No, now." 2057 2058"No, not now--to-morrow." 2059 2060"Oh, no, NOW. Please, Becky--I'll whisper it, I'll whisper it ever so 2061easy." 2062 2063Becky hesitating, Tom took silence for consent, and passed his arm 2064about her waist and whispered the tale ever so softly, with his mouth 2065close to her ear. And then he added: 2066 2067"Now you whisper it to me--just the same." 2068 2069She resisted, for a while, and then said: 2070 2071"You turn your face away so you can't see, and then I will. But you 2072mustn't ever tell anybody--WILL you, Tom? Now you won't, WILL you?" 2073 2074"No, indeed, indeed I won't. Now, Becky." 2075 2076He turned his face away. She bent timidly around till her breath 2077stirred his curls and whispered, "I--love--you!" 2078 2079Then she sprang away and ran around and around the desks and benches, 2080with Tom after her, and took refuge in a corner at last, with her 2081little white apron to her face. Tom clasped her about her neck and 2082pleaded: 2083 2084"Now, Becky, it's all done--all over but the kiss. Don't you be afraid 2085of that--it ain't anything at all. Please, Becky." And he tugged at her 2086apron and the hands. 2087 2088By and by she gave up, and let her hands drop; her face, all glowing 2089with the struggle, came up and submitted. Tom kissed the red lips and 2090said: 2091 2092"Now it's all done, Becky. And always after this, you know, you ain't 2093ever to love anybody but me, and you ain't ever to marry anybody but 2094me, ever never and forever. Will you?" 2095 2096"No, I'll never love anybody but you, Tom, and I'll never marry 2097anybody but you--and you ain't to ever marry anybody but me, either." 2098 2099"Certainly. Of course. That's PART of it. And always coming to school 2100or when we're going home, you're to walk with me, when there ain't 2101anybody looking--and you choose me and I choose you at parties, because 2102that's the way you do when you're engaged." 2103 2104"It's so nice. I never heard of it before." 2105 2106"Oh, it's ever so gay! Why, me and Amy Lawrence--" 2107 2108The big eyes told Tom his blunder and he stopped, confused. 2109 2110"Oh, Tom! Then I ain't the first you've ever been engaged to!" 2111 2112The child began to cry. Tom said: 2113 2114"Oh, don't cry, Becky, I don't care for her any more." 2115 2116"Yes, you do, Tom--you know you do." 2117 2118Tom tried to put his arm about her neck, but she pushed him away and 2119turned her face to the wall, and went on crying. Tom tried again, with 2120soothing words in his mouth, and was repulsed again. Then his pride was 2121up, and he strode away and went outside. He stood about, restless and 2122uneasy, for a while, glancing at the door, every now and then, hoping 2123she would repent and come to find him. But she did not. Then he began 2124to feel badly and fear that he was in the wrong. It was a hard struggle 2125with him to make new advances, now, but he nerved himself to it and 2126entered. She was still standing back there in the corner, sobbing, with 2127her face to the wall. Tom's heart smote him. He went to her and stood a 2128moment, not knowing exactly how to proceed. Then he said hesitatingly: 2129 2130"Becky, I--I don't care for anybody but you." 2131 2132No reply--but sobs. 2133 2134"Becky"--pleadingly. "Becky, won't you say something?" 2135 2136More sobs. 2137 2138Tom got out his chiefest jewel, a brass knob from the top of an 2139andiron, and passed it around her so that she could see it, and said: 2140 2141"Please, Becky, won't you take it?" 2142 2143She struck it to the floor. Then Tom marched out of the house and over 2144the hills and far away, to return to school no more that day. Presently 2145Becky began to suspect. She ran to the door; he was not in sight; she 2146flew around to the play-yard; he was not there. Then she called: 2147 2148"Tom! Come back, Tom!" 2149 2150She listened intently, but there was no answer. She had no companions 2151but silence and loneliness. So she sat down to cry again and upbraid 2152herself; and by this time the scholars began to gather again, and she 2153had to hide her griefs and still her broken heart and take up the cross 2154of a long, dreary, aching afternoon, with none among the strangers 2155about her to exchange sorrows with. 2156 2157 2158 2159CHAPTER VIII 2160 2161TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of 2162the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog. He 2163crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing 2164juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit. Half an hour 2165later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of 2166Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off 2167in the valley behind him. He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless 2168way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading 2169oak. There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had 2170even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was 2171broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a 2172woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense 2173of loneliness the more profound. The boy's soul was steeped in 2174melancholy; his feelings were in happy accord with his surroundings. He 2175sat long with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, 2176meditating. It seemed to him that life was but a trouble, at best, and 2177he more than half envied Jimmy Hodges, so lately released; it must be 2178very peaceful, he thought, to lie and slumber and dream forever and 2179ever, with the wind whispering through the trees and caressing the 2180grass and the flowers over the grave, and nothing to bother and grieve 2181about, ever any more. If he only had a clean Sunday-school record he 2182could be willing to go, and be done with it all. Now as to this girl. 2183What had he done? Nothing. He had meant the best in the world, and been 2184treated like a dog--like a very dog. She would be sorry some day--maybe 2185when it was too late. Ah, if he could only die TEMPORARILY! 2186 2187But the elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one 2188constrained shape long at a time. Tom presently began to drift 2189insensibly back into the concerns of this life again. What if he turned 2190his back, now, and disappeared mysteriously? What if he went away--ever 2191so far away, into unknown countries beyond the seas--and never came 2192back any more! How would she feel then! The idea of being a clown 2193recurred to him now, only to fill him with disgust. For frivolity and 2194jokes and spotted tights were an offense, when they intruded themselves 2195upon a spirit that was exalted into the vague august realm of the 2196romantic. No, he would be a soldier, and return after long years, all 2197war-worn and illustrious. No--better still, he would join the Indians, 2198and hunt buffaloes and go on the warpath in the mountain ranges and the 2199trackless great plains of the Far West, and away in the future come 2200back a great chief, bristling with feathers, hideous with paint, and 2201prance into Sunday-school, some drowsy summer morning, with a 2202bloodcurdling war-whoop, and sear the eyeballs of all his companions 2203with unappeasable envy. But no, there was something gaudier even than 2204this. He would be a pirate! That was it! NOW his future lay plain 2205before him, and glowing with unimaginable splendor. How his name would 2206fill the world, and make people shudder! How gloriously he would go 2207plowing the dancing seas, in his long, low, black-hulled racer, the 2208Spirit of the Storm, with his grisly flag flying at the fore! And at 2209the zenith of his fame, how he would suddenly appear at the old village 2210and stalk into church, brown and weather-beaten, in his black velvet 2211doublet and trunks, his great jack-boots, his crimson sash, his belt 2212bristling with horse-pistols, his crime-rusted cutlass at his side, his 2213slouch hat with waving plumes, his black flag unfurled, with the skull 2214and crossbones on it, and hear with swelling ecstasy the whisperings, 2215"It's Tom Sawyer the Pirate!--the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main!" 2216 2217Yes, it was settled; his career was determined. He would run away from 2218home and enter upon it. He would start the very next morning. Therefore 2219he must now begin to get ready. He would collect his resources 2220together. He went to a rotten log near at hand and began to dig under 2221one end of it with his Barlow knife. He soon struck wood that sounded 2222hollow. He put his hand there and uttered this incantation impressively: 2223 2224"What hasn't come here, come! What's here, stay here!" 2225 2226Then he scraped away the dirt, and exposed a pine shingle. He took it 2227up and disclosed a shapely little treasure-house whose bottom and sides 2228were of shingles. In it lay a marble. Tom's astonishment was boundless! 2229He scratched his head with a perplexed air, and said: 2230 2231"Well, that beats anything!" 2232 2233Then he tossed the marble away pettishly, and stood cogitating. The 2234truth was, that a superstition of his had failed, here, which he and 2235all his comrades had always looked upon as infallible. If you buried a 2236marble with certain necessary incantations, and left it alone a 2237fortnight, and then opened the place with the incantation he had just 2238used, you would find that all the marbles you had ever lost had 2239gathered themselves together there, meantime, no matter how widely they 2240had been separated. But now, this thing had actually and unquestionably 2241failed. Tom's whole structure of faith was shaken to its foundations. 2242He had many a time heard of this thing succeeding but never of its 2243failing before. It did not occur to him that he had tried it several 2244times before, himself, but could never find the hiding-places 2245afterward. He puzzled over the matter some time, and finally decided 2246that some witch had interfered and broken the charm. He thought he 2247would satisfy himself on that point; so he searched around till he 2248found a small sandy spot with a little funnel-shaped depression in it. 2249He laid himself down and put his mouth close to this depression and 2250called-- 2251 2252"Doodle-bug, doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know! Doodle-bug, 2253doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know!" 2254 2255The sand began to work, and presently a small black bug appeared for a 2256second and then darted under again in a fright. 2257 2258"He dasn't tell! So it WAS a witch that done it. I just knowed it." 2259 2260He well knew the futility of trying to contend against witches, so he 2261gave up discouraged. But it occurred to him that he might as well have 2262the marble he had just thrown away, and therefore he went and made a 2263patient search for it. But he could not find it. Now he went back to 2264his treasure-house and carefully placed himself just as he had been 2265standing when he tossed the marble away; then he took another marble 2266from his pocket and tossed it in the same way, saying: 2267 2268"Brother, go find your brother!" 2269 2270He watched where it stopped, and went there and looked. But it must 2271have fallen short or gone too far; so he tried twice more. The last 2272repetition was successful. The two marbles lay within a foot of each 2273other. 2274 2275Just here the blast of a toy tin trumpet came faintly down the green 2276aisles of the forest. Tom flung off his jacket and trousers, turned a 2277suspender into a belt, raked away some brush behind the rotten log, 2278disclosing a rude bow and arrow, a lath sword and a tin trumpet, and in 2279a moment had seized these things and bounded away, barelegged, with 2280fluttering shirt. He presently halted under a great elm, blew an 2281answering blast, and then began to tiptoe and look warily out, this way 2282and that. He said cautiously--to an imaginary company: 2283 2284"Hold, my merry men! Keep hid till I blow." 2285 2286Now appeared Joe Harper, as airily clad and elaborately armed as Tom. 2287Tom called: 2288 2289"Hold! Who comes here into Sherwood Forest without my pass?" 2290 2291"Guy of Guisborne wants no man's pass. Who art thou that--that--" 2292 2293"Dares to hold such language," said Tom, prompting--for they talked 2294"by the book," from memory. 2295 2296"Who art thou that dares to hold such language?" 2297 2298"I, indeed! I am Robin Hood, as thy caitiff carcase soon shall know." 2299 2300"Then art thou indeed that famous outlaw? Right gladly will I dispute 2301with thee the passes of the merry wood. Have at thee!" 2302 2303They took their lath swords, dumped their other traps on the ground, 2304struck a fencing attitude, foot to foot, and began a grave, careful 2305combat, "two up and two down." Presently Tom said: 2306 2307"Now, if you've got the hang, go it lively!" 2308 2309So they "went it lively," panting and perspiring with the work. By and 2310by Tom shouted: 2311 2312"Fall! fall! Why don't you fall?" 2313 2314"I sha'n't! Why don't you fall yourself? You're getting the worst of 2315it." 2316 2317"Why, that ain't anything. I can't fall; that ain't the way it is in 2318the book. The book says, 'Then with one back-handed stroke he slew poor 2319Guy of Guisborne.' You're to turn around and let me hit you in the 2320back." 2321 2322There was no getting around the authorities, so Joe turned, received 2323the whack and fell. 2324 2325"Now," said Joe, getting up, "you got to let me kill YOU. That's fair." 2326 2327"Why, I can't do that, it ain't in the book." 2328 2329"Well, it's blamed mean--that's all." 2330 2331"Well, say, Joe, you can be Friar Tuck or Much the miller's son, and 2332lam me with a quarter-staff; or I'll be the Sheriff of Nottingham and 2333you be Robin Hood a little while and kill me." 2334 2335This was satisfactory, and so these adventures were carried out. Then 2336Tom became Robin Hood again, and was allowed by the treacherous nun to 2337bleed his strength away through his neglected wound. And at last Joe, 2338representing a whole tribe of weeping outlaws, dragged him sadly forth, 2339gave his bow into his feeble hands, and Tom said, "Where this arrow 2340falls, there bury poor Robin Hood under the greenwood tree." Then he 2341shot the arrow and fell back and would have died, but he lit on a 2342nettle and sprang up too gaily for a corpse. 2343 2344The boys dressed themselves, hid their accoutrements, and went off 2345grieving that there were no outlaws any more, and wondering what modern 2346civilization could claim to have done to compensate for their loss. 2347They said they would rather be outlaws a year in Sherwood Forest than 2348President of the United States forever. 2349 2350 2351 2352CHAPTER IX 2353 2354AT half-past nine, that night, Tom and Sid were sent to bed, as usual. 2355They said their prayers, and Sid was soon asleep. Tom lay awake and 2356waited, in restless impatience. When it seemed to him that it must be 2357nearly daylight, he heard the clock strike ten! This was despair. He 2358would have tossed and fidgeted, as his nerves demanded, but he was 2359afraid he might wake Sid. So he lay still, and stared up into the dark. 2360Everything was dismally still. By and by, out of the stillness, little, 2361scarcely perceptible noises began to emphasize themselves. The ticking 2362of the clock began to bring itself into notice. Old beams began to 2363crack mysteriously. The stairs creaked faintly. Evidently spirits were 2364abroad. A measured, muffled snore issued from Aunt Polly's chamber. And 2365now the tiresome chirping of a cricket that no human ingenuity could 2366locate, began. Next the ghastly ticking of a deathwatch in the wall at 2367the bed's head made Tom shudder--it meant that somebody's days were 2368numbered. Then the howl of a far-off dog rose on the night air, and was 2369answered by a fainter howl from a remoter distance. Tom was in an 2370agony. At last he was satisfied that time had ceased and eternity 2371begun; he began to doze, in spite of himself; the clock chimed eleven, 2372but he did not hear it. And then there came, mingling with his 2373half-formed dreams, a most melancholy caterwauling. The raising of a 2374neighboring window disturbed him. A cry of "Scat! you devil!" and the 2375crash of an empty bottle against the back of his aunt's woodshed 2376brought him wide awake, and a single minute later he was dressed and 2377out of the window and creeping along the roof of the "ell" on all 2378fours. He "meow'd" with caution once or twice, as he went; then jumped 2379to the roof of the woodshed and thence to the ground. Huckleberry Finn 2380was there, with his dead cat. The boys moved off and disappeared in the 2381gloom. At the end of half an hour they were wading through the tall 2382grass of the graveyard. 2383 2384It was a graveyard of the old-fashioned Western kind. It was on a 2385hill, about a mile and a half from the village. It had a crazy board 2386fence around it, which leaned inward in places, and outward the rest of 2387the time, but stood upright nowhere. Grass and weeds grew rank over the 2388whole cemetery. All the old graves were sunken in, there was not a 2389tombstone on the place; round-topped, worm-eaten boards staggered over 2390the graves, leaning for support and finding none. "Sacred to the memory 2391of" So-and-So had been painted on them once, but it could no longer 2392have been read, on the most of them, now, even if there had been light. 2393 2394A faint wind moaned through the trees, and Tom feared it might be the 2395spirits of the dead, complaining at being disturbed. The boys talked 2396little, and only under their breath, for the time and the place and the 2397pervading solemnity and silence oppressed their spirits. They found the 2398sharp new heap they were seeking, and ensconced themselves within the 2399protection of three great elms that grew in a bunch within a few feet 2400of the grave. 2401 2402Then they waited in silence for what seemed a long time. The hooting 2403of a distant owl was all the sound that troubled the dead stillness. 2404Tom's reflections grew oppressive. He must force some talk. So he said 2405in a whisper: 2406 2407"Hucky, do you believe the dead people like it for us to be here?" 2408 2409Huckleberry whispered: 2410 2411"I wisht I knowed. It's awful solemn like, AIN'T it?" 2412 2413"I bet it is." 2414 2415There was a considerable pause, while the boys canvassed this matter 2416inwardly. Then Tom whispered: 2417 2418"Say, Hucky--do you reckon Hoss Williams hears us talking?" 2419 2420"O' course he does. Least his sperrit does." 2421 2422Tom, after a pause: 2423 2424"I wish I'd said Mister Williams. But I never meant any harm. 2425Everybody calls him Hoss." 2426 2427"A body can't be too partic'lar how they talk 'bout these-yer dead 2428people, Tom." 2429 2430This was a damper, and conversation died again. 2431 2432Presently Tom seized his comrade's arm and said: 2433 2434"Sh!" 2435 2436"What is it, Tom?" And the two clung together with beating hearts. 2437 2438"Sh! There 'tis again! Didn't you hear it?" 2439 2440"I--" 2441 2442"There! Now you hear it." 2443 2444"Lord, Tom, they're coming! They're coming, sure. What'll we do?" 2445 2446"I dono. Think they'll see us?" 2447 2448"Oh, Tom, they can see in the dark, same as cats. I wisht I hadn't 2449come." 2450 2451"Oh, don't be afeard. I don't believe they'll bother us. We ain't 2452doing any harm. If we keep perfectly still, maybe they won't notice us 2453at all." 2454 2455"I'll try to, Tom, but, Lord, I'm all of a shiver." 2456 2457"Listen!" 2458 2459The boys bent their heads together and scarcely breathed. A muffled 2460sound of voices floated up from the far end of the graveyard. 2461 2462"Look! See there!" whispered Tom. "What is it?" 2463 2464"It's devil-fire. Oh, Tom, this is awful." 2465 2466Some vague figures approached through the gloom, swinging an 2467old-fashioned tin lantern that freckled the ground with innumerable 2468little spangles of light. Presently Huckleberry whispered with a 2469shudder: 2470 2471"It's the devils sure enough. Three of 'em! Lordy, Tom, we're goners! 2472Can you pray?" 2473 2474"I'll try, but don't you be afeard. They ain't going to hurt us. 'Now 2475I lay me down to sleep, I--'" 2476 2477"Sh!" 2478 2479"What is it, Huck?" 2480 2481"They're HUMANS! One of 'em is, anyway. One of 'em's old Muff Potter's 2482voice." 2483 2484"No--'tain't so, is it?" 2485 2486"I bet I know it. Don't you stir nor budge. He ain't sharp enough to 2487notice us. Drunk, the same as usual, likely--blamed old rip!" 2488 2489"All right, I'll keep still. Now they're stuck. Can't find it. Here 2490they come again. Now they're hot. Cold again. Hot again. Red hot! 2491They're p'inted right, this time. Say, Huck, I know another o' them 2492voices; it's Injun Joe." 2493 2494"That's so--that murderin' half-breed! I'd druther they was devils a 2495dern sight. What kin they be up to?" 2496 2497The whisper died wholly out, now, for the three men had reached the 2498grave and stood within a few feet of the boys' hiding-place. 2499 2500"Here it is," said the third voice; and the owner of it held the 2501lantern up and revealed the face of young Doctor Robinson. 2502 2503Potter and Injun Joe were carrying a handbarrow with a rope and a 2504couple of shovels on it. They cast down their load and began to open 2505the grave. The doctor put the lantern at the head of the grave and came 2506and sat down with his back against one of the elm trees. He was so 2507close the boys could have touched him. 2508 2509"Hurry, men!" he said, in a low voice; "the moon might come out at any 2510moment." 2511 2512They growled a response and went on digging. For some time there was 2513no noise but the grating sound of the spades discharging their freight 2514of mould and gravel. It was very monotonous. Finally a spade struck 2515upon the coffin with a dull woody accent, and within another minute or 2516two the men had hoisted it out on the ground. They pried off the lid 2517with their shovels, got out the body and dumped it rudely on the 2518ground. The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid 2519face. The barrow was got ready and the corpse placed on it, covered 2520with a blanket, and bound to its place with the rope. Potter took out a 2521large spring-knife and cut off the dangling end of the rope and then 2522said: 2523 2524"Now the cussed thing's ready, Sawbones, and you'll just out with 2525another five, or here she stays." 2526 2527"That's the talk!" said Injun Joe. 2528 2529"Look here, what does this mean?" said the doctor. "You required your 2530pay in advance, and I've paid you." 2531 2532"Yes, and you done more than that," said Injun Joe, approaching the 2533doctor, who was now standing. "Five years ago you drove me away from 2534your father's kitchen one night, when I come to ask for something to 2535eat, and you said I warn't there for any good; and when I swore I'd get 2536even with you if it took a hundred years, your father had me jailed for 2537a vagrant. Did you think I'd forget? The Injun blood ain't in me for 2538nothing. And now I've GOT you, and you got to SETTLE, you know!" 2539 2540He was threatening the doctor, with his fist in his face, by this 2541time. The doctor struck out suddenly and stretched the ruffian on the 2542ground. Potter dropped his knife, and exclaimed: 2543 2544"Here, now, don't you hit my pard!" and the next moment he had 2545grappled with the doctor and the two were struggling with might and 2546main, trampling the grass and tearing the ground with their heels. 2547Injun Joe sprang to his feet, his eyes flaming with passion, snatched 2548up Potter's knife, and went creeping, catlike and stooping, round and 2549round about the combatants, seeking an opportunity. All at once the 2550doctor flung himself free, seized the heavy headboard of Williams' 2551grave and felled Potter to the earth with it--and in the same instant 2552the half-breed saw his chance and drove the knife to the hilt in the 2553young man's breast. He reeled and fell partly upon Potter, flooding him 2554with his blood, and in the same moment the clouds blotted out the 2555dreadful spectacle and the two frightened boys went speeding away in 2556the dark. 2557 2558Presently, when the moon emerged again, Injun Joe was standing over 2559the two forms, contemplating them. The doctor murmured inarticulately, 2560gave a long gasp or two and was still. The half-breed muttered: 2561 2562"THAT score is settled--damn you." 2563 2564Then he robbed the body. After which he put the fatal knife in 2565Potter's open right hand, and sat down on the dismantled coffin. Three 2566--four--five minutes passed, and then Potter began to stir and moan. His 2567hand closed upon the knife; he raised it, glanced at it, and let it 2568fall, with a shudder. Then he sat up, pushing the body from him, and 2569gazed at it, and then around him, confusedly. His eyes met Joe's. 2570 2571"Lord, how is this, Joe?" he said. 2572 2573"It's a dirty business," said Joe, without moving. 2574 2575"What did you do it for?" 2576 2577"I! I never done it!" 2578 2579"Look here! That kind of talk won't wash." 2580 2581Potter trembled and grew white. 2582 2583"I thought I'd got sober. I'd no business to drink to-night. But it's 2584in my head yet--worse'n when we started here. I'm all in a muddle; 2585can't recollect anything of it, hardly. Tell me, Joe--HONEST, now, old 2586feller--did I do it? Joe, I never meant to--'pon my soul and honor, I 2587never meant to, Joe. Tell me how it was, Joe. Oh, it's awful--and him 2588so young and promising." 2589 2590"Why, you two was scuffling, and he fetched you one with the headboard 2591and you fell flat; and then up you come, all reeling and staggering 2592like, and snatched the knife and jammed it into him, just as he fetched 2593you another awful clip--and here you've laid, as dead as a wedge til 2594now." 2595 2596"Oh, I didn't know what I was a-doing. I wish I may die this minute if 2597I did. It was all on account of the whiskey and the excitement, I 2598reckon. I never used a weepon in my life before, Joe. I've fought, but 2599never with weepons. They'll all say that. Joe, don't tell! Say you 2600won't tell, Joe--that's a good feller. I always liked you, Joe, and 2601stood up for you, too. Don't you remember? You WON'T tell, WILL you, 2602Joe?" And the poor creature dropped on his knees before the stolid 2603murderer, and clasped his appealing hands. 2604 2605"No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I 2606won't go back on you. There, now, that's as fair as a man can say." 2607 2608"Oh, Joe, you're an angel. I'll bless you for this the longest day I 2609live." And Potter began to cry. 2610 2611"Come, now, that's enough of that. This ain't any time for blubbering. 2612You be off yonder way and I'll go this. Move, now, and don't leave any 2613tracks behind you." 2614 2615Potter started on a trot that quickly increased to a run. The 2616half-breed stood looking after him. He muttered: 2617 2618"If he's as much stunned with the lick and fuddled with the rum as he 2619had the look of being, he won't think of the knife till he's gone so 2620far he'll be afraid to come back after it to such a place by himself 2621--chicken-heart!" 2622 2623Two or three minutes later the murdered man, the blanketed corpse, the 2624lidless coffin, and the open grave were under no inspection but the 2625moon's. The stillness was complete again, too. 2626 2627 2628 2629CHAPTER X 2630 2631THE two boys flew on and on, toward the village, speechless with 2632horror. They glanced backward over their shoulders from time to time, 2633apprehensively, as if they feared they might be followed. Every stump 2634that started up in their path seemed a man and an enemy, and made them 2635catch their breath; and as they sped by some outlying cottages that lay 2636near the village, the barking of the aroused watch-dogs seemed to give 2637wings to their feet. 2638 2639"If we can only get to the old tannery before we break down!" 2640whispered Tom, in short catches between breaths. "I can't stand it much 2641longer." 2642 2643Huckleberry's hard pantings were his only reply, and the boys fixed 2644their eyes on the goal of their hopes and bent to their work to win it. 2645They gained steadily on it, and at last, breast to breast, they burst 2646through the open door and fell grateful and exhausted in the sheltering 2647shadows beyond. By and by their pulses slowed down, and Tom whispered: 2648 2649"Huckleberry, what do you reckon'll come of this?" 2650 2651"If Doctor Robinson dies, I reckon hanging'll come of it." 2652 2653"Do you though?" 2654 2655"Why, I KNOW it, Tom." 2656 2657Tom thought a while, then he said: 2658 2659"Who'll tell? We?" 2660 2661"What are you talking about? S'pose something happened and Injun Joe 2662DIDN'T hang? Why, he'd kill us some time or other, just as dead sure as 2663we're a laying here." 2664 2665"That's just what I was thinking to myself, Huck." 2666 2667"If anybody tells, let Muff Potter do it, if he's fool enough. He's 2668generally drunk enough." 2669 2670Tom said nothing--went on thinking. Presently he whispered: 2671 2672"Huck, Muff Potter don't know it. How can he tell?" 2673 2674"What's the reason he don't know it?" 2675 2676"Because he'd just got that whack when Injun Joe done it. D'you reckon 2677he could see anything? D'you reckon he knowed anything?" 2678 2679"By hokey, that's so, Tom!" 2680 2681"And besides, look-a-here--maybe that whack done for HIM!" 2682 2683"No, 'taint likely, Tom. He had liquor in him; I could see that; and 2684besides, he always has. Well, when pap's full, you might take and belt 2685him over the head with a church and you couldn't phase him. He says so, 2686his own self. So it's the same with Muff Potter, of course. But if a 2687man was dead sober, I reckon maybe that whack might fetch him; I dono." 2688 2689After another reflective silence, Tom said: 2690 2691"Hucky, you sure you can keep mum?" 2692 2693"Tom, we GOT to keep mum. You know that. That Injun devil wouldn't 2694make any more of drownding us than a couple of cats, if we was to 2695squeak 'bout this and they didn't hang him. Now, look-a-here, Tom, less 2696take and swear to one another--that's what we got to do--swear to keep 2697mum." 2698 2699"I'm agreed. It's the best thing. Would you just hold hands and swear 2700that we--" 2701 2702"Oh no, that wouldn't do for this. That's good enough for little 2703rubbishy common things--specially with gals, cuz THEY go back on you 2704anyway, and blab if they get in a huff--but there orter be writing 2705'bout a big thing like this. And blood." 2706 2707Tom's whole being applauded this idea. It was deep, and dark, and 2708awful; the hour, the circumstances, the surroundings, were in keeping 2709with it. He picked up a clean pine shingle that lay in the moonlight, 2710took a little fragment of "red keel" out of his pocket, got the moon on 2711his work, and painfully scrawled these lines, emphasizing each slow 2712down-stroke by clamping his tongue between his teeth, and letting up 2713the pressure on the up-strokes. [See next page.] 2714 2715 "Huck Finn and 2716 Tom Sawyer swears 2717 they will keep mum 2718 about This and They 2719 wish They may Drop 2720 down dead in Their 2721 Tracks if They ever 2722 Tell and Rot." 2723 2724Huckleberry was filled with admiration of Tom's facility in writing, 2725and the sublimity of his language. He at once took a pin from his lapel 2726and was going to prick his flesh, but Tom said: 2727 2728"Hold on! Don't do that. A pin's brass. It might have verdigrease on 2729it." 2730 2731"What's verdigrease?" 2732 2733"It's p'ison. That's what it is. You just swaller some of it once 2734--you'll see." 2735 2736So Tom unwound the thread from one of his needles, and each boy 2737pricked the ball of his thumb and squeezed out a drop of blood. In 2738time, after many squeezes, Tom managed to sign his initials, using the 2739ball of his little finger for a pen. Then he showed Huckleberry how to 2740make an H and an F, and the oath was complete. They buried the shingle 2741close to the wall, with some dismal ceremonies and incantations, and 2742the fetters that bound their tongues were considered to be locked and 2743the key thrown away. 2744 2745A figure crept stealthily through a break in the other end of the 2746ruined building, now, but they did not notice it. 2747 2748"Tom," whispered Huckleberry, "does this keep us from EVER telling 2749--ALWAYS?" 2750 2751"Of course it does. It don't make any difference WHAT happens, we got 2752to keep mum. We'd drop down dead--don't YOU know that?" 2753 2754"Yes, I reckon that's so." 2755 2756They continued to whisper for some little time. Presently a dog set up 2757a long, lugubrious howl just outside--within ten feet of them. The boys 2758clasped each other suddenly, in an agony of fright. 2759 2760"Which of us does he mean?" gasped Huckleberry. 2761 2762"I dono--peep through the crack. Quick!" 2763 2764"No, YOU, Tom!" 2765 2766"I can't--I can't DO it, Huck!" 2767 2768"Please, Tom. There 'tis again!" 2769 2770"Oh, lordy, I'm thankful!" whispered Tom. "I know his voice. It's Bull 2771Harbison." * 2772 2773[* If Mr. Harbison owned a slave named Bull, Tom would have spoken of 2774him as "Harbison's Bull," but a son or a dog of that name was "Bull 2775Harbison."] 2776 2777"Oh, that's good--I tell you, Tom, I was most scared to death; I'd a 2778bet anything it was a STRAY dog." 2779 2780The dog howled again. The boys' hearts sank once more. 2781 2782"Oh, my! that ain't no Bull Harbison!" whispered Huckleberry. "DO, Tom!" 2783 2784Tom, quaking with fear, yielded, and put his eye to the crack. His 2785whisper was hardly audible when he said: 2786 2787"Oh, Huck, IT S A STRAY DOG!" 2788 2789"Quick, Tom, quick! Who does he mean?" 2790 2791"Huck, he must mean us both--we're right together." 2792 2793"Oh, Tom, I reckon we're goners. I reckon there ain't no mistake 'bout 2794where I'LL go to. I been so wicked." 2795 2796"Dad fetch it! This comes of playing hookey and doing everything a 2797feller's told NOT to do. I might a been good, like Sid, if I'd a tried 2798--but no, I wouldn't, of course. But if ever I get off this time, I lay 2799I'll just WALLER in Sunday-schools!" And Tom began to snuffle a little. 2800 2801"YOU bad!" and Huckleberry began to snuffle too. "Consound it, Tom 2802Sawyer, you're just old pie, 'longside o' what I am. Oh, LORDY, lordy, 2803lordy, I wisht I only had half your chance." 2804 2805Tom choked off and whispered: 2806 2807"Look, Hucky, look! He's got his BACK to us!" 2808 2809Hucky looked, with joy in his heart. 2810 2811"Well, he has, by jingoes! Did he before?" 2812 2813"Yes, he did. But I, like a fool, never thought. Oh, this is bully, 2814you know. NOW who can he mean?" 2815 2816The howling stopped. Tom pricked up his ears. 2817 2818"Sh! What's that?" he whispered. 2819 2820"Sounds like--like hogs grunting. No--it's somebody snoring, Tom." 2821 2822"That IS it! Where 'bouts is it, Huck?" 2823 2824"I bleeve it's down at 'tother end. Sounds so, anyway. Pap used to 2825sleep there, sometimes, 'long with the hogs, but laws bless you, he 2826just lifts things when HE snores. Besides, I reckon he ain't ever 2827coming back to this town any more." 2828 2829The spirit of adventure rose in the boys' souls once more. 2830 2831"Hucky, do you das't to go if I lead?" 2832 2833"I don't like to, much. Tom, s'pose it's Injun Joe!" 2834 2835Tom quailed. But presently the temptation rose up strong again and the 2836boys agreed to try, with the understanding that they would take to 2837their heels if the snoring stopped. So they went tiptoeing stealthily 2838down, the one behind the other. When they had got to within five steps 2839of the snorer, Tom stepped on a stick, and it broke with a sharp snap. 2840The man moaned, writhed a little, and his face came into the moonlight. 2841It was Muff Potter. The boys' hearts had stood still, and their hopes 2842too, when the man moved, but their fears passed away now. They tiptoed 2843out, through the broken weather-boarding, and stopped at a little 2844distance to exchange a parting word. That long, lugubrious howl rose on 2845the night air again! They turned and saw the strange dog standing 2846within a few feet of where Potter was lying, and FACING Potter, with 2847his nose pointing heavenward. 2848 2849"Oh, geeminy, it's HIM!" exclaimed both boys, in a breath. 2850 2851"Say, Tom--they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller's 2852house, 'bout midnight, as much as two weeks ago; and a whippoorwill 2853come in and lit on the banisters and sung, the very same evening; and 2854there ain't anybody dead there yet." 2855 2856"Well, I know that. And suppose there ain't. Didn't Gracie Miller fall 2857in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday?" 2858 2859"Yes, but she ain't DEAD. And what's more, she's getting better, too." 2860 2861"All right, you wait and see. She's a goner, just as dead sure as Muff 2862Potter's a goner. That's what the niggers say, and they know all about 2863these kind of things, Huck." 2864 2865Then they separated, cogitating. When Tom crept in at his bedroom 2866window the night was almost spent. He undressed with excessive caution, 2867and fell asleep congratulating himself that nobody knew of his 2868escapade. He was not aware that the gently-snoring Sid was awake, and 2869had been so for an hour. 2870 2871When Tom awoke, Sid was dressed and gone. There was a late look in the 2872light, a late sense in the atmosphere. He was startled. Why had he not 2873been called--persecuted till he was up, as usual? The thought filled 2874him with bodings. Within five minutes he was dressed and down-stairs, 2875feeling sore and drowsy. The family were still at table, but they had 2876finished breakfast. There was no voice of rebuke; but there were 2877averted eyes; there was a silence and an air of solemnity that struck a 2878chill to the culprit's heart. He sat down and tried to seem gay, but it 2879was up-hill work; it roused no smile, no response, and he lapsed into 2880silence and let his heart sink down to the depths. 2881 2882After breakfast his aunt took him aside, and Tom almost brightened in 2883the hope that he was going to be flogged; but it was not so. His aunt 2884wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; 2885and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray 2886hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any 2887more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was 2888sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised 2889to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling 2890that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a 2891feeble confidence. 2892 2893He left the presence too miserable to even feel revengeful toward Sid; 2894and so the latter's prompt retreat through the back gate was 2895unnecessary. He moped to school gloomy and sad, and took his flogging, 2896along with Joe Harper, for playing hookey the day before, with the air 2897of one whose heart was busy with heavier woes and wholly dead to 2898trifles. Then he betook himself to his seat, rested his elbows on his 2899desk and his jaws in his hands, and stared at the wall with the stony 2900stare of suffering that has reached the limit and can no further go. 2901His elbow was pressing against some hard substance. After a long time 2902he slowly and sadly changed his position, and took up this object with 2903a sigh. It was in a paper. He unrolled it. A long, lingering, colossal 2904sigh followed, and his heart broke. It was his brass andiron knob! 2905 2906This final feather broke the camel's back. 2907 2908 2909 2910CHAPTER XI 2911 2912CLOSE upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified 2913with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet undreamed-of telegraph; 2914the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to 2915house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the 2916schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have 2917thought strangely of him if he had not. 2918 2919A gory knife had been found close to the murdered man, and it had been 2920recognized by somebody as belonging to Muff Potter--so the story ran. 2921And it was said that a belated citizen had come upon Potter washing 2922himself in the "branch" about one or two o'clock in the morning, and 2923that Potter had at once sneaked off--suspicious circumstances, 2924especially the washing which was not a habit with Potter. It was also 2925said that the town had been ransacked for this "murderer" (the public 2926are not slow in the matter of sifting evidence and arriving at a 2927verdict), but that he could not be found. Horsemen had departed down 2928all the roads in every direction, and the Sheriff "was confident" that 2929he would be captured before night. 2930 2931All the town was drifting toward the graveyard. Tom's heartbreak 2932vanished and he joined the procession, not because he would not a 2933thousand times rather go anywhere else, but because an awful, 2934unaccountable fascination drew him on. Arrived at the dreadful place, 2935he wormed his small body through the crowd and saw the dismal 2936spectacle. It seemed to him an age since he was there before. Somebody 2937pinched his arm. He turned, and his eyes met Huckleberry's. Then both 2938looked elsewhere at once, and wondered if anybody had noticed anything 2939in their mutual glance. But everybody was talking, and intent upon the 2940grisly spectacle before them. 2941 2942"Poor fellow!" "Poor young fellow!" "This ought to be a lesson to 2943grave robbers!" "Muff Potter'll hang for this if they catch him!" This 2944was the drift of remark; and the minister said, "It was a judgment; His 2945hand is here." 2946 2947Now Tom shivered from head to heel; for his eye fell upon the stolid 2948face of Injun Joe. At this moment the crowd began to sway and struggle, 2949and voices shouted, "It's him! it's him! he's coming himself!" 2950 2951"Who? Who?" from twenty voices. 2952 2953"Muff Potter!" 2954 2955"Hallo, he's stopped!--Look out, he's turning! Don't let him get away!" 2956 2957People in the branches of the trees over Tom's head said he wasn't 2958trying to get away--he only looked doubtful and perplexed. 2959 2960"Infernal impudence!" said a bystander; "wanted to come and take a 2961quiet look at his work, I reckon--didn't expect any company." 2962 2963The crowd fell apart, now, and the Sheriff came through, 2964ostentatiously leading Potter by the arm. The poor fellow's face was 2965haggard, and his eyes showed the fear that was upon him. When he stood 2966before the murdered man, he shook as with a palsy, and he put his face 2967in his hands and burst into tears. 2968 2969"I didn't do it, friends," he sobbed; "'pon my word and honor I never 2970done it." 2971 2972"Who's accused you?" shouted a voice. 2973 2974This shot seemed to carry home. Potter lifted his face and looked 2975around him with a pathetic hopelessness in his eyes. He saw Injun Joe, 2976and exclaimed: 2977 2978"Oh, Injun Joe, you promised me you'd never--" 2979 2980"Is that your knife?" and it was thrust before him by the Sheriff. 2981 2982Potter would have fallen if they had not caught him and eased him to 2983the ground. Then he said: 2984 2985"Something told me 't if I didn't come back and get--" He shuddered; 2986then waved his nerveless hand with a vanquished gesture and said, "Tell 2987'em, Joe, tell 'em--it ain't any use any more." 2988 2989Then Huckleberry and Tom stood dumb and staring, and heard the 2990stony-hearted liar reel off his serene statement, they expecting every 2991moment that the clear sky would deliver God's lightnings upon his head, 2992and wondering to see how long the stroke was delayed. And when he had 2993finished and still stood alive and whole, their wavering impulse to 2994break their oath and save the poor betrayed prisoner's life faded and 2995vanished away, for plainly this miscreant had sold himself to Satan and 2996it would be fatal to meddle with the property of such a power as that. 2997 2998"Why didn't you leave? What did you want to come here for?" somebody 2999said. 3000 3001"I couldn't help it--I couldn't help it," Potter moaned. "I wanted to 3002run away, but I couldn't seem to come anywhere but here." And he fell 3003to sobbing again. 3004 3005Injun Joe repeated his statement, just as calmly, a few minutes 3006afterward on the inquest, under oath; and the boys, seeing that the 3007lightnings were still withheld, were confirmed in their belief that Joe 3008had sold himself to the devil. He was now become, to them, the most 3009balefully interesting object they had ever looked upon, and they could 3010not take their fascinated eyes from his face. 3011 3012They inwardly resolved to watch him nights, when opportunity should 3013offer, in the hope of getting a glimpse of his dread master. 3014 3015Injun Joe helped to raise the body of the murdered man and put it in a 3016wagon for removal; and it was whispered through the shuddering crowd 3017that the wound bled a little! The boys thought that this happy 3018circumstance would turn suspicion in the right direction; but they were 3019disappointed, for more than one villager remarked: 3020 3021"It was within three feet of Muff Potter when it done it." 3022 3023Tom's fearful secret and gnawing conscience disturbed his sleep for as 3024much as a week after this; and at breakfast one morning Sid said: 3025 3026"Tom, you pitch around and talk in your sleep so much that you keep me 3027awake half the time." 3028 3029Tom blanched and dropped his eyes. 3030 3031"It's a bad sign," said Aunt Polly, gravely. "What you got on your 3032mind, Tom?" 3033 3034"Nothing. Nothing 't I know of." But the boy's hand shook so that he 3035spilled his coffee. 3036 3037"And you do talk such stuff," Sid said. "Last night you said, 'It's 3038blood, it's blood, that's what it is!' You said that over and over. And 3039you said, 'Don't torment me so--I'll tell!' Tell WHAT? What is it 3040you'll tell?" 3041 3042Everything was swimming before Tom. There is no telling what might 3043have happened, now, but luckily the concern passed out of Aunt Polly's 3044face and she came to Tom's relief without knowing it. She said: 3045 3046"Sho! It's that dreadful murder. I dream about it most every night 3047myself. Sometimes I dream it's me that done it." 3048 3049Mary said she had been affected much the same way. Sid seemed 3050satisfied. Tom got out of the presence as quick as he plausibly could, 3051and after that he complained of toothache for a week, and tied up his 3052jaws every night. He never knew that Sid lay nightly watching, and 3053frequently slipped the bandage free and then leaned on his elbow 3054listening a good while at a time, and afterward slipped the bandage 3055back to its place again. Tom's distress of mind wore off gradually and 3056the toothache grew irksome and was discarded. If Sid really managed to 3057make anything out of Tom's disjointed mutterings, he kept it to himself. 3058 3059It seemed to Tom that his schoolmates never would get done holding 3060inquests on dead cats, and thus keeping his trouble present to his 3061mind. Sid noticed that Tom never was coroner at one of these inquiries, 3062though it had been his habit to take the lead in all new enterprises; 3063he noticed, too, that Tom never acted as a witness--and that was 3064strange; and Sid did not overlook the fact that Tom even showed a 3065marked aversion to these inquests, and always avoided them when he 3066could. Sid marvelled, but said nothing. However, even inquests went out 3067of vogue at last, and ceased to torture Tom's conscience. 3068 3069Every day or two, during this time of sorrow, Tom watched his 3070opportunity and went to the little grated jail-window and smuggled such 3071small comforts through to the "murderer" as he could get hold of. The 3072jail was a trifling little brick den that stood in a marsh at the edge 3073of the village, and no guards were afforded for it; indeed, it was 3074seldom occupied. These offerings greatly helped to ease Tom's 3075conscience. 3076 3077The villagers had a strong desire to tar-and-feather Injun Joe and 3078ride him on a rail, for body-snatching, but so formidable was his 3079character that nobody could be found who was willing to take the lead 3080in the matter, so it was dropped. He had been careful to begin both of 3081his inquest-statements with the fight, without confessing the 3082grave-robbery that preceded it; therefore it was deemed wisest not 3083to try the case in the courts at present. 3084 3085 3086 3087CHAPTER XII 3088 3089ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret 3090troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest 3091itself about. Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school. Tom had 3092struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the 3093wind," but failed. He began to find himself hanging around her father's 3094house, nights, and feeling very miserable. She was ill. What if she 3095should die! There was distraction in the thought. He no longer took an 3096interest in war, nor even in piracy. The charm of life was gone; there 3097was nothing but dreariness left. He put his hoop away, and his bat; 3098there was no joy in them any more. His aunt was concerned. She began to 3099try all manner of remedies on him. She was one of those people who are 3100infatuated with patent medicines and all new-fangled methods of 3101producing health or mending it. She was an inveterate experimenter in 3102these things. When something fresh in this line came out she was in a 3103fever, right away, to try it; not on herself, for she was never ailing, 3104but on anybody else that came handy. She was a subscriber for all the 3105"Health" periodicals and phrenological frauds; and the solemn ignorance 3106they were inflated with was breath to her nostrils. All the "rot" they 3107contained about ventilation, and how to go to bed, and how to get up, 3108and what to eat, and what to drink, and how much exercise to take, and 3109what frame of mind to keep one's self in, and what sort of clothing to 3110wear, was all gospel to her, and she never observed that her 3111health-journals of the current month customarily upset everything they 3112had recommended the month before. She was as simple-hearted and honest 3113as the day was long, and so she was an easy victim. She gathered 3114together her quack periodicals and her quack medicines, and thus armed 3115with death, went about on her pale horse, metaphorically speaking, with 3116"hell following after." But she never suspected that she was not an 3117angel of healing and the balm of Gilead in disguise, to the suffering 3118neighbors. 3119 3120The water treatment was new, now, and Tom's low condition was a 3121windfall to her. She had him out at daylight every morning, stood him 3122up in the woodshed and drowned him with a deluge of cold water; then 3123she scrubbed him down with a towel like a file, and so brought him to; 3124then she rolled him up in a wet sheet and put him away under blankets 3125till she sweated his soul clean and "the yellow stains of it came 3126through his pores"--as Tom said. 3127 3128Yet notwithstanding all this, the boy grew more and more melancholy 3129and pale and dejected. She added hot baths, sitz baths, shower baths, 3130and plunges. The boy remained as dismal as a hearse. She began to 3131assist the water with a slim oatmeal diet and blister-plasters. She 3132calculated his capacity as she would a jug's, and filled him up every 3133day with quack cure-alls. 3134 3135Tom had become indifferent to persecution by this time. This phase 3136filled the old lady's heart with consternation. This indifference must 3137be broken up at any cost. Now she heard of Pain-killer for the first 3138time. She ordered a lot at once. She tasted it and was filled with 3139gratitude. It was simply fire in a liquid form. She dropped the water 3140treatment and everything else, and pinned her faith to Pain-killer. She 3141gave Tom a teaspoonful and watched with the deepest anxiety for the 3142result. Her troubles were instantly at rest, her soul at peace again; 3143for the "indifference" was broken up. The boy could not have shown a 3144wilder, heartier interest, if she had built a fire under him. 3145 3146Tom felt that it was time to wake up; this sort of life might be 3147romantic enough, in his blighted condition, but it was getting to have 3148too little sentiment and too much distracting variety about it. So he 3149thought over various plans for relief, and finally hit pon that of 3150professing to be fond of Pain-killer. He asked for it so often that he 3151became a nuisance, and his aunt ended by telling him to help himself 3152and quit bothering her. If it had been Sid, she would have had no 3153misgivings to alloy her delight; but since it was Tom, she watched the 3154bottle clandestinely. She found that the medicine did really diminish, 3155but it did not occur to her that the boy was mending the health of a 3156crack in the sitting-room floor with it. 3157 3158One day Tom was in the act of dosing the crack when his aunt's yellow 3159cat came along, purring, eying the teaspoon avariciously, and begging 3160for a taste. Tom said: 3161 3162"Don't ask for it unless you want it, Peter." 3163 3164But Peter signified that he did want it. 3165 3166"You better make sure." 3167 3168Peter was sure. 3169 3170"Now you've asked for it, and I'll give it to you, because there ain't 3171anything mean about me; but if you find you don't like it, you mustn't 3172blame anybody but your own self." 3173 3174Peter was agreeable. So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the 3175Pain-killer. Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, and then 3176delivered a war-whoop and set off round and round the room, banging 3177against furniture, upsetting flower-pots, and making general havoc. 3178Next he rose on his hind feet and pranced around, in a frenzy of 3179enjoyment, with his head over his shoulder and his voice proclaiming 3180his unappeasable happiness. Then he went tearing around the house again 3181spreading chaos and destruction in his path. Aunt Polly entered in time 3182to see him throw a few double summersets, deliver a final mighty 3183hurrah, and sail through the open window, carrying the rest of the 3184flower-pots with him. The old lady stood petrified with astonishment, 3185peering over her glasses; Tom lay on the floor expiring with laughter. 3186 3187"Tom, what on earth ails that cat?" 3188 3189"I don't know, aunt," gasped the boy. 3190 3191"Why, I never see anything like it. What did make him act so?" 3192 3193"Deed I don't know, Aunt Polly; cats always act so when they're having 3194a good time." 3195 3196"They do, do they?" There was something in the tone that made Tom 3197apprehensive. 3198 3199"Yes'm. That is, I believe they do." 3200 3201"You DO?" 3202 3203"Yes'm." 3204 3205The old lady was bending down, Tom watching, with interest emphasized 3206by anxiety. Too late he divined her "drift." The handle of the telltale 3207teaspoon was visible under the bed-valance. Aunt Polly took it, held it 3208up. Tom winced, and dropped his eyes. Aunt Polly raised him by the 3209usual handle--his ear--and cracked his head soundly with her thimble. 3210 3211"Now, sir, what did you want to treat that poor dumb beast so, for?" 3212 3213"I done it out of pity for him--because he hadn't any aunt." 3214 3215"Hadn't any aunt!--you numskull. What has that got to do with it?" 3216 3217"Heaps. Because if he'd had one she'd a burnt him out herself! She'd a 3218roasted his bowels out of him 'thout any more feeling than if he was a 3219human!" 3220 3221Aunt Polly felt a sudden pang of remorse. This was putting the thing 3222in a new light; what was cruelty to a cat MIGHT be cruelty to a boy, 3223too. She began to soften; she felt sorry. Her eyes watered a little, 3224and she put her hand on Tom's head and said gently: 3225 3226"I was meaning for the best, Tom. And, Tom, it DID do you good." 3227 3228Tom looked up in her face with just a perceptible twinkle peeping 3229through his gravity. 3230 3231"I know you was meaning for the best, aunty, and so was I with Peter. 3232It done HIM good, too. I never see him get around so since--" 3233 3234"Oh, go 'long with you, Tom, before you aggravate me again. And you 3235try and see if you can't be a good boy, for once, and you needn't take 3236any more medicine." 3237 3238Tom reached school ahead of time. It was noticed that this strange 3239thing had been occurring every day latterly. And now, as usual of late, 3240he hung about the gate of the schoolyard instead of playing with his 3241comrades. He was sick, he said, and he looked it. He tried to seem to 3242be looking everywhere but whither he really was looking--down the road. 3243Presently Jeff Thatcher hove in sight, and Tom's face lighted; he gazed 3244a moment, and then turned sorrowfully away. When Jeff arrived, Tom 3245accosted him; and "led up" warily to opportunities for remark about 3246Becky, but the giddy lad never could see the bait. Tom watched and 3247watched, hoping whenever a frisking frock came in sight, and hating the 3248owner of it as soon as he saw she was not the right one. At last frocks 3249ceased to appear, and he dropped hopelessly into the dumps; he entered 3250the empty schoolhouse and sat down to suffer. Then one more frock 3251passed in at the gate, and Tom's heart gave a great bound. The next 3252instant he was out, and "going on" like an Indian; yelling, laughing, 3253chasing boys, jumping over the fence at risk of life and limb, throwing 3254handsprings, standing on his head--doing all the heroic things he could 3255conceive of, and keeping a furtive eye out, all the while, to see if 3256Becky Thatcher was noticing. But she seemed to be unconscious of it 3257all; she never looked. Could it be possible that she was not aware that 3258he was there? He carried his exploits to her immediate vicinity; came 3259war-whooping around, snatched a boy's cap, hurled it to the roof of the 3260schoolhouse, broke through a group of boys, tumbling them in every 3261direction, and fell sprawling, himself, under Becky's nose, almost 3262upsetting her--and she turned, with her nose in the air, and he heard 3263her say: "Mf! some people think they're mighty smart--always showing 3264off!" 3265 3266Tom's cheeks burned. He gathered himself up and sneaked off, crushed 3267and crestfallen. 3268 3269 3270 3271CHAPTER XIII 3272 3273TOM'S mind was made up now. He was gloomy and desperate. He was a 3274forsaken, friendless boy, he said; nobody loved him; when they found 3275out what they had driven him to, perhaps they would be sorry; he had 3276tried to do right and get along, but they would not let him; since 3277nothing would do them but to be rid of him, let it be so; and let them 3278blame HIM for the consequences--why shouldn't they? What right had the 3279friendless to complain? Yes, they had forced him to it at last: he 3280would lead a life of crime. There was no choice. 3281 3282By this time he was far down Meadow Lane, and the bell for school to 3283"take up" tinkled faintly upon his ear. He sobbed, now, to think he 3284should never, never hear that old familiar sound any more--it was very 3285hard, but it was forced on him; since he was driven out into the cold 3286world, he must submit--but he forgave them. Then the sobs came thick 3287and fast. 3288 3289Just at this point he met his soul's sworn comrade, Joe Harper 3290--hard-eyed, and with evidently a great and dismal purpose in his heart. 3291Plainly here were "two souls with but a single thought." Tom, wiping 3292his eyes with his sleeve, began to blubber out something about a 3293resolution to escape from hard usage and lack of sympathy at home by 3294roaming abroad into the great world never to return; and ended by 3295hoping that Joe would not forget him. 3296 3297But it transpired that this was a request which Joe had just been 3298going to make of Tom, and had come to hunt him up for that purpose. His 3299mother had whipped him for drinking some cream which he had never 3300tasted and knew nothing about; it was plain that she was tired of him 3301and wished him to go; if she felt that way, there was nothing for him 3302to do but succumb; he hoped she would be happy, and never regret having 3303driven her poor boy out into the unfeeling world to suffer and die. 3304 3305As the two boys walked sorrowing along, they made a new compact to 3306stand by each other and be brothers and never separate till death 3307relieved them of their troubles. Then they began to lay their plans. 3308Joe was for being a hermit, and living on crusts in a remote cave, and 3309dying, some time, of cold and want and grief; but after listening to 3310Tom, he conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a 3311life of crime, and so he consented to be a pirate. 3312 3313Three miles below St. Petersburg, at a point where the Mississippi 3314River was a trifle over a mile wide, there was a long, narrow, wooded 3315island, with a shallow bar at the head of it, and this offered well as 3316a rendezvous. It was not inhabited; it lay far over toward the further 3317shore, abreast a dense and almost wholly unpeopled forest. So Jackson's 3318Island was chosen. Who were to be the subjects of their piracies was a 3319matter that did not occur to them. Then they hunted up Huckleberry 3320Finn, and he joined them promptly, for all careers were one to him; he 3321was indifferent. They presently separated to meet at a lonely spot on 3322the river-bank two miles above the village at the favorite hour--which 3323was midnight. There was a small log raft there which they meant to 3324capture. Each would bring hooks and lines, and such provision as he 3325could steal in the most dark and mysterious way--as became outlaws. And 3326before the afternoon was done, they had all managed to enjoy the sweet 3327glory of spreading the fact that pretty soon the town would "hear 3328something." All who got this vague hint were cautioned to "be mum and 3329wait." 3330 3331About midnight Tom arrived with a boiled ham and a few trifles, 3332and stopped in a dense undergrowth on a small bluff overlooking the 3333meeting-place. It was starlight, and very still. The mighty river lay 3334like an ocean at rest. Tom listened a moment, but no sound disturbed the 3335quiet. Then he gave a low, distinct whistle. It was answered from under 3336the bluff. Tom whistled twice more; these signals were answered in the 3337same way. Then a guarded voice said: 3338 3339"Who goes there?" 3340 3341"Tom Sawyer, the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main. Name your names." 3342 3343"Huck Finn the Red-Handed, and Joe Harper the Terror of the Seas." Tom 3344had furnished these titles, from his favorite literature. 3345 3346"'Tis well. Give the countersign." 3347 3348Two hoarse whispers delivered the same awful word simultaneously to 3349the brooding night: 3350 3351"BLOOD!" 3352 3353Then Tom tumbled his ham over the bluff and let himself down after it, 3354tearing both skin and clothes to some extent in the effort. There was 3355an easy, comfortable path along the shore under the bluff, but it 3356lacked the advantages of difficulty and danger so valued by a pirate. 3357 3358The Terror of the Seas had brought a side of bacon, and had about worn 3359himself out with getting it there. Finn the Red-Handed had stolen a 3360skillet and a quantity of half-cured leaf tobacco, and had also brought 3361a few corn-cobs to make pipes with. But none of the pirates smoked or 3362"chewed" but himself. The Black Avenger of the Spanish Main said it 3363would never do to start without some fire. That was a wise thought; 3364matches were hardly known there in that day. They saw a fire 3365smouldering upon a great raft a hundred yards above, and they went 3366stealthily thither and helped themselves to a chunk. They made an 3367imposing adventure of it, saying, "Hist!" every now and then, and 3368suddenly halting with finger on lip; moving with hands on imaginary 3369dagger-hilts; and giving orders in dismal whispers that if "the foe" 3370stirred, to "let him have it to the hilt," because "dead men tell no 3371tales." They knew well enough that the raftsmen were all down at the 3372village laying in stores or having a spree, but still that was no 3373excuse for their conducting this thing in an unpiratical way. 3374 3375They shoved off, presently, Tom in command, Huck at the after oar and 3376Joe at the forward. Tom stood amidships, gloomy-browed, and with folded 3377arms, and gave his orders in a low, stern whisper: 3378 3379"Luff, and bring her to the wind!" 3380 3381"Aye-aye, sir!" 3382 3383"Steady, steady-y-y-y!" 3384 3385"Steady it is, sir!" 3386 3387"Let her go off a point!" 3388 3389"Point it is, sir!" 3390 3391As the boys steadily and monotonously drove the raft toward mid-stream 3392it was no doubt understood that these orders were given only for 3393"style," and were not intended to mean anything in particular. 3394 3395"What sail's she carrying?" 3396 3397"Courses, tops'ls, and flying-jib, sir." 3398 3399"Send the r'yals up! Lay out aloft, there, half a dozen of ye 3400--foretopmaststuns'l! Lively, now!" 3401 3402"Aye-aye, sir!" 3403 3404"Shake out that maintogalans'l! Sheets and braces! NOW my hearties!" 3405 3406"Aye-aye, sir!" 3407 3408"Hellum-a-lee--hard a port! Stand by to meet her when she comes! Port, 3409port! NOW, men! With a will! Stead-y-y-y!" 3410 3411"Steady it is, sir!" 3412 3413The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her 3414head right, and then lay on their oars. The river was not high, so 3415there was not more than a two or three mile current. Hardly a word was 3416said during the next three-quarters of an hour. Now the raft was 3417passing before the distant town. Two or three glimmering lights showed 3418where it lay, peacefully sleeping, beyond the vague vast sweep of 3419star-gemmed water, unconscious of the tremendous event that was happening. 3420The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon 3421the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing 3422"she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death 3423with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. 3424It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island 3425beyond eyeshot of the village, and so he "looked his last" with a 3426broken and satisfied heart. The other pirates were looking their last, 3427too; and they all looked so long that they came near letting the 3428current drift them out of the range of the island. But they discovered 3429the danger in time, and made shift to avert it. About two o'clock in 3430the morning the raft grounded on the bar two hundred yards above the 3431head of the island, and they waded back and forth until they had landed 3432their freight. Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old 3433sail, and this they spread over a nook in the bushes for a tent to 3434shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open 3435air in good weather, as became outlaws. 3436 3437They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty 3438steps within the sombre depths of the forest, and then cooked some 3439bacon in the frying-pan for supper, and used up half of the corn "pone" 3440stock they had brought. It seemed glorious sport to be feasting in that 3441wild, free way in the virgin forest of an unexplored and uninhabited 3442island, far from the haunts of men, and they said they never would 3443return to civilization. The climbing fire lit up their faces and threw 3444its ruddy glare upon the pillared tree-trunks of their forest temple, 3445and upon the varnished foliage and festooning vines. 3446 3447When the last crisp slice of bacon was gone, and the last allowance of 3448corn pone devoured, the boys stretched themselves out on the grass, 3449filled with contentment. They could have found a cooler place, but they 3450would not deny themselves such a romantic feature as the roasting 3451camp-fire. 3452 3453"AIN'T it gay?" said Joe. 3454 3455"It's NUTS!" said Tom. "What would the boys say if they could see us?" 3456 3457"Say? Well, they'd just die to be here--hey, Hucky!" 3458 3459"I reckon so," said Huckleberry; "anyways, I'm suited. I don't want 3460nothing better'n this. I don't ever get enough to eat, gen'ally--and 3461here they can't come and pick at a feller and bullyrag him so." 3462 3463"It's just the life for me," said Tom. "You don't have to get up, 3464mornings, and you don't have to go to school, and wash, and all that 3465blame foolishness. You see a pirate don't have to do ANYTHING, Joe, 3466when he's ashore, but a hermit HE has to be praying considerable, and 3467then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way." 3468 3469"Oh yes, that's so," said Joe, "but I hadn't thought much about it, 3470you know. I'd a good deal rather be a pirate, now that I've tried it." 3471 3472"You see," said Tom, "people don't go much on hermits, nowadays, like 3473they used to in old times, but a pirate's always respected. And a 3474hermit's got to sleep on the hardest place he can find, and put 3475sackcloth and ashes on his head, and stand out in the rain, and--" 3476 3477"What does he put sackcloth and ashes on his head for?" inquired Huck. 3478 3479"I dono. But they've GOT to do it. Hermits always do. You'd have to do 3480that if you was a hermit." 3481 3482"Dern'd if I would," said Huck. 3483 3484"Well, what would you do?" 3485 3486"I dono. But I wouldn't do that." 3487 3488"Why, Huck, you'd HAVE to. How'd you get around it?" 3489 3490"Why, I just wouldn't stand it. I'd run away." 3491 3492"Run away! Well, you WOULD be a nice old slouch of a hermit. You'd be 3493a disgrace." 3494 3495The Red-Handed made no response, being better employed. He had 3496finished gouging out a cob, and now he fitted a weed stem to it, loaded 3497it with tobacco, and was pressing a coal to the charge and blowing a 3498cloud of fragrant smoke--he was in the full bloom of luxurious 3499contentment. The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and 3500secretly resolved to acquire it shortly. Presently Huck said: 3501 3502"What does pirates have to do?" 3503 3504Tom said: 3505 3506"Oh, they have just a bully time--take ships and burn them, and get 3507the money and bury it in awful places in their island where there's 3508ghosts and things to watch it, and kill everybody in the ships--make 3509'em walk a plank." 3510 3511"And they carry the women to the island," said Joe; "they don't kill 3512the women." 3513 3514"No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women--they're too noble. And 3515the women's always beautiful, too. 3516 3517"And don't they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver 3518and di'monds," said Joe, with enthusiasm. 3519 3520"Who?" said Huck. 3521 3522"Why, the pirates." 3523 3524Huck scanned his own clothing forlornly. 3525 3526"I reckon I ain't dressed fitten for a pirate," said he, with a 3527regretful pathos in his voice; "but I ain't got none but these." 3528 3529But the other boys told him the fine clothes would come fast enough, 3530after they should have begun their adventures. They made him understand 3531that his poor rags would do to begin with, though it was customary for 3532wealthy pirates to start with a proper wardrobe. 3533 3534Gradually their talk died out and drowsiness began to steal upon the 3535eyelids of the little waifs. The pipe dropped from the fingers of the 3536Red-Handed, and he slept the sleep of the conscience-free and the 3537weary. The Terror of the Seas and the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main 3538had more difficulty in getting to sleep. They said their prayers 3539inwardly, and lying down, since there was nobody there with authority 3540to make them kneel and recite aloud; in truth, they had a mind not to 3541say them at all, but they were afraid to proceed to such lengths as 3542that, lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from 3543heaven. Then at once they reached and hovered upon the imminent verge 3544of sleep--but an intruder came, now, that would not "down." It was 3545conscience. They began to feel a vague fear that they had been doing 3546wrong to run away; and next they thought of the stolen meat, and then 3547the real torture came. They tried to argue it away by reminding 3548conscience that they had purloined sweetmeats and apples scores of 3549times; but conscience was not to be appeased by such thin 3550plausibilities; it seemed to them, in the end, that there was no 3551getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only 3552"hooking," while taking bacon and hams and such valuables was plain 3553simple stealing--and there was a command against that in the Bible. So 3554they inwardly resolved that so long as they remained in the business, 3555their piracies should not again be sullied with the crime of stealing. 3556Then conscience granted a truce, and these curiously inconsistent 3557pirates fell peacefully to sleep. 3558 3559 3560 3561CHAPTER XIV 3562 3563WHEN Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and 3564rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the 3565cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose and peace in 3566the deep pervading calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; 3567not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. Beaded dewdrops 3568stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the 3569fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe 3570and Huck still slept. 3571 3572Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently 3573the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of 3574the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life 3575manifested itself. The marvel of Nature shaking off sleep and going to 3576work unfolded itself to the musing boy. A little green worm came 3577crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air 3578from time to time and "sniffing around," then proceeding again--for he 3579was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own 3580accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, 3581by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to 3582go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its 3583curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom's leg and 3584began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad--for that meant that 3585he was going to have a new suit of clothes--without the shadow of a 3586doubt a gaudy piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, 3587from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors; one struggled 3588manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, 3589and lugged it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted lady-bug 3590climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent down close to 3591it and said, "Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, 3592your children's alone," and she took wing and went off to see about it 3593--which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was 3594credulous about conflagrations, and he had practised upon its 3595simplicity more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at 3596its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against 3597its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this 3598time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, 3599and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of 3600enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and 3601stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one 3602side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel 3603and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at 3604intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had 3605probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to 3606be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long 3607lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense foliage far and near, 3608and a few butterflies came fluttering upon the scene. 3609 3610Tom stirred up the other pirates and they all clattered away with a 3611shout, and in a minute or two were stripped and chasing after and 3612tumbling over each other in the shallow limpid water of the white 3613sandbar. They felt no longing for the little village sleeping in the 3614distance beyond the majestic waste of water. A vagrant current or a 3615slight rise in the river had carried off their raft, but this only 3616gratified them, since its going was something like burning the bridge 3617between them and civilization. 3618 3619They came back to camp wonderfully refreshed, glad-hearted, and 3620ravenous; and they soon had the camp-fire blazing up again. Huck found 3621a spring of clear cold water close by, and the boys made cups of broad 3622oak or hickory leaves, and felt that water, sweetened with such a 3623wildwood charm as that, would be a good enough substitute for coffee. 3624While Joe was slicing bacon for breakfast, Tom and Huck asked him to 3625hold on a minute; they stepped to a promising nook in the river-bank 3626and threw in their lines; almost immediately they had reward. Joe had 3627not had time to get impatient before they were back again with some 3628handsome bass, a couple of sun-perch and a small catfish--provisions 3629enough for quite a family. They fried the fish with the bacon, and were 3630astonished; for no fish had ever seemed so delicious before. They did 3631not know that the quicker a fresh-water fish is on the fire after he is 3632caught the better he is; and they reflected little upon what a sauce 3633open-air sleeping, open-air exercise, bathing, and a large ingredient 3634of hunger make, too. 3635 3636They lay around in the shade, after breakfast, while Huck had a smoke, 3637and then went off through the woods on an exploring expedition. They 3638tramped gayly along, over decaying logs, through tangled underbrush, 3639among solemn monarchs of the forest, hung from their crowns to the 3640ground with a drooping regalia of grape-vines. Now and then they came 3641upon snug nooks carpeted with grass and jeweled with flowers. 3642 3643They found plenty of things to be delighted with, but nothing to be 3644astonished at. They discovered that the island was about three miles 3645long and a quarter of a mile wide, and that the shore it lay closest to 3646was only separated from it by a narrow channel hardly two hundred yards 3647wide. They took a swim about every hour, so it was close upon the 3648middle of the afternoon when they got back to camp. They were too 3649hungry to stop to fish, but they fared sumptuously upon cold ham, and 3650then threw themselves down in the shade to talk. But the talk soon 3651began to drag, and then died. The stillness, the solemnity that brooded 3652in the woods, and the sense of loneliness, began to tell upon the 3653spirits of the boys. They fell to thinking. A sort of undefined longing 3654crept upon them. This took dim shape, presently--it was budding 3655homesickness. Even Finn the Red-Handed was dreaming of his doorsteps 3656and empty hogsheads. But they were all ashamed of their weakness, and 3657none was brave enough to speak his thought. 3658 3659For some time, now, the boys had been dully conscious of a peculiar 3660sound in the distance, just as one sometimes is of the ticking of a 3661clock which he takes no distinct note of. But now this mysterious sound 3662became more pronounced, and forced a recognition. The boys started, 3663glanced at each other, and then each assumed a listening attitude. 3664There was a long silence, profound and unbroken; then a deep, sullen 3665boom came floating down out of the distance. 3666 3667"What is it!" exclaimed Joe, under his breath. 3668 3669"I wonder," said Tom in a whisper. 3670 3671"'Tain't thunder," said Huckleberry, in an awed tone, "becuz thunder--" 3672 3673"Hark!" said Tom. "Listen--don't talk." 3674 3675They waited a time that seemed an age, and then the same muffled boom 3676troubled the solemn hush. 3677 3678"Let's go and see." 3679 3680They sprang to their feet and hurried to the shore toward the town. 3681They parted the bushes on the bank and peered out over the water. The 3682little steam ferryboat was about a mile below the village, drifting 3683with the current. Her broad deck seemed crowded with people. There were 3684a great many skiffs rowing about or floating with the stream in the 3685neighborhood of the ferryboat, but the boys could not determine what 3686the men in them were doing. Presently a great jet of white smoke burst 3687from the ferryboat's side, and as it expanded and rose in a lazy cloud, 3688that same dull throb of sound was borne to the listeners again. 3689 3690"I know now!" exclaimed Tom; "somebody's drownded!" 3691 3692"That's it!" said Huck; "they done that last summer, when Bill Turner 3693got drownded; they shoot a cannon over the water, and that makes him 3694come up to the top. Yes, and they take loaves of bread and put 3695quicksilver in 'em and set 'em afloat, and wherever there's anybody 3696that's drownded, they'll float right there and stop." 3697 3698"Yes, I've heard about that," said Joe. "I wonder what makes the bread 3699do that." 3700 3701"Oh, it ain't the bread, so much," said Tom; "I reckon it's mostly 3702what they SAY over it before they start it out." 3703 3704"But they don't say anything over it," said Huck. "I've seen 'em and 3705they don't." 3706 3707"Well, that's funny," said Tom. "But maybe they say it to themselves. 3708Of COURSE they do. Anybody might know that." 3709 3710The other boys agreed that there was reason in what Tom said, because 3711an ignorant lump of bread, uninstructed by an incantation, could not be 3712expected to act very intelligently when set upon an errand of such 3713gravity. 3714 3715"By jings, I wish I was over there, now," said Joe. 3716 3717"I do too" said Huck "I'd give heaps to know who it is." 3718 3719The boys still listened and watched. Presently a revealing thought 3720flashed through Tom's mind, and he exclaimed: 3721 3722"Boys, I know who's drownded--it's us!" 3723 3724They felt like heroes in an instant. Here was a gorgeous triumph; they 3725were missed; they were mourned; hearts were breaking on their account; 3726tears were being shed; accusing memories of unkindness to these poor 3727lost lads were rising up, and unavailing regrets and remorse were being 3728indulged; and best of all, the departed were the talk of the whole 3729town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this dazzling notoriety 3730was concerned. This was fine. It was worth while to be a pirate, after 3731all. 3732 3733As twilight drew on, the ferryboat went back to her accustomed 3734business and the skiffs disappeared. The pirates returned to camp. They 3735were jubilant with vanity over their new grandeur and the illustrious 3736trouble they were making. They caught fish, cooked supper and ate it, 3737and then fell to guessing at what the village was thinking and saying 3738about them; and the pictures they drew of the public distress on their 3739account were gratifying to look upon--from their point of view. But 3740when the shadows of night closed them in, they gradually ceased to 3741talk, and sat gazing into the fire, with their minds evidently 3742wandering elsewhere. The excitement was gone, now, and Tom and Joe 3743could not keep back thoughts of certain persons at home who were not 3744enjoying this fine frolic as much as they were. Misgivings came; they 3745grew troubled and unhappy; a sigh or two escaped, unawares. By and by 3746Joe timidly ventured upon a roundabout "feeler" as to how the others 3747might look upon a return to civilization--not right now, but-- 3748 3749Tom withered him with derision! Huck, being uncommitted as yet, joined 3750in with Tom, and the waverer quickly "explained," and was glad to get 3751out of the scrape with as little taint of chicken-hearted homesickness 3752clinging to his garments as he could. Mutiny was effectually laid to 3753rest for the moment. 3754 3755As the night deepened, Huck began to nod, and presently to snore. Joe 3756followed next. Tom lay upon his elbow motionless, for some time, 3757watching the two intently. At last he got up cautiously, on his knees, 3758and went searching among the grass and the flickering reflections flung 3759by the camp-fire. He picked up and inspected several large 3760semi-cylinders of the thin white bark of a sycamore, and finally chose 3761two which seemed to suit him. Then he knelt by the fire and painfully 3762wrote something upon each of these with his "red keel"; one he rolled up 3763and put in his jacket pocket, and the other he put in Joe's hat and 3764removed it to a little distance from the owner. And he also put into the 3765hat certain schoolboy treasures of almost inestimable value--among them 3766a lump of chalk, an India-rubber ball, three fishhooks, and one of that 3767kind of marbles known as a "sure 'nough crystal." Then he tiptoed his 3768way cautiously among the trees till he felt that he was out of hearing, 3769and straightway broke into a keen run in the direction of the sandbar. 3770 3771 3772 3773CHAPTER XV 3774 3775A FEW minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading 3776toward the Illinois shore. Before the depth reached his middle he was 3777half-way over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he 3778struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards. He swam 3779quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he 3780had expected. However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along 3781till he found a low place and drew himself out. He put his hand on his 3782jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through 3783the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments. Shortly before 3784ten o'clock he came out into an open place opposite the village, and 3785saw the ferryboat lying in the shadow of the trees and the high bank. 3786Everything was quiet under the blinking stars. He crept down the bank, 3787watching with all his eyes, slipped into the water, swam three or four 3788strokes and climbed into the skiff that did "yawl" duty at the boat's 3789stern. He laid himself down under the thwarts and waited, panting. 3790 3791Presently the cracked bell tapped and a voice gave the order to "cast 3792off." A minute or two later the skiff's head was standing high up, 3793against the boat's swell, and the voyage was begun. Tom felt happy in 3794his success, for he knew it was the boat's last trip for the night. At 3795the end of a long twelve or fifteen minutes the wheels stopped, and Tom 3796slipped overboard and swam ashore in the dusk, landing fifty yards 3797downstream, out of danger of possible stragglers. 3798 3799He flew along unfrequented alleys, and shortly found himself at his 3800aunt's back fence. He climbed over, approached the "ell," and looked in 3801at the sitting-room window, for a light was burning there. There sat 3802Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and Joe Harper's mother, grouped together, 3803talking. They were by the bed, and the bed was between them and the 3804door. Tom went to the door and began to softly lift the latch; then he 3805pressed gently and the door yielded a crack; he continued pushing 3806cautiously, and quaking every time it creaked, till he judged he might 3807squeeze through on his knees; so he put his head through and began, 3808warily. 3809 3810"What makes the candle blow so?" said Aunt Polly. Tom hurried up. 3811"Why, that door's open, I believe. Why, of course it is. No end of 3812strange things now. Go 'long and shut it, Sid." 3813 3814Tom disappeared under the bed just in time. He lay and "breathed" 3815himself for a time, and then crept to where he could almost touch his 3816aunt's foot. 3817 3818"But as I was saying," said Aunt Polly, "he warn't BAD, so to say 3819--only mischEEvous. Only just giddy, and harum-scarum, you know. He 3820warn't any more responsible than a colt. HE never meant any harm, and 3821he was the best-hearted boy that ever was"--and she began to cry. 3822 3823"It was just so with my Joe--always full of his devilment, and up to 3824every kind of mischief, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he 3825could be--and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking 3826that cream, never once recollecting that I throwed it out myself 3827because it was sour, and I never to see him again in this world, never, 3828never, never, poor abused boy!" And Mrs. Harper sobbed as if her heart 3829would break. 3830 3831"I hope Tom's better off where he is," said Sid, "but if he'd been 3832better in some ways--" 3833 3834"SID!" Tom felt the glare of the old lady's eye, though he could not 3835see it. "Not a word against my Tom, now that he's gone! God'll take 3836care of HIM--never you trouble YOURself, sir! Oh, Mrs. Harper, I don't 3837know how to give him up! I don't know how to give him up! He was such a 3838comfort to me, although he tormented my old heart out of me, 'most." 3839 3840"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away--Blessed be the name of 3841the Lord! But it's so hard--Oh, it's so hard! Only last Saturday my 3842Joe busted a firecracker right under my nose and I knocked him 3843sprawling. Little did I know then, how soon--Oh, if it was to do over 3844again I'd hug him and bless him for it." 3845 3846"Yes, yes, yes, I know just how you feel, Mrs. Harper, I know just 3847exactly how you feel. No longer ago than yesterday noon, my Tom took 3848and filled the cat full of Pain-killer, and I did think the cretur 3849would tear the house down. And God forgive me, I cracked Tom's head 3850with my thimble, poor boy, poor dead boy. But he's out of all his 3851troubles now. And the last words I ever heard him say was to reproach--" 3852 3853But this memory was too much for the old lady, and she broke entirely 3854down. Tom was snuffling, now, himself--and more in pity of himself than 3855anybody else. He could hear Mary crying, and putting in a kindly word 3856for him from time to time. He began to have a nobler opinion of himself 3857than ever before. Still, he was sufficiently touched by his aunt's 3858grief to long to rush out from under the bed and overwhelm her with 3859joy--and the theatrical gorgeousness of the thing appealed strongly to 3860his nature, too, but he resisted and lay still. 3861 3862He went on listening, and gathered by odds and ends that it was 3863conjectured at first that the boys had got drowned while taking a swim; 3864then the small raft had been missed; next, certain boys said the 3865missing lads had promised that the village should "hear something" 3866soon; the wise-heads had "put this and that together" and decided that 3867the lads had gone off on that raft and would turn up at the next town 3868below, presently; but toward noon the raft had been found, lodged 3869against the Missouri shore some five or six miles below the village 3870--and then hope perished; they must be drowned, else hunger would have 3871driven them home by nightfall if not sooner. It was believed that the 3872search for the bodies had been a fruitless effort merely because the 3873drowning must have occurred in mid-channel, since the boys, being good 3874swimmers, would otherwise have escaped to shore. This was Wednesday 3875night. If the bodies continued missing until Sunday, all hope would be 3876given over, and the funerals would be preached on that morning. Tom 3877shuddered. 3878 3879Mrs. Harper gave a sobbing good-night and turned to go. Then with a 3880mutual impulse the two bereaved women flung themselves into each 3881other's arms and had a good, consoling cry, and then parted. Aunt Polly 3882was tender far beyond her wont, in her good-night to Sid and Mary. Sid 3883snuffled a bit and Mary went off crying with all her heart. 3884 3885Aunt Polly knelt down and prayed for Tom so touchingly, so 3886appealingly, and with such measureless love in her words and her old 3887trembling voice, that he was weltering in tears again, long before she 3888was through. 3889 3890He had to keep still long after she went to bed, for she kept making 3891broken-hearted ejaculations from time to time, tossing unrestfully, and 3892turning over. But at last she was still, only moaning a little in her 3893sleep. Now the boy stole out, rose gradually by the bedside, shaded the 3894candle-light with his hand, and stood regarding her. His heart was full 3895of pity for her. He took out his sycamore scroll and placed it by the 3896candle. But something occurred to him, and he lingered considering. His 3897face lighted with a happy solution of his thought; he put the bark 3898hastily in his pocket. Then he bent over and kissed the faded lips, and 3899straightway made his stealthy exit, latching the door behind him. 3900 3901He threaded his way back to the ferry landing, found nobody at large 3902there, and walked boldly on board the boat, for he knew she was 3903tenantless except that there was a watchman, who always turned in and 3904slept like a graven image. He untied the skiff at the stern, slipped 3905into it, and was soon rowing cautiously upstream. When he had pulled a 3906mile above the village, he started quartering across and bent himself 3907stoutly to his work. He hit the landing on the other side neatly, for 3908this was a familiar bit of work to him. He was moved to capture the 3909skiff, arguing that it might be considered a ship and therefore 3910legitimate prey for a pirate, but he knew a thorough search would be 3911made for it and that might end in revelations. So he stepped ashore and 3912entered the woods. 3913 3914He sat down and took a long rest, torturing himself meanwhile to keep 3915awake, and then started warily down the home-stretch. The night was far 3916spent. It was broad daylight before he found himself fairly abreast the 3917island bar. He rested again until the sun was well up and gilding the 3918great river with its splendor, and then he plunged into the stream. A 3919little later he paused, dripping, upon the threshold of the camp, and 3920heard Joe say: 3921 3922"No, Tom's true-blue, Huck, and he'll come back. He won't desert. He 3923knows that would be a disgrace to a pirate, and Tom's too proud for 3924that sort of thing. He's up to something or other. Now I wonder what?" 3925 3926"Well, the things is ours, anyway, ain't they?" 3927 3928"Pretty near, but not yet, Huck. The writing says they are if he ain't 3929back here to breakfast." 3930 3931"Which he is!" exclaimed Tom, with fine dramatic effect, stepping 3932grandly into camp. 3933 3934A sumptuous breakfast of bacon and fish was shortly provided, and as 3935the boys set to work upon it, Tom recounted (and adorned) his 3936adventures. They were a vain and boastful company of heroes when the 3937tale was done. Then Tom hid himself away in a shady nook to sleep till 3938noon, and the other pirates got ready to fish and explore. 3939 3940 3941 3942CHAPTER XVI 3943 3944AFTER dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on the 3945bar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found a 3946soft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands. 3947Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole. They 3948were perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an English 3949walnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another on 3950Friday morning. 3951 3952After breakfast they went whooping and prancing out on the bar, and 3953chased each other round and round, shedding clothes as they went, until 3954they were naked, and then continued the frolic far away up the shoal 3955water of the bar, against the stiff current, which latter tripped their 3956legs from under them from time to time and greatly increased the fun. 3957And now and then they stooped in a group and splashed water in each 3958other's faces with their palms, gradually approaching each other, with 3959averted faces to avoid the strangling sprays, and finally gripping and 3960struggling till the best man ducked his neighbor, and then they all 3961went under in a tangle of white legs and arms and came up blowing, 3962sputtering, laughing, and gasping for breath at one and the same time. 3963 3964When they were well exhausted, they would run out and sprawl on the 3965dry, hot sand, and lie there and cover themselves up with it, and by 3966and by break for the water again and go through the original 3967performance once more. Finally it occurred to them that their naked 3968skin represented flesh-colored "tights" very fairly; so they drew a 3969ring in the sand and had a circus--with three clowns in it, for none 3970would yield this proudest post to his neighbor. 3971 3972Next they got their marbles and played "knucks" and "ring-taw" and 3973"keeps" till that amusement grew stale. Then Joe and Huck had another 3974swim, but Tom would not venture, because he found that in kicking off 3975his trousers he had kicked his string of rattlesnake rattles off his 3976ankle, and he wondered how he had escaped cramp so long without the 3977protection of this mysterious charm. He did not venture again until he 3978had found it, and by that time the other boys were tired and ready to 3979rest. They gradually wandered apart, dropped into the "dumps," and fell 3980to gazing longingly across the wide river to where the village lay 3981drowsing in the sun. Tom found himself writing "BECKY" in the sand with 3982his big toe; he scratched it out, and was angry with himself for his 3983weakness. But he wrote it again, nevertheless; he could not help it. He 3984erased it once more and then took himself out of temptation by driving 3985the other boys together and joining them. 3986 3987But Joe's spirits had gone down almost beyond resurrection. He was so 3988homesick that he could hardly endure the misery of it. The tears lay 3989very near the surface. Huck was melancholy, too. Tom was downhearted, 3990but tried hard not to show it. He had a secret which he was not ready 3991to tell, yet, but if this mutinous depression was not broken up soon, 3992he would have to bring it out. He said, with a great show of 3993cheerfulness: 3994 3995"I bet there's been pirates on this island before, boys. We'll explore 3996it again. They've hid treasures here somewhere. How'd you feel to light 3997on a rotten chest full of gold and silver--hey?" 3998 3999But it roused only faint enthusiasm, which faded out, with no reply. 4000Tom tried one or two other seductions; but they failed, too. It was 4001discouraging work. Joe sat poking up the sand with a stick and looking 4002very gloomy. Finally he said: 4003 4004"Oh, boys, let's give it up. I want to go home. It's so lonesome." 4005 4006"Oh no, Joe, you'll feel better by and by," said Tom. "Just think of 4007the fishing that's here." 4008 4009"I don't care for fishing. I want to go home." 4010 4011"But, Joe, there ain't such another swimming-place anywhere." 4012 4013"Swimming's no good. I don't seem to care for it, somehow, when there 4014ain't anybody to say I sha'n't go in. I mean to go home." 4015 4016"Oh, shucks! Baby! You want to see your mother, I reckon." 4017 4018"Yes, I DO want to see my mother--and you would, too, if you had one. 4019I ain't any more baby than you are." And Joe snuffled a little. 4020 4021"Well, we'll let the cry-baby go home to his mother, won't we, Huck? 4022Poor thing--does it want to see its mother? And so it shall. You like 4023it here, don't you, Huck? We'll stay, won't we?" 4024 4025Huck said, "Y-e-s"--without any heart in it. 4026 4027"I'll never speak to you again as long as I live," said Joe, rising. 4028"There now!" And he moved moodily away and began to dress himself. 4029 4030"Who cares!" said Tom. "Nobody wants you to. Go 'long home and get 4031laughed at. Oh, you're a nice pirate. Huck and me ain't cry-babies. 4032We'll stay, won't we, Huck? Let him go if he wants to. I reckon we can 4033get along without him, per'aps." 4034 4035But Tom was uneasy, nevertheless, and was alarmed to see Joe go 4036sullenly on with his dressing. And then it was discomforting to see 4037Huck eying Joe's preparations so wistfully, and keeping up such an 4038ominous silence. Presently, without a parting word, Joe began to wade 4039off toward the Illinois shore. Tom's heart began to sink. He glanced at 4040Huck. Huck could not bear the look, and dropped his eyes. Then he said: 4041 4042"I want to go, too, Tom. It was getting so lonesome anyway, and now 4043it'll be worse. Let's us go, too, Tom." 4044 4045"I won't! You can all go, if you want to. I mean to stay." 4046 4047"Tom, I better go." 4048 4049"Well, go 'long--who's hendering you." 4050 4051Huck began to pick up his scattered clothes. He said: 4052 4053"Tom, I wisht you'd come, too. Now you think it over. We'll wait for 4054you when we get to shore." 4055 4056"Well, you'll wait a blame long time, that's all." 4057 4058Huck started sorrowfully away, and Tom stood looking after him, with a 4059strong desire tugging at his heart to yield his pride and go along too. 4060He hoped the boys would stop, but they still waded slowly on. It 4061suddenly dawned on Tom that it was become very lonely and still. He 4062made one final struggle with his pride, and then darted after his 4063comrades, yelling: 4064 4065"Wait! Wait! I want to tell you something!" 4066 4067They presently stopped and turned around. When he got to where they 4068were, he began unfolding his secret, and they listened moodily till at 4069last they saw the "point" he was driving at, and then they set up a 4070war-whoop of applause and said it was "splendid!" and said if he had 4071told them at first, they wouldn't have started away. He made a plausible 4072excuse; but his real reason had been the fear that not even the secret 4073would keep them with him any very great length of time, and so he had 4074meant to hold it in reserve as a last seduction. 4075 4076The lads came gayly back and went at their sports again with a will, 4077chattering all the time about Tom's stupendous plan and admiring the 4078genius of it. After a dainty egg and fish dinner, Tom said he wanted to 4079learn to smoke, now. Joe caught at the idea and said he would like to 4080try, too. So Huck made pipes and filled them. These novices had never 4081smoked anything before but cigars made of grape-vine, and they "bit" 4082the tongue, and were not considered manly anyway. 4083 4084Now they stretched themselves out on their elbows and began to puff, 4085charily, and with slender confidence. The smoke had an unpleasant 4086taste, and they gagged a little, but Tom said: 4087 4088"Why, it's just as easy! If I'd a knowed this was all, I'd a learnt 4089long ago." 4090 4091"So would I," said Joe. "It's just nothing." 4092 4093"Why, many a time I've looked at people smoking, and thought well I 4094wish I could do that; but I never thought I could," said Tom. 4095 4096"That's just the way with me, hain't it, Huck? You've heard me talk 4097just that way--haven't you, Huck? I'll leave it to Huck if I haven't." 4098 4099"Yes--heaps of times," said Huck. 4100 4101"Well, I have too," said Tom; "oh, hundreds of times. Once down by the 4102slaughter-house. Don't you remember, Huck? Bob Tanner was there, and 4103Johnny Miller, and Jeff Thatcher, when I said it. Don't you remember, 4104Huck, 'bout me saying that?" 4105 4106"Yes, that's so," said Huck. "That was the day after I lost a white 4107alley. No, 'twas the day before." 4108 4109"There--I told you so," said Tom. "Huck recollects it." 4110 4111"I bleeve I could smoke this pipe all day," said Joe. "I don't feel 4112sick." 4113 4114"Neither do I," said Tom. "I could smoke it all day. But I bet you 4115Jeff Thatcher couldn't." 4116 4117"Jeff Thatcher! Why, he'd keel over just with two draws. Just let him 4118try it once. HE'D see!" 4119 4120"I bet he would. And Johnny Miller--I wish could see Johnny Miller 4121tackle it once." 4122 4123"Oh, don't I!" said Joe. "Why, I bet you Johnny Miller couldn't any 4124more do this than nothing. Just one little snifter would fetch HIM." 4125 4126"'Deed it would, Joe. Say--I wish the boys could see us now." 4127 4128"So do I." 4129 4130"Say--boys, don't say anything about it, and some time when they're 4131around, I'll come up to you and say, 'Joe, got a pipe? I want a smoke.' 4132And you'll say, kind of careless like, as if it warn't anything, you'll 4133say, 'Yes, I got my OLD pipe, and another one, but my tobacker ain't 4134very good.' And I'll say, 'Oh, that's all right, if it's STRONG 4135enough.' And then you'll out with the pipes, and we'll light up just as 4136ca'm, and then just see 'em look!" 4137 4138"By jings, that'll be gay, Tom! I wish it was NOW!" 4139 4140"So do I! And when we tell 'em we learned when we was off pirating, 4141won't they wish they'd been along?" 4142 4143"Oh, I reckon not! I'll just BET they will!" 4144 4145So the talk ran on. But presently it began to flag a trifle, and grow 4146disjointed. The silences widened; the expectoration marvellously 4147increased. Every pore inside the boys' cheeks became a spouting 4148fountain; they could scarcely bail out the cellars under their tongues 4149fast enough to prevent an inundation; little overflowings down their 4150throats occurred in spite of all they could do, and sudden retchings 4151followed every time. Both boys were looking very pale and miserable, 4152now. Joe's pipe dropped from his nerveless fingers. Tom's followed. 4153Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with might 4154and main. Joe said feebly: 4155 4156"I've lost my knife. I reckon I better go and find it." 4157 4158Tom said, with quivering lips and halting utterance: 4159 4160"I'll help you. You go over that way and I'll hunt around by the 4161spring. No, you needn't come, Huck--we can find it." 4162 4163So Huck sat down again, and waited an hour. Then he found it lonesome, 4164and went to find his comrades. They were wide apart in the woods, both 4165very pale, both fast asleep. But something informed him that if they 4166had had any trouble they had got rid of it. 4167 4168They were not talkative at supper that night. They had a humble look, 4169and when Huck prepared his pipe after the meal and was going to prepare 4170theirs, they said no, they were not feeling very well--something they 4171ate at dinner had disagreed with them. 4172 4173About midnight Joe awoke, and called the boys. There was a brooding 4174oppressiveness in the air that seemed to bode something. The boys 4175huddled themselves together and sought the friendly companionship of 4176the fire, though the dull dead heat of the breathless atmosphere was 4177stifling. They sat still, intent and waiting. The solemn hush 4178continued. Beyond the light of the fire everything was swallowed up in 4179the blackness of darkness. Presently there came a quivering glow that 4180vaguely revealed the foliage for a moment and then vanished. By and by 4181another came, a little stronger. Then another. Then a faint moan came 4182sighing through the branches of the forest and the boys felt a fleeting 4183breath upon their cheeks, and shuddered with the fancy that the Spirit 4184of the Night had gone by. There was a pause. Now a weird flash turned 4185night into day and showed every little grass-blade, separate and 4186distinct, that grew about their feet. And it showed three white, 4187startled faces, too. A deep peal of thunder went rolling and tumbling 4188down the heavens and lost itself in sullen rumblings in the distance. A 4189sweep of chilly air passed by, rustling all the leaves and snowing the 4190flaky ashes broadcast about the fire. Another fierce glare lit up the 4191forest and an instant crash followed that seemed to rend the tree-tops 4192right over the boys' heads. They clung together in terror, in the thick 4193gloom that followed. A few big rain-drops fell pattering upon the 4194leaves. 4195 4196"Quick! boys, go for the tent!" exclaimed Tom. 4197 4198They sprang away, stumbling over roots and among vines in the dark, no 4199two plunging in the same direction. A furious blast roared through the 4200trees, making everything sing as it went. One blinding flash after 4201another came, and peal on peal of deafening thunder. And now a 4202drenching rain poured down and the rising hurricane drove it in sheets 4203along the ground. The boys cried out to each other, but the roaring 4204wind and the booming thunder-blasts drowned their voices utterly. 4205However, one by one they straggled in at last and took shelter under 4206the tent, cold, scared, and streaming with water; but to have company 4207in misery seemed something to be grateful for. They could not talk, the 4208old sail flapped so furiously, even if the other noises would have 4209allowed them. The tempest rose higher and higher, and presently the 4210sail tore loose from its fastenings and went winging away on the blast. 4211The boys seized each others' hands and fled, with many tumblings and 4212bruises, to the shelter of a great oak that stood upon the river-bank. 4213Now the battle was at its highest. Under the ceaseless conflagration of 4214lightning that flamed in the skies, everything below stood out in 4215clean-cut and shadowless distinctness: the bending trees, the billowy 4216river, white with foam, the driving spray of spume-flakes, the dim 4217outlines of the high bluffs on the other side, glimpsed through the 4218drifting cloud-rack and the slanting veil of rain. Every little while 4219some giant tree yielded the fight and fell crashing through the younger 4220growth; and the unflagging thunder-peals came now in ear-splitting 4221explosive bursts, keen and sharp, and unspeakably appalling. The storm 4222culminated in one matchless effort that seemed likely to tear the island 4223to pieces, burn it up, drown it to the tree-tops, blow it away, and 4224deafen every creature in it, all at one and the same moment. It was a 4225wild night for homeless young heads to be out in. 4226 4227But at last the battle was done, and the forces retired with weaker 4228and weaker threatenings and grumblings, and peace resumed her sway. The 4229boys went back to camp, a good deal awed; but they found there was 4230still something to be thankful for, because the great sycamore, the 4231shelter of their beds, was a ruin, now, blasted by the lightnings, and 4232they were not under it when the catastrophe happened. 4233 4234Everything in camp was drenched, the camp-fire as well; for they were 4235but heedless lads, like their generation, and had made no provision 4236against rain. Here was matter for dismay, for they were soaked through 4237and chilled. They were eloquent in their distress; but they presently 4238discovered that the fire had eaten so far up under the great log it had 4239been built against (where it curved upward and separated itself from 4240the ground), that a handbreadth or so of it had escaped wetting; so 4241they patiently wrought until, with shreds and bark gathered from the 4242under sides of sheltered logs, they coaxed the fire to burn again. Then 4243they piled on great dead boughs till they had a roaring furnace, and 4244were glad-hearted once more. They dried their boiled ham and had a 4245feast, and after that they sat by the fire and expanded and glorified 4246their midnight adventure until morning, for there was not a dry spot to 4247sleep on, anywhere around. 4248 4249As the sun began to steal in upon the boys, drowsiness came over them, 4250and they went out on the sandbar and lay down to sleep. They got 4251scorched out by and by, and drearily set about getting breakfast. After 4252the meal they felt rusty, and stiff-jointed, and a little homesick once 4253more. Tom saw the signs, and fell to cheering up the pirates as well as 4254he could. But they cared nothing for marbles, or circus, or swimming, 4255or anything. He reminded them of the imposing secret, and raised a ray 4256of cheer. While it lasted, he got them interested in a new device. This 4257was to knock off being pirates, for a while, and be Indians for a 4258change. They were attracted by this idea; so it was not long before 4259they were stripped, and striped from head to heel with black mud, like 4260so many zebras--all of them chiefs, of course--and then they went 4261tearing through the woods to attack an English settlement. 4262 4263By and by they separated into three hostile tribes, and darted upon 4264each other from ambush with dreadful war-whoops, and killed and scalped 4265each other by thousands. It was a gory day. Consequently it was an 4266extremely satisfactory one. 4267 4268They assembled in camp toward supper-time, hungry and happy; but now a 4269difficulty arose--hostile Indians could not break the bread of 4270hospitality together without first making peace, and this was a simple 4271impossibility without smoking a pipe of peace. There was no other 4272process that ever they had heard of. Two of the savages almost wished 4273they had remained pirates. However, there was no other way; so with 4274such show of cheerfulness as they could muster they called for the pipe 4275and took their whiff as it passed, in due form. 4276 4277And behold, they were glad they had gone into savagery, for they had 4278gained something; they found that they could now smoke a little without 4279having to go and hunt for a lost knife; they did not get sick enough to 4280be seriously uncomfortable. They were not likely to fool away this high 4281promise for lack of effort. No, they practised cautiously, after 4282supper, with right fair success, and so they spent a jubilant evening. 4283They were prouder and happier in their new acquirement than they would 4284have been in the scalping and skinning of the Six Nations. We will 4285leave them to smoke and chatter and brag, since we have no further use 4286for them at present. 4287 4288 4289 4290CHAPTER XVII 4291 4292BUT there was no hilarity in the little town that same tranquil 4293Saturday afternoon. The Harpers, and Aunt Polly's family, were being 4294put into mourning, with great grief and many tears. An unusual quiet 4295possessed the village, although it was ordinarily quiet enough, in all 4296conscience. The villagers conducted their concerns with an absent air, 4297and talked little; but they sighed often. The Saturday holiday seemed a 4298burden to the children. They had no heart in their sports, and 4299gradually gave them up. 4300 4301In the afternoon Becky Thatcher found herself moping about the 4302deserted schoolhouse yard, and feeling very melancholy. But she found 4303nothing there to comfort her. She soliloquized: 4304 4305"Oh, if I only had a brass andiron-knob again! But I haven't got 4306anything now to remember him by." And she choked back a little sob. 4307 4308Presently she stopped, and said to herself: 4309 4310"It was right here. Oh, if it was to do over again, I wouldn't say 4311that--I wouldn't say it for the whole world. But he's gone now; I'll 4312never, never, never see him any more." 4313 4314This thought broke her down, and she wandered away, with tears rolling 4315down her cheeks. Then quite a group of boys and girls--playmates of 4316Tom's and Joe's--came by, and stood looking over the paling fence and 4317talking in reverent tones of how Tom did so-and-so the last time they 4318saw him, and how Joe said this and that small trifle (pregnant with 4319awful prophecy, as they could easily see now!)--and each speaker 4320pointed out the exact spot where the lost lads stood at the time, and 4321then added something like "and I was a-standing just so--just as I am 4322now, and as if you was him--I was as close as that--and he smiled, just 4323this way--and then something seemed to go all over me, like--awful, you 4324know--and I never thought what it meant, of course, but I can see now!" 4325 4326Then there was a dispute about who saw the dead boys last in life, and 4327many claimed that dismal distinction, and offered evidences, more or 4328less tampered with by the witness; and when it was ultimately decided 4329who DID see the departed last, and exchanged the last words with them, 4330the lucky parties took upon themselves a sort of sacred importance, and 4331were gaped at and envied by all the rest. One poor chap, who had no 4332other grandeur to offer, said with tolerably manifest pride in the 4333remembrance: 4334 4335"Well, Tom Sawyer he licked me once." 4336 4337But that bid for glory was a failure. Most of the boys could say that, 4338and so that cheapened the distinction too much. The group loitered 4339away, still recalling memories of the lost heroes, in awed voices. 4340 4341When the Sunday-school hour was finished, the next morning, the bell 4342began to toll, instead of ringing in the usual way. It was a very still 4343Sabbath, and the mournful sound seemed in keeping with the musing hush 4344that lay upon nature. The villagers began to gather, loitering a moment 4345in the vestibule to converse in whispers about the sad event. But there 4346was no whispering in the house; only the funereal rustling of dresses 4347as the women gathered to their seats disturbed the silence there. None 4348could remember when the little church had been so full before. There 4349was finally a waiting pause, an expectant dumbness, and then Aunt Polly 4350entered, followed by Sid and Mary, and they by the Harper family, all 4351in deep black, and the whole congregation, the old minister as well, 4352rose reverently and stood until the mourners were seated in the front 4353pew. There was another communing silence, broken at intervals by 4354muffled sobs, and then the minister spread his hands abroad and prayed. 4355A moving hymn was sung, and the text followed: "I am the Resurrection 4356and the Life." 4357 4358As the service proceeded, the clergyman drew such pictures of the 4359graces, the winning ways, and the rare promise of the lost lads that 4360every soul there, thinking he recognized these pictures, felt a pang in 4361remembering that he had persistently blinded himself to them always 4362before, and had as persistently seen only faults and flaws in the poor 4363boys. The minister related many a touching incident in the lives of the 4364departed, too, which illustrated their sweet, generous natures, and the 4365people could easily see, now, how noble and beautiful those episodes 4366were, and remembered with grief that at the time they occurred they had 4367seemed rank rascalities, well deserving of the cowhide. The 4368congregation became more and more moved, as the pathetic tale went on, 4369till at last the whole company broke down and joined the weeping 4370mourners in a chorus of anguished sobs, the preacher himself giving way 4371to his feelings, and crying in the pulpit. 4372 4373There was a rustle in the gallery, which nobody noticed; a moment 4374later the church door creaked; the minister raised his streaming eyes 4375above his handkerchief, and stood transfixed! First one and then 4376another pair of eyes followed the minister's, and then almost with one 4377impulse the congregation rose and stared while the three dead boys came 4378marching up the aisle, Tom in the lead, Joe next, and Huck, a ruin of 4379drooping rags, sneaking sheepishly in the rear! They had been hid in 4380the unused gallery listening to their own funeral sermon! 4381 4382Aunt Polly, Mary, and the Harpers threw themselves upon their restored 4383ones, smothered them with kisses and poured out thanksgivings, while 4384poor Huck stood abashed and uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what to 4385do or where to hide from so many unwelcoming eyes. He wavered, and 4386started to slink away, but Tom seized him and said: 4387 4388"Aunt Polly, it ain't fair. Somebody's got to be glad to see Huck." 4389 4390"And so they shall. I'm glad to see him, poor motherless thing!" And 4391the loving attentions Aunt Polly lavished upon him were the one thing 4392capable of making him more uncomfortable than he was before. 4393 4394Suddenly the minister shouted at the top of his voice: "Praise God 4395from whom all blessings flow--SING!--and put your hearts in it!" 4396 4397And they did. Old Hundred swelled up with a triumphant burst, and 4398while it shook the rafters Tom Sawyer the Pirate looked around upon the 4399envying juveniles about him and confessed in his heart that this was 4400the proudest moment of his life. 4401 4402As the "sold" congregation trooped out they said they would almost be 4403willing to be made ridiculous again to hear Old Hundred sung like that 4404once more. 4405 4406Tom got more cuffs and kisses that day--according to Aunt Polly's 4407varying moods--than he had earned before in a year; and he hardly knew 4408which expressed the most gratefulness to God and affection for himself. 4409 4410 4411 4412CHAPTER XVIII 4413 4414THAT was Tom's great secret--the scheme to return home with his 4415brother pirates and attend their own funerals. They had paddled over to 4416the Missouri shore on a log, at dusk on Saturday, landing five or six 4417miles below the village; they had slept in the woods at the edge of the 4418town till nearly daylight, and had then crept through back lanes and 4419alleys and finished their sleep in the gallery of the church among a 4420chaos of invalided benches. 4421 4422At breakfast, Monday morning, Aunt Polly and Mary were very loving to 4423Tom, and very attentive to his wants. There was an unusual amount of 4424talk. In the course of it Aunt Polly said: 4425 4426"Well, I don't say it wasn't a fine joke, Tom, to keep everybody 4427suffering 'most a week so you boys had a good time, but it is a pity 4428you could be so hard-hearted as to let me suffer so. If you could come 4429over on a log to go to your funeral, you could have come over and give 4430me a hint some way that you warn't dead, but only run off." 4431 4432"Yes, you could have done that, Tom," said Mary; "and I believe you 4433would if you had thought of it." 4434 4435"Would you, Tom?" said Aunt Polly, her face lighting wistfully. "Say, 4436now, would you, if you'd thought of it?" 4437 4438"I--well, I don't know. 'Twould 'a' spoiled everything." 4439 4440"Tom, I hoped you loved me that much," said Aunt Polly, with a grieved 4441tone that discomforted the boy. "It would have been something if you'd 4442cared enough to THINK of it, even if you didn't DO it." 4443 4444"Now, auntie, that ain't any harm," pleaded Mary; "it's only Tom's 4445giddy way--he is always in such a rush that he never thinks of 4446anything." 4447 4448"More's the pity. Sid would have thought. And Sid would have come and 4449DONE it, too. Tom, you'll look back, some day, when it's too late, and 4450wish you'd cared a little more for me when it would have cost you so 4451little." 4452 4453"Now, auntie, you know I do care for you," said Tom. 4454 4455"I'd know it better if you acted more like it." 4456 4457"I wish now I'd thought," said Tom, with a repentant tone; "but I 4458dreamt about you, anyway. That's something, ain't it?" 4459 4460"It ain't much--a cat does that much--but it's better than nothing. 4461What did you dream?" 4462 4463"Why, Wednesday night I dreamt that you was sitting over there by the 4464bed, and Sid was sitting by the woodbox, and Mary next to him." 4465 4466"Well, so we did. So we always do. I'm glad your dreams could take 4467even that much trouble about us." 4468 4469"And I dreamt that Joe Harper's mother was here." 4470 4471"Why, she was here! Did you dream any more?" 4472 4473"Oh, lots. But it's so dim, now." 4474 4475"Well, try to recollect--can't you?" 4476 4477"Somehow it seems to me that the wind--the wind blowed the--the--" 4478 4479"Try harder, Tom! The wind did blow something. Come!" 4480 4481Tom pressed his fingers on his forehead an anxious minute, and then 4482said: 4483 4484"I've got it now! I've got it now! It blowed the candle!" 4485 4486"Mercy on us! Go on, Tom--go on!" 4487 4488"And it seems to me that you said, 'Why, I believe that that door--'" 4489 4490"Go ON, Tom!" 4491 4492"Just let me study a moment--just a moment. Oh, yes--you said you 4493believed the door was open." 4494 4495"As I'm sitting here, I did! Didn't I, Mary! Go on!" 4496 4497"And then--and then--well I won't be certain, but it seems like as if 4498you made Sid go and--and--" 4499 4500"Well? Well? What did I make him do, Tom? What did I make him do?" 4501 4502"You made him--you--Oh, you made him shut it." 4503 4504"Well, for the land's sake! I never heard the beat of that in all my 4505days! Don't tell ME there ain't anything in dreams, any more. Sereny 4506Harper shall know of this before I'm an hour older. I'd like to see her 4507get around THIS with her rubbage 'bout superstition. Go on, Tom!" 4508 4509"Oh, it's all getting just as bright as day, now. Next you said I 4510warn't BAD, only mischeevous and harum-scarum, and not any more 4511responsible than--than--I think it was a colt, or something." 4512 4513"And so it was! Well, goodness gracious! Go on, Tom!" 4514 4515"And then you began to cry." 4516 4517"So I did. So I did. Not the first time, neither. And then--" 4518 4519"Then Mrs. Harper she began to cry, and said Joe was just the same, 4520and she wished she hadn't whipped him for taking cream when she'd 4521throwed it out her own self--" 4522 4523"Tom! The sperrit was upon you! You was a prophesying--that's what you 4524was doing! Land alive, go on, Tom!" 4525 4526"Then Sid he said--he said--" 4527 4528"I don't think I said anything," said Sid. 4529 4530"Yes you did, Sid," said Mary. 4531 4532"Shut your heads and let Tom go on! What did he say, Tom?" 4533 4534"He said--I THINK he said he hoped I was better off where I was gone 4535to, but if I'd been better sometimes--" 4536 4537"THERE, d'you hear that! It was his very words!" 4538 4539"And you shut him up sharp." 4540 4541"I lay I did! There must 'a' been an angel there. There WAS an angel 4542there, somewheres!" 4543 4544"And Mrs. Harper told about Joe scaring her with a firecracker, and 4545you told about Peter and the Painkiller--" 4546 4547"Just as true as I live!" 4548 4549"And then there was a whole lot of talk 'bout dragging the river for 4550us, and 'bout having the funeral Sunday, and then you and old Miss 4551Harper hugged and cried, and she went." 4552 4553"It happened just so! It happened just so, as sure as I'm a-sitting in 4554these very tracks. Tom, you couldn't told it more like if you'd 'a' 4555seen it! And then what? Go on, Tom!" 4556 4557"Then I thought you prayed for me--and I could see you and hear every 4558word you said. And you went to bed, and I was so sorry that I took and 4559wrote on a piece of sycamore bark, 'We ain't dead--we are only off 4560being pirates,' and put it on the table by the candle; and then you 4561looked so good, laying there asleep, that I thought I went and leaned 4562over and kissed you on the lips." 4563 4564"Did you, Tom, DID you! I just forgive you everything for that!" And 4565she seized the boy in a crushing embrace that made him feel like the 4566guiltiest of villains. 4567 4568"It was very kind, even though it was only a--dream," Sid soliloquized 4569just audibly. 4570 4571"Shut up, Sid! A body does just the same in a dream as he'd do if he 4572was awake. Here's a big Milum apple I've been saving for you, Tom, if 4573you was ever found again--now go 'long to school. I'm thankful to the 4574good God and Father of us all I've got you back, that's long-suffering 4575and merciful to them that believe on Him and keep His word, though 4576goodness knows I'm unworthy of it, but if only the worthy ones got His 4577blessings and had His hand to help them over the rough places, there's 4578few enough would smile here or ever enter into His rest when the long 4579night comes. Go 'long Sid, Mary, Tom--take yourselves off--you've 4580hendered me long enough." 4581 4582The children left for school, and the old lady to call on Mrs. Harper 4583and vanquish her realism with Tom's marvellous dream. Sid had better 4584judgment than to utter the thought that was in his mind as he left the 4585house. It was this: "Pretty thin--as long a dream as that, without any 4586mistakes in it!" 4587 4588What a hero Tom was become, now! He did not go skipping and prancing, 4589but moved with a dignified swagger as became a pirate who felt that the 4590public eye was on him. And indeed it was; he tried not to seem to see 4591the looks or hear the remarks as he passed along, but they were food 4592and drink to him. Smaller boys than himself flocked at his heels, as 4593proud to be seen with him, and tolerated by him, as if he had been the 4594drummer at the head of a procession or the elephant leading a menagerie 4595into town. Boys of his own size pretended not to know he had been away 4596at all; but they were consuming with envy, nevertheless. They would 4597have given anything to have that swarthy suntanned skin of his, and his 4598glittering notoriety; and Tom would not have parted with either for a 4599circus. 4600 4601At school the children made so much of him and of Joe, and delivered 4602such eloquent admiration from their eyes, that the two heroes were not 4603long in becoming insufferably "stuck-up." They began to tell their 4604adventures to hungry listeners--but they only began; it was not a thing 4605likely to have an end, with imaginations like theirs to furnish 4606material. And finally, when they got out their pipes and went serenely 4607puffing around, the very summit of glory was reached. 4608 4609Tom decided that he could be independent of Becky Thatcher now. Glory 4610was sufficient. He would live for glory. Now that he was distinguished, 4611maybe she would be wanting to "make up." Well, let her--she should see 4612that he could be as indifferent as some other people. Presently she 4613arrived. Tom pretended not to see her. He moved away and joined a group 4614of boys and girls and began to talk. Soon he observed that she was 4615tripping gayly back and forth with flushed face and dancing eyes, 4616pretending to be busy chasing schoolmates, and screaming with laughter 4617when she made a capture; but he noticed that she always made her 4618captures in his vicinity, and that she seemed to cast a conscious eye 4619in his direction at such times, too. It gratified all the vicious 4620vanity that was in him; and so, instead of winning him, it only "set 4621him up" the more and made him the more diligent to avoid betraying that 4622he knew she was about. Presently she gave over skylarking, and moved 4623irresolutely about, sighing once or twice and glancing furtively and 4624wistfully toward Tom. Then she observed that now Tom was talking more 4625particularly to Amy Lawrence than to any one else. She felt a sharp 4626pang and grew disturbed and uneasy at once. She tried to go away, but 4627her feet were treacherous, and carried her to the group instead. She 4628said to a girl almost at Tom's elbow--with sham vivacity: 4629 4630"Why, Mary Austin! you bad girl, why didn't you come to Sunday-school?" 4631 4632"I did come--didn't you see me?" 4633 4634"Why, no! Did you? Where did you sit?" 4635 4636"I was in Miss Peters' class, where I always go. I saw YOU." 4637 4638"Did you? Why, it's funny I didn't see you. I wanted to tell you about 4639the picnic." 4640 4641"Oh, that's jolly. Who's going to give it?" 4642 4643"My ma's going to let me have one." 4644 4645"Oh, goody; I hope she'll let ME come." 4646 4647"Well, she will. The picnic's for me. She'll let anybody come that I 4648want, and I want you." 4649 4650"That's ever so nice. When is it going to be?" 4651 4652"By and by. Maybe about vacation." 4653 4654"Oh, won't it be fun! You going to have all the girls and boys?" 4655 4656"Yes, every one that's friends to me--or wants to be"; and she glanced 4657ever so furtively at Tom, but he talked right along to Amy Lawrence 4658about the terrible storm on the island, and how the lightning tore the 4659great sycamore tree "all to flinders" while he was "standing within 4660three feet of it." 4661 4662"Oh, may I come?" said Grace Miller. 4663 4664"Yes." 4665 4666"And me?" said Sally Rogers. 4667 4668"Yes." 4669 4670"And me, too?" said Susy Harper. "And Joe?" 4671 4672"Yes." 4673 4674And so on, with clapping of joyful hands till all the group had begged 4675for invitations but Tom and Amy. Then Tom turned coolly away, still 4676talking, and took Amy with him. Becky's lips trembled and the tears 4677came to her eyes; she hid these signs with a forced gayety and went on 4678chattering, but the life had gone out of the picnic, now, and out of 4679everything else; she got away as soon as she could and hid herself and 4680had what her sex call "a good cry." Then she sat moody, with wounded 4681pride, till the bell rang. She roused up, now, with a vindictive cast 4682in her eye, and gave her plaited tails a shake and said she knew what 4683SHE'D do. 4684 4685At recess Tom continued his flirtation with Amy with jubilant 4686self-satisfaction. And he kept drifting about to find Becky and lacerate 4687her with the performance. At last he spied her, but there was a sudden 4688falling of his mercury. She was sitting cosily on a little bench behind 4689the schoolhouse looking at a picture-book with Alfred Temple--and so 4690absorbed were they, and their heads so close together over the book, 4691that they did not seem to be conscious of anything in the world besides. 4692Jealousy ran red-hot through Tom's veins. He began to hate himself for 4693throwing away the chance Becky had offered for a reconciliation. He 4694called himself a fool, and all the hard names he could think of. He 4695wanted to cry with vexation. Amy chatted happily along, as they walked, 4696for her heart was singing, but Tom's tongue had lost its function. He 4697did not hear what Amy was saying, and whenever she paused expectantly he 4698could only stammer an awkward assent, which was as often misplaced as 4699otherwise. He kept drifting to the rear of the schoolhouse, again and 4700again, to sear his eyeballs with the hateful spectacle there. He could 4701not help it. And it maddened him to see, as he thought he saw, that 4702Becky Thatcher never once suspected that he was even in the land of the 4703living. But she did see, nevertheless; and she knew she was winning her 4704fight, too, and was glad to see him suffer as she had suffered. 4705 4706Amy's happy prattle became intolerable. Tom hinted at things he had to 4707attend to; things that must be done; and time was fleeting. But in 4708vain--the girl chirped on. Tom thought, "Oh, hang her, ain't I ever 4709going to get rid of her?" At last he must be attending to those 4710things--and she said artlessly that she would be "around" when school 4711let out. And he hastened away, hating her for it. 4712 4713"Any other boy!" Tom thought, grating his teeth. "Any boy in the whole 4714town but that Saint Louis smarty that thinks he dresses so fine and is 4715aristocracy! Oh, all right, I licked you the first day you ever saw 4716this town, mister, and I'll lick you again! You just wait till I catch 4717you out! I'll just take and--" 4718 4719And he went through the motions of thrashing an imaginary boy 4720--pummelling the air, and kicking and gouging. "Oh, you do, do you? You 4721holler 'nough, do you? Now, then, let that learn you!" And so the 4722imaginary flogging was finished to his satisfaction. 4723 4724Tom fled home at noon. His conscience could not endure any more of 4725Amy's grateful happiness, and his jealousy could bear no more of the 4726other distress. Becky resumed her picture inspections with Alfred, but 4727as the minutes dragged along and no Tom came to suffer, her triumph 4728began to cloud and she lost interest; gravity and absent-mindedness 4729followed, and then melancholy; two or three times she pricked up her 4730ear at a footstep, but it was a false hope; no Tom came. At last she 4731grew entirely miserable and wished she hadn't carried it so far. When 4732poor Alfred, seeing that he was losing her, he did not know how, kept 4733exclaiming: "Oh, here's a jolly one! look at this!" she lost patience 4734at last, and said, "Oh, don't bother me! I don't care for them!" and 4735burst into tears, and got up and walked away. 4736 4737Alfred dropped alongside and was going to try to comfort her, but she 4738said: 4739 4740"Go away and leave me alone, can't you! I hate you!" 4741 4742So the boy halted, wondering what he could have done--for she had said 4743she would look at pictures all through the nooning--and she walked on, 4744crying. Then Alfred went musing into the deserted schoolhouse. He was 4745humiliated and angry. He easily guessed his way to the truth--the girl 4746had simply made a convenience of him to vent her spite upon Tom Sawyer. 4747He was far from hating Tom the less when this thought occurred to him. 4748He wished there was some way to get that boy into trouble without much 4749risk to himself. Tom's spelling-book fell under his eye. Here was his 4750opportunity. He gratefully opened to the lesson for the afternoon and 4751poured ink upon the page. 4752 4753Becky, glancing in at a window behind him at the moment, saw the act, 4754and moved on, without discovering herself. She started homeward, now, 4755intending to find Tom and tell him; Tom would be thankful and their 4756troubles would be healed. Before she was half way home, however, she 4757had changed her mind. The thought of Tom's treatment of her when she 4758was talking about her picnic came scorching back and filled her with 4759shame. She resolved to let him get whipped on the damaged 4760spelling-book's account, and to hate him forever, into the bargain. 4761 4762 4763 4764CHAPTER XIX 4765 4766TOM arrived at home in a dreary mood, and the first thing his aunt 4767said to him showed him that he had brought his sorrows to an 4768unpromising market: 4769 4770"Tom, I've a notion to skin you alive!" 4771 4772"Auntie, what have I done?" 4773 4774"Well, you've done enough. Here I go over to Sereny Harper, like an 4775old softy, expecting I'm going to make her believe all that rubbage 4776about that dream, when lo and behold you she'd found out from Joe that 4777you was over here and heard all the talk we had that night. Tom, I 4778don't know what is to become of a boy that will act like that. It makes 4779me feel so bad to think you could let me go to Sereny Harper and make 4780such a fool of myself and never say a word." 4781 4782This was a new aspect of the thing. His smartness of the morning had 4783seemed to Tom a good joke before, and very ingenious. It merely looked 4784mean and shabby now. He hung his head and could not think of anything 4785to say for a moment. Then he said: 4786 4787"Auntie, I wish I hadn't done it--but I didn't think." 4788 4789"Oh, child, you never think. You never think of anything but your own 4790selfishness. You could think to come all the way over here from 4791Jackson's Island in the night to laugh at our troubles, and you could 4792think to fool me with a lie about a dream; but you couldn't ever think 4793to pity us and save us from sorrow." 4794 4795"Auntie, I know now it was mean, but I didn't mean to be mean. I 4796didn't, honest. And besides, I didn't come over here to laugh at you 4797that night." 4798 4799"What did you come for, then?" 4800 4801"It was to tell you not to be uneasy about us, because we hadn't got 4802drownded." 4803 4804"Tom, Tom, I would be the thankfullest soul in this world if I could 4805believe you ever had as good a thought as that, but you know you never 4806did--and I know it, Tom." 4807 4808"Indeed and 'deed I did, auntie--I wish I may never stir if I didn't." 4809 4810"Oh, Tom, don't lie--don't do it. It only makes things a hundred times 4811worse." 4812 4813"It ain't a lie, auntie; it's the truth. I wanted to keep you from 4814grieving--that was all that made me come." 4815 4816"I'd give the whole world to believe that--it would cover up a power 4817of sins, Tom. I'd 'most be glad you'd run off and acted so bad. But it 4818ain't reasonable; because, why didn't you tell me, child?" 4819 4820"Why, you see, when you got to talking about the funeral, I just got 4821all full of the idea of our coming and hiding in the church, and I 4822couldn't somehow bear to spoil it. So I just put the bark back in my 4823pocket and kept mum." 4824 4825"What bark?" 4826 4827"The bark I had wrote on to tell you we'd gone pirating. I wish, now, 4828you'd waked up when I kissed you--I do, honest." 4829 4830The hard lines in his aunt's face relaxed and a sudden tenderness 4831dawned in her eyes. 4832 4833"DID you kiss me, Tom?" 4834 4835"Why, yes, I did." 4836 4837"Are you sure you did, Tom?" 4838 4839"Why, yes, I did, auntie--certain sure." 4840 4841"What did you kiss me for, Tom?" 4842 4843"Because I loved you so, and you laid there moaning and I was so sorry." 4844 4845The words sounded like truth. The old lady could not hide a tremor in 4846her voice when she said: 4847 4848"Kiss me again, Tom!--and be off with you to school, now, and don't 4849bother me any more." 4850 4851The moment he was gone, she ran to a closet and got out the ruin of a 4852jacket which Tom had gone pirating in. Then she stopped, with it in her 4853hand, and said to herself: 4854 4855"No, I don't dare. Poor boy, I reckon he's lied about it--but it's a 4856blessed, blessed lie, there's such a comfort come from it. I hope the 4857Lord--I KNOW the Lord will forgive him, because it was such 4858goodheartedness in him to tell it. But I don't want to find out it's a 4859lie. I won't look." 4860 4861She put the jacket away, and stood by musing a minute. Twice she put 4862out her hand to take the garment again, and twice she refrained. Once 4863more she ventured, and this time she fortified herself with the 4864thought: "It's a good lie--it's a good lie--I won't let it grieve me." 4865So she sought the jacket pocket. A moment later she was reading Tom's 4866piece of bark through flowing tears and saying: "I could forgive the 4867boy, now, if he'd committed a million sins!" 4868 4869 4870 4871CHAPTER XX 4872 4873THERE was something about Aunt Polly's manner, when she kissed Tom, 4874that swept away his low spirits and made him lighthearted and happy 4875again. He started to school and had the luck of coming upon Becky 4876Thatcher at the head of Meadow Lane. His mood always determined his 4877manner. Without a moment's hesitation he ran to her and said: 4878 4879"I acted mighty mean to-day, Becky, and I'm so sorry. I won't ever, 4880ever do that way again, as long as ever I live--please make up, won't 4881you?" 4882 4883The girl stopped and looked him scornfully in the face: 4884 4885"I'll thank you to keep yourself TO yourself, Mr. Thomas Sawyer. I'll 4886never speak to you again." 4887 4888She tossed her head and passed on. Tom was so stunned that he had not 4889even presence of mind enough to say "Who cares, Miss Smarty?" until the 4890right time to say it had gone by. So he said nothing. But he was in a 4891fine rage, nevertheless. He moped into the schoolyard wishing she were 4892a boy, and imagining how he would trounce her if she were. He presently 4893encountered her and delivered a stinging remark as he passed. She 4894hurled one in return, and the angry breach was complete. It seemed to 4895Becky, in her hot resentment, that she could hardly wait for school to 4896"take in," she was so impatient to see Tom flogged for the injured 4897spelling-book. If she had had any lingering notion of exposing Alfred 4898Temple, Tom's offensive fling had driven it entirely away. 4899 4900Poor girl, she did not know how fast she was nearing trouble herself. 4901The master, Mr. Dobbins, had reached middle age with an unsatisfied 4902ambition. The darling of his desires was, to be a doctor, but poverty 4903had decreed that he should be nothing higher than a village 4904schoolmaster. Every day he took a mysterious book out of his desk and 4905absorbed himself in it at times when no classes were reciting. He kept 4906that book under lock and key. There was not an urchin in school but was 4907perishing to have a glimpse of it, but the chance never came. Every boy 4908and girl had a theory about the nature of that book; but no two 4909theories were alike, and there was no way of getting at the facts in 4910the case. Now, as Becky was passing by the desk, which stood near the 4911door, she noticed that the key was in the lock! It was a precious 4912moment. She glanced around; found herself alone, and the next instant 4913she had the book in her hands. The title-page--Professor Somebody's 4914ANATOMY--carried no information to her mind; so she began to turn the 4915leaves. She came at once upon a handsomely engraved and colored 4916frontispiece--a human figure, stark naked. At that moment a shadow fell 4917on the page and Tom Sawyer stepped in at the door and caught a glimpse 4918of the picture. Becky snatched at the book to close it, and had the 4919hard luck to tear the pictured page half down the middle. She thrust 4920the volume into the desk, turned the key, and burst out crying with 4921shame and vexation. 4922 4923"Tom Sawyer, you are just as mean as you can be, to sneak up on a 4924person and look at what they're looking at." 4925 4926"How could I know you was looking at anything?" 4927 4928"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Tom Sawyer; you know you're 4929going to tell on me, and oh, what shall I do, what shall I do! I'll be 4930whipped, and I never was whipped in school." 4931 4932Then she stamped her little foot and said: 4933 4934"BE so mean if you want to! I know something that's going to happen. 4935You just wait and you'll see! Hateful, hateful, hateful!"--and she 4936flung out of the house with a new explosion of crying. 4937 4938Tom stood still, rather flustered by this onslaught. Presently he said 4939to himself: 4940 4941"What a curious kind of a fool a girl is! Never been licked in school! 4942Shucks! What's a licking! That's just like a girl--they're so 4943thin-skinned and chicken-hearted. Well, of course I ain't going to tell 4944old Dobbins on this little fool, because there's other ways of getting 4945even on her, that ain't so mean; but what of it? Old Dobbins will ask 4946who it was tore his book. Nobody'll answer. Then he'll do just the way 4947he always does--ask first one and then t'other, and when he comes to the 4948right girl he'll know it, without any telling. Girls' faces always tell 4949on them. They ain't got any backbone. She'll get licked. Well, it's a 4950kind of a tight place for Becky Thatcher, because there ain't any way 4951out of it." Tom conned the thing a moment longer, and then added: "All 4952right, though; she'd like to see me in just such a fix--let her sweat it 4953out!" 4954 4955Tom joined the mob of skylarking scholars outside. In a few moments 4956the master arrived and school "took in." Tom did not feel a strong 4957interest in his studies. Every time he stole a glance at the girls' 4958side of the room Becky's face troubled him. Considering all things, he 4959did not want to pity her, and yet it was all he could do to help it. He 4960could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. Presently 4961the spelling-book discovery was made, and Tom's mind was entirely full 4962of his own matters for a while after that. Becky roused up from her 4963lethargy of distress and showed good interest in the proceedings. She 4964did not expect that Tom could get out of his trouble by denying that he 4965spilt the ink on the book himself; and she was right. The denial only 4966seemed to make the thing worse for Tom. Becky supposed she would be 4967glad of that, and she tried to believe she was glad of it, but she 4968found she was not certain. When the worst came to the worst, she had an 4969impulse to get up and tell on Alfred Temple, but she made an effort and 4970forced herself to keep still--because, said she to herself, "he'll tell 4971about me tearing the picture sure. I wouldn't say a word, not to save 4972his life!" 4973 4974Tom took his whipping and went back to his seat not at all 4975broken-hearted, for he thought it was possible that he had unknowingly 4976upset the ink on the spelling-book himself, in some skylarking bout--he 4977had denied it for form's sake and because it was custom, and had stuck 4978to the denial from principle. 4979 4980A whole hour drifted by, the master sat nodding in his throne, the air 4981was drowsy with the hum of study. By and by, Mr. Dobbins straightened 4982himself up, yawned, then unlocked his desk, and reached for his book, 4983but seemed undecided whether to take it out or leave it. Most of the 4984pupils glanced up languidly, but there were two among them that watched 4985his movements with intent eyes. Mr. Dobbins fingered his book absently 4986for a while, then took it out and settled himself in his chair to read! 4987Tom shot a glance at Becky. He had seen a hunted and helpless rabbit 4988look as she did, with a gun levelled at its head. Instantly he forgot 4989his quarrel with her. Quick--something must be done! done in a flash, 4990too! But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention. 4991Good!--he had an inspiration! He would run and snatch the book, spring 4992through the door and fly. But his resolution shook for one little 4993instant, and the chance was lost--the master opened the volume. If Tom 4994only had the wasted opportunity back again! Too late. There was no help 4995for Becky now, he said. The next moment the master faced the school. 4996Every eye sank under his gaze. There was that in it which smote even 4997the innocent with fear. There was silence while one might count ten 4998--the master was gathering his wrath. Then he spoke: "Who tore this book?" 4999 5000There was not a sound. One could have heard a pin drop. The stillness 5001continued; the master searched face after face for signs of guilt. 5002 5003"Benjamin Rogers, did you tear this book?" 5004 5005A denial. Another pause. 5006 5007"Joseph Harper, did you?" 5008 5009Another denial. Tom's uneasiness grew more and more intense under the 5010slow torture of these proceedings. The master scanned the ranks of 5011boys--considered a while, then turned to the girls: 5012 5013"Amy Lawrence?" 5014 5015A shake of the head. 5016 5017"Gracie Miller?" 5018 5019The same sign. 5020 5021"Susan Harper, did you do this?" 5022 5023Another negative. The next girl was Becky Thatcher. Tom was trembling 5024from head to foot with excitement and a sense of the hopelessness of 5025the situation. 5026 5027"Rebecca Thatcher" [Tom glanced at her face--it was white with terror] 5028--"did you tear--no, look me in the face" [her hands rose in appeal] 5029--"did you tear this book?" 5030 5031A thought shot like lightning through Tom's brain. He sprang to his 5032feet and shouted--"I done it!" 5033 5034The school stared in perplexity at this incredible folly. Tom stood a 5035moment, to gather his dismembered faculties; and when he stepped 5036forward to go to his punishment the surprise, the gratitude, the 5037adoration that shone upon him out of poor Becky's eyes seemed pay 5038enough for a hundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of his own 5039act, he took without an outcry the most merciless flaying that even Mr. 5040Dobbins had ever administered; and also received with indifference the 5041added cruelty of a command to remain two hours after school should be 5042dismissed--for he knew who would wait for him outside till his 5043captivity was done, and not count the tedious time as loss, either. 5044 5045Tom went to bed that night planning vengeance against Alfred Temple; 5046for with shame and repentance Becky had told him all, not forgetting 5047her own treachery; but even the longing for vengeance had to give way, 5048soon, to pleasanter musings, and he fell asleep at last with Becky's 5049latest words lingering dreamily in his ear-- 5050 5051"Tom, how COULD you be so noble!" 5052 5053 5054 5055CHAPTER XXI 5056 5057VACATION was approaching. The schoolmaster, always severe, grew 5058severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a 5059good showing on "Examination" day. His rod and his ferule were seldom 5060idle now--at least among the smaller pupils. Only the biggest boys, and 5061young ladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing. Mr. Dobbins' 5062lashings were very vigorous ones, too; for although he carried, under 5063his wig, a perfectly bald and shiny head, he had only reached middle 5064age, and there was no sign of feebleness in his muscle. As the great 5065day approached, all the tyranny that was in him came to the surface; he 5066seemed to take a vindictive pleasure in punishing the least 5067shortcomings. The consequence was, that the smaller boys spent their 5068days in terror and suffering and their nights in plotting revenge. They 5069threw away no opportunity to do the master a mischief. But he kept 5070ahead all the time. The retribution that followed every vengeful 5071success was so sweeping and majestic that the boys always retired from 5072the field badly worsted. At last they conspired together and hit upon a 5073plan that promised a dazzling victory. They swore in the sign-painter's 5074boy, told him the scheme, and asked his help. He had his own reasons 5075for being delighted, for the master boarded in his father's family and 5076had given the boy ample cause to hate him. The master's wife would go 5077on a visit to the country in a few days, and there would be nothing to 5078interfere with the plan; the master always prepared himself for great 5079occasions by getting pretty well fuddled, and the sign-painter's boy 5080said that when the dominie had reached the proper condition on 5081Examination Evening he would "manage the thing" while he napped in his 5082chair; then he would have him awakened at the right time and hurried 5083away to school. 5084 5085In the fulness of time the interesting occasion arrived. At eight in 5086the evening the schoolhouse was brilliantly lighted, and adorned with 5087wreaths and festoons of foliage and flowers. The master sat throned in 5088his great chair upon a raised platform, with his blackboard behind him. 5089He was looking tolerably mellow. Three rows of benches on each side and 5090six rows in front of him were occupied by the dignitaries of the town 5091and by the parents of the pupils. To his left, back of the rows of 5092citizens, was a spacious temporary platform upon which were seated the 5093scholars who were to take part in the exercises of the evening; rows of 5094small boys, washed and dressed to an intolerable state of discomfort; 5095rows of gawky big boys; snowbanks of girls and young ladies clad in 5096lawn and muslin and conspicuously conscious of their bare arms, their 5097grandmothers' ancient trinkets, their bits of pink and blue ribbon and 5098the flowers in their hair. All the rest of the house was filled with 5099non-participating scholars. 5100 5101The exercises began. A very little boy stood up and sheepishly 5102recited, "You'd scarce expect one of my age to speak in public on the 5103stage," etc.--accompanying himself with the painfully exact and 5104spasmodic gestures which a machine might have used--supposing the 5105machine to be a trifle out of order. But he got through safely, though 5106cruelly scared, and got a fine round of applause when he made his 5107manufactured bow and retired. 5108 5109A little shamefaced girl lisped, "Mary had a little lamb," etc., 5110performed a compassion-inspiring curtsy, got her meed of applause, and 5111sat down flushed and happy. 5112 5113Tom Sawyer stepped forward with conceited confidence and soared into 5114the unquenchable and indestructible "Give me liberty or give me death" 5115speech, with fine fury and frantic gesticulation, and broke down in the 5116middle of it. A ghastly stage-fright seized him, his legs quaked under 5117him and he was like to choke. True, he had the manifest sympathy of the 5118house but he had the house's silence, too, which was even worse than 5119its sympathy. The master frowned, and this completed the disaster. Tom 5120struggled awhile and then retired, utterly defeated. There was a weak 5121attempt at applause, but it died early. 5122 5123"The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck" followed; also "The Assyrian Came 5124Down," and other declamatory gems. Then there were reading exercises, 5125and a spelling fight. The meagre Latin class recited with honor. The 5126prime feature of the evening was in order, now--original "compositions" 5127by the young ladies. Each in her turn stepped forward to the edge of 5128the platform, cleared her throat, held up her manuscript (tied with 5129dainty ribbon), and proceeded to read, with labored attention to 5130"expression" and punctuation. The themes were the same that had been 5131illuminated upon similar occasions by their mothers before them, their 5132grandmothers, and doubtless all their ancestors in the female line 5133clear back to the Crusades. "Friendship" was one; "Memories of Other 5134Days"; "Religion in History"; "Dream Land"; "The Advantages of 5135Culture"; "Forms of Political Government Compared and Contrasted"; 5136"Melancholy"; "Filial Love"; "Heart Longings," etc., etc. 5137 5138A prevalent feature in these compositions was a nursed and petted 5139melancholy; another was a wasteful and opulent gush of "fine language"; 5140another was a tendency to lug in by the ears particularly prized words 5141and phrases until they were worn entirely out; and a peculiarity that 5142conspicuously marked and marred them was the inveterate and intolerable 5143sermon that wagged its crippled tail at the end of each and every one 5144of them. No matter what the subject might be, a brain-racking effort 5145was made to squirm it into some aspect or other that the moral and 5146religious mind could contemplate with edification. The glaring 5147insincerity of these sermons was not sufficient to compass the 5148banishment of the fashion from the schools, and it is not sufficient 5149to-day; it never will be sufficient while the world stands, perhaps. 5150There is no school in all our land where the young ladies do not feel 5151obliged to close their compositions with a sermon; and you will find 5152that the sermon of the most frivolous and the least religious girl in 5153the school is always the longest and the most relentlessly pious. But 5154enough of this. Homely truth is unpalatable. 5155 5156Let us return to the "Examination." The first composition that was 5157read was one entitled "Is this, then, Life?" Perhaps the reader can 5158endure an extract from it: 5159 5160 "In the common walks of life, with what delightful 5161 emotions does the youthful mind look forward to some 5162 anticipated scene of festivity! Imagination is busy 5163 sketching rose-tinted pictures of joy. In fancy, the 5164 voluptuous votary of fashion sees herself amid the 5165 festive throng, 'the observed of all observers.' Her 5166 graceful form, arrayed in snowy robes, is whirling 5167 through the mazes of the joyous dance; her eye is 5168 brightest, her step is lightest in the gay assembly. 5169 5170 "In such delicious fancies time quickly glides by, 5171 and the welcome hour arrives for her entrance into 5172 the Elysian world, of which she has had such bright 5173 dreams. How fairy-like does everything appear to 5174 her enchanted vision! Each new scene is more charming 5175 than the last. But after a while she finds that 5176 beneath this goodly exterior, all is vanity, the 5177 flattery which once charmed her soul, now grates 5178 harshly upon her ear; the ball-room has lost its 5179 charms; and with wasted health and imbittered heart, 5180 she turns away with the conviction that earthly 5181 pleasures cannot satisfy the longings of the soul!" 5182 5183And so forth and so on. There was a buzz of gratification from time to 5184time during the reading, accompanied by whispered ejaculations of "How 5185sweet!" "How eloquent!" "So true!" etc., and after the thing had closed 5186with a peculiarly afflicting sermon the applause was enthusiastic. 5187 5188Then arose a slim, melancholy girl, whose face had the "interesting" 5189paleness that comes of pills and indigestion, and read a "poem." Two 5190stanzas of it will do: 5191 5192 "A MISSOURI MAIDEN'S FAREWELL TO ALABAMA 5193 5194 "Alabama, good-bye! I love thee well! 5195 But yet for a while do I leave thee now! 5196 Sad, yes, sad thoughts of thee my heart doth swell, 5197 And burning recollections throng my brow! 5198 For I have wandered through thy flowery woods; 5199 Have roamed and read near Tallapoosa's stream; 5200 Have listened to Tallassee's warring floods, 5201 And wooed on Coosa's side Aurora's beam. 5202 5203 "Yet shame I not to bear an o'er-full heart, 5204 Nor blush to turn behind my tearful eyes; 5205 'Tis from no stranger land I now must part, 5206 'Tis to no strangers left I yield these sighs. 5207 Welcome and home were mine within this State, 5208 Whose vales I leave--whose spires fade fast from me 5209 And cold must be mine eyes, and heart, and tete, 5210 When, dear Alabama! they turn cold on thee!" 5211 5212There were very few there who knew what "tete" meant, but the poem was 5213very satisfactory, nevertheless. 5214 5215Next appeared a dark-complexioned, black-eyed, black-haired young 5216lady, who paused an impressive moment, assumed a tragic expression, and 5217began to read in a measured, solemn tone: 5218 5219 "A VISION 5220 5221 "Dark and tempestuous was night. Around the 5222 throne on high not a single star quivered; but 5223 the deep intonations of the heavy thunder 5224 constantly vibrated upon the ear; whilst the 5225 terrific lightning revelled in angry mood 5226 through the cloudy chambers of heaven, seeming 5227 to scorn the power exerted over its terror by 5228 the illustrious Franklin! Even the boisterous 5229 winds unanimously came forth from their mystic 5230 homes, and blustered about as if to enhance by 5231 their aid the wildness of the scene. 5232 5233 "At such a time, so dark, so dreary, for human 5234 sympathy my very spirit sighed; but instead thereof, 5235 5236 "'My dearest friend, my counsellor, my comforter 5237 and guide--My joy in grief, my second bliss 5238 in joy,' came to my side. She moved like one of 5239 those bright beings pictured in the sunny walks 5240 of fancy's Eden by the romantic and young, a 5241 queen of beauty unadorned save by her own 5242 transcendent loveliness. So soft was her step, it 5243 failed to make even a sound, and but for the 5244 magical thrill imparted by her genial touch, as 5245 other unobtrusive beauties, she would have glided 5246 away un-perceived--unsought. A strange sadness 5247 rested upon her features, like icy tears upon 5248 the robe of December, as she pointed to the 5249 contending elements without, and bade me contemplate 5250 the two beings presented." 5251 5252This nightmare occupied some ten pages of manuscript and wound up with 5253a sermon so destructive of all hope to non-Presbyterians that it took 5254the first prize. This composition was considered to be the very finest 5255effort of the evening. The mayor of the village, in delivering the 5256prize to the author of it, made a warm speech in which he said that it 5257was by far the most "eloquent" thing he had ever listened to, and that 5258Daniel Webster himself might well be proud of it. 5259 5260It may be remarked, in passing, that the number of compositions in 5261which the word "beauteous" was over-fondled, and human experience 5262referred to as "life's page," was up to the usual average. 5263 5264Now the master, mellow almost to the verge of geniality, put his chair 5265aside, turned his back to the audience, and began to draw a map of 5266America on the blackboard, to exercise the geography class upon. But he 5267made a sad business of it with his unsteady hand, and a smothered 5268titter rippled over the house. He knew what the matter was, and set 5269himself to right it. He sponged out lines and remade them; but he only 5270distorted them more than ever, and the tittering was more pronounced. 5271He threw his entire attention upon his work, now, as if determined not 5272to be put down by the mirth. He felt that all eyes were fastened upon 5273him; he imagined he was succeeding, and yet the tittering continued; it 5274even manifestly increased. And well it might. There was a garret above, 5275pierced with a scuttle over his head; and down through this scuttle 5276came a cat, suspended around the haunches by a string; she had a rag 5277tied about her head and jaws to keep her from mewing; as she slowly 5278descended she curved upward and clawed at the string, she swung 5279downward and clawed at the intangible air. The tittering rose higher 5280and higher--the cat was within six inches of the absorbed teacher's 5281head--down, down, a little lower, and she grabbed his wig with her 5282desperate claws, clung to it, and was snatched up into the garret in an 5283instant with her trophy still in her possession! And how the light did 5284blaze abroad from the master's bald pate--for the sign-painter's boy 5285had GILDED it! 5286 5287That broke up the meeting. The boys were avenged. Vacation had come. 5288 5289 NOTE:--The pretended "compositions" quoted in 5290 this chapter are taken without alteration from a 5291 volume entitled "Prose and Poetry, by a Western 5292 Lady"--but they are exactly and precisely after 5293 the schoolgirl pattern, and hence are much 5294 happier than any mere imitations could be. 5295 5296 5297 5298CHAPTER XXII 5299 5300TOM joined the new order of Cadets of Temperance, being attracted by 5301the showy character of their "regalia." He promised to abstain from 5302smoking, chewing, and profanity as long as he remained a member. Now he 5303found out a new thing--namely, that to promise not to do a thing is the 5304surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very 5305thing. Tom soon found himself tormented with a desire to drink and 5306swear; the desire grew to be so intense that nothing but the hope of a 5307chance to display himself in his red sash kept him from withdrawing 5308from the order. Fourth of July was coming; but he soon gave that up 5309--gave it up before he had worn his shackles over forty-eight hours--and 5310fixed his hopes upon old Judge Frazer, justice of the peace, who was 5311apparently on his deathbed and would have a big public funeral, since 5312he was so high an official. During three days Tom was deeply concerned 5313about the Judge's condition and hungry for news of it. Sometimes his 5314hopes ran high--so high that he would venture to get out his regalia 5315and practise before the looking-glass. But the Judge had a most 5316discouraging way of fluctuating. At last he was pronounced upon the 5317mend--and then convalescent. Tom was disgusted; and felt a sense of 5318injury, too. He handed in his resignation at once--and that night the 5319Judge suffered a relapse and died. Tom resolved that he would never 5320trust a man like that again. 5321 5322The funeral was a fine thing. The Cadets paraded in a style calculated 5323to kill the late member with envy. Tom was a free boy again, however 5324--there was something in that. He could drink and swear, now--but found 5325to his surprise that he did not want to. The simple fact that he could, 5326took the desire away, and the charm of it. 5327 5328Tom presently wondered to find that his coveted vacation was beginning 5329to hang a little heavily on his hands. 5330 5331He attempted a diary--but nothing happened during three days, and so 5332he abandoned it. 5333 5334The first of all the negro minstrel shows came to town, and made a 5335sensation. Tom and Joe Harper got up a band of performers and were 5336happy for two days. 5337 5338Even the Glorious Fourth was in some sense a failure, for it rained 5339hard, there was no procession in consequence, and the greatest man in 5340the world (as Tom supposed), Mr. Benton, an actual United States 5341Senator, proved an overwhelming disappointment--for he was not 5342twenty-five feet high, nor even anywhere in the neighborhood of it. 5343 5344A circus came. The boys played circus for three days afterward in 5345tents made of rag carpeting--admission, three pins for boys, two for 5346girls--and then circusing was abandoned. 5347 5348A phrenologist and a mesmerizer came--and went again and left the 5349village duller and drearier than ever. 5350 5351There were some boys-and-girls' parties, but they were so few and so 5352delightful that they only made the aching voids between ache the harder. 5353 5354Becky Thatcher was gone to her Constantinople home to stay with her 5355parents during vacation--so there was no bright side to life anywhere. 5356 5357The dreadful secret of the murder was a chronic misery. It was a very 5358cancer for permanency and pain. 5359 5360Then came the measles. 5361 5362During two long weeks Tom lay a prisoner, dead to the world and its 5363happenings. He was very ill, he was interested in nothing. When he got 5364upon his feet at last and moved feebly down-town, a melancholy change 5365had come over everything and every creature. There had been a 5366"revival," and everybody had "got religion," not only the adults, but 5367even the boys and girls. Tom went about, hoping against hope for the 5368sight of one blessed sinful face, but disappointment crossed him 5369everywhere. He found Joe Harper studying a Testament, and turned sadly 5370away from the depressing spectacle. He sought Ben Rogers, and found him 5371visiting the poor with a basket of tracts. He hunted up Jim Hollis, who 5372called his attention to the precious blessing of his late measles as a 5373warning. Every boy he encountered added another ton to his depression; 5374and when, in desperation, he flew for refuge at last to the bosom of 5375Huckleberry Finn and was received with a Scriptural quotation, his 5376heart broke and he crept home and to bed realizing that he alone of all 5377the town was lost, forever and forever. 5378 5379And that night there came on a terrific storm, with driving rain, 5380awful claps of thunder and blinding sheets of lightning. He covered his 5381head with the bedclothes and waited in a horror of suspense for his 5382doom; for he had not the shadow of a doubt that all this hubbub was 5383about him. He believed he had taxed the forbearance of the powers above 5384to the extremity of endurance and that this was the result. It might 5385have seemed to him a waste of pomp and ammunition to kill a bug with a 5386battery of artillery, but there seemed nothing incongruous about the 5387getting up such an expensive thunderstorm as this to knock the turf 5388from under an insect like himself. 5389 5390By and by the tempest spent itself and died without accomplishing its 5391object. The boy's first impulse was to be grateful, and reform. His 5392second was to wait--for there might not be any more storms. 5393 5394The next day the doctors were back; Tom had relapsed. The three weeks 5395he spent on his back this time seemed an entire age. When he got abroad 5396at last he was hardly grateful that he had been spared, remembering how 5397lonely was his estate, how companionless and forlorn he was. He drifted 5398listlessly down the street and found Jim Hollis acting as judge in a 5399juvenile court that was trying a cat for murder, in the presence of her 5400victim, a bird. He found Joe Harper and Huck Finn up an alley eating a 5401stolen melon. Poor lads! they--like Tom--had suffered a relapse. 5402 5403 5404 5405CHAPTER XXIII 5406 5407AT last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred--and vigorously: the murder 5408trial came on in the court. It became the absorbing topic of village 5409talk immediately. Tom could not get away from it. Every reference to 5410the murder sent a shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and 5411fears almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in his 5412hearing as "feelers"; he did not see how he could be suspected of 5413knowing anything about the murder, but still he could not be 5414comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept him in a cold shiver 5415all the time. He took Huck to a lonely place to have a talk with him. 5416It would be some relief to unseal his tongue for a little while; to 5417divide his burden of distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he 5418wanted to assure himself that Huck had remained discreet. 5419 5420"Huck, have you ever told anybody about--that?" 5421 5422"'Bout what?" 5423 5424"You know what." 5425 5426"Oh--'course I haven't." 5427 5428"Never a word?" 5429 5430"Never a solitary word, so help me. What makes you ask?" 5431 5432"Well, I was afeard." 5433 5434"Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days if that got found out. 5435YOU know that." 5436 5437Tom felt more comfortable. After a pause: 5438 5439"Huck, they couldn't anybody get you to tell, could they?" 5440 5441"Get me to tell? Why, if I wanted that half-breed devil to drownd me 5442they could get me to tell. They ain't no different way." 5443 5444"Well, that's all right, then. I reckon we're safe as long as we keep 5445mum. But let's swear again, anyway. It's more surer." 5446 5447"I'm agreed." 5448 5449So they swore again with dread solemnities. 5450 5451"What is the talk around, Huck? I've heard a power of it." 5452 5453"Talk? Well, it's just Muff Potter, Muff Potter, Muff Potter all the 5454time. It keeps me in a sweat, constant, so's I want to hide som'ers." 5455 5456"That's just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he's a goner. 5457Don't you feel sorry for him, sometimes?" 5458 5459"Most always--most always. He ain't no account; but then he hain't 5460ever done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little, to get money 5461to get drunk on--and loafs around considerable; but lord, we all do 5462that--leastways most of us--preachers and such like. But he's kind of 5463good--he give me half a fish, once, when there warn't enough for two; 5464and lots of times he's kind of stood by me when I was out of luck." 5465 5466"Well, he's mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my 5467line. I wish we could get him out of there." 5468 5469"My! we couldn't get him out, Tom. And besides, 'twouldn't do any 5470good; they'd ketch him again." 5471 5472"Yes--so they would. But I hate to hear 'em abuse him so like the 5473dickens when he never done--that." 5474 5475"I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear 'em say he's the bloodiest looking 5476villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn't ever hung before." 5477 5478"Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I've heard 'em say that if he 5479was to get free they'd lynch him." 5480 5481"And they'd do it, too." 5482 5483The boys had a long talk, but it brought them little comfort. As the 5484twilight drew on, they found themselves hanging about the neighborhood 5485of the little isolated jail, perhaps with an undefined hope that 5486something would happen that might clear away their difficulties. But 5487nothing happened; there seemed to be no angels or fairies interested in 5488this luckless captive. 5489 5490The boys did as they had often done before--went to the cell grating 5491and gave Potter some tobacco and matches. He was on the ground floor 5492and there were no guards. 5493 5494His gratitude for their gifts had always smote their consciences 5495before--it cut deeper than ever, this time. They felt cowardly and 5496treacherous to the last degree when Potter said: 5497 5498"You've been mighty good to me, boys--better'n anybody else in this 5499town. And I don't forget it, I don't. Often I says to myself, says I, 5500'I used to mend all the boys' kites and things, and show 'em where the 5501good fishin' places was, and befriend 'em what I could, and now they've 5502all forgot old Muff when he's in trouble; but Tom don't, and Huck 5503don't--THEY don't forget him, says I, 'and I don't forget them.' Well, 5504boys, I done an awful thing--drunk and crazy at the time--that's the 5505only way I account for it--and now I got to swing for it, and it's 5506right. Right, and BEST, too, I reckon--hope so, anyway. Well, we won't 5507talk about that. I don't want to make YOU feel bad; you've befriended 5508me. But what I want to say, is, don't YOU ever get drunk--then you won't 5509ever get here. Stand a litter furder west--so--that's it; it's a prime 5510comfort to see faces that's friendly when a body's in such a muck of 5511trouble, and there don't none come here but yourn. Good friendly 5512faces--good friendly faces. Git up on one another's backs and let me 5513touch 'em. That's it. Shake hands--yourn'll come through the bars, but 5514mine's too big. Little hands, and weak--but they've helped Muff Potter 5515a power, and they'd help him more if they could." 5516 5517Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of 5518horrors. The next day and the day after, he hung about the court-room, 5519drawn by an almost irresistible impulse to go in, but forcing himself 5520to stay out. Huck was having the same experience. They studiously 5521avoided each other. Each wandered away, from time to time, but the same 5522dismal fascination always brought them back presently. Tom kept his 5523ears open when idlers sauntered out of the court-room, but invariably 5524heard distressing news--the toils were closing more and more 5525relentlessly around poor Potter. At the end of the second day the 5526village talk was to the effect that Injun Joe's evidence stood firm and 5527unshaken, and that there was not the slightest question as to what the 5528jury's verdict would be. 5529 5530Tom was out late, that night, and came to bed through the window. He 5531was in a tremendous state of excitement. It was hours before he got to 5532sleep. All the village flocked to the court-house the next morning, for 5533this was to be the great day. Both sexes were about equally represented 5534in the packed audience. After a long wait the jury filed in and took 5535their places; shortly afterward, Potter, pale and haggard, timid and 5536hopeless, was brought in, with chains upon him, and seated where all 5537the curious eyes could stare at him; no less conspicuous was Injun Joe, 5538stolid as ever. There was another pause, and then the judge arrived and 5539the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court. The usual whisperings 5540among the lawyers and gathering together of papers followed. These 5541details and accompanying delays worked up an atmosphere of preparation 5542that was as impressive as it was fascinating. 5543 5544Now a witness was called who testified that he found Muff Potter 5545washing in the brook, at an early hour of the morning that the murder 5546was discovered, and that he immediately sneaked away. After some 5547further questioning, counsel for the prosecution said: 5548 5549"Take the witness." 5550 5551The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but dropped them again when 5552his own counsel said: 5553 5554"I have no questions to ask him." 5555 5556The next witness proved the finding of the knife near the corpse. 5557Counsel for the prosecution said: 5558 5559"Take the witness." 5560 5561"I have no questions to ask him," Potter's lawyer replied. 5562 5563A third witness swore he had often seen the knife in Potter's 5564possession. 5565 5566"Take the witness." 5567 5568Counsel for Potter declined to question him. The faces of the audience 5569began to betray annoyance. Did this attorney mean to throw away his 5570client's life without an effort? 5571 5572Several witnesses deposed concerning Potter's guilty behavior when 5573brought to the scene of the murder. They were allowed to leave the 5574stand without being cross-questioned. 5575 5576Every detail of the damaging circumstances that occurred in the 5577graveyard upon that morning which all present remembered so well was 5578brought out by credible witnesses, but none of them were cross-examined 5579by Potter's lawyer. The perplexity and dissatisfaction of the house 5580expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench. 5581Counsel for the prosecution now said: 5582 5583"By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we 5584have fastened this awful crime, beyond all possibility of question, 5585upon the unhappy prisoner at the bar. We rest our case here." 5586 5587A groan escaped from poor Potter, and he put his face in his hands and 5588rocked his body softly to and fro, while a painful silence reigned in 5589the court-room. Many men were moved, and many women's compassion 5590testified itself in tears. Counsel for the defence rose and said: 5591 5592"Your honor, in our remarks at the opening of this trial, we 5593foreshadowed our purpose to prove that our client did this fearful deed 5594while under the influence of a blind and irresponsible delirium 5595produced by drink. We have changed our mind. We shall not offer that 5596plea." [Then to the clerk:] "Call Thomas Sawyer!" 5597 5598A puzzled amazement awoke in every face in the house, not even 5599excepting Potter's. Every eye fastened itself with wondering interest 5600upon Tom as he rose and took his place upon the stand. The boy looked 5601wild enough, for he was badly scared. The oath was administered. 5602 5603"Thomas Sawyer, where were you on the seventeenth of June, about the 5604hour of midnight?" 5605 5606Tom glanced at Injun Joe's iron face and his tongue failed him. The 5607audience listened breathless, but the words refused to come. After a 5608few moments, however, the boy got a little of his strength back, and 5609managed to put enough of it into his voice to make part of the house 5610hear: 5611 5612"In the graveyard!" 5613 5614"A little bit louder, please. Don't be afraid. You were--" 5615 5616"In the graveyard." 5617 5618A contemptuous smile flitted across Injun Joe's face. 5619 5620"Were you anywhere near Horse Williams' grave?" 5621 5622"Yes, sir." 5623 5624"Speak up--just a trifle louder. How near were you?" 5625 5626"Near as I am to you." 5627 5628"Were you hidden, or not?" 5629 5630"I was hid." 5631 5632"Where?" 5633 5634"Behind the elms that's on the edge of the grave." 5635 5636Injun Joe gave a barely perceptible start. 5637 5638"Any one with you?" 5639 5640"Yes, sir. I went there with--" 5641 5642"Wait--wait a moment. Never mind mentioning your companion's name. We 5643will produce him at the proper time. Did you carry anything there with 5644you." 5645 5646Tom hesitated and looked confused. 5647 5648"Speak out, my boy--don't be diffident. The truth is always 5649respectable. What did you take there?" 5650 5651"Only a--a--dead cat." 5652 5653There was a ripple of mirth, which the court checked. 5654 5655"We will produce the skeleton of that cat. Now, my boy, tell us 5656everything that occurred--tell it in your own way--don't skip anything, 5657and don't be afraid." 5658 5659Tom began--hesitatingly at first, but as he warmed to his subject his 5660words flowed more and more easily; in a little while every sound ceased 5661but his own voice; every eye fixed itself upon him; with parted lips 5662and bated breath the audience hung upon his words, taking no note of 5663time, rapt in the ghastly fascinations of the tale. The strain upon 5664pent emotion reached its climax when the boy said: 5665 5666"--and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, 5667Injun Joe jumped with the knife and--" 5668 5669Crash! Quick as lightning the half-breed sprang for a window, tore his 5670way through all opposers, and was gone! 5671 5672 5673 5674CHAPTER XXIV 5675 5676TOM was a glittering hero once more--the pet of the old, the envy of 5677the young. His name even went into immortal print, for the village 5678paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be 5679President, yet, if he escaped hanging. 5680 5681As usual, the fickle, unreasoning world took Muff Potter to its bosom 5682and fondled him as lavishly as it had abused him before. But that sort 5683of conduct is to the world's credit; therefore it is not well to find 5684fault with it. 5685 5686Tom's days were days of splendor and exultation to him, but his nights 5687were seasons of horror. Injun Joe infested all his dreams, and always 5688with doom in his eye. Hardly any temptation could persuade the boy to 5689stir abroad after nightfall. Poor Huck was in the same state of 5690wretchedness and terror, for Tom had told the whole story to the lawyer 5691the night before the great day of the trial, and Huck was sore afraid 5692that his share in the business might leak out, yet, notwithstanding 5693Injun Joe's flight had saved him the suffering of testifying in court. 5694The poor fellow had got the attorney to promise secrecy, but what of 5695that? Since Tom's harassed conscience had managed to drive him to the 5696lawyer's house by night and wring a dread tale from lips that had been 5697sealed with the dismalest and most formidable of oaths, Huck's 5698confidence in the human race was well-nigh obliterated. 5699 5700Daily Muff Potter's gratitude made Tom glad he had spoken; but nightly 5701he wished he had sealed up his tongue. 5702 5703Half the time Tom was afraid Injun Joe would never be captured; the 5704other half he was afraid he would be. He felt sure he never could draw 5705a safe breath again until that man was dead and he had seen the corpse. 5706 5707Rewards had been offered, the country had been scoured, but no Injun 5708Joe was found. One of those omniscient and awe-inspiring marvels, a 5709detective, came up from St. Louis, moused around, shook his head, 5710looked wise, and made that sort of astounding success which members of 5711that craft usually achieve. That is to say, he "found a clew." But you 5712can't hang a "clew" for murder, and so after that detective had got 5713through and gone home, Tom felt just as insecure as he was before. 5714 5715The slow days drifted on, and each left behind it a slightly lightened 5716weight of apprehension. 5717 5718 5719 5720CHAPTER XXV 5721 5722THERE comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has 5723a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. This 5724desire suddenly came upon Tom one day. He sallied out to find Joe 5725Harper, but failed of success. Next he sought Ben Rogers; he had gone 5726fishing. Presently he stumbled upon Huck Finn the Red-Handed. Huck 5727would answer. Tom took him to a private place and opened the matter to 5728him confidentially. Huck was willing. Huck was always willing to take a 5729hand in any enterprise that offered entertainment and required no 5730capital, for he had a troublesome superabundance of that sort of time 5731which is not money. "Where'll we dig?" said Huck. 5732 5733"Oh, most anywhere." 5734 5735"Why, is it hid all around?" 5736 5737"No, indeed it ain't. It's hid in mighty particular places, Huck 5738--sometimes on islands, sometimes in rotten chests under the end of a 5739limb of an old dead tree, just where the shadow falls at midnight; but 5740mostly under the floor in ha'nted houses." 5741 5742"Who hides it?" 5743 5744"Why, robbers, of course--who'd you reckon? Sunday-school 5745sup'rintendents?" 5746 5747"I don't know. If 'twas mine I wouldn't hide it; I'd spend it and have 5748a good time." 5749 5750"So would I. But robbers don't do that way. They always hide it and 5751leave it there." 5752 5753"Don't they come after it any more?" 5754 5755"No, they think they will, but they generally forget the marks, or 5756else they die. Anyway, it lays there a long time and gets rusty; and by 5757and by somebody finds an old yellow paper that tells how to find the 5758marks--a paper that's got to be ciphered over about a week because it's 5759mostly signs and hy'roglyphics." 5760 5761"Hyro--which?" 5762 5763"Hy'roglyphics--pictures and things, you know, that don't seem to mean 5764anything." 5765 5766"Have you got one of them papers, Tom?" 5767 5768"No." 5769 5770"Well then, how you going to find the marks?" 5771 5772"I don't want any marks. They always bury it under a ha'nted house or 5773on an island, or under a dead tree that's got one limb sticking out. 5774Well, we've tried Jackson's Island a little, and we can try it again 5775some time; and there's the old ha'nted house up the Still-House branch, 5776and there's lots of dead-limb trees--dead loads of 'em." 5777 5778"Is it under all of them?" 5779 5780"How you talk! No!" 5781 5782"Then how you going to know which one to go for?" 5783 5784"Go for all of 'em!" 5785 5786"Why, Tom, it'll take all summer." 5787 5788"Well, what of that? Suppose you find a brass pot with a hundred 5789dollars in it, all rusty and gray, or rotten chest full of di'monds. 5790How's that?" 5791 5792Huck's eyes glowed. 5793 5794"That's bully. Plenty bully enough for me. Just you gimme the hundred 5795dollars and I don't want no di'monds." 5796 5797"All right. But I bet you I ain't going to throw off on di'monds. Some 5798of 'em's worth twenty dollars apiece--there ain't any, hardly, but's 5799worth six bits or a dollar." 5800 5801"No! Is that so?" 5802 5803"Cert'nly--anybody'll tell you so. Hain't you ever seen one, Huck?" 5804 5805"Not as I remember." 5806 5807"Oh, kings have slathers of them." 5808 5809"Well, I don' know no kings, Tom." 5810 5811"I reckon you don't. But if you was to go to Europe you'd see a raft 5812of 'em hopping around." 5813 5814"Do they hop?" 5815 5816"Hop?--your granny! No!" 5817 5818"Well, what did you say they did, for?" 5819 5820"Shucks, I only meant you'd SEE 'em--not hopping, of course--what do 5821they want to hop for?--but I mean you'd just see 'em--scattered around, 5822you know, in a kind of a general way. Like that old humpbacked Richard." 5823 5824"Richard? What's his other name?" 5825 5826"He didn't have any other name. Kings don't have any but a given name." 5827 5828"No?" 5829 5830"But they don't." 5831 5832"Well, if they like it, Tom, all right; but I don't want to be a king 5833and have only just a given name, like a nigger. But say--where you 5834going to dig first?" 5835 5836"Well, I don't know. S'pose we tackle that old dead-limb tree on the 5837hill t'other side of Still-House branch?" 5838 5839"I'm agreed." 5840 5841So they got a crippled pick and a shovel, and set out on their 5842three-mile tramp. They arrived hot and panting, and threw themselves 5843down in the shade of a neighboring elm to rest and have a smoke. 5844 5845"I like this," said Tom. 5846 5847"So do I." 5848 5849"Say, Huck, if we find a treasure here, what you going to do with your 5850share?" 5851 5852"Well, I'll have pie and a glass of soda every day, and I'll go to 5853every circus that comes along. I bet I'll have a gay time." 5854 5855"Well, ain't you going to save any of it?" 5856 5857"Save it? What for?" 5858 5859"Why, so as to have something to live on, by and by." 5860 5861"Oh, that ain't any use. Pap would come back to thish-yer town some 5862day and get his claws on it if I didn't hurry up, and I tell you he'd 5863clean it out pretty quick. What you going to do with yourn, Tom?" 5864 5865"I'm going to buy a new drum, and a sure-'nough sword, and a red 5866necktie and a bull pup, and get married." 5867 5868"Married!" 5869 5870"That's it." 5871 5872"Tom, you--why, you ain't in your right mind." 5873 5874"Wait--you'll see." 5875 5876"Well, that's the foolishest thing you could do. Look at pap and my 5877mother. Fight! Why, they used to fight all the time. I remember, mighty 5878well." 5879 5880"That ain't anything. The girl I'm going to marry won't fight." 5881 5882"Tom, I reckon they're all alike. They'll all comb a body. Now you 5883better think 'bout this awhile. I tell you you better. What's the name 5884of the gal?" 5885 5886"It ain't a gal at all--it's a girl." 5887 5888"It's all the same, I reckon; some says gal, some says girl--both's 5889right, like enough. Anyway, what's her name, Tom?" 5890 5891"I'll tell you some time--not now." 5892 5893"All right--that'll do. Only if you get married I'll be more lonesomer 5894than ever." 5895 5896"No you won't. You'll come and live with me. Now stir out of this and 5897we'll go to digging." 5898 5899They worked and sweated for half an hour. No result. They toiled 5900another half-hour. Still no result. Huck said: 5901 5902"Do they always bury it as deep as this?" 5903 5904"Sometimes--not always. Not generally. I reckon we haven't got the 5905right place." 5906 5907So they chose a new spot and began again. The labor dragged a little, 5908but still they made progress. They pegged away in silence for some 5909time. Finally Huck leaned on his shovel, swabbed the beaded drops from 5910his brow with his sleeve, and said: 5911 5912"Where you going to dig next, after we get this one?" 5913 5914"I reckon maybe we'll tackle the old tree that's over yonder on 5915Cardiff Hill back of the widow's." 5916 5917"I reckon that'll be a good one. But won't the widow take it away from 5918us, Tom? It's on her land." 5919 5920"SHE take it away! Maybe she'd like to try it once. Whoever finds one 5921of these hid treasures, it belongs to him. It don't make any difference 5922whose land it's on." 5923 5924That was satisfactory. The work went on. By and by Huck said: 5925 5926"Blame it, we must be in the wrong place again. What do you think?" 5927 5928"It is mighty curious, Huck. I don't understand it. Sometimes witches 5929interfere. I reckon maybe that's what's the trouble now." 5930 5931"Shucks! Witches ain't got no power in the daytime." 5932 5933"Well, that's so. I didn't think of that. Oh, I know what the matter 5934is! What a blamed lot of fools we are! You got to find out where the 5935shadow of the limb falls at midnight, and that's where you dig!" 5936 5937"Then consound it, we've fooled away all this work for nothing. Now 5938hang it all, we got to come back in the night. It's an awful long way. 5939Can you get out?" 5940 5941"I bet I will. We've got to do it to-night, too, because if somebody 5942sees these holes they'll know in a minute what's here and they'll go 5943for it." 5944 5945"Well, I'll come around and maow to-night." 5946 5947"All right. Let's hide the tools in the bushes." 5948 5949The boys were there that night, about the appointed time. They sat in 5950the shadow waiting. It was a lonely place, and an hour made solemn by 5951old traditions. Spirits whispered in the rustling leaves, ghosts lurked 5952in the murky nooks, the deep baying of a hound floated up out of the 5953distance, an owl answered with his sepulchral note. The boys were 5954subdued by these solemnities, and talked little. By and by they judged 5955that twelve had come; they marked where the shadow fell, and began to 5956dig. Their hopes commenced to rise. Their interest grew stronger, and 5957their industry kept pace with it. The hole deepened and still deepened, 5958but every time their hearts jumped to hear the pick strike upon 5959something, they only suffered a new disappointment. It was only a stone 5960or a chunk. At last Tom said: 5961 5962"It ain't any use, Huck, we're wrong again." 5963 5964"Well, but we CAN'T be wrong. We spotted the shadder to a dot." 5965 5966"I know it, but then there's another thing." 5967 5968"What's that?". 5969 5970"Why, we only guessed at the time. Like enough it was too late or too 5971early." 5972 5973Huck dropped his shovel. 5974 5975"That's it," said he. "That's the very trouble. We got to give this 5976one up. We can't ever tell the right time, and besides this kind of 5977thing's too awful, here this time of night with witches and ghosts 5978a-fluttering around so. I feel as if something's behind me all the time; 5979and I'm afeard to turn around, becuz maybe there's others in front 5980a-waiting for a chance. I been creeping all over, ever since I got here." 5981 5982"Well, I've been pretty much so, too, Huck. They most always put in a 5983dead man when they bury a treasure under a tree, to look out for it." 5984 5985"Lordy!" 5986 5987"Yes, they do. I've always heard that." 5988 5989"Tom, I don't like to fool around much where there's dead people. A 5990body's bound to get into trouble with 'em, sure." 5991 5992"I don't like to stir 'em up, either. S'pose this one here was to 5993stick his skull out and say something!" 5994 5995"Don't Tom! It's awful." 5996 5997"Well, it just is. Huck, I don't feel comfortable a bit." 5998 5999"Say, Tom, let's give this place up, and try somewheres else." 6000 6001"All right, I reckon we better." 6002 6003"What'll it be?" 6004 6005Tom considered awhile; and then said: 6006 6007"The ha'nted house. That's it!" 6008 6009"Blame it, I don't like ha'nted houses, Tom. Why, they're a dern sight 6010worse'n dead people. Dead people might talk, maybe, but they don't come 6011sliding around in a shroud, when you ain't noticing, and peep over your 6012shoulder all of a sudden and grit their teeth, the way a ghost does. I 6013couldn't stand such a thing as that, Tom--nobody could." 6014 6015"Yes, but, Huck, ghosts don't travel around only at night. They won't 6016hender us from digging there in the daytime." 6017 6018"Well, that's so. But you know mighty well people don't go about that 6019ha'nted house in the day nor the night." 6020 6021"Well, that's mostly because they don't like to go where a man's been 6022murdered, anyway--but nothing's ever been seen around that house except 6023in the night--just some blue lights slipping by the windows--no regular 6024ghosts." 6025 6026"Well, where you see one of them blue lights flickering around, Tom, 6027you can bet there's a ghost mighty close behind it. It stands to 6028reason. Becuz you know that they don't anybody but ghosts use 'em." 6029 6030"Yes, that's so. But anyway they don't come around in the daytime, so 6031what's the use of our being afeard?" 6032 6033"Well, all right. We'll tackle the ha'nted house if you say so--but I 6034reckon it's taking chances." 6035 6036They had started down the hill by this time. There in the middle of 6037the moonlit valley below them stood the "ha'nted" house, utterly 6038isolated, its fences gone long ago, rank weeds smothering the very 6039doorsteps, the chimney crumbled to ruin, the window-sashes vacant, a 6040corner of the roof caved in. The boys gazed awhile, half expecting to 6041see a blue light flit past a window; then talking in a low tone, as 6042befitted the time and the circumstances, they struck far off to the 6043right, to give the haunted house a wide berth, and took their way 6044homeward through the woods that adorned the rearward side of Cardiff 6045Hill. 6046 6047 6048 6049CHAPTER XXVI 6050 6051ABOUT noon the next day the boys arrived at the dead tree; they had 6052come for their tools. Tom was impatient to go to the haunted house; 6053Huck was measurably so, also--but suddenly said: 6054 6055"Lookyhere, Tom, do you know what day it is?" 6056 6057Tom mentally ran over the days of the week, and then quickly lifted 6058his eyes with a startled look in them-- 6059 6060"My! I never once thought of it, Huck!" 6061 6062"Well, I didn't neither, but all at once it popped onto me that it was 6063Friday." 6064 6065"Blame it, a body can't be too careful, Huck. We might 'a' got into an 6066awful scrape, tackling such a thing on a Friday." 6067 6068"MIGHT! Better say we WOULD! There's some lucky days, maybe, but 6069Friday ain't." 6070 6071"Any fool knows that. I don't reckon YOU was the first that found it 6072out, Huck." 6073 6074"Well, I never said I was, did I? And Friday ain't all, neither. I had 6075a rotten bad dream last night--dreampt about rats." 6076 6077"No! Sure sign of trouble. Did they fight?" 6078 6079"No." 6080 6081"Well, that's good, Huck. When they don't fight it's only a sign that 6082there's trouble around, you know. All we got to do is to look mighty 6083sharp and keep out of it. We'll drop this thing for to-day, and play. 6084Do you know Robin Hood, Huck?" 6085 6086"No. Who's Robin Hood?" 6087 6088"Why, he was one of the greatest men that was ever in England--and the 6089best. He was a robber." 6090 6091"Cracky, I wisht I was. Who did he rob?" 6092 6093"Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. 6094But he never bothered the poor. He loved 'em. He always divided up with 6095'em perfectly square." 6096 6097"Well, he must 'a' been a brick." 6098 6099"I bet you he was, Huck. Oh, he was the noblest man that ever was. 6100They ain't any such men now, I can tell you. He could lick any man in 6101England, with one hand tied behind him; and he could take his yew bow 6102and plug a ten-cent piece every time, a mile and a half." 6103 6104"What's a YEW bow?" 6105 6106"I don't know. It's some kind of a bow, of course. And if he hit that 6107dime only on the edge he would set down and cry--and curse. But we'll 6108play Robin Hood--it's nobby fun. I'll learn you." 6109 6110"I'm agreed." 6111 6112So they played Robin Hood all the afternoon, now and then casting a 6113yearning eye down upon the haunted house and passing a remark about the 6114morrow's prospects and possibilities there. As the sun began to sink 6115into the west they took their way homeward athwart the long shadows of 6116the trees and soon were buried from sight in the forests of Cardiff 6117Hill. 6118 6119On Saturday, shortly after noon, the boys were at the dead tree again. 6120They had a smoke and a chat in the shade, and then dug a little in 6121their last hole, not with great hope, but merely because Tom said there 6122were so many cases where people had given up a treasure after getting 6123down within six inches of it, and then somebody else had come along and 6124turned it up with a single thrust of a shovel. The thing failed this 6125time, however, so the boys shouldered their tools and went away feeling 6126that they had not trifled with fortune, but had fulfilled all the 6127requirements that belong to the business of treasure-hunting. 6128 6129When they reached the haunted house there was something so weird and 6130grisly about the dead silence that reigned there under the baking sun, 6131and something so depressing about the loneliness and desolation of the 6132place, that they were afraid, for a moment, to venture in. Then they 6133crept to the door and took a trembling peep. They saw a weed-grown, 6134floorless room, unplastered, an ancient fireplace, vacant windows, a 6135ruinous staircase; and here, there, and everywhere hung ragged and 6136abandoned cobwebs. They presently entered, softly, with quickened 6137pulses, talking in whispers, ears alert to catch the slightest sound, 6138and muscles tense and ready for instant retreat. 6139 6140In a little while familiarity modified their fears and they gave the 6141place a critical and interested examination, rather admiring their own 6142boldness, and wondering at it, too. Next they wanted to look up-stairs. 6143This was something like cutting off retreat, but they got to daring 6144each other, and of course there could be but one result--they threw 6145their tools into a corner and made the ascent. Up there were the same 6146signs of decay. In one corner they found a closet that promised 6147mystery, but the promise was a fraud--there was nothing in it. Their 6148courage was up now and well in hand. They were about to go down and 6149begin work when-- 6150 6151"Sh!" said Tom. 6152 6153"What is it?" whispered Huck, blanching with fright. 6154 6155"Sh!... There!... Hear it?" 6156 6157"Yes!... Oh, my! Let's run!" 6158 6159"Keep still! Don't you budge! They're coming right toward the door." 6160 6161The boys stretched themselves upon the floor with their eyes to 6162knot-holes in the planking, and lay waiting, in a misery of fear. 6163 6164"They've stopped.... No--coming.... Here they are. Don't whisper 6165another word, Huck. My goodness, I wish I was out of this!" 6166 6167Two men entered. Each boy said to himself: "There's the old deaf and 6168dumb Spaniard that's been about town once or twice lately--never saw 6169t'other man before." 6170 6171"T'other" was a ragged, unkempt creature, with nothing very pleasant 6172in his face. The Spaniard was wrapped in a serape; he had bushy white 6173whiskers; long white hair flowed from under his sombrero, and he wore 6174green goggles. When they came in, "t'other" was talking in a low voice; 6175they sat down on the ground, facing the door, with their backs to the 6176wall, and the speaker continued his remarks. His manner became less 6177guarded and his words more distinct as he proceeded: 6178 6179"No," said he, "I've thought it all over, and I don't like it. It's 6180dangerous." 6181 6182"Dangerous!" grunted the "deaf and dumb" Spaniard--to the vast 6183surprise of the boys. "Milksop!" 6184 6185This voice made the boys gasp and quake. It was Injun Joe's! There was 6186silence for some time. Then Joe said: 6187 6188"What's any more dangerous than that job up yonder--but nothing's come 6189of it." 6190 6191"That's different. Away up the river so, and not another house about. 6192'Twon't ever be known that we tried, anyway, long as we didn't succeed." 6193 6194"Well, what's more dangerous than coming here in the daytime!--anybody 6195would suspicion us that saw us." 6196 6197"I know that. But there warn't any other place as handy after that 6198fool of a job. I want to quit this shanty. I wanted to yesterday, only 6199it warn't any use trying to stir out of here, with those infernal boys 6200playing over there on the hill right in full view." 6201 6202"Those infernal boys" quaked again under the inspiration of this 6203remark, and thought how lucky it was that they had remembered it was 6204Friday and concluded to wait a day. They wished in their hearts they 6205had waited a year. 6206 6207The two men got out some food and made a luncheon. After a long and 6208thoughtful silence, Injun Joe said: 6209 6210"Look here, lad--you go back up the river where you belong. Wait there 6211till you hear from me. I'll take the chances on dropping into this town 6212just once more, for a look. We'll do that 'dangerous' job after I've 6213spied around a little and think things look well for it. Then for 6214Texas! We'll leg it together!" 6215 6216This was satisfactory. Both men presently fell to yawning, and Injun 6217Joe said: 6218 6219"I'm dead for sleep! It's your turn to watch." 6220 6221He curled down in the weeds and soon began to snore. His comrade 6222stirred him once or twice and he became quiet. Presently the watcher 6223began to nod; his head drooped lower and lower, both men began to snore 6224now. 6225 6226The boys drew a long, grateful breath. Tom whispered: 6227 6228"Now's our chance--come!" 6229 6230Huck said: 6231 6232"I can't--I'd die if they was to wake." 6233 6234Tom urged--Huck held back. At last Tom rose slowly and softly, and 6235started alone. But the first step he made wrung such a hideous creak 6236from the crazy floor that he sank down almost dead with fright. He 6237never made a second attempt. The boys lay there counting the dragging 6238moments till it seemed to them that time must be done and eternity 6239growing gray; and then they were grateful to note that at last the sun 6240was setting. 6241 6242Now one snore ceased. Injun Joe sat up, stared around--smiled grimly 6243upon his comrade, whose head was drooping upon his knees--stirred him 6244up with his foot and said: 6245 6246"Here! YOU'RE a watchman, ain't you! All right, though--nothing's 6247happened." 6248 6249"My! have I been asleep?" 6250 6251"Oh, partly, partly. Nearly time for us to be moving, pard. What'll we 6252do with what little swag we've got left?" 6253 6254"I don't know--leave it here as we've always done, I reckon. No use to 6255take it away till we start south. Six hundred and fifty in silver's 6256something to carry." 6257 6258"Well--all right--it won't matter to come here once more." 6259 6260"No--but I'd say come in the night as we used to do--it's better." 6261 6262"Yes: but look here; it may be a good while before I get the right 6263chance at that job; accidents might happen; 'tain't in such a very good 6264place; we'll just regularly bury it--and bury it deep." 6265 6266"Good idea," said the comrade, who walked across the room, knelt down, 6267raised one of the rearward hearth-stones and took out a bag that 6268jingled pleasantly. He subtracted from it twenty or thirty dollars for 6269himself and as much for Injun Joe, and passed the bag to the latter, 6270who was on his knees in the corner, now, digging with his bowie-knife. 6271 6272The boys forgot all their fears, all their miseries in an instant. 6273With gloating eyes they watched every movement. Luck!--the splendor of 6274it was beyond all imagination! Six hundred dollars was money enough to 6275make half a dozen boys rich! Here was treasure-hunting under the 6276happiest auspices--there would not be any bothersome uncertainty as to 6277where to dig. They nudged each other every moment--eloquent nudges and 6278easily understood, for they simply meant--"Oh, but ain't you glad NOW 6279we're here!" 6280 6281Joe's knife struck upon something. 6282 6283"Hello!" said he. 6284 6285"What is it?" said his comrade. 6286 6287"Half-rotten plank--no, it's a box, I believe. Here--bear a hand and 6288we'll see what it's here for. Never mind, I've broke a hole." 6289 6290He reached his hand in and drew it out-- 6291 6292"Man, it's money!" 6293 6294The two men examined the handful of coins. They were gold. The boys 6295above were as excited as themselves, and as delighted. 6296 6297Joe's comrade said: 6298 6299"We'll make quick work of this. There's an old rusty pick over amongst 6300the weeds in the corner the other side of the fireplace--I saw it a 6301minute ago." 6302 6303He ran and brought the boys' pick and shovel. Injun Joe took the pick, 6304looked it over critically, shook his head, muttered something to 6305himself, and then began to use it. The box was soon unearthed. It was 6306not very large; it was iron bound and had been very strong before the 6307slow years had injured it. The men contemplated the treasure awhile in 6308blissful silence. 6309 6310"Pard, there's thousands of dollars here," said Injun Joe. 6311 6312"'Twas always said that Murrel's gang used to be around here one 6313summer," the stranger observed. 6314 6315"I know it," said Injun Joe; "and this looks like it, I should say." 6316 6317"Now you won't need to do that job." 6318 6319The half-breed frowned. Said he: 6320 6321"You don't know me. Least you don't know all about that thing. 'Tain't 6322robbery altogether--it's REVENGE!" and a wicked light flamed in his 6323eyes. "I'll need your help in it. When it's finished--then Texas. Go 6324home to your Nance and your kids, and stand by till you hear from me." 6325 6326"Well--if you say so; what'll we do with this--bury it again?" 6327 6328"Yes. [Ravishing delight overhead.] NO! by the great Sachem, no! 6329[Profound distress overhead.] I'd nearly forgot. That pick had fresh 6330earth on it! [The boys were sick with terror in a moment.] What 6331business has a pick and a shovel here? What business with fresh earth 6332on them? Who brought them here--and where are they gone? Have you heard 6333anybody?--seen anybody? What! bury it again and leave them to come and 6334see the ground disturbed? Not exactly--not exactly. We'll take it to my 6335den." 6336 6337"Why, of course! Might have thought of that before. You mean Number 6338One?" 6339 6340"No--Number Two--under the cross. The other place is bad--too common." 6341 6342"All right. It's nearly dark enough to start." 6343 6344Injun Joe got up and went about from window to window cautiously 6345peeping out. Presently he said: 6346 6347"Who could have brought those tools here? Do you reckon they can be 6348up-stairs?" 6349 6350The boys' breath forsook them. Injun Joe put his hand on his knife, 6351halted a moment, undecided, and then turned toward the stairway. The 6352boys thought of the closet, but their strength was gone. The steps came 6353creaking up the stairs--the intolerable distress of the situation woke 6354the stricken resolution of the lads--they were about to spring for the 6355closet, when there was a crash of rotten timbers and Injun Joe landed 6356on the ground amid the debris of the ruined stairway. He gathered 6357himself up cursing, and his comrade said: 6358 6359"Now what's the use of all that? If it's anybody, and they're up 6360there, let them STAY there--who cares? If they want to jump down, now, 6361and get into trouble, who objects? It will be dark in fifteen minutes 6362--and then let them follow us if they want to. I'm willing. In my 6363opinion, whoever hove those things in here caught a sight of us and 6364took us for ghosts or devils or something. I'll bet they're running 6365yet." 6366 6367Joe grumbled awhile; then he agreed with his friend that what daylight 6368was left ought to be economized in getting things ready for leaving. 6369Shortly afterward they slipped out of the house in the deepening 6370twilight, and moved toward the river with their precious box. 6371 6372Tom and Huck rose up, weak but vastly relieved, and stared after them 6373through the chinks between the logs of the house. Follow? Not they. 6374They were content to reach ground again without broken necks, and take 6375the townward track over the hill. They did not talk much. They were too 6376much absorbed in hating themselves--hating the ill luck that made them 6377take the spade and the pick there. But for that, Injun Joe never would 6378have suspected. He would have hidden the silver with the gold to wait 6379there till his "revenge" was satisfied, and then he would have had the 6380misfortune to find that money turn up missing. Bitter, bitter luck that 6381the tools were ever brought there! 6382 6383They resolved to keep a lookout for that Spaniard when he should come 6384to town spying out for chances to do his revengeful job, and follow him 6385to "Number Two," wherever that might be. Then a ghastly thought 6386occurred to Tom. 6387 6388"Revenge? What if he means US, Huck!" 6389 6390"Oh, don't!" said Huck, nearly fainting. 6391 6392They talked it all over, and as they entered town they agreed to 6393believe that he might possibly mean somebody else--at least that he 6394might at least mean nobody but Tom, since only Tom had testified. 6395 6396Very, very small comfort it was to Tom to be alone in danger! Company 6397would be a palpable improvement, he thought. 6398 6399 6400 6401CHAPTER XXVII 6402 6403THE adventure of the day mightily tormented Tom's dreams that night. 6404Four times he had his hands on that rich treasure and four times it 6405wasted to nothingness in his fingers as sleep forsook him and 6406wakefulness brought back the hard reality of his misfortune. As he lay 6407in the early morning recalling the incidents of his great adventure, he 6408noticed that they seemed curiously subdued and far away--somewhat as if 6409they had happened in another world, or in a time long gone by. Then it 6410occurred to him that the great adventure itself must be a dream! There 6411was one very strong argument in favor of this idea--namely, that the 6412quantity of coin he had seen was too vast to be real. He had never seen 6413as much as fifty dollars in one mass before, and he was like all boys 6414of his age and station in life, in that he imagined that all references 6415to "hundreds" and "thousands" were mere fanciful forms of speech, and 6416that no such sums really existed in the world. He never had supposed 6417for a moment that so large a sum as a hundred dollars was to be found 6418in actual money in any one's possession. If his notions of hidden 6419treasure had been analyzed, they would have been found to consist of a 6420handful of real dimes and a bushel of vague, splendid, ungraspable 6421dollars. 6422 6423But the incidents of his adventure grew sensibly sharper and clearer 6424under the attrition of thinking them over, and so he presently found 6425himself leaning to the impression that the thing might not have been a 6426dream, after all. This uncertainty must be swept away. He would snatch 6427a hurried breakfast and go and find Huck. Huck was sitting on the 6428gunwale of a flatboat, listlessly dangling his feet in the water and 6429looking very melancholy. Tom concluded to let Huck lead up to the 6430subject. If he did not do it, then the adventure would be proved to 6431have been only a dream. 6432 6433"Hello, Huck!" 6434 6435"Hello, yourself." 6436 6437Silence, for a minute. 6438 6439"Tom, if we'd 'a' left the blame tools at the dead tree, we'd 'a' got 6440the money. Oh, ain't it awful!" 6441 6442"'Tain't a dream, then, 'tain't a dream! Somehow I most wish it was. 6443Dog'd if I don't, Huck." 6444 6445"What ain't a dream?" 6446 6447"Oh, that thing yesterday. I been half thinking it was." 6448 6449"Dream! If them stairs hadn't broke down you'd 'a' seen how much dream 6450it was! I've had dreams enough all night--with that patch-eyed Spanish 6451devil going for me all through 'em--rot him!" 6452 6453"No, not rot him. FIND him! Track the money!" 6454 6455"Tom, we'll never find him. A feller don't have only one chance for 6456such a pile--and that one's lost. I'd feel mighty shaky if I was to see 6457him, anyway." 6458 6459"Well, so'd I; but I'd like to see him, anyway--and track him out--to 6460his Number Two." 6461 6462"Number Two--yes, that's it. I been thinking 'bout that. But I can't 6463make nothing out of it. What do you reckon it is?" 6464 6465"I dono. It's too deep. Say, Huck--maybe it's the number of a house!" 6466 6467"Goody!... No, Tom, that ain't it. If it is, it ain't in this 6468one-horse town. They ain't no numbers here." 6469 6470"Well, that's so. Lemme think a minute. Here--it's the number of a 6471room--in a tavern, you know!" 6472 6473"Oh, that's the trick! They ain't only two taverns. We can find out 6474quick." 6475 6476"You stay here, Huck, till I come." 6477 6478Tom was off at once. He did not care to have Huck's company in public 6479places. He was gone half an hour. He found that in the best tavern, No. 64802 had long been occupied by a young lawyer, and was still so occupied. 6481In the less ostentatious house, No. 2 was a mystery. The 6482tavern-keeper's young son said it was kept locked all the time, and he 6483never saw anybody go into it or come out of it except at night; he did 6484not know any particular reason for this state of things; had had some 6485little curiosity, but it was rather feeble; had made the most of the 6486mystery by entertaining himself with the idea that that room was 6487"ha'nted"; had noticed that there was a light in there the night before. 6488 6489"That's what I've found out, Huck. I reckon that's the very No. 2 6490we're after." 6491 6492"I reckon it is, Tom. Now what you going to do?" 6493 6494"Lemme think." 6495 6496Tom thought a long time. Then he said: 6497 6498"I'll tell you. The back door of that No. 2 is the door that comes out 6499into that little close alley between the tavern and the old rattle trap 6500of a brick store. Now you get hold of all the door-keys you can find, 6501and I'll nip all of auntie's, and the first dark night we'll go there 6502and try 'em. And mind you, keep a lookout for Injun Joe, because he 6503said he was going to drop into town and spy around once more for a 6504chance to get his revenge. If you see him, you just follow him; and if 6505he don't go to that No. 2, that ain't the place." 6506 6507"Lordy, I don't want to foller him by myself!" 6508 6509"Why, it'll be night, sure. He mightn't ever see you--and if he did, 6510maybe he'd never think anything." 6511 6512"Well, if it's pretty dark I reckon I'll track him. I dono--I dono. 6513I'll try." 6514 6515"You bet I'll follow him, if it's dark, Huck. Why, he might 'a' found 6516out he couldn't get his revenge, and be going right after that money." 6517 6518"It's so, Tom, it's so. I'll foller him; I will, by jingoes!" 6519 6520"Now you're TALKING! Don't you ever weaken, Huck, and I won't." 6521 6522 6523 6524CHAPTER XXVIII 6525 6526THAT night Tom and Huck were ready for their adventure. They hung 6527about the neighborhood of the tavern until after nine, one watching the 6528alley at a distance and the other the tavern door. Nobody entered the 6529alley or left it; nobody resembling the Spaniard entered or left the 6530tavern door. The night promised to be a fair one; so Tom went home with 6531the understanding that if a considerable degree of darkness came on, 6532Huck was to come and "maow," whereupon he would slip out and try the 6533keys. But the night remained clear, and Huck closed his watch and 6534retired to bed in an empty sugar hogshead about twelve. 6535 6536Tuesday the boys had the same ill luck. Also Wednesday. But Thursday 6537night promised better. Tom slipped out in good season with his aunt's 6538old tin lantern, and a large towel to blindfold it with. He hid the 6539lantern in Huck's sugar hogshead and the watch began. An hour before 6540midnight the tavern closed up and its lights (the only ones 6541thereabouts) were put out. No Spaniard had been seen. Nobody had 6542entered or left the alley. Everything was auspicious. The blackness of 6543darkness reigned, the perfect stillness was interrupted only by 6544occasional mutterings of distant thunder. 6545 6546Tom got his lantern, lit it in the hogshead, wrapped it closely in the 6547towel, and the two adventurers crept in the gloom toward the tavern. 6548Huck stood sentry and Tom felt his way into the alley. Then there was a 6549season of waiting anxiety that weighed upon Huck's spirits like a 6550mountain. He began to wish he could see a flash from the lantern--it 6551would frighten him, but it would at least tell him that Tom was alive 6552yet. It seemed hours since Tom had disappeared. Surely he must have 6553fainted; maybe he was dead; maybe his heart had burst under terror and 6554excitement. In his uneasiness Huck found himself drawing closer and 6555closer to the alley; fearing all sorts of dreadful things, and 6556momentarily expecting some catastrophe to happen that would take away 6557his breath. There was not much to take away, for he seemed only able to 6558inhale it by thimblefuls, and his heart would soon wear itself out, the 6559way it was beating. Suddenly there was a flash of light and Tom came 6560tearing by him: "Run!" said he; "run, for your life!" 6561 6562He needn't have repeated it; once was enough; Huck was making thirty 6563or forty miles an hour before the repetition was uttered. The boys 6564never stopped till they reached the shed of a deserted slaughter-house 6565at the lower end of the village. Just as they got within its shelter 6566the storm burst and the rain poured down. As soon as Tom got his breath 6567he said: 6568 6569"Huck, it was awful! I tried two of the keys, just as soft as I could; 6570but they seemed to make such a power of racket that I couldn't hardly 6571get my breath I was so scared. They wouldn't turn in the lock, either. 6572Well, without noticing what I was doing, I took hold of the knob, and 6573open comes the door! It warn't locked! I hopped in, and shook off the 6574towel, and, GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!" 6575 6576"What!--what'd you see, Tom?" 6577 6578"Huck, I most stepped onto Injun Joe's hand!" 6579 6580"No!" 6581 6582"Yes! He was lying there, sound asleep on the floor, with his old 6583patch on his eye and his arms spread out." 6584 6585"Lordy, what did you do? Did he wake up?" 6586 6587"No, never budged. Drunk, I reckon. I just grabbed that towel and 6588started!" 6589 6590"I'd never 'a' thought of the towel, I bet!" 6591 6592"Well, I would. My aunt would make me mighty sick if I lost it." 6593 6594"Say, Tom, did you see that box?" 6595 6596"Huck, I didn't wait to look around. I didn't see the box, I didn't 6597see the cross. I didn't see anything but a bottle and a tin cup on the 6598floor by Injun Joe; yes, I saw two barrels and lots more bottles in the 6599room. Don't you see, now, what's the matter with that ha'nted room?" 6600 6601"How?" 6602 6603"Why, it's ha'nted with whiskey! Maybe ALL the Temperance Taverns have 6604got a ha'nted room, hey, Huck?" 6605 6606"Well, I reckon maybe that's so. Who'd 'a' thought such a thing? But 6607say, Tom, now's a mighty good time to get that box, if Injun Joe's 6608drunk." 6609 6610"It is, that! You try it!" 6611 6612Huck shuddered. 6613 6614"Well, no--I reckon not." 6615 6616"And I reckon not, Huck. Only one bottle alongside of Injun Joe ain't 6617enough. If there'd been three, he'd be drunk enough and I'd do it." 6618 6619There was a long pause for reflection, and then Tom said: 6620 6621"Lookyhere, Huck, less not try that thing any more till we know Injun 6622Joe's not in there. It's too scary. Now, if we watch every night, we'll 6623be dead sure to see him go out, some time or other, and then we'll 6624snatch that box quicker'n lightning." 6625 6626"Well, I'm agreed. I'll watch the whole night long, and I'll do it 6627every night, too, if you'll do the other part of the job." 6628 6629"All right, I will. All you got to do is to trot up Hooper Street a 6630block and maow--and if I'm asleep, you throw some gravel at the window 6631and that'll fetch me." 6632 6633"Agreed, and good as wheat!" 6634 6635"Now, Huck, the storm's over, and I'll go home. It'll begin to be 6636daylight in a couple of hours. You go back and watch that long, will 6637you?" 6638 6639"I said I would, Tom, and I will. I'll ha'nt that tavern every night 6640for a year! I'll sleep all day and I'll stand watch all night." 6641 6642"That's all right. Now, where you going to sleep?" 6643 6644"In Ben Rogers' hayloft. He lets me, and so does his pap's nigger man, 6645Uncle Jake. I tote water for Uncle Jake whenever he wants me to, and 6646any time I ask him he gives me a little something to eat if he can 6647spare it. That's a mighty good nigger, Tom. He likes me, becuz I don't 6648ever act as if I was above him. Sometime I've set right down and eat 6649WITH him. But you needn't tell that. A body's got to do things when 6650he's awful hungry he wouldn't want to do as a steady thing." 6651 6652"Well, if I don't want you in the daytime, I'll let you sleep. I won't 6653come bothering around. Any time you see something's up, in the night, 6654just skip right around and maow." 6655 6656 6657 6658CHAPTER XXIX 6659 6660THE first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news 6661--Judge Thatcher's family had come back to town the night before. Both 6662Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, 6663and Becky took the chief place in the boy's interest. He saw her and 6664they had an exhausting good time playing "hi-spy" and "gully-keeper" 6665with a crowd of their school-mates. The day was completed and crowned 6666in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint 6667the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she 6668consented. The child's delight was boundless; and Tom's not more 6669moderate. The invitations were sent out before sunset, and straightway 6670the young folks of the village were thrown into a fever of preparation 6671and pleasurable anticipation. Tom's excitement enabled him to keep 6672awake until a pretty late hour, and he had good hopes of hearing Huck's 6673"maow," and of having his treasure to astonish Becky and the picnickers 6674with, next day; but he was disappointed. No signal came that night. 6675 6676Morning came, eventually, and by ten or eleven o'clock a giddy and 6677rollicking company were gathered at Judge Thatcher's, and everything 6678was ready for a start. It was not the custom for elderly people to mar 6679the picnics with their presence. The children were considered safe 6680enough under the wings of a few young ladies of eighteen and a few 6681young gentlemen of twenty-three or thereabouts. The old steam ferryboat 6682was chartered for the occasion; presently the gay throng filed up the 6683main street laden with provision-baskets. Sid was sick and had to miss 6684the fun; Mary remained at home to entertain him. The last thing Mrs. 6685Thatcher said to Becky, was: 6686 6687"You'll not get back till late. Perhaps you'd better stay all night 6688with some of the girls that live near the ferry-landing, child." 6689 6690"Then I'll stay with Susy Harper, mamma." 6691 6692"Very well. And mind and behave yourself and don't be any trouble." 6693 6694Presently, as they tripped along, Tom said to Becky: 6695 6696"Say--I'll tell you what we'll do. 'Stead of going to Joe Harper's 6697we'll climb right up the hill and stop at the Widow Douglas'. She'll 6698have ice-cream! She has it most every day--dead loads of it. And she'll 6699be awful glad to have us." 6700 6701"Oh, that will be fun!" 6702 6703Then Becky reflected a moment and said: 6704 6705"But what will mamma say?" 6706 6707"How'll she ever know?" 6708 6709The girl turned the idea over in her mind, and said reluctantly: 6710 6711"I reckon it's wrong--but--" 6712 6713"But shucks! Your mother won't know, and so what's the harm? All she 6714wants is that you'll be safe; and I bet you she'd 'a' said go there if 6715she'd 'a' thought of it. I know she would!" 6716 6717The Widow Douglas' splendid hospitality was a tempting bait. It and 6718Tom's persuasions presently carried the day. So it was decided to say 6719nothing anybody about the night's programme. Presently it occurred to 6720Tom that maybe Huck might come this very night and give the signal. The 6721thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. Still he 6722could not bear to give up the fun at Widow Douglas'. And why should he 6723give it up, he reasoned--the signal did not come the night before, so 6724why should it be any more likely to come to-night? The sure fun of the 6725evening outweighed the uncertain treasure; and, boy-like, he determined 6726to yield to the stronger inclination and not allow himself to think of 6727the box of money another time that day. 6728 6729Three miles below town the ferryboat stopped at the mouth of a woody 6730hollow and tied up. The crowd swarmed ashore and soon the forest 6731distances and craggy heights echoed far and near with shoutings and 6732laughter. All the different ways of getting hot and tired were gone 6733through with, and by-and-by the rovers straggled back to camp fortified 6734with responsible appetites, and then the destruction of the good things 6735began. After the feast there was a refreshing season of rest and chat 6736in the shade of spreading oaks. By-and-by somebody shouted: 6737 6738"Who's ready for the cave?" 6739 6740Everybody was. Bundles of candles were procured, and straightway there 6741was a general scamper up the hill. The mouth of the cave was up the 6742hillside--an opening shaped like a letter A. Its massive oaken door 6743stood unbarred. Within was a small chamber, chilly as an ice-house, and 6744walled by Nature with solid limestone that was dewy with a cold sweat. 6745It was romantic and mysterious to stand here in the deep gloom and look 6746out upon the green valley shining in the sun. But the impressiveness of 6747the situation quickly wore off, and the romping began again. The moment 6748a candle was lighted there was a general rush upon the owner of it; a 6749struggle and a gallant defence followed, but the candle was soon 6750knocked down or blown out, and then there was a glad clamor of laughter 6751and a new chase. But all things have an end. By-and-by the procession 6752went filing down the steep descent of the main avenue, the flickering 6753rank of lights dimly revealing the lofty walls of rock almost to their 6754point of junction sixty feet overhead. This main avenue was not more 6755than eight or ten feet wide. Every few steps other lofty and still 6756narrower crevices branched from it on either hand--for McDougal's cave 6757was but a vast labyrinth of crooked aisles that ran into each other and 6758out again and led nowhere. It was said that one might wander days and 6759nights together through its intricate tangle of rifts and chasms, and 6760never find the end of the cave; and that he might go down, and down, 6761and still down, into the earth, and it was just the same--labyrinth 6762under labyrinth, and no end to any of them. No man "knew" the cave. 6763That was an impossible thing. Most of the young men knew a portion of 6764it, and it was not customary to venture much beyond this known portion. 6765Tom Sawyer knew as much of the cave as any one. 6766 6767The procession moved along the main avenue some three-quarters of a 6768mile, and then groups and couples began to slip aside into branch 6769avenues, fly along the dismal corridors, and take each other by 6770surprise at points where the corridors joined again. Parties were able 6771to elude each other for the space of half an hour without going beyond 6772the "known" ground. 6773 6774By-and-by, one group after another came straggling back to the mouth 6775of the cave, panting, hilarious, smeared from head to foot with tallow 6776drippings, daubed with clay, and entirely delighted with the success of 6777the day. Then they were astonished to find that they had been taking no 6778note of time and that night was about at hand. The clanging bell had 6779been calling for half an hour. However, this sort of close to the day's 6780adventures was romantic and therefore satisfactory. When the ferryboat 6781with her wild freight pushed into the stream, nobody cared sixpence for 6782the wasted time but the captain of the craft. 6783 6784Huck was already upon his watch when the ferryboat's lights went 6785glinting past the wharf. He heard no noise on board, for the young 6786people were as subdued and still as people usually are who are nearly 6787tired to death. He wondered what boat it was, and why she did not stop 6788at the wharf--and then he dropped her out of his mind and put his 6789attention upon his business. The night was growing cloudy and dark. Ten 6790o'clock came, and the noise of vehicles ceased, scattered lights began 6791to wink out, all straggling foot-passengers disappeared, the village 6792betook itself to its slumbers and left the small watcher alone with the 6793silence and the ghosts. Eleven o'clock came, and the tavern lights were 6794put out; darkness everywhere, now. Huck waited what seemed a weary long 6795time, but nothing happened. His faith was weakening. Was there any use? 6796Was there really any use? Why not give it up and turn in? 6797 6798A noise fell upon his ear. He was all attention in an instant. The 6799alley door closed softly. He sprang to the corner of the brick store. 6800The next moment two men brushed by him, and one seemed to have 6801something under his arm. It must be that box! So they were going to 6802remove the treasure. Why call Tom now? It would be absurd--the men 6803would get away with the box and never be found again. No, he would 6804stick to their wake and follow them; he would trust to the darkness for 6805security from discovery. So communing with himself, Huck stepped out 6806and glided along behind the men, cat-like, with bare feet, allowing 6807them to keep just far enough ahead not to be invisible. 6808 6809They moved up the river street three blocks, then turned to the left 6810up a cross-street. They went straight ahead, then, until they came to 6811the path that led up Cardiff Hill; this they took. They passed by the 6812old Welshman's house, half-way up the hill, without hesitating, and 6813still climbed upward. Good, thought Huck, they will bury it in the old 6814quarry. But they never stopped at the quarry. They passed on, up the 6815summit. They plunged into the narrow path between the tall sumach 6816bushes, and were at once hidden in the gloom. Huck closed up and 6817shortened his distance, now, for they would never be able to see him. 6818He trotted along awhile; then slackened his pace, fearing he was 6819gaining too fast; moved on a piece, then stopped altogether; listened; 6820no sound; none, save that he seemed to hear the beating of his own 6821heart. The hooting of an owl came over the hill--ominous sound! But no 6822footsteps. Heavens, was everything lost! He was about to spring with 6823winged feet, when a man cleared his throat not four feet from him! 6824Huck's heart shot into his throat, but he swallowed it again; and then 6825he stood there shaking as if a dozen agues had taken charge of him at 6826once, and so weak that he thought he must surely fall to the ground. He 6827knew where he was. He knew he was within five steps of the stile 6828leading into Widow Douglas' grounds. Very well, he thought, let them 6829bury it there; it won't be hard to find. 6830 6831Now there was a voice--a very low voice--Injun Joe's: 6832 6833"Damn her, maybe she's got company--there's lights, late as it is." 6834 6835"I can't see any." 6836 6837This was that stranger's voice--the stranger of the haunted house. A 6838deadly chill went to Huck's heart--this, then, was the "revenge" job! 6839His thought was, to fly. Then he remembered that the Widow Douglas had 6840been kind to him more than once, and maybe these men were going to 6841murder her. He wished he dared venture to warn her; but he knew he 6842didn't dare--they might come and catch him. He thought all this and 6843more in the moment that elapsed between the stranger's remark and Injun 6844Joe's next--which was-- 6845 6846"Because the bush is in your way. Now--this way--now you see, don't 6847you?" 6848 6849"Yes. Well, there IS company there, I reckon. Better give it up." 6850 6851"Give it up, and I just leaving this country forever! Give it up and 6852maybe never have another chance. I tell you again, as I've told you 6853before, I don't care for her swag--you may have it. But her husband was 6854rough on me--many times he was rough on me--and mainly he was the 6855justice of the peace that jugged me for a vagrant. And that ain't all. 6856It ain't a millionth part of it! He had me HORSEWHIPPED!--horsewhipped 6857in front of the jail, like a nigger!--with all the town looking on! 6858HORSEWHIPPED!--do you understand? He took advantage of me and died. But 6859I'll take it out of HER." 6860 6861"Oh, don't kill her! Don't do that!" 6862 6863"Kill? Who said anything about killing? I would kill HIM if he was 6864here; but not her. When you want to get revenge on a woman you don't 6865kill her--bosh! you go for her looks. You slit her nostrils--you notch 6866her ears like a sow!" 6867 6868"By God, that's--" 6869 6870"Keep your opinion to yourself! It will be safest for you. I'll tie 6871her to the bed. If she bleeds to death, is that my fault? I'll not cry, 6872if she does. My friend, you'll help me in this thing--for MY sake 6873--that's why you're here--I mightn't be able alone. If you flinch, I'll 6874kill you. Do you understand that? And if I have to kill you, I'll kill 6875her--and then I reckon nobody'll ever know much about who done this 6876business." 6877 6878"Well, if it's got to be done, let's get at it. The quicker the 6879better--I'm all in a shiver." 6880 6881"Do it NOW? And company there? Look here--I'll get suspicious of you, 6882first thing you know. No--we'll wait till the lights are out--there's 6883no hurry." 6884 6885Huck felt that a silence was going to ensue--a thing still more awful 6886than any amount of murderous talk; so he held his breath and stepped 6887gingerly back; planted his foot carefully and firmly, after balancing, 6888one-legged, in a precarious way and almost toppling over, first on one 6889side and then on the other. He took another step back, with the same 6890elaboration and the same risks; then another and another, and--a twig 6891snapped under his foot! His breath stopped and he listened. There was 6892no sound--the stillness was perfect. His gratitude was measureless. Now 6893he turned in his tracks, between the walls of sumach bushes--turned 6894himself as carefully as if he were a ship--and then stepped quickly but 6895cautiously along. When he emerged at the quarry he felt secure, and so 6896he picked up his nimble heels and flew. Down, down he sped, till he 6897reached the Welshman's. He banged at the door, and presently the heads 6898of the old man and his two stalwart sons were thrust from windows. 6899 6900"What's the row there? Who's banging? What do you want?" 6901 6902"Let me in--quick! I'll tell everything." 6903 6904"Why, who are you?" 6905 6906"Huckleberry Finn--quick, let me in!" 6907 6908"Huckleberry Finn, indeed! It ain't a name to open many doors, I 6909judge! But let him in, lads, and let's see what's the trouble." 6910 6911"Please don't ever tell I told you," were Huck's first words when he 6912got in. "Please don't--I'd be killed, sure--but the widow's been good 6913friends to me sometimes, and I want to tell--I WILL tell if you'll 6914promise you won't ever say it was me." 6915 6916"By George, he HAS got something to tell, or he wouldn't act so!" 6917exclaimed the old man; "out with it and nobody here'll ever tell, lad." 6918 6919Three minutes later the old man and his sons, well armed, were up the 6920hill, and just entering the sumach path on tiptoe, their weapons in 6921their hands. Huck accompanied them no further. He hid behind a great 6922bowlder and fell to listening. There was a lagging, anxious silence, 6923and then all of a sudden there was an explosion of firearms and a cry. 6924 6925Huck waited for no particulars. He sprang away and sped down the hill 6926as fast as his legs could carry him. 6927 6928 6929 6930CHAPTER XXX 6931 6932AS the earliest suspicion of dawn appeared on Sunday morning, Huck 6933came groping up the hill and rapped gently at the old Welshman's door. 6934The inmates were asleep, but it was a sleep that was set on a 6935hair-trigger, on account of the exciting episode of the night. A call 6936came from a window: 6937 6938"Who's there!" 6939 6940Huck's scared voice answered in a low tone: 6941 6942"Please let me in! It's only Huck Finn!" 6943 6944"It's a name that can open this door night or day, lad!--and welcome!" 6945 6946These were strange words to the vagabond boy's ears, and the 6947pleasantest he had ever heard. He could not recollect that the closing 6948word had ever been applied in his case before. The door was quickly 6949unlocked, and he entered. Huck was given a seat and the old man and his 6950brace of tall sons speedily dressed themselves. 6951 6952"Now, my boy, I hope you're good and hungry, because breakfast will be 6953ready as soon as the sun's up, and we'll have a piping hot one, too 6954--make yourself easy about that! I and the boys hoped you'd turn up and 6955stop here last night." 6956 6957"I was awful scared," said Huck, "and I run. I took out when the 6958pistols went off, and I didn't stop for three mile. I've come now becuz 6959I wanted to know about it, you know; and I come before daylight becuz I 6960didn't want to run across them devils, even if they was dead." 6961 6962"Well, poor chap, you do look as if you'd had a hard night of it--but 6963there's a bed here for you when you've had your breakfast. No, they 6964ain't dead, lad--we are sorry enough for that. You see we knew right 6965where to put our hands on them, by your description; so we crept along 6966on tiptoe till we got within fifteen feet of them--dark as a cellar 6967that sumach path was--and just then I found I was going to sneeze. It 6968was the meanest kind of luck! I tried to keep it back, but no use 6969--'twas bound to come, and it did come! I was in the lead with my pistol 6970raised, and when the sneeze started those scoundrels a-rustling to get 6971out of the path, I sung out, 'Fire boys!' and blazed away at the place 6972where the rustling was. So did the boys. But they were off in a jiffy, 6973those villains, and we after them, down through the woods. I judge we 6974never touched them. They fired a shot apiece as they started, but their 6975bullets whizzed by and didn't do us any harm. As soon as we lost the 6976sound of their feet we quit chasing, and went down and stirred up the 6977constables. They got a posse together, and went off to guard the river 6978bank, and as soon as it is light the sheriff and a gang are going to 6979beat up the woods. My boys will be with them presently. I wish we had 6980some sort of description of those rascals--'twould help a good deal. 6981But you couldn't see what they were like, in the dark, lad, I suppose?" 6982 6983"Oh yes; I saw them down-town and follered them." 6984 6985"Splendid! Describe them--describe them, my boy!" 6986 6987"One's the old deaf and dumb Spaniard that's ben around here once or 6988twice, and t'other's a mean-looking, ragged--" 6989 6990"That's enough, lad, we know the men! Happened on them in the woods 6991back of the widow's one day, and they slunk away. Off with you, boys, 6992and tell the sheriff--get your breakfast to-morrow morning!" 6993 6994The Welshman's sons departed at once. As they were leaving the room 6995Huck sprang up and exclaimed: 6996 6997"Oh, please don't tell ANYbody it was me that blowed on them! Oh, 6998please!" 6999 7000"All right if you say it, Huck, but you ought to have the credit of 7001what you did." 7002 7003"Oh no, no! Please don't tell!" 7004 7005When the young men were gone, the old Welshman said: 7006 7007"They won't tell--and I won't. But why don't you want it known?" 7008 7009Huck would not explain, further than to say that he already knew too 7010much about one of those men and would not have the man know that he 7011knew anything against him for the whole world--he would be killed for 7012knowing it, sure. 7013 7014The old man promised secrecy once more, and said: 7015 7016"How did you come to follow these fellows, lad? Were they looking 7017suspicious?" 7018 7019Huck was silent while he framed a duly cautious reply. Then he said: 7020 7021"Well, you see, I'm a kind of a hard lot,--least everybody says so, 7022and I don't see nothing agin it--and sometimes I can't sleep much, on 7023account of thinking about it and sort of trying to strike out a new way 7024of doing. That was the way of it last night. I couldn't sleep, and so I 7025come along up-street 'bout midnight, a-turning it all over, and when I 7026got to that old shackly brick store by the Temperance Tavern, I backed 7027up agin the wall to have another think. Well, just then along comes 7028these two chaps slipping along close by me, with something under their 7029arm, and I reckoned they'd stole it. One was a-smoking, and t'other one 7030wanted a light; so they stopped right before me and the cigars lit up 7031their faces and I see that the big one was the deaf and dumb Spaniard, 7032by his white whiskers and the patch on his eye, and t'other one was a 7033rusty, ragged-looking devil." 7034 7035"Could you see the rags by the light of the cigars?" 7036 7037This staggered Huck for a moment. Then he said: 7038 7039"Well, I don't know--but somehow it seems as if I did." 7040 7041"Then they went on, and you--" 7042 7043"Follered 'em--yes. That was it. I wanted to see what was up--they 7044sneaked along so. I dogged 'em to the widder's stile, and stood in the 7045dark and heard the ragged one beg for the widder, and the Spaniard 7046swear he'd spile her looks just as I told you and your two--" 7047 7048"What! The DEAF AND DUMB man said all that!" 7049 7050Huck had made another terrible mistake! He was trying his best to keep 7051the old man from getting the faintest hint of who the Spaniard might 7052be, and yet his tongue seemed determined to get him into trouble in 7053spite of all he could do. He made several efforts to creep out of his 7054scrape, but the old man's eye was upon him and he made blunder after 7055blunder. Presently the Welshman said: 7056 7057"My boy, don't be afraid of me. I wouldn't hurt a hair of your head 7058for all the world. No--I'd protect you--I'd protect you. This Spaniard 7059is not deaf and dumb; you've let that slip without intending it; you 7060can't cover that up now. You know something about that Spaniard that 7061you want to keep dark. Now trust me--tell me what it is, and trust me 7062--I won't betray you." 7063 7064Huck looked into the old man's honest eyes a moment, then bent over 7065and whispered in his ear: 7066 7067"'Tain't a Spaniard--it's Injun Joe!" 7068 7069The Welshman almost jumped out of his chair. In a moment he said: 7070 7071"It's all plain enough, now. When you talked about notching ears and 7072slitting noses I judged that that was your own embellishment, because 7073white men don't take that sort of revenge. But an Injun! That's a 7074different matter altogether." 7075 7076During breakfast the talk went on, and in the course of it the old man 7077said that the last thing which he and his sons had done, before going 7078to bed, was to get a lantern and examine the stile and its vicinity for 7079marks of blood. They found none, but captured a bulky bundle of-- 7080 7081"Of WHAT?" 7082 7083If the words had been lightning they could not have leaped with a more 7084stunning suddenness from Huck's blanched lips. His eyes were staring 7085wide, now, and his breath suspended--waiting for the answer. The 7086Welshman started--stared in return--three seconds--five seconds--ten 7087--then replied: 7088 7089"Of burglar's tools. Why, what's the MATTER with you?" 7090 7091Huck sank back, panting gently, but deeply, unutterably grateful. The 7092Welshman eyed him gravely, curiously--and presently said: 7093 7094"Yes, burglar's tools. That appears to relieve you a good deal. But 7095what did give you that turn? What were YOU expecting we'd found?" 7096 7097Huck was in a close place--the inquiring eye was upon him--he would 7098have given anything for material for a plausible answer--nothing 7099suggested itself--the inquiring eye was boring deeper and deeper--a 7100senseless reply offered--there was no time to weigh it, so at a venture 7101he uttered it--feebly: 7102 7103"Sunday-school books, maybe." 7104 7105Poor Huck was too distressed to smile, but the old man laughed loud 7106and joyously, shook up the details of his anatomy from head to foot, 7107and ended by saying that such a laugh was money in a-man's pocket, 7108because it cut down the doctor's bill like everything. Then he added: 7109 7110"Poor old chap, you're white and jaded--you ain't well a bit--no 7111wonder you're a little flighty and off your balance. But you'll come 7112out of it. Rest and sleep will fetch you out all right, I hope." 7113 7114Huck was irritated to think he had been such a goose and betrayed such 7115a suspicious excitement, for he had dropped the idea that the parcel 7116brought from the tavern was the treasure, as soon as he had heard the 7117talk at the widow's stile. He had only thought it was not the treasure, 7118however--he had not known that it wasn't--and so the suggestion of a 7119captured bundle was too much for his self-possession. But on the whole 7120he felt glad the little episode had happened, for now he knew beyond 7121all question that that bundle was not THE bundle, and so his mind was 7122at rest and exceedingly comfortable. In fact, everything seemed to be 7123drifting just in the right direction, now; the treasure must be still 7124in No. 2, the men would be captured and jailed that day, and he and Tom 7125could seize the gold that night without any trouble or any fear of 7126interruption. 7127 7128Just as breakfast was completed there was a knock at the door. Huck 7129jumped for a hiding-place, for he had no mind to be connected even 7130remotely with the late event. The Welshman admitted several ladies and 7131gentlemen, among them the Widow Douglas, and noticed that groups of 7132citizens were climbing up the hill--to stare at the stile. So the news 7133had spread. The Welshman had to tell the story of the night to the 7134visitors. The widow's gratitude for her preservation was outspoken. 7135 7136"Don't say a word about it, madam. There's another that you're more 7137beholden to than you are to me and my boys, maybe, but he don't allow 7138me to tell his name. We wouldn't have been there but for him." 7139 7140Of course this excited a curiosity so vast that it almost belittled 7141the main matter--but the Welshman allowed it to eat into the vitals of 7142his visitors, and through them be transmitted to the whole town, for he 7143refused to part with his secret. When all else had been learned, the 7144widow said: 7145 7146"I went to sleep reading in bed and slept straight through all that 7147noise. Why didn't you come and wake me?" 7148 7149"We judged it warn't worth while. Those fellows warn't likely to come 7150again--they hadn't any tools left to work with, and what was the use of 7151waking you up and scaring you to death? My three negro men stood guard 7152at your house all the rest of the night. They've just come back." 7153 7154More visitors came, and the story had to be told and retold for a 7155couple of hours more. 7156 7157There was no Sabbath-school during day-school vacation, but everybody 7158was early at church. The stirring event was well canvassed. News came 7159that not a sign of the two villains had been yet discovered. When the 7160sermon was finished, Judge Thatcher's wife dropped alongside of Mrs. 7161Harper as she moved down the aisle with the crowd and said: 7162 7163"Is my Becky going to sleep all day? I just expected she would be 7164tired to death." 7165 7166"Your Becky?" 7167 7168"Yes," with a startled look--"didn't she stay with you last night?" 7169 7170"Why, no." 7171 7172Mrs. Thatcher turned pale, and sank into a pew, just as Aunt Polly, 7173talking briskly with a friend, passed by. Aunt Polly said: 7174 7175"Good-morning, Mrs. Thatcher. Good-morning, Mrs. Harper. I've got a 7176boy that's turned up missing. I reckon my Tom stayed at your house last 7177night--one of you. And now he's afraid to come to church. I've got to 7178settle with him." 7179 7180Mrs. Thatcher shook her head feebly and turned paler than ever. 7181 7182"He didn't stay with us," said Mrs. Harper, beginning to look uneasy. 7183A marked anxiety came into Aunt Polly's face. 7184 7185"Joe Harper, have you seen my Tom this morning?" 7186 7187"No'm." 7188 7189"When did you see him last?" 7190 7191Joe tried to remember, but was not sure he could say. The people had 7192stopped moving out of church. Whispers passed along, and a boding 7193uneasiness took possession of every countenance. Children were 7194anxiously questioned, and young teachers. They all said they had not 7195noticed whether Tom and Becky were on board the ferryboat on the 7196homeward trip; it was dark; no one thought of inquiring if any one was 7197missing. One young man finally blurted out his fear that they were 7198still in the cave! Mrs. Thatcher swooned away. Aunt Polly fell to 7199crying and wringing her hands. 7200 7201The alarm swept from lip to lip, from group to group, from street to 7202street, and within five minutes the bells were wildly clanging and the 7203whole town was up! The Cardiff Hill episode sank into instant 7204insignificance, the burglars were forgotten, horses were saddled, 7205skiffs were manned, the ferryboat ordered out, and before the horror 7206was half an hour old, two hundred men were pouring down highroad and 7207river toward the cave. 7208 7209All the long afternoon the village seemed empty and dead. Many women 7210visited Aunt Polly and Mrs. Thatcher and tried to comfort them. They 7211cried with them, too, and that was still better than words. All the 7212tedious night the town waited for news; but when the morning dawned at 7213last, all the word that came was, "Send more candles--and send food." 7214Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. Judge Thatcher 7215sent messages of hope and encouragement from the cave, but they 7216conveyed no real cheer. 7217 7218The old Welshman came home toward daylight, spattered with 7219candle-grease, smeared with clay, and almost worn out. He found Huck 7220still in the bed that had been provided for him, and delirious with 7221fever. The physicians were all at the cave, so the Widow Douglas came 7222and took charge of the patient. She said she would do her best by him, 7223because, whether he was good, bad, or indifferent, he was the Lord's, 7224and nothing that was the Lord's was a thing to be neglected. The 7225Welshman said Huck had good spots in him, and the widow said: 7226 7227"You can depend on it. That's the Lord's mark. He don't leave it off. 7228He never does. Puts it somewhere on every creature that comes from his 7229hands." 7230 7231Early in the forenoon parties of jaded men began to straggle into the 7232village, but the strongest of the citizens continued searching. All the 7233news that could be gained was that remotenesses of the cavern were 7234being ransacked that had never been visited before; that every corner 7235and crevice was going to be thoroughly searched; that wherever one 7236wandered through the maze of passages, lights were to be seen flitting 7237hither and thither in the distance, and shoutings and pistol-shots sent 7238their hollow reverberations to the ear down the sombre aisles. In one 7239place, far from the section usually traversed by tourists, the names 7240"BECKY & TOM" had been found traced upon the rocky wall with 7241candle-smoke, and near at hand a grease-soiled bit of ribbon. Mrs. 7242Thatcher recognized the ribbon and cried over it. She said it was the 7243last relic she should ever have of her child; and that no other memorial 7244of her could ever be so precious, because this one parted latest from 7245the living body before the awful death came. Some said that now and 7246then, in the cave, a far-away speck of light would glimmer, and then a 7247glorious shout would burst forth and a score of men go trooping down the 7248echoing aisle--and then a sickening disappointment always followed; the 7249children were not there; it was only a searcher's light. 7250 7251Three dreadful days and nights dragged their tedious hours along, and 7252the village sank into a hopeless stupor. No one had heart for anything. 7253The accidental discovery, just made, that the proprietor of the 7254Temperance Tavern kept liquor on his premises, scarcely fluttered the 7255public pulse, tremendous as the fact was. In a lucid interval, Huck 7256feebly led up to the subject of taverns, and finally asked--dimly 7257dreading the worst--if anything had been discovered at the Temperance 7258Tavern since he had been ill. 7259 7260"Yes," said the widow. 7261 7262Huck started up in bed, wild-eyed: 7263 7264"What? What was it?" 7265 7266"Liquor!--and the place has been shut up. Lie down, child--what a turn 7267you did give me!" 7268 7269"Only tell me just one thing--only just one--please! Was it Tom Sawyer 7270that found it?" 7271 7272The widow burst into tears. "Hush, hush, child, hush! I've told you 7273before, you must NOT talk. You are very, very sick!" 7274 7275Then nothing but liquor had been found; there would have been a great 7276powwow if it had been the gold. So the treasure was gone forever--gone 7277forever! But what could she be crying about? Curious that she should 7278cry. 7279 7280These thoughts worked their dim way through Huck's mind, and under the 7281weariness they gave him he fell asleep. The widow said to herself: 7282 7283"There--he's asleep, poor wreck. Tom Sawyer find it! Pity but somebody 7284could find Tom Sawyer! Ah, there ain't many left, now, that's got hope 7285enough, or strength enough, either, to go on searching." 7286 7287 7288 7289CHAPTER XXXI 7290 7291NOW to return to Tom and Becky's share in the picnic. They tripped 7292along the murky aisles with the rest of the company, visiting the 7293familiar wonders of the cave--wonders dubbed with rather 7294over-descriptive names, such as "The Drawing-Room," "The Cathedral," 7295"Aladdin's Palace," and so on. Presently the hide-and-seek frolicking 7296began, and Tom and Becky engaged in it with zeal until the exertion 7297began to grow a trifle wearisome; then they wandered down a sinuous 7298avenue holding their candles aloft and reading the tangled web-work of 7299names, dates, post-office addresses, and mottoes with which the rocky 7300walls had been frescoed (in candle-smoke). Still drifting along and 7301talking, they scarcely noticed that they were now in a part of the cave 7302whose walls were not frescoed. They smoked their own names under an 7303overhanging shelf and moved on. Presently they came to a place where a 7304little stream of water, trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone 7305sediment with it, had, in the slow-dragging ages, formed a laced and 7306ruffled Niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone. Tom squeezed his 7307small body behind it in order to illuminate it for Becky's 7308gratification. He found that it curtained a sort of steep natural 7309stairway which was enclosed between narrow walls, and at once the 7310ambition to be a discoverer seized him. Becky responded to his call, 7311and they made a smoke-mark for future guidance, and started upon their 7312quest. They wound this way and that, far down into the secret depths of 7313the cave, made another mark, and branched off in search of novelties to 7314tell the upper world about. In one place they found a spacious cavern, 7315from whose ceiling depended a multitude of shining stalactites of the 7316length and circumference of a man's leg; they walked all about it, 7317wondering and admiring, and presently left it by one of the numerous 7318passages that opened into it. This shortly brought them to a bewitching 7319spring, whose basin was incrusted with a frostwork of glittering 7320crystals; it was in the midst of a cavern whose walls were supported by 7321many fantastic pillars which had been formed by the joining of great 7322stalactites and stalagmites together, the result of the ceaseless 7323water-drip of centuries. Under the roof vast knots of bats had packed 7324themselves together, thousands in a bunch; the lights disturbed the 7325creatures and they came flocking down by hundreds, squeaking and 7326darting furiously at the candles. Tom knew their ways and the danger of 7327this sort of conduct. He seized Becky's hand and hurried her into the 7328first corridor that offered; and none too soon, for a bat struck 7329Becky's light out with its wing while she was passing out of the 7330cavern. The bats chased the children a good distance; but the fugitives 7331plunged into every new passage that offered, and at last got rid of the 7332perilous things. Tom found a subterranean lake, shortly, which 7333stretched its dim length away until its shape was lost in the shadows. 7334He wanted to explore its borders, but concluded that it would be best 7335to sit down and rest awhile, first. Now, for the first time, the deep 7336stillness of the place laid a clammy hand upon the spirits of the 7337children. Becky said: 7338 7339"Why, I didn't notice, but it seems ever so long since I heard any of 7340the others." 7341 7342"Come to think, Becky, we are away down below them--and I don't know 7343how far away north, or south, or east, or whichever it is. We couldn't 7344hear them here." 7345 7346Becky grew apprehensive. 7347 7348"I wonder how long we've been down here, Tom? We better start back." 7349 7350"Yes, I reckon we better. P'raps we better." 7351 7352"Can you find the way, Tom? It's all a mixed-up crookedness to me." 7353 7354"I reckon I could find it--but then the bats. If they put our candles 7355out it will be an awful fix. Let's try some other way, so as not to go 7356through there." 7357 7358"Well. But I hope we won't get lost. It would be so awful!" and the 7359girl shuddered at the thought of the dreadful possibilities. 7360 7361They started through a corridor, and traversed it in silence a long 7362way, glancing at each new opening, to see if there was anything 7363familiar about the look of it; but they were all strange. Every time 7364Tom made an examination, Becky would watch his face for an encouraging 7365sign, and he would say cheerily: 7366 7367"Oh, it's all right. This ain't the one, but we'll come to it right 7368away!" 7369 7370But he felt less and less hopeful with each failure, and presently 7371began to turn off into diverging avenues at sheer random, in desperate 7372hope of finding the one that was wanted. He still said it was "all 7373right," but there was such a leaden dread at his heart that the words 7374had lost their ring and sounded just as if he had said, "All is lost!" 7375Becky clung to his side in an anguish of fear, and tried hard to keep 7376back the tears, but they would come. At last she said: 7377 7378"Oh, Tom, never mind the bats, let's go back that way! We seem to get 7379worse and worse off all the time." 7380 7381"Listen!" said he. 7382 7383Profound silence; silence so deep that even their breathings were 7384conspicuous in the hush. Tom shouted. The call went echoing down the 7385empty aisles and died out in the distance in a faint sound that 7386resembled a ripple of mocking laughter. 7387 7388"Oh, don't do it again, Tom, it is too horrid," said Becky. 7389 7390"It is horrid, but I better, Becky; they might hear us, you know," and 7391he shouted again. 7392 7393The "might" was even a chillier horror than the ghostly laughter, it 7394so confessed a perishing hope. The children stood still and listened; 7395but there was no result. Tom turned upon the back track at once, and 7396hurried his steps. It was but a little while before a certain 7397indecision in his manner revealed another fearful fact to Becky--he 7398could not find his way back! 7399 7400"Oh, Tom, you didn't make any marks!" 7401 7402"Becky, I was such a fool! Such a fool! I never thought we might want 7403to come back! No--I can't find the way. It's all mixed up." 7404 7405"Tom, Tom, we're lost! we're lost! We never can get out of this awful 7406place! Oh, why DID we ever leave the others!" 7407 7408She sank to the ground and burst into such a frenzy of crying that Tom 7409was appalled with the idea that she might die, or lose her reason. He 7410sat down by her and put his arms around her; she buried her face in his 7411bosom, she clung to him, she poured out her terrors, her unavailing 7412regrets, and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter. Tom 7413begged her to pluck up hope again, and she said she could not. He fell 7414to blaming and abusing himself for getting her into this miserable 7415situation; this had a better effect. She said she would try to hope 7416again, she would get up and follow wherever he might lead if only he 7417would not talk like that any more. For he was no more to blame than 7418she, she said. 7419 7420So they moved on again--aimlessly--simply at random--all they could do 7421was to move, keep moving. For a little while, hope made a show of 7422reviving--not with any reason to back it, but only because it is its 7423nature to revive when the spring has not been taken out of it by age 7424and familiarity with failure. 7425 7426By-and-by Tom took Becky's candle and blew it out. This economy meant 7427so much! Words were not needed. Becky understood, and her hope died 7428again. She knew that Tom had a whole candle and three or four pieces in 7429his pockets--yet he must economize. 7430 7431By-and-by, fatigue began to assert its claims; the children tried to 7432pay attention, for it was dreadful to think of sitting down when time 7433was grown to be so precious, moving, in some direction, in any 7434direction, was at least progress and might bear fruit; but to sit down 7435was to invite death and shorten its pursuit. 7436 7437At last Becky's frail limbs refused to carry her farther. She sat 7438down. Tom rested with her, and they talked of home, and the friends 7439there, and the comfortable beds and, above all, the light! Becky cried, 7440and Tom tried to think of some way of comforting her, but all his 7441encouragements were grown threadbare with use, and sounded like 7442sarcasms. Fatigue bore so heavily upon Becky that she drowsed off to 7443sleep. Tom was grateful. He sat looking into her drawn face and saw it 7444grow smooth and natural under the influence of pleasant dreams; and 7445by-and-by a smile dawned and rested there. The peaceful face reflected 7446somewhat of peace and healing into his own spirit, and his thoughts 7447wandered away to bygone times and dreamy memories. While he was deep in 7448his musings, Becky woke up with a breezy little laugh--but it was 7449stricken dead upon her lips, and a groan followed it. 7450 7451"Oh, how COULD I sleep! I wish I never, never had waked! No! No, I 7452don't, Tom! Don't look so! I won't say it again." 7453 7454"I'm glad you've slept, Becky; you'll feel rested, now, and we'll find 7455the way out." 7456 7457"We can try, Tom; but I've seen such a beautiful country in my dream. 7458I reckon we are going there." 7459 7460"Maybe not, maybe not. Cheer up, Becky, and let's go on trying." 7461 7462They rose up and wandered along, hand in hand and hopeless. They tried 7463to estimate how long they had been in the cave, but all they knew was 7464that it seemed days and weeks, and yet it was plain that this could not 7465be, for their candles were not gone yet. A long time after this--they 7466could not tell how long--Tom said they must go softly and listen for 7467dripping water--they must find a spring. They found one presently, and 7468Tom said it was time to rest again. Both were cruelly tired, yet Becky 7469said she thought she could go a little farther. She was surprised to 7470hear Tom dissent. She could not understand it. They sat down, and Tom 7471fastened his candle to the wall in front of them with some clay. 7472Thought was soon busy; nothing was said for some time. Then Becky broke 7473the silence: 7474 7475"Tom, I am so hungry!" 7476 7477Tom took something out of his pocket. 7478 7479"Do you remember this?" said he. 7480 7481Becky almost smiled. 7482 7483"It's our wedding-cake, Tom." 7484 7485"Yes--I wish it was as big as a barrel, for it's all we've got." 7486 7487"I saved it from the picnic for us to dream on, Tom, the way grown-up 7488people do with wedding-cake--but it'll be our--" 7489 7490She dropped the sentence where it was. Tom divided the cake and Becky 7491ate with good appetite, while Tom nibbled at his moiety. There was 7492abundance of cold water to finish the feast with. By-and-by Becky 7493suggested that they move on again. Tom was silent a moment. Then he 7494said: 7495 7496"Becky, can you bear it if I tell you something?" 7497 7498Becky's face paled, but she thought she could. 7499 7500"Well, then, Becky, we must stay here, where there's water to drink. 7501That little piece is our last candle!" 7502 7503Becky gave loose to tears and wailings. Tom did what he could to 7504comfort her, but with little effect. At length Becky said: 7505 7506"Tom!" 7507 7508"Well, Becky?" 7509 7510"They'll miss us and hunt for us!" 7511 7512"Yes, they will! Certainly they will!" 7513 7514"Maybe they're hunting for us now, Tom." 7515 7516"Why, I reckon maybe they are. I hope they are." 7517 7518"When would they miss us, Tom?" 7519 7520"When they get back to the boat, I reckon." 7521 7522"Tom, it might be dark then--would they notice we hadn't come?" 7523 7524"I don't know. But anyway, your mother would miss you as soon as they 7525got home." 7526 7527A frightened look in Becky's face brought Tom to his senses and he saw 7528that he had made a blunder. Becky was not to have gone home that night! 7529The children became silent and thoughtful. In a moment a new burst of 7530grief from Becky showed Tom that the thing in his mind had struck hers 7531also--that the Sabbath morning might be half spent before Mrs. Thatcher 7532discovered that Becky was not at Mrs. Harper's. 7533 7534The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched 7535it melt slowly and pitilessly away; saw the half inch of wick stand 7536alone at last; saw the feeble flame rise and fall, climb the thin 7537column of smoke, linger at its top a moment, and then--the horror of 7538utter darkness reigned! 7539 7540How long afterward it was that Becky came to a slow consciousness that 7541she was crying in Tom's arms, neither could tell. All that they knew 7542was, that after what seemed a mighty stretch of time, both awoke out of 7543a dead stupor of sleep and resumed their miseries once more. Tom said 7544it might be Sunday, now--maybe Monday. He tried to get Becky to talk, 7545but her sorrows were too oppressive, all her hopes were gone. Tom said 7546that they must have been missed long ago, and no doubt the search was 7547going on. He would shout and maybe some one would come. He tried it; 7548but in the darkness the distant echoes sounded so hideously that he 7549tried it no more. 7550 7551The hours wasted away, and hunger came to torment the captives again. 7552A portion of Tom's half of the cake was left; they divided and ate it. 7553But they seemed hungrier than before. The poor morsel of food only 7554whetted desire. 7555 7556By-and-by Tom said: 7557 7558"SH! Did you hear that?" 7559 7560Both held their breath and listened. There was a sound like the 7561faintest, far-off shout. Instantly Tom answered it, and leading Becky 7562by the hand, started groping down the corridor in its direction. 7563Presently he listened again; again the sound was heard, and apparently 7564a little nearer. 7565 7566"It's them!" said Tom; "they're coming! Come along, Becky--we're all 7567right now!" 7568 7569The joy of the prisoners was almost overwhelming. Their speed was 7570slow, however, because pitfalls were somewhat common, and had to be 7571guarded against. They shortly came to one and had to stop. It might be 7572three feet deep, it might be a hundred--there was no passing it at any 7573rate. Tom got down on his breast and reached as far down as he could. 7574No bottom. They must stay there and wait until the searchers came. They 7575listened; evidently the distant shoutings were growing more distant! a 7576moment or two more and they had gone altogether. The heart-sinking 7577misery of it! Tom whooped until he was hoarse, but it was of no use. He 7578talked hopefully to Becky; but an age of anxious waiting passed and no 7579sounds came again. 7580 7581The children groped their way back to the spring. The weary time 7582dragged on; they slept again, and awoke famished and woe-stricken. Tom 7583believed it must be Tuesday by this time. 7584 7585Now an idea struck him. There were some side passages near at hand. It 7586would be better to explore some of these than bear the weight of the 7587heavy time in idleness. He took a kite-line from his pocket, tied it to 7588a projection, and he and Becky started, Tom in the lead, unwinding the 7589line as he groped along. At the end of twenty steps the corridor ended 7590in a "jumping-off place." Tom got down on his knees and felt below, and 7591then as far around the corner as he could reach with his hands 7592conveniently; he made an effort to stretch yet a little farther to the 7593right, and at that moment, not twenty yards away, a human hand, holding 7594a candle, appeared from behind a rock! Tom lifted up a glorious shout, 7595and instantly that hand was followed by the body it belonged to--Injun 7596Joe's! Tom was paralyzed; he could not move. He was vastly gratified 7597the next moment, to see the "Spaniard" take to his heels and get 7598himself out of sight. Tom wondered that Joe had not recognized his 7599voice and come over and killed him for testifying in court. But the 7600echoes must have disguised the voice. Without doubt, that was it, he 7601reasoned. Tom's fright weakened every muscle in his body. He said to 7602himself that if he had strength enough to get back to the spring he 7603would stay there, and nothing should tempt him to run the risk of 7604meeting Injun Joe again. He was careful to keep from Becky what it was 7605he had seen. He told her he had only shouted "for luck." 7606 7607But hunger and wretchedness rise superior to fears in the long run. 7608Another tedious wait at the spring and another long sleep brought 7609changes. The children awoke tortured with a raging hunger. Tom believed 7610that it must be Wednesday or Thursday or even Friday or Saturday, now, 7611and that the search had been given over. He proposed to explore another 7612passage. He felt willing to risk Injun Joe and all other terrors. But 7613Becky was very weak. She had sunk into a dreary apathy and would not be 7614roused. She said she would wait, now, where she was, and die--it would 7615not be long. She told Tom to go with the kite-line and explore if he 7616chose; but she implored him to come back every little while and speak 7617to her; and she made him promise that when the awful time came, he 7618would stay by her and hold her hand until all was over. 7619 7620Tom kissed her, with a choking sensation in his throat, and made a 7621show of being confident of finding the searchers or an escape from the 7622cave; then he took the kite-line in his hand and went groping down one 7623of the passages on his hands and knees, distressed with hunger and sick 7624with bodings of coming doom. 7625 7626 7627 7628CHAPTER XXXII 7629 7630TUESDAY afternoon came, and waned to the twilight. The village of St. 7631Petersburg still mourned. The lost children had not been found. Public 7632prayers had been offered up for them, and many and many a private 7633prayer that had the petitioner's whole heart in it; but still no good 7634news came from the cave. The majority of the searchers had given up the 7635quest and gone back to their daily avocations, saying that it was plain 7636the children could never be found. Mrs. Thatcher was very ill, and a 7637great part of the time delirious. People said it was heartbreaking to 7638hear her call her child, and raise her head and listen a whole minute 7639at a time, then lay it wearily down again with a moan. Aunt Polly had 7640drooped into a settled melancholy, and her gray hair had grown almost 7641white. The village went to its rest on Tuesday night, sad and forlorn. 7642 7643Away in the middle of the night a wild peal burst from the village 7644bells, and in a moment the streets were swarming with frantic half-clad 7645people, who shouted, "Turn out! turn out! they're found! they're 7646found!" Tin pans and horns were added to the din, the population massed 7647itself and moved toward the river, met the children coming in an open 7648carriage drawn by shouting citizens, thronged around it, joined its 7649homeward march, and swept magnificently up the main street roaring 7650huzzah after huzzah! 7651 7652The village was illuminated; nobody went to bed again; it was the 7653greatest night the little town had ever seen. During the first half-hour 7654a procession of villagers filed through Judge Thatcher's house, seized 7655the saved ones and kissed them, squeezed Mrs. Thatcher's hand, tried to 7656speak but couldn't--and drifted out raining tears all over the place. 7657 7658Aunt Polly's happiness was complete, and Mrs. Thatcher's nearly so. It 7659would be complete, however, as soon as the messenger dispatched with 7660the great news to the cave should get the word to her husband. Tom lay 7661upon a sofa with an eager auditory about him and told the history of 7662the wonderful adventure, putting in many striking additions to adorn it 7663withal; and closed with a description of how he left Becky and went on 7664an exploring expedition; how he followed two avenues as far as his 7665kite-line would reach; how he followed a third to the fullest stretch of 7666the kite-line, and was about to turn back when he glimpsed a far-off 7667speck that looked like daylight; dropped the line and groped toward it, 7668pushed his head and shoulders through a small hole, and saw the broad 7669Mississippi rolling by! And if it had only happened to be night he would 7670not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that 7671passage any more! He told how he went back for Becky and broke the good 7672news and she told him not to fret her with such stuff, for she was 7673tired, and knew she was going to die, and wanted to. He described how he 7674labored with her and convinced her; and how she almost died for joy when 7675she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight; how 7676he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out; how they sat 7677there and cried for gladness; how some men came along in a skiff and Tom 7678hailed them and told them their situation and their famished condition; 7679how the men didn't believe the wild tale at first, "because," said they, 7680"you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in" 7681--then took them aboard, rowed to a house, gave them supper, made them 7682rest till two or three hours after dark and then brought them home. 7683 7684Before day-dawn, Judge Thatcher and the handful of searchers with him 7685were tracked out, in the cave, by the twine clews they had strung 7686behind them, and informed of the great news. 7687 7688Three days and nights of toil and hunger in the cave were not to be 7689shaken off at once, as Tom and Becky soon discovered. They were 7690bedridden all of Wednesday and Thursday, and seemed to grow more and 7691more tired and worn, all the time. Tom got about, a little, on 7692Thursday, was down-town Friday, and nearly as whole as ever Saturday; 7693but Becky did not leave her room until Sunday, and then she looked as 7694if she had passed through a wasting illness. 7695 7696Tom learned of Huck's sickness and went to see him on Friday, but 7697could not be admitted to the bedroom; neither could he on Saturday or 7698Sunday. He was admitted daily after that, but was warned to keep still 7699about his adventure and introduce no exciting topic. The Widow Douglas 7700stayed by to see that he obeyed. At home Tom learned of the Cardiff 7701Hill event; also that the "ragged man's" body had eventually been found 7702in the river near the ferry-landing; he had been drowned while trying 7703to escape, perhaps. 7704 7705About a fortnight after Tom's rescue from the cave, he started off to 7706visit Huck, who had grown plenty strong enough, now, to hear exciting 7707talk, and Tom had some that would interest him, he thought. Judge 7708Thatcher's house was on Tom's way, and he stopped to see Becky. The 7709Judge and some friends set Tom to talking, and some one asked him 7710ironically if he wouldn't like to go to the cave again. Tom said he 7711thought he wouldn't mind it. The Judge said: 7712 7713"Well, there are others just like you, Tom, I've not the least doubt. 7714But we have taken care of that. Nobody will get lost in that cave any 7715more." 7716 7717"Why?" 7718 7719"Because I had its big door sheathed with boiler iron two weeks ago, 7720and triple-locked--and I've got the keys." 7721 7722Tom turned as white as a sheet. 7723 7724"What's the matter, boy! Here, run, somebody! Fetch a glass of water!" 7725 7726The water was brought and thrown into Tom's face. 7727 7728"Ah, now you're all right. What was the matter with you, Tom?" 7729 7730"Oh, Judge, Injun Joe's in the cave!" 7731 7732 7733 7734CHAPTER XXXIII 7735 7736WITHIN a few minutes the news had spread, and a dozen skiff-loads of 7737men were on their way to McDougal's cave, and the ferryboat, well 7738filled with passengers, soon followed. Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that 7739bore Judge Thatcher. 7740 7741When the cave door was unlocked, a sorrowful sight presented itself in 7742the dim twilight of the place. Injun Joe lay stretched upon the ground, 7743dead, with his face close to the crack of the door, as if his longing 7744eyes had been fixed, to the latest moment, upon the light and the cheer 7745of the free world outside. Tom was touched, for he knew by his own 7746experience how this wretch had suffered. His pity was moved, but 7747nevertheless he felt an abounding sense of relief and security, now, 7748which revealed to him in a degree which he had not fully appreciated 7749before how vast a weight of dread had been lying upon him since the day 7750he lifted his voice against this bloody-minded outcast. 7751 7752Injun Joe's bowie-knife lay close by, its blade broken in two. The 7753great foundation-beam of the door had been chipped and hacked through, 7754with tedious labor; useless labor, too, it was, for the native rock 7755formed a sill outside it, and upon that stubborn material the knife had 7756wrought no effect; the only damage done was to the knife itself. But if 7757there had been no stony obstruction there the labor would have been 7758useless still, for if the beam had been wholly cut away Injun Joe could 7759not have squeezed his body under the door, and he knew it. So he had 7760only hacked that place in order to be doing something--in order to pass 7761the weary time--in order to employ his tortured faculties. Ordinarily 7762one could find half a dozen bits of candle stuck around in the crevices 7763of this vestibule, left there by tourists; but there were none now. The 7764prisoner had searched them out and eaten them. He had also contrived to 7765catch a few bats, and these, also, he had eaten, leaving only their 7766claws. The poor unfortunate had starved to death. In one place, near at 7767hand, a stalagmite had been slowly growing up from the ground for ages, 7768builded by the water-drip from a stalactite overhead. The captive had 7769broken off the stalagmite, and upon the stump had placed a stone, 7770wherein he had scooped a shallow hollow to catch the precious drop 7771that fell once in every three minutes with the dreary regularity of a 7772clock-tick--a dessertspoonful once in four and twenty hours. That drop 7773was falling when the Pyramids were new; when Troy fell; when the 7774foundations of Rome were laid; when Christ was crucified; when the 7775Conqueror created the British empire; when Columbus sailed; when the 7776massacre at Lexington was "news." It is falling now; it will still be 7777falling when all these things shall have sunk down the afternoon of 7778history, and the twilight of tradition, and been swallowed up in the 7779thick night of oblivion. Has everything a purpose and a mission? Did 7780this drop fall patiently during five thousand years to be ready for 7781this flitting human insect's need? and has it another important object 7782to accomplish ten thousand years to come? No matter. It is many and 7783many a year since the hapless half-breed scooped out the stone to catch 7784the priceless drops, but to this day the tourist stares longest at that 7785pathetic stone and that slow-dropping water when he comes to see the 7786wonders of McDougal's cave. Injun Joe's cup stands first in the list of 7787the cavern's marvels; even "Aladdin's Palace" cannot rival it. 7788 7789Injun Joe was buried near the mouth of the cave; and people flocked 7790there in boats and wagons from the towns and from all the farms and 7791hamlets for seven miles around; they brought their children, and all 7792sorts of provisions, and confessed that they had had almost as 7793satisfactory a time at the funeral as they could have had at the 7794hanging. 7795 7796This funeral stopped the further growth of one thing--the petition to 7797the governor for Injun Joe's pardon. The petition had been largely 7798signed; many tearful and eloquent meetings had been held, and a 7799committee of sappy women been appointed to go in deep mourning and wail 7800around the governor, and implore him to be a merciful ass and trample 7801his duty under foot. Injun Joe was believed to have killed five 7802citizens of the village, but what of that? If he had been Satan himself 7803there would have been plenty of weaklings ready to scribble their names 7804to a pardon-petition, and drip a tear on it from their permanently 7805impaired and leaky water-works. 7806 7807The morning after the funeral Tom took Huck to a private place to have 7808an important talk. Huck had learned all about Tom's adventure from the 7809Welshman and the Widow Douglas, by this time, but Tom said he reckoned 7810there was one thing they had not told him; that thing was what he 7811wanted to talk about now. Huck's face saddened. He said: 7812 7813"I know what it is. You got into No. 2 and never found anything but 7814whiskey. Nobody told me it was you; but I just knowed it must 'a' ben 7815you, soon as I heard 'bout that whiskey business; and I knowed you 7816hadn't got the money becuz you'd 'a' got at me some way or other and 7817told me even if you was mum to everybody else. Tom, something's always 7818told me we'd never get holt of that swag." 7819 7820"Why, Huck, I never told on that tavern-keeper. YOU know his tavern 7821was all right the Saturday I went to the picnic. Don't you remember you 7822was to watch there that night?" 7823 7824"Oh yes! Why, it seems 'bout a year ago. It was that very night that I 7825follered Injun Joe to the widder's." 7826 7827"YOU followed him?" 7828 7829"Yes--but you keep mum. I reckon Injun Joe's left friends behind him, 7830and I don't want 'em souring on me and doing me mean tricks. If it 7831hadn't ben for me he'd be down in Texas now, all right." 7832 7833Then Huck told his entire adventure in confidence to Tom, who had only 7834heard of the Welshman's part of it before. 7835 7836"Well," said Huck, presently, coming back to the main question, 7837"whoever nipped the whiskey in No. 2, nipped the money, too, I reckon 7838--anyways it's a goner for us, Tom." 7839 7840"Huck, that money wasn't ever in No. 2!" 7841 7842"What!" Huck searched his comrade's face keenly. "Tom, have you got on 7843the track of that money again?" 7844 7845"Huck, it's in the cave!" 7846 7847Huck's eyes blazed. 7848 7849"Say it again, Tom." 7850 7851"The money's in the cave!" 7852 7853"Tom--honest injun, now--is it fun, or earnest?" 7854 7855"Earnest, Huck--just as earnest as ever I was in my life. Will you go 7856in there with me and help get it out?" 7857 7858"I bet I will! I will if it's where we can blaze our way to it and not 7859get lost." 7860 7861"Huck, we can do that without the least little bit of trouble in the 7862world." 7863 7864"Good as wheat! What makes you think the money's--" 7865 7866"Huck, you just wait till we get in there. If we don't find it I'll 7867agree to give you my drum and every thing I've got in the world. I 7868will, by jings." 7869 7870"All right--it's a whiz. When do you say?" 7871 7872"Right now, if you say it. Are you strong enough?" 7873 7874"Is it far in the cave? I ben on my pins a little, three or four days, 7875now, but I can't walk more'n a mile, Tom--least I don't think I could." 7876 7877"It's about five mile into there the way anybody but me would go, 7878Huck, but there's a mighty short cut that they don't anybody but me 7879know about. Huck, I'll take you right to it in a skiff. I'll float the 7880skiff down there, and I'll pull it back again all by myself. You 7881needn't ever turn your hand over." 7882 7883"Less start right off, Tom." 7884 7885"All right. We want some bread and meat, and our pipes, and a little 7886bag or two, and two or three kite-strings, and some of these 7887new-fangled things they call lucifer matches. I tell you, many's 7888the time I wished I had some when I was in there before." 7889 7890A trifle after noon the boys borrowed a small skiff from a citizen who 7891was absent, and got under way at once. When they were several miles 7892below "Cave Hollow," Tom said: 7893 7894"Now you see this bluff here looks all alike all the way down from the 7895cave hollow--no houses, no wood-yards, bushes all alike. But do you see 7896that white place up yonder where there's been a landslide? Well, that's 7897one of my marks. We'll get ashore, now." 7898 7899They landed. 7900 7901"Now, Huck, where we're a-standing you could touch that hole I got out 7902of with a fishing-pole. See if you can find it." 7903 7904Huck searched all the place about, and found nothing. Tom proudly 7905marched into a thick clump of sumach bushes and said: 7906 7907"Here you are! Look at it, Huck; it's the snuggest hole in this 7908country. You just keep mum about it. All along I've been wanting to be 7909a robber, but I knew I'd got to have a thing like this, and where to 7910run across it was the bother. We've got it now, and we'll keep it 7911quiet, only we'll let Joe Harper and Ben Rogers in--because of course 7912there's got to be a Gang, or else there wouldn't be any style about it. 7913Tom Sawyer's Gang--it sounds splendid, don't it, Huck?" 7914 7915"Well, it just does, Tom. And who'll we rob?" 7916 7917"Oh, most anybody. Waylay people--that's mostly the way." 7918 7919"And kill them?" 7920 7921"No, not always. Hive them in the cave till they raise a ransom." 7922 7923"What's a ransom?" 7924 7925"Money. You make them raise all they can, off'n their friends; and 7926after you've kept them a year, if it ain't raised then you kill them. 7927That's the general way. Only you don't kill the women. You shut up the 7928women, but you don't kill them. They're always beautiful and rich, and 7929awfully scared. You take their watches and things, but you always take 7930your hat off and talk polite. They ain't anybody as polite as robbers 7931--you'll see that in any book. Well, the women get to loving you, and 7932after they've been in the cave a week or two weeks they stop crying and 7933after that you couldn't get them to leave. If you drove them out they'd 7934turn right around and come back. It's so in all the books." 7935 7936"Why, it's real bully, Tom. I believe it's better'n to be a pirate." 7937 7938"Yes, it's better in some ways, because it's close to home and 7939circuses and all that." 7940 7941By this time everything was ready and the boys entered the hole, Tom 7942in the lead. They toiled their way to the farther end of the tunnel, 7943then made their spliced kite-strings fast and moved on. A few steps 7944brought them to the spring, and Tom felt a shudder quiver all through 7945him. He showed Huck the fragment of candle-wick perched on a lump of 7946clay against the wall, and described how he and Becky had watched the 7947flame struggle and expire. 7948 7949The boys began to quiet down to whispers, now, for the stillness and 7950gloom of the place oppressed their spirits. They went on, and presently 7951entered and followed Tom's other corridor until they reached the 7952"jumping-off place." The candles revealed the fact that it was not 7953really a precipice, but only a steep clay hill twenty or thirty feet 7954high. Tom whispered: 7955 7956"Now I'll show you something, Huck." 7957 7958He held his candle aloft and said: 7959 7960"Look as far around the corner as you can. Do you see that? There--on 7961the big rock over yonder--done with candle-smoke." 7962 7963"Tom, it's a CROSS!" 7964 7965"NOW where's your Number Two? 'UNDER THE CROSS,' hey? Right yonder's 7966where I saw Injun Joe poke up his candle, Huck!" 7967 7968Huck stared at the mystic sign awhile, and then said with a shaky voice: 7969 7970"Tom, less git out of here!" 7971 7972"What! and leave the treasure?" 7973 7974"Yes--leave it. Injun Joe's ghost is round about there, certain." 7975 7976"No it ain't, Huck, no it ain't. It would ha'nt the place where he 7977died--away out at the mouth of the cave--five mile from here." 7978 7979"No, Tom, it wouldn't. It would hang round the money. I know the ways 7980of ghosts, and so do you." 7981 7982Tom began to fear that Huck was right. Misgivings gathered in his 7983mind. But presently an idea occurred to him-- 7984 7985"Lookyhere, Huck, what fools we're making of ourselves! Injun Joe's 7986ghost ain't a going to come around where there's a cross!" 7987 7988The point was well taken. It had its effect. 7989 7990"Tom, I didn't think of that. But that's so. It's luck for us, that 7991cross is. I reckon we'll climb down there and have a hunt for that box." 7992 7993Tom went first, cutting rude steps in the clay hill as he descended. 7994Huck followed. Four avenues opened out of the small cavern which the 7995great rock stood in. The boys examined three of them with no result. 7996They found a small recess in the one nearest the base of the rock, with 7997a pallet of blankets spread down in it; also an old suspender, some 7998bacon rind, and the well-gnawed bones of two or three fowls. But there 7999was no money-box. The lads searched and researched this place, but in 8000vain. Tom said: 8001 8002"He said UNDER the cross. Well, this comes nearest to being under the 8003cross. It can't be under the rock itself, because that sets solid on 8004the ground." 8005 8006They searched everywhere once more, and then sat down discouraged. 8007Huck could suggest nothing. By-and-by Tom said: 8008 8009"Lookyhere, Huck, there's footprints and some candle-grease on the 8010clay about one side of this rock, but not on the other sides. Now, 8011what's that for? I bet you the money IS under the rock. I'm going to 8012dig in the clay." 8013 8014"That ain't no bad notion, Tom!" said Huck with animation. 8015 8016Tom's "real Barlow" was out at once, and he had not dug four inches 8017before he struck wood. 8018 8019"Hey, Huck!--you hear that?" 8020 8021Huck began to dig and scratch now. Some boards were soon uncovered and 8022removed. They had concealed a natural chasm which led under the rock. 8023Tom got into this and held his candle as far under the rock as he 8024could, but said he could not see to the end of the rift. He proposed to 8025explore. He stooped and passed under; the narrow way descended 8026gradually. He followed its winding course, first to the right, then to 8027the left, Huck at his heels. Tom turned a short curve, by-and-by, and 8028exclaimed: 8029 8030"My goodness, Huck, lookyhere!" 8031 8032It was the treasure-box, sure enough, occupying a snug little cavern, 8033along with an empty powder-keg, a couple of guns in leather cases, two 8034or three pairs of old moccasins, a leather belt, and some other rubbish 8035well soaked with the water-drip. 8036 8037"Got it at last!" said Huck, ploughing among the tarnished coins with 8038his hand. "My, but we're rich, Tom!" 8039 8040"Huck, I always reckoned we'd get it. It's just too good to believe, 8041but we HAVE got it, sure! Say--let's not fool around here. Let's snake 8042it out. Lemme see if I can lift the box." 8043 8044It weighed about fifty pounds. Tom could lift it, after an awkward 8045fashion, but could not carry it conveniently. 8046 8047"I thought so," he said; "THEY carried it like it was heavy, that day 8048at the ha'nted house. I noticed that. I reckon I was right to think of 8049fetching the little bags along." 8050 8051The money was soon in the bags and the boys took it up to the cross 8052rock. 8053 8054"Now less fetch the guns and things," said Huck. 8055 8056"No, Huck--leave them there. They're just the tricks to have when we 8057go to robbing. We'll keep them there all the time, and we'll hold our 8058orgies there, too. It's an awful snug place for orgies." 8059 8060"What orgies?" 8061 8062"I dono. But robbers always have orgies, and of course we've got to 8063have them, too. Come along, Huck, we've been in here a long time. It's 8064getting late, I reckon. I'm hungry, too. We'll eat and smoke when we 8065get to the skiff." 8066 8067They presently emerged into the clump of sumach bushes, looked warily 8068out, found the coast clear, and were soon lunching and smoking in the 8069skiff. As the sun dipped toward the horizon they pushed out and got 8070under way. Tom skimmed up the shore through the long twilight, chatting 8071cheerily with Huck, and landed shortly after dark. 8072 8073"Now, Huck," said Tom, "we'll hide the money in the loft of the 8074widow's woodshed, and I'll come up in the morning and we'll count it 8075and divide, and then we'll hunt up a place out in the woods for it 8076where it will be safe. Just you lay quiet here and watch the stuff till 8077I run and hook Benny Taylor's little wagon; I won't be gone a minute." 8078 8079He disappeared, and presently returned with the wagon, put the two 8080small sacks into it, threw some old rags on top of them, and started 8081off, dragging his cargo behind him. When the boys reached the 8082Welshman's house, they stopped to rest. Just as they were about to move 8083on, the Welshman stepped out and said: 8084 8085"Hallo, who's that?" 8086 8087"Huck and Tom Sawyer." 8088 8089"Good! Come along with me, boys, you are keeping everybody waiting. 8090Here--hurry up, trot ahead--I'll haul the wagon for you. Why, it's not 8091as light as it might be. Got bricks in it?--or old metal?" 8092 8093"Old metal," said Tom. 8094 8095"I judged so; the boys in this town will take more trouble and fool 8096away more time hunting up six bits' worth of old iron to sell to the 8097foundry than they would to make twice the money at regular work. But 8098that's human nature--hurry along, hurry along!" 8099 8100The boys wanted to know what the hurry was about. 8101 8102"Never mind; you'll see, when we get to the Widow Douglas'." 8103 8104Huck said with some apprehension--for he was long used to being 8105falsely accused: 8106 8107"Mr. Jones, we haven't been doing nothing." 8108 8109The Welshman laughed. 8110 8111"Well, I don't know, Huck, my boy. I don't know about that. Ain't you 8112and the widow good friends?" 8113 8114"Yes. Well, she's ben good friends to me, anyway." 8115 8116"All right, then. What do you want to be afraid for?" 8117 8118This question was not entirely answered in Huck's slow mind before he 8119found himself pushed, along with Tom, into Mrs. Douglas' drawing-room. 8120Mr. Jones left the wagon near the door and followed. 8121 8122The place was grandly lighted, and everybody that was of any 8123consequence in the village was there. The Thatchers were there, the 8124Harpers, the Rogerses, Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, the minister, the editor, 8125and a great many more, and all dressed in their best. The widow 8126received the boys as heartily as any one could well receive two such 8127looking beings. They were covered with clay and candle-grease. Aunt 8128Polly blushed crimson with humiliation, and frowned and shook her head 8129at Tom. Nobody suffered half as much as the two boys did, however. Mr. 8130Jones said: 8131 8132"Tom wasn't at home, yet, so I gave him up; but I stumbled on him and 8133Huck right at my door, and so I just brought them along in a hurry." 8134 8135"And you did just right," said the widow. "Come with me, boys." 8136 8137She took them to a bedchamber and said: 8138 8139"Now wash and dress yourselves. Here are two new suits of clothes 8140--shirts, socks, everything complete. They're Huck's--no, no thanks, 8141Huck--Mr. Jones bought one and I the other. But they'll fit both of you. 8142Get into them. We'll wait--come down when you are slicked up enough." 8143 8144Then she left. 8145 8146 8147 8148CHAPTER XXXIV 8149 8150HUCK said: "Tom, we can slope, if we can find a rope. The window ain't 8151high from the ground." 8152 8153"Shucks! what do you want to slope for?" 8154 8155"Well, I ain't used to that kind of a crowd. I can't stand it. I ain't 8156going down there, Tom." 8157 8158"Oh, bother! It ain't anything. I don't mind it a bit. I'll take care 8159of you." 8160 8161Sid appeared. 8162 8163"Tom," said he, "auntie has been waiting for you all the afternoon. 8164Mary got your Sunday clothes ready, and everybody's been fretting about 8165you. Say--ain't this grease and clay, on your clothes?" 8166 8167"Now, Mr. Siddy, you jist 'tend to your own business. What's all this 8168blow-out about, anyway?" 8169 8170"It's one of the widow's parties that she's always having. This time 8171it's for the Welshman and his sons, on account of that scrape they 8172helped her out of the other night. And say--I can tell you something, 8173if you want to know." 8174 8175"Well, what?" 8176 8177"Why, old Mr. Jones is going to try to spring something on the people 8178here to-night, but I overheard him tell auntie to-day about it, as a 8179secret, but I reckon it's not much of a secret now. Everybody knows 8180--the widow, too, for all she tries to let on she don't. Mr. Jones was 8181bound Huck should be here--couldn't get along with his grand secret 8182without Huck, you know!" 8183 8184"Secret about what, Sid?" 8185 8186"About Huck tracking the robbers to the widow's. I reckon Mr. Jones 8187was going to make a grand time over his surprise, but I bet you it will 8188drop pretty flat." 8189 8190Sid chuckled in a very contented and satisfied way. 8191 8192"Sid, was it you that told?" 8193 8194"Oh, never mind who it was. SOMEBODY told--that's enough." 8195 8196"Sid, there's only one person in this town mean enough to do that, and 8197that's you. If you had been in Huck's place you'd 'a' sneaked down the 8198hill and never told anybody on the robbers. You can't do any but mean 8199things, and you can't bear to see anybody praised for doing good ones. 8200There--no thanks, as the widow says"--and Tom cuffed Sid's ears and 8201helped him to the door with several kicks. "Now go and tell auntie if 8202you dare--and to-morrow you'll catch it!" 8203 8204Some minutes later the widow's guests were at the supper-table, and a 8205dozen children were propped up at little side-tables in the same room, 8206after the fashion of that country and that day. At the proper time Mr. 8207Jones made his little speech, in which he thanked the widow for the 8208honor she was doing himself and his sons, but said that there was 8209another person whose modesty-- 8210 8211And so forth and so on. He sprung his secret about Huck's share in the 8212adventure in the finest dramatic manner he was master of, but the 8213surprise it occasioned was largely counterfeit and not as clamorous and 8214effusive as it might have been under happier circumstances. However, 8215the widow made a pretty fair show of astonishment, and heaped so many 8216compliments and so much gratitude upon Huck that he almost forgot the 8217nearly intolerable discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely 8218intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody's gaze 8219and everybody's laudations. 8220 8221The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have 8222him educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start 8223him in business in a modest way. Tom's chance was come. He said: 8224 8225"Huck don't need it. Huck's rich." 8226 8227Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the company kept 8228back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant joke. But 8229the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it: 8230 8231"Huck's got money. Maybe you don't believe it, but he's got lots of 8232it. Oh, you needn't smile--I reckon I can show you. You just wait a 8233minute." 8234 8235Tom ran out of doors. The company looked at each other with a 8236perplexed interest--and inquiringly at Huck, who was tongue-tied. 8237 8238"Sid, what ails Tom?" said Aunt Polly. "He--well, there ain't ever any 8239making of that boy out. I never--" 8240 8241Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and Aunt Polly 8242did not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin upon 8243the table and said: 8244 8245"There--what did I tell you? Half of it's Huck's and half of it's mine!" 8246 8247The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody spoke 8248for a moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom 8249said he could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brimful of 8250interest. There was scarcely an interruption from any one to break the 8251charm of its flow. When he had finished, Mr. Jones said: 8252 8253"I thought I had fixed up a little surprise for this occasion, but it 8254don't amount to anything now. This one makes it sing mighty small, I'm 8255willing to allow." 8256 8257The money was counted. The sum amounted to a little over twelve 8258thousand dollars. It was more than any one present had ever seen at one 8259time before, though several persons were there who were worth 8260considerably more than that in property. 8261 8262 8263 8264CHAPTER XXXV 8265 8266THE reader may rest satisfied that Tom's and Huck's windfall made a 8267mighty stir in the poor little village of St. Petersburg. So vast a 8268sum, all in actual cash, seemed next to incredible. It was talked 8269about, gloated over, glorified, until the reason of many of the 8270citizens tottered under the strain of the unhealthy excitement. Every 8271"haunted" house in St. Petersburg and the neighboring villages was 8272dissected, plank by plank, and its foundations dug up and ransacked for 8273hidden treasure--and not by boys, but men--pretty grave, unromantic 8274men, too, some of them. Wherever Tom and Huck appeared they were 8275courted, admired, stared at. The boys were not able to remember that 8276their remarks had possessed weight before; but now their sayings were 8277treasured and repeated; everything they did seemed somehow to be 8278regarded as remarkable; they had evidently lost the power of doing and 8279saying commonplace things; moreover, their past history was raked up 8280and discovered to bear marks of conspicuous originality. The village 8281paper published biographical sketches of the boys. 8282 8283The Widow Douglas put Huck's money out at six per cent., and Judge 8284Thatcher did the same with Tom's at Aunt Polly's request. Each lad had 8285an income, now, that was simply prodigious--a dollar for every week-day 8286in the year and half of the Sundays. It was just what the minister got 8287--no, it was what he was promised--he generally couldn't collect it. A 8288dollar and a quarter a week would board, lodge, and school a boy in 8289those old simple days--and clothe him and wash him, too, for that 8290matter. 8291 8292Judge Thatcher had conceived a great opinion of Tom. He said that no 8293commonplace boy would ever have got his daughter out of the cave. When 8294Becky told her father, in strict confidence, how Tom had taken her 8295whipping at school, the Judge was visibly moved; and when she pleaded 8296grace for the mighty lie which Tom had told in order to shift that 8297whipping from her shoulders to his own, the Judge said with a fine 8298outburst that it was a noble, a generous, a magnanimous lie--a lie that 8299was worthy to hold up its head and march down through history breast to 8300breast with George Washington's lauded Truth about the hatchet! Becky 8301thought her father had never looked so tall and so superb as when he 8302walked the floor and stamped his foot and said that. She went straight 8303off and told Tom about it. 8304 8305Judge Thatcher hoped to see Tom a great lawyer or a great soldier some 8306day. He said he meant to look to it that Tom should be admitted to the 8307National Military Academy and afterward trained in the best law school 8308in the country, in order that he might be ready for either career or 8309both. 8310 8311Huck Finn's wealth and the fact that he was now under the Widow 8312Douglas' protection introduced him into society--no, dragged him into 8313it, hurled him into it--and his sufferings were almost more than he 8314could bear. The widow's servants kept him clean and neat, combed and 8315brushed, and they bedded him nightly in unsympathetic sheets that had 8316not one little spot or stain which he could press to his heart and know 8317for a friend. He had to eat with a knife and fork; he had to use 8318napkin, cup, and plate; he had to learn his book, he had to go to 8319church; he had to talk so properly that speech was become insipid in 8320his mouth; whithersoever he turned, the bars and shackles of 8321civilization shut him in and bound him hand and foot. 8322 8323He bravely bore his miseries three weeks, and then one day turned up 8324missing. For forty-eight hours the widow hunted for him everywhere in 8325great distress. The public were profoundly concerned; they searched 8326high and low, they dragged the river for his body. Early the third 8327morning Tom Sawyer wisely went poking among some old empty hogsheads 8328down behind the abandoned slaughter-house, and in one of them he found 8329the refugee. Huck had slept there; he had just breakfasted upon some 8330stolen odds and ends of food, and was lying off, now, in comfort, with 8331his pipe. He was unkempt, uncombed, and clad in the same old ruin of 8332rags that had made him picturesque in the days when he was free and 8333happy. Tom routed him out, told him the trouble he had been causing, 8334and urged him to go home. Huck's face lost its tranquil content, and 8335took a melancholy cast. He said: 8336 8337"Don't talk about it, Tom. I've tried it, and it don't work; it don't 8338work, Tom. It ain't for me; I ain't used to it. The widder's good to 8339me, and friendly; but I can't stand them ways. She makes me get up just 8340at the same time every morning; she makes me wash, they comb me all to 8341thunder; she won't let me sleep in the woodshed; I got to wear them 8342blamed clothes that just smothers me, Tom; they don't seem to any air 8343git through 'em, somehow; and they're so rotten nice that I can't set 8344down, nor lay down, nor roll around anywher's; I hain't slid on a 8345cellar-door for--well, it 'pears to be years; I got to go to church and 8346sweat and sweat--I hate them ornery sermons! I can't ketch a fly in 8347there, I can't chaw. I got to wear shoes all Sunday. The widder eats by 8348a bell; she goes to bed by a bell; she gits up by a bell--everything's 8349so awful reg'lar a body can't stand it." 8350 8351"Well, everybody does that way, Huck." 8352 8353"Tom, it don't make no difference. I ain't everybody, and I can't 8354STAND it. It's awful to be tied up so. And grub comes too easy--I don't 8355take no interest in vittles, that way. I got to ask to go a-fishing; I 8356got to ask to go in a-swimming--dern'd if I hain't got to ask to do 8357everything. Well, I'd got to talk so nice it wasn't no comfort--I'd got 8358to go up in the attic and rip out awhile, every day, to git a taste in 8359my mouth, or I'd a died, Tom. The widder wouldn't let me smoke; she 8360wouldn't let me yell, she wouldn't let me gape, nor stretch, nor 8361scratch, before folks--" [Then with a spasm of special irritation and 8362injury]--"And dad fetch it, she prayed all the time! I never see such a 8363woman! I HAD to shove, Tom--I just had to. And besides, that school's 8364going to open, and I'd a had to go to it--well, I wouldn't stand THAT, 8365Tom. Looky here, Tom, being rich ain't what it's cracked up to be. It's 8366just worry and worry, and sweat and sweat, and a-wishing you was dead 8367all the time. Now these clothes suits me, and this bar'l suits me, and 8368I ain't ever going to shake 'em any more. Tom, I wouldn't ever got into 8369all this trouble if it hadn't 'a' ben for that money; now you just take 8370my sheer of it along with your'n, and gimme a ten-center sometimes--not 8371many times, becuz I don't give a dern for a thing 'thout it's tollable 8372hard to git--and you go and beg off for me with the widder." 8373 8374"Oh, Huck, you know I can't do that. 'Tain't fair; and besides if 8375you'll try this thing just a while longer you'll come to like it." 8376 8377"Like it! Yes--the way I'd like a hot stove if I was to set on it long 8378enough. No, Tom, I won't be rich, and I won't live in them cussed 8379smothery houses. I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and 8380I'll stick to 'em, too. Blame it all! just as we'd got guns, and a 8381cave, and all just fixed to rob, here this dern foolishness has got to 8382come up and spile it all!" 8383 8384Tom saw his opportunity-- 8385 8386"Lookyhere, Huck, being rich ain't going to keep me back from turning 8387robber." 8388 8389"No! Oh, good-licks; are you in real dead-wood earnest, Tom?" 8390 8391"Just as dead earnest as I'm sitting here. But Huck, we can't let you 8392into the gang if you ain't respectable, you know." 8393 8394Huck's joy was quenched. 8395 8396"Can't let me in, Tom? Didn't you let me go for a pirate?" 8397 8398"Yes, but that's different. A robber is more high-toned than what a 8399pirate is--as a general thing. In most countries they're awful high up 8400in the nobility--dukes and such." 8401 8402"Now, Tom, hain't you always ben friendly to me? You wouldn't shet me 8403out, would you, Tom? You wouldn't do that, now, WOULD you, Tom?" 8404 8405"Huck, I wouldn't want to, and I DON'T want to--but what would people 8406say? Why, they'd say, 'Mph! Tom Sawyer's Gang! pretty low characters in 8407it!' They'd mean you, Huck. You wouldn't like that, and I wouldn't." 8408 8409Huck was silent for some time, engaged in a mental struggle. Finally 8410he said: 8411 8412"Well, I'll go back to the widder for a month and tackle it and see if 8413I can come to stand it, if you'll let me b'long to the gang, Tom." 8414 8415"All right, Huck, it's a whiz! Come along, old chap, and I'll ask the 8416widow to let up on you a little, Huck." 8417 8418"Will you, Tom--now will you? That's good. If she'll let up on some of 8419the roughest things, I'll smoke private and cuss private, and crowd 8420through or bust. When you going to start the gang and turn robbers?" 8421 8422"Oh, right off. We'll get the boys together and have the initiation 8423to-night, maybe." 8424 8425"Have the which?" 8426 8427"Have the initiation." 8428 8429"What's that?" 8430 8431"It's to swear to stand by one another, and never tell the gang's 8432secrets, even if you're chopped all to flinders, and kill anybody and 8433all his family that hurts one of the gang." 8434 8435"That's gay--that's mighty gay, Tom, I tell you." 8436 8437"Well, I bet it is. And all that swearing's got to be done at 8438midnight, in the lonesomest, awfulest place you can find--a ha'nted 8439house is the best, but they're all ripped up now." 8440 8441"Well, midnight's good, anyway, Tom." 8442 8443"Yes, so it is. And you've got to swear on a coffin, and sign it with 8444blood." 8445 8446"Now, that's something LIKE! Why, it's a million times bullier than 8447pirating. I'll stick to the widder till I rot, Tom; and if I git to be 8448a reg'lar ripper of a robber, and everybody talking 'bout it, I reckon 8449she'll be proud she snaked me in out of the wet." 8450 8451 8452 8453CONCLUSION 8454 8455SO endeth this chronicle. It being strictly a history of a BOY, it 8456must stop here; the story could not go much further without becoming 8457the history of a MAN. When one writes a novel about grown people, he 8458knows exactly where to stop--that is, with a marriage; but when he 8459writes of juveniles, he must stop where he best can. 8460 8461Most of the characters that perform in this book still live, and are 8462prosperous and happy. Some day it may seem worth while to take up the 8463story of the younger ones again and see what sort of men and women they 8464turned out to be; therefore it will be wisest not to reveal any of that 8465part of their lives at present. 8466Produced by David Widger. The previous edition was updated by Jose 8467Menendez. 8468 8469 8470 8471 8472 8473 THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER 8474 BY 8475 MARK TWAIN 8476 (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) 8477 8478 8479 8480 8481 P R E F A C E 8482 8483MOST of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or 8484two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were 8485schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but 8486not from an individual--he is a combination of the characteristics of 8487three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of 8488architecture. 8489 8490The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children 8491and slaves in the West at the period of this story--that is to say, 8492thirty or forty years ago. 8493 8494Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and 8495girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, 8496for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what 8497they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, 8498and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in. 8499 8500 THE AUTHOR. 8501 8502HARTFORD, 1876. 8503 8504 8505 8506 T O M S A W Y E R 8507 8508 8509 8510CHAPTER I 8511 8512"TOM!" 8513 8514No answer. 8515 8516"TOM!" 8517 8518No answer. 8519 8520"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!" 8521 8522No answer. 8523 8524The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the 8525room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or 8526never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her 8527state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not 8528service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. 8529She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but 8530still loud enough for the furniture to hear: 8531 8532"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--" 8533 8534She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching 8535under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the 8536punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat. 8537 8538"I never did see the beat of that boy!" 8539 8540She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the 8541tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. 8542So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and 8543shouted: 8544 8545"Y-o-u-u TOM!" 8546 8547There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to 8548seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight. 8549 8550"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in 8551there?" 8552 8553"Nothing." 8554 8555"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that 8556truck?" 8557 8558"I don't know, aunt." 8559 8560"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if 8561you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch." 8562 8563The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate-- 8564 8565"My! Look behind you, aunt!" 8566 8567The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The 8568lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and 8569disappeared over it. 8570 8571His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle 8572laugh. 8573 8574"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks 8575enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old 8576fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, 8577as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, 8578and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how 8579long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he 8580can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down 8581again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, 8582and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile 8583the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for 8584us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my 8585own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash 8586him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, 8587and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man 8588that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the 8589Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * 8590and [* Southwestern for "afternoon"] I'll just be obleeged to make him 8591work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work 8592Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more 8593than he hates anything else, and I've GOT to do some of my duty by him, 8594or I'll be the ruination of the child." 8595 8596Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home 8597barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's 8598wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in 8599time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the 8600work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already 8601through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a 8602quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways. 8603 8604While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity 8605offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and 8606very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like 8607many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she 8608was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she 8609loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low 8610cunning. Said she: 8611 8612"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?" 8613 8614"Yes'm." 8615 8616"Powerful warm, warn't it?" 8617 8618"Yes'm." 8619 8620"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?" 8621 8622A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. 8623He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said: 8624 8625"No'm--well, not very much." 8626 8627The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said: 8628 8629"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect 8630that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing 8631that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew 8632where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move: 8633 8634"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?" 8635 8636Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of 8637circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new 8638inspiration: 8639 8640"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to 8641pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!" 8642 8643The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His 8644shirt collar was securely sewed. 8645 8646"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey 8647and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a 8648singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. THIS time." 8649 8650She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom 8651had stumbled into obedient conduct for once. 8652 8653But Sidney said: 8654 8655"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, 8656but it's black." 8657 8658"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!" 8659 8660But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said: 8661 8662"Siddy, I'll lick you for that." 8663 8664In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into 8665the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle 8666carried white thread and the other black. He said: 8667 8668"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes 8669she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to 8670geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But 8671I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!" 8672 8673He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very 8674well though--and loathed him. 8675 8676Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. 8677Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him 8678than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore 8679them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's 8680misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This 8681new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just 8682acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. 8683It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, 8684produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short 8685intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how 8686to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave 8687him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full 8688of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an 8689astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as 8690strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with 8691the boy, not the astronomer. 8692 8693The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom 8694checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger 8695than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive 8696curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy 8697was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply 8698astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth 8699roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes 8700on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of 8701ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The 8702more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his 8703nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed 8704to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but 8705only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all 8706the time. Finally Tom said: 8707 8708"I can lick you!" 8709 8710"I'd like to see you try it." 8711 8712"Well, I can do it." 8713 8714"No you can't, either." 8715 8716"Yes I can." 8717 8718"No you can't." 8719 8720"I can." 8721 8722"You can't." 8723 8724"Can!" 8725 8726"Can't!" 8727 8728An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said: 8729 8730"What's your name?" 8731 8732"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe." 8733 8734"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business." 8735 8736"Well why don't you?" 8737 8738"If you say much, I will." 8739 8740"Much--much--MUCH. There now." 8741 8742"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with 8743one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to." 8744 8745"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it." 8746 8747"Well I WILL, if you fool with me." 8748 8749"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix." 8750 8751"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!" 8752 8753"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it 8754off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs." 8755 8756"You're a liar!" 8757 8758"You're another." 8759 8760"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up." 8761 8762"Aw--take a walk!" 8763 8764"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a 8765rock off'n your head." 8766 8767"Oh, of COURSE you will." 8768 8769"Well I WILL." 8770 8771"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? 8772Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid." 8773 8774"I AIN'T afraid." 8775 8776"You are." 8777 8778"I ain't." 8779 8780"You are." 8781 8782Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently 8783they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said: 8784 8785"Get away from here!" 8786 8787"Go away yourself!" 8788 8789"I won't." 8790 8791"I won't either." 8792 8793So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and 8794both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with 8795hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both 8796were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, 8797and Tom said: 8798 8799"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he 8800can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too." 8801 8802"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger 8803than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." 8804[Both brothers were imaginary.] 8805 8806"That's a lie." 8807 8808"YOUR saying so don't make it so." 8809 8810Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said: 8811 8812"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand 8813up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep." 8814 8815The new boy stepped over promptly, and said: 8816 8817"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it." 8818 8819"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out." 8820 8821"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?" 8822 8823"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it." 8824 8825The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out 8826with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys 8827were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and 8828for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and 8829clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered 8830themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and 8831through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and 8832pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he. 8833 8834The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage. 8835 8836"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on. 8837 8838At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up 8839and said: 8840 8841"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next 8842time." 8843 8844The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, 8845snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and 8846threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." 8847To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and 8848as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw 8849it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like 8850an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he 8851lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the 8852enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the 8853window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called 8854Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went 8855away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy. 8856 8857He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in 8858at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; 8859and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn 8860his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in 8861its firmness. 8862 8863 8864 8865CHAPTER II 8866 8867SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and 8868fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if 8869the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in 8870every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom 8871and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond 8872the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far 8873enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting. 8874 8875Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a 8876long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and 8877a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board 8878fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a 8879burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost 8880plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant 8881whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed 8882fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at 8883the gate with a tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals. Bringing water from 8884the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom's eyes, before, but 8885now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at 8886the pump. White, mulatto, and negro boys and girls were always there 8887waiting their turns, resting, trading playthings, quarrelling, 8888fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was only 8889a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket of 8890water under an hour--and even then somebody generally had to go after 8891him. Tom said: 8892 8893"Say, Jim, I'll fetch the water if you'll whitewash some." 8894 8895Jim shook his head and said: 8896 8897"Can't, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis 8898water an' not stop foolin' roun' wid anybody. She say she spec' Mars 8899Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an' so she tole me go 'long an' 'tend 8900to my own business--she 'lowed SHE'D 'tend to de whitewashin'." 8901 8902"Oh, never you mind what she said, Jim. That's the way she always 8903talks. Gimme the bucket--I won't be gone only a a minute. SHE won't 8904ever know." 8905 8906"Oh, I dasn't, Mars Tom. Ole missis she'd take an' tar de head off'n 8907me. 'Deed she would." 8908 8909"SHE! She never licks anybody--whacks 'em over the head with her 8910thimble--and who cares for that, I'd like to know. She talks awful, but 8911talk don't hurt--anyways it don't if she don't cry. Jim, I'll give you 8912a marvel. I'll give you a white alley!" 8913 8914Jim began to waver. 8915 8916"White alley, Jim! And it's a bully taw." 8917 8918"My! Dat's a mighty gay marvel, I tell you! But Mars Tom I's powerful 8919'fraid ole missis--" 8920 8921"And besides, if you will I'll show you my sore toe." 8922 8923Jim was only human--this attraction was too much for him. He put down 8924his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toe with absorbing 8925interest while the bandage was being unwound. In another moment he was 8926flying down the street with his pail and a tingling rear, Tom was 8927whitewashing with vigor, and Aunt Polly was retiring from the field 8928with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eye. 8929 8930But Tom's energy did not last. He began to think of the fun he had 8931planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied. Soon the free boys 8932would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and 8933they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very 8934thought of it burnt him like fire. He got out his worldly wealth and 8935examined it--bits of toys, marbles, and trash; enough to buy an 8936exchange of WORK, maybe, but not half enough to buy so much as half an 8937hour of pure freedom. So he returned his straitened means to his 8938pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys. At this dark 8939and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a 8940great, magnificent inspiration. 8941 8942He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. Ben Rogers hove in 8943sight presently--the very boy, of all boys, whose ridicule he had been 8944dreading. Ben's gait was the hop-skip-and-jump--proof enough that his 8945heart was light and his anticipations high. He was eating an apple, and 8946giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned 8947ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat. As 8948he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned 8949far over to starboard and rounded to ponderously and with laborious 8950pomp and circumstance--for he was personating the Big Missouri, and 8951considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. He was boat and 8952captain and engine-bells combined, so he had to imagine himself 8953standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them: 8954 8955"Stop her, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!" The headway ran almost out, and he 8956drew up slowly toward the sidewalk. 8957 8958"Ship up to back! Ting-a-ling-ling!" His arms straightened and 8959stiffened down his sides. 8960 8961"Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow! ch-chow-wow! 8962Chow!" His right hand, meantime, describing stately circles--for it was 8963representing a forty-foot wheel. 8964 8965"Let her go back on the labboard! Ting-a-lingling! Chow-ch-chow-chow!" 8966The left hand began to describe circles. 8967 8968"Stop the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Stop the labboard! Come ahead 8969on the stabboard! Stop her! Let your outside turn over slow! 8970Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ow-ow! Get out that head-line! LIVELY now! 8971Come--out with your spring-line--what're you about there! Take a turn 8972round that stump with the bight of it! Stand by that stage, now--let her 8973go! Done with the engines, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling! SH'T! S'H'T! SH'T!" 8974(trying the gauge-cocks). 8975 8976Tom went on whitewashing--paid no attention to the steamboat. Ben 8977stared a moment and then said: "Hi-YI! YOU'RE up a stump, ain't you!" 8978 8979No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist, then 8980he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as 8981before. Ben ranged up alongside of him. Tom's mouth watered for the 8982apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said: 8983 8984"Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?" 8985 8986Tom wheeled suddenly and said: 8987 8988"Why, it's you, Ben! I warn't noticing." 8989 8990"Say--I'm going in a-swimming, I am. Don't you wish you could? But of 8991course you'd druther WORK--wouldn't you? Course you would!" 8992 8993Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said: 8994 8995"What do you call work?" 8996 8997"Why, ain't THAT work?" 8998 8999Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: 9000 9001"Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain't. All I know, is, it suits Tom 9002Sawyer." 9003 9004"Oh come, now, you don't mean to let on that you LIKE it?" 9005 9006The brush continued to move. 9007 9008"Like it? Well, I don't see why I oughtn't to like it. Does a boy get 9009a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" 9010 9011That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom 9012swept his brush daintily back and forth--stepped back to note the 9013effect--added a touch here and there--criticised the effect again--Ben 9014watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more 9015absorbed. Presently he said: 9016 9017"Say, Tom, let ME whitewash a little." 9018 9019Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: 9020 9021"No--no--I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's 9022awful particular about this fence--right here on the street, you know 9023--but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and SHE wouldn't. Yes, 9024she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very 9025careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two 9026thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done." 9027 9028"No--is that so? Oh come, now--lemme just try. Only just a little--I'd 9029let YOU, if you was me, Tom." 9030 9031"Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly--well, Jim wanted to 9032do it, but she wouldn't let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn't 9033let Sid. Now don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this 9034fence and anything was to happen to it--" 9035 9036"Oh, shucks, I'll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say--I'll give 9037you the core of my apple." 9038 9039"Well, here--No, Ben, now don't. I'm afeard--" 9040 9041"I'll give you ALL of it!" 9042 9043Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his 9044heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in 9045the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, 9046dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more 9047innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every 9048little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time 9049Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for 9050a kite, in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in 9051for a dead rat and a string to swing it with--and so on, and so on, 9052hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being 9053a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling 9054in wealth. He had besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, 9055part of a jews-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a 9056spool cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, 9057a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six 9058fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass doorknob, a 9059dog-collar--but no dog--the handle of a knife, four pieces of 9060orange-peel, and a dilapidated old window sash. 9061 9062He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while--plenty of company 9063--and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out 9064of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village. 9065 9066Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He 9067had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it--namely, 9068that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only 9069necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great 9070and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have 9071comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is OBLIGED to do, 9072and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And 9073this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers 9074or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or 9075climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in 9076England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles 9077on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them 9078considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, 9079that would turn it into work and then they would resign. 9080 9081The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place 9082in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to 9083report. 9084 9085 9086 9087CHAPTER III 9088 9089TOM presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open 9090window in a pleasant rearward apartment, which was bedroom, 9091breakfast-room, dining-room, and library, combined. The balmy summer 9092air, the restful quiet, the odor of the flowers, and the drowsing murmur 9093of the bees had had their effect, and she was nodding over her knitting 9094--for she had no company but the cat, and it was asleep in her lap. Her 9095spectacles were propped up on her gray head for safety. She had thought 9096that of course Tom had deserted long ago, and she wondered at seeing him 9097place himself in her power again in this intrepid way. He said: "Mayn't 9098I go and play now, aunt?" 9099 9100"What, a'ready? How much have you done?" 9101 9102"It's all done, aunt." 9103 9104"Tom, don't lie to me--I can't bear it." 9105 9106"I ain't, aunt; it IS all done." 9107 9108Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see 9109for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. 9110of Tom's statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, 9111and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even 9112a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. 9113She said: 9114 9115"Well, I never! There's no getting round it, you can work when you're 9116a mind to, Tom." And then she diluted the compliment by adding, "But 9117it's powerful seldom you're a mind to, I'm bound to say. Well, go 'long 9118and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I'll tan you." 9119 9120She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took 9121him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to 9122him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a 9123treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. 9124And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he "hooked" a 9125doughnut. 9126 9127Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway 9128that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and 9129the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a 9130hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties 9131and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, 9132and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general 9133thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at 9134peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his 9135black thread and getting him into trouble. 9136 9137Tom skirted the block, and came round into a muddy alley that led by 9138the back of his aunt's cow-stable. He presently got safely beyond the 9139reach of capture and punishment, and hastened toward the public square 9140of the village, where two "military" companies of boys had met for 9141conflict, according to previous appointment. Tom was General of one of 9142these armies, Joe Harper (a bosom friend) General of the other. These 9143two great commanders did not condescend to fight in person--that being 9144better suited to the still smaller fry--but sat together on an eminence 9145and conducted the field operations by orders delivered through 9146aides-de-camp. Tom's army won a great victory, after a long and 9147hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, 9148the terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the 9149necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and 9150marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone. 9151 9152As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived, he saw a new 9153girl in the garden--a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair 9154plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered 9155pantalettes. The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A 9156certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a 9157memory of herself behind. He had thought he loved her to distraction; 9158he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor 9159little evanescent partiality. He had been months winning her; she had 9160confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest 9161boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time 9162she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is 9163done. 9164 9165He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she 9166had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, 9167and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to 9168win her admiration. He kept up this grotesque foolishness for some 9169time; but by-and-by, while he was in the midst of some dangerous 9170gymnastic performances, he glanced aside and saw that the little girl 9171was wending her way toward the house. Tom came up to the fence and 9172leaned on it, grieving, and hoping she would tarry yet awhile longer. 9173She halted a moment on the steps and then moved toward the door. Tom 9174heaved a great sigh as she put her foot on the threshold. But his face 9175lit up, right away, for she tossed a pansy over the fence a moment 9176before she disappeared. 9177 9178The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and 9179then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if 9180he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. 9181Presently he picked up a straw and began trying to balance it on his 9182nose, with his head tilted far back; and as he moved from side to side, 9183in his efforts, he edged nearer and nearer toward the pansy; finally 9184his bare foot rested upon it, his pliant toes closed upon it, and he 9185hopped away with the treasure and disappeared round the corner. But 9186only for a minute--only while he could button the flower inside his 9187jacket, next his heart--or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not 9188much posted in anatomy, and not hypercritical, anyway. 9189 9190He returned, now, and hung about the fence till nightfall, "showing 9191off," as before; but the girl never exhibited herself again, though Tom 9192comforted himself a little with the hope that she had been near some 9193window, meantime, and been aware of his attentions. Finally he strode 9194home reluctantly, with his poor head full of visions. 9195 9196All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered 9197"what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding 9198Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar 9199under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: 9200 9201"Aunt, you don't whack Sid when he takes it." 9202 9203"Well, Sid don't torment a body the way you do. You'd be always into 9204that sugar if I warn't watching you." 9205 9206Presently she stepped into the kitchen, and Sid, happy in his 9207immunity, reached for the sugar-bowl--a sort of glorying over Tom which 9208was wellnigh unbearable. But Sid's fingers slipped and the bowl dropped 9209and broke. Tom was in ecstasies. In such ecstasies that he even 9210controlled his tongue and was silent. He said to himself that he would 9211not speak a word, even when his aunt came in, but would sit perfectly 9212still till she asked who did the mischief; and then he would tell, and 9213there would be nothing so good in the world as to see that pet model 9214"catch it." He was so brimful of exultation that he could hardly hold 9215himself when the old lady came back and stood above the wreck 9216discharging lightnings of wrath from over her spectacles. He said to 9217himself, "Now it's coming!" And the next instant he was sprawling on 9218the floor! The potent palm was uplifted to strike again when Tom cried 9219out: 9220 9221"Hold on, now, what 'er you belting ME for?--Sid broke it!" 9222 9223Aunt Polly paused, perplexed, and Tom looked for healing pity. But 9224when she got her tongue again, she only said: 9225 9226"Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some 9227other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." 9228 9229Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something 9230kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a 9231confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. 9232So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. 9233Tom sulked in a corner and exalted his woes. He knew that in her heart 9234his aunt was on her knees to him, and he was morosely gratified by the 9235consciousness of it. He would hang out no signals, he would take notice 9236of none. He knew that a yearning glance fell upon him, now and then, 9237through a film of tears, but he refused recognition of it. He pictured 9238himself lying sick unto death and his aunt bending over him beseeching 9239one little forgiving word, but he would turn his face to the wall, and 9240die with that word unsaid. Ah, how would she feel then? And he pictured 9241himself brought home from the river, dead, with his curls all wet, and 9242his sore heart at rest. How she would throw herself upon him, and how 9243her tears would fall like rain, and her lips pray God to give her back 9244her boy and she would never, never abuse him any more! But he would lie 9245there cold and white and make no sign--a poor little sufferer, whose 9246griefs were at an end. He so worked upon his feelings with the pathos 9247of these dreams, that he had to keep swallowing, he was so like to 9248choke; and his eyes swam in a blur of water, which overflowed when he 9249winked, and ran down and trickled from the end of his nose. And such a 9250luxury to him was this petting of his sorrows, that he could not bear 9251to have any worldly cheeriness or any grating delight intrude upon it; 9252it was too sacred for such contact; and so, presently, when his cousin 9253Mary danced in, all alive with the joy of seeing home again after an 9254age-long visit of one week to the country, he got up and moved in 9255clouds and darkness out at one door as she brought song and sunshine in 9256at the other. 9257 9258He wandered far from the accustomed haunts of boys, and sought 9259desolate places that were in harmony with his spirit. A log raft in the 9260river invited him, and he seated himself on its outer edge and 9261contemplated the dreary vastness of the stream, wishing, the while, 9262that he could only be drowned, all at once and unconsciously, without 9263undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature. Then he thought 9264of his flower. He got it out, rumpled and wilted, and it mightily 9265increased his dismal felicity. He wondered if she would pity him if she 9266knew? Would she cry, and wish that she had a right to put her arms 9267around his neck and comfort him? Or would she turn coldly away like all 9268the hollow world? This picture brought such an agony of pleasurable 9269suffering that he worked it over and over again in his mind and set it 9270up in new and varied lights, till he wore it threadbare. At last he 9271rose up sighing and departed in the darkness. 9272 9273About half-past nine or ten o'clock he came along the deserted street 9274to where the Adored Unknown lived; he paused a moment; no sound fell 9275upon his listening ear; a candle was casting a dull glow upon the 9276curtain of a second-story window. Was the sacred presence there? He 9277climbed the fence, threaded his stealthy way through the plants, till 9278he stood under that window; he looked up at it long, and with emotion; 9279then he laid him down on the ground under it, disposing himself upon 9280his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast and holding his poor 9281wilted flower. And thus he would die--out in the cold world, with no 9282shelter over his homeless head, no friendly hand to wipe the 9283death-damps from his brow, no loving face to bend pityingly over him 9284when the great agony came. And thus SHE would see him when she looked 9285out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon 9286his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright 9287young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? 9288 9289The window went up, a maid-servant's discordant voice profaned the 9290holy calm, and a deluge of water drenched the prone martyr's remains! 9291 9292The strangling hero sprang up with a relieving snort. There was a whiz 9293as of a missile in the air, mingled with the murmur of a curse, a sound 9294as of shivering glass followed, and a small, vague form went over the 9295fence and shot away in the gloom. 9296 9297Not long after, as Tom, all undressed for bed, was surveying his 9298drenched garments by the light of a tallow dip, Sid woke up; but if he 9299had any dim idea of making any "references to allusions," he thought 9300better of it and held his peace, for there was danger in Tom's eye. 9301 9302Tom turned in without the added vexation of prayers, and Sid made 9303mental note of the omission. 9304 9305 9306 9307CHAPTER IV 9308 9309THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful 9310village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family 9311worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid 9312courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of 9313originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter 9314of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai. 9315 9316Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get 9317his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his 9318energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the 9319Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. 9320At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, 9321but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human 9322thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary 9323took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through 9324the fog: 9325 9326"Blessed are the--a--a--" 9327 9328"Poor"-- 9329 9330"Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--" 9331 9332"In spirit--" 9333 9334"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--" 9335 9336"THEIRS--" 9337 9338"For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 9339of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--" 9340 9341"Sh--" 9342 9343"For they--a--" 9344 9345"S, H, A--" 9346 9347"For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!" 9348 9349"SHALL!" 9350 9351"Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- 9352blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for 9353they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you 9354want to be so mean for?" 9355 9356"Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't 9357do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, 9358you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. 9359There, now, that's a good boy." 9360 9361"All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is." 9362 9363"Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice." 9364 9365"You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again." 9366 9367And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of 9368curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he 9369accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" 9370knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that 9371swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would 9372not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was 9373inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got 9374the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its 9375injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom 9376contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin 9377on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school. 9378 9379Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went 9380outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he 9381dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; 9382poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the 9383kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the 9384door. But Mary removed the towel and said: 9385 9386"Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt 9387you." 9388 9389Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time 9390he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big 9391breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes 9392shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony 9393of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from 9394the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped 9395short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line 9396there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in 9397front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she 9398was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of 9399color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls 9400wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately 9401smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his 9402hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and 9403his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of 9404his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they 9405were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the 9406size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed 9407himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his 9408vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned 9409him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and 9410uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there 9411was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He 9412hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she 9413coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them 9414out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do 9415everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively: 9416 9417"Please, Tom--that's a good boy." 9418 9419So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three 9420children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his 9421whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it. 9422 9423Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church 9424service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon 9425voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. 9426The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three 9427hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort 9428of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom 9429dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade: 9430 9431"Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?" 9432 9433"Yes." 9434 9435"What'll you take for her?" 9436 9437"What'll you give?" 9438 9439"Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook." 9440 9441"Less see 'em." 9442 9443Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. 9444Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and 9445some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other 9446boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or 9447fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of 9448clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a 9449quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, 9450elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a 9451boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy 9452turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear 9453him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole 9454class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they 9455came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses 9456perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried 9457through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a 9458passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of 9459the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be 9460exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow 9461tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty 9462cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would 9463have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even 9464for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it 9465was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had 9466won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without 9467stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and 9468he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous 9469misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the 9470superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out 9471and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their 9472tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and 9473so the delivery of one of these prizes was a rare and noteworthy 9474circumstance; the successful pupil was so great and conspicuous for 9475that day that on the spot every scholar's heart was fired with a fresh 9476ambition that often lasted a couple of weeks. It is possible that Tom's 9477mental stomach had never really hungered for one of those prizes, but 9478unquestionably his entire being had for many a day longed for the glory 9479and the eclat that came with it. 9480 9481In due course the superintendent stood up in front of the pulpit, with 9482a closed hymn-book in his hand and his forefinger inserted between its 9483leaves, and commanded attention. When a Sunday-school superintendent 9484makes his customary little speech, a hymn-book in the hand is as 9485necessary as is the inevitable sheet of music in the hand of a singer 9486who stands forward on the platform and sings a solo at a concert 9487--though why, is a mystery: for neither the hymn-book nor the sheet of 9488music is ever referred to by the sufferer. This superintendent was a 9489slim creature of thirty-five, with a sandy goatee and short sandy hair; 9490he wore a stiff standing-collar whose upper edge almost reached his 9491ears and whose sharp points curved forward abreast the corners of his 9492mouth--a fence that compelled a straight lookout ahead, and a turning 9493of the whole body when a side view was required; his chin was propped 9494on a spreading cravat which was as broad and as long as a bank-note, 9495and had fringed ends; his boot toes were turned sharply up, in the 9496fashion of the day, like sleigh-runners--an effect patiently and 9497laboriously produced by the young men by sitting with their toes 9498pressed against a wall for hours together. Mr. Walters was very earnest 9499of mien, and very sincere and honest at heart; and he held sacred 9500things and places in such reverence, and so separated them from worldly 9501matters, that unconsciously to himself his Sunday-school voice had 9502acquired a peculiar intonation which was wholly absent on week-days. He 9503began after this fashion: 9504 9505"Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty 9506as you can and give me all your attention for a minute or two. There 9507--that is it. That is the way good little boys and girls should do. I see 9508one little girl who is looking out of the window--I am afraid she 9509thinks I am out there somewhere--perhaps up in one of the trees making 9510a speech to the little birds. [Applausive titter.] I want to tell you 9511how good it makes me feel to see so many bright, clean little faces 9512assembled in a place like this, learning to do right and be good." And 9513so forth and so on. It is not necessary to set down the rest of the 9514oration. It was of a pattern which does not vary, and so it is familiar 9515to us all. 9516 9517The latter third of the speech was marred by the resumption of fights 9518and other recreations among certain of the bad boys, and by fidgetings 9519and whisperings that extended far and wide, washing even to the bases 9520of isolated and incorruptible rocks like Sid and Mary. But now every 9521sound ceased suddenly, with the subsidence of Mr. Walters' voice, and 9522the conclusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent 9523gratitude. 9524 9525A good part of the whispering had been occasioned by an event which 9526was more or less rare--the entrance of visitors: lawyer Thatcher, 9527accompanied by a very feeble and aged man; a fine, portly, middle-aged 9528gentleman with iron-gray hair; and a dignified lady who was doubtless 9529the latter's wife. The lady was leading a child. Tom had been restless 9530and full of chafings and repinings; conscience-smitten, too--he could 9531not meet Amy Lawrence's eye, he could not brook her loving gaze. But 9532when he saw this small new-comer his soul was all ablaze with bliss in 9533a moment. The next moment he was "showing off" with all his might 9534--cuffing boys, pulling hair, making faces--in a word, using every art 9535that seemed likely to fascinate a girl and win her applause. His 9536exaltation had but one alloy--the memory of his humiliation in this 9537angel's garden--and that record in sand was fast washing out, under 9538the waves of happiness that were sweeping over it now. 9539 9540The visitors were given the highest seat of honor, and as soon as Mr. 9541Walters' speech was finished, he introduced them to the school. The 9542middle-aged man turned out to be a prodigious personage--no less a one 9543than the county judge--altogether the most august creation these 9544children had ever looked upon--and they wondered what kind of material 9545he was made of--and they half wanted to hear him roar, and were half 9546afraid he might, too. He was from Constantinople, twelve miles away--so 9547he had travelled, and seen the world--these very eyes had looked upon 9548the county court-house--which was said to have a tin roof. The awe 9549which these reflections inspired was attested by the impressive silence 9550and the ranks of staring eyes. This was the great Judge Thatcher, 9551brother of their own lawyer. Jeff Thatcher immediately went forward, to 9552be familiar with the great man and be envied by the school. It would 9553have been music to his soul to hear the whisperings: 9554 9555"Look at him, Jim! He's a going up there. Say--look! he's a going to 9556shake hands with him--he IS shaking hands with him! By jings, don't you 9557wish you was Jeff?" 9558 9559Mr. Walters fell to "showing off," with all sorts of official 9560bustlings and activities, giving orders, delivering judgments, 9561discharging directions here, there, everywhere that he could find a 9562target. The librarian "showed off"--running hither and thither with his 9563arms full of books and making a deal of the splutter and fuss that 9564insect authority delights in. The young lady teachers "showed off" 9565--bending sweetly over pupils that were lately being boxed, lifting 9566pretty warning fingers at bad little boys and patting good ones 9567lovingly. The young gentlemen teachers "showed off" with small 9568scoldings and other little displays of authority and fine attention to 9569discipline--and most of the teachers, of both sexes, found business up 9570at the library, by the pulpit; and it was business that frequently had 9571to be done over again two or three times (with much seeming vexation). 9572The little girls "showed off" in various ways, and the little boys 9573"showed off" with such diligence that the air was thick with paper wads 9574and the murmur of scufflings. And above it all the great man sat and 9575beamed a majestic judicial smile upon all the house, and warmed himself 9576in the sun of his own grandeur--for he was "showing off," too. 9577 9578There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walters' ecstasy 9579complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a 9580prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow tickets, but none had enough 9581--he had been around among the star pupils inquiring. He would have given 9582worlds, now, to have that German lad back again with a sound mind. 9583 9584And now at this moment, when hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward 9585with nine yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and 9586demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Walters 9587was not expecting an application from this source for the next ten 9588years. But there was no getting around it--here were the certified 9589checks, and they were good for their face. Tom was therefore elevated 9590to a place with the Judge and the other elect, and the great news was 9591announced from headquarters. It was the most stunning surprise of the 9592decade, and so profound was the sensation that it lifted the new hero 9593up to the judicial one's altitude, and the school had two marvels to 9594gaze upon in place of one. The boys were all eaten up with envy--but 9595those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too 9596late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by 9597trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling 9598whitewashing privileges. These despised themselves, as being the dupes 9599of a wily fraud, a guileful snake in the grass. 9600 9601The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the 9602superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked 9603somewhat of the true gush, for the poor fellow's instinct taught him 9604that there was a mystery here that could not well bear the light, 9605perhaps; it was simply preposterous that this boy had warehoused two 9606thousand sheaves of Scriptural wisdom on his premises--a dozen would 9607strain his capacity, without a doubt. 9608 9609Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and she tried to make Tom see it in 9610her face--but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then she was just a grain 9611troubled; next a dim suspicion came and went--came again; she watched; 9612a furtive glance told her worlds--and then her heart broke, and she was 9613jealous, and angry, and the tears came and she hated everybody. Tom 9614most of all (she thought). 9615 9616Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his tongue was tied, his breath 9617would hardly come, his heart quaked--partly because of the awful 9618greatness of the man, but mainly because he was her parent. He would 9619have liked to fall down and worship him, if it were in the dark. The 9620Judge put his hand on Tom's head and called him a fine little man, and 9621asked him what his name was. The boy stammered, gasped, and got it out: 9622 9623"Tom." 9624 9625"Oh, no, not Tom--it is--" 9626 9627"Thomas." 9628 9629"Ah, that's it. I thought there was more to it, maybe. That's very 9630well. But you've another one I daresay, and you'll tell it to me, won't 9631you?" 9632 9633"Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas," said Walters, "and say 9634sir. You mustn't forget your manners." 9635 9636"Thomas Sawyer--sir." 9637 9638"That's it! That's a good boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. 9639Two thousand verses is a great many--very, very great many. And you 9640never can be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for 9641knowledge is worth more than anything there is in the world; it's what 9642makes great men and good men; you'll be a great man and a good man 9643yourself, some day, Thomas, and then you'll look back and say, It's all 9644owing to the precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood--it's all 9645owing to my dear teachers that taught me to learn--it's all owing to 9646the good superintendent, who encouraged me, and watched over me, and 9647gave me a beautiful Bible--a splendid elegant Bible--to keep and have 9648it all for my own, always--it's all owing to right bringing up! That is 9649what you will say, Thomas--and you wouldn't take any money for those 9650two thousand verses--no indeed you wouldn't. And now you wouldn't mind 9651telling me and this lady some of the things you've learned--no, I know 9652you wouldn't--for we are proud of little boys that learn. Now, no 9653doubt you know the names of all the twelve disciples. Won't you tell us 9654the names of the first two that were appointed?" 9655 9656Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, 9657now, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walters' heart sank within him. He said to 9658himself, it is not possible that the boy can answer the simplest 9659question--why DID the Judge ask him? Yet he felt obliged to speak up 9660and say: 9661 9662"Answer the gentleman, Thomas--don't be afraid." 9663 9664Tom still hung fire. 9665 9666"Now I know you'll tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first 9667two disciples were--" 9668 9669"DAVID AND GOLIAH!" 9670 9671Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene. 9672 9673 9674 9675CHAPTER V 9676 9677ABOUT half-past ten the cracked bell of the small church began to 9678ring, and presently the people began to gather for the morning sermon. 9679The Sunday-school children distributed themselves about the house and 9680occupied pews with their parents, so as to be under supervision. Aunt 9681Polly came, and Tom and Sid and Mary sat with her--Tom being placed 9682next the aisle, in order that he might be as far away from the open 9683window and the seductive outside summer scenes as possible. The crowd 9684filed up the aisles: the aged and needy postmaster, who had seen better 9685days; the mayor and his wife--for they had a mayor there, among other 9686unnecessaries; the justice of the peace; the widow Douglass, fair, 9687smart, and forty, a generous, good-hearted soul and well-to-do, her 9688hill mansion the only palace in the town, and the most hospitable and 9689much the most lavish in the matter of festivities that St. Petersburg 9690could boast; the bent and venerable Major and Mrs. Ward; lawyer 9691Riverson, the new notable from a distance; next the belle of the 9692village, followed by a troop of lawn-clad and ribbon-decked young 9693heart-breakers; then all the young clerks in town in a body--for they 9694had stood in the vestibule sucking their cane-heads, a circling wall of 9695oiled and simpering admirers, till the last girl had run their gantlet; 9696and last of all came the Model Boy, Willie Mufferson, taking as heedful 9697care of his mother as if she were cut glass. He always brought his 9698mother to church, and was the pride of all the matrons. The boys all 9699hated him, he was so good. And besides, he had been "thrown up to them" 9700so much. His white handkerchief was hanging out of his pocket behind, as 9701usual on Sundays--accidentally. Tom had no handkerchief, and he looked 9702upon boys who had as snobs. 9703 9704The congregation being fully assembled, now, the bell rang once more, 9705to warn laggards and stragglers, and then a solemn hush fell upon the 9706church which was only broken by the tittering and whispering of the 9707choir in the gallery. The choir always tittered and whispered all 9708through service. There was once a church choir that was not ill-bred, 9709but I have forgotten where it was, now. It was a great many years ago, 9710and I can scarcely remember anything about it, but I think it was in 9711some foreign country. 9712 9713The minister gave out the hymn, and read it through with a relish, in 9714a peculiar style which was much admired in that part of the country. 9715His voice began on a medium key and climbed steadily up till it reached 9716a certain point, where it bore with strong emphasis upon the topmost 9717word and then plunged down as if from a spring-board: 9718 9719 Shall I be car-ri-ed toe the skies, on flow'ry BEDS of ease, 9720 9721 Whilst others fight to win the prize, and sail thro' BLOODY seas? 9722 9723He was regarded as a wonderful reader. At church "sociables" he was 9724always called upon to read poetry; and when he was through, the ladies 9725would lift up their hands and let them fall helplessly in their laps, 9726and "wall" their eyes, and shake their heads, as much as to say, "Words 9727cannot express it; it is too beautiful, TOO beautiful for this mortal 9728earth." 9729 9730After the hymn had been sung, the Rev. Mr. Sprague turned himself into 9731a bulletin-board, and read off "notices" of meetings and societies and 9732things till it seemed that the list would stretch out to the crack of 9733doom--a queer custom which is still kept up in America, even in cities, 9734away here in this age of abundant newspapers. Often, the less there is 9735to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it. 9736 9737And now the minister prayed. A good, generous prayer it was, and went 9738into details: it pleaded for the church, and the little children of the 9739church; for the other churches of the village; for the village itself; 9740for the county; for the State; for the State officers; for the United 9741States; for the churches of the United States; for Congress; for the 9742President; for the officers of the Government; for poor sailors, tossed 9743by stormy seas; for the oppressed millions groaning under the heel of 9744European monarchies and Oriental despotisms; for such as have the light 9745and the good tidings, and yet have not eyes to see nor ears to hear 9746withal; for the heathen in the far islands of the sea; and closed with 9747a supplication that the words he was about to speak might find grace 9748and favor, and be as seed sown in fertile ground, yielding in time a 9749grateful harvest of good. Amen. 9750 9751There was a rustling of dresses, and the standing congregation sat 9752down. The boy whose history this book relates did not enjoy the prayer, 9753he only endured it--if he even did that much. He was restive all 9754through it; he kept tally of the details of the prayer, unconsciously 9755--for he was not listening, but he knew the ground of old, and the 9756clergyman's regular route over it--and when a little trifle of new 9757matter was interlarded, his ear detected it and his whole nature 9758resented it; he considered additions unfair, and scoundrelly. In the 9759midst of the prayer a fly had lit on the back of the pew in front of 9760him and tortured his spirit by calmly rubbing its hands together, 9761embracing its head with its arms, and polishing it so vigorously that 9762it seemed to almost part company with the body, and the slender thread 9763of a neck was exposed to view; scraping its wings with its hind legs 9764and smoothing them to its body as if they had been coat-tails; going 9765through its whole toilet as tranquilly as if it knew it was perfectly 9766safe. As indeed it was; for as sorely as Tom's hands itched to grab for 9767it they did not dare--he believed his soul would be instantly destroyed 9768if he did such a thing while the prayer was going on. But with the 9769closing sentence his hand began to curve and steal forward; and the 9770instant the "Amen" was out the fly was a prisoner of war. His aunt 9771detected the act and made him let it go. 9772 9773The minister gave out his text and droned along monotonously through 9774an argument that was so prosy that many a head by and by began to nod 9775--and yet it was an argument that dealt in limitless fire and brimstone 9776and thinned the predestined elect down to a company so small as to be 9777hardly worth the saving. Tom counted the pages of the sermon; after 9778church he always knew how many pages there had been, but he seldom knew 9779anything else about the discourse. However, this time he was really 9780interested for a little while. The minister made a grand and moving 9781picture of the assembling together of the world's hosts at the 9782millennium when the lion and the lamb should lie down together and a 9783little child should lead them. But the pathos, the lesson, the moral of 9784the great spectacle were lost upon the boy; he only thought of the 9785conspicuousness of the principal character before the on-looking 9786nations; his face lit with the thought, and he said to himself that he 9787wished he could be that child, if it was a tame lion. 9788 9789Now he lapsed into suffering again, as the dry argument was resumed. 9790Presently he bethought him of a treasure he had and got it out. It was 9791a large black beetle with formidable jaws--a "pinchbug," he called it. 9792It was in a percussion-cap box. The first thing the beetle did was to 9793take him by the finger. A natural fillip followed, the beetle went 9794floundering into the aisle and lit on its back, and the hurt finger 9795went into the boy's mouth. The beetle lay there working its helpless 9796legs, unable to turn over. Tom eyed it, and longed for it; but it was 9797safe out of his reach. Other people uninterested in the sermon found 9798relief in the beetle, and they eyed it too. Presently a vagrant poodle 9799dog came idling along, sad at heart, lazy with the summer softness and 9800the quiet, weary of captivity, sighing for change. He spied the beetle; 9801the drooping tail lifted and wagged. He surveyed the prize; walked 9802around it; smelt at it from a safe distance; walked around it again; 9803grew bolder, and took a closer smell; then lifted his lip and made a 9804gingerly snatch at it, just missing it; made another, and another; 9805began to enjoy the diversion; subsided to his stomach with the beetle 9806between his paws, and continued his experiments; grew weary at last, 9807and then indifferent and absent-minded. His head nodded, and little by 9808little his chin descended and touched the enemy, who seized it. There 9809was a sharp yelp, a flirt of the poodle's head, and the beetle fell a 9810couple of yards away, and lit on its back once more. The neighboring 9811spectators shook with a gentle inward joy, several faces went behind 9812fans and handkerchiefs, and Tom was entirely happy. The dog looked 9813foolish, and probably felt so; but there was resentment in his heart, 9814too, and a craving for revenge. So he went to the beetle and began a 9815wary attack on it again; jumping at it from every point of a circle, 9816lighting with his fore-paws within an inch of the creature, making even 9817closer snatches at it with his teeth, and jerking his head till his 9818ears flapped again. But he grew tired once more, after a while; tried 9819to amuse himself with a fly but found no relief; followed an ant 9820around, with his nose close to the floor, and quickly wearied of that; 9821yawned, sighed, forgot the beetle entirely, and sat down on it. Then 9822there was a wild yelp of agony and the poodle went sailing up the 9823aisle; the yelps continued, and so did the dog; he crossed the house in 9824front of the altar; he flew down the other aisle; he crossed before the 9825doors; he clamored up the home-stretch; his anguish grew with his 9826progress, till presently he was but a woolly comet moving in its orbit 9827with the gleam and the speed of light. At last the frantic sufferer 9828sheered from its course, and sprang into its master's lap; he flung it 9829out of the window, and the voice of distress quickly thinned away and 9830died in the distance. 9831 9832By this time the whole church was red-faced and suffocating with 9833suppressed laughter, and the sermon had come to a dead standstill. The 9834discourse was resumed presently, but it went lame and halting, all 9835possibility of impressiveness being at an end; for even the gravest 9836sentiments were constantly being received with a smothered burst of 9837unholy mirth, under cover of some remote pew-back, as if the poor 9838parson had said a rarely facetious thing. It was a genuine relief to 9839the whole congregation when the ordeal was over and the benediction 9840pronounced. 9841 9842Tom Sawyer went home quite cheerful, thinking to himself that there 9843was some satisfaction about divine service when there was a bit of 9844variety in it. He had but one marring thought; he was willing that the 9845dog should play with his pinchbug, but he did not think it was upright 9846in him to carry it off. 9847 9848 9849 9850CHAPTER VI 9851 9852MONDAY morning found Tom Sawyer miserable. Monday morning always found 9853him so--because it began another week's slow suffering in school. He 9854generally began that day with wishing he had had no intervening 9855holiday, it made the going into captivity and fetters again so much 9856more odious. 9857 9858Tom lay thinking. Presently it occurred to him that he wished he was 9859sick; then he could stay home from school. Here was a vague 9860possibility. He canvassed his system. No ailment was found, and he 9861investigated again. This time he thought he could detect colicky 9862symptoms, and he began to encourage them with considerable hope. But 9863they soon grew feeble, and presently died wholly away. He reflected 9864further. Suddenly he discovered something. One of his upper front teeth 9865was loose. This was lucky; he was about to begin to groan, as a 9866"starter," as he called it, when it occurred to him that if he came 9867into court with that argument, his aunt would pull it out, and that 9868would hurt. So he thought he would hold the tooth in reserve for the 9869present, and seek further. Nothing offered for some little time, and 9870then he remembered hearing the doctor tell about a certain thing that 9871laid up a patient for two or three weeks and threatened to make him 9872lose a finger. So the boy eagerly drew his sore toe from under the 9873sheet and held it up for inspection. But now he did not know the 9874necessary symptoms. However, it seemed well worth while to chance it, 9875so he fell to groaning with considerable spirit. 9876 9877But Sid slept on unconscious. 9878 9879Tom groaned louder, and fancied that he began to feel pain in the toe. 9880 9881No result from Sid. 9882 9883Tom was panting with his exertions by this time. He took a rest and 9884then swelled himself up and fetched a succession of admirable groans. 9885 9886Sid snored on. 9887 9888Tom was aggravated. He said, "Sid, Sid!" and shook him. This course 9889worked well, and Tom began to groan again. Sid yawned, stretched, then 9890brought himself up on his elbow with a snort, and began to stare at 9891Tom. Tom went on groaning. Sid said: 9892 9893"Tom! Say, Tom!" [No response.] "Here, Tom! TOM! What is the matter, 9894Tom?" And he shook him and looked in his face anxiously. 9895 9896Tom moaned out: 9897 9898"Oh, don't, Sid. Don't joggle me." 9899 9900"Why, what's the matter, Tom? I must call auntie." 9901 9902"No--never mind. It'll be over by and by, maybe. Don't call anybody." 9903 9904"But I must! DON'T groan so, Tom, it's awful. How long you been this 9905way?" 9906 9907"Hours. Ouch! Oh, don't stir so, Sid, you'll kill me." 9908 9909"Tom, why didn't you wake me sooner? Oh, Tom, DON'T! It makes my 9910flesh crawl to hear you. Tom, what is the matter?" 9911 9912"I forgive you everything, Sid. [Groan.] Everything you've ever done 9913to me. When I'm gone--" 9914 9915"Oh, Tom, you ain't dying, are you? Don't, Tom--oh, don't. Maybe--" 9916 9917"I forgive everybody, Sid. [Groan.] Tell 'em so, Sid. And Sid, you 9918give my window-sash and my cat with one eye to that new girl that's 9919come to town, and tell her--" 9920 9921But Sid had snatched his clothes and gone. Tom was suffering in 9922reality, now, so handsomely was his imagination working, and so his 9923groans had gathered quite a genuine tone. 9924 9925Sid flew down-stairs and said: 9926 9927"Oh, Aunt Polly, come! Tom's dying!" 9928 9929"Dying!" 9930 9931"Yes'm. Don't wait--come quick!" 9932 9933"Rubbage! I don't believe it!" 9934 9935But she fled up-stairs, nevertheless, with Sid and Mary at her heels. 9936And her face grew white, too, and her lip trembled. When she reached 9937the bedside she gasped out: 9938 9939"You, Tom! Tom, what's the matter with you?" 9940 9941"Oh, auntie, I'm--" 9942 9943"What's the matter with you--what is the matter with you, child?" 9944 9945"Oh, auntie, my sore toe's mortified!" 9946 9947The old lady sank down into a chair and laughed a little, then cried a 9948little, then did both together. This restored her and she said: 9949 9950"Tom, what a turn you did give me. Now you shut up that nonsense and 9951climb out of this." 9952 9953The groans ceased and the pain vanished from the toe. The boy felt a 9954little foolish, and he said: 9955 9956"Aunt Polly, it SEEMED mortified, and it hurt so I never minded my 9957tooth at all." 9958 9959"Your tooth, indeed! What's the matter with your tooth?" 9960 9961"One of them's loose, and it aches perfectly awful." 9962 9963"There, there, now, don't begin that groaning again. Open your mouth. 9964Well--your tooth IS loose, but you're not going to die about that. 9965Mary, get me a silk thread, and a chunk of fire out of the kitchen." 9966 9967Tom said: 9968 9969"Oh, please, auntie, don't pull it out. It don't hurt any more. I wish 9970I may never stir if it does. Please don't, auntie. I don't want to stay 9971home from school." 9972 9973"Oh, you don't, don't you? So all this row was because you thought 9974you'd get to stay home from school and go a-fishing? Tom, Tom, I love 9975you so, and you seem to try every way you can to break my old heart 9976with your outrageousness." By this time the dental instruments were 9977ready. The old lady made one end of the silk thread fast to Tom's tooth 9978with a loop and tied the other to the bedpost. Then she seized the 9979chunk of fire and suddenly thrust it almost into the boy's face. The 9980tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 9981 9982But all trials bring their compensations. As Tom wended to school 9983after breakfast, he was the envy of every boy he met because the gap in 9984his upper row of teeth enabled him to expectorate in a new and 9985admirable way. He gathered quite a following of lads interested in the 9986exhibition; and one that had cut his finger and had been a centre of 9987fascination and homage up to this time, now found himself suddenly 9988without an adherent, and shorn of his glory. His heart was heavy, and 9989he said with a disdain which he did not feel that it wasn't anything to 9990spit like Tom Sawyer; but another boy said, "Sour grapes!" and he 9991wandered away a dismantled hero. 9992 9993Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village, Huckleberry 9994Finn, son of the town drunkard. Huckleberry was cordially hated and 9995dreaded by all the mothers of the town, because he was idle and lawless 9996and vulgar and bad--and because all their children admired him so, and 9997delighted in his forbidden society, and wished they dared to be like 9998him. Tom was like the rest of the respectable boys, in that he envied 9999Huckleberry his gaudy outcast condition, and was under strict orders 10000not to play with him. So he played with him every time he got a chance. 10001Huckleberry was always dressed in the cast-off clothes of full-grown 10002men, and they were in perennial bloom and fluttering with rags. His hat 10003was a vast ruin with a wide crescent lopped out of its brim; his coat, 10004when he wore one, hung nearly to his heels and had the rearward buttons 10005far down the back; but one suspender supported his trousers; the seat 10006of the trousers bagged low and contained nothing, the fringed legs 10007dragged in the dirt when not rolled up. 10008 10009Huckleberry came and went, at his own free will. He slept on doorsteps 10010in fine weather and in empty hogsheads in wet; he did not have to go to 10011school or to church, or call any being master or obey anybody; he could 10012go fishing or swimming when and where he chose, and stay as long as it 10013suited him; nobody forbade him to fight; he could sit up as late as he 10014pleased; he was always the first boy that went barefoot in the spring 10015and the last to resume leather in the fall; he never had to wash, nor 10016put on clean clothes; he could swear wonderfully. In a word, everything 10017that goes to make life precious that boy had. So thought every 10018harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 10019 10020Tom hailed the romantic outcast: 10021 10022"Hello, Huckleberry!" 10023 10024"Hello yourself, and see how you like it." 10025 10026"What's that you got?" 10027 10028"Dead cat." 10029 10030"Lemme see him, Huck. My, he's pretty stiff. Where'd you get him?" 10031 10032"Bought him off'n a boy." 10033 10034"What did you give?" 10035 10036"I give a blue ticket and a bladder that I got at the slaughter-house." 10037 10038"Where'd you get the blue ticket?" 10039 10040"Bought it off'n Ben Rogers two weeks ago for a hoop-stick." 10041 10042"Say--what is dead cats good for, Huck?" 10043 10044"Good for? Cure warts with." 10045 10046"No! Is that so? I know something that's better." 10047 10048"I bet you don't. What is it?" 10049 10050"Why, spunk-water." 10051 10052"Spunk-water! I wouldn't give a dern for spunk-water." 10053 10054"You wouldn't, wouldn't you? D'you ever try it?" 10055 10056"No, I hain't. But Bob Tanner did." 10057 10058"Who told you so!" 10059 10060"Why, he told Jeff Thatcher, and Jeff told Johnny Baker, and Johnny 10061told Jim Hollis, and Jim told Ben Rogers, and Ben told a nigger, and 10062the nigger told me. There now!" 10063 10064"Well, what of it? They'll all lie. Leastways all but the nigger. I 10065don't know HIM. But I never see a nigger that WOULDN'T lie. Shucks! Now 10066you tell me how Bob Tanner done it, Huck." 10067 10068"Why, he took and dipped his hand in a rotten stump where the 10069rain-water was." 10070 10071"In the daytime?" 10072 10073"Certainly." 10074 10075"With his face to the stump?" 10076 10077"Yes. Least I reckon so." 10078 10079"Did he say anything?" 10080 10081"I don't reckon he did. I don't know." 10082 10083"Aha! Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame 10084fool way as that! Why, that ain't a-going to do any good. You got to go 10085all by yourself, to the middle of the woods, where you know there's a 10086spunk-water stump, and just as it's midnight you back up against the 10087stump and jam your hand in and say: 10088 10089 'Barley-corn, barley-corn, injun-meal shorts, 10090 Spunk-water, spunk-water, swaller these warts,' 10091 10092and then walk away quick, eleven steps, with your eyes shut, and then 10093turn around three times and walk home without speaking to anybody. 10094Because if you speak the charm's busted." 10095 10096"Well, that sounds like a good way; but that ain't the way Bob Tanner 10097done." 10098 10099"No, sir, you can bet he didn't, becuz he's the wartiest boy in this 10100town; and he wouldn't have a wart on him if he'd knowed how to work 10101spunk-water. I've took off thousands of warts off of my hands that way, 10102Huck. I play with frogs so much that I've always got considerable many 10103warts. Sometimes I take 'em off with a bean." 10104 10105"Yes, bean's good. I've done that." 10106 10107"Have you? What's your way?" 10108 10109"You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some 10110blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and 10111dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of 10112the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean. You see that piece 10113that's got the blood on it will keep drawing and drawing, trying to 10114fetch the other piece to it, and so that helps the blood to draw the 10115wart, and pretty soon off she comes." 10116 10117"Yes, that's it, Huck--that's it; though when you're burying it if you 10118say 'Down bean; off wart; come no more to bother me!' it's better. 10119That's the way Joe Harper does, and he's been nearly to Coonville and 10120most everywheres. But say--how do you cure 'em with dead cats?" 10121 10122"Why, you take your cat and go and get in the graveyard 'long about 10123midnight when somebody that was wicked has been buried; and when it's 10124midnight a devil will come, or maybe two or three, but you can't see 10125'em, you can only hear something like the wind, or maybe hear 'em talk; 10126and when they're taking that feller away, you heave your cat after 'em 10127and say, 'Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I'm 10128done with ye!' That'll fetch ANY wart." 10129 10130"Sounds right. D'you ever try it, Huck?" 10131 10132"No, but old Mother Hopkins told me." 10133 10134"Well, I reckon it's so, then. Becuz they say she's a witch." 10135 10136"Say! Why, Tom, I KNOW she is. She witched pap. Pap says so his own 10137self. He come along one day, and he see she was a-witching him, so he 10138took up a rock, and if she hadn't dodged, he'd a got her. Well, that 10139very night he rolled off'n a shed wher' he was a layin drunk, and broke 10140his arm." 10141 10142"Why, that's awful. How did he know she was a-witching him?" 10143 10144"Lord, pap can tell, easy. Pap says when they keep looking at you 10145right stiddy, they're a-witching you. Specially if they mumble. Becuz 10146when they mumble they're saying the Lord's Prayer backards." 10147 10148"Say, Hucky, when you going to try the cat?" 10149 10150"To-night. I reckon they'll come after old Hoss Williams to-night." 10151 10152"But they buried him Saturday. Didn't they get him Saturday night?" 10153 10154"Why, how you talk! How could their charms work till midnight?--and 10155THEN it's Sunday. Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't 10156reckon." 10157 10158"I never thought of that. That's so. Lemme go with you?" 10159 10160"Of course--if you ain't afeard." 10161 10162"Afeard! 'Tain't likely. Will you meow?" 10163 10164"Yes--and you meow back, if you get a chance. Last time, you kep' me 10165a-meowing around till old Hays went to throwing rocks at me and says 10166'Dern that cat!' and so I hove a brick through his window--but don't 10167you tell." 10168 10169"I won't. I couldn't meow that night, becuz auntie was watching me, 10170but I'll meow this time. Say--what's that?" 10171 10172"Nothing but a tick." 10173 10174"Where'd you get him?" 10175 10176"Out in the woods." 10177 10178"What'll you take for him?" 10179 10180"I don't know. I don't want to sell him." 10181 10182"All right. It's a mighty small tick, anyway." 10183 10184"Oh, anybody can run a tick down that don't belong to them. I'm 10185satisfied with it. It's a good enough tick for me." 10186 10187"Sho, there's ticks a plenty. I could have a thousand of 'em if I 10188wanted to." 10189 10190"Well, why don't you? Becuz you know mighty well you can't. This is a 10191pretty early tick, I reckon. It's the first one I've seen this year." 10192 10193"Say, Huck--I'll give you my tooth for him." 10194 10195"Less see it." 10196 10197Tom got out a bit of paper and carefully unrolled it. Huckleberry 10198viewed it wistfully. The temptation was very strong. At last he said: 10199 10200"Is it genuwyne?" 10201 10202Tom lifted his lip and showed the vacancy. 10203 10204"Well, all right," said Huckleberry, "it's a trade." 10205 10206Tom enclosed the tick in the percussion-cap box that had lately been 10207the pinchbug's prison, and the boys separated, each feeling wealthier 10208than before. 10209 10210When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in 10211briskly, with the manner of one who had come with all honest speed. 10212He hung his hat on a peg and flung himself into his seat with 10213business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in his great 10214splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. 10215The interruption roused him. 10216 10217"Thomas Sawyer!" 10218 10219Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble. 10220 10221"Sir!" 10222 10223"Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?" 10224 10225Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of 10226yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric 10227sympathy of love; and by that form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the 10228girls' side of the schoolhouse. He instantly said: 10229 10230"I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!" 10231 10232The master's pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of 10233study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his 10234mind. The master said: 10235 10236"You--you did what?" 10237 10238"Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn." 10239 10240There was no mistaking the words. 10241 10242"Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever 10243listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your 10244jacket." 10245 10246The master's arm performed until it was tired and the stock of 10247switches notably diminished. Then the order followed: 10248 10249"Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you." 10250 10251The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but 10252in reality that result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of 10253his unknown idol and the dread pleasure that lay in his high good 10254fortune. He sat down upon the end of the pine bench and the girl 10255hitched herself away from him with a toss of her head. Nudges and winks 10256and whispers traversed the room, but Tom sat still, with his arms upon 10257the long, low desk before him, and seemed to study his book. 10258 10259By and by attention ceased from him, and the accustomed school murmur 10260rose upon the dull air once more. Presently the boy began to steal 10261furtive glances at the girl. She observed it, "made a mouth" at him and 10262gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she 10263cautiously faced around again, a peach lay before her. She thrust it 10264away. Tom gently put it back. She thrust it away again, but with less 10265animosity. Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it 10266remain. Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it--I got more." The 10267girl glanced at the words, but made no sign. Now the boy began to draw 10268something on the slate, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time 10269the girl refused to notice; but her human curiosity presently began to 10270manifest itself by hardly perceptible signs. The boy worked on, 10271apparently unconscious. The girl made a sort of noncommittal attempt to 10272see, but the boy did not betray that he was aware of it. At last she 10273gave in and hesitatingly whispered: 10274 10275"Let me see it." 10276 10277Tom partly uncovered a dismal caricature of a house with two gable 10278ends to it and a corkscrew of smoke issuing from the chimney. Then the 10279girl's interest began to fasten itself upon the work and she forgot 10280everything else. When it was finished, she gazed a moment, then 10281whispered: 10282 10283"It's nice--make a man." 10284 10285The artist erected a man in the front yard, that resembled a derrick. 10286He could have stepped over the house; but the girl was not 10287hypercritical; she was satisfied with the monster, and whispered: 10288 10289"It's a beautiful man--now make me coming along." 10290 10291Tom drew an hour-glass with a full moon and straw limbs to it and 10292armed the spreading fingers with a portentous fan. The girl said: 10293 10294"It's ever so nice--I wish I could draw." 10295 10296"It's easy," whispered Tom, "I'll learn you." 10297 10298"Oh, will you? When?" 10299 10300"At noon. Do you go home to dinner?" 10301 10302"I'll stay if you will." 10303 10304"Good--that's a whack. What's your name?" 10305 10306"Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer." 10307 10308"That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me 10309Tom, will you?" 10310 10311"Yes." 10312 10313Now Tom began to scrawl something on the slate, hiding the words from 10314the girl. But she was not backward this time. She begged to see. Tom 10315said: 10316 10317"Oh, it ain't anything." 10318 10319"Yes it is." 10320 10321"No it ain't. You don't want to see." 10322 10323"Yes I do, indeed I do. Please let me." 10324 10325"You'll tell." 10326 10327"No I won't--deed and deed and double deed won't." 10328 10329"You won't tell anybody at all? Ever, as long as you live?" 10330 10331"No, I won't ever tell ANYbody. Now let me." 10332 10333"Oh, YOU don't want to see!" 10334 10335"Now that you treat me so, I WILL see." And she put her small hand 10336upon his and a little scuffle ensued, Tom pretending to resist in 10337earnest but letting his hand slip by degrees till these words were 10338revealed: "I LOVE YOU." 10339 10340"Oh, you bad thing!" And she hit his hand a smart rap, but reddened 10341and looked pleased, nevertheless. 10342 10343Just at this juncture the boy felt a slow, fateful grip closing on his 10344ear, and a steady lifting impulse. In that wise he was borne across the 10345house and deposited in his own seat, under a peppering fire of giggles 10346from the whole school. Then the master stood over him during a few 10347awful moments, and finally moved away to his throne without saying a 10348word. But although Tom's ear tingled, his heart was jubilant. 10349 10350As the school quieted down Tom made an honest effort to study, but the 10351turmoil within him was too great. In turn he took his place in the 10352reading class and made a botch of it; then in the geography class and 10353turned lakes into mountains, mountains into rivers, and rivers into 10354continents, till chaos was come again; then in the spelling class, and 10355got "turned down," by a succession of mere baby words, till he brought 10356up at the foot and yielded up the pewter medal which he had worn with 10357ostentation for months. 10358 10359 10360 10361CHAPTER VII 10362 10363THE harder Tom tried to fasten his mind on his book, the more his 10364ideas wandered. So at last, with a sigh and a yawn, he gave it up. It 10365seemed to him that the noon recess would never come. The air was 10366utterly dead. There was not a breath stirring. It was the sleepiest of 10367sleepy days. The drowsing murmur of the five and twenty studying 10368scholars soothed the soul like the spell that is in the murmur of bees. 10369Away off in the flaming sunshine, Cardiff Hill lifted its soft green 10370sides through a shimmering veil of heat, tinted with the purple of 10371distance; a few birds floated on lazy wing high in the air; no other 10372living thing was visible but some cows, and they were asleep. Tom's 10373heart ached to be free, or else to have something of interest to do to 10374pass the dreary time. His hand wandered into his pocket and his face 10375lit up with a glow of gratitude that was prayer, though he did not know 10376it. Then furtively the percussion-cap box came out. He released the 10377tick and put him on the long flat desk. The creature probably glowed 10378with a gratitude that amounted to prayer, too, at this moment, but it 10379was premature: for when he started thankfully to travel off, Tom turned 10380him aside with a pin and made him take a new direction. 10381 10382Tom's bosom friend sat next him, suffering just as Tom had been, and 10383now he was deeply and gratefully interested in this entertainment in an 10384instant. This bosom friend was Joe Harper. The two boys were sworn 10385friends all the week, and embattled enemies on Saturdays. Joe took a 10386pin out of his lapel and began to assist in exercising the prisoner. 10387The sport grew in interest momently. Soon Tom said that they were 10388interfering with each other, and neither getting the fullest benefit of 10389the tick. So he put Joe's slate on the desk and drew a line down the 10390middle of it from top to bottom. 10391 10392"Now," said he, "as long as he is on your side you can stir him up and 10393I'll let him alone; but if you let him get away and get on my side, 10394you're to leave him alone as long as I can keep him from crossing over." 10395 10396"All right, go ahead; start him up." 10397 10398The tick escaped from Tom, presently, and crossed the equator. Joe 10399harassed him awhile, and then he got away and crossed back again. This 10400change of base occurred often. While one boy was worrying the tick with 10401absorbing interest, the other would look on with interest as strong, 10402the two heads bowed together over the slate, and the two souls dead to 10403all things else. At last luck seemed to settle and abide with Joe. The 10404tick tried this, that, and the other course, and got as excited and as 10405anxious as the boys themselves, but time and again just as he would 10406have victory in his very grasp, so to speak, and Tom's fingers would be 10407twitching to begin, Joe's pin would deftly head him off, and keep 10408possession. At last Tom could stand it no longer. The temptation was 10409too strong. So he reached out and lent a hand with his pin. Joe was 10410angry in a moment. Said he: 10411 10412"Tom, you let him alone." 10413 10414"I only just want to stir him up a little, Joe." 10415 10416"No, sir, it ain't fair; you just let him alone." 10417 10418"Blame it, I ain't going to stir him much." 10419 10420"Let him alone, I tell you." 10421 10422"I won't!" 10423 10424"You shall--he's on my side of the line." 10425 10426"Look here, Joe Harper, whose is that tick?" 10427 10428"I don't care whose tick he is--he's on my side of the line, and you 10429sha'n't touch him." 10430 10431"Well, I'll just bet I will, though. He's my tick and I'll do what I 10432blame please with him, or die!" 10433 10434A tremendous whack came down on Tom's shoulders, and its duplicate on 10435Joe's; and for the space of two minutes the dust continued to fly from 10436the two jackets and the whole school to enjoy it. The boys had been too 10437absorbed to notice the hush that had stolen upon the school awhile 10438before when the master came tiptoeing down the room and stood over 10439them. He had contemplated a good part of the performance before he 10440contributed his bit of variety to it. 10441 10442When school broke up at noon, Tom flew to Becky Thatcher, and 10443whispered in her ear: 10444 10445"Put on your bonnet and let on you're going home; and when you get to 10446the corner, give the rest of 'em the slip, and turn down through the 10447lane and come back. I'll go the other way and come it over 'em the same 10448way." 10449 10450So the one went off with one group of scholars, and the other with 10451another. In a little while the two met at the bottom of the lane, and 10452when they reached the school they had it all to themselves. Then they 10453sat together, with a slate before them, and Tom gave Becky the pencil 10454and held her hand in his, guiding it, and so created another surprising 10455house. When the interest in art began to wane, the two fell to talking. 10456Tom was swimming in bliss. He said: 10457 10458"Do you love rats?" 10459 10460"No! I hate them!" 10461 10462"Well, I do, too--LIVE ones. But I mean dead ones, to swing round your 10463head with a string." 10464 10465"No, I don't care for rats much, anyway. What I like is chewing-gum." 10466 10467"Oh, I should say so! I wish I had some now." 10468 10469"Do you? I've got some. I'll let you chew it awhile, but you must give 10470it back to me." 10471 10472That was agreeable, so they chewed it turn about, and dangled their 10473legs against the bench in excess of contentment. 10474 10475"Was you ever at a circus?" said Tom. 10476 10477"Yes, and my pa's going to take me again some time, if I'm good." 10478 10479"I been to the circus three or four times--lots of times. Church ain't 10480shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the time. 10481I'm going to be a clown in a circus when I grow up." 10482 10483"Oh, are you! That will be nice. They're so lovely, all spotted up." 10484 10485"Yes, that's so. And they get slathers of money--most a dollar a day, 10486Ben Rogers says. Say, Becky, was you ever engaged?" 10487 10488"What's that?" 10489 10490"Why, engaged to be married." 10491 10492"No." 10493 10494"Would you like to?" 10495 10496"I reckon so. I don't know. What is it like?" 10497 10498"Like? Why it ain't like anything. You only just tell a boy you won't 10499ever have anybody but him, ever ever ever, and then you kiss and that's 10500all. Anybody can do it." 10501 10502"Kiss? What do you kiss for?" 10503 10504"Why, that, you know, is to--well, they always do that." 10505 10506"Everybody?" 10507 10508"Why, yes, everybody that's in love with each other. Do you remember 10509what I wrote on the slate?" 10510 10511"Ye--yes." 10512 10513"What was it?" 10514 10515"I sha'n't tell you." 10516 10517"Shall I tell YOU?" 10518 10519"Ye--yes--but some other time." 10520 10521"No, now." 10522 10523"No, not now--to-morrow." 10524 10525"Oh, no, NOW. Please, Becky--I'll whisper it, I'll whisper it ever so 10526easy." 10527 10528Becky hesitating, Tom took silence for consent, and passed his arm 10529about her waist and whispered the tale ever so softly, with his mouth 10530close to her ear. And then he added: 10531 10532"Now you whisper it to me--just the same." 10533 10534She resisted, for a while, and then said: 10535 10536"You turn your face away so you can't see, and then I will. But you 10537mustn't ever tell anybody--WILL you, Tom? Now you won't, WILL you?" 10538 10539"No, indeed, indeed I won't. Now, Becky." 10540 10541He turned his face away. She bent timidly around till her breath 10542stirred his curls and whispered, "I--love--you!" 10543 10544Then she sprang away and ran around and around the desks and benches, 10545with Tom after her, and took refuge in a corner at last, with her 10546little white apron to her face. Tom clasped her about her neck and 10547pleaded: 10548 10549"Now, Becky, it's all done--all over but the kiss. Don't you be afraid 10550of that--it ain't anything at all. Please, Becky." And he tugged at her 10551apron and the hands. 10552 10553By and by she gave up, and let her hands drop; her face, all glowing 10554with the struggle, came up and submitted. Tom kissed the red lips and 10555said: 10556 10557"Now it's all done, Becky. And always after this, you know, you ain't 10558ever to love anybody but me, and you ain't ever to marry anybody but 10559me, ever never and forever. Will you?" 10560 10561"No, I'll never love anybody but you, Tom, and I'll never marry 10562anybody but you--and you ain't to ever marry anybody but me, either." 10563 10564"Certainly. Of course. That's PART of it. And always coming to school 10565or when we're going home, you're to walk with me, when there ain't 10566anybody looking--and you choose me and I choose you at parties, because 10567that's the way you do when you're engaged." 10568 10569"It's so nice. I never heard of it before." 10570 10571"Oh, it's ever so gay! Why, me and Amy Lawrence--" 10572 10573The big eyes told Tom his blunder and he stopped, confused. 10574 10575"Oh, Tom! Then I ain't the first you've ever been engaged to!" 10576 10577The child began to cry. Tom said: 10578 10579"Oh, don't cry, Becky, I don't care for her any more." 10580 10581"Yes, you do, Tom--you know you do." 10582 10583Tom tried to put his arm about her neck, but she pushed him away and 10584turned her face to the wall, and went on crying. Tom tried again, with 10585soothing words in his mouth, and was repulsed again. Then his pride was 10586up, and he strode away and went outside. He stood about, restless and 10587uneasy, for a while, glancing at the door, every now and then, hoping 10588she would repent and come to find him. But she did not. Then he began 10589to feel badly and fear that he was in the wrong. It was a hard struggle 10590with him to make new advances, now, but he nerved himself to it and 10591entered. She was still standing back there in the corner, sobbing, with 10592her face to the wall. Tom's heart smote him. He went to her and stood a 10593moment, not knowing exactly how to proceed. Then he said hesitatingly: 10594 10595"Becky, I--I don't care for anybody but you." 10596 10597No reply--but sobs. 10598 10599"Becky"--pleadingly. "Becky, won't you say something?" 10600 10601More sobs. 10602 10603Tom got out his chiefest jewel, a brass knob from the top of an 10604andiron, and passed it around her so that she could see it, and said: 10605 10606"Please, Becky, won't you take it?" 10607 10608She struck it to the floor. Then Tom marched out of the house and over 10609the hills and far away, to return to school no more that day. Presently 10610Becky began to suspect. She ran to the door; he was not in sight; she 10611flew around to the play-yard; he was not there. Then she called: 10612 10613"Tom! Come back, Tom!" 10614 10615She listened intently, but there was no answer. She had no companions 10616but silence and loneliness. So she sat down to cry again and upbraid 10617herself; and by this time the scholars began to gather again, and she 10618had to hide her griefs and still her broken heart and take up the cross 10619of a long, dreary, aching afternoon, with none among the strangers 10620about her to exchange sorrows with. 10621 10622 10623 10624CHAPTER VIII 10625 10626TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of 10627the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog. He 10628crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing 10629juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit. Half an hour 10630later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of 10631Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off 10632in the valley behind him. He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless 10633way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading 10634oak. There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had 10635even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was 10636broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a 10637woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense 10638of loneliness the more profound. The boy's soul was steeped in 10639melancholy; his feelings were in happy accord with his surroundings. He 10640sat long with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, 10641meditating. It seemed to him that life was but a trouble, at best, and 10642he more than half envied Jimmy Hodges, so lately released; it must be 10643very peaceful, he thought, to lie and slumber and dream forever and 10644ever, with the wind whispering through the trees and caressing the 10645grass and the flowers over the grave, and nothing to bother and grieve 10646about, ever any more. If he only had a clean Sunday-school record he 10647could be willing to go, and be done with it all. Now as to this girl. 10648What had he done? Nothing. He had meant the best in the world, and been 10649treated like a dog--like a very dog. She would be sorry some day--maybe 10650when it was too late. Ah, if he could only die TEMPORARILY! 10651 10652But the elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one 10653constrained shape long at a time. Tom presently began to drift 10654insensibly back into the concerns of this life again. What if he turned 10655his back, now, and disappeared mysteriously? What if he went away--ever 10656so far away, into unknown countries beyond the seas--and never came 10657back any more! How would she feel then! The idea of being a clown 10658recurred to him now, only to fill him with disgust. For frivolity and 10659jokes and spotted tights were an offense, when they intruded themselves 10660upon a spirit that was exalted into the vague august realm of the 10661romantic. No, he would be a soldier, and return after long years, all 10662war-worn and illustrious. No--better still, he would join the Indians, 10663and hunt buffaloes and go on the warpath in the mountain ranges and the 10664trackless great plains of the Far West, and away in the future come 10665back a great chief, bristling with feathers, hideous with paint, and 10666prance into Sunday-school, some drowsy summer morning, with a 10667bloodcurdling war-whoop, and sear the eyeballs of all his companions 10668with unappeasable envy. But no, there was something gaudier even than 10669this. He would be a pirate! That was it! NOW his future lay plain 10670before him, and glowing with unimaginable splendor. How his name would 10671fill the world, and make people shudder! How gloriously he would go 10672plowing the dancing seas, in his long, low, black-hulled racer, the 10673Spirit of the Storm, with his grisly flag flying at the fore! And at 10674the zenith of his fame, how he would suddenly appear at the old village 10675and stalk into church, brown and weather-beaten, in his black velvet 10676doublet and trunks, his great jack-boots, his crimson sash, his belt 10677bristling with horse-pistols, his crime-rusted cutlass at his side, his 10678slouch hat with waving plumes, his black flag unfurled, with the skull 10679and crossbones on it, and hear with swelling ecstasy the whisperings, 10680"It's Tom Sawyer the Pirate!--the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main!" 10681 10682Yes, it was settled; his career was determined. He would run away from 10683home and enter upon it. He would start the very next morning. Therefore 10684he must now begin to get ready. He would collect his resources 10685together. He went to a rotten log near at hand and began to dig under 10686one end of it with his Barlow knife. He soon struck wood that sounded 10687hollow. He put his hand there and uttered this incantation impressively: 10688 10689"What hasn't come here, come! What's here, stay here!" 10690 10691Then he scraped away the dirt, and exposed a pine shingle. He took it 10692up and disclosed a shapely little treasure-house whose bottom and sides 10693were of shingles. In it lay a marble. Tom's astonishment was boundless! 10694He scratched his head with a perplexed air, and said: 10695 10696"Well, that beats anything!" 10697 10698Then he tossed the marble away pettishly, and stood cogitating. The 10699truth was, that a superstition of his had failed, here, which he and 10700all his comrades had always looked upon as infallible. If you buried a 10701marble with certain necessary incantations, and left it alone a 10702fortnight, and then opened the place with the incantation he had just 10703used, you would find that all the marbles you had ever lost had 10704gathered themselves together there, meantime, no matter how widely they 10705had been separated. But now, this thing had actually and unquestionably 10706failed. Tom's whole structure of faith was shaken to its foundations. 10707He had many a time heard of this thing succeeding but never of its 10708failing before. It did not occur to him that he had tried it several 10709times before, himself, but could never find the hiding-places 10710afterward. He puzzled over the matter some time, and finally decided 10711that some witch had interfered and broken the charm. He thought he 10712would satisfy himself on that point; so he searched around till he 10713found a small sandy spot with a little funnel-shaped depression in it. 10714He laid himself down and put his mouth close to this depression and 10715called-- 10716 10717"Doodle-bug, doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know! Doodle-bug, 10718doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know!" 10719 10720The sand began to work, and presently a small black bug appeared for a 10721second and then darted under again in a fright. 10722 10723"He dasn't tell! So it WAS a witch that done it. I just knowed it." 10724 10725He well knew the futility of trying to contend against witches, so he 10726gave up discouraged. But it occurred to him that he might as well have 10727the marble he had just thrown away, and therefore he went and made a 10728patient search for it. But he could not find it. Now he went back to 10729his treasure-house and carefully placed himself just as he had been 10730standing when he tossed the marble away; then he took another marble 10731from his pocket and tossed it in the same way, saying: 10732 10733"Brother, go find your brother!" 10734 10735He watched where it stopped, and went there and looked. But it must 10736have fallen short or gone too far; so he tried twice more. The last 10737repetition was successful. The two marbles lay within a foot of each 10738other. 10739 10740Just here the blast of a toy tin trumpet came faintly down the green 10741aisles of the forest. Tom flung off his jacket and trousers, turned a 10742suspender into a belt, raked away some brush behind the rotten log, 10743disclosing a rude bow and arrow, a lath sword and a tin trumpet, and in 10744a moment had seized these things and bounded away, barelegged, with 10745fluttering shirt. He presently halted under a great elm, blew an 10746answering blast, and then began to tiptoe and look warily out, this way 10747and that. He said cautiously--to an imaginary company: 10748 10749"Hold, my merry men! Keep hid till I blow." 10750 10751Now appeared Joe Harper, as airily clad and elaborately armed as Tom. 10752Tom called: 10753 10754"Hold! Who comes here into Sherwood Forest without my pass?" 10755 10756"Guy of Guisborne wants no man's pass. Who art thou that--that--" 10757 10758"Dares to hold such language," said Tom, prompting--for they talked 10759"by the book," from memory. 10760 10761"Who art thou that dares to hold such language?" 10762 10763"I, indeed! I am Robin Hood, as thy caitiff carcase soon shall know." 10764 10765"Then art thou indeed that famous outlaw? Right gladly will I dispute 10766with thee the passes of the merry wood. Have at thee!" 10767 10768They took their lath swords, dumped their other traps on the ground, 10769struck a fencing attitude, foot to foot, and began a grave, careful 10770combat, "two up and two down." Presently Tom said: 10771 10772"Now, if you've got the hang, go it lively!" 10773 10774So they "went it lively," panting and perspiring with the work. By and 10775by Tom shouted: 10776 10777"Fall! fall! Why don't you fall?" 10778 10779"I sha'n't! Why don't you fall yourself? You're getting the worst of 10780it." 10781 10782"Why, that ain't anything. I can't fall; that ain't the way it is in 10783the book. The book says, 'Then with one back-handed stroke he slew poor 10784Guy of Guisborne.' You're to turn around and let me hit you in the 10785back." 10786 10787There was no getting around the authorities, so Joe turned, received 10788the whack and fell. 10789 10790"Now," said Joe, getting up, "you got to let me kill YOU. That's fair." 10791 10792"Why, I can't do that, it ain't in the book." 10793 10794"Well, it's blamed mean--that's all." 10795 10796"Well, say, Joe, you can be Friar Tuck or Much the miller's son, and 10797lam me with a quarter-staff; or I'll be the Sheriff of Nottingham and 10798you be Robin Hood a little while and kill me." 10799 10800This was satisfactory, and so these adventures were carried out. Then 10801Tom became Robin Hood again, and was allowed by the treacherous nun to 10802bleed his strength away through his neglected wound. And at last Joe, 10803representing a whole tribe of weeping outlaws, dragged him sadly forth, 10804gave his bow into his feeble hands, and Tom said, "Where this arrow 10805falls, there bury poor Robin Hood under the greenwood tree." Then he 10806shot the arrow and fell back and would have died, but he lit on a 10807nettle and sprang up too gaily for a corpse. 10808 10809The boys dressed themselves, hid their accoutrements, and went off 10810grieving that there were no outlaws any more, and wondering what modern 10811civilization could claim to have done to compensate for their loss. 10812They said they would rather be outlaws a year in Sherwood Forest than 10813President of the United States forever. 10814 10815 10816 10817CHAPTER IX 10818 10819AT half-past nine, that night, Tom and Sid were sent to bed, as usual. 10820They said their prayers, and Sid was soon asleep. Tom lay awake and 10821waited, in restless impatience. When it seemed to him that it must be 10822nearly daylight, he heard the clock strike ten! This was despair. He 10823would have tossed and fidgeted, as his nerves demanded, but he was 10824afraid he might wake Sid. So he lay still, and stared up into the dark. 10825Everything was dismally still. By and by, out of the stillness, little, 10826scarcely perceptible noises began to emphasize themselves. The ticking 10827of the clock began to bring itself into notice. Old beams began to 10828crack mysteriously. The stairs creaked faintly. Evidently spirits were 10829abroad. A measured, muffled snore issued from Aunt Polly's chamber. And 10830now the tiresome chirping of a cricket that no human ingenuity could 10831locate, began. Next the ghastly ticking of a deathwatch in the wall at 10832the bed's head made Tom shudder--it meant that somebody's days were 10833numbered. Then the howl of a far-off dog rose on the night air, and was 10834answered by a fainter howl from a remoter distance. Tom was in an 10835agony. At last he was satisfied that time had ceased and eternity 10836begun; he began to doze, in spite of himself; the clock chimed eleven, 10837but he did not hear it. And then there came, mingling with his 10838half-formed dreams, a most melancholy caterwauling. The raising of a 10839neighboring window disturbed him. A cry of "Scat! you devil!" and the 10840crash of an empty bottle against the back of his aunt's woodshed 10841brought him wide awake, and a single minute later he was dressed and 10842out of the window and creeping along the roof of the "ell" on all 10843fours. He "meow'd" with caution once or twice, as he went; then jumped 10844to the roof of the woodshed and thence to the ground. Huckleberry Finn 10845was there, with his dead cat. The boys moved off and disappeared in the 10846gloom. At the end of half an hour they were wading through the tall 10847grass of the graveyard. 10848 10849It was a graveyard of the old-fashioned Western kind. It was on a 10850hill, about a mile and a half from the village. It had a crazy board 10851fence around it, which leaned inward in places, and outward the rest of 10852the time, but stood upright nowhere. Grass and weeds grew rank over the 10853whole cemetery. All the old graves were sunken in, there was not a 10854tombstone on the place; round-topped, worm-eaten boards staggered over 10855the graves, leaning for support and finding none. "Sacred to the memory 10856of" So-and-So had been painted on them once, but it could no longer 10857have been read, on the most of them, now, even if there had been light. 10858 10859A faint wind moaned through the trees, and Tom feared it might be the 10860spirits of the dead, complaining at being disturbed. The boys talked 10861little, and only under their breath, for the time and the place and the 10862pervading solemnity and silence oppressed their spirits. They found the 10863sharp new heap they were seeking, and ensconced themselves within the 10864protection of three great elms that grew in a bunch within a few feet 10865of the grave. 10866 10867Then they waited in silence for what seemed a long time. The hooting 10868of a distant owl was all the sound that troubled the dead stillness. 10869Tom's reflections grew oppressive. He must force some talk. So he said 10870in a whisper: 10871 10872"Hucky, do you believe the dead people like it for us to be here?" 10873 10874Huckleberry whispered: 10875 10876"I wisht I knowed. It's awful solemn like, AIN'T it?" 10877 10878"I bet it is." 10879 10880There was a considerable pause, while the boys canvassed this matter 10881inwardly. Then Tom whispered: 10882 10883"Say, Hucky--do you reckon Hoss Williams hears us talking?" 10884 10885"O' course he does. Least his sperrit does." 10886 10887Tom, after a pause: 10888 10889"I wish I'd said Mister Williams. But I never meant any harm. 10890Everybody calls him Hoss." 10891 10892"A body can't be too partic'lar how they talk 'bout these-yer dead 10893people, Tom." 10894 10895This was a damper, and conversation died again. 10896 10897Presently Tom seized his comrade's arm and said: 10898 10899"Sh!" 10900 10901"What is it, Tom?" And the two clung together with beating hearts. 10902 10903"Sh! There 'tis again! Didn't you hear it?" 10904 10905"I--" 10906 10907"There! Now you hear it." 10908 10909"Lord, Tom, they're coming! They're coming, sure. What'll we do?" 10910 10911"I dono. Think they'll see us?" 10912 10913"Oh, Tom, they can see in the dark, same as cats. I wisht I hadn't 10914come." 10915 10916"Oh, don't be afeard. I don't believe they'll bother us. We ain't 10917doing any harm. If we keep perfectly still, maybe they won't notice us 10918at all." 10919 10920"I'll try to, Tom, but, Lord, I'm all of a shiver." 10921 10922"Listen!" 10923 10924The boys bent their heads together and scarcely breathed. A muffled 10925sound of voices floated up from the far end of the graveyard. 10926 10927"Look! See there!" whispered Tom. "What is it?" 10928 10929"It's devil-fire. Oh, Tom, this is awful." 10930 10931Some vague figures approached through the gloom, swinging an 10932old-fashioned tin lantern that freckled the ground with innumerable 10933little spangles of light. Presently Huckleberry whispered with a 10934shudder: 10935 10936"It's the devils sure enough. Three of 'em! Lordy, Tom, we're goners! 10937Can you pray?" 10938 10939"I'll try, but don't you be afeard. They ain't going to hurt us. 'Now 10940I lay me down to sleep, I--'" 10941 10942"Sh!" 10943 10944"What is it, Huck?" 10945 10946"They're HUMANS! One of 'em is, anyway. One of 'em's old Muff Potter's 10947voice." 10948 10949"No--'tain't so, is it?" 10950 10951"I bet I know it. Don't you stir nor budge. He ain't sharp enough to 10952notice us. Drunk, the same as usual, likely--blamed old rip!" 10953 10954"All right, I'll keep still. Now they're stuck. Can't find it. Here 10955they come again. Now they're hot. Cold again. Hot again. Red hot! 10956They're p'inted right, this time. Say, Huck, I know another o' them 10957voices; it's Injun Joe." 10958 10959"That's so--that murderin' half-breed! I'd druther they was devils a 10960dern sight. What kin they be up to?" 10961 10962The whisper died wholly out, now, for the three men had reached the 10963grave and stood within a few feet of the boys' hiding-place. 10964 10965"Here it is," said the third voice; and the owner of it held the 10966lantern up and revealed the face of young Doctor Robinson. 10967 10968Potter and Injun Joe were carrying a handbarrow with a rope and a 10969couple of shovels on it. They cast down their load and began to open 10970the grave. The doctor put the lantern at the head of the grave and came 10971and sat down with his back against one of the elm trees. He was so 10972close the boys could have touched him. 10973 10974"Hurry, men!" he said, in a low voice; "the moon might come out at any 10975moment." 10976 10977They growled a response and went on digging. For some time there was 10978no noise but the grating sound of the spades discharging their freight 10979of mould and gravel. It was very monotonous. Finally a spade struck 10980upon the coffin with a dull woody accent, and within another minute or 10981two the men had hoisted it out on the ground. They pried off the lid 10982with their shovels, got out the body and dumped it rudely on the 10983ground. The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid 10984face. The barrow was got ready and the corpse placed on it, covered 10985with a blanket, and bound to its place with the rope. Potter took out a 10986large spring-knife and cut off the dangling end of the rope and then 10987said: 10988 10989"Now the cussed thing's ready, Sawbones, and you'll just out with 10990another five, or here she stays." 10991 10992"That's the talk!" said Injun Joe. 10993 10994"Look here, what does this mean?" said the doctor. "You required your 10995pay in advance, and I've paid you." 10996 10997"Yes, and you done more than that," said Injun Joe, approaching the 10998doctor, who was now standing. "Five years ago you drove me away from 10999your father's kitchen one night, when I come to ask for something to 11000eat, and you said I warn't there for any good; and when I swore I'd get 11001even with you if it took a hundred years, your father had me jailed for 11002a vagrant. Did you think I'd forget? The Injun blood ain't in me for 11003nothing. And now I've GOT you, and you got to SETTLE, you know!" 11004 11005He was threatening the doctor, with his fist in his face, by this 11006time. The doctor struck out suddenly and stretched the ruffian on the 11007ground. Potter dropped his knife, and exclaimed: 11008 11009"Here, now, don't you hit my pard!" and the next moment he had 11010grappled with the doctor and the two were struggling with might and 11011main, trampling the grass and tearing the ground with their heels. 11012Injun Joe sprang to his feet, his eyes flaming with passion, snatched 11013up Potter's knife, and went creeping, catlike and stooping, round and 11014round about the combatants, seeking an opportunity. All at once the 11015doctor flung himself free, seized the heavy headboard of Williams' 11016grave and felled Potter to the earth with it--and in the same instant 11017the half-breed saw his chance and drove the knife to the hilt in the 11018young man's breast. He reeled and fell partly upon Potter, flooding him 11019with his blood, and in the same moment the clouds blotted out the 11020dreadful spectacle and the two frightened boys went speeding away in 11021the dark. 11022 11023Presently, when the moon emerged again, Injun Joe was standing over 11024the two forms, contemplating them. The doctor murmured inarticulately, 11025gave a long gasp or two and was still. The half-breed muttered: 11026 11027"THAT score is settled--damn you." 11028 11029Then he robbed the body. After which he put the fatal knife in 11030Potter's open right hand, and sat down on the dismantled coffin. Three 11031--four--five minutes passed, and then Potter began to stir and moan. His 11032hand closed upon the knife; he raised it, glanced at it, and let it 11033fall, with a shudder. Then he sat up, pushing the body from him, and 11034gazed at it, and then around him, confusedly. His eyes met Joe's. 11035 11036"Lord, how is this, Joe?" he said. 11037 11038"It's a dirty business," said Joe, without moving. 11039 11040"What did you do it for?" 11041 11042"I! I never done it!" 11043 11044"Look here! That kind of talk won't wash." 11045 11046Potter trembled and grew white. 11047 11048"I thought I'd got sober. I'd no business to drink to-night. But it's 11049in my head yet--worse'n when we started here. I'm all in a muddle; 11050can't recollect anything of it, hardly. Tell me, Joe--HONEST, now, old 11051feller--did I do it? Joe, I never meant to--'pon my soul and honor, I 11052never meant to, Joe. Tell me how it was, Joe. Oh, it's awful--and him 11053so young and promising." 11054 11055"Why, you two was scuffling, and he fetched you one with the headboard 11056and you fell flat; and then up you come, all reeling and staggering 11057like, and snatched the knife and jammed it into him, just as he fetched 11058you another awful clip--and here you've laid, as dead as a wedge til 11059now." 11060 11061"Oh, I didn't know what I was a-doing. I wish I may die this minute if 11062I did. It was all on account of the whiskey and the excitement, I 11063reckon. I never used a weepon in my life before, Joe. I've fought, but 11064never with weepons. They'll all say that. Joe, don't tell! Say you 11065won't tell, Joe--that's a good feller. I always liked you, Joe, and 11066stood up for you, too. Don't you remember? You WON'T tell, WILL you, 11067Joe?" And the poor creature dropped on his knees before the stolid 11068murderer, and clasped his appealing hands. 11069 11070"No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I 11071won't go back on you. There, now, that's as fair as a man can say." 11072 11073"Oh, Joe, you're an angel. I'll bless you for this the longest day I 11074live." And Potter began to cry. 11075 11076"Come, now, that's enough of that. This ain't any time for blubbering. 11077You be off yonder way and I'll go this. Move, now, and don't leave any 11078tracks behind you." 11079 11080Potter started on a trot that quickly increased to a run. The 11081half-breed stood looking after him. He muttered: 11082 11083"If he's as much stunned with the lick and fuddled with the rum as he 11084had the look of being, he won't think of the knife till he's gone so 11085far he'll be afraid to come back after it to such a place by himself 11086--chicken-heart!" 11087 11088Two or three minutes later the murdered man, the blanketed corpse, the 11089lidless coffin, and the open grave were under no inspection but the 11090moon's. The stillness was complete again, too. 11091 11092 11093 11094CHAPTER X 11095 11096THE two boys flew on and on, toward the village, speechless with 11097horror. They glanced backward over their shoulders from time to time, 11098apprehensively, as if they feared they might be followed. Every stump 11099that started up in their path seemed a man and an enemy, and made them 11100catch their breath; and as they sped by some outlying cottages that lay 11101near the village, the barking of the aroused watch-dogs seemed to give 11102wings to their feet. 11103 11104"If we can only get to the old tannery before we break down!" 11105whispered Tom, in short catches between breaths. "I can't stand it much 11106longer." 11107 11108Huckleberry's hard pantings were his only reply, and the boys fixed 11109their eyes on the goal of their hopes and bent to their work to win it. 11110They gained steadily on it, and at last, breast to breast, they burst 11111through the open door and fell grateful and exhausted in the sheltering 11112shadows beyond. By and by their pulses slowed down, and Tom whispered: 11113 11114"Huckleberry, what do you reckon'll come of this?" 11115 11116"If Doctor Robinson dies, I reckon hanging'll come of it." 11117 11118"Do you though?" 11119 11120"Why, I KNOW it, Tom." 11121 11122Tom thought a while, then he said: 11123 11124"Who'll tell? We?" 11125 11126"What are you talking about? S'pose something happened and Injun Joe 11127DIDN'T hang? Why, he'd kill us some time or other, just as dead sure as 11128we're a laying here." 11129 11130"That's just what I was thinking to myself, Huck." 11131 11132"If anybody tells, let Muff Potter do it, if he's fool enough. He's 11133generally drunk enough." 11134 11135Tom said nothing--went on thinking. Presently he whispered: 11136 11137"Huck, Muff Potter don't know it. How can he tell?" 11138 11139"What's the reason he don't know it?" 11140 11141"Because he'd just got that whack when Injun Joe done it. D'you reckon 11142he could see anything? D'you reckon he knowed anything?" 11143 11144"By hokey, that's so, Tom!" 11145 11146"And besides, look-a-here--maybe that whack done for HIM!" 11147 11148"No, 'taint likely, Tom. He had liquor in him; I could see that; and 11149besides, he always has. Well, when pap's full, you might take and belt 11150him over the head with a church and you couldn't phase him. He says so, 11151his own self. So it's the same with Muff Potter, of course. But if a 11152man was dead sober, I reckon maybe that whack might fetch him; I dono." 11153 11154After another reflective silence, Tom said: 11155 11156"Hucky, you sure you can keep mum?" 11157 11158"Tom, we GOT to keep mum. You know that. That Injun devil wouldn't 11159make any more of drownding us than a couple of cats, if we was to 11160squeak 'bout this and they didn't hang him. Now, look-a-here, Tom, less 11161take and swear to one another--that's what we got to do--swear to keep 11162mum." 11163 11164"I'm agreed. It's the best thing. Would you just hold hands and swear 11165that we--" 11166 11167"Oh no, that wouldn't do for this. That's good enough for little 11168rubbishy common things--specially with gals, cuz THEY go back on you 11169anyway, and blab if they get in a huff--but there orter be writing 11170'bout a big thing like this. And blood." 11171 11172Tom's whole being applauded this idea. It was deep, and dark, and 11173awful; the hour, the circumstances, the surroundings, were in keeping 11174with it. He picked up a clean pine shingle that lay in the moonlight, 11175took a little fragment of "red keel" out of his pocket, got the moon on 11176his work, and painfully scrawled these lines, emphasizing each slow 11177down-stroke by clamping his tongue between his teeth, and letting up 11178the pressure on the up-strokes. [See next page.] 11179 11180 "Huck Finn and 11181 Tom Sawyer swears 11182 they will keep mum 11183 about This and They 11184 wish They may Drop 11185 down dead in Their 11186 Tracks if They ever 11187 Tell and Rot." 11188 11189Huckleberry was filled with admiration of Tom's facility in writing, 11190and the sublimity of his language. He at once took a pin from his lapel 11191and was going to prick his flesh, but Tom said: 11192 11193"Hold on! Don't do that. A pin's brass. It might have verdigrease on 11194it." 11195 11196"What's verdigrease?" 11197 11198"It's p'ison. That's what it is. You just swaller some of it once 11199--you'll see." 11200 11201So Tom unwound the thread from one of his needles, and each boy 11202pricked the ball of his thumb and squeezed out a drop of blood. In 11203time, after many squeezes, Tom managed to sign his initials, using the 11204ball of his little finger for a pen. Then he showed Huckleberry how to 11205make an H and an F, and the oath was complete. They buried the shingle 11206close to the wall, with some dismal ceremonies and incantations, and 11207the fetters that bound their tongues were considered to be locked and 11208the key thrown away. 11209 11210A figure crept stealthily through a break in the other end of the 11211ruined building, now, but they did not notice it. 11212 11213"Tom," whispered Huckleberry, "does this keep us from EVER telling 11214--ALWAYS?" 11215 11216"Of course it does. It don't make any difference WHAT happens, we got 11217to keep mum. We'd drop down dead--don't YOU know that?" 11218 11219"Yes, I reckon that's so." 11220 11221They continued to whisper for some little time. Presently a dog set up 11222a long, lugubrious howl just outside--within ten feet of them. The boys 11223clasped each other suddenly, in an agony of fright. 11224 11225"Which of us does he mean?" gasped Huckleberry. 11226 11227"I dono--peep through the crack. Quick!" 11228 11229"No, YOU, Tom!" 11230 11231"I can't--I can't DO it, Huck!" 11232 11233"Please, Tom. There 'tis again!" 11234 11235"Oh, lordy, I'm thankful!" whispered Tom. "I know his voice. It's Bull 11236Harbison." * 11237 11238[* If Mr. Harbison owned a slave named Bull, Tom would have spoken of 11239him as "Harbison's Bull," but a son or a dog of that name was "Bull 11240Harbison."] 11241 11242"Oh, that's good--I tell you, Tom, I was most scared to death; I'd a 11243bet anything it was a STRAY dog." 11244 11245The dog howled again. The boys' hearts sank once more. 11246 11247"Oh, my! that ain't no Bull Harbison!" whispered Huckleberry. "DO, Tom!" 11248 11249Tom, quaking with fear, yielded, and put his eye to the crack. His 11250whisper was hardly audible when he said: 11251 11252"Oh, Huck, IT S A STRAY DOG!" 11253 11254"Quick, Tom, quick! Who does he mean?" 11255 11256"Huck, he must mean us both--we're right together." 11257 11258"Oh, Tom, I reckon we're goners. I reckon there ain't no mistake 'bout 11259where I'LL go to. I been so wicked." 11260 11261"Dad fetch it! This comes of playing hookey and doing everything a 11262feller's told NOT to do. I might a been good, like Sid, if I'd a tried 11263--but no, I wouldn't, of course. But if ever I get off this time, I lay 11264I'll just WALLER in Sunday-schools!" And Tom began to snuffle a little. 11265 11266"YOU bad!" and Huckleberry began to snuffle too. "Consound it, Tom 11267Sawyer, you're just old pie, 'longside o' what I am. Oh, LORDY, lordy, 11268lordy, I wisht I only had half your chance." 11269 11270Tom choked off and whispered: 11271 11272"Look, Hucky, look! He's got his BACK to us!" 11273 11274Hucky looked, with joy in his heart. 11275 11276"Well, he has, by jingoes! Did he before?" 11277 11278"Yes, he did. But I, like a fool, never thought. Oh, this is bully, 11279you know. NOW who can he mean?" 11280 11281The howling stopped. Tom pricked up his ears. 11282 11283"Sh! What's that?" he whispered. 11284 11285"Sounds like--like hogs grunting. No--it's somebody snoring, Tom." 11286 11287"That IS it! Where 'bouts is it, Huck?" 11288 11289"I bleeve it's down at 'tother end. Sounds so, anyway. Pap used to 11290sleep there, sometimes, 'long with the hogs, but laws bless you, he 11291just lifts things when HE snores. Besides, I reckon he ain't ever 11292coming back to this town any more." 11293 11294The spirit of adventure rose in the boys' souls once more. 11295 11296"Hucky, do you das't to go if I lead?" 11297 11298"I don't like to, much. Tom, s'pose it's Injun Joe!" 11299 11300Tom quailed. But presently the temptation rose up strong again and the 11301boys agreed to try, with the understanding that they would take to 11302their heels if the snoring stopped. So they went tiptoeing stealthily 11303down, the one behind the other. When they had got to within five steps 11304of the snorer, Tom stepped on a stick, and it broke with a sharp snap. 11305The man moaned, writhed a little, and his face came into the moonlight. 11306It was Muff Potter. The boys' hearts had stood still, and their hopes 11307too, when the man moved, but their fears passed away now. They tiptoed 11308out, through the broken weather-boarding, and stopped at a little 11309distance to exchange a parting word. That long, lugubrious howl rose on 11310the night air again! They turned and saw the strange dog standing 11311within a few feet of where Potter was lying, and FACING Potter, with 11312his nose pointing heavenward. 11313 11314"Oh, geeminy, it's HIM!" exclaimed both boys, in a breath. 11315 11316"Say, Tom--they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller's 11317house, 'bout midnight, as much as two weeks ago; and a whippoorwill 11318come in and lit on the banisters and sung, the very same evening; and 11319there ain't anybody dead there yet." 11320 11321"Well, I know that. And suppose there ain't. Didn't Gracie Miller fall 11322in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday?" 11323 11324"Yes, but she ain't DEAD. And what's more, she's getting better, too." 11325 11326"All right, you wait and see. She's a goner, just as dead sure as Muff 11327Potter's a goner. That's what the niggers say, and they know all about 11328these kind of things, Huck." 11329 11330Then they separated, cogitating. When Tom crept in at his bedroom 11331window the night was almost spent. He undressed with excessive caution, 11332and fell asleep congratulating himself that nobody knew of his 11333escapade. He was not aware that the gently-snoring Sid was awake, and 11334had been so for an hour. 11335 11336When Tom awoke, Sid was dressed and gone. There was a late look in the 11337light, a late sense in the atmosphere. He was startled. Why had he not 11338been called--persecuted till he was up, as usual? The thought filled 11339him with bodings. Within five minutes he was dressed and down-stairs, 11340feeling sore and drowsy. The family were still at table, but they had 11341finished breakfast. There was no voice of rebuke; but there were 11342averted eyes; there was a silence and an air of solemnity that struck a 11343chill to the culprit's heart. He sat down and tried to seem gay, but it 11344was up-hill work; it roused no smile, no response, and he lapsed into 11345silence and let his heart sink down to the depths. 11346 11347After breakfast his aunt took him aside, and Tom almost brightened in 11348the hope that he was going to be flogged; but it was not so. His aunt 11349wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; 11350and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray 11351hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any 11352more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was 11353sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised 11354to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling 11355that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a 11356feeble confidence. 11357 11358He left the presence too miserable to even feel revengeful toward Sid; 11359and so the latter's prompt retreat through the back gate was 11360unnecessary. He moped to school gloomy and sad, and took his flogging, 11361along with Joe Harper, for playing hookey the day before, with the air 11362of one whose heart was busy with heavier woes and wholly dead to 11363trifles. Then he betook himself to his seat, rested his elbows on his 11364desk and his jaws in his hands, and stared at the wall with the stony 11365stare of suffering that has reached the limit and can no further go. 11366His elbow was pressing against some hard substance. After a long time 11367he slowly and sadly changed his position, and took up this object with 11368a sigh. It was in a paper. He unrolled it. A long, lingering, colossal 11369sigh followed, and his heart broke. It was his brass andiron knob! 11370 11371This final feather broke the camel's back. 11372 11373 11374 11375CHAPTER XI 11376 11377CLOSE upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified 11378with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet undreamed-of telegraph; 11379the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to 11380house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the 11381schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have 11382thought strangely of him if he had not. 11383 11384A gory knife had been found close to the murdered man, and it had been 11385recognized by somebody as belonging to Muff Potter--so the story ran. 11386And it was said that a belated citizen had come upon Potter washing 11387himself in the "branch" about one or two o'clock in the morning, and 11388that Potter had at once sneaked off--suspicious circumstances, 11389especially the washing which was not a habit with Potter. It was also 11390said that the town had been ransacked for this "murderer" (the public 11391are not slow in the matter of sifting evidence and arriving at a 11392verdict), but that he could not be found. Horsemen had departed down 11393all the roads in every direction, and the Sheriff "was confident" that 11394he would be captured before night. 11395 11396All the town was drifting toward the graveyard. Tom's heartbreak 11397vanished and he joined the procession, not because he would not a 11398thousand times rather go anywhere else, but because an awful, 11399unaccountable fascination drew him on. Arrived at the dreadful place, 11400he wormed his small body through the crowd and saw the dismal 11401spectacle. It seemed to him an age since he was there before. Somebody 11402pinched his arm. He turned, and his eyes met Huckleberry's. Then both 11403looked elsewhere at once, and wondered if anybody had noticed anything 11404in their mutual glance. But everybody was talking, and intent upon the 11405grisly spectacle before them. 11406 11407"Poor fellow!" "Poor young fellow!" "This ought to be a lesson to 11408grave robbers!" "Muff Potter'll hang for this if they catch him!" This 11409was the drift of remark; and the minister said, "It was a judgment; His 11410hand is here." 11411 11412Now Tom shivered from head to heel; for his eye fell upon the stolid 11413face of Injun Joe. At this moment the crowd began to sway and struggle, 11414and voices shouted, "It's him! it's him! he's coming himself!" 11415 11416"Who? Who?" from twenty voices. 11417 11418"Muff Potter!" 11419 11420"Hallo, he's stopped!--Look out, he's turning! Don't let him get away!" 11421 11422People in the branches of the trees over Tom's head said he wasn't 11423trying to get away--he only looked doubtful and perplexed. 11424 11425"Infernal impudence!" said a bystander; "wanted to come and take a 11426quiet look at his work, I reckon--didn't expect any company." 11427 11428The crowd fell apart, now, and the Sheriff came through, 11429ostentatiously leading Potter by the arm. The poor fellow's face was 11430haggard, and his eyes showed the fear that was upon him. When he stood 11431before the murdered man, he shook as with a palsy, and he put his face 11432in his hands and burst into tears. 11433 11434"I didn't do it, friends," he sobbed; "'pon my word and honor I never 11435done it." 11436 11437"Who's accused you?" shouted a voice. 11438 11439This shot seemed to carry home. Potter lifted his face and looked 11440around him with a pathetic hopelessness in his eyes. He saw Injun Joe, 11441and exclaimed: 11442 11443"Oh, Injun Joe, you promised me you'd never--" 11444 11445"Is that your knife?" and it was thrust before him by the Sheriff. 11446 11447Potter would have fallen if they had not caught him and eased him to 11448the ground. Then he said: 11449 11450"Something told me 't if I didn't come back and get--" He shuddered; 11451then waved his nerveless hand with a vanquished gesture and said, "Tell 11452'em, Joe, tell 'em--it ain't any use any more." 11453 11454Then Huckleberry and Tom stood dumb and staring, and heard the 11455stony-hearted liar reel off his serene statement, they expecting every 11456moment that the clear sky would deliver God's lightnings upon his head, 11457and wondering to see how long the stroke was delayed. And when he had 11458finished and still stood alive and whole, their wavering impulse to 11459break their oath and save the poor betrayed prisoner's life faded and 11460vanished away, for plainly this miscreant had sold himself to Satan and 11461it would be fatal to meddle with the property of such a power as that. 11462 11463"Why didn't you leave? What did you want to come here for?" somebody 11464said. 11465 11466"I couldn't help it--I couldn't help it," Potter moaned. "I wanted to 11467run away, but I couldn't seem to come anywhere but here." And he fell 11468to sobbing again. 11469 11470Injun Joe repeated his statement, just as calmly, a few minutes 11471afterward on the inquest, under oath; and the boys, seeing that the 11472lightnings were still withheld, were confirmed in their belief that Joe 11473had sold himself to the devil. He was now become, to them, the most 11474balefully interesting object they had ever looked upon, and they could 11475not take their fascinated eyes from his face. 11476 11477They inwardly resolved to watch him nights, when opportunity should 11478offer, in the hope of getting a glimpse of his dread master. 11479 11480Injun Joe helped to raise the body of the murdered man and put it in a 11481wagon for removal; and it was whispered through the shuddering crowd 11482that the wound bled a little! The boys thought that this happy 11483circumstance would turn suspicion in the right direction; but they were 11484disappointed, for more than one villager remarked: 11485 11486"It was within three feet of Muff Potter when it done it." 11487 11488Tom's fearful secret and gnawing conscience disturbed his sleep for as 11489much as a week after this; and at breakfast one morning Sid said: 11490 11491"Tom, you pitch around and talk in your sleep so much that you keep me 11492awake half the time." 11493 11494Tom blanched and dropped his eyes. 11495 11496"It's a bad sign," said Aunt Polly, gravely. "What you got on your 11497mind, Tom?" 11498 11499"Nothing. Nothing 't I know of." But the boy's hand shook so that he 11500spilled his coffee. 11501 11502"And you do talk such stuff," Sid said. "Last night you said, 'It's 11503blood, it's blood, that's what it is!' You said that over and over. And 11504you said, 'Don't torment me so--I'll tell!' Tell WHAT? What is it 11505you'll tell?" 11506 11507Everything was swimming before Tom. There is no telling what might 11508have happened, now, but luckily the concern passed out of Aunt Polly's 11509face and she came to Tom's relief without knowing it. She said: 11510 11511"Sho! It's that dreadful murder. I dream about it most every night 11512myself. Sometimes I dream it's me that done it." 11513 11514Mary said she had been affected much the same way. Sid seemed 11515satisfied. Tom got out of the presence as quick as he plausibly could, 11516and after that he complained of toothache for a week, and tied up his 11517jaws every night. He never knew that Sid lay nightly watching, and 11518frequently slipped the bandage free and then leaned on his elbow 11519listening a good while at a time, and afterward slipped the bandage 11520back to its place again. Tom's distress of mind wore off gradually and 11521the toothache grew irksome and was discarded. If Sid really managed to 11522make anything out of Tom's disjointed mutterings, he kept it to himself. 11523 11524It seemed to Tom that his schoolmates never would get done holding 11525inquests on dead cats, and thus keeping his trouble present to his 11526mind. Sid noticed that Tom never was coroner at one of these inquiries, 11527though it had been his habit to take the lead in all new enterprises; 11528he noticed, too, that Tom never acted as a witness--and that was 11529strange; and Sid did not overlook the fact that Tom even showed a 11530marked aversion to these inquests, and always avoided them when he 11531could. Sid marvelled, but said nothing. However, even inquests went out 11532of vogue at last, and ceased to torture Tom's conscience. 11533 11534Every day or two, during this time of sorrow, Tom watched his 11535opportunity and went to the little grated jail-window and smuggled such 11536small comforts through to the "murderer" as he could get hold of. The 11537jail was a trifling little brick den that stood in a marsh at the edge 11538of the village, and no guards were afforded for it; indeed, it was 11539seldom occupied. These offerings greatly helped to ease Tom's 11540conscience. 11541 11542The villagers had a strong desire to tar-and-feather Injun Joe and 11543ride him on a rail, for body-snatching, but so formidable was his 11544character that nobody could be found who was willing to take the lead 11545in the matter, so it was dropped. He had been careful to begin both of 11546his inquest-statements with the fight, without confessing the 11547grave-robbery that preceded it; therefore it was deemed wisest not 11548to try the case in the courts at present. 11549 11550 11551 11552CHAPTER XII 11553 11554ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret 11555troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest 11556itself about. Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school. Tom had 11557struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the 11558wind," but failed. He began to find himself hanging around her father's 11559house, nights, and feeling very miserable. She was ill. What if she 11560should die! There was distraction in the thought. He no longer took an 11561interest in war, nor even in piracy. The charm of life was gone; there 11562was nothing but dreariness left. He put his hoop away, and his bat; 11563there was no joy in them any more. His aunt was concerned. She began to 11564try all manner of remedies on him. She was one of those people who are 11565infatuated with patent medicines and all new-fangled methods of 11566producing health or mending it. She was an inveterate experimenter in 11567these things. When something fresh in this line came out she was in a 11568fever, right away, to try it; not on herself, for she was never ailing, 11569but on anybody else that came handy. She was a subscriber for all the 11570"Health" periodicals and phrenological frauds; and the solemn ignorance 11571they were inflated with was breath to her nostrils. All the "rot" they 11572contained about ventilation, and how to go to bed, and how to get up, 11573and what to eat, and what to drink, and how much exercise to take, and 11574what frame of mind to keep one's self in, and what sort of clothing to 11575wear, was all gospel to her, and she never observed that her 11576health-journals of the current month customarily upset everything they 11577had recommended the month before. She was as simple-hearted and honest 11578as the day was long, and so she was an easy victim. She gathered 11579together her quack periodicals and her quack medicines, and thus armed 11580with death, went about on her pale horse, metaphorically speaking, with 11581"hell following after." But she never suspected that she was not an 11582angel of healing and the balm of Gilead in disguise, to the suffering 11583neighbors. 11584 11585The water treatment was new, now, and Tom's low condition was a 11586windfall to her. She had him out at daylight every morning, stood him 11587up in the woodshed and drowned him with a deluge of cold water; then 11588she scrubbed him down with a towel like a file, and so brought him to; 11589then she rolled him up in a wet sheet and put him away under blankets 11590till she sweated his soul clean and "the yellow stains of it came 11591through his pores"--as Tom said. 11592 11593Yet notwithstanding all this, the boy grew more and more melancholy 11594and pale and dejected. She added hot baths, sitz baths, shower baths, 11595and plunges. The boy remained as dismal as a hearse. She began to 11596assist the water with a slim oatmeal diet and blister-plasters. She 11597calculated his capacity as she would a jug's, and filled him up every 11598day with quack cure-alls. 11599 11600Tom had become indifferent to persecution by this time. This phase 11601filled the old lady's heart with consternation. This indifference must 11602be broken up at any cost. Now she heard of Pain-killer for the first 11603time. She ordered a lot at once. She tasted it and was filled with 11604gratitude. It was simply fire in a liquid form. She dropped the water 11605treatment and everything else, and pinned her faith to Pain-killer. She 11606gave Tom a teaspoonful and watched with the deepest anxiety for the 11607result. Her troubles were instantly at rest, her soul at peace again; 11608for the "indifference" was broken up. The boy could not have shown a 11609wilder, heartier interest, if she had built a fire under him. 11610 11611Tom felt that it was time to wake up; this sort of life might be 11612romantic enough, in his blighted condition, but it was getting to have 11613too little sentiment and too much distracting variety about it. So he 11614thought over various plans for relief, and finally hit pon that of 11615professing to be fond of Pain-killer. He asked for it so often that he 11616became a nuisance, and his aunt ended by telling him to help himself 11617and quit bothering her. If it had been Sid, she would have had no 11618misgivings to alloy her delight; but since it was Tom, she watched the 11619bottle clandestinely. She found that the medicine did really diminish, 11620but it did not occur to her that the boy was mending the health of a 11621crack in the sitting-room floor with it. 11622 11623One day Tom was in the act of dosing the crack when his aunt's yellow 11624cat came along, purring, eying the teaspoon avariciously, and begging 11625for a taste. Tom said: 11626 11627"Don't ask for it unless you want it, Peter." 11628 11629But Peter signified that he did want it. 11630 11631"You better make sure." 11632 11633Peter was sure. 11634 11635"Now you've asked for it, and I'll give it to you, because there ain't 11636anything mean about me; but if you find you don't like it, you mustn't 11637blame anybody but your own self." 11638 11639Peter was agreeable. So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the 11640Pain-killer. Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, and then 11641delivered a war-whoop and set off round and round the room, banging 11642against furniture, upsetting flower-pots, and making general havoc. 11643Next he rose on his hind feet and pranced around, in a frenzy of 11644enjoyment, with his head over his shoulder and his voice proclaiming 11645his unappeasable happiness. Then he went tearing around the house again 11646spreading chaos and destruction in his path. Aunt Polly entered in time 11647to see him throw a few double summersets, deliver a final mighty 11648hurrah, and sail through the open window, carrying the rest of the 11649flower-pots with him. The old lady stood petrified with astonishment, 11650peering over her glasses; Tom lay on the floor expiring with laughter. 11651 11652"Tom, what on earth ails that cat?" 11653 11654"I don't know, aunt," gasped the boy. 11655 11656"Why, I never see anything like it. What did make him act so?" 11657 11658"Deed I don't know, Aunt Polly; cats always act so when they're having 11659a good time." 11660 11661"They do, do they?" There was something in the tone that made Tom 11662apprehensive. 11663 11664"Yes'm. That is, I believe they do." 11665 11666"You DO?" 11667 11668"Yes'm." 11669 11670The old lady was bending down, Tom watching, with interest emphasized 11671by anxiety. Too late he divined her "drift." The handle of the telltale 11672teaspoon was visible under the bed-valance. Aunt Polly took it, held it 11673up. Tom winced, and dropped his eyes. Aunt Polly raised him by the 11674usual handle--his ear--and cracked his head soundly with her thimble. 11675 11676"Now, sir, what did you want to treat that poor dumb beast so, for?" 11677 11678"I done it out of pity for him--because he hadn't any aunt." 11679 11680"Hadn't any aunt!--you numskull. What has that got to do with it?" 11681 11682"Heaps. Because if he'd had one she'd a burnt him out herself! She'd a 11683roasted his bowels out of him 'thout any more feeling than if he was a 11684human!" 11685 11686Aunt Polly felt a sudden pang of remorse. This was putting the thing 11687in a new light; what was cruelty to a cat MIGHT be cruelty to a boy, 11688too. She began to soften; she felt sorry. Her eyes watered a little, 11689and she put her hand on Tom's head and said gently: 11690 11691"I was meaning for the best, Tom. And, Tom, it DID do you good." 11692 11693Tom looked up in her face with just a perceptible twinkle peeping 11694through his gravity. 11695 11696"I know you was meaning for the best, aunty, and so was I with Peter. 11697It done HIM good, too. I never see him get around so since--" 11698 11699"Oh, go 'long with you, Tom, before you aggravate me again. And you 11700try and see if you can't be a good boy, for once, and you needn't take 11701any more medicine." 11702 11703Tom reached school ahead of time. It was noticed that this strange 11704thing had been occurring every day latterly. And now, as usual of late, 11705he hung about the gate of the schoolyard instead of playing with his 11706comrades. He was sick, he said, and he looked it. He tried to seem to 11707be looking everywhere but whither he really was looking--down the road. 11708Presently Jeff Thatcher hove in sight, and Tom's face lighted; he gazed 11709a moment, and then turned sorrowfully away. When Jeff arrived, Tom 11710accosted him; and "led up" warily to opportunities for remark about 11711Becky, but the giddy lad never could see the bait. Tom watched and 11712watched, hoping whenever a frisking frock came in sight, and hating the 11713owner of it as soon as he saw she was not the right one. At last frocks 11714ceased to appear, and he dropped hopelessly into the dumps; he entered 11715the empty schoolhouse and sat down to suffer. Then one more frock 11716passed in at the gate, and Tom's heart gave a great bound. The next 11717instant he was out, and "going on" like an Indian; yelling, laughing, 11718chasing boys, jumping over the fence at risk of life and limb, throwing 11719handsprings, standing on his head--doing all the heroic things he could 11720conceive of, and keeping a furtive eye out, all the while, to see if 11721Becky Thatcher was noticing. But she seemed to be unconscious of it 11722all; she never looked. Could it be possible that she was not aware that 11723he was there? He carried his exploits to her immediate vicinity; came 11724war-whooping around, snatched a boy's cap, hurled it to the roof of the 11725schoolhouse, broke through a group of boys, tumbling them in every 11726direction, and fell sprawling, himself, under Becky's nose, almost 11727upsetting her--and she turned, with her nose in the air, and he heard 11728her say: "Mf! some people think they're mighty smart--always showing 11729off!" 11730 11731Tom's cheeks burned. He gathered himself up and sneaked off, crushed 11732and crestfallen. 11733 11734 11735 11736CHAPTER XIII 11737 11738TOM'S mind was made up now. He was gloomy and desperate. He was a 11739forsaken, friendless boy, he said; nobody loved him; when they found 11740out what they had driven him to, perhaps they would be sorry; he had 11741tried to do right and get along, but they would not let him; since 11742nothing would do them but to be rid of him, let it be so; and let them 11743blame HIM for the consequences--why shouldn't they? What right had the 11744friendless to complain? Yes, they had forced him to it at last: he 11745would lead a life of crime. There was no choice. 11746 11747By this time he was far down Meadow Lane, and the bell for school to 11748"take up" tinkled faintly upon his ear. He sobbed, now, to think he 11749should never, never hear that old familiar sound any more--it was very 11750hard, but it was forced on him; since he was driven out into the cold 11751world, he must submit--but he forgave them. Then the sobs came thick 11752and fast. 11753 11754Just at this point he met his soul's sworn comrade, Joe Harper 11755--hard-eyed, and with evidently a great and dismal purpose in his heart. 11756Plainly here were "two souls with but a single thought." Tom, wiping 11757his eyes with his sleeve, began to blubber out something about a 11758resolution to escape from hard usage and lack of sympathy at home by 11759roaming abroad into the great world never to return; and ended by 11760hoping that Joe would not forget him. 11761 11762But it transpired that this was a request which Joe had just been 11763going to make of Tom, and had come to hunt him up for that purpose. His 11764mother had whipped him for drinking some cream which he had never 11765tasted and knew nothing about; it was plain that she was tired of him 11766and wished him to go; if she felt that way, there was nothing for him 11767to do but succumb; he hoped she would be happy, and never regret having 11768driven her poor boy out into the unfeeling world to suffer and die. 11769 11770As the two boys walked sorrowing along, they made a new compact to 11771stand by each other and be brothers and never separate till death 11772relieved them of their troubles. Then they began to lay their plans. 11773Joe was for being a hermit, and living on crusts in a remote cave, and 11774dying, some time, of cold and want and grief; but after listening to 11775Tom, he conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a 11776life of crime, and so he consented to be a pirate. 11777 11778Three miles below St. Petersburg, at a point where the Mississippi 11779River was a trifle over a mile wide, there was a long, narrow, wooded 11780island, with a shallow bar at the head of it, and this offered well as 11781a rendezvous. It was not inhabited; it lay far over toward the further 11782shore, abreast a dense and almost wholly unpeopled forest. So Jackson's 11783Island was chosen. Who were to be the subjects of their piracies was a 11784matter that did not occur to them. Then they hunted up Huckleberry 11785Finn, and he joined them promptly, for all careers were one to him; he 11786was indifferent. They presently separated to meet at a lonely spot on 11787the river-bank two miles above the village at the favorite hour--which 11788was midnight. There was a small log raft there which they meant to 11789capture. Each would bring hooks and lines, and such provision as he 11790could steal in the most dark and mysterious way--as became outlaws. And 11791before the afternoon was done, they had all managed to enjoy the sweet 11792glory of spreading the fact that pretty soon the town would "hear 11793something." All who got this vague hint were cautioned to "be mum and 11794wait." 11795 11796About midnight Tom arrived with a boiled ham and a few trifles, 11797and stopped in a dense undergrowth on a small bluff overlooking the 11798meeting-place. It was starlight, and very still. The mighty river lay 11799like an ocean at rest. Tom listened a moment, but no sound disturbed the 11800quiet. Then he gave a low, distinct whistle. It was answered from under 11801the bluff. Tom whistled twice more; these signals were answered in the 11802same way. Then a guarded voice said: 11803 11804"Who goes there?" 11805 11806"Tom Sawyer, the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main. Name your names." 11807 11808"Huck Finn the Red-Handed, and Joe Harper the Terror of the Seas." Tom 11809had furnished these titles, from his favorite literature. 11810 11811"'Tis well. Give the countersign." 11812 11813Two hoarse whispers delivered the same awful word simultaneously to 11814the brooding night: 11815 11816"BLOOD!" 11817 11818Then Tom tumbled his ham over the bluff and let himself down after it, 11819tearing both skin and clothes to some extent in the effort. There was 11820an easy, comfortable path along the shore under the bluff, but it 11821lacked the advantages of difficulty and danger so valued by a pirate. 11822 11823The Terror of the Seas had brought a side of bacon, and had about worn 11824himself out with getting it there. Finn the Red-Handed had stolen a 11825skillet and a quantity of half-cured leaf tobacco, and had also brought 11826a few corn-cobs to make pipes with. But none of the pirates smoked or 11827"chewed" but himself. The Black Avenger of the Spanish Main said it 11828would never do to start without some fire. That was a wise thought; 11829matches were hardly known there in that day. They saw a fire 11830smouldering upon a great raft a hundred yards above, and they went 11831stealthily thither and helped themselves to a chunk. They made an 11832imposing adventure of it, saying, "Hist!" every now and then, and 11833suddenly halting with finger on lip; moving with hands on imaginary 11834dagger-hilts; and giving orders in dismal whispers that if "the foe" 11835stirred, to "let him have it to the hilt," because "dead men tell no 11836tales." They knew well enough that the raftsmen were all down at the 11837village laying in stores or having a spree, but still that was no 11838excuse for their conducting this thing in an unpiratical way. 11839 11840They shoved off, presently, Tom in command, Huck at the after oar and 11841Joe at the forward. Tom stood amidships, gloomy-browed, and with folded 11842arms, and gave his orders in a low, stern whisper: 11843 11844"Luff, and bring her to the wind!" 11845 11846"Aye-aye, sir!" 11847 11848"Steady, steady-y-y-y!" 11849 11850"Steady it is, sir!" 11851 11852"Let her go off a point!" 11853 11854"Point it is, sir!" 11855 11856As the boys steadily and monotonously drove the raft toward mid-stream 11857it was no doubt understood that these orders were given only for 11858"style," and were not intended to mean anything in particular. 11859 11860"What sail's she carrying?" 11861 11862"Courses, tops'ls, and flying-jib, sir." 11863 11864"Send the r'yals up! Lay out aloft, there, half a dozen of ye 11865--foretopmaststuns'l! Lively, now!" 11866 11867"Aye-aye, sir!" 11868 11869"Shake out that maintogalans'l! Sheets and braces! NOW my hearties!" 11870 11871"Aye-aye, sir!" 11872 11873"Hellum-a-lee--hard a port! Stand by to meet her when she comes! Port, 11874port! NOW, men! With a will! Stead-y-y-y!" 11875 11876"Steady it is, sir!" 11877 11878The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her 11879head right, and then lay on their oars. The river was not high, so 11880there was not more than a two or three mile current. Hardly a word was 11881said during the next three-quarters of an hour. Now the raft was 11882passing before the distant town. Two or three glimmering lights showed 11883where it lay, peacefully sleeping, beyond the vague vast sweep of 11884star-gemmed water, unconscious of the tremendous event that was happening. 11885The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon 11886the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing 11887"she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death 11888with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. 11889It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island 11890beyond eyeshot of the village, and so he "looked his last" with a 11891broken and satisfied heart. The other pirates were looking their last, 11892too; and they all looked so long that they came near letting the 11893current drift them out of the range of the island. But they discovered 11894the danger in time, and made shift to avert it. About two o'clock in 11895the morning the raft grounded on the bar two hundred yards above the 11896head of the island, and they waded back and forth until they had landed 11897their freight. Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old 11898sail, and this they spread over a nook in the bushes for a tent to 11899shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open 11900air in good weather, as became outlaws. 11901 11902They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty 11903steps within the sombre depths of the forest, and then cooked some 11904bacon in the frying-pan for supper, and used up half of the corn "pone" 11905stock they had brought. It seemed glorious sport to be feasting in that 11906wild, free way in the virgin forest of an unexplored and uninhabited 11907island, far from the haunts of men, and they said they never would 11908return to civilization. The climbing fire lit up their faces and threw 11909its ruddy glare upon the pillared tree-trunks of their forest temple, 11910and upon the varnished foliage and festooning vines. 11911 11912When the last crisp slice of bacon was gone, and the last allowance of 11913corn pone devoured, the boys stretched themselves out on the grass, 11914filled with contentment. They could have found a cooler place, but they 11915would not deny themselves such a romantic feature as the roasting 11916camp-fire. 11917 11918"AIN'T it gay?" said Joe. 11919 11920"It's NUTS!" said Tom. "What would the boys say if they could see us?" 11921 11922"Say? Well, they'd just die to be here--hey, Hucky!" 11923 11924"I reckon so," said Huckleberry; "anyways, I'm suited. I don't want 11925nothing better'n this. I don't ever get enough to eat, gen'ally--and 11926here they can't come and pick at a feller and bullyrag him so." 11927 11928"It's just the life for me," said Tom. "You don't have to get up, 11929mornings, and you don't have to go to school, and wash, and all that 11930blame foolishness. You see a pirate don't have to do ANYTHING, Joe, 11931when he's ashore, but a hermit HE has to be praying considerable, and 11932then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way." 11933 11934"Oh yes, that's so," said Joe, "but I hadn't thought much about it, 11935you know. I'd a good deal rather be a pirate, now that I've tried it." 11936 11937"You see," said Tom, "people don't go much on hermits, nowadays, like 11938they used to in old times, but a pirate's always respected. And a 11939hermit's got to sleep on the hardest place he can find, and put 11940sackcloth and ashes on his head, and stand out in the rain, and--" 11941 11942"What does he put sackcloth and ashes on his head for?" inquired Huck. 11943 11944"I dono. But they've GOT to do it. Hermits always do. You'd have to do 11945that if you was a hermit." 11946 11947"Dern'd if I would," said Huck. 11948 11949"Well, what would you do?" 11950 11951"I dono. But I wouldn't do that." 11952 11953"Why, Huck, you'd HAVE to. How'd you get around it?" 11954 11955"Why, I just wouldn't stand it. I'd run away." 11956 11957"Run away! Well, you WOULD be a nice old slouch of a hermit. You'd be 11958a disgrace." 11959 11960The Red-Handed made no response, being better employed. He had 11961finished gouging out a cob, and now he fitted a weed stem to it, loaded 11962it with tobacco, and was pressing a coal to the charge and blowing a 11963cloud of fragrant smoke--he was in the full bloom of luxurious 11964contentment. The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and 11965secretly resolved to acquire it shortly. Presently Huck said: 11966 11967"What does pirates have to do?" 11968 11969Tom said: 11970 11971"Oh, they have just a bully time--take ships and burn them, and get 11972the money and bury it in awful places in their island where there's 11973ghosts and things to watch it, and kill everybody in the ships--make 11974'em walk a plank." 11975 11976"And they carry the women to the island," said Joe; "they don't kill 11977the women." 11978 11979"No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women--they're too noble. And 11980the women's always beautiful, too. 11981 11982"And don't they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver 11983and di'monds," said Joe, with enthusiasm. 11984 11985"Who?" said Huck. 11986 11987"Why, the pirates." 11988 11989Huck scanned his own clothing forlornly. 11990 11991"I reckon I ain't dressed fitten for a pirate," said he, with a 11992regretful pathos in his voice; "but I ain't got none but these." 11993 11994But the other boys told him the fine clothes would come fast enough, 11995after they should have begun their adventures. They made him understand 11996that his poor rags would do to begin with, though it was customary for 11997wealthy pirates to start with a proper wardrobe. 11998 11999Gradually their talk died out and drowsiness began to steal upon the 12000eyelids of the little waifs. The pipe dropped from the fingers of the 12001Red-Handed, and he slept the sleep of the conscience-free and the 12002weary. The Terror of the Seas and the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main 12003had more difficulty in getting to sleep. They said their prayers 12004inwardly, and lying down, since there was nobody there with authority 12005to make them kneel and recite aloud; in truth, they had a mind not to 12006say them at all, but they were afraid to proceed to such lengths as 12007that, lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from 12008heaven. Then at once they reached and hovered upon the imminent verge 12009of sleep--but an intruder came, now, that would not "down." It was 12010conscience. They began to feel a vague fear that they had been doing 12011wrong to run away; and next they thought of the stolen meat, and then 12012the real torture came. They tried to argue it away by reminding 12013conscience that they had purloined sweetmeats and apples scores of 12014times; but conscience was not to be appeased by such thin 12015plausibilities; it seemed to them, in the end, that there was no 12016getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only 12017"hooking," while taking bacon and hams and such valuables was plain 12018simple stealing--and there was a command against that in the Bible. So 12019they inwardly resolved that so long as they remained in the business, 12020their piracies should not again be sullied with the crime of stealing. 12021Then conscience granted a truce, and these curiously inconsistent 12022pirates fell peacefully to sleep. 12023 12024 12025 12026CHAPTER XIV 12027 12028WHEN Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and 12029rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the 12030cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose and peace in 12031the deep pervading calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; 12032not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. Beaded dewdrops 12033stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the 12034fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe 12035and Huck still slept. 12036 12037Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently 12038the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of 12039the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life 12040manifested itself. The marvel of Nature shaking off sleep and going to 12041work unfolded itself to the musing boy. A little green worm came 12042crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air 12043from time to time and "sniffing around," then proceeding again--for he 12044was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own 12045accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, 12046by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to 12047go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its 12048curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom's leg and 12049began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad--for that meant that 12050he was going to have a new suit of clothes--without the shadow of a 12051doubt a gaudy piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, 12052from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors; one struggled 12053manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, 12054and lugged it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted lady-bug 12055climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent down close to 12056it and said, "Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, 12057your children's alone," and she took wing and went off to see about it 12058--which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was 12059credulous about conflagrations, and he had practised upon its 12060simplicity more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at 12061its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against 12062its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this 12063time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, 12064and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of 12065enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and 12066stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one 12067side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel 12068and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at 12069intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had 12070probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to 12071be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long 12072lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense foliage far and near, 12073and a few butterflies came fluttering upon the scene. 12074 12075Tom stirred up the other pirates and they all clattered away with a 12076shout, and in a minute or two were stripped and chasing after and 12077tumbling over each other in the shallow limpid water of the white 12078sandbar. They felt no longing for the little village sleeping in the 12079distance beyond the majestic waste of water. A vagrant current or a 12080slight rise in the river had carried off their raft, but this only 12081gratified them, since its going was something like burning the bridge 12082between them and civilization. 12083 12084They came back to camp wonderfully refreshed, glad-hearted, and 12085ravenous; and they soon had the camp-fire blazing up again. Huck found 12086a spring of clear cold water close by, and the boys made cups of broad 12087oak or hickory leaves, and felt that water, sweetened with such a 12088wildwood charm as that, would be a good enough substitute for coffee. 12089While Joe was slicing bacon for breakfast, Tom and Huck asked him to 12090hold on a minute; they stepped to a promising nook in the river-bank 12091and threw in their lines; almost immediately they had reward. Joe had 12092not had time to get impatient before they were back again with some 12093handsome bass, a couple of sun-perch and a small catfish--provisions 12094enough for quite a family. They fried the fish with the bacon, and were 12095astonished; for no fish had ever seemed so delicious before. They did 12096not know that the quicker a fresh-water fish is on the fire after he is 12097caught the better he is; and they reflected little upon what a sauce 12098open-air sleeping, open-air exercise, bathing, and a large ingredient 12099of hunger make, too. 12100 12101They lay around in the shade, after breakfast, while Huck had a smoke, 12102and then went off through the woods on an exploring expedition. They 12103tramped gayly along, over decaying logs, through tangled underbrush, 12104among solemn monarchs of the forest, hung from their crowns to the 12105ground with a drooping regalia of grape-vines. Now and then they came 12106upon snug nooks carpeted with grass and jeweled with flowers. 12107 12108They found plenty of things to be delighted with, but nothing to be 12109astonished at. They discovered that the island was about three miles 12110long and a quarter of a mile wide, and that the shore it lay closest to 12111was only separated from it by a narrow channel hardly two hundred yards 12112wide. They took a swim about every hour, so it was close upon the 12113middle of the afternoon when they got back to camp. They were too 12114hungry to stop to fish, but they fared sumptuously upon cold ham, and 12115then threw themselves down in the shade to talk. But the talk soon 12116began to drag, and then died. The stillness, the solemnity that brooded 12117in the woods, and the sense of loneliness, began to tell upon the 12118spirits of the boys. They fell to thinking. A sort of undefined longing 12119crept upon them. This took dim shape, presently--it was budding 12120homesickness. Even Finn the Red-Handed was dreaming of his doorsteps 12121and empty hogsheads. But they were all ashamed of their weakness, and 12122none was brave enough to speak his thought. 12123 12124For some time, now, the boys had been dully conscious of a peculiar 12125sound in the distance, just as one sometimes is of the ticking of a 12126clock which he takes no distinct note of. But now this mysterious sound 12127became more pronounced, and forced a recognition. The boys started, 12128glanced at each other, and then each assumed a listening attitude. 12129There was a long silence, profound and unbroken; then a deep, sullen 12130boom came floating down out of the distance. 12131 12132"What is it!" exclaimed Joe, under his breath. 12133 12134"I wonder," said Tom in a whisper. 12135 12136"'Tain't thunder," said Huckleberry, in an awed tone, "becuz thunder--" 12137 12138"Hark!" said Tom. "Listen--don't talk." 12139 12140They waited a time that seemed an age, and then the same muffled boom 12141troubled the solemn hush. 12142 12143"Let's go and see." 12144 12145They sprang to their feet and hurried to the shore toward the town. 12146They parted the bushes on the bank and peered out over the water. The 12147little steam ferryboat was about a mile below the village, drifting 12148with the current. Her broad deck seemed crowded with people. There were 12149a great many skiffs rowing about or floating with the stream in the 12150neighborhood of the ferryboat, but the boys could not determine what 12151the men in them were doing. Presently a great jet of white smoke burst 12152from the ferryboat's side, and as it expanded and rose in a lazy cloud, 12153that same dull throb of sound was borne to the listeners again. 12154 12155"I know now!" exclaimed Tom; "somebody's drownded!" 12156 12157"That's it!" said Huck; "they done that last summer, when Bill Turner 12158got drownded; they shoot a cannon over the water, and that makes him 12159come up to the top. Yes, and they take loaves of bread and put 12160quicksilver in 'em and set 'em afloat, and wherever there's anybody 12161that's drownded, they'll float right there and stop." 12162 12163"Yes, I've heard about that," said Joe. "I wonder what makes the bread 12164do that." 12165 12166"Oh, it ain't the bread, so much," said Tom; "I reckon it's mostly 12167what they SAY over it before they start it out." 12168 12169"But they don't say anything over it," said Huck. "I've seen 'em and 12170they don't." 12171 12172"Well, that's funny," said Tom. "But maybe they say it to themselves. 12173Of COURSE they do. Anybody might know that." 12174 12175The other boys agreed that there was reason in what Tom said, because 12176an ignorant lump of bread, uninstructed by an incantation, could not be 12177expected to act very intelligently when set upon an errand of such 12178gravity. 12179 12180"By jings, I wish I was over there, now," said Joe. 12181 12182"I do too" said Huck "I'd give heaps to know who it is." 12183 12184The boys still listened and watched. Presently a revealing thought 12185flashed through Tom's mind, and he exclaimed: 12186 12187"Boys, I know who's drownded--it's us!" 12188 12189They felt like heroes in an instant. Here was a gorgeous triumph; they 12190were missed; they were mourned; hearts were breaking on their account; 12191tears were being shed; accusing memories of unkindness to these poor 12192lost lads were rising up, and unavailing regrets and remorse were being 12193indulged; and best of all, the departed were the talk of the whole 12194town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this dazzling notoriety 12195was concerned. This was fine. It was worth while to be a pirate, after 12196all. 12197 12198As twilight drew on, the ferryboat went back to her accustomed 12199business and the skiffs disappeared. The pirates returned to camp. They 12200were jubilant with vanity over their new grandeur and the illustrious 12201trouble they were making. They caught fish, cooked supper and ate it, 12202and then fell to guessing at what the village was thinking and saying 12203about them; and the pictures they drew of the public distress on their 12204account were gratifying to look upon--from their point of view. But 12205when the shadows of night closed them in, they gradually ceased to 12206talk, and sat gazing into the fire, with their minds evidently 12207wandering elsewhere. The excitement was gone, now, and Tom and Joe 12208could not keep back thoughts of certain persons at home who were not 12209enjoying this fine frolic as much as they were. Misgivings came; they 12210grew troubled and unhappy; a sigh or two escaped, unawares. By and by 12211Joe timidly ventured upon a roundabout "feeler" as to how the others 12212might look upon a return to civilization--not right now, but-- 12213 12214Tom withered him with derision! Huck, being uncommitted as yet, joined 12215in with Tom, and the waverer quickly "explained," and was glad to get 12216out of the scrape with as little taint of chicken-hearted homesickness 12217clinging to his garments as he could. Mutiny was effectually laid to 12218rest for the moment. 12219 12220As the night deepened, Huck began to nod, and presently to snore. Joe 12221followed next. Tom lay upon his elbow motionless, for some time, 12222watching the two intently. At last he got up cautiously, on his knees, 12223and went searching among the grass and the flickering reflections flung 12224by the camp-fire. He picked up and inspected several large 12225semi-cylinders of the thin white bark of a sycamore, and finally chose 12226two which seemed to suit him. Then he knelt by the fire and painfully 12227wrote something upon each of these with his "red keel"; one he rolled up 12228and put in his jacket pocket, and the other he put in Joe's hat and 12229removed it to a little distance from the owner. And he also put into the 12230hat certain schoolboy treasures of almost inestimable value--among them 12231a lump of chalk, an India-rubber ball, three fishhooks, and one of that 12232kind of marbles known as a "sure 'nough crystal." Then he tiptoed his 12233way cautiously among the trees till he felt that he was out of hearing, 12234and straightway broke into a keen run in the direction of the sandbar. 12235 12236 12237 12238CHAPTER XV 12239 12240A FEW minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading 12241toward the Illinois shore. Before the depth reached his middle he was 12242half-way over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he 12243struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards. He swam 12244quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he 12245had expected. However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along 12246till he found a low place and drew himself out. He put his hand on his 12247jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through 12248the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments. Shortly before 12249ten o'clock he came out into an open place opposite the village, and 12250saw the ferryboat lying in the shadow of the trees and the high bank. 12251Everything was quiet under the blinking stars. He crept down the bank, 12252watching with all his eyes, slipped into the water, swam three or four 12253strokes and climbed into the skiff that did "yawl" duty at the boat's 12254stern. He laid himself down under the thwarts and waited, panting. 12255 12256Presently the cracked bell tapped and a voice gave the order to "cast 12257off." A minute or two later the skiff's head was standing high up, 12258against the boat's swell, and the voyage was begun. Tom felt happy in 12259his success, for he knew it was the boat's last trip for the night. At 12260the end of a long twelve or fifteen minutes the wheels stopped, and Tom 12261slipped overboard and swam ashore in the dusk, landing fifty yards 12262downstream, out of danger of possible stragglers. 12263 12264He flew along unfrequented alleys, and shortly found himself at his 12265aunt's back fence. He climbed over, approached the "ell," and looked in 12266at the sitting-room window, for a light was burning there. There sat 12267Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and Joe Harper's mother, grouped together, 12268talking. They were by the bed, and the bed was between them and the 12269door. Tom went to the door and began to softly lift the latch; then he 12270pressed gently and the door yielded a crack; he continued pushing 12271cautiously, and quaking every time it creaked, till he judged he might 12272squeeze through on his knees; so he put his head through and began, 12273warily. 12274 12275"What makes the candle blow so?" said Aunt Polly. Tom hurried up. 12276"Why, that door's open, I believe. Why, of course it is. No end of 12277strange things now. Go 'long and shut it, Sid." 12278 12279Tom disappeared under the bed just in time. He lay and "breathed" 12280himself for a time, and then crept to where he could almost touch his 12281aunt's foot. 12282 12283"But as I was saying," said Aunt Polly, "he warn't BAD, so to say 12284--only mischEEvous. Only just giddy, and harum-scarum, you know. He 12285warn't any more responsible than a colt. HE never meant any harm, and 12286he was the best-hearted boy that ever was"--and she began to cry. 12287 12288"It was just so with my Joe--always full of his devilment, and up to 12289every kind of mischief, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he 12290could be--and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking 12291that cream, never once recollecting that I throwed it out myself 12292because it was sour, and I never to see him again in this world, never, 12293never, never, poor abused boy!" And Mrs. Harper sobbed as if her heart 12294would break. 12295 12296"I hope Tom's better off where he is," said Sid, "but if he'd been 12297better in some ways--" 12298 12299"SID!" Tom felt the glare of the old lady's eye, though he could not 12300see it. "Not a word against my Tom, now that he's gone! God'll take 12301care of HIM--never you trouble YOURself, sir! Oh, Mrs. Harper, I don't 12302know how to give him up! I don't know how to give him up! He was such a 12303comfort to me, although he tormented my old heart out of me, 'most." 12304 12305"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away--Blessed be the name of 12306the Lord! But it's so hard--Oh, it's so hard! Only last Saturday my 12307Joe busted a firecracker right under my nose and I knocked him 12308sprawling. Little did I know then, how soon--Oh, if it was to do over 12309again I'd hug him and bless him for it." 12310 12311"Yes, yes, yes, I know just how you feel, Mrs. Harper, I know just 12312exactly how you feel. No longer ago than yesterday noon, my Tom took 12313and filled the cat full of Pain-killer, and I did think the cretur 12314would tear the house down. And God forgive me, I cracked Tom's head 12315with my thimble, poor boy, poor dead boy. But he's out of all his 12316troubles now. And the last words I ever heard him say was to reproach--" 12317 12318But this memory was too much for the old lady, and she broke entirely 12319down. Tom was snuffling, now, himself--and more in pity of himself than 12320anybody else. He could hear Mary crying, and putting in a kindly word 12321for him from time to time. He began to have a nobler opinion of himself 12322than ever before. Still, he was sufficiently touched by his aunt's 12323grief to long to rush out from under the bed and overwhelm her with 12324joy--and the theatrical gorgeousness of the thing appealed strongly to 12325his nature, too, but he resisted and lay still. 12326 12327He went on listening, and gathered by odds and ends that it was 12328conjectured at first that the boys had got drowned while taking a swim; 12329then the small raft had been missed; next, certain boys said the 12330missing lads had promised that the village should "hear something" 12331soon; the wise-heads had "put this and that together" and decided that 12332the lads had gone off on that raft and would turn up at the next town 12333below, presently; but toward noon the raft had been found, lodged 12334against the Missouri shore some five or six miles below the village 12335--and then hope perished; they must be drowned, else hunger would have 12336driven them home by nightfall if not sooner. It was believed that the 12337search for the bodies had been a fruitless effort merely because the 12338drowning must have occurred in mid-channel, since the boys, being good 12339swimmers, would otherwise have escaped to shore. This was Wednesday 12340night. If the bodies continued missing until Sunday, all hope would be 12341given over, and the funerals would be preached on that morning. Tom 12342shuddered. 12343 12344Mrs. Harper gave a sobbing good-night and turned to go. Then with a 12345mutual impulse the two bereaved women flung themselves into each 12346other's arms and had a good, consoling cry, and then parted. Aunt Polly 12347was tender far beyond her wont, in her good-night to Sid and Mary. Sid 12348snuffled a bit and Mary went off crying with all her heart. 12349 12350Aunt Polly knelt down and prayed for Tom so touchingly, so 12351appealingly, and with such measureless love in her words and her old 12352trembling voice, that he was weltering in tears again, long before she 12353was through. 12354 12355He had to keep still long after she went to bed, for she kept making 12356broken-hearted ejaculations from time to time, tossing unrestfully, and 12357turning over. But at last she was still, only moaning a little in her 12358sleep. Now the boy stole out, rose gradually by the bedside, shaded the 12359candle-light with his hand, and stood regarding her. His heart was full 12360of pity for her. He took out his sycamore scroll and placed it by the 12361candle. But something occurred to him, and he lingered considering. His 12362face lighted with a happy solution of his thought; he put the bark 12363hastily in his pocket. Then he bent over and kissed the faded lips, and 12364straightway made his stealthy exit, latching the door behind him. 12365 12366He threaded his way back to the ferry landing, found nobody at large 12367there, and walked boldly on board the boat, for he knew she was 12368tenantless except that there was a watchman, who always turned in and 12369slept like a graven image. He untied the skiff at the stern, slipped 12370into it, and was soon rowing cautiously upstream. When he had pulled a 12371mile above the village, he started quartering across and bent himself 12372stoutly to his work. He hit the landing on the other side neatly, for 12373this was a familiar bit of work to him. He was moved to capture the 12374skiff, arguing that it might be considered a ship and therefore 12375legitimate prey for a pirate, but he knew a thorough search would be 12376made for it and that might end in revelations. So he stepped ashore and 12377entered the woods. 12378 12379He sat down and took a long rest, torturing himself meanwhile to keep 12380awake, and then started warily down the home-stretch. The night was far 12381spent. It was broad daylight before he found himself fairly abreast the 12382island bar. He rested again until the sun was well up and gilding the 12383great river with its splendor, and then he plunged into the stream. A 12384little later he paused, dripping, upon the threshold of the camp, and 12385heard Joe say: 12386 12387"No, Tom's true-blue, Huck, and he'll come back. He won't desert. He 12388knows that would be a disgrace to a pirate, and Tom's too proud for 12389that sort of thing. He's up to something or other. Now I wonder what?" 12390 12391"Well, the things is ours, anyway, ain't they?" 12392 12393"Pretty near, but not yet, Huck. The writing says they are if he ain't 12394back here to breakfast." 12395 12396"Which he is!" exclaimed Tom, with fine dramatic effect, stepping 12397grandly into camp. 12398 12399A sumptuous breakfast of bacon and fish was shortly provided, and as 12400the boys set to work upon it, Tom recounted (and adorned) his 12401adventures. They were a vain and boastful company of heroes when the 12402tale was done. Then Tom hid himself away in a shady nook to sleep till 12403noon, and the other pirates got ready to fish and explore. 12404 12405 12406 12407CHAPTER XVI 12408 12409AFTER dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on the 12410bar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found a 12411soft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands. 12412Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole. They 12413were perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an English 12414walnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another on 12415Friday morning. 12416 12417After breakfast they went whooping and prancing out on the bar, and 12418chased each other round and round, shedding clothes as they went, until 12419they were naked, and then continued the frolic far away up the shoal 12420water of the bar, against the stiff current, which latter tripped their 12421legs from under them from time to time and greatly increased the fun. 12422And now and then they stooped in a group and splashed water in each 12423other's faces with their palms, gradually approaching each other, with 12424averted faces to avoid the strangling sprays, and finally gripping and 12425struggling till the best man ducked his neighbor, and then they all 12426went under in a tangle of white legs and arms and came up blowing, 12427sputtering, laughing, and gasping for breath at one and the same time. 12428 12429When they were well exhausted, they would run out and sprawl on the 12430dry, hot sand, and lie there and cover themselves up with it, and by 12431and by break for the water again and go through the original 12432performance once more. Finally it occurred to them that their naked 12433skin represented flesh-colored "tights" very fairly; so they drew a 12434ring in the sand and had a circus--with three clowns in it, for none 12435would yield this proudest post to his neighbor. 12436 12437Next they got their marbles and played "knucks" and "ring-taw" and 12438"keeps" till that amusement grew stale. Then Joe and Huck had another 12439swim, but Tom would not venture, because he found that in kicking off 12440his trousers he had kicked his string of rattlesnake rattles off his 12441ankle, and he wondered how he had escaped cramp so long without the 12442protection of this mysterious charm. He did not venture again until he 12443had found it, and by that time the other boys were tired and ready to 12444rest. They gradually wandered apart, dropped into the "dumps," and fell 12445to gazing longingly across the wide river to where the village lay 12446drowsing in the sun. Tom found himself writing "BECKY" in the sand with 12447his big toe; he scratched it out, and was angry with himself for his 12448weakness. But he wrote it again, nevertheless; he could not help it. He 12449erased it once more and then took himself out of temptation by driving 12450the other boys together and joining them. 12451 12452But Joe's spirits had gone down almost beyond resurrection. He was so 12453homesick that he could hardly endure the misery of it. The tears lay 12454very near the surface. Huck was melancholy, too. Tom was downhearted, 12455but tried hard not to show it. He had a secret which he was not ready 12456to tell, yet, but if this mutinous depression was not broken up soon, 12457he would have to bring it out. He said, with a great show of 12458cheerfulness: 12459 12460"I bet there's been pirates on this island before, boys. We'll explore 12461it again. They've hid treasures here somewhere. How'd you feel to light 12462on a rotten chest full of gold and silver--hey?" 12463 12464But it roused only faint enthusiasm, which faded out, with no reply. 12465Tom tried one or two other seductions; but they failed, too. It was 12466discouraging work. Joe sat poking up the sand with a stick and looking 12467very gloomy. Finally he said: 12468 12469"Oh, boys, let's give it up. I want to go home. It's so lonesome." 12470 12471"Oh no, Joe, you'll feel better by and by," said Tom. "Just think of 12472the fishing that's here." 12473 12474"I don't care for fishing. I want to go home." 12475 12476"But, Joe, there ain't such another swimming-place anywhere." 12477 12478"Swimming's no good. I don't seem to care for it, somehow, when there 12479ain't anybody to say I sha'n't go in. I mean to go home." 12480 12481"Oh, shucks! Baby! You want to see your mother, I reckon." 12482 12483"Yes, I DO want to see my mother--and you would, too, if you had one. 12484I ain't any more baby than you are." And Joe snuffled a little. 12485 12486"Well, we'll let the cry-baby go home to his mother, won't we, Huck? 12487Poor thing--does it want to see its mother? And so it shall. You like 12488it here, don't you, Huck? We'll stay, won't we?" 12489 12490Huck said, "Y-e-s"--without any heart in it. 12491 12492"I'll never speak to you again as long as I live," said Joe, rising. 12493"There now!" And he moved moodily away and began to dress himself. 12494 12495"Who cares!" said Tom. "Nobody wants you to. Go 'long home and get 12496laughed at. Oh, you're a nice pirate. Huck and me ain't cry-babies. 12497We'll stay, won't we, Huck? Let him go if he wants to. I reckon we can 12498get along without him, per'aps." 12499 12500But Tom was uneasy, nevertheless, and was alarmed to see Joe go 12501sullenly on with his dressing. And then it was discomforting to see 12502Huck eying Joe's preparations so wistfully, and keeping up such an 12503ominous silence. Presently, without a parting word, Joe began to wade 12504off toward the Illinois shore. Tom's heart began to sink. He glanced at 12505Huck. Huck could not bear the look, and dropped his eyes. Then he said: 12506 12507"I want to go, too, Tom. It was getting so lonesome anyway, and now 12508it'll be worse. Let's us go, too, Tom." 12509 12510"I won't! You can all go, if you want to. I mean to stay." 12511 12512"Tom, I better go." 12513 12514"Well, go 'long--who's hendering you." 12515 12516Huck began to pick up his scattered clothes. He said: 12517 12518"Tom, I wisht you'd come, too. Now you think it over. We'll wait for 12519you when we get to shore." 12520 12521"Well, you'll wait a blame long time, that's all." 12522 12523Huck started sorrowfully away, and Tom stood looking after him, with a 12524strong desire tugging at his heart to yield his pride and go along too. 12525He hoped the boys would stop, but they still waded slowly on. It 12526suddenly dawned on Tom that it was become very lonely and still. He 12527made one final struggle with his pride, and then darted after his 12528comrades, yelling: 12529 12530"Wait! Wait! I want to tell you something!" 12531 12532They presently stopped and turned around. When he got to where they 12533were, he began unfolding his secret, and they listened moodily till at 12534last they saw the "point" he was driving at, and then they set up a 12535war-whoop of applause and said it was "splendid!" and said if he had 12536told them at first, they wouldn't have started away. He made a plausible 12537excuse; but his real reason had been the fear that not even the secret 12538would keep them with him any very great length of time, and so he had 12539meant to hold it in reserve as a last seduction. 12540 12541The lads came gayly back and went at their sports again with a will, 12542chattering all the time about Tom's stupendous plan and admiring the 12543genius of it. After a dainty egg and fish dinner, Tom said he wanted to 12544learn to smoke, now. Joe caught at the idea and said he would like to 12545try, too. So Huck made pipes and filled them. These novices had never 12546smoked anything before but cigars made of grape-vine, and they "bit" 12547the tongue, and were not considered manly anyway. 12548 12549Now they stretched themselves out on their elbows and began to puff, 12550charily, and with slender confidence. The smoke had an unpleasant 12551taste, and they gagged a little, but Tom said: 12552 12553"Why, it's just as easy! If I'd a knowed this was all, I'd a learnt 12554long ago." 12555 12556"So would I," said Joe. "It's just nothing." 12557 12558"Why, many a time I've looked at people smoking, and thought well I 12559wish I could do that; but I never thought I could," said Tom. 12560 12561"That's just the way with me, hain't it, Huck? You've heard me talk 12562just that way--haven't you, Huck? I'll leave it to Huck if I haven't." 12563 12564"Yes--heaps of times," said Huck. 12565 12566"Well, I have too," said Tom; "oh, hundreds of times. Once down by the 12567slaughter-house. Don't you remember, Huck? Bob Tanner was there, and 12568Johnny Miller, and Jeff Thatcher, when I said it. Don't you remember, 12569Huck, 'bout me saying that?" 12570 12571"Yes, that's so," said Huck. "That was the day after I lost a white 12572alley. No, 'twas the day before." 12573 12574"There--I told you so," said Tom. "Huck recollects it." 12575 12576"I bleeve I could smoke this pipe all day," said Joe. "I don't feel 12577sick." 12578 12579"Neither do I," said Tom. "I could smoke it all day. But I bet you 12580Jeff Thatcher couldn't." 12581 12582"Jeff Thatcher! Why, he'd keel over just with two draws. Just let him 12583try it once. HE'D see!" 12584 12585"I bet he would. And Johnny Miller--I wish could see Johnny Miller 12586tackle it once." 12587 12588"Oh, don't I!" said Joe. "Why, I bet you Johnny Miller couldn't any 12589more do this than nothing. Just one little snifter would fetch HIM." 12590 12591"'Deed it would, Joe. Say--I wish the boys could see us now." 12592 12593"So do I." 12594 12595"Say--boys, don't say anything about it, and some time when they're 12596around, I'll come up to you and say, 'Joe, got a pipe? I want a smoke.' 12597And you'll say, kind of careless like, as if it warn't anything, you'll 12598say, 'Yes, I got my OLD pipe, and another one, but my tobacker ain't 12599very good.' And I'll say, 'Oh, that's all right, if it's STRONG 12600enough.' And then you'll out with the pipes, and we'll light up just as 12601ca'm, and then just see 'em look!" 12602 12603"By jings, that'll be gay, Tom! I wish it was NOW!" 12604 12605"So do I! And when we tell 'em we learned when we was off pirating, 12606won't they wish they'd been along?" 12607 12608"Oh, I reckon not! I'll just BET they will!" 12609 12610So the talk ran on. But presently it began to flag a trifle, and grow 12611disjointed. The silences widened; the expectoration marvellously 12612increased. Every pore inside the boys' cheeks became a spouting 12613fountain; they could scarcely bail out the cellars under their tongues 12614fast enough to prevent an inundation; little overflowings down their 12615throats occurred in spite of all they could do, and sudden retchings 12616followed every time. Both boys were looking very pale and miserable, 12617now. Joe's pipe dropped from his nerveless fingers. Tom's followed. 12618Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with might 12619and main. Joe said feebly: 12620 12621"I've lost my knife. I reckon I better go and find it." 12622 12623Tom said, with quivering lips and halting utterance: 12624 12625"I'll help you. You go over that way and I'll hunt around by the 12626spring. No, you needn't come, Huck--we can find it." 12627 12628So Huck sat down again, and waited an hour. Then he found it lonesome, 12629and went to find his comrades. They were wide apart in the woods, both 12630very pale, both fast asleep. But something informed him that if they 12631had had any trouble they had got rid of it. 12632 12633They were not talkative at supper that night. They had a humble look, 12634and when Huck prepared his pipe after the meal and was going to prepare 12635theirs, they said no, they were not feeling very well--something they 12636ate at dinner had disagreed with them. 12637 12638About midnight Joe awoke, and called the boys. There was a brooding 12639oppressiveness in the air that seemed to bode something. The boys 12640huddled themselves together and sought the friendly companionship of 12641the fire, though the dull dead heat of the breathless atmosphere was 12642stifling. They sat still, intent and waiting. The solemn hush 12643continued. Beyond the light of the fire everything was swallowed up in 12644the blackness of darkness. Presently there came a quivering glow that 12645vaguely revealed the foliage for a moment and then vanished. By and by 12646another came, a little stronger. Then another. Then a faint moan came 12647sighing through the branches of the forest and the boys felt a fleeting 12648breath upon their cheeks, and shuddered with the fancy that the Spirit 12649of the Night had gone by. There was a pause. Now a weird flash turned 12650night into day and showed every little grass-blade, separate and 12651distinct, that grew about their feet. And it showed three white, 12652startled faces, too. A deep peal of thunder went rolling and tumbling 12653down the heavens and lost itself in sullen rumblings in the distance. A 12654sweep of chilly air passed by, rustling all the leaves and snowing the 12655flaky ashes broadcast about the fire. Another fierce glare lit up the 12656forest and an instant crash followed that seemed to rend the tree-tops 12657right over the boys' heads. They clung together in terror, in the thick 12658gloom that followed. A few big rain-drops fell pattering upon the 12659leaves. 12660 12661"Quick! boys, go for the tent!" exclaimed Tom. 12662 12663They sprang away, stumbling over roots and among vines in the dark, no 12664two plunging in the same direction. A furious blast roared through the 12665trees, making everything sing as it went. One blinding flash after 12666another came, and peal on peal of deafening thunder. And now a 12667drenching rain poured down and the rising hurricane drove it in sheets 12668along the ground. The boys cried out to each other, but the roaring 12669wind and the booming thunder-blasts drowned their voices utterly. 12670However, one by one they straggled in at last and took shelter under 12671the tent, cold, scared, and streaming with water; but to have company 12672in misery seemed something to be grateful for. They could not talk, the 12673old sail flapped so furiously, even if the other noises would have 12674allowed them. The tempest rose higher and higher, and presently the 12675sail tore loose from its fastenings and went winging away on the blast. 12676The boys seized each others' hands and fled, with many tumblings and 12677bruises, to the shelter of a great oak that stood upon the river-bank. 12678Now the battle was at its highest. Under the ceaseless conflagration of 12679lightning that flamed in the skies, everything below stood out in 12680clean-cut and shadowless distinctness: the bending trees, the billowy 12681river, white with foam, the driving spray of spume-flakes, the dim 12682outlines of the high bluffs on the other side, glimpsed through the 12683drifting cloud-rack and the slanting veil of rain. Every little while 12684some giant tree yielded the fight and fell crashing through the younger 12685growth; and the unflagging thunder-peals came now in ear-splitting 12686explosive bursts, keen and sharp, and unspeakably appalling. The storm 12687culminated in one matchless effort that seemed likely to tear the island 12688to pieces, burn it up, drown it to the tree-tops, blow it away, and 12689deafen every creature in it, all at one and the same moment. It was a 12690wild night for homeless young heads to be out in. 12691 12692But at last the battle was done, and the forces retired with weaker 12693and weaker threatenings and grumblings, and peace resumed her sway. The 12694boys went back to camp, a good deal awed; but they found there was 12695still something to be thankful for, because the great sycamore, the 12696shelter of their beds, was a ruin, now, blasted by the lightnings, and 12697they were not under it when the catastrophe happened. 12698 12699Everything in camp was drenched, the camp-fire as well; for they were 12700but heedless lads, like their generation, and had made no provision 12701against rain. Here was matter for dismay, for they were soaked through 12702and chilled. They were eloquent in their distress; but they presently 12703discovered that the fire had eaten so far up under the great log it had 12704been built against (where it curved upward and separated itself from 12705the ground), that a handbreadth or so of it had escaped wetting; so 12706they patiently wrought until, with shreds and bark gathered from the 12707under sides of sheltered logs, they coaxed the fire to burn again. Then 12708they piled on great dead boughs till they had a roaring furnace, and 12709were glad-hearted once more. They dried their boiled ham and had a 12710feast, and after that they sat by the fire and expanded and glorified 12711their midnight adventure until morning, for there was not a dry spot to 12712sleep on, anywhere around. 12713 12714As the sun began to steal in upon the boys, drowsiness came over them, 12715and they went out on the sandbar and lay down to sleep. They got 12716scorched out by and by, and drearily set about getting breakfast. After 12717the meal they felt rusty, and stiff-jointed, and a little homesick once 12718more. Tom saw the signs, and fell to cheering up the pirates as well as 12719he could. But they cared nothing for marbles, or circus, or swimming, 12720or anything. He reminded them of the imposing secret, and raised a ray 12721of cheer. While it lasted, he got them interested in a new device. This 12722was to knock off being pirates, for a while, and be Indians for a 12723change. They were attracted by this idea; so it was not long before 12724they were stripped, and striped from head to heel with black mud, like 12725so many zebras--all of them chiefs, of course--and then they went 12726tearing through the woods to attack an English settlement. 12727 12728By and by they separated into three hostile tribes, and darted upon 12729each other from ambush with dreadful war-whoops, and killed and scalped 12730each other by thousands. It was a gory day. Consequently it was an 12731extremely satisfactory one. 12732 12733They assembled in camp toward supper-time, hungry and happy; but now a 12734difficulty arose--hostile Indians could not break the bread of 12735hospitality together without first making peace, and this was a simple 12736impossibility without smoking a pipe of peace. There was no other 12737process that ever they had heard of. Two of the savages almost wished 12738they had remained pirates. However, there was no other way; so with 12739such show of cheerfulness as they could muster they called for the pipe 12740and took their whiff as it passed, in due form. 12741 12742And behold, they were glad they had gone into savagery, for they had 12743gained something; they found that they could now smoke a little without 12744having to go and hunt for a lost knife; they did not get sick enough to 12745be seriously uncomfortable. They were not likely to fool away this high 12746promise for lack of effort. No, they practised cautiously, after 12747supper, with right fair success, and so they spent a jubilant evening. 12748They were prouder and happier in their new acquirement than they would 12749have been in the scalping and skinning of the Six Nations. We will 12750leave them to smoke and chatter and brag, since we have no further use 12751for them at present. 12752 12753 12754 12755CHAPTER XVII 12756 12757BUT there was no hilarity in the little town that same tranquil 12758Saturday afternoon. The Harpers, and Aunt Polly's family, were being 12759put into mourning, with great grief and many tears. An unusual quiet 12760possessed the village, although it was ordinarily quiet enough, in all 12761conscience. The villagers conducted their concerns with an absent air, 12762and talked little; but they sighed often. The Saturday holiday seemed a 12763burden to the children. They had no heart in their sports, and 12764gradually gave them up. 12765 12766In the afternoon Becky Thatcher found herself moping about the 12767deserted schoolhouse yard, and feeling very melancholy. But she found 12768nothing there to comfort her. She soliloquized: 12769 12770"Oh, if I only had a brass andiron-knob again! But I haven't got 12771anything now to remember him by." And she choked back a little sob. 12772 12773Presently she stopped, and said to herself: 12774 12775"It was right here. Oh, if it was to do over again, I wouldn't say 12776that--I wouldn't say it for the whole world. But he's gone now; I'll 12777never, never, never see him any more." 12778 12779This thought broke her down, and she wandered away, with tears rolling 12780down her cheeks. Then quite a group of boys and girls--playmates of 12781Tom's and Joe's--came by, and stood looking over the paling fence and 12782talking in reverent tones of how Tom did so-and-so the last time they 12783saw him, and how Joe said this and that small trifle (pregnant with 12784awful prophecy, as they could easily see now!)--and each speaker 12785pointed out the exact spot where the lost lads stood at the time, and 12786then added something like "and I was a-standing just so--just as I am 12787now, and as if you was him--I was as close as that--and he smiled, just 12788this way--and then something seemed to go all over me, like--awful, you 12789know--and I never thought what it meant, of course, but I can see now!" 12790 12791Then there was a dispute about who saw the dead boys last in life, and 12792many claimed that dismal distinction, and offered evidences, more or 12793less tampered with by the witness; and when it was ultimately decided 12794who DID see the departed last, and exchanged the last words with them, 12795the lucky parties took upon themselves a sort of sacred importance, and 12796were gaped at and envied by all the rest. One poor chap, who had no 12797other grandeur to offer, said with tolerably manifest pride in the 12798remembrance: 12799 12800"Well, Tom Sawyer he licked me once." 12801 12802But that bid for glory was a failure. Most of the boys could say that, 12803and so that cheapened the distinction too much. The group loitered 12804away, still recalling memories of the lost heroes, in awed voices. 12805 12806When the Sunday-school hour was finished, the next morning, the bell 12807began to toll, instead of ringing in the usual way. It was a very still 12808Sabbath, and the mournful sound seemed in keeping with the musing hush 12809that lay upon nature. The villagers began to gather, loitering a moment 12810in the vestibule to converse in whispers about the sad event. But there 12811was no whispering in the house; only the funereal rustling of dresses 12812as the women gathered to their seats disturbed the silence there. None 12813could remember when the little church had been so full before. There 12814was finally a waiting pause, an expectant dumbness, and then Aunt Polly 12815entered, followed by Sid and Mary, and they by the Harper family, all 12816in deep black, and the whole congregation, the old minister as well, 12817rose reverently and stood until the mourners were seated in the front 12818pew. There was another communing silence, broken at intervals by 12819muffled sobs, and then the minister spread his hands abroad and prayed. 12820A moving hymn was sung, and the text followed: "I am the Resurrection 12821and the Life." 12822 12823As the service proceeded, the clergyman drew such pictures of the 12824graces, the winning ways, and the rare promise of the lost lads that 12825every soul there, thinking he recognized these pictures, felt a pang in 12826remembering that he had persistently blinded himself to them always 12827before, and had as persistently seen only faults and flaws in the poor 12828boys. The minister related many a touching incident in the lives of the 12829departed, too, which illustrated their sweet, generous natures, and the 12830people could easily see, now, how noble and beautiful those episodes 12831were, and remembered with grief that at the time they occurred they had 12832seemed rank rascalities, well deserving of the cowhide. The 12833congregation became more and more moved, as the pathetic tale went on, 12834till at last the whole company broke down and joined the weeping 12835mourners in a chorus of anguished sobs, the preacher himself giving way 12836to his feelings, and crying in the pulpit. 12837 12838There was a rustle in the gallery, which nobody noticed; a moment 12839later the church door creaked; the minister raised his streaming eyes 12840above his handkerchief, and stood transfixed! First one and then 12841another pair of eyes followed the minister's, and then almost with one 12842impulse the congregation rose and stared while the three dead boys came 12843marching up the aisle, Tom in the lead, Joe next, and Huck, a ruin of 12844drooping rags, sneaking sheepishly in the rear! They had been hid in 12845the unused gallery listening to their own funeral sermon! 12846 12847Aunt Polly, Mary, and the Harpers threw themselves upon their restored 12848ones, smothered them with kisses and poured out thanksgivings, while 12849poor Huck stood abashed and uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what to 12850do or where to hide from so many unwelcoming eyes. He wavered, and 12851started to slink away, but Tom seized him and said: 12852 12853"Aunt Polly, it ain't fair. Somebody's got to be glad to see Huck." 12854 12855"And so they shall. I'm glad to see him, poor motherless thing!" And 12856the loving attentions Aunt Polly lavished upon him were the one thing 12857capable of making him more uncomfortable than he was before. 12858 12859Suddenly the minister shouted at the top of his voice: "Praise God 12860from whom all blessings flow--SING!--and put your hearts in it!" 12861 12862And they did. Old Hundred swelled up with a triumphant burst, and 12863while it shook the rafters Tom Sawyer the Pirate looked around upon the 12864envying juveniles about him and confessed in his heart that this was 12865the proudest moment of his life. 12866 12867As the "sold" congregation trooped out they said they would almost be 12868willing to be made ridiculous again to hear Old Hundred sung like that 12869once more. 12870 12871Tom got more cuffs and kisses that day--according to Aunt Polly's 12872varying moods--than he had earned before in a year; and he hardly knew 12873which expressed the most gratefulness to God and affection for himself. 12874 12875 12876 12877CHAPTER XVIII 12878 12879THAT was Tom's great secret--the scheme to return home with his 12880brother pirates and attend their own funerals. They had paddled over to 12881the Missouri shore on a log, at dusk on Saturday, landing five or six 12882miles below the village; they had slept in the woods at the edge of the 12883town till nearly daylight, and had then crept through back lanes and 12884alleys and finished their sleep in the gallery of the church among a 12885chaos of invalided benches. 12886 12887At breakfast, Monday morning, Aunt Polly and Mary were very loving to 12888Tom, and very attentive to his wants. There was an unusual amount of 12889talk. In the course of it Aunt Polly said: 12890 12891"Well, I don't say it wasn't a fine joke, Tom, to keep everybody 12892suffering 'most a week so you boys had a good time, but it is a pity 12893you could be so hard-hearted as to let me suffer so. If you could come 12894over on a log to go to your funeral, you could have come over and give 12895me a hint some way that you warn't dead, but only run off." 12896 12897"Yes, you could have done that, Tom," said Mary; "and I believe you 12898would if you had thought of it." 12899 12900"Would you, Tom?" said Aunt Polly, her face lighting wistfully. "Say, 12901now, would you, if you'd thought of it?" 12902 12903"I--well, I don't know. 'Twould 'a' spoiled everything." 12904 12905"Tom, I hoped you loved me that much," said Aunt Polly, with a grieved 12906tone that discomforted the boy. "It would have been something if you'd 12907cared enough to THINK of it, even if you didn't DO it." 12908 12909"Now, auntie, that ain't any harm," pleaded Mary; "it's only Tom's 12910giddy way--he is always in such a rush that he never thinks of 12911anything." 12912 12913"More's the pity. Sid would have thought. And Sid would have come and 12914DONE it, too. Tom, you'll look back, some day, when it's too late, and 12915wish you'd cared a little more for me when it would have cost you so 12916little." 12917 12918"Now, auntie, you know I do care for you," said Tom. 12919 12920"I'd know it better if you acted more like it." 12921 12922"I wish now I'd thought," said Tom, with a repentant tone; "but I 12923dreamt about you, anyway. That's something, ain't it?" 12924 12925"It ain't much--a cat does that much--but it's better than nothing. 12926What did you dream?" 12927 12928"Why, Wednesday night I dreamt that you was sitting over there by the 12929bed, and Sid was sitting by the woodbox, and Mary next to him." 12930 12931"Well, so we did. So we always do. I'm glad your dreams could take 12932even that much trouble about us." 12933 12934"And I dreamt that Joe Harper's mother was here." 12935 12936"Why, she was here! Did you dream any more?" 12937 12938"Oh, lots. But it's so dim, now." 12939 12940"Well, try to recollect--can't you?" 12941 12942"Somehow it seems to me that the wind--the wind blowed the--the--" 12943 12944"Try harder, Tom! The wind did blow something. Come!" 12945 12946Tom pressed his fingers on his forehead an anxious minute, and then 12947said: 12948 12949"I've got it now! I've got it now! It blowed the candle!" 12950 12951"Mercy on us! Go on, Tom--go on!" 12952 12953"And it seems to me that you said, 'Why, I believe that that door--'" 12954 12955"Go ON, Tom!" 12956 12957"Just let me study a moment--just a moment. Oh, yes--you said you 12958believed the door was open." 12959 12960"As I'm sitting here, I did! Didn't I, Mary! Go on!" 12961 12962"And then--and then--well I won't be certain, but it seems like as if 12963you made Sid go and--and--" 12964 12965"Well? Well? What did I make him do, Tom? What did I make him do?" 12966 12967"You made him--you--Oh, you made him shut it." 12968 12969"Well, for the land's sake! I never heard the beat of that in all my 12970days! Don't tell ME there ain't anything in dreams, any more. Sereny 12971Harper shall know of this before I'm an hour older. I'd like to see her 12972get around THIS with her rubbage 'bout superstition. Go on, Tom!" 12973 12974"Oh, it's all getting just as bright as day, now. Next you said I 12975warn't BAD, only mischeevous and harum-scarum, and not any more 12976responsible than--than--I think it was a colt, or something." 12977 12978"And so it was! Well, goodness gracious! Go on, Tom!" 12979 12980"And then you began to cry." 12981 12982"So I did. So I did. Not the first time, neither. And then--" 12983 12984"Then Mrs. Harper she began to cry, and said Joe was just the same, 12985and she wished she hadn't whipped him for taking cream when she'd 12986throwed it out her own self--" 12987 12988"Tom! The sperrit was upon you! You was a prophesying--that's what you 12989was doing! Land alive, go on, Tom!" 12990 12991"Then Sid he said--he said--" 12992 12993"I don't think I said anything," said Sid. 12994 12995"Yes you did, Sid," said Mary. 12996 12997"Shut your heads and let Tom go on! What did he say, Tom?" 12998 12999"He said--I THINK he said he hoped I was better off where I was gone 13000to, but if I'd been better sometimes--" 13001 13002"THERE, d'you hear that! It was his very words!" 13003 13004"And you shut him up sharp." 13005 13006"I lay I did! There must 'a' been an angel there. There WAS an angel 13007there, somewheres!" 13008 13009"And Mrs. Harper told about Joe scaring her with a firecracker, and 13010you told about Peter and the Painkiller--" 13011 13012"Just as true as I live!" 13013 13014"And then there was a whole lot of talk 'bout dragging the river for 13015us, and 'bout having the funeral Sunday, and then you and old Miss 13016Harper hugged and cried, and she went." 13017 13018"It happened just so! It happened just so, as sure as I'm a-sitting in 13019these very tracks. Tom, you couldn't told it more like if you'd 'a' 13020seen it! And then what? Go on, Tom!" 13021 13022"Then I thought you prayed for me--and I could see you and hear every 13023word you said. And you went to bed, and I was so sorry that I took and 13024wrote on a piece of sycamore bark, 'We ain't dead--we are only off 13025being pirates,' and put it on the table by the candle; and then you 13026looked so good, laying there asleep, that I thought I went and leaned 13027over and kissed you on the lips." 13028 13029"Did you, Tom, DID you! I just forgive you everything for that!" And 13030she seized the boy in a crushing embrace that made him feel like the 13031guiltiest of villains. 13032 13033"It was very kind, even though it was only a--dream," Sid soliloquized 13034just audibly. 13035 13036"Shut up, Sid! A body does just the same in a dream as he'd do if he 13037was awake. Here's a big Milum apple I've been saving for you, Tom, if 13038you was ever found again--now go 'long to school. I'm thankful to the 13039good God and Father of us all I've got you back, that's long-suffering 13040and merciful to them that believe on Him and keep His word, though 13041goodness knows I'm unworthy of it, but if only the worthy ones got His 13042blessings and had His hand to help them over the rough places, there's 13043few enough would smile here or ever enter into His rest when the long 13044night comes. Go 'long Sid, Mary, Tom--take yourselves off--you've 13045hendered me long enough." 13046 13047The children left for school, and the old lady to call on Mrs. Harper 13048and vanquish her realism with Tom's marvellous dream. Sid had better 13049judgment than to utter the thought that was in his mind as he left the 13050house. It was this: "Pretty thin--as long a dream as that, without any 13051mistakes in it!" 13052 13053What a hero Tom was become, now! He did not go skipping and prancing, 13054but moved with a dignified swagger as became a pirate who felt that the 13055public eye was on him. And indeed it was; he tried not to seem to see 13056the looks or hear the remarks as he passed along, but they were food 13057and drink to him. Smaller boys than himself flocked at his heels, as 13058proud to be seen with him, and tolerated by him, as if he had been the 13059drummer at the head of a procession or the elephant leading a menagerie 13060into town. Boys of his own size pretended not to know he had been away 13061at all; but they were consuming with envy, nevertheless. They would 13062have given anything to have that swarthy suntanned skin of his, and his 13063glittering notoriety; and Tom would not have parted with either for a 13064circus. 13065 13066At school the children made so much of him and of Joe, and delivered 13067such eloquent admiration from their eyes, that the two heroes were not 13068long in becoming insufferably "stuck-up." They began to tell their 13069adventures to hungry listeners--but they only began; it was not a thing 13070likely to have an end, with imaginations like theirs to furnish 13071material. And finally, when they got out their pipes and went serenely 13072puffing around, the very summit of glory was reached. 13073 13074Tom decided that he could be independent of Becky Thatcher now. Glory 13075was sufficient. He would live for glory. Now that he was distinguished, 13076maybe she would be wanting to "make up." Well, let her--she should see 13077that he could be as indifferent as some other people. Presently she 13078arrived. Tom pretended not to see her. He moved away and joined a group 13079of boys and girls and began to talk. Soon he observed that she was 13080tripping gayly back and forth with flushed face and dancing eyes, 13081pretending to be busy chasing schoolmates, and screaming with laughter 13082when she made a capture; but he noticed that she always made her 13083captures in his vicinity, and that she seemed to cast a conscious eye 13084in his direction at such times, too. It gratified all the vicious 13085vanity that was in him; and so, instead of winning him, it only "set 13086him up" the more and made him the more diligent to avoid betraying that 13087he knew she was about. Presently she gave over skylarking, and moved 13088irresolutely about, sighing once or twice and glancing furtively and 13089wistfully toward Tom. Then she observed that now Tom was talking more 13090particularly to Amy Lawrence than to any one else. She felt a sharp 13091pang and grew disturbed and uneasy at once. She tried to go away, but 13092her feet were treacherous, and carried her to the group instead. She 13093said to a girl almost at Tom's elbow--with sham vivacity: 13094 13095"Why, Mary Austin! you bad girl, why didn't you come to Sunday-school?" 13096 13097"I did come--didn't you see me?" 13098 13099"Why, no! Did you? Where did you sit?" 13100 13101"I was in Miss Peters' class, where I always go. I saw YOU." 13102 13103"Did you? Why, it's funny I didn't see you. I wanted to tell you about 13104the picnic." 13105 13106"Oh, that's jolly. Who's going to give it?" 13107 13108"My ma's going to let me have one." 13109 13110"Oh, goody; I hope she'll let ME come." 13111 13112"Well, she will. The picnic's for me. She'll let anybody come that I 13113want, and I want you." 13114 13115"That's ever so nice. When is it going to be?" 13116 13117"By and by. Maybe about vacation." 13118 13119"Oh, won't it be fun! You going to have all the girls and boys?" 13120 13121"Yes, every one that's friends to me--or wants to be"; and she glanced 13122ever so furtively at Tom, but he talked right along to Amy Lawrence 13123about the terrible storm on the island, and how the lightning tore the 13124great sycamore tree "all to flinders" while he was "standing within 13125three feet of it." 13126 13127"Oh, may I come?" said Grace Miller. 13128 13129"Yes." 13130 13131"And me?" said Sally Rogers. 13132 13133"Yes." 13134 13135"And me, too?" said Susy Harper. "And Joe?" 13136 13137"Yes." 13138 13139And so on, with clapping of joyful hands till all the group had begged 13140for invitations but Tom and Amy. Then Tom turned coolly away, still 13141talking, and took Amy with him. Becky's lips trembled and the tears 13142came to her eyes; she hid these signs with a forced gayety and went on 13143chattering, but the life had gone out of the picnic, now, and out of 13144everything else; she got away as soon as she could and hid herself and 13145had what her sex call "a good cry." Then she sat moody, with wounded 13146pride, till the bell rang. She roused up, now, with a vindictive cast 13147in her eye, and gave her plaited tails a shake and said she knew what 13148SHE'D do. 13149 13150At recess Tom continued his flirtation with Amy with jubilant 13151self-satisfaction. And he kept drifting about to find Becky and lacerate 13152her with the performance. At last he spied her, but there was a sudden 13153falling of his mercury. She was sitting cosily on a little bench behind 13154the schoolhouse looking at a picture-book with Alfred Temple--and so 13155absorbed were they, and their heads so close together over the book, 13156that they did not seem to be conscious of anything in the world besides. 13157Jealousy ran red-hot through Tom's veins. He began to hate himself for 13158throwing away the chance Becky had offered for a reconciliation. He 13159called himself a fool, and all the hard names he could think of. He 13160wanted to cry with vexation. Amy chatted happily along, as they walked, 13161for her heart was singing, but Tom's tongue had lost its function. He 13162did not hear what Amy was saying, and whenever she paused expectantly he 13163could only stammer an awkward assent, which was as often misplaced as 13164otherwise. He kept drifting to the rear of the schoolhouse, again and 13165again, to sear his eyeballs with the hateful spectacle there. He could 13166not help it. And it maddened him to see, as he thought he saw, that 13167Becky Thatcher never once suspected that he was even in the land of the 13168living. But she did see, nevertheless; and she knew she was winning her 13169fight, too, and was glad to see him suffer as she had suffered. 13170 13171Amy's happy prattle became intolerable. Tom hinted at things he had to 13172attend to; things that must be done; and time was fleeting. But in 13173vain--the girl chirped on. Tom thought, "Oh, hang her, ain't I ever 13174going to get rid of her?" At last he must be attending to those 13175things--and she said artlessly that she would be "around" when school 13176let out. And he hastened away, hating her for it. 13177 13178"Any other boy!" Tom thought, grating his teeth. "Any boy in the whole 13179town but that Saint Louis smarty that thinks he dresses so fine and is 13180aristocracy! Oh, all right, I licked you the first day you ever saw 13181this town, mister, and I'll lick you again! You just wait till I catch 13182you out! I'll just take and--" 13183 13184And he went through the motions of thrashing an imaginary boy 13185--pummelling the air, and kicking and gouging. "Oh, you do, do you? You 13186holler 'nough, do you? Now, then, let that learn you!" And so the 13187imaginary flogging was finished to his satisfaction. 13188 13189Tom fled home at noon. His conscience could not endure any more of 13190Amy's grateful happiness, and his jealousy could bear no more of the 13191other distress. Becky resumed her picture inspections with Alfred, but 13192as the minutes dragged along and no Tom came to suffer, her triumph 13193began to cloud and she lost interest; gravity and absent-mindedness 13194followed, and then melancholy; two or three times she pricked up her 13195ear at a footstep, but it was a false hope; no Tom came. At last she 13196grew entirely miserable and wished she hadn't carried it so far. When 13197poor Alfred, seeing that he was losing her, he did not know how, kept 13198exclaiming: "Oh, here's a jolly one! look at this!" she lost patience 13199at last, and said, "Oh, don't bother me! I don't care for them!" and 13200burst into tears, and got up and walked away. 13201 13202Alfred dropped alongside and was going to try to comfort her, but she 13203said: 13204 13205"Go away and leave me alone, can't you! I hate you!" 13206 13207So the boy halted, wondering what he could have done--for she had said 13208she would look at pictures all through the nooning--and she walked on, 13209crying. Then Alfred went musing into the deserted schoolhouse. He was 13210humiliated and angry. He easily guessed his way to the truth--the girl 13211had simply made a convenience of him to vent her spite upon Tom Sawyer. 13212He was far from hating Tom the less when this thought occurred to him. 13213He wished there was some way to get that boy into trouble without much 13214risk to himself. Tom's spelling-book fell under his eye. Here was his 13215opportunity. He gratefully opened to the lesson for the afternoon and 13216poured ink upon the page. 13217 13218Becky, glancing in at a window behind him at the moment, saw the act, 13219and moved on, without discovering herself. She started homeward, now, 13220intending to find Tom and tell him; Tom would be thankful and their 13221troubles would be healed. Before she was half way home, however, she 13222had changed her mind. The thought of Tom's treatment of her when she 13223was talking about her picnic came scorching back and filled her with 13224shame. She resolved to let him get whipped on the damaged 13225spelling-book's account, and to hate him forever, into the bargain. 13226 13227 13228 13229CHAPTER XIX 13230 13231TOM arrived at home in a dreary mood, and the first thing his aunt 13232said to him showed him that he had brought his sorrows to an 13233unpromising market: 13234 13235"Tom, I've a notion to skin you alive!" 13236 13237"Auntie, what have I done?" 13238 13239"Well, you've done enough. Here I go over to Sereny Harper, like an 13240old softy, expecting I'm going to make her believe all that rubbage 13241about that dream, when lo and behold you she'd found out from Joe that 13242you was over here and heard all the talk we had that night. Tom, I 13243don't know what is to become of a boy that will act like that. It makes 13244me feel so bad to think you could let me go to Sereny Harper and make 13245such a fool of myself and never say a word." 13246 13247This was a new aspect of the thing. His smartness of the morning had 13248seemed to Tom a good joke before, and very ingenious. It merely looked 13249mean and shabby now. He hung his head and could not think of anything 13250to say for a moment. Then he said: 13251 13252"Auntie, I wish I hadn't done it--but I didn't think." 13253 13254"Oh, child, you never think. You never think of anything but your own 13255selfishness. You could think to come all the way over here from 13256Jackson's Island in the night to laugh at our troubles, and you could 13257think to fool me with a lie about a dream; but you couldn't ever think 13258to pity us and save us from sorrow." 13259 13260"Auntie, I know now it was mean, but I didn't mean to be mean. I 13261didn't, honest. And besides, I didn't come over here to laugh at you 13262that night." 13263 13264"What did you come for, then?" 13265 13266"It was to tell you not to be uneasy about us, because we hadn't got 13267drownded." 13268 13269"Tom, Tom, I would be the thankfullest soul in this world if I could 13270believe you ever had as good a thought as that, but you know you never 13271did--and I know it, Tom." 13272 13273"Indeed and 'deed I did, auntie--I wish I may never stir if I didn't." 13274 13275"Oh, Tom, don't lie--don't do it. It only makes things a hundred times 13276worse." 13277 13278"It ain't a lie, auntie; it's the truth. I wanted to keep you from 13279grieving--that was all that made me come." 13280 13281"I'd give the whole world to believe that--it would cover up a power 13282of sins, Tom. I'd 'most be glad you'd run off and acted so bad. But it 13283ain't reasonable; because, why didn't you tell me, child?" 13284 13285"Why, you see, when you got to talking about the funeral, I just got 13286all full of the idea of our coming and hiding in the church, and I 13287couldn't somehow bear to spoil it. So I just put the bark back in my 13288pocket and kept mum." 13289 13290"What bark?" 13291 13292"The bark I had wrote on to tell you we'd gone pirating. I wish, now, 13293you'd waked up when I kissed you--I do, honest." 13294 13295The hard lines in his aunt's face relaxed and a sudden tenderness 13296dawned in her eyes. 13297 13298"DID you kiss me, Tom?" 13299 13300"Why, yes, I did." 13301 13302"Are you sure you did, Tom?" 13303 13304"Why, yes, I did, auntie--certain sure." 13305 13306"What did you kiss me for, Tom?" 13307 13308"Because I loved you so, and you laid there moaning and I was so sorry." 13309 13310The words sounded like truth. The old lady could not hide a tremor in 13311her voice when she said: 13312 13313"Kiss me again, Tom!--and be off with you to school, now, and don't 13314bother me any more." 13315 13316The moment he was gone, she ran to a closet and got out the ruin of a 13317jacket which Tom had gone pirating in. Then she stopped, with it in her 13318hand, and said to herself: 13319 13320"No, I don't dare. Poor boy, I reckon he's lied about it--but it's a 13321blessed, blessed lie, there's such a comfort come from it. I hope the 13322Lord--I KNOW the Lord will forgive him, because it was such 13323goodheartedness in him to tell it. But I don't want to find out it's a 13324lie. I won't look." 13325 13326She put the jacket away, and stood by musing a minute. Twice she put 13327out her hand to take the garment again, and twice she refrained. Once 13328more she ventured, and this time she fortified herself with the 13329thought: "It's a good lie--it's a good lie--I won't let it grieve me." 13330So she sought the jacket pocket. A moment later she was reading Tom's 13331piece of bark through flowing tears and saying: "I could forgive the 13332boy, now, if he'd committed a million sins!" 13333 13334 13335 13336CHAPTER XX 13337 13338THERE was something about Aunt Polly's manner, when she kissed Tom, 13339that swept away his low spirits and made him lighthearted and happy 13340again. He started to school and had the luck of coming upon Becky 13341Thatcher at the head of Meadow Lane. His mood always determined his 13342manner. Without a moment's hesitation he ran to her and said: 13343 13344"I acted mighty mean to-day, Becky, and I'm so sorry. I won't ever, 13345ever do that way again, as long as ever I live--please make up, won't 13346you?" 13347 13348The girl stopped and looked him scornfully in the face: 13349 13350"I'll thank you to keep yourself TO yourself, Mr. Thomas Sawyer. I'll 13351never speak to you again." 13352 13353She tossed her head and passed on. Tom was so stunned that he had not 13354even presence of mind enough to say "Who cares, Miss Smarty?" until the 13355right time to say it had gone by. So he said nothing. But he was in a 13356fine rage, nevertheless. He moped into the schoolyard wishing she were 13357a boy, and imagining how he would trounce her if she were. He presently 13358encountered her and delivered a stinging remark as he passed. She 13359hurled one in return, and the angry breach was complete. It seemed to 13360Becky, in her hot resentment, that she could hardly wait for school to 13361"take in," she was so impatient to see Tom flogged for the injured 13362spelling-book. If she had had any lingering notion of exposing Alfred 13363Temple, Tom's offensive fling had driven it entirely away. 13364 13365Poor girl, she did not know how fast she was nearing trouble herself. 13366The master, Mr. Dobbins, had reached middle age with an unsatisfied 13367ambition. The darling of his desires was, to be a doctor, but poverty 13368had decreed that he should be nothing higher than a village 13369schoolmaster. Every day he took a mysterious book out of his desk and 13370absorbed himself in it at times when no classes were reciting. He kept 13371that book under lock and key. There was not an urchin in school but was 13372perishing to have a glimpse of it, but the chance never came. Every boy 13373and girl had a theory about the nature of that book; but no two 13374theories were alike, and there was no way of getting at the facts in 13375the case. Now, as Becky was passing by the desk, which stood near the 13376door, she noticed that the key was in the lock! It was a precious 13377moment. She glanced around; found herself alone, and the next instant 13378she had the book in her hands. The title-page--Professor Somebody's 13379ANATOMY--carried no information to her mind; so she began to turn the 13380leaves. She came at once upon a handsomely engraved and colored 13381frontispiece--a human figure, stark naked. At that moment a shadow fell 13382on the page and Tom Sawyer stepped in at the door and caught a glimpse 13383of the picture. Becky snatched at the book to close it, and had the 13384hard luck to tear the pictured page half down the middle. She thrust 13385the volume into the desk, turned the key, and burst out crying with 13386shame and vexation. 13387 13388"Tom Sawyer, you are just as mean as you can be, to sneak up on a 13389person and look at what they're looking at." 13390 13391"How could I know you was looking at anything?" 13392 13393"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Tom Sawyer; you know you're 13394going to tell on me, and oh, what shall I do, what shall I do! I'll be 13395whipped, and I never was whipped in school." 13396 13397Then she stamped her little foot and said: 13398 13399"BE so mean if you want to! I know something that's going to happen. 13400You just wait and you'll see! Hateful, hateful, hateful!"--and she 13401flung out of the house with a new explosion of crying. 13402 13403Tom stood still, rather flustered by this onslaught. Presently he said 13404to himself: 13405 13406"What a curious kind of a fool a girl is! Never been licked in school! 13407Shucks! What's a licking! That's just like a girl--they're so 13408thin-skinned and chicken-hearted. Well, of course I ain't going to tell 13409old Dobbins on this little fool, because there's other ways of getting 13410even on her, that ain't so mean; but what of it? Old Dobbins will ask 13411who it was tore his book. Nobody'll answer. Then he'll do just the way 13412he always does--ask first one and then t'other, and when he comes to the 13413right girl he'll know it, without any telling. Girls' faces always tell 13414on them. They ain't got any backbone. She'll get licked. Well, it's a 13415kind of a tight place for Becky Thatcher, because there ain't any way 13416out of it." Tom conned the thing a moment longer, and then added: "All 13417right, though; she'd like to see me in just such a fix--let her sweat it 13418out!" 13419 13420Tom joined the mob of skylarking scholars outside. In a few moments 13421the master arrived and school "took in." Tom did not feel a strong 13422interest in his studies. Every time he stole a glance at the girls' 13423side of the room Becky's face troubled him. Considering all things, he 13424did not want to pity her, and yet it was all he could do to help it. He 13425could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. Presently 13426the spelling-book discovery was made, and Tom's mind was entirely full 13427of his own matters for a while after that. Becky roused up from her 13428lethargy of distress and showed good interest in the proceedings. She 13429did not expect that Tom could get out of his trouble by denying that he 13430spilt the ink on the book himself; and she was right. The denial only 13431seemed to make the thing worse for Tom. Becky supposed she would be 13432glad of that, and she tried to believe she was glad of it, but she 13433found she was not certain. When the worst came to the worst, she had an 13434impulse to get up and tell on Alfred Temple, but she made an effort and 13435forced herself to keep still--because, said she to herself, "he'll tell 13436about me tearing the picture sure. I wouldn't say a word, not to save 13437his life!" 13438 13439Tom took his whipping and went back to his seat not at all 13440broken-hearted, for he thought it was possible that he had unknowingly 13441upset the ink on the spelling-book himself, in some skylarking bout--he 13442had denied it for form's sake and because it was custom, and had stuck 13443to the denial from principle. 13444 13445A whole hour drifted by, the master sat nodding in his throne, the air 13446was drowsy with the hum of study. By and by, Mr. Dobbins straightened 13447himself up, yawned, then unlocked his desk, and reached for his book, 13448but seemed undecided whether to take it out or leave it. Most of the 13449pupils glanced up languidly, but there were two among them that watched 13450his movements with intent eyes. Mr. Dobbins fingered his book absently 13451for a while, then took it out and settled himself in his chair to read! 13452Tom shot a glance at Becky. He had seen a hunted and helpless rabbit 13453look as she did, with a gun levelled at its head. Instantly he forgot 13454his quarrel with her. Quick--something must be done! done in a flash, 13455too! But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention. 13456Good!--he had an inspiration! He would run and snatch the book, spring 13457through the door and fly. But his resolution shook for one little 13458instant, and the chance was lost--the master opened the volume. If Tom 13459only had the wasted opportunity back again! Too late. There was no help 13460for Becky now, he said. The next moment the master faced the school. 13461Every eye sank under his gaze. There was that in it which smote even 13462the innocent with fear. There was silence while one might count ten 13463--the master was gathering his wrath. Then he spoke: "Who tore this book?" 13464 13465There was not a sound. One could have heard a pin drop. The stillness 13466continued; the master searched face after face for signs of guilt. 13467 13468"Benjamin Rogers, did you tear this book?" 13469 13470A denial. Another pause. 13471 13472"Joseph Harper, did you?" 13473 13474Another denial. Tom's uneasiness grew more and more intense under the 13475slow torture of these proceedings. The master scanned the ranks of 13476boys--considered a while, then turned to the girls: 13477 13478"Amy Lawrence?" 13479 13480A shake of the head. 13481 13482"Gracie Miller?" 13483 13484The same sign. 13485 13486"Susan Harper, did you do this?" 13487 13488Another negative. The next girl was Becky Thatcher. Tom was trembling 13489from head to foot with excitement and a sense of the hopelessness of 13490the situation. 13491 13492"Rebecca Thatcher" [Tom glanced at her face--it was white with terror] 13493--"did you tear--no, look me in the face" [her hands rose in appeal] 13494--"did you tear this book?" 13495 13496A thought shot like lightning through Tom's brain. He sprang to his 13497feet and shouted--"I done it!" 13498 13499The school stared in perplexity at this incredible folly. Tom stood a 13500moment, to gather his dismembered faculties; and when he stepped 13501forward to go to his punishment the surprise, the gratitude, the 13502adoration that shone upon him out of poor Becky's eyes seemed pay 13503enough for a hundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of his own 13504act, he took without an outcry the most merciless flaying that even Mr. 13505Dobbins had ever administered; and also received with indifference the 13506added cruelty of a command to remain two hours after school should be 13507dismissed--for he knew who would wait for him outside till his 13508captivity was done, and not count the tedious time as loss, either. 13509 13510Tom went to bed that night planning vengeance against Alfred Temple; 13511for with shame and repentance Becky had told him all, not forgetting 13512her own treachery; but even the longing for vengeance had to give way, 13513soon, to pleasanter musings, and he fell asleep at last with Becky's 13514latest words lingering dreamily in his ear-- 13515 13516"Tom, how COULD you be so noble!" 13517 13518 13519 13520CHAPTER XXI 13521 13522VACATION was approaching. The schoolmaster, always severe, grew 13523severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a 13524good showing on "Examination" day. His rod and his ferule were seldom 13525idle now--at least among the smaller pupils. Only the biggest boys, and 13526young ladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing. Mr. Dobbins' 13527lashings were very vigorous ones, too; for although he carried, under 13528his wig, a perfectly bald and shiny head, he had only reached middle 13529age, and there was no sign of feebleness in his muscle. As the great 13530day approached, all the tyranny that was in him came to the surface; he 13531seemed to take a vindictive pleasure in punishing the least 13532shortcomings. The consequence was, that the smaller boys spent their 13533days in terror and suffering and their nights in plotting revenge. They 13534threw away no opportunity to do the master a mischief. But he kept 13535ahead all the time. The retribution that followed every vengeful 13536success was so sweeping and majestic that the boys always retired from 13537the field badly worsted. At last they conspired together and hit upon a 13538plan that promised a dazzling victory. They swore in the sign-painter's 13539boy, told him the scheme, and asked his help. He had his own reasons 13540for being delighted, for the master boarded in his father's family and 13541had given the boy ample cause to hate him. The master's wife would go 13542on a visit to the country in a few days, and there would be nothing to 13543interfere with the plan; the master always prepared himself for great 13544occasions by getting pretty well fuddled, and the sign-painter's boy 13545said that when the dominie had reached the proper condition on 13546Examination Evening he would "manage the thing" while he napped in his 13547chair; then he would have him awakened at the right time and hurried 13548away to school. 13549 13550In the fulness of time the interesting occasion arrived. At eight in 13551the evening the schoolhouse was brilliantly lighted, and adorned with 13552wreaths and festoons of foliage and flowers. The master sat throned in 13553his great chair upon a raised platform, with his blackboard behind him. 13554He was looking tolerably mellow. Three rows of benches on each side and 13555six rows in front of him were occupied by the dignitaries of the town 13556and by the parents of the pupils. To his left, back of the rows of 13557citizens, was a spacious temporary platform upon which were seated the 13558scholars who were to take part in the exercises of the evening; rows of 13559small boys, washed and dressed to an intolerable state of discomfort; 13560rows of gawky big boys; snowbanks of girls and young ladies clad in 13561lawn and muslin and conspicuously conscious of their bare arms, their 13562grandmothers' ancient trinkets, their bits of pink and blue ribbon and 13563the flowers in their hair. All the rest of the house was filled with 13564non-participating scholars. 13565 13566The exercises began. A very little boy stood up and sheepishly 13567recited, "You'd scarce expect one of my age to speak in public on the 13568stage," etc.--accompanying himself with the painfully exact and 13569spasmodic gestures which a machine might have used--supposing the 13570machine to be a trifle out of order. But he got through safely, though 13571cruelly scared, and got a fine round of applause when he made his 13572manufactured bow and retired. 13573 13574A little shamefaced girl lisped, "Mary had a little lamb," etc., 13575performed a compassion-inspiring curtsy, got her meed of applause, and 13576sat down flushed and happy. 13577 13578Tom Sawyer stepped forward with conceited confidence and soared into 13579the unquenchable and indestructible "Give me liberty or give me death" 13580speech, with fine fury and frantic gesticulation, and broke down in the 13581middle of it. A ghastly stage-fright seized him, his legs quaked under 13582him and he was like to choke. True, he had the manifest sympathy of the 13583house but he had the house's silence, too, which was even worse than 13584its sympathy. The master frowned, and this completed the disaster. Tom 13585struggled awhile and then retired, utterly defeated. There was a weak 13586attempt at applause, but it died early. 13587 13588"The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck" followed; also "The Assyrian Came 13589Down," and other declamatory gems. Then there were reading exercises, 13590and a spelling fight. The meagre Latin class recited with honor. The 13591prime feature of the evening was in order, now--original "compositions" 13592by the young ladies. Each in her turn stepped forward to the edge of 13593the platform, cleared her throat, held up her manuscript (tied with 13594dainty ribbon), and proceeded to read, with labored attention to 13595"expression" and punctuation. The themes were the same that had been 13596illuminated upon similar occasions by their mothers before them, their 13597grandmothers, and doubtless all their ancestors in the female line 13598clear back to the Crusades. "Friendship" was one; "Memories of Other 13599Days"; "Religion in History"; "Dream Land"; "The Advantages of 13600Culture"; "Forms of Political Government Compared and Contrasted"; 13601"Melancholy"; "Filial Love"; "Heart Longings," etc., etc. 13602 13603A prevalent feature in these compositions was a nursed and petted 13604melancholy; another was a wasteful and opulent gush of "fine language"; 13605another was a tendency to lug in by the ears particularly prized words 13606and phrases until they were worn entirely out; and a peculiarity that 13607conspicuously marked and marred them was the inveterate and intolerable 13608sermon that wagged its crippled tail at the end of each and every one 13609of them. No matter what the subject might be, a brain-racking effort 13610was made to squirm it into some aspect or other that the moral and 13611religious mind could contemplate with edification. The glaring 13612insincerity of these sermons was not sufficient to compass the 13613banishment of the fashion from the schools, and it is not sufficient 13614to-day; it never will be sufficient while the world stands, perhaps. 13615There is no school in all our land where the young ladies do not feel 13616obliged to close their compositions with a sermon; and you will find 13617that the sermon of the most frivolous and the least religious girl in 13618the school is always the longest and the most relentlessly pious. But 13619enough of this. Homely truth is unpalatable. 13620 13621Let us return to the "Examination." The first composition that was 13622read was one entitled "Is this, then, Life?" Perhaps the reader can 13623endure an extract from it: 13624 13625 "In the common walks of life, with what delightful 13626 emotions does the youthful mind look forward to some 13627 anticipated scene of festivity! Imagination is busy 13628 sketching rose-tinted pictures of joy. In fancy, the 13629 voluptuous votary of fashion sees herself amid the 13630 festive throng, 'the observed of all observers.' Her 13631 graceful form, arrayed in snowy robes, is whirling 13632 through the mazes of the joyous dance; her eye is 13633 brightest, her step is lightest in the gay assembly. 13634 13635 "In such delicious fancies time quickly glides by, 13636 and the welcome hour arrives for her entrance into 13637 the Elysian world, of which she has had such bright 13638 dreams. How fairy-like does everything appear to 13639 her enchanted vision! Each new scene is more charming 13640 than the last. But after a while she finds that 13641 beneath this goodly exterior, all is vanity, the 13642 flattery which once charmed her soul, now grates 13643 harshly upon her ear; the ball-room has lost its 13644 charms; and with wasted health and imbittered heart, 13645 she turns away with the conviction that earthly 13646 pleasures cannot satisfy the longings of the soul!" 13647 13648And so forth and so on. There was a buzz of gratification from time to 13649time during the reading, accompanied by whispered ejaculations of "How 13650sweet!" "How eloquent!" "So true!" etc., and after the thing had closed 13651with a peculiarly afflicting sermon the applause was enthusiastic. 13652 13653Then arose a slim, melancholy girl, whose face had the "interesting" 13654paleness that comes of pills and indigestion, and read a "poem." Two 13655stanzas of it will do: 13656 13657 "A MISSOURI MAIDEN'S FAREWELL TO ALABAMA 13658 13659 "Alabama, good-bye! I love thee well! 13660 But yet for a while do I leave thee now! 13661 Sad, yes, sad thoughts of thee my heart doth swell, 13662 And burning recollections throng my brow! 13663 For I have wandered through thy flowery woods; 13664 Have roamed and read near Tallapoosa's stream; 13665 Have listened to Tallassee's warring floods, 13666 And wooed on Coosa's side Aurora's beam. 13667 13668 "Yet shame I not to bear an o'er-full heart, 13669 Nor blush to turn behind my tearful eyes; 13670 'Tis from no stranger land I now must part, 13671 'Tis to no strangers left I yield these sighs. 13672 Welcome and home were mine within this State, 13673 Whose vales I leave--whose spires fade fast from me 13674 And cold must be mine eyes, and heart, and tete, 13675 When, dear Alabama! they turn cold on thee!" 13676 13677There were very few there who knew what "tete" meant, but the poem was 13678very satisfactory, nevertheless. 13679 13680Next appeared a dark-complexioned, black-eyed, black-haired young 13681lady, who paused an impressive moment, assumed a tragic expression, and 13682began to read in a measured, solemn tone: 13683 13684 "A VISION 13685 13686 "Dark and tempestuous was night. Around the 13687 throne on high not a single star quivered; but 13688 the deep intonations of the heavy thunder 13689 constantly vibrated upon the ear; whilst the 13690 terrific lightning revelled in angry mood 13691 through the cloudy chambers of heaven, seeming 13692 to scorn the power exerted over its terror by 13693 the illustrious Franklin! Even the boisterous 13694 winds unanimously came forth from their mystic 13695 homes, and blustered about as if to enhance by 13696 their aid the wildness of the scene. 13697 13698 "At such a time, so dark, so dreary, for human 13699 sympathy my very spirit sighed; but instead thereof, 13700 13701 "'My dearest friend, my counsellor, my comforter 13702 and guide--My joy in grief, my second bliss 13703 in joy,' came to my side. She moved like one of 13704 those bright beings pictured in the sunny walks 13705 of fancy's Eden by the romantic and young, a 13706 queen of beauty unadorned save by her own 13707 transcendent loveliness. So soft was her step, it 13708 failed to make even a sound, and but for the 13709 magical thrill imparted by her genial touch, as 13710 other unobtrusive beauties, she would have glided 13711 away un-perceived--unsought. A strange sadness 13712 rested upon her features, like icy tears upon 13713 the robe of December, as she pointed to the 13714 contending elements without, and bade me contemplate 13715 the two beings presented." 13716 13717This nightmare occupied some ten pages of manuscript and wound up with 13718a sermon so destructive of all hope to non-Presbyterians that it took 13719the first prize. This composition was considered to be the very finest 13720effort of the evening. The mayor of the village, in delivering the 13721prize to the author of it, made a warm speech in which he said that it 13722was by far the most "eloquent" thing he had ever listened to, and that 13723Daniel Webster himself might well be proud of it. 13724 13725It may be remarked, in passing, that the number of compositions in 13726which the word "beauteous" was over-fondled, and human experience 13727referred to as "life's page," was up to the usual average. 13728 13729Now the master, mellow almost to the verge of geniality, put his chair 13730aside, turned his back to the audience, and began to draw a map of 13731America on the blackboard, to exercise the geography class upon. But he 13732made a sad business of it with his unsteady hand, and a smothered 13733titter rippled over the house. He knew what the matter was, and set 13734himself to right it. He sponged out lines and remade them; but he only 13735distorted them more than ever, and the tittering was more pronounced. 13736He threw his entire attention upon his work, now, as if determined not 13737to be put down by the mirth. He felt that all eyes were fastened upon 13738him; he imagined he was succeeding, and yet the tittering continued; it 13739even manifestly increased. And well it might. There was a garret above, 13740pierced with a scuttle over his head; and down through this scuttle 13741came a cat, suspended around the haunches by a string; she had a rag 13742tied about her head and jaws to keep her from mewing; as she slowly 13743descended she curved upward and clawed at the string, she swung 13744downward and clawed at the intangible air. The tittering rose higher 13745and higher--the cat was within six inches of the absorbed teacher's 13746head--down, down, a little lower, and she grabbed his wig with her 13747desperate claws, clung to it, and was snatched up into the garret in an 13748instant with her trophy still in her possession! And how the light did 13749blaze abroad from the master's bald pate--for the sign-painter's boy 13750had GILDED it! 13751 13752That broke up the meeting. The boys were avenged. Vacation had come. 13753 13754 NOTE:--The pretended "compositions" quoted in 13755 this chapter are taken without alteration from a 13756 volume entitled "Prose and Poetry, by a Western 13757 Lady"--but they are exactly and precisely after 13758 the schoolgirl pattern, and hence are much 13759 happier than any mere imitations could be. 13760 13761 13762 13763CHAPTER XXII 13764 13765TOM joined the new order of Cadets of Temperance, being attracted by 13766the showy character of their "regalia." He promised to abstain from 13767smoking, chewing, and profanity as long as he remained a member. Now he 13768found out a new thing--namely, that to promise not to do a thing is the 13769surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very 13770thing. Tom soon found himself tormented with a desire to drink and 13771swear; the desire grew to be so intense that nothing but the hope of a 13772chance to display himself in his red sash kept him from withdrawing 13773from the order. Fourth of July was coming; but he soon gave that up 13774--gave it up before he had worn his shackles over forty-eight hours--and 13775fixed his hopes upon old Judge Frazer, justice of the peace, who was 13776apparently on his deathbed and would have a big public funeral, since 13777he was so high an official. During three days Tom was deeply concerned 13778about the Judge's condition and hungry for news of it. Sometimes his 13779hopes ran high--so high that he would venture to get out his regalia 13780and practise before the looking-glass. But the Judge had a most 13781discouraging way of fluctuating. At last he was pronounced upon the 13782mend--and then convalescent. Tom was disgusted; and felt a sense of 13783injury, too. He handed in his resignation at once--and that night the 13784Judge suffered a relapse and died. Tom resolved that he would never 13785trust a man like that again. 13786 13787The funeral was a fine thing. The Cadets paraded in a style calculated 13788to kill the late member with envy. Tom was a free boy again, however 13789--there was something in that. He could drink and swear, now--but found 13790to his surprise that he did not want to. The simple fact that he could, 13791took the desire away, and the charm of it. 13792 13793Tom presently wondered to find that his coveted vacation was beginning 13794to hang a little heavily on his hands. 13795 13796He attempted a diary--but nothing happened during three days, and so 13797he abandoned it. 13798 13799The first of all the negro minstrel shows came to town, and made a 13800sensation. Tom and Joe Harper got up a band of performers and were 13801happy for two days. 13802 13803Even the Glorious Fourth was in some sense a failure, for it rained 13804hard, there was no procession in consequence, and the greatest man in 13805the world (as Tom supposed), Mr. Benton, an actual United States 13806Senator, proved an overwhelming disappointment--for he was not 13807twenty-five feet high, nor even anywhere in the neighborhood of it. 13808 13809A circus came. The boys played circus for three days afterward in 13810tents made of rag carpeting--admission, three pins for boys, two for 13811girls--and then circusing was abandoned. 13812 13813A phrenologist and a mesmerizer came--and went again and left the 13814village duller and drearier than ever. 13815 13816There were some boys-and-girls' parties, but they were so few and so 13817delightful that they only made the aching voids between ache the harder. 13818 13819Becky Thatcher was gone to her Constantinople home to stay with her 13820parents during vacation--so there was no bright side to life anywhere. 13821 13822The dreadful secret of the murder was a chronic misery. It was a very 13823cancer for permanency and pain. 13824 13825Then came the measles. 13826 13827During two long weeks Tom lay a prisoner, dead to the world and its 13828happenings. He was very ill, he was interested in nothing. When he got 13829upon his feet at last and moved feebly down-town, a melancholy change 13830had come over everything and every creature. There had been a 13831"revival," and everybody had "got religion," not only the adults, but 13832even the boys and girls. Tom went about, hoping against hope for the 13833sight of one blessed sinful face, but disappointment crossed him 13834everywhere. He found Joe Harper studying a Testament, and turned sadly 13835away from the depressing spectacle. He sought Ben Rogers, and found him 13836visiting the poor with a basket of tracts. He hunted up Jim Hollis, who 13837called his attention to the precious blessing of his late measles as a 13838warning. Every boy he encountered added another ton to his depression; 13839and when, in desperation, he flew for refuge at last to the bosom of 13840Huckleberry Finn and was received with a Scriptural quotation, his 13841heart broke and he crept home and to bed realizing that he alone of all 13842the town was lost, forever and forever. 13843 13844And that night there came on a terrific storm, with driving rain, 13845awful claps of thunder and blinding sheets of lightning. He covered his 13846head with the bedclothes and waited in a horror of suspense for his 13847doom; for he had not the shadow of a doubt that all this hubbub was 13848about him. He believed he had taxed the forbearance of the powers above 13849to the extremity of endurance and that this was the result. It might 13850have seemed to him a waste of pomp and ammunition to kill a bug with a 13851battery of artillery, but there seemed nothing incongruous about the 13852getting up such an expensive thunderstorm as this to knock the turf 13853from under an insect like himself. 13854 13855By and by the tempest spent itself and died without accomplishing its 13856object. The boy's first impulse was to be grateful, and reform. His 13857second was to wait--for there might not be any more storms. 13858 13859The next day the doctors were back; Tom had relapsed. The three weeks 13860he spent on his back this time seemed an entire age. When he got abroad 13861at last he was hardly grateful that he had been spared, remembering how 13862lonely was his estate, how companionless and forlorn he was. He drifted 13863listlessly down the street and found Jim Hollis acting as judge in a 13864juvenile court that was trying a cat for murder, in the presence of her 13865victim, a bird. He found Joe Harper and Huck Finn up an alley eating a 13866stolen melon. Poor lads! they--like Tom--had suffered a relapse. 13867 13868 13869 13870CHAPTER XXIII 13871 13872AT last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred--and vigorously: the murder 13873trial came on in the court. It became the absorbing topic of village 13874talk immediately. Tom could not get away from it. Every reference to 13875the murder sent a shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and 13876fears almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in his 13877hearing as "feelers"; he did not see how he could be suspected of 13878knowing anything about the murder, but still he could not be 13879comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept him in a cold shiver 13880all the time. He took Huck to a lonely place to have a talk with him. 13881It would be some relief to unseal his tongue for a little while; to 13882divide his burden of distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he 13883wanted to assure himself that Huck had remained discreet. 13884 13885"Huck, have you ever told anybody about--that?" 13886 13887"'Bout what?" 13888 13889"You know what." 13890 13891"Oh--'course I haven't." 13892 13893"Never a word?" 13894 13895"Never a solitary word, so help me. What makes you ask?" 13896 13897"Well, I was afeard." 13898 13899"Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days if that got found out. 13900YOU know that." 13901 13902Tom felt more comfortable. After a pause: 13903 13904"Huck, they couldn't anybody get you to tell, could they?" 13905 13906"Get me to tell? Why, if I wanted that half-breed devil to drownd me 13907they could get me to tell. They ain't no different way." 13908 13909"Well, that's all right, then. I reckon we're safe as long as we keep 13910mum. But let's swear again, anyway. It's more surer." 13911 13912"I'm agreed." 13913 13914So they swore again with dread solemnities. 13915 13916"What is the talk around, Huck? I've heard a power of it." 13917 13918"Talk? Well, it's just Muff Potter, Muff Potter, Muff Potter all the 13919time. It keeps me in a sweat, constant, so's I want to hide som'ers." 13920 13921"That's just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he's a goner. 13922Don't you feel sorry for him, sometimes?" 13923 13924"Most always--most always. He ain't no account; but then he hain't 13925ever done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little, to get money 13926to get drunk on--and loafs around considerable; but lord, we all do 13927that--leastways most of us--preachers and such like. But he's kind of 13928good--he give me half a fish, once, when there warn't enough for two; 13929and lots of times he's kind of stood by me when I was out of luck." 13930 13931"Well, he's mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my 13932line. I wish we could get him out of there." 13933 13934"My! we couldn't get him out, Tom. And besides, 'twouldn't do any 13935good; they'd ketch him again." 13936 13937"Yes--so they would. But I hate to hear 'em abuse him so like the 13938dickens when he never done--that." 13939 13940"I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear 'em say he's the bloodiest looking 13941villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn't ever hung before." 13942 13943"Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I've heard 'em say that if he 13944was to get free they'd lynch him." 13945 13946"And they'd do it, too." 13947 13948The boys had a long talk, but it brought them little comfort. As the 13949twilight drew on, they found themselves hanging about the neighborhood 13950of the little isolated jail, perhaps with an undefined hope that 13951something would happen that might clear away their difficulties. But 13952nothing happened; there seemed to be no angels or fairies interested in 13953this luckless captive. 13954 13955The boys did as they had often done before--went to the cell grating 13956and gave Potter some tobacco and matches. He was on the ground floor 13957and there were no guards. 13958 13959His gratitude for their gifts had always smote their consciences 13960before--it cut deeper than ever, this time. They felt cowardly and 13961treacherous to the last degree when Potter said: 13962 13963"You've been mighty good to me, boys--better'n anybody else in this 13964town. And I don't forget it, I don't. Often I says to myself, says I, 13965'I used to mend all the boys' kites and things, and show 'em where the 13966good fishin' places was, and befriend 'em what I could, and now they've 13967all forgot old Muff when he's in trouble; but Tom don't, and Huck 13968don't--THEY don't forget him, says I, 'and I don't forget them.' Well, 13969boys, I done an awful thing--drunk and crazy at the time--that's the 13970only way I account for it--and now I got to swing for it, and it's 13971right. Right, and BEST, too, I reckon--hope so, anyway. Well, we won't 13972talk about that. I don't want to make YOU feel bad; you've befriended 13973me. But what I want to say, is, don't YOU ever get drunk--then you won't 13974ever get here. Stand a litter furder west--so--that's it; it's a prime 13975comfort to see faces that's friendly when a body's in such a muck of 13976trouble, and there don't none come here but yourn. Good friendly 13977faces--good friendly faces. Git up on one another's backs and let me 13978touch 'em. That's it. Shake hands--yourn'll come through the bars, but 13979mine's too big. Little hands, and weak--but they've helped Muff Potter 13980a power, and they'd help him more if they could." 13981 13982Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of 13983horrors. The next day and the day after, he hung about the court-room, 13984drawn by an almost irresistible impulse to go in, but forcing himself 13985to stay out. Huck was having the same experience. They studiously 13986avoided each other. Each wandered away, from time to time, but the same 13987dismal fascination always brought them back presently. Tom kept his 13988ears open when idlers sauntered out of the court-room, but invariably 13989heard distressing news--the toils were closing more and more 13990relentlessly around poor Potter. At the end of the second day the 13991village talk was to the effect that Injun Joe's evidence stood firm and 13992unshaken, and that there was not the slightest question as to what the 13993jury's verdict would be. 13994 13995Tom was out late, that night, and came to bed through the window. He 13996was in a tremendous state of excitement. It was hours before he got to 13997sleep. All the village flocked to the court-house the next morning, for 13998this was to be the great day. Both sexes were about equally represented 13999in the packed audience. After a long wait the jury filed in and took 14000their places; shortly afterward, Potter, pale and haggard, timid and 14001hopeless, was brought in, with chains upon him, and seated where all 14002the curious eyes could stare at him; no less conspicuous was Injun Joe, 14003stolid as ever. There was another pause, and then the judge arrived and 14004the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court. The usual whisperings 14005among the lawyers and gathering together of papers followed. These 14006details and accompanying delays worked up an atmosphere of preparation 14007that was as impressive as it was fascinating. 14008 14009Now a witness was called who testified that he found Muff Potter 14010washing in the brook, at an early hour of the morning that the murder 14011was discovered, and that he immediately sneaked away. After some 14012further questioning, counsel for the prosecution said: 14013 14014"Take the witness." 14015 14016The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but dropped them again when 14017his own counsel said: 14018 14019"I have no questions to ask him." 14020 14021The next witness proved the finding of the knife near the corpse. 14022Counsel for the prosecution said: 14023 14024"Take the witness." 14025 14026"I have no questions to ask him," Potter's lawyer replied. 14027 14028A third witness swore he had often seen the knife in Potter's 14029possession. 14030 14031"Take the witness." 14032 14033Counsel for Potter declined to question him. The faces of the audience 14034began to betray annoyance. Did this attorney mean to throw away his 14035client's life without an effort? 14036 14037Several witnesses deposed concerning Potter's guilty behavior when 14038brought to the scene of the murder. They were allowed to leave the 14039stand without being cross-questioned. 14040 14041Every detail of the damaging circumstances that occurred in the 14042graveyard upon that morning which all present remembered so well was 14043brought out by credible witnesses, but none of them were cross-examined 14044by Potter's lawyer. The perplexity and dissatisfaction of the house 14045expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench. 14046Counsel for the prosecution now said: 14047 14048"By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we 14049have fastened this awful crime, beyond all possibility of question, 14050upon the unhappy prisoner at the bar. We rest our case here." 14051 14052A groan escaped from poor Potter, and he put his face in his hands and 14053rocked his body softly to and fro, while a painful silence reigned in 14054the court-room. Many men were moved, and many women's compassion 14055testified itself in tears. Counsel for the defence rose and said: 14056 14057"Your honor, in our remarks at the opening of this trial, we 14058foreshadowed our purpose to prove that our client did this fearful deed 14059while under the influence of a blind and irresponsible delirium 14060produced by drink. We have changed our mind. We shall not offer that 14061plea." [Then to the clerk:] "Call Thomas Sawyer!" 14062 14063A puzzled amazement awoke in every face in the house, not even 14064excepting Potter's. Every eye fastened itself with wondering interest 14065upon Tom as he rose and took his place upon the stand. The boy looked 14066wild enough, for he was badly scared. The oath was administered. 14067 14068"Thomas Sawyer, where were you on the seventeenth of June, about the 14069hour of midnight?" 14070 14071Tom glanced at Injun Joe's iron face and his tongue failed him. The 14072audience listened breathless, but the words refused to come. After a 14073few moments, however, the boy got a little of his strength back, and 14074managed to put enough of it into his voice to make part of the house 14075hear: 14076 14077"In the graveyard!" 14078 14079"A little bit louder, please. Don't be afraid. You were--" 14080 14081"In the graveyard." 14082 14083A contemptuous smile flitted across Injun Joe's face. 14084 14085"Were you anywhere near Horse Williams' grave?" 14086 14087"Yes, sir." 14088 14089"Speak up--just a trifle louder. How near were you?" 14090 14091"Near as I am to you." 14092 14093"Were you hidden, or not?" 14094 14095"I was hid." 14096 14097"Where?" 14098 14099"Behind the elms that's on the edge of the grave." 14100 14101Injun Joe gave a barely perceptible start. 14102 14103"Any one with you?" 14104 14105"Yes, sir. I went there with--" 14106 14107"Wait--wait a moment. Never mind mentioning your companion's name. We 14108will produce him at the proper time. Did you carry anything there with 14109you." 14110 14111Tom hesitated and looked confused. 14112 14113"Speak out, my boy--don't be diffident. The truth is always 14114respectable. What did you take there?" 14115 14116"Only a--a--dead cat." 14117 14118There was a ripple of mirth, which the court checked. 14119 14120"We will produce the skeleton of that cat. Now, my boy, tell us 14121everything that occurred--tell it in your own way--don't skip anything, 14122and don't be afraid." 14123 14124Tom began--hesitatingly at first, but as he warmed to his subject his 14125words flowed more and more easily; in a little while every sound ceased 14126but his own voice; every eye fixed itself upon him; with parted lips 14127and bated breath the audience hung upon his words, taking no note of 14128time, rapt in the ghastly fascinations of the tale. The strain upon 14129pent emotion reached its climax when the boy said: 14130 14131"--and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, 14132Injun Joe jumped with the knife and--" 14133 14134Crash! Quick as lightning the half-breed sprang for a window, tore his 14135way through all opposers, and was gone! 14136 14137 14138 14139CHAPTER XXIV 14140 14141TOM was a glittering hero once more--the pet of the old, the envy of 14142the young. His name even went into immortal print, for the village 14143paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be 14144President, yet, if he escaped hanging. 14145 14146As usual, the fickle, unreasoning world took Muff Potter to its bosom 14147and fondled him as lavishly as it had abused him before. But that sort 14148of conduct is to the world's credit; therefore it is not well to find 14149fault with it. 14150 14151Tom's days were days of splendor and exultation to him, but his nights 14152were seasons of horror. Injun Joe infested all his dreams, and always 14153with doom in his eye. Hardly any temptation could persuade the boy to 14154stir abroad after nightfall. Poor Huck was in the same state of 14155wretchedness and terror, for Tom had told the whole story to the lawyer 14156the night before the great day of the trial, and Huck was sore afraid 14157that his share in the business might leak out, yet, notwithstanding 14158Injun Joe's flight had saved him the suffering of testifying in court. 14159The poor fellow had got the attorney to promise secrecy, but what of 14160that? Since Tom's harassed conscience had managed to drive him to the 14161lawyer's house by night and wring a dread tale from lips that had been 14162sealed with the dismalest and most formidable of oaths, Huck's 14163confidence in the human race was well-nigh obliterated. 14164 14165Daily Muff Potter's gratitude made Tom glad he had spoken; but nightly 14166he wished he had sealed up his tongue. 14167 14168Half the time Tom was afraid Injun Joe would never be captured; the 14169other half he was afraid he would be. He felt sure he never could draw 14170a safe breath again until that man was dead and he had seen the corpse. 14171 14172Rewards had been offered, the country had been scoured, but no Injun 14173Joe was found. One of those omniscient and awe-inspiring marvels, a 14174detective, came up from St. Louis, moused around, shook his head, 14175looked wise, and made that sort of astounding success which members of 14176that craft usually achieve. That is to say, he "found a clew." But you 14177can't hang a "clew" for murder, and so after that detective had got 14178through and gone home, Tom felt just as insecure as he was before. 14179 14180The slow days drifted on, and each left behind it a slightly lightened 14181weight of apprehension. 14182 14183 14184 14185CHAPTER XXV 14186 14187THERE comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has 14188a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. This 14189desire suddenly came upon Tom one day. He sallied out to find Joe 14190Harper, but failed of success. Next he sought Ben Rogers; he had gone 14191fishing. Presently he stumbled upon Huck Finn the Red-Handed. Huck 14192would answer. Tom took him to a private place and opened the matter to 14193him confidentially. Huck was willing. Huck was always willing to take a 14194hand in any enterprise that offered entertainment and required no 14195capital, for he had a troublesome superabundance of that sort of time 14196which is not money. "Where'll we dig?" said Huck. 14197 14198"Oh, most anywhere." 14199 14200"Why, is it hid all around?" 14201 14202"No, indeed it ain't. It's hid in mighty particular places, Huck 14203--sometimes on islands, sometimes in rotten chests under the end of a 14204limb of an old dead tree, just where the shadow falls at midnight; but 14205mostly under the floor in ha'nted houses." 14206 14207"Who hides it?" 14208 14209"Why, robbers, of course--who'd you reckon? Sunday-school 14210sup'rintendents?" 14211 14212"I don't know. If 'twas mine I wouldn't hide it; I'd spend it and have 14213a good time." 14214 14215"So would I. But robbers don't do that way. They always hide it and 14216leave it there." 14217 14218"Don't they come after it any more?" 14219 14220"No, they think they will, but they generally forget the marks, or 14221else they die. Anyway, it lays there a long time and gets rusty; and by 14222and by somebody finds an old yellow paper that tells how to find the 14223marks--a paper that's got to be ciphered over about a week because it's 14224mostly signs and hy'roglyphics." 14225 14226"Hyro--which?" 14227 14228"Hy'roglyphics--pictures and things, you know, that don't seem to mean 14229anything." 14230 14231"Have you got one of them papers, Tom?" 14232 14233"No." 14234 14235"Well then, how you going to find the marks?" 14236 14237"I don't want any marks. They always bury it under a ha'nted house or 14238on an island, or under a dead tree that's got one limb sticking out. 14239Well, we've tried Jackson's Island a little, and we can try it again 14240some time; and there's the old ha'nted house up the Still-House branch, 14241and there's lots of dead-limb trees--dead loads of 'em." 14242 14243"Is it under all of them?" 14244 14245"How you talk! No!" 14246 14247"Then how you going to know which one to go for?" 14248 14249"Go for all of 'em!" 14250 14251"Why, Tom, it'll take all summer." 14252 14253"Well, what of that? Suppose you find a brass pot with a hundred 14254dollars in it, all rusty and gray, or rotten chest full of di'monds. 14255How's that?" 14256 14257Huck's eyes glowed. 14258 14259"That's bully. Plenty bully enough for me. Just you gimme the hundred 14260dollars and I don't want no di'monds." 14261 14262"All right. But I bet you I ain't going to throw off on di'monds. Some 14263of 'em's worth twenty dollars apiece--there ain't any, hardly, but's 14264worth six bits or a dollar." 14265 14266"No! Is that so?" 14267 14268"Cert'nly--anybody'll tell you so. Hain't you ever seen one, Huck?" 14269 14270"Not as I remember." 14271 14272"Oh, kings have slathers of them." 14273 14274"Well, I don' know no kings, Tom." 14275 14276"I reckon you don't. But if you was to go to Europe you'd see a raft 14277of 'em hopping around." 14278 14279"Do they hop?" 14280 14281"Hop?--your granny! No!" 14282 14283"Well, what did you say they did, for?" 14284 14285"Shucks, I only meant you'd SEE 'em--not hopping, of course--what do 14286they want to hop for?--but I mean you'd just see 'em--scattered around, 14287you know, in a kind of a general way. Like that old humpbacked Richard." 14288 14289"Richard? What's his other name?" 14290 14291"He didn't have any other name. Kings don't have any but a given name." 14292 14293"No?" 14294 14295"But they don't." 14296 14297"Well, if they like it, Tom, all right; but I don't want to be a king 14298and have only just a given name, like a nigger. But say--where you 14299going to dig first?" 14300 14301"Well, I don't know. S'pose we tackle that old dead-limb tree on the 14302hill t'other side of Still-House branch?" 14303 14304"I'm agreed." 14305 14306So they got a crippled pick and a shovel, and set out on their 14307three-mile tramp. They arrived hot and panting, and threw themselves 14308down in the shade of a neighboring elm to rest and have a smoke. 14309 14310"I like this," said Tom. 14311 14312"So do I." 14313 14314"Say, Huck, if we find a treasure here, what you going to do with your 14315share?" 14316 14317"Well, I'll have pie and a glass of soda every day, and I'll go to 14318every circus that comes along. I bet I'll have a gay time." 14319 14320"Well, ain't you going to save any of it?" 14321 14322"Save it? What for?" 14323 14324"Why, so as to have something to live on, by and by." 14325 14326"Oh, that ain't any use. Pap would come back to thish-yer town some 14327day and get his claws on it if I didn't hurry up, and I tell you he'd 14328clean it out pretty quick. What you going to do with yourn, Tom?" 14329 14330"I'm going to buy a new drum, and a sure-'nough sword, and a red 14331necktie and a bull pup, and get married." 14332 14333"Married!" 14334 14335"That's it." 14336 14337"Tom, you--why, you ain't in your right mind." 14338 14339"Wait--you'll see." 14340 14341"Well, that's the foolishest thing you could do. Look at pap and my 14342mother. Fight! Why, they used to fight all the time. I remember, mighty 14343well." 14344 14345"That ain't anything. The girl I'm going to marry won't fight." 14346 14347"Tom, I reckon they're all alike. They'll all comb a body. Now you 14348better think 'bout this awhile. I tell you you better. What's the name 14349of the gal?" 14350 14351"It ain't a gal at all--it's a girl." 14352 14353"It's all the same, I reckon; some says gal, some says girl--both's 14354right, like enough. Anyway, what's her name, Tom?" 14355 14356"I'll tell you some time--not now." 14357 14358"All right--that'll do. Only if you get married I'll be more lonesomer 14359than ever." 14360 14361"No you won't. You'll come and live with me. Now stir out of this and 14362we'll go to digging." 14363 14364They worked and sweated for half an hour. No result. They toiled 14365another half-hour. Still no result. Huck said: 14366 14367"Do they always bury it as deep as this?" 14368 14369"Sometimes--not always. Not generally. I reckon we haven't got the 14370right place." 14371 14372So they chose a new spot and began again. The labor dragged a little, 14373but still they made progress. They pegged away in silence for some 14374time. Finally Huck leaned on his shovel, swabbed the beaded drops from 14375his brow with his sleeve, and said: 14376 14377"Where you going to dig next, after we get this one?" 14378 14379"I reckon maybe we'll tackle the old tree that's over yonder on 14380Cardiff Hill back of the widow's." 14381 14382"I reckon that'll be a good one. But won't the widow take it away from 14383us, Tom? It's on her land." 14384 14385"SHE take it away! Maybe she'd like to try it once. Whoever finds one 14386of these hid treasures, it belongs to him. It don't make any difference 14387whose land it's on." 14388 14389That was satisfactory. The work went on. By and by Huck said: 14390 14391"Blame it, we must be in the wrong place again. What do you think?" 14392 14393"It is mighty curious, Huck. I don't understand it. Sometimes witches 14394interfere. I reckon maybe that's what's the trouble now." 14395 14396"Shucks! Witches ain't got no power in the daytime." 14397 14398"Well, that's so. I didn't think of that. Oh, I know what the matter 14399is! What a blamed lot of fools we are! You got to find out where the 14400shadow of the limb falls at midnight, and that's where you dig!" 14401 14402"Then consound it, we've fooled away all this work for nothing. Now 14403hang it all, we got to come back in the night. It's an awful long way. 14404Can you get out?" 14405 14406"I bet I will. We've got to do it to-night, too, because if somebody 14407sees these holes they'll know in a minute what's here and they'll go 14408for it." 14409 14410"Well, I'll come around and maow to-night." 14411 14412"All right. Let's hide the tools in the bushes." 14413 14414The boys were there that night, about the appointed time. They sat in 14415the shadow waiting. It was a lonely place, and an hour made solemn by 14416old traditions. Spirits whispered in the rustling leaves, ghosts lurked 14417in the murky nooks, the deep baying of a hound floated up out of the 14418distance, an owl answered with his sepulchral note. The boys were 14419subdued by these solemnities, and talked little. By and by they judged 14420that twelve had come; they marked where the shadow fell, and began to 14421dig. Their hopes commenced to rise. Their interest grew stronger, and 14422their industry kept pace with it. The hole deepened and still deepened, 14423but every time their hearts jumped to hear the pick strike upon 14424something, they only suffered a new disappointment. It was only a stone 14425or a chunk. At last Tom said: 14426 14427"It ain't any use, Huck, we're wrong again." 14428 14429"Well, but we CAN'T be wrong. We spotted the shadder to a dot." 14430 14431"I know it, but then there's another thing." 14432 14433"What's that?". 14434 14435"Why, we only guessed at the time. Like enough it was too late or too 14436early." 14437 14438Huck dropped his shovel. 14439 14440"That's it," said he. "That's the very trouble. We got to give this 14441one up. We can't ever tell the right time, and besides this kind of 14442thing's too awful, here this time of night with witches and ghosts 14443a-fluttering around so. I feel as if something's behind me all the time; 14444and I'm afeard to turn around, becuz maybe there's others in front 14445a-waiting for a chance. I been creeping all over, ever since I got here." 14446 14447"Well, I've been pretty much so, too, Huck. They most always put in a 14448dead man when they bury a treasure under a tree, to look out for it." 14449 14450"Lordy!" 14451 14452"Yes, they do. I've always heard that." 14453 14454"Tom, I don't like to fool around much where there's dead people. A 14455body's bound to get into trouble with 'em, sure." 14456 14457"I don't like to stir 'em up, either. S'pose this one here was to 14458stick his skull out and say something!" 14459 14460"Don't Tom! It's awful." 14461 14462"Well, it just is. Huck, I don't feel comfortable a bit." 14463 14464"Say, Tom, let's give this place up, and try somewheres else." 14465 14466"All right, I reckon we better." 14467 14468"What'll it be?" 14469 14470Tom considered awhile; and then said: 14471 14472"The ha'nted house. That's it!" 14473 14474"Blame it, I don't like ha'nted houses, Tom. Why, they're a dern sight 14475worse'n dead people. Dead people might talk, maybe, but they don't come 14476sliding around in a shroud, when you ain't noticing, and peep over your 14477shoulder all of a sudden and grit their teeth, the way a ghost does. I 14478couldn't stand such a thing as that, Tom--nobody could." 14479 14480"Yes, but, Huck, ghosts don't travel around only at night. They won't 14481hender us from digging there in the daytime." 14482 14483"Well, that's so. But you know mighty well people don't go about that 14484ha'nted house in the day nor the night." 14485 14486"Well, that's mostly because they don't like to go where a man's been 14487murdered, anyway--but nothing's ever been seen around that house except 14488in the night--just some blue lights slipping by the windows--no regular 14489ghosts." 14490 14491"Well, where you see one of them blue lights flickering around, Tom, 14492you can bet there's a ghost mighty close behind it. It stands to 14493reason. Becuz you know that they don't anybody but ghosts use 'em." 14494 14495"Yes, that's so. But anyway they don't come around in the daytime, so 14496what's the use of our being afeard?" 14497 14498"Well, all right. We'll tackle the ha'nted house if you say so--but I 14499reckon it's taking chances." 14500 14501They had started down the hill by this time. There in the middle of 14502the moonlit valley below them stood the "ha'nted" house, utterly 14503isolated, its fences gone long ago, rank weeds smothering the very 14504doorsteps, the chimney crumbled to ruin, the window-sashes vacant, a 14505corner of the roof caved in. The boys gazed awhile, half expecting to 14506see a blue light flit past a window; then talking in a low tone, as 14507befitted the time and the circumstances, they struck far off to the 14508right, to give the haunted house a wide berth, and took their way 14509homeward through the woods that adorned the rearward side of Cardiff 14510Hill. 14511 14512 14513 14514CHAPTER XXVI 14515 14516ABOUT noon the next day the boys arrived at the dead tree; they had 14517come for their tools. Tom was impatient to go to the haunted house; 14518Huck was measurably so, also--but suddenly said: 14519 14520"Lookyhere, Tom, do you know what day it is?" 14521 14522Tom mentally ran over the days of the week, and then quickly lifted 14523his eyes with a startled look in them-- 14524 14525"My! I never once thought of it, Huck!" 14526 14527"Well, I didn't neither, but all at once it popped onto me that it was 14528Friday." 14529 14530"Blame it, a body can't be too careful, Huck. We might 'a' got into an 14531awful scrape, tackling such a thing on a Friday." 14532 14533"MIGHT! Better say we WOULD! There's some lucky days, maybe, but 14534Friday ain't." 14535 14536"Any fool knows that. I don't reckon YOU was the first that found it 14537out, Huck." 14538 14539"Well, I never said I was, did I? And Friday ain't all, neither. I had 14540a rotten bad dream last night--dreampt about rats." 14541 14542"No! Sure sign of trouble. Did they fight?" 14543 14544"No." 14545 14546"Well, that's good, Huck. When they don't fight it's only a sign that 14547there's trouble around, you know. All we got to do is to look mighty 14548sharp and keep out of it. We'll drop this thing for to-day, and play. 14549Do you know Robin Hood, Huck?" 14550 14551"No. Who's Robin Hood?" 14552 14553"Why, he was one of the greatest men that was ever in England--and the 14554best. He was a robber." 14555 14556"Cracky, I wisht I was. Who did he rob?" 14557 14558"Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. 14559But he never bothered the poor. He loved 'em. He always divided up with 14560'em perfectly square." 14561 14562"Well, he must 'a' been a brick." 14563 14564"I bet you he was, Huck. Oh, he was the noblest man that ever was. 14565They ain't any such men now, I can tell you. He could lick any man in 14566England, with one hand tied behind him; and he could take his yew bow 14567and plug a ten-cent piece every time, a mile and a half." 14568 14569"What's a YEW bow?" 14570 14571"I don't know. It's some kind of a bow, of course. And if he hit that 14572dime only on the edge he would set down and cry--and curse. But we'll 14573play Robin Hood--it's nobby fun. I'll learn you." 14574 14575"I'm agreed." 14576 14577So they played Robin Hood all the afternoon, now and then casting a 14578yearning eye down upon the haunted house and passing a remark about the 14579morrow's prospects and possibilities there. As the sun began to sink 14580into the west they took their way homeward athwart the long shadows of 14581the trees and soon were buried from sight in the forests of Cardiff 14582Hill. 14583 14584On Saturday, shortly after noon, the boys were at the dead tree again. 14585They had a smoke and a chat in the shade, and then dug a little in 14586their last hole, not with great hope, but merely because Tom said there 14587were so many cases where people had given up a treasure after getting 14588down within six inches of it, and then somebody else had come along and 14589turned it up with a single thrust of a shovel. The thing failed this 14590time, however, so the boys shouldered their tools and went away feeling 14591that they had not trifled with fortune, but had fulfilled all the 14592requirements that belong to the business of treasure-hunting. 14593 14594When they reached the haunted house there was something so weird and 14595grisly about the dead silence that reigned there under the baking sun, 14596and something so depressing about the loneliness and desolation of the 14597place, that they were afraid, for a moment, to venture in. Then they 14598crept to the door and took a trembling peep. They saw a weed-grown, 14599floorless room, unplastered, an ancient fireplace, vacant windows, a 14600ruinous staircase; and here, there, and everywhere hung ragged and 14601abandoned cobwebs. They presently entered, softly, with quickened 14602pulses, talking in whispers, ears alert to catch the slightest sound, 14603and muscles tense and ready for instant retreat. 14604 14605In a little while familiarity modified their fears and they gave the 14606place a critical and interested examination, rather admiring their own 14607boldness, and wondering at it, too. Next they wanted to look up-stairs. 14608This was something like cutting off retreat, but they got to daring 14609each other, and of course there could be but one result--they threw 14610their tools into a corner and made the ascent. Up there were the same 14611signs of decay. In one corner they found a closet that promised 14612mystery, but the promise was a fraud--there was nothing in it. Their 14613courage was up now and well in hand. They were about to go down and 14614begin work when-- 14615 14616"Sh!" said Tom. 14617 14618"What is it?" whispered Huck, blanching with fright. 14619 14620"Sh!... There!... Hear it?" 14621 14622"Yes!... Oh, my! Let's run!" 14623 14624"Keep still! Don't you budge! They're coming right toward the door." 14625 14626The boys stretched themselves upon the floor with their eyes to 14627knot-holes in the planking, and lay waiting, in a misery of fear. 14628 14629"They've stopped.... No--coming.... Here they are. Don't whisper 14630another word, Huck. My goodness, I wish I was out of this!" 14631 14632Two men entered. Each boy said to himself: "There's the old deaf and 14633dumb Spaniard that's been about town once or twice lately--never saw 14634t'other man before." 14635 14636"T'other" was a ragged, unkempt creature, with nothing very pleasant 14637in his face. The Spaniard was wrapped in a serape; he had bushy white 14638whiskers; long white hair flowed from under his sombrero, and he wore 14639green goggles. When they came in, "t'other" was talking in a low voice; 14640they sat down on the ground, facing the door, with their backs to the 14641wall, and the speaker continued his remarks. His manner became less 14642guarded and his words more distinct as he proceeded: 14643 14644"No," said he, "I've thought it all over, and I don't like it. It's 14645dangerous." 14646 14647"Dangerous!" grunted the "deaf and dumb" Spaniard--to the vast 14648surprise of the boys. "Milksop!" 14649 14650This voice made the boys gasp and quake. It was Injun Joe's! There was 14651silence for some time. Then Joe said: 14652 14653"What's any more dangerous than that job up yonder--but nothing's come 14654of it." 14655 14656"That's different. Away up the river so, and not another house about. 14657'Twon't ever be known that we tried, anyway, long as we didn't succeed." 14658 14659"Well, what's more dangerous than coming here in the daytime!--anybody 14660would suspicion us that saw us." 14661 14662"I know that. But there warn't any other place as handy after that 14663fool of a job. I want to quit this shanty. I wanted to yesterday, only 14664it warn't any use trying to stir out of here, with those infernal boys 14665playing over there on the hill right in full view." 14666 14667"Those infernal boys" quaked again under the inspiration of this 14668remark, and thought how lucky it was that they had remembered it was 14669Friday and concluded to wait a day. They wished in their hearts they 14670had waited a year. 14671 14672The two men got out some food and made a luncheon. After a long and 14673thoughtful silence, Injun Joe said: 14674 14675"Look here, lad--you go back up the river where you belong. Wait there 14676till you hear from me. I'll take the chances on dropping into this town 14677just once more, for a look. We'll do that 'dangerous' job after I've 14678spied around a little and think things look well for it. Then for 14679Texas! We'll leg it together!" 14680 14681This was satisfactory. Both men presently fell to yawning, and Injun 14682Joe said: 14683 14684"I'm dead for sleep! It's your turn to watch." 14685 14686He curled down in the weeds and soon began to snore. His comrade 14687stirred him once or twice and he became quiet. Presently the watcher 14688began to nod; his head drooped lower and lower, both men began to snore 14689now. 14690 14691The boys drew a long, grateful breath. Tom whispered: 14692 14693"Now's our chance--come!" 14694 14695Huck said: 14696 14697"I can't--I'd die if they was to wake." 14698 14699Tom urged--Huck held back. At last Tom rose slowly and softly, and 14700started alone. But the first step he made wrung such a hideous creak 14701from the crazy floor that he sank down almost dead with fright. He 14702never made a second attempt. The boys lay there counting the dragging 14703moments till it seemed to them that time must be done and eternity 14704growing gray; and then they were grateful to note that at last the sun 14705was setting. 14706 14707Now one snore ceased. Injun Joe sat up, stared around--smiled grimly 14708upon his comrade, whose head was drooping upon his knees--stirred him 14709up with his foot and said: 14710 14711"Here! YOU'RE a watchman, ain't you! All right, though--nothing's 14712happened." 14713 14714"My! have I been asleep?" 14715 14716"Oh, partly, partly. Nearly time for us to be moving, pard. What'll we 14717do with what little swag we've got left?" 14718 14719"I don't know--leave it here as we've always done, I reckon. No use to 14720take it away till we start south. Six hundred and fifty in silver's 14721something to carry." 14722 14723"Well--all right--it won't matter to come here once more." 14724 14725"No--but I'd say come in the night as we used to do--it's better." 14726 14727"Yes: but look here; it may be a good while before I get the right 14728chance at that job; accidents might happen; 'tain't in such a very good 14729place; we'll just regularly bury it--and bury it deep." 14730 14731"Good idea," said the comrade, who walked across the room, knelt down, 14732raised one of the rearward hearth-stones and took out a bag that 14733jingled pleasantly. He subtracted from it twenty or thirty dollars for 14734himself and as much for Injun Joe, and passed the bag to the latter, 14735who was on his knees in the corner, now, digging with his bowie-knife. 14736 14737The boys forgot all their fears, all their miseries in an instant. 14738With gloating eyes they watched every movement. Luck!--the splendor of 14739it was beyond all imagination! Six hundred dollars was money enough to 14740make half a dozen boys rich! Here was treasure-hunting under the 14741happiest auspices--there would not be any bothersome uncertainty as to 14742where to dig. They nudged each other every moment--eloquent nudges and 14743easily understood, for they simply meant--"Oh, but ain't you glad NOW 14744we're here!" 14745 14746Joe's knife struck upon something. 14747 14748"Hello!" said he. 14749 14750"What is it?" said his comrade. 14751 14752"Half-rotten plank--no, it's a box, I believe. Here--bear a hand and 14753we'll see what it's here for. Never mind, I've broke a hole." 14754 14755He reached his hand in and drew it out-- 14756 14757"Man, it's money!" 14758 14759The two men examined the handful of coins. They were gold. The boys 14760above were as excited as themselves, and as delighted. 14761 14762Joe's comrade said: 14763 14764"We'll make quick work of this. There's an old rusty pick over amongst 14765the weeds in the corner the other side of the fireplace--I saw it a 14766minute ago." 14767 14768He ran and brought the boys' pick and shovel. Injun Joe took the pick, 14769looked it over critically, shook his head, muttered something to 14770himself, and then began to use it. The box was soon unearthed. It was 14771not very large; it was iron bound and had been very strong before the 14772slow years had injured it. The men contemplated the treasure awhile in 14773blissful silence. 14774 14775"Pard, there's thousands of dollars here," said Injun Joe. 14776 14777"'Twas always said that Murrel's gang used to be around here one 14778summer," the stranger observed. 14779 14780"I know it," said Injun Joe; "and this looks like it, I should say." 14781 14782"Now you won't need to do that job." 14783 14784The half-breed frowned. Said he: 14785 14786"You don't know me. Least you don't know all about that thing. 'Tain't 14787robbery altogether--it's REVENGE!" and a wicked light flamed in his 14788eyes. "I'll need your help in it. When it's finished--then Texas. Go 14789home to your Nance and your kids, and stand by till you hear from me." 14790 14791"Well--if you say so; what'll we do with this--bury it again?" 14792 14793"Yes. [Ravishing delight overhead.] NO! by the great Sachem, no! 14794[Profound distress overhead.] I'd nearly forgot. That pick had fresh 14795earth on it! [The boys were sick with terror in a moment.] What 14796business has a pick and a shovel here? What business with fresh earth 14797on them? Who brought them here--and where are they gone? Have you heard 14798anybody?--seen anybody? What! bury it again and leave them to come and 14799see the ground disturbed? Not exactly--not exactly. We'll take it to my 14800den." 14801 14802"Why, of course! Might have thought of that before. You mean Number 14803One?" 14804 14805"No--Number Two--under the cross. The other place is bad--too common." 14806 14807"All right. It's nearly dark enough to start." 14808 14809Injun Joe got up and went about from window to window cautiously 14810peeping out. Presently he said: 14811 14812"Who could have brought those tools here? Do you reckon they can be 14813up-stairs?" 14814 14815The boys' breath forsook them. Injun Joe put his hand on his knife, 14816halted a moment, undecided, and then turned toward the stairway. The 14817boys thought of the closet, but their strength was gone. The steps came 14818creaking up the stairs--the intolerable distress of the situation woke 14819the stricken resolution of the lads--they were about to spring for the 14820closet, when there was a crash of rotten timbers and Injun Joe landed 14821on the ground amid the debris of the ruined stairway. He gathered 14822himself up cursing, and his comrade said: 14823 14824"Now what's the use of all that? If it's anybody, and they're up 14825there, let them STAY there--who cares? If they want to jump down, now, 14826and get into trouble, who objects? It will be dark in fifteen minutes 14827--and then let them follow us if they want to. I'm willing. In my 14828opinion, whoever hove those things in here caught a sight of us and 14829took us for ghosts or devils or something. I'll bet they're running 14830yet." 14831 14832Joe grumbled awhile; then he agreed with his friend that what daylight 14833was left ought to be economized in getting things ready for leaving. 14834Shortly afterward they slipped out of the house in the deepening 14835twilight, and moved toward the river with their precious box. 14836 14837Tom and Huck rose up, weak but vastly relieved, and stared after them 14838through the chinks between the logs of the house. Follow? Not they. 14839They were content to reach ground again without broken necks, and take 14840the townward track over the hill. They did not talk much. They were too 14841much absorbed in hating themselves--hating the ill luck that made them 14842take the spade and the pick there. But for that, Injun Joe never would 14843have suspected. He would have hidden the silver with the gold to wait 14844there till his "revenge" was satisfied, and then he would have had the 14845misfortune to find that money turn up missing. Bitter, bitter luck that 14846the tools were ever brought there! 14847 14848They resolved to keep a lookout for that Spaniard when he should come 14849to town spying out for chances to do his revengeful job, and follow him 14850to "Number Two," wherever that might be. Then a ghastly thought 14851occurred to Tom. 14852 14853"Revenge? What if he means US, Huck!" 14854 14855"Oh, don't!" said Huck, nearly fainting. 14856 14857They talked it all over, and as they entered town they agreed to 14858believe that he might possibly mean somebody else--at least that he 14859might at least mean nobody but Tom, since only Tom had testified. 14860 14861Very, very small comfort it was to Tom to be alone in danger! Company 14862would be a palpable improvement, he thought. 14863 14864 14865 14866CHAPTER XXVII 14867 14868THE adventure of the day mightily tormented Tom's dreams that night. 14869Four times he had his hands on that rich treasure and four times it 14870wasted to nothingness in his fingers as sleep forsook him and 14871wakefulness brought back the hard reality of his misfortune. As he lay 14872in the early morning recalling the incidents of his great adventure, he 14873noticed that they seemed curiously subdued and far away--somewhat as if 14874they had happened in another world, or in a time long gone by. Then it 14875occurred to him that the great adventure itself must be a dream! There 14876was one very strong argument in favor of this idea--namely, that the 14877quantity of coin he had seen was too vast to be real. He had never seen 14878as much as fifty dollars in one mass before, and he was like all boys 14879of his age and station in life, in that he imagined that all references 14880to "hundreds" and "thousands" were mere fanciful forms of speech, and 14881that no such sums really existed in the world. He never had supposed 14882for a moment that so large a sum as a hundred dollars was to be found 14883in actual money in any one's possession. If his notions of hidden 14884treasure had been analyzed, they would have been found to consist of a 14885handful of real dimes and a bushel of vague, splendid, ungraspable 14886dollars. 14887 14888But the incidents of his adventure grew sensibly sharper and clearer 14889under the attrition of thinking them over, and so he presently found 14890himself leaning to the impression that the thing might not have been a 14891dream, after all. This uncertainty must be swept away. He would snatch 14892a hurried breakfast and go and find Huck. Huck was sitting on the 14893gunwale of a flatboat, listlessly dangling his feet in the water and 14894looking very melancholy. Tom concluded to let Huck lead up to the 14895subject. If he did not do it, then the adventure would be proved to 14896have been only a dream. 14897 14898"Hello, Huck!" 14899 14900"Hello, yourself." 14901 14902Silence, for a minute. 14903 14904"Tom, if we'd 'a' left the blame tools at the dead tree, we'd 'a' got 14905the money. Oh, ain't it awful!" 14906 14907"'Tain't a dream, then, 'tain't a dream! Somehow I most wish it was. 14908Dog'd if I don't, Huck." 14909 14910"What ain't a dream?" 14911 14912"Oh, that thing yesterday. I been half thinking it was." 14913 14914"Dream! If them stairs hadn't broke down you'd 'a' seen how much dream 14915it was! I've had dreams enough all night--with that patch-eyed Spanish 14916devil going for me all through 'em--rot him!" 14917 14918"No, not rot him. FIND him! Track the money!" 14919 14920"Tom, we'll never find him. A feller don't have only one chance for 14921such a pile--and that one's lost. I'd feel mighty shaky if I was to see 14922him, anyway." 14923 14924"Well, so'd I; but I'd like to see him, anyway--and track him out--to 14925his Number Two." 14926 14927"Number Two--yes, that's it. I been thinking 'bout that. But I can't 14928make nothing out of it. What do you reckon it is?" 14929 14930"I dono. It's too deep. Say, Huck--maybe it's the number of a house!" 14931 14932"Goody!... No, Tom, that ain't it. If it is, it ain't in this 14933one-horse town. They ain't no numbers here." 14934 14935"Well, that's so. Lemme think a minute. Here--it's the number of a 14936room--in a tavern, you know!" 14937 14938"Oh, that's the trick! They ain't only two taverns. We can find out 14939quick." 14940 14941"You stay here, Huck, till I come." 14942 14943Tom was off at once. He did not care to have Huck's company in public 14944places. He was gone half an hour. He found that in the best tavern, No. 149452 had long been occupied by a young lawyer, and was still so occupied. 14946In the less ostentatious house, No. 2 was a mystery. The 14947tavern-keeper's young son said it was kept locked all the time, and he 14948never saw anybody go into it or come out of it except at night; he did 14949not know any particular reason for this state of things; had had some 14950little curiosity, but it was rather feeble; had made the most of the 14951mystery by entertaining himself with the idea that that room was 14952"ha'nted"; had noticed that there was a light in there the night before. 14953 14954"That's what I've found out, Huck. I reckon that's the very No. 2 14955we're after." 14956 14957"I reckon it is, Tom. Now what you going to do?" 14958 14959"Lemme think." 14960 14961Tom thought a long time. Then he said: 14962 14963"I'll tell you. The back door of that No. 2 is the door that comes out 14964into that little close alley between the tavern and the old rattle trap 14965of a brick store. Now you get hold of all the door-keys you can find, 14966and I'll nip all of auntie's, and the first dark night we'll go there 14967and try 'em. And mind you, keep a lookout for Injun Joe, because he 14968said he was going to drop into town and spy around once more for a 14969chance to get his revenge. If you see him, you just follow him; and if 14970he don't go to that No. 2, that ain't the place." 14971 14972"Lordy, I don't want to foller him by myself!" 14973 14974"Why, it'll be night, sure. He mightn't ever see you--and if he did, 14975maybe he'd never think anything." 14976 14977"Well, if it's pretty dark I reckon I'll track him. I dono--I dono. 14978I'll try." 14979 14980"You bet I'll follow him, if it's dark, Huck. Why, he might 'a' found 14981out he couldn't get his revenge, and be going right after that money." 14982 14983"It's so, Tom, it's so. I'll foller him; I will, by jingoes!" 14984 14985"Now you're TALKING! Don't you ever weaken, Huck, and I won't." 14986 14987 14988 14989CHAPTER XXVIII 14990 14991THAT night Tom and Huck were ready for their adventure. They hung 14992about the neighborhood of the tavern until after nine, one watching the 14993alley at a distance and the other the tavern door. Nobody entered the 14994alley or left it; nobody resembling the Spaniard entered or left the 14995tavern door. The night promised to be a fair one; so Tom went home with 14996the understanding that if a considerable degree of darkness came on, 14997Huck was to come and "maow," whereupon he would slip out and try the 14998keys. But the night remained clear, and Huck closed his watch and 14999retired to bed in an empty sugar hogshead about twelve. 15000 15001Tuesday the boys had the same ill luck. Also Wednesday. But Thursday 15002night promised better. Tom slipped out in good season with his aunt's 15003old tin lantern, and a large towel to blindfold it with. He hid the 15004lantern in Huck's sugar hogshead and the watch began. An hour before 15005midnight the tavern closed up and its lights (the only ones 15006thereabouts) were put out. No Spaniard had been seen. Nobody had 15007entered or left the alley. Everything was auspicious. The blackness of 15008darkness reigned, the perfect stillness was interrupted only by 15009occasional mutterings of distant thunder. 15010 15011Tom got his lantern, lit it in the hogshead, wrapped it closely in the 15012towel, and the two adventurers crept in the gloom toward the tavern. 15013Huck stood sentry and Tom felt his way into the alley. Then there was a 15014season of waiting anxiety that weighed upon Huck's spirits like a 15015mountain. He began to wish he could see a flash from the lantern--it 15016would frighten him, but it would at least tell him that Tom was alive 15017yet. It seemed hours since Tom had disappeared. Surely he must have 15018fainted; maybe he was dead; maybe his heart had burst under terror and 15019excitement. In his uneasiness Huck found himself drawing closer and 15020closer to the alley; fearing all sorts of dreadful things, and 15021momentarily expecting some catastrophe to happen that would take away 15022his breath. There was not much to take away, for he seemed only able to 15023inhale it by thimblefuls, and his heart would soon wear itself out, the 15024way it was beating. Suddenly there was a flash of light and Tom came 15025tearing by him: "Run!" said he; "run, for your life!" 15026 15027He needn't have repeated it; once was enough; Huck was making thirty 15028or forty miles an hour before the repetition was uttered. The boys 15029never stopped till they reached the shed of a deserted slaughter-house 15030at the lower end of the village. Just as they got within its shelter 15031the storm burst and the rain poured down. As soon as Tom got his breath 15032he said: 15033 15034"Huck, it was awful! I tried two of the keys, just as soft as I could; 15035but they seemed to make such a power of racket that I couldn't hardly 15036get my breath I was so scared. They wouldn't turn in the lock, either. 15037Well, without noticing what I was doing, I took hold of the knob, and 15038open comes the door! It warn't locked! I hopped in, and shook off the 15039towel, and, GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!" 15040 15041"What!--what'd you see, Tom?" 15042 15043"Huck, I most stepped onto Injun Joe's hand!" 15044 15045"No!" 15046 15047"Yes! He was lying there, sound asleep on the floor, with his old 15048patch on his eye and his arms spread out." 15049 15050"Lordy, what did you do? Did he wake up?" 15051 15052"No, never budged. Drunk, I reckon. I just grabbed that towel and 15053started!" 15054 15055"I'd never 'a' thought of the towel, I bet!" 15056 15057"Well, I would. My aunt would make me mighty sick if I lost it." 15058 15059"Say, Tom, did you see that box?" 15060 15061"Huck, I didn't wait to look around. I didn't see the box, I didn't 15062see the cross. I didn't see anything but a bottle and a tin cup on the 15063floor by Injun Joe; yes, I saw two barrels and lots more bottles in the 15064room. Don't you see, now, what's the matter with that ha'nted room?" 15065 15066"How?" 15067 15068"Why, it's ha'nted with whiskey! Maybe ALL the Temperance Taverns have 15069got a ha'nted room, hey, Huck?" 15070 15071"Well, I reckon maybe that's so. Who'd 'a' thought such a thing? But 15072say, Tom, now's a mighty good time to get that box, if Injun Joe's 15073drunk." 15074 15075"It is, that! You try it!" 15076 15077Huck shuddered. 15078 15079"Well, no--I reckon not." 15080 15081"And I reckon not, Huck. Only one bottle alongside of Injun Joe ain't 15082enough. If there'd been three, he'd be drunk enough and I'd do it." 15083 15084There was a long pause for reflection, and then Tom said: 15085 15086"Lookyhere, Huck, less not try that thing any more till we know Injun 15087Joe's not in there. It's too scary. Now, if we watch every night, we'll 15088be dead sure to see him go out, some time or other, and then we'll 15089snatch that box quicker'n lightning." 15090 15091"Well, I'm agreed. I'll watch the whole night long, and I'll do it 15092every night, too, if you'll do the other part of the job." 15093 15094"All right, I will. All you got to do is to trot up Hooper Street a 15095block and maow--and if I'm asleep, you throw some gravel at the window 15096and that'll fetch me." 15097 15098"Agreed, and good as wheat!" 15099 15100"Now, Huck, the storm's over, and I'll go home. It'll begin to be 15101daylight in a couple of hours. You go back and watch that long, will 15102you?" 15103 15104"I said I would, Tom, and I will. I'll ha'nt that tavern every night 15105for a year! I'll sleep all day and I'll stand watch all night." 15106 15107"That's all right. Now, where you going to sleep?" 15108 15109"In Ben Rogers' hayloft. He lets me, and so does his pap's nigger man, 15110Uncle Jake. I tote water for Uncle Jake whenever he wants me to, and 15111any time I ask him he gives me a little something to eat if he can 15112spare it. That's a mighty good nigger, Tom. He likes me, becuz I don't 15113ever act as if I was above him. Sometime I've set right down and eat 15114WITH him. But you needn't tell that. A body's got to do things when 15115he's awful hungry he wouldn't want to do as a steady thing." 15116 15117"Well, if I don't want you in the daytime, I'll let you sleep. I won't 15118come bothering around. Any time you see something's up, in the night, 15119just skip right around and maow." 15120 15121 15122 15123CHAPTER XXIX 15124 15125THE first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news 15126--Judge Thatcher's family had come back to town the night before. Both 15127Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, 15128and Becky took the chief place in the boy's interest. He saw her and 15129they had an exhausting good time playing "hi-spy" and "gully-keeper" 15130with a crowd of their school-mates. The day was completed and crowned 15131in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint 15132the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she 15133consented. The child's delight was boundless; and Tom's not more 15134moderate. The invitations were sent out before sunset, and straightway 15135the young folks of the village were thrown into a fever of preparation 15136and pleasurable anticipation. Tom's excitement enabled him to keep 15137awake until a pretty late hour, and he had good hopes of hearing Huck's 15138"maow," and of having his treasure to astonish Becky and the picnickers 15139with, next day; but he was disappointed. No signal came that night. 15140 15141Morning came, eventually, and by ten or eleven o'clock a giddy and 15142rollicking company were gathered at Judge Thatcher's, and everything 15143was ready for a start. It was not the custom for elderly people to mar 15144the picnics with their presence. The children were considered safe 15145enough under the wings of a few young ladies of eighteen and a few 15146young gentlemen of twenty-three or thereabouts. The old steam ferryboat 15147was chartered for the occasion; presently the gay throng filed up the 15148main street laden with provision-baskets. Sid was sick and had to miss 15149the fun; Mary remained at home to entertain him. The last thing Mrs. 15150Thatcher said to Becky, was: 15151 15152"You'll not get back till late. Perhaps you'd better stay all night 15153with some of the girls that live near the ferry-landing, child." 15154 15155"Then I'll stay with Susy Harper, mamma." 15156 15157"Very well. And mind and behave yourself and don't be any trouble." 15158 15159Presently, as they tripped along, Tom said to Becky: 15160 15161"Say--I'll tell you what we'll do. 'Stead of going to Joe Harper's 15162we'll climb right up the hill and stop at the Widow Douglas'. She'll 15163have ice-cream! She has it most every day--dead loads of it. And she'll 15164be awful glad to have us." 15165 15166"Oh, that will be fun!" 15167 15168Then Becky reflected a moment and said: 15169 15170"But what will mamma say?" 15171 15172"How'll she ever know?" 15173 15174The girl turned the idea over in her mind, and said reluctantly: 15175 15176"I reckon it's wrong--but--" 15177 15178"But shucks! Your mother won't know, and so what's the harm? All she 15179wants is that you'll be safe; and I bet you she'd 'a' said go there if 15180she'd 'a' thought of it. I know she would!" 15181 15182The Widow Douglas' splendid hospitality was a tempting bait. It and 15183Tom's persuasions presently carried the day. So it was decided to say 15184nothing anybody about the night's programme. Presently it occurred to 15185Tom that maybe Huck might come this very night and give the signal. The 15186thought took a deal of the spirit out of his anticipations. Still he 15187could not bear to give up the fun at Widow Douglas'. And why should he 15188give it up, he reasoned--the signal did not come the night before, so 15189why should it be any more likely to come to-night? The sure fun of the 15190evening outweighed the uncertain treasure; and, boy-like, he determined 15191to yield to the stronger inclination and not allow himself to think of 15192the box of money another time that day. 15193 15194Three miles below town the ferryboat stopped at the mouth of a woody 15195hollow and tied up. The crowd swarmed ashore and soon the forest 15196distances and craggy heights echoed far and near with shoutings and 15197laughter. All the different ways of getting hot and tired were gone 15198through with, and by-and-by the rovers straggled back to camp fortified 15199with responsible appetites, and then the destruction of the good things 15200began. After the feast there was a refreshing season of rest and chat 15201in the shade of spreading oaks. By-and-by somebody shouted: 15202 15203"Who's ready for the cave?" 15204 15205Everybody was. Bundles of candles were procured, and straightway there 15206was a general scamper up the hill. The mouth of the cave was up the 15207hillside--an opening shaped like a letter A. Its massive oaken door 15208stood unbarred. Within was a small chamber, chilly as an ice-house, and 15209walled by Nature with solid limestone that was dewy with a cold sweat. 15210It was romantic and mysterious to stand here in the deep gloom and look 15211out upon the green valley shining in the sun. But the impressiveness of 15212the situation quickly wore off, and the romping began again. The moment 15213a candle was lighted there was a general rush upon the owner of it; a 15214struggle and a gallant defence followed, but the candle was soon 15215knocked down or blown out, and then there was a glad clamor of laughter 15216and a new chase. But all things have an end. By-and-by the procession 15217went filing down the steep descent of the main avenue, the flickering 15218rank of lights dimly revealing the lofty walls of rock almost to their 15219point of junction sixty feet overhead. This main avenue was not more 15220than eight or ten feet wide. Every few steps other lofty and still 15221narrower crevices branched from it on either hand--for McDougal's cave 15222was but a vast labyrinth of crooked aisles that ran into each other and 15223out again and led nowhere. It was said that one might wander days and 15224nights together through its intricate tangle of rifts and chasms, and 15225never find the end of the cave; and that he might go down, and down, 15226and still down, into the earth, and it was just the same--labyrinth 15227under labyrinth, and no end to any of them. No man "knew" the cave. 15228That was an impossible thing. Most of the young men knew a portion of 15229it, and it was not customary to venture much beyond this known portion. 15230Tom Sawyer knew as much of the cave as any one. 15231 15232The procession moved along the main avenue some three-quarters of a 15233mile, and then groups and couples began to slip aside into branch 15234avenues, fly along the dismal corridors, and take each other by 15235surprise at points where the corridors joined again. Parties were able 15236to elude each other for the space of half an hour without going beyond 15237the "known" ground. 15238 15239By-and-by, one group after another came straggling back to the mouth 15240of the cave, panting, hilarious, smeared from head to foot with tallow 15241drippings, daubed with clay, and entirely delighted with the success of 15242the day. Then they were astonished to find that they had been taking no 15243note of time and that night was about at hand. The clanging bell had 15244been calling for half an hour. However, this sort of close to the day's 15245adventures was romantic and therefore satisfactory. When the ferryboat 15246with her wild freight pushed into the stream, nobody cared sixpence for 15247the wasted time but the captain of the craft. 15248 15249Huck was already upon his watch when the ferryboat's lights went 15250glinting past the wharf. He heard no noise on board, for the young 15251people were as subdued and still as people usually are who are nearly 15252tired to death. He wondered what boat it was, and why she did not stop 15253at the wharf--and then he dropped her out of his mind and put his 15254attention upon his business. The night was growing cloudy and dark. Ten 15255o'clock came, and the noise of vehicles ceased, scattered lights began 15256to wink out, all straggling foot-passengers disappeared, the village 15257betook itself to its slumbers and left the small watcher alone with the 15258silence and the ghosts. Eleven o'clock came, and the tavern lights were 15259put out; darkness everywhere, now. Huck waited what seemed a weary long 15260time, but nothing happened. His faith was weakening. Was there any use? 15261Was there really any use? Why not give it up and turn in? 15262 15263A noise fell upon his ear. He was all attention in an instant. The 15264alley door closed softly. He sprang to the corner of the brick store. 15265The next moment two men brushed by him, and one seemed to have 15266something under his arm. It must be that box! So they were going to 15267remove the treasure. Why call Tom now? It would be absurd--the men 15268would get away with the box and never be found again. No, he would 15269stick to their wake and follow them; he would trust to the darkness for 15270security from discovery. So communing with himself, Huck stepped out 15271and glided along behind the men, cat-like, with bare feet, allowing 15272them to keep just far enough ahead not to be invisible. 15273 15274They moved up the river street three blocks, then turned to the left 15275up a cross-street. They went straight ahead, then, until they came to 15276the path that led up Cardiff Hill; this they took. They passed by the 15277old Welshman's house, half-way up the hill, without hesitating, and 15278still climbed upward. Good, thought Huck, they will bury it in the old 15279quarry. But they never stopped at the quarry. They passed on, up the 15280summit. They plunged into the narrow path between the tall sumach 15281bushes, and were at once hidden in the gloom. Huck closed up and 15282shortened his distance, now, for they would never be able to see him. 15283He trotted along awhile; then slackened his pace, fearing he was 15284gaining too fast; moved on a piece, then stopped altogether; listened; 15285no sound; none, save that he seemed to hear the beating of his own 15286heart. The hooting of an owl came over the hill--ominous sound! But no 15287footsteps. Heavens, was everything lost! He was about to spring with 15288winged feet, when a man cleared his throat not four feet from him! 15289Huck's heart shot into his throat, but he swallowed it again; and then 15290he stood there shaking as if a dozen agues had taken charge of him at 15291once, and so weak that he thought he must surely fall to the ground. He 15292knew where he was. He knew he was within five steps of the stile 15293leading into Widow Douglas' grounds. Very well, he thought, let them 15294bury it there; it won't be hard to find. 15295 15296Now there was a voice--a very low voice--Injun Joe's: 15297 15298"Damn her, maybe she's got company--there's lights, late as it is." 15299 15300"I can't see any." 15301 15302This was that stranger's voice--the stranger of the haunted house. A 15303deadly chill went to Huck's heart--this, then, was the "revenge" job! 15304His thought was, to fly. Then he remembered that the Widow Douglas had 15305been kind to him more than once, and maybe these men were going to 15306murder her. He wished he dared venture to warn her; but he knew he 15307didn't dare--they might come and catch him. He thought all this and 15308more in the moment that elapsed between the stranger's remark and Injun 15309Joe's next--which was-- 15310 15311"Because the bush is in your way. Now--this way--now you see, don't 15312you?" 15313 15314"Yes. Well, there IS company there, I reckon. Better give it up." 15315 15316"Give it up, and I just leaving this country forever! Give it up and 15317maybe never have another chance. I tell you again, as I've told you 15318before, I don't care for her swag--you may have it. But her husband was 15319rough on me--many times he was rough on me--and mainly he was the 15320justice of the peace that jugged me for a vagrant. And that ain't all. 15321It ain't a millionth part of it! He had me HORSEWHIPPED!--horsewhipped 15322in front of the jail, like a nigger!--with all the town looking on! 15323HORSEWHIPPED!--do you understand? He took advantage of me and died. But 15324I'll take it out of HER." 15325 15326"Oh, don't kill her! Don't do that!" 15327 15328"Kill? Who said anything about killing? I would kill HIM if he was 15329here; but not her. When you want to get revenge on a woman you don't 15330kill her--bosh! you go for her looks. You slit her nostrils--you notch 15331her ears like a sow!" 15332 15333"By God, that's--" 15334 15335"Keep your opinion to yourself! It will be safest for you. I'll tie 15336her to the bed. If she bleeds to death, is that my fault? I'll not cry, 15337if she does. My friend, you'll help me in this thing--for MY sake 15338--that's why you're here--I mightn't be able alone. If you flinch, I'll 15339kill you. Do you understand that? And if I have to kill you, I'll kill 15340her--and then I reckon nobody'll ever know much about who done this 15341business." 15342 15343"Well, if it's got to be done, let's get at it. The quicker the 15344better--I'm all in a shiver." 15345 15346"Do it NOW? And company there? Look here--I'll get suspicious of you, 15347first thing you know. No--we'll wait till the lights are out--there's 15348no hurry." 15349 15350Huck felt that a silence was going to ensue--a thing still more awful 15351than any amount of murderous talk; so he held his breath and stepped 15352gingerly back; planted his foot carefully and firmly, after balancing, 15353one-legged, in a precarious way and almost toppling over, first on one 15354side and then on the other. He took another step back, with the same 15355elaboration and the same risks; then another and another, and--a twig 15356snapped under his foot! His breath stopped and he listened. There was 15357no sound--the stillness was perfect. His gratitude was measureless. Now 15358he turned in his tracks, between the walls of sumach bushes--turned 15359himself as carefully as if he were a ship--and then stepped quickly but 15360cautiously along. When he emerged at the quarry he felt secure, and so 15361he picked up his nimble heels and flew. Down, down he sped, till he 15362reached the Welshman's. He banged at the door, and presently the heads 15363of the old man and his two stalwart sons were thrust from windows. 15364 15365"What's the row there? Who's banging? What do you want?" 15366 15367"Let me in--quick! I'll tell everything." 15368 15369"Why, who are you?" 15370 15371"Huckleberry Finn--quick, let me in!" 15372 15373"Huckleberry Finn, indeed! It ain't a name to open many doors, I 15374judge! But let him in, lads, and let's see what's the trouble." 15375 15376"Please don't ever tell I told you," were Huck's first words when he 15377got in. "Please don't--I'd be killed, sure--but the widow's been good 15378friends to me sometimes, and I want to tell--I WILL tell if you'll 15379promise you won't ever say it was me." 15380 15381"By George, he HAS got something to tell, or he wouldn't act so!" 15382exclaimed the old man; "out with it and nobody here'll ever tell, lad." 15383 15384Three minutes later the old man and his sons, well armed, were up the 15385hill, and just entering the sumach path on tiptoe, their weapons in 15386their hands. Huck accompanied them no further. He hid behind a great 15387bowlder and fell to listening. There was a lagging, anxious silence, 15388and then all of a sudden there was an explosion of firearms and a cry. 15389 15390Huck waited for no particulars. He sprang away and sped down the hill 15391as fast as his legs could carry him. 15392 15393 15394 15395CHAPTER XXX 15396 15397AS the earliest suspicion of dawn appeared on Sunday morning, Huck 15398came groping up the hill and rapped gently at the old Welshman's door. 15399The inmates were asleep, but it was a sleep that was set on a 15400hair-trigger, on account of the exciting episode of the night. A call 15401came from a window: 15402 15403"Who's there!" 15404 15405Huck's scared voice answered in a low tone: 15406 15407"Please let me in! It's only Huck Finn!" 15408 15409"It's a name that can open this door night or day, lad!--and welcome!" 15410 15411These were strange words to the vagabond boy's ears, and the 15412pleasantest he had ever heard. He could not recollect that the closing 15413word had ever been applied in his case before. The door was quickly 15414unlocked, and he entered. Huck was given a seat and the old man and his 15415brace of tall sons speedily dressed themselves. 15416 15417"Now, my boy, I hope you're good and hungry, because breakfast will be 15418ready as soon as the sun's up, and we'll have a piping hot one, too 15419--make yourself easy about that! I and the boys hoped you'd turn up and 15420stop here last night." 15421 15422"I was awful scared," said Huck, "and I run. I took out when the 15423pistols went off, and I didn't stop for three mile. I've come now becuz 15424I wanted to know about it, you know; and I come before daylight becuz I 15425didn't want to run across them devils, even if they was dead." 15426 15427"Well, poor chap, you do look as if you'd had a hard night of it--but 15428there's a bed here for you when you've had your breakfast. No, they 15429ain't dead, lad--we are sorry enough for that. You see we knew right 15430where to put our hands on them, by your description; so we crept along 15431on tiptoe till we got within fifteen feet of them--dark as a cellar 15432that sumach path was--and just then I found I was going to sneeze. It 15433was the meanest kind of luck! I tried to keep it back, but no use 15434--'twas bound to come, and it did come! I was in the lead with my pistol 15435raised, and when the sneeze started those scoundrels a-rustling to get 15436out of the path, I sung out, 'Fire boys!' and blazed away at the place 15437where the rustling was. So did the boys. But they were off in a jiffy, 15438those villains, and we after them, down through the woods. I judge we 15439never touched them. They fired a shot apiece as they started, but their 15440bullets whizzed by and didn't do us any harm. As soon as we lost the 15441sound of their feet we quit chasing, and went down and stirred up the 15442constables. They got a posse together, and went off to guard the river 15443bank, and as soon as it is light the sheriff and a gang are going to 15444beat up the woods. My boys will be with them presently. I wish we had 15445some sort of description of those rascals--'twould help a good deal. 15446But you couldn't see what they were like, in the dark, lad, I suppose?" 15447 15448"Oh yes; I saw them down-town and follered them." 15449 15450"Splendid! Describe them--describe them, my boy!" 15451 15452"One's the old deaf and dumb Spaniard that's ben around here once or 15453twice, and t'other's a mean-looking, ragged--" 15454 15455"That's enough, lad, we know the men! Happened on them in the woods 15456back of the widow's one day, and they slunk away. Off with you, boys, 15457and tell the sheriff--get your breakfast to-morrow morning!" 15458 15459The Welshman's sons departed at once. As they were leaving the room 15460Huck sprang up and exclaimed: 15461 15462"Oh, please don't tell ANYbody it was me that blowed on them! Oh, 15463please!" 15464 15465"All right if you say it, Huck, but you ought to have the credit of 15466what you did." 15467 15468"Oh no, no! Please don't tell!" 15469 15470When the young men were gone, the old Welshman said: 15471 15472"They won't tell--and I won't. But why don't you want it known?" 15473 15474Huck would not explain, further than to say that he already knew too 15475much about one of those men and would not have the man know that he 15476knew anything against him for the whole world--he would be killed for 15477knowing it, sure. 15478 15479The old man promised secrecy once more, and said: 15480 15481"How did you come to follow these fellows, lad? Were they looking 15482suspicious?" 15483 15484Huck was silent while he framed a duly cautious reply. Then he said: 15485 15486"Well, you see, I'm a kind of a hard lot,--least everybody says so, 15487and I don't see nothing agin it--and sometimes I can't sleep much, on 15488account of thinking about it and sort of trying to strike out a new way 15489of doing. That was the way of it last night. I couldn't sleep, and so I 15490come along up-street 'bout midnight, a-turning it all over, and when I 15491got to that old shackly brick store by the Temperance Tavern, I backed 15492up agin the wall to have another think. Well, just then along comes 15493these two chaps slipping along close by me, with something under their 15494arm, and I reckoned they'd stole it. One was a-smoking, and t'other one 15495wanted a light; so they stopped right before me and the cigars lit up 15496their faces and I see that the big one was the deaf and dumb Spaniard, 15497by his white whiskers and the patch on his eye, and t'other one was a 15498rusty, ragged-looking devil." 15499 15500"Could you see the rags by the light of the cigars?" 15501 15502This staggered Huck for a moment. Then he said: 15503 15504"Well, I don't know--but somehow it seems as if I did." 15505 15506"Then they went on, and you--" 15507 15508"Follered 'em--yes. That was it. I wanted to see what was up--they 15509sneaked along so. I dogged 'em to the widder's stile, and stood in the 15510dark and heard the ragged one beg for the widder, and the Spaniard 15511swear he'd spile her looks just as I told you and your two--" 15512 15513"What! The DEAF AND DUMB man said all that!" 15514 15515Huck had made another terrible mistake! He was trying his best to keep 15516the old man from getting the faintest hint of who the Spaniard might 15517be, and yet his tongue seemed determined to get him into trouble in 15518spite of all he could do. He made several efforts to creep out of his 15519scrape, but the old man's eye was upon him and he made blunder after 15520blunder. Presently the Welshman said: 15521 15522"My boy, don't be afraid of me. I wouldn't hurt a hair of your head 15523for all the world. No--I'd protect you--I'd protect you. This Spaniard 15524is not deaf and dumb; you've let that slip without intending it; you 15525can't cover that up now. You know something about that Spaniard that 15526you want to keep dark. Now trust me--tell me what it is, and trust me 15527--I won't betray you." 15528 15529Huck looked into the old man's honest eyes a moment, then bent over 15530and whispered in his ear: 15531 15532"'Tain't a Spaniard--it's Injun Joe!" 15533 15534The Welshman almost jumped out of his chair. In a moment he said: 15535 15536"It's all plain enough, now. When you talked about notching ears and 15537slitting noses I judged that that was your own embellishment, because 15538white men don't take that sort of revenge. But an Injun! That's a 15539different matter altogether." 15540 15541During breakfast the talk went on, and in the course of it the old man 15542said that the last thing which he and his sons had done, before going 15543to bed, was to get a lantern and examine the stile and its vicinity for 15544marks of blood. They found none, but captured a bulky bundle of-- 15545 15546"Of WHAT?" 15547 15548If the words had been lightning they could not have leaped with a more 15549stunning suddenness from Huck's blanched lips. His eyes were staring 15550wide, now, and his breath suspended--waiting for the answer. The 15551Welshman started--stared in return--three seconds--five seconds--ten 15552--then replied: 15553 15554"Of burglar's tools. Why, what's the MATTER with you?" 15555 15556Huck sank back, panting gently, but deeply, unutterably grateful. The 15557Welshman eyed him gravely, curiously--and presently said: 15558 15559"Yes, burglar's tools. That appears to relieve you a good deal. But 15560what did give you that turn? What were YOU expecting we'd found?" 15561 15562Huck was in a close place--the inquiring eye was upon him--he would 15563have given anything for material for a plausible answer--nothing 15564suggested itself--the inquiring eye was boring deeper and deeper--a 15565senseless reply offered--there was no time to weigh it, so at a venture 15566he uttered it--feebly: 15567 15568"Sunday-school books, maybe." 15569 15570Poor Huck was too distressed to smile, but the old man laughed loud 15571and joyously, shook up the details of his anatomy from head to foot, 15572and ended by saying that such a laugh was money in a-man's pocket, 15573because it cut down the doctor's bill like everything. Then he added: 15574 15575"Poor old chap, you're white and jaded--you ain't well a bit--no 15576wonder you're a little flighty and off your balance. But you'll come 15577out of it. Rest and sleep will fetch you out all right, I hope." 15578 15579Huck was irritated to think he had been such a goose and betrayed such 15580a suspicious excitement, for he had dropped the idea that the parcel 15581brought from the tavern was the treasure, as soon as he had heard the 15582talk at the widow's stile. He had only thought it was not the treasure, 15583however--he had not known that it wasn't--and so the suggestion of a 15584captured bundle was too much for his self-possession. But on the whole 15585he felt glad the little episode had happened, for now he knew beyond 15586all question that that bundle was not THE bundle, and so his mind was 15587at rest and exceedingly comfortable. In fact, everything seemed to be 15588drifting just in the right direction, now; the treasure must be still 15589in No. 2, the men would be captured and jailed that day, and he and Tom 15590could seize the gold that night without any trouble or any fear of 15591interruption. 15592 15593Just as breakfast was completed there was a knock at the door. Huck 15594jumped for a hiding-place, for he had no mind to be connected even 15595remotely with the late event. The Welshman admitted several ladies and 15596gentlemen, among them the Widow Douglas, and noticed that groups of 15597citizens were climbing up the hill--to stare at the stile. So the news 15598had spread. The Welshman had to tell the story of the night to the 15599visitors. The widow's gratitude for her preservation was outspoken. 15600 15601"Don't say a word about it, madam. There's another that you're more 15602beholden to than you are to me and my boys, maybe, but he don't allow 15603me to tell his name. We wouldn't have been there but for him." 15604 15605Of course this excited a curiosity so vast that it almost belittled 15606the main matter--but the Welshman allowed it to eat into the vitals of 15607his visitors, and through them be transmitted to the whole town, for he 15608refused to part with his secret. When all else had been learned, the 15609widow said: 15610 15611"I went to sleep reading in bed and slept straight through all that 15612noise. Why didn't you come and wake me?" 15613 15614"We judged it warn't worth while. Those fellows warn't likely to come 15615again--they hadn't any tools left to work with, and what was the use of 15616waking you up and scaring you to death? My three negro men stood guard 15617at your house all the rest of the night. They've just come back." 15618 15619More visitors came, and the story had to be told and retold for a 15620couple of hours more. 15621 15622There was no Sabbath-school during day-school vacation, but everybody 15623was early at church. The stirring event was well canvassed. News came 15624that not a sign of the two villains had been yet discovered. When the 15625sermon was finished, Judge Thatcher's wife dropped alongside of Mrs. 15626Harper as she moved down the aisle with the crowd and said: 15627 15628"Is my Becky going to sleep all day? I just expected she would be 15629tired to death." 15630 15631"Your Becky?" 15632 15633"Yes," with a startled look--"didn't she stay with you last night?" 15634 15635"Why, no." 15636 15637Mrs. Thatcher turned pale, and sank into a pew, just as Aunt Polly, 15638talking briskly with a friend, passed by. Aunt Polly said: 15639 15640"Good-morning, Mrs. Thatcher. Good-morning, Mrs. Harper. I've got a 15641boy that's turned up missing. I reckon my Tom stayed at your house last 15642night--one of you. And now he's afraid to come to church. I've got to 15643settle with him." 15644 15645Mrs. Thatcher shook her head feebly and turned paler than ever. 15646 15647"He didn't stay with us," said Mrs. Harper, beginning to look uneasy. 15648A marked anxiety came into Aunt Polly's face. 15649 15650"Joe Harper, have you seen my Tom this morning?" 15651 15652"No'm." 15653 15654"When did you see him last?" 15655 15656Joe tried to remember, but was not sure he could say. The people had 15657stopped moving out of church. Whispers passed along, and a boding 15658uneasiness took possession of every countenance. Children were 15659anxiously questioned, and young teachers. They all said they had not 15660noticed whether Tom and Becky were on board the ferryboat on the 15661homeward trip; it was dark; no one thought of inquiring if any one was 15662missing. One young man finally blurted out his fear that they were 15663still in the cave! Mrs. Thatcher swooned away. Aunt Polly fell to 15664crying and wringing her hands. 15665 15666The alarm swept from lip to lip, from group to group, from street to 15667street, and within five minutes the bells were wildly clanging and the 15668whole town was up! The Cardiff Hill episode sank into instant 15669insignificance, the burglars were forgotten, horses were saddled, 15670skiffs were manned, the ferryboat ordered out, and before the horror 15671was half an hour old, two hundred men were pouring down highroad and 15672river toward the cave. 15673 15674All the long afternoon the village seemed empty and dead. Many women 15675visited Aunt Polly and Mrs. Thatcher and tried to comfort them. They 15676cried with them, too, and that was still better than words. All the 15677tedious night the town waited for news; but when the morning dawned at 15678last, all the word that came was, "Send more candles--and send food." 15679Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. Judge Thatcher 15680sent messages of hope and encouragement from the cave, but they 15681conveyed no real cheer. 15682 15683The old Welshman came home toward daylight, spattered with 15684candle-grease, smeared with clay, and almost worn out. He found Huck 15685still in the bed that had been provided for him, and delirious with 15686fever. The physicians were all at the cave, so the Widow Douglas came 15687and took charge of the patient. She said she would do her best by him, 15688because, whether he was good, bad, or indifferent, he was the Lord's, 15689and nothing that was the Lord's was a thing to be neglected. The 15690Welshman said Huck had good spots in him, and the widow said: 15691 15692"You can depend on it. That's the Lord's mark. He don't leave it off. 15693He never does. Puts it somewhere on every creature that comes from his 15694hands." 15695 15696Early in the forenoon parties of jaded men began to straggle into the 15697village, but the strongest of the citizens continued searching. All the 15698news that could be gained was that remotenesses of the cavern were 15699being ransacked that had never been visited before; that every corner 15700and crevice was going to be thoroughly searched; that wherever one 15701wandered through the maze of passages, lights were to be seen flitting 15702hither and thither in the distance, and shoutings and pistol-shots sent 15703their hollow reverberations to the ear down the sombre aisles. In one 15704place, far from the section usually traversed by tourists, the names 15705"BECKY & TOM" had been found traced upon the rocky wall with 15706candle-smoke, and near at hand a grease-soiled bit of ribbon. Mrs. 15707Thatcher recognized the ribbon and cried over it. She said it was the 15708last relic she should ever have of her child; and that no other memorial 15709of her could ever be so precious, because this one parted latest from 15710the living body before the awful death came. Some said that now and 15711then, in the cave, a far-away speck of light would glimmer, and then a 15712glorious shout would burst forth and a score of men go trooping down the 15713echoing aisle--and then a sickening disappointment always followed; the 15714children were not there; it was only a searcher's light. 15715 15716Three dreadful days and nights dragged their tedious hours along, and 15717the village sank into a hopeless stupor. No one had heart for anything. 15718The accidental discovery, just made, that the proprietor of the 15719Temperance Tavern kept liquor on his premises, scarcely fluttered the 15720public pulse, tremendous as the fact was. In a lucid interval, Huck 15721feebly led up to the subject of taverns, and finally asked--dimly 15722dreading the worst--if anything had been discovered at the Temperance 15723Tavern since he had been ill. 15724 15725"Yes," said the widow. 15726 15727Huck started up in bed, wild-eyed: 15728 15729"What? What was it?" 15730 15731"Liquor!--and the place has been shut up. Lie down, child--what a turn 15732you did give me!" 15733 15734"Only tell me just one thing--only just one--please! Was it Tom Sawyer 15735that found it?" 15736 15737The widow burst into tears. "Hush, hush, child, hush! I've told you 15738before, you must NOT talk. You are very, very sick!" 15739 15740Then nothing but liquor had been found; there would have been a great 15741powwow if it had been the gold. So the treasure was gone forever--gone 15742forever! But what could she be crying about? Curious that she should 15743cry. 15744 15745These thoughts worked their dim way through Huck's mind, and under the 15746weariness they gave him he fell asleep. The widow said to herself: 15747 15748"There--he's asleep, poor wreck. Tom Sawyer find it! Pity but somebody 15749could find Tom Sawyer! Ah, there ain't many left, now, that's got hope 15750enough, or strength enough, either, to go on searching." 15751 15752 15753 15754CHAPTER XXXI 15755 15756NOW to return to Tom and Becky's share in the picnic. They tripped 15757along the murky aisles with the rest of the company, visiting the 15758familiar wonders of the cave--wonders dubbed with rather 15759over-descriptive names, such as "The Drawing-Room," "The Cathedral," 15760"Aladdin's Palace," and so on. Presently the hide-and-seek frolicking 15761began, and Tom and Becky engaged in it with zeal until the exertion 15762began to grow a trifle wearisome; then they wandered down a sinuous 15763avenue holding their candles aloft and reading the tangled web-work of 15764names, dates, post-office addresses, and mottoes with which the rocky 15765walls had been frescoed (in candle-smoke). Still drifting along and 15766talking, they scarcely noticed that they were now in a part of the cave 15767whose walls were not frescoed. They smoked their own names under an 15768overhanging shelf and moved on. Presently they came to a place where a 15769little stream of water, trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone 15770sediment with it, had, in the slow-dragging ages, formed a laced and 15771ruffled Niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone. Tom squeezed his 15772small body behind it in order to illuminate it for Becky's 15773gratification. He found that it curtained a sort of steep natural 15774stairway which was enclosed between narrow walls, and at once the 15775ambition to be a discoverer seized him. Becky responded to his call, 15776and they made a smoke-mark for future guidance, and started upon their 15777quest. They wound this way and that, far down into the secret depths of 15778the cave, made another mark, and branched off in search of novelties to 15779tell the upper world about. In one place they found a spacious cavern, 15780from whose ceiling depended a multitude of shining stalactites of the 15781length and circumference of a man's leg; they walked all about it, 15782wondering and admiring, and presently left it by one of the numerous 15783passages that opened into it. This shortly brought them to a bewitching 15784spring, whose basin was incrusted with a frostwork of glittering 15785crystals; it was in the midst of a cavern whose walls were supported by 15786many fantastic pillars which had been formed by the joining of great 15787stalactites and stalagmites together, the result of the ceaseless 15788water-drip of centuries. Under the roof vast knots of bats had packed 15789themselves together, thousands in a bunch; the lights disturbed the 15790creatures and they came flocking down by hundreds, squeaking and 15791darting furiously at the candles. Tom knew their ways and the danger of 15792this sort of conduct. He seized Becky's hand and hurried her into the 15793first corridor that offered; and none too soon, for a bat struck 15794Becky's light out with its wing while she was passing out of the 15795cavern. The bats chased the children a good distance; but the fugitives 15796plunged into every new passage that offered, and at last got rid of the 15797perilous things. Tom found a subterranean lake, shortly, which 15798stretched its dim length away until its shape was lost in the shadows. 15799He wanted to explore its borders, but concluded that it would be best 15800to sit down and rest awhile, first. Now, for the first time, the deep 15801stillness of the place laid a clammy hand upon the spirits of the 15802children. Becky said: 15803 15804"Why, I didn't notice, but it seems ever so long since I heard any of 15805the others." 15806 15807"Come to think, Becky, we are away down below them--and I don't know 15808how far away north, or south, or east, or whichever it is. We couldn't 15809hear them here." 15810 15811Becky grew apprehensive. 15812 15813"I wonder how long we've been down here, Tom? We better start back." 15814 15815"Yes, I reckon we better. P'raps we better." 15816 15817"Can you find the way, Tom? It's all a mixed-up crookedness to me." 15818 15819"I reckon I could find it--but then the bats. If they put our candles 15820out it will be an awful fix. Let's try some other way, so as not to go 15821through there." 15822 15823"Well. But I hope we won't get lost. It would be so awful!" and the 15824girl shuddered at the thought of the dreadful possibilities. 15825 15826They started through a corridor, and traversed it in silence a long 15827way, glancing at each new opening, to see if there was anything 15828familiar about the look of it; but they were all strange. Every time 15829Tom made an examination, Becky would watch his face for an encouraging 15830sign, and he would say cheerily: 15831 15832"Oh, it's all right. This ain't the one, but we'll come to it right 15833away!" 15834 15835But he felt less and less hopeful with each failure, and presently 15836began to turn off into diverging avenues at sheer random, in desperate 15837hope of finding the one that was wanted. He still said it was "all 15838right," but there was such a leaden dread at his heart that the words 15839had lost their ring and sounded just as if he had said, "All is lost!" 15840Becky clung to his side in an anguish of fear, and tried hard to keep 15841back the tears, but they would come. At last she said: 15842 15843"Oh, Tom, never mind the bats, let's go back that way! We seem to get 15844worse and worse off all the time." 15845 15846"Listen!" said he. 15847 15848Profound silence; silence so deep that even their breathings were 15849conspicuous in the hush. Tom shouted. The call went echoing down the 15850empty aisles and died out in the distance in a faint sound that 15851resembled a ripple of mocking laughter. 15852 15853"Oh, don't do it again, Tom, it is too horrid," said Becky. 15854 15855"It is horrid, but I better, Becky; they might hear us, you know," and 15856he shouted again. 15857 15858The "might" was even a chillier horror than the ghostly laughter, it 15859so confessed a perishing hope. The children stood still and listened; 15860but there was no result. Tom turned upon the back track at once, and 15861hurried his steps. It was but a little while before a certain 15862indecision in his manner revealed another fearful fact to Becky--he 15863could not find his way back! 15864 15865"Oh, Tom, you didn't make any marks!" 15866 15867"Becky, I was such a fool! Such a fool! I never thought we might want 15868to come back! No--I can't find the way. It's all mixed up." 15869 15870"Tom, Tom, we're lost! we're lost! We never can get out of this awful 15871place! Oh, why DID we ever leave the others!" 15872 15873She sank to the ground and burst into such a frenzy of crying that Tom 15874was appalled with the idea that she might die, or lose her reason. He 15875sat down by her and put his arms around her; she buried her face in his 15876bosom, she clung to him, she poured out her terrors, her unavailing 15877regrets, and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter. Tom 15878begged her to pluck up hope again, and she said she could not. He fell 15879to blaming and abusing himself for getting her into this miserable 15880situation; this had a better effect. She said she would try to hope 15881again, she would get up and follow wherever he might lead if only he 15882would not talk like that any more. For he was no more to blame than 15883she, she said. 15884 15885So they moved on again--aimlessly--simply at random--all they could do 15886was to move, keep moving. For a little while, hope made a show of 15887reviving--not with any reason to back it, but only because it is its 15888nature to revive when the spring has not been taken out of it by age 15889and familiarity with failure. 15890 15891By-and-by Tom took Becky's candle and blew it out. This economy meant 15892so much! Words were not needed. Becky understood, and her hope died 15893again. She knew that Tom had a whole candle and three or four pieces in 15894his pockets--yet he must economize. 15895 15896By-and-by, fatigue began to assert its claims; the children tried to 15897pay attention, for it was dreadful to think of sitting down when time 15898was grown to be so precious, moving, in some direction, in any 15899direction, was at least progress and might bear fruit; but to sit down 15900was to invite death and shorten its pursuit. 15901 15902At last Becky's frail limbs refused to carry her farther. She sat 15903down. Tom rested with her, and they talked of home, and the friends 15904there, and the comfortable beds and, above all, the light! Becky cried, 15905and Tom tried to think of some way of comforting her, but all his 15906encouragements were grown threadbare with use, and sounded like 15907sarcasms. Fatigue bore so heavily upon Becky that she drowsed off to 15908sleep. Tom was grateful. He sat looking into her drawn face and saw it 15909grow smooth and natural under the influence of pleasant dreams; and 15910by-and-by a smile dawned and rested there. The peaceful face reflected 15911somewhat of peace and healing into his own spirit, and his thoughts 15912wandered away to bygone times and dreamy memories. While he was deep in 15913his musings, Becky woke up with a breezy little laugh--but it was 15914stricken dead upon her lips, and a groan followed it. 15915 15916"Oh, how COULD I sleep! I wish I never, never had waked! No! No, I 15917don't, Tom! Don't look so! I won't say it again." 15918 15919"I'm glad you've slept, Becky; you'll feel rested, now, and we'll find 15920the way out." 15921 15922"We can try, Tom; but I've seen such a beautiful country in my dream. 15923I reckon we are going there." 15924 15925"Maybe not, maybe not. Cheer up, Becky, and let's go on trying." 15926 15927They rose up and wandered along, hand in hand and hopeless. They tried 15928to estimate how long they had been in the cave, but all they knew was 15929that it seemed days and weeks, and yet it was plain that this could not 15930be, for their candles were not gone yet. A long time after this--they 15931could not tell how long--Tom said they must go softly and listen for 15932dripping water--they must find a spring. They found one presently, and 15933Tom said it was time to rest again. Both were cruelly tired, yet Becky 15934said she thought she could go a little farther. She was surprised to 15935hear Tom dissent. She could not understand it. They sat down, and Tom 15936fastened his candle to the wall in front of them with some clay. 15937Thought was soon busy; nothing was said for some time. Then Becky broke 15938the silence: 15939 15940"Tom, I am so hungry!" 15941 15942Tom took something out of his pocket. 15943 15944"Do you remember this?" said he. 15945 15946Becky almost smiled. 15947 15948"It's our wedding-cake, Tom." 15949 15950"Yes--I wish it was as big as a barrel, for it's all we've got." 15951 15952"I saved it from the picnic for us to dream on, Tom, the way grown-up 15953people do with wedding-cake--but it'll be our--" 15954 15955She dropped the sentence where it was. Tom divided the cake and Becky 15956ate with good appetite, while Tom nibbled at his moiety. There was 15957abundance of cold water to finish the feast with. By-and-by Becky 15958suggested that they move on again. Tom was silent a moment. Then he 15959said: 15960 15961"Becky, can you bear it if I tell you something?" 15962 15963Becky's face paled, but she thought she could. 15964 15965"Well, then, Becky, we must stay here, where there's water to drink. 15966That little piece is our last candle!" 15967 15968Becky gave loose to tears and wailings. Tom did what he could to 15969comfort her, but with little effect. At length Becky said: 15970 15971"Tom!" 15972 15973"Well, Becky?" 15974 15975"They'll miss us and hunt for us!" 15976 15977"Yes, they will! Certainly they will!" 15978 15979"Maybe they're hunting for us now, Tom." 15980 15981"Why, I reckon maybe they are. I hope they are." 15982 15983"When would they miss us, Tom?" 15984 15985"When they get back to the boat, I reckon." 15986 15987"Tom, it might be dark then--would they notice we hadn't come?" 15988 15989"I don't know. But anyway, your mother would miss you as soon as they 15990got home." 15991 15992A frightened look in Becky's face brought Tom to his senses and he saw 15993that he had made a blunder. Becky was not to have gone home that night! 15994The children became silent and thoughtful. In a moment a new burst of 15995grief from Becky showed Tom that the thing in his mind had struck hers 15996also--that the Sabbath morning might be half spent before Mrs. Thatcher 15997discovered that Becky was not at Mrs. Harper's. 15998 15999The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched 16000it melt slowly and pitilessly away; saw the half inch of wick stand 16001alone at last; saw the feeble flame rise and fall, climb the thin 16002column of smoke, linger at its top a moment, and then--the horror of 16003utter darkness reigned! 16004 16005How long afterward it was that Becky came to a slow consciousness that 16006she was crying in Tom's arms, neither could tell. All that they knew 16007was, that after what seemed a mighty stretch of time, both awoke out of 16008a dead stupor of sleep and resumed their miseries once more. Tom said 16009it might be Sunday, now--maybe Monday. He tried to get Becky to talk, 16010but her sorrows were too oppressive, all her hopes were gone. Tom said 16011that they must have been missed long ago, and no doubt the search was 16012going on. He would shout and maybe some one would come. He tried it; 16013but in the darkness the distant echoes sounded so hideously that he 16014tried it no more. 16015 16016The hours wasted away, and hunger came to torment the captives again. 16017A portion of Tom's half of the cake was left; they divided and ate it. 16018But they seemed hungrier than before. The poor morsel of food only 16019whetted desire. 16020 16021By-and-by Tom said: 16022 16023"SH! Did you hear that?" 16024 16025Both held their breath and listened. There was a sound like the 16026faintest, far-off shout. Instantly Tom answered it, and leading Becky 16027by the hand, started groping down the corridor in its direction. 16028Presently he listened again; again the sound was heard, and apparently 16029a little nearer. 16030 16031"It's them!" said Tom; "they're coming! Come along, Becky--we're all 16032right now!" 16033 16034The joy of the prisoners was almost overwhelming. Their speed was 16035slow, however, because pitfalls were somewhat common, and had to be 16036guarded against. They shortly came to one and had to stop. It might be 16037three feet deep, it might be a hundred--there was no passing it at any 16038rate. Tom got down on his breast and reached as far down as he could. 16039No bottom. They must stay there and wait until the searchers came. They 16040listened; evidently the distant shoutings were growing more distant! a 16041moment or two more and they had gone altogether. The heart-sinking 16042misery of it! Tom whooped until he was hoarse, but it was of no use. He 16043talked hopefully to Becky; but an age of anxious waiting passed and no 16044sounds came again. 16045 16046The children groped their way back to the spring. The weary time 16047dragged on; they slept again, and awoke famished and woe-stricken. Tom 16048believed it must be Tuesday by this time. 16049 16050Now an idea struck him. There were some side passages near at hand. It 16051would be better to explore some of these than bear the weight of the 16052heavy time in idleness. He took a kite-line from his pocket, tied it to 16053a projection, and he and Becky started, Tom in the lead, unwinding the 16054line as he groped along. At the end of twenty steps the corridor ended 16055in a "jumping-off place." Tom got down on his knees and felt below, and 16056then as far around the corner as he could reach with his hands 16057conveniently; he made an effort to stretch yet a little farther to the 16058right, and at that moment, not twenty yards away, a human hand, holding 16059a candle, appeared from behind a rock! Tom lifted up a glorious shout, 16060and instantly that hand was followed by the body it belonged to--Injun 16061Joe's! Tom was paralyzed; he could not move. He was vastly gratified 16062the next moment, to see the "Spaniard" take to his heels and get 16063himself out of sight. Tom wondered that Joe had not recognized his 16064voice and come over and killed him for testifying in court. But the 16065echoes must have disguised the voice. Without doubt, that was it, he 16066reasoned. Tom's fright weakened every muscle in his body. He said to 16067himself that if he had strength enough to get back to the spring he 16068would stay there, and nothing should tempt him to run the risk of 16069meeting Injun Joe again. He was careful to keep from Becky what it was 16070he had seen. He told her he had only shouted "for luck." 16071 16072But hunger and wretchedness rise superior to fears in the long run. 16073Another tedious wait at the spring and another long sleep brought 16074changes. The children awoke tortured with a raging hunger. Tom believed 16075that it must be Wednesday or Thursday or even Friday or Saturday, now, 16076and that the search had been given over. He proposed to explore another 16077passage. He felt willing to risk Injun Joe and all other terrors. But 16078Becky was very weak. She had sunk into a dreary apathy and would not be 16079roused. She said she would wait, now, where she was, and die--it would 16080not be long. She told Tom to go with the kite-line and explore if he 16081chose; but she implored him to come back every little while and speak 16082to her; and she made him promise that when the awful time came, he 16083would stay by her and hold her hand until all was over. 16084 16085Tom kissed her, with a choking sensation in his throat, and made a 16086show of being confident of finding the searchers or an escape from the 16087cave; then he took the kite-line in his hand and went groping down one 16088of the passages on his hands and knees, distressed with hunger and sick 16089with bodings of coming doom. 16090 16091 16092 16093CHAPTER XXXII 16094 16095TUESDAY afternoon came, and waned to the twilight. The village of St. 16096Petersburg still mourned. The lost children had not been found. Public 16097prayers had been offered up for them, and many and many a private 16098prayer that had the petitioner's whole heart in it; but still no good 16099news came from the cave. The majority of the searchers had given up the 16100quest and gone back to their daily avocations, saying that it was plain 16101the children could never be found. Mrs. Thatcher was very ill, and a 16102great part of the time delirious. People said it was heartbreaking to 16103hear her call her child, and raise her head and listen a whole minute 16104at a time, then lay it wearily down again with a moan. Aunt Polly had 16105drooped into a settled melancholy, and her gray hair had grown almost 16106white. The village went to its rest on Tuesday night, sad and forlorn. 16107 16108Away in the middle of the night a wild peal burst from the village 16109bells, and in a moment the streets were swarming with frantic half-clad 16110people, who shouted, "Turn out! turn out! they're found! they're 16111found!" Tin pans and horns were added to the din, the population massed 16112itself and moved toward the river, met the children coming in an open 16113carriage drawn by shouting citizens, thronged around it, joined its 16114homeward march, and swept magnificently up the main street roaring 16115huzzah after huzzah! 16116 16117The village was illuminated; nobody went to bed again; it was the 16118greatest night the little town had ever seen. During the first half-hour 16119a procession of villagers filed through Judge Thatcher's house, seized 16120the saved ones and kissed them, squeezed Mrs. Thatcher's hand, tried to 16121speak but couldn't--and drifted out raining tears all over the place. 16122 16123Aunt Polly's happiness was complete, and Mrs. Thatcher's nearly so. It 16124would be complete, however, as soon as the messenger dispatched with 16125the great news to the cave should get the word to her husband. Tom lay 16126upon a sofa with an eager auditory about him and told the history of 16127the wonderful adventure, putting in many striking additions to adorn it 16128withal; and closed with a description of how he left Becky and went on 16129an exploring expedition; how he followed two avenues as far as his 16130kite-line would reach; how he followed a third to the fullest stretch of 16131the kite-line, and was about to turn back when he glimpsed a far-off 16132speck that looked like daylight; dropped the line and groped toward it, 16133pushed his head and shoulders through a small hole, and saw the broad 16134Mississippi rolling by! And if it had only happened to be night he would 16135not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that 16136passage any more! He told how he went back for Becky and broke the good 16137news and she told him not to fret her with such stuff, for she was 16138tired, and knew she was going to die, and wanted to. He described how he 16139labored with her and convinced her; and how she almost died for joy when 16140she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight; how 16141he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out; how they sat 16142there and cried for gladness; how some men came along in a skiff and Tom 16143hailed them and told them their situation and their famished condition; 16144how the men didn't believe the wild tale at first, "because," said they, 16145"you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in" 16146--then took them aboard, rowed to a house, gave them supper, made them 16147rest till two or three hours after dark and then brought them home. 16148 16149Before day-dawn, Judge Thatcher and the handful of searchers with him 16150were tracked out, in the cave, by the twine clews they had strung 16151behind them, and informed of the great news. 16152 16153Three days and nights of toil and hunger in the cave were not to be 16154shaken off at once, as Tom and Becky soon discovered. They were 16155bedridden all of Wednesday and Thursday, and seemed to grow more and 16156more tired and worn, all the time. Tom got about, a little, on 16157Thursday, was down-town Friday, and nearly as whole as ever Saturday; 16158but Becky did not leave her room until Sunday, and then she looked as 16159if she had passed through a wasting illness. 16160 16161Tom learned of Huck's sickness and went to see him on Friday, but 16162could not be admitted to the bedroom; neither could he on Saturday or 16163Sunday. He was admitted daily after that, but was warned to keep still 16164about his adventure and introduce no exciting topic. The Widow Douglas 16165stayed by to see that he obeyed. At home Tom learned of the Cardiff 16166Hill event; also that the "ragged man's" body had eventually been found 16167in the river near the ferry-landing; he had been drowned while trying 16168to escape, perhaps. 16169 16170About a fortnight after Tom's rescue from the cave, he started off to 16171visit Huck, who had grown plenty strong enough, now, to hear exciting 16172talk, and Tom had some that would interest him, he thought. Judge 16173Thatcher's house was on Tom's way, and he stopped to see Becky. The 16174Judge and some friends set Tom to talking, and some one asked him 16175ironically if he wouldn't like to go to the cave again. Tom said he 16176thought he wouldn't mind it. The Judge said: 16177 16178"Well, there are others just like you, Tom, I've not the least doubt. 16179But we have taken care of that. Nobody will get lost in that cave any 16180more." 16181 16182"Why?" 16183 16184"Because I had its big door sheathed with boiler iron two weeks ago, 16185and triple-locked--and I've got the keys." 16186 16187Tom turned as white as a sheet. 16188 16189"What's the matter, boy! Here, run, somebody! Fetch a glass of water!" 16190 16191The water was brought and thrown into Tom's face. 16192 16193"Ah, now you're all right. What was the matter with you, Tom?" 16194 16195"Oh, Judge, Injun Joe's in the cave!" 16196 16197 16198 16199CHAPTER XXXIII 16200 16201WITHIN a few minutes the news had spread, and a dozen skiff-loads of 16202men were on their way to McDougal's cave, and the ferryboat, well 16203filled with passengers, soon followed. Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that 16204bore Judge Thatcher. 16205 16206When the cave door was unlocked, a sorrowful sight presented itself in 16207the dim twilight of the place. Injun Joe lay stretched upon the ground, 16208dead, with his face close to the crack of the door, as if his longing 16209eyes had been fixed, to the latest moment, upon the light and the cheer 16210of the free world outside. Tom was touched, for he knew by his own 16211experience how this wretch had suffered. His pity was moved, but 16212nevertheless he felt an abounding sense of relief and security, now, 16213which revealed to him in a degree which he had not fully appreciated 16214before how vast a weight of dread had been lying upon him since the day 16215he lifted his voice against this bloody-minded outcast. 16216 16217Injun Joe's bowie-knife lay close by, its blade broken in two. The 16218great foundation-beam of the door had been chipped and hacked through, 16219with tedious labor; useless labor, too, it was, for the native rock 16220formed a sill outside it, and upon that stubborn material the knife had 16221wrought no effect; the only damage done was to the knife itself. But if 16222there had been no stony obstruction there the labor would have been 16223useless still, for if the beam had been wholly cut away Injun Joe could 16224not have squeezed his body under the door, and he knew it. So he had 16225only hacked that place in order to be doing something--in order to pass 16226the weary time--in order to employ his tortured faculties. Ordinarily 16227one could find half a dozen bits of candle stuck around in the crevices 16228of this vestibule, left there by tourists; but there were none now. The 16229prisoner had searched them out and eaten them. He had also contrived to 16230catch a few bats, and these, also, he had eaten, leaving only their 16231claws. The poor unfortunate had starved to death. In one place, near at 16232hand, a stalagmite had been slowly growing up from the ground for ages, 16233builded by the water-drip from a stalactite overhead. The captive had 16234broken off the stalagmite, and upon the stump had placed a stone, 16235wherein he had scooped a shallow hollow to catch the precious drop 16236that fell once in every three minutes with the dreary regularity of a 16237clock-tick--a dessertspoonful once in four and twenty hours. That drop 16238was falling when the Pyramids were new; when Troy fell; when the 16239foundations of Rome were laid; when Christ was crucified; when the 16240Conqueror created the British empire; when Columbus sailed; when the 16241massacre at Lexington was "news." It is falling now; it will still be 16242falling when all these things shall have sunk down the afternoon of 16243history, and the twilight of tradition, and been swallowed up in the 16244thick night of oblivion. Has everything a purpose and a mission? Did 16245this drop fall patiently during five thousand years to be ready for 16246this flitting human insect's need? and has it another important object 16247to accomplish ten thousand years to come? No matter. It is many and 16248many a year since the hapless half-breed scooped out the stone to catch 16249the priceless drops, but to this day the tourist stares longest at that 16250pathetic stone and that slow-dropping water when he comes to see the 16251wonders of McDougal's cave. Injun Joe's cup stands first in the list of 16252the cavern's marvels; even "Aladdin's Palace" cannot rival it. 16253 16254Injun Joe was buried near the mouth of the cave; and people flocked 16255there in boats and wagons from the towns and from all the farms and 16256hamlets for seven miles around; they brought their children, and all 16257sorts of provisions, and confessed that they had had almost as 16258satisfactory a time at the funeral as they could have had at the 16259hanging. 16260 16261This funeral stopped the further growth of one thing--the petition to 16262the governor for Injun Joe's pardon. The petition had been largely 16263signed; many tearful and eloquent meetings had been held, and a 16264committee of sappy women been appointed to go in deep mourning and wail 16265around the governor, and implore him to be a merciful ass and trample 16266his duty under foot. Injun Joe was believed to have killed five 16267citizens of the village, but what of that? If he had been Satan himself 16268there would have been plenty of weaklings ready to scribble their names 16269to a pardon-petition, and drip a tear on it from their permanently 16270impaired and leaky water-works. 16271 16272The morning after the funeral Tom took Huck to a private place to have 16273an important talk. Huck had learned all about Tom's adventure from the 16274Welshman and the Widow Douglas, by this time, but Tom said he reckoned 16275there was one thing they had not told him; that thing was what he 16276wanted to talk about now. Huck's face saddened. He said: 16277 16278"I know what it is. You got into No. 2 and never found anything but 16279whiskey. Nobody told me it was you; but I just knowed it must 'a' ben 16280you, soon as I heard 'bout that whiskey business; and I knowed you 16281hadn't got the money becuz you'd 'a' got at me some way or other and 16282told me even if you was mum to everybody else. Tom, something's always 16283told me we'd never get holt of that swag." 16284 16285"Why, Huck, I never told on that tavern-keeper. YOU know his tavern 16286was all right the Saturday I went to the picnic. Don't you remember you 16287was to watch there that night?" 16288 16289"Oh yes! Why, it seems 'bout a year ago. It was that very night that I 16290follered Injun Joe to the widder's." 16291 16292"YOU followed him?" 16293 16294"Yes--but you keep mum. I reckon Injun Joe's left friends behind him, 16295and I don't want 'em souring on me and doing me mean tricks. If it 16296hadn't ben for me he'd be down in Texas now, all right." 16297 16298Then Huck told his entire adventure in confidence to Tom, who had only 16299heard of the Welshman's part of it before. 16300 16301"Well," said Huck, presently, coming back to the main question, 16302"whoever nipped the whiskey in No. 2, nipped the money, too, I reckon 16303--anyways it's a goner for us, Tom." 16304 16305"Huck, that money wasn't ever in No. 2!" 16306 16307"What!" Huck searched his comrade's face keenly. "Tom, have you got on 16308the track of that money again?" 16309 16310"Huck, it's in the cave!" 16311 16312Huck's eyes blazed. 16313 16314"Say it again, Tom." 16315 16316"The money's in the cave!" 16317 16318"Tom--honest injun, now--is it fun, or earnest?" 16319 16320"Earnest, Huck--just as earnest as ever I was in my life. Will you go 16321in there with me and help get it out?" 16322 16323"I bet I will! I will if it's where we can blaze our way to it and not 16324get lost." 16325 16326"Huck, we can do that without the least little bit of trouble in the 16327world." 16328 16329"Good as wheat! What makes you think the money's--" 16330 16331"Huck, you just wait till we get in there. If we don't find it I'll 16332agree to give you my drum and every thing I've got in the world. I 16333will, by jings." 16334 16335"All right--it's a whiz. When do you say?" 16336 16337"Right now, if you say it. Are you strong enough?" 16338 16339"Is it far in the cave? I ben on my pins a little, three or four days, 16340now, but I can't walk more'n a mile, Tom--least I don't think I could." 16341 16342"It's about five mile into there the way anybody but me would go, 16343Huck, but there's a mighty short cut that they don't anybody but me 16344know about. Huck, I'll take you right to it in a skiff. I'll float the 16345skiff down there, and I'll pull it back again all by myself. You 16346needn't ever turn your hand over." 16347 16348"Less start right off, Tom." 16349 16350"All right. We want some bread and meat, and our pipes, and a little 16351bag or two, and two or three kite-strings, and some of these 16352new-fangled things they call lucifer matches. I tell you, many's 16353the time I wished I had some when I was in there before." 16354 16355A trifle after noon the boys borrowed a small skiff from a citizen who 16356was absent, and got under way at once. When they were several miles 16357below "Cave Hollow," Tom said: 16358 16359"Now you see this bluff here looks all alike all the way down from the 16360cave hollow--no houses, no wood-yards, bushes all alike. But do you see 16361that white place up yonder where there's been a landslide? Well, that's 16362one of my marks. We'll get ashore, now." 16363 16364They landed. 16365 16366"Now, Huck, where we're a-standing you could touch that hole I got out 16367of with a fishing-pole. See if you can find it." 16368 16369Huck searched all the place about, and found nothing. Tom proudly 16370marched into a thick clump of sumach bushes and said: 16371 16372"Here you are! Look at it, Huck; it's the snuggest hole in this 16373country. You just keep mum about it. All along I've been wanting to be 16374a robber, but I knew I'd got to have a thing like this, and where to 16375run across it was the bother. We've got it now, and we'll keep it 16376quiet, only we'll let Joe Harper and Ben Rogers in--because of course 16377there's got to be a Gang, or else there wouldn't be any style about it. 16378Tom Sawyer's Gang--it sounds splendid, don't it, Huck?" 16379 16380"Well, it just does, Tom. And who'll we rob?" 16381 16382"Oh, most anybody. Waylay people--that's mostly the way." 16383 16384"And kill them?" 16385 16386"No, not always. Hive them in the cave till they raise a ransom." 16387 16388"What's a ransom?" 16389 16390"Money. You make them raise all they can, off'n their friends; and 16391after you've kept them a year, if it ain't raised then you kill them. 16392That's the general way. Only you don't kill the women. You shut up the 16393women, but you don't kill them. They're always beautiful and rich, and 16394awfully scared. You take their watches and things, but you always take 16395your hat off and talk polite. They ain't anybody as polite as robbers 16396--you'll see that in any book. Well, the women get to loving you, and 16397after they've been in the cave a week or two weeks they stop crying and 16398after that you couldn't get them to leave. If you drove them out they'd 16399turn right around and come back. It's so in all the books." 16400 16401"Why, it's real bully, Tom. I believe it's better'n to be a pirate." 16402 16403"Yes, it's better in some ways, because it's close to home and 16404circuses and all that." 16405 16406By this time everything was ready and the boys entered the hole, Tom 16407in the lead. They toiled their way to the farther end of the tunnel, 16408then made their spliced kite-strings fast and moved on. A few steps 16409brought them to the spring, and Tom felt a shudder quiver all through 16410him. He showed Huck the fragment of candle-wick perched on a lump of 16411clay against the wall, and described how he and Becky had watched the 16412flame struggle and expire. 16413 16414The boys began to quiet down to whispers, now, for the stillness and 16415gloom of the place oppressed their spirits. They went on, and presently 16416entered and followed Tom's other corridor until they reached the 16417"jumping-off place." The candles revealed the fact that it was not 16418really a precipice, but only a steep clay hill twenty or thirty feet 16419high. Tom whispered: 16420 16421"Now I'll show you something, Huck." 16422 16423He held his candle aloft and said: 16424 16425"Look as far around the corner as you can. Do you see that? There--on 16426the big rock over yonder--done with candle-smoke." 16427 16428"Tom, it's a CROSS!" 16429 16430"NOW where's your Number Two? 'UNDER THE CROSS,' hey? Right yonder's 16431where I saw Injun Joe poke up his candle, Huck!" 16432 16433Huck stared at the mystic sign awhile, and then said with a shaky voice: 16434 16435"Tom, less git out of here!" 16436 16437"What! and leave the treasure?" 16438 16439"Yes--leave it. Injun Joe's ghost is round about there, certain." 16440 16441"No it ain't, Huck, no it ain't. It would ha'nt the place where he 16442died--away out at the mouth of the cave--five mile from here." 16443 16444"No, Tom, it wouldn't. It would hang round the money. I know the ways 16445of ghosts, and so do you." 16446 16447Tom began to fear that Huck was right. Misgivings gathered in his 16448mind. But presently an idea occurred to him-- 16449 16450"Lookyhere, Huck, what fools we're making of ourselves! Injun Joe's 16451ghost ain't a going to come around where there's a cross!" 16452 16453The point was well taken. It had its effect. 16454 16455"Tom, I didn't think of that. But that's so. It's luck for us, that 16456cross is. I reckon we'll climb down there and have a hunt for that box." 16457 16458Tom went first, cutting rude steps in the clay hill as he descended. 16459Huck followed. Four avenues opened out of the small cavern which the 16460great rock stood in. The boys examined three of them with no result. 16461They found a small recess in the one nearest the base of the rock, with 16462a pallet of blankets spread down in it; also an old suspender, some 16463bacon rind, and the well-gnawed bones of two or three fowls. But there 16464was no money-box. The lads searched and researched this place, but in 16465vain. Tom said: 16466 16467"He said UNDER the cross. Well, this comes nearest to being under the 16468cross. It can't be under the rock itself, because that sets solid on 16469the ground." 16470 16471They searched everywhere once more, and then sat down discouraged. 16472Huck could suggest nothing. By-and-by Tom said: 16473 16474"Lookyhere, Huck, there's footprints and some candle-grease on the 16475clay about one side of this rock, but not on the other sides. Now, 16476what's that for? I bet you the money IS under the rock. I'm going to 16477dig in the clay." 16478 16479"That ain't no bad notion, Tom!" said Huck with animation. 16480 16481Tom's "real Barlow" was out at once, and he had not dug four inches 16482before he struck wood. 16483 16484"Hey, Huck!--you hear that?" 16485 16486Huck began to dig and scratch now. Some boards were soon uncovered and 16487removed. They had concealed a natural chasm which led under the rock. 16488Tom got into this and held his candle as far under the rock as he 16489could, but said he could not see to the end of the rift. He proposed to 16490explore. He stooped and passed under; the narrow way descended 16491gradually. He followed its winding course, first to the right, then to 16492the left, Huck at his heels. Tom turned a short curve, by-and-by, and 16493exclaimed: 16494 16495"My goodness, Huck, lookyhere!" 16496 16497It was the treasure-box, sure enough, occupying a snug little cavern, 16498along with an empty powder-keg, a couple of guns in leather cases, two 16499or three pairs of old moccasins, a leather belt, and some other rubbish 16500well soaked with the water-drip. 16501 16502"Got it at last!" said Huck, ploughing among the tarnished coins with 16503his hand. "My, but we're rich, Tom!" 16504 16505"Huck, I always reckoned we'd get it. It's just too good to believe, 16506but we HAVE got it, sure! Say--let's not fool around here. Let's snake 16507it out. Lemme see if I can lift the box." 16508 16509It weighed about fifty pounds. Tom could lift it, after an awkward 16510fashion, but could not carry it conveniently. 16511 16512"I thought so," he said; "THEY carried it like it was heavy, that day 16513at the ha'nted house. I noticed that. I reckon I was right to think of 16514fetching the little bags along." 16515 16516The money was soon in the bags and the boys took it up to the cross 16517rock. 16518 16519"Now less fetch the guns and things," said Huck. 16520 16521"No, Huck--leave them there. They're just the tricks to have when we 16522go to robbing. We'll keep them there all the time, and we'll hold our 16523orgies there, too. It's an awful snug place for orgies." 16524 16525"What orgies?" 16526 16527"I dono. But robbers always have orgies, and of course we've got to 16528have them, too. Come along, Huck, we've been in here a long time. It's 16529getting late, I reckon. I'm hungry, too. We'll eat and smoke when we 16530get to the skiff." 16531 16532They presently emerged into the clump of sumach bushes, looked warily 16533out, found the coast clear, and were soon lunching and smoking in the 16534skiff. As the sun dipped toward the horizon they pushed out and got 16535under way. Tom skimmed up the shore through the long twilight, chatting 16536cheerily with Huck, and landed shortly after dark. 16537 16538"Now, Huck," said Tom, "we'll hide the money in the loft of the 16539widow's woodshed, and I'll come up in the morning and we'll count it 16540and divide, and then we'll hunt up a place out in the woods for it 16541where it will be safe. Just you lay quiet here and watch the stuff till 16542I run and hook Benny Taylor's little wagon; I won't be gone a minute." 16543 16544He disappeared, and presently returned with the wagon, put the two 16545small sacks into it, threw some old rags on top of them, and started 16546off, dragging his cargo behind him. When the boys reached the 16547Welshman's house, they stopped to rest. Just as they were about to move 16548on, the Welshman stepped out and said: 16549 16550"Hallo, who's that?" 16551 16552"Huck and Tom Sawyer." 16553 16554"Good! Come along with me, boys, you are keeping everybody waiting. 16555Here--hurry up, trot ahead--I'll haul the wagon for you. Why, it's not 16556as light as it might be. Got bricks in it?--or old metal?" 16557 16558"Old metal," said Tom. 16559 16560"I judged so; the boys in this town will take more trouble and fool 16561away more time hunting up six bits' worth of old iron to sell to the 16562foundry than they would to make twice the money at regular work. But 16563that's human nature--hurry along, hurry along!" 16564 16565The boys wanted to know what the hurry was about. 16566 16567"Never mind; you'll see, when we get to the Widow Douglas'." 16568 16569Huck said with some apprehension--for he was long used to being 16570falsely accused: 16571 16572"Mr. Jones, we haven't been doing nothing." 16573 16574The Welshman laughed. 16575 16576"Well, I don't know, Huck, my boy. I don't know about that. Ain't you 16577and the widow good friends?" 16578 16579"Yes. Well, she's ben good friends to me, anyway." 16580 16581"All right, then. What do you want to be afraid for?" 16582 16583This question was not entirely answered in Huck's slow mind before he 16584found himself pushed, along with Tom, into Mrs. Douglas' drawing-room. 16585Mr. Jones left the wagon near the door and followed. 16586 16587The place was grandly lighted, and everybody that was of any 16588consequence in the village was there. The Thatchers were there, the 16589Harpers, the Rogerses, Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, the minister, the editor, 16590and a great many more, and all dressed in their best. The widow 16591received the boys as heartily as any one could well receive two such 16592looking beings. They were covered with clay and candle-grease. Aunt 16593Polly blushed crimson with humiliation, and frowned and shook her head 16594at Tom. Nobody suffered half as much as the two boys did, however. Mr. 16595Jones said: 16596 16597"Tom wasn't at home, yet, so I gave him up; but I stumbled on him and 16598Huck right at my door, and so I just brought them along in a hurry." 16599 16600"And you did just right," said the widow. "Come with me, boys." 16601 16602She took them to a bedchamber and said: 16603 16604"Now wash and dress yourselves. Here are two new suits of clothes 16605--shirts, socks, everything complete. They're Huck's--no, no thanks, 16606Huck--Mr. Jones bought one and I the other. But they'll fit both of you. 16607Get into them. We'll wait--come down when you are slicked up enough." 16608 16609Then she left. 16610 16611 16612 16613CHAPTER XXXIV 16614 16615HUCK said: "Tom, we can slope, if we can find a rope. The window ain't 16616high from the ground." 16617 16618"Shucks! what do you want to slope for?" 16619 16620"Well, I ain't used to that kind of a crowd. I can't stand it. I ain't 16621going down there, Tom." 16622 16623"Oh, bother! It ain't anything. I don't mind it a bit. I'll take care 16624of you." 16625 16626Sid appeared. 16627 16628"Tom," said he, "auntie has been waiting for you all the afternoon. 16629Mary got your Sunday clothes ready, and everybody's been fretting about 16630you. Say--ain't this grease and clay, on your clothes?" 16631 16632"Now, Mr. Siddy, you jist 'tend to your own business. What's all this 16633blow-out about, anyway?" 16634 16635"It's one of the widow's parties that she's always having. This time 16636it's for the Welshman and his sons, on account of that scrape they 16637helped her out of the other night. And say--I can tell you something, 16638if you want to know." 16639 16640"Well, what?" 16641 16642"Why, old Mr. Jones is going to try to spring something on the people 16643here to-night, but I overheard him tell auntie to-day about it, as a 16644secret, but I reckon it's not much of a secret now. Everybody knows 16645--the widow, too, for all she tries to let on she don't. Mr. Jones was 16646bound Huck should be here--couldn't get along with his grand secret 16647without Huck, you know!" 16648 16649"Secret about what, Sid?" 16650 16651"About Huck tracking the robbers to the widow's. I reckon Mr. Jones 16652was going to make a grand time over his surprise, but I bet you it will 16653drop pretty flat." 16654 16655Sid chuckled in a very contented and satisfied way. 16656 16657"Sid, was it you that told?" 16658 16659"Oh, never mind who it was. SOMEBODY told--that's enough." 16660 16661"Sid, there's only one person in this town mean enough to do that, and 16662that's you. If you had been in Huck's place you'd 'a' sneaked down the 16663hill and never told anybody on the robbers. You can't do any but mean 16664things, and you can't bear to see anybody praised for doing good ones. 16665There--no thanks, as the widow says"--and Tom cuffed Sid's ears and 16666helped him to the door with several kicks. "Now go and tell auntie if 16667you dare--and to-morrow you'll catch it!" 16668 16669Some minutes later the widow's guests were at the supper-table, and a 16670dozen children were propped up at little side-tables in the same room, 16671after the fashion of that country and that day. At the proper time Mr. 16672Jones made his little speech, in which he thanked the widow for the 16673honor she was doing himself and his sons, but said that there was 16674another person whose modesty-- 16675 16676And so forth and so on. He sprung his secret about Huck's share in the 16677adventure in the finest dramatic manner he was master of, but the 16678surprise it occasioned was largely counterfeit and not as clamorous and 16679effusive as it might have been under happier circumstances. However, 16680the widow made a pretty fair show of astonishment, and heaped so many 16681compliments and so much gratitude upon Huck that he almost forgot the 16682nearly intolerable discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely 16683intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody's gaze 16684and everybody's laudations. 16685 16686The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have 16687him educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start 16688him in business in a modest way. Tom's chance was come. He said: 16689 16690"Huck don't need it. Huck's rich." 16691 16692Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the company kept 16693back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant joke. But 16694the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it: 16695 16696"Huck's got money. Maybe you don't believe it, but he's got lots of 16697it. Oh, you needn't smile--I reckon I can show you. You just wait a 16698minute." 16699 16700Tom ran out of doors. The company looked at each other with a 16701perplexed interest--and inquiringly at Huck, who was tongue-tied. 16702 16703"Sid, what ails Tom?" said Aunt Polly. "He--well, there ain't ever any 16704making of that boy out. I never--" 16705 16706Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and Aunt Polly 16707did not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin upon 16708the table and said: 16709 16710"There--what did I tell you? Half of it's Huck's and half of it's mine!" 16711 16712The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody spoke 16713for a moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom 16714said he could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brimful of 16715interest. There was scarcely an interruption from any one to break the 16716charm of its flow. When he had finished, Mr. Jones said: 16717 16718"I thought I had fixed up a little surprise for this occasion, but it 16719don't amount to anything now. This one makes it sing mighty small, I'm 16720willing to allow." 16721 16722The money was counted. The sum amounted to a little over twelve 16723thousand dollars. It was more than any one present had ever seen at one 16724time before, though several persons were there who were worth 16725considerably more than that in property. 16726 16727 16728 16729CHAPTER XXXV 16730 16731THE reader may rest satisfied that Tom's and Huck's windfall made a 16732mighty stir in the poor little village of St. Petersburg. So vast a 16733sum, all in actual cash, seemed next to incredible. It was talked 16734about, gloated over, glorified, until the reason of many of the 16735citizens tottered under the strain of the unhealthy excitement. Every 16736"haunted" house in St. Petersburg and the neighboring villages was 16737dissected, plank by plank, and its foundations dug up and ransacked for 16738hidden treasure--and not by boys, but men--pretty grave, unromantic 16739men, too, some of them. Wherever Tom and Huck appeared they were 16740courted, admired, stared at. The boys were not able to remember that 16741their remarks had possessed weight before; but now their sayings were 16742treasured and repeated; everything they did seemed somehow to be 16743regarded as remarkable; they had evidently lost the power of doing and 16744saying commonplace things; moreover, their past history was raked up 16745and discovered to bear marks of conspicuous originality. The village 16746paper published biographical sketches of the boys. 16747 16748The Widow Douglas put Huck's money out at six per cent., and Judge 16749Thatcher did the same with Tom's at Aunt Polly's request. Each lad had 16750an income, now, that was simply prodigious--a dollar for every week-day 16751in the year and half of the Sundays. It was just what the minister got 16752--no, it was what he was promised--he generally couldn't collect it. A 16753dollar and a quarter a week would board, lodge, and school a boy in 16754those old simple days--and clothe him and wash him, too, for that 16755matter. 16756 16757Judge Thatcher had conceived a great opinion of Tom. He said that no 16758commonplace boy would ever have got his daughter out of the cave. When 16759Becky told her father, in strict confidence, how Tom had taken her 16760whipping at school, the Judge was visibly moved; and when she pleaded 16761grace for the mighty lie which Tom had told in order to shift that 16762whipping from her shoulders to his own, the Judge said with a fine 16763outburst that it was a noble, a generous, a magnanimous lie--a lie that 16764was worthy to hold up its head and march down through history breast to 16765breast with George Washington's lauded Truth about the hatchet! Becky 16766thought her father had never looked so tall and so superb as when he 16767walked the floor and stamped his foot and said that. She went straight 16768off and told Tom about it. 16769 16770Judge Thatcher hoped to see Tom a great lawyer or a great soldier some 16771day. He said he meant to look to it that Tom should be admitted to the 16772National Military Academy and afterward trained in the best law school 16773in the country, in order that he might be ready for either career or 16774both. 16775 16776Huck Finn's wealth and the fact that he was now under the Widow 16777Douglas' protection introduced him into society--no, dragged him into 16778it, hurled him into it--and his sufferings were almost more than he 16779could bear. The widow's servants kept him clean and neat, combed and 16780brushed, and they bedded him nightly in unsympathetic sheets that had 16781not one little spot or stain which he could press to his heart and know 16782for a friend. He had to eat with a knife and fork; he had to use 16783napkin, cup, and plate; he had to learn his book, he had to go to 16784church; he had to talk so properly that speech was become insipid in 16785his mouth; whithersoever he turned, the bars and shackles of 16786civilization shut him in and bound him hand and foot. 16787 16788He bravely bore his miseries three weeks, and then one day turned up 16789missing. For forty-eight hours the widow hunted for him everywhere in 16790great distress. The public were profoundly concerned; they searched 16791high and low, they dragged the river for his body. Early the third 16792morning Tom Sawyer wisely went poking among some old empty hogsheads 16793down behind the abandoned slaughter-house, and in one of them he found 16794the refugee. Huck had slept there; he had just breakfasted upon some 16795stolen odds and ends of food, and was lying off, now, in comfort, with 16796his pipe. He was unkempt, uncombed, and clad in the same old ruin of 16797rags that had made him picturesque in the days when he was free and 16798happy. Tom routed him out, told him the trouble he had been causing, 16799and urged him to go home. Huck's face lost its tranquil content, and 16800took a melancholy cast. He said: 16801 16802"Don't talk about it, Tom. I've tried it, and it don't work; it don't 16803work, Tom. It ain't for me; I ain't used to it. The widder's good to 16804me, and friendly; but I can't stand them ways. She makes me get up just 16805at the same time every morning; she makes me wash, they comb me all to 16806thunder; she won't let me sleep in the woodshed; I got to wear them 16807blamed clothes that just smothers me, Tom; they don't seem to any air 16808git through 'em, somehow; and they're so rotten nice that I can't set 16809down, nor lay down, nor roll around anywher's; I hain't slid on a 16810cellar-door for--well, it 'pears to be years; I got to go to church and 16811sweat and sweat--I hate them ornery sermons! I can't ketch a fly in 16812there, I can't chaw. I got to wear shoes all Sunday. The widder eats by 16813a bell; she goes to bed by a bell; she gits up by a bell--everything's 16814so awful reg'lar a body can't stand it." 16815 16816"Well, everybody does that way, Huck." 16817 16818"Tom, it don't make no difference. I ain't everybody, and I can't 16819STAND it. It's awful to be tied up so. And grub comes too easy--I don't 16820take no interest in vittles, that way. I got to ask to go a-fishing; I 16821got to ask to go in a-swimming--dern'd if I hain't got to ask to do 16822everything. Well, I'd got to talk so nice it wasn't no comfort--I'd got 16823to go up in the attic and rip out awhile, every day, to git a taste in 16824my mouth, or I'd a died, Tom. The widder wouldn't let me smoke; she 16825wouldn't let me yell, she wouldn't let me gape, nor stretch, nor 16826scratch, before folks--" [Then with a spasm of special irritation and 16827injury]--"And dad fetch it, she prayed all the time! I never see such a 16828woman! I HAD to shove, Tom--I just had to. And besides, that school's 16829going to open, and I'd a had to go to it--well, I wouldn't stand THAT, 16830Tom. Looky here, Tom, being rich ain't what it's cracked up to be. It's 16831just worry and worry, and sweat and sweat, and a-wishing you was dead 16832all the time. Now these clothes suits me, and this bar'l suits me, and 16833I ain't ever going to shake 'em any more. Tom, I wouldn't ever got into 16834all this trouble if it hadn't 'a' ben for that money; now you just take 16835my sheer of it along with your'n, and gimme a ten-center sometimes--not 16836many times, becuz I don't give a dern for a thing 'thout it's tollable 16837hard to git--and you go and beg off for me with the widder." 16838 16839"Oh, Huck, you know I can't do that. 'Tain't fair; and besides if 16840you'll try this thing just a while longer you'll come to like it." 16841 16842"Like it! Yes--the way I'd like a hot stove if I was to set on it long 16843enough. No, Tom, I won't be rich, and I won't live in them cussed 16844smothery houses. I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and 16845I'll stick to 'em, too. Blame it all! just as we'd got guns, and a 16846cave, and all just fixed to rob, here this dern foolishness has got to 16847come up and spile it all!" 16848 16849Tom saw his opportunity-- 16850 16851"Lookyhere, Huck, being rich ain't going to keep me back from turning 16852robber." 16853 16854"No! Oh, good-licks; are you in real dead-wood earnest, Tom?" 16855 16856"Just as dead earnest as I'm sitting here. But Huck, we can't let you 16857into the gang if you ain't respectable, you know." 16858 16859Huck's joy was quenched. 16860 16861"Can't let me in, Tom? Didn't you let me go for a pirate?" 16862 16863"Yes, but that's different. A robber is more high-toned than what a 16864pirate is--as a general thing. In most countries they're awful high up 16865in the nobility--dukes and such." 16866 16867"Now, Tom, hain't you always ben friendly to me? You wouldn't shet me 16868out, would you, Tom? You wouldn't do that, now, WOULD you, Tom?" 16869 16870"Huck, I wouldn't want to, and I DON'T want to--but what would people 16871say? Why, they'd say, 'Mph! Tom Sawyer's Gang! pretty low characters in 16872it!' They'd mean you, Huck. You wouldn't like that, and I wouldn't." 16873 16874Huck was silent for some time, engaged in a mental struggle. Finally 16875he said: 16876 16877"Well, I'll go back to the widder for a month and tackle it and see if 16878I can come to stand it, if you'll let me b'long to the gang, Tom." 16879 16880"All right, Huck, it's a whiz! Come along, old chap, and I'll ask the 16881widow to let up on you a little, Huck." 16882 16883"Will you, Tom--now will you? That's good. If she'll let up on some of 16884the roughest things, I'll smoke private and cuss private, and crowd 16885through or bust. When you going to start the gang and turn robbers?" 16886 16887"Oh, right off. We'll get the boys together and have the initiation 16888to-night, maybe." 16889 16890"Have the which?" 16891 16892"Have the initiation." 16893 16894"What's that?" 16895 16896"It's to swear to stand by one another, and never tell the gang's 16897secrets, even if you're chopped all to flinders, and kill anybody and 16898all his family that hurts one of the gang." 16899 16900"That's gay--that's mighty gay, Tom, I tell you." 16901 16902"Well, I bet it is. And all that swearing's got to be done at 16903midnight, in the lonesomest, awfulest place you can find--a ha'nted 16904house is the best, but they're all ripped up now." 16905 16906"Well, midnight's good, anyway, Tom." 16907 16908"Yes, so it is. And you've got to swear on a coffin, and sign it with 16909blood." 16910 16911"Now, that's something LIKE! Why, it's a million times bullier than 16912pirating. I'll stick to the widder till I rot, Tom; and if I git to be 16913a reg'lar ripper of a robber, and everybody talking 'bout it, I reckon 16914she'll be proud she snaked me in out of the wet." 16915 16916 16917 16918CONCLUSION 16919 16920SO endeth this chronicle. It being strictly a history of a BOY, it 16921must stop here; the story could not go much further without becoming 16922the history of a MAN. When one writes a novel about grown people, he 16923knows exactly where to stop--that is, with a marriage; but when he 16924writes of juveniles, he must stop where he best can. 16925 16926Most of the characters that perform in this book still live, and are 16927prosperous and happy. Some day it may seem worth while to take up the 16928story of the younger ones again and see what sort of men and women they 16929turned out to be; therefore it will be wisest not to reveal any of that 16930part of their lives at present. 16931Produced by David Widger. The previous edition was updated by Jose 16932Menendez. 16933 16934 16935 16936 16937 16938 THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER 16939 BY 16940 MARK TWAIN 16941 (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) 16942 16943 16944 16945 16946 P R E F A C E 16947 16948MOST of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or 16949two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were 16950schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but 16951not from an individual--he is a combination of the characteristics of 16952three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of 16953architecture. 16954 16955The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children 16956and slaves in the West at the period of this story--that is to say, 16957thirty or forty years ago. 16958 16959Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and 16960girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, 16961for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what 16962they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, 16963and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in. 16964 16965 THE AUTHOR. 16966 16967HARTFORD, 1876. 16968 16969 16970 16971 T O M S A W Y E R 16972 16973 16974 16975CHAPTER I 16976 16977"TOM!" 16978 16979No answer. 16980 16981"TOM!" 16982 16983No answer. 16984 16985"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!" 16986 16987No answer. 16988 16989The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the 16990room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or 16991never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her 16992state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not 16993service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. 16994She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but 16995still loud enough for the furniture to hear: 16996 16997"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--" 16998 16999She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching 17000under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the 17001punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat. 17002 17003"I never did see the beat of that boy!" 17004 17005She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the 17006tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. 17007So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and 17008shouted: 17009 17010"Y-o-u-u TOM!" 17011 17012There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to 17013seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight. 17014 17015"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in 17016there?" 17017 17018"Nothing." 17019 17020"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that 17021truck?" 17022 17023"I don't know, aunt." 17024 17025"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if 17026you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch." 17027 17028The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate-- 17029 17030"My! Look behind you, aunt!" 17031 17032The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The 17033lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and 17034disappeared over it. 17035 17036His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle 17037laugh. 17038 17039"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks 17040enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old 17041fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, 17042as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, 17043and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how 17044long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he 17045can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down 17046again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, 17047and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile 17048the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for 17049us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my 17050own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash 17051him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, 17052and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man 17053that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the 17054Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * 17055and [* Southwestern for "afternoon"] I'll just be obleeged to make him 17056work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work 17057Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more 17058than he hates anything else, and I've GOT to do some of my duty by him, 17059or I'll be the ruination of the child." 17060 17061Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home 17062barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's 17063wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in 17064time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the 17065work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already 17066through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a 17067quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways. 17068 17069While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity 17070offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and 17071very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like 17072many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she 17073was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she 17074loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low 17075cunning. Said she: 17076 17077"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?" 17078 17079"Yes'm." 17080 17081"Powerful warm, warn't it?" 17082 17083"Yes'm." 17084 17085"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?" 17086 17087A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. 17088He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said: 17089 17090"No'm--well, not very much." 17091 17092The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said: 17093 17094"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect 17095that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing 17096that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew 17097where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move: 17098 17099"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?" 17100 17101Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of 17102circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new 17103inspiration: 17104 17105"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to 17106pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!" 17107 17108The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His 17109shirt collar was securely sewed. 17110 17111"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey 17112and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a 17113singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. THIS time." 17114 17115She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom 17116had stumbled into obedient conduct for once. 17117 17118But Sidney said: 17119 17120"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, 17121but it's black." 17122 17123"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!" 17124 17125But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said: 17126 17127"Siddy, I'll lick you for that." 17128 17129In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into 17130the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle 17131carried white thread and the other black. He said: 17132 17133"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes 17134she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to 17135geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But 17136I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!" 17137 17138He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very 17139well though--and loathed him. 17140 17141Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. 17142Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him 17143than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore 17144them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's 17145misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This 17146new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just 17147acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. 17148It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, 17149produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short 17150intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how 17151to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave 17152him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full 17153of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an 17154astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as 17155strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with 17156the boy, not the astronomer. 17157 17158The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom 17159checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger 17160than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive 17161curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy 17162was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply 17163astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth 17164roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes 17165on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of 17166ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The 17167more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his 17168nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed 17169to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but 17170only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all 17171the time. Finally Tom said: 17172 17173"I can lick you!" 17174 17175"I'd like to see you try it." 17176 17177"Well, I can do it." 17178 17179"No you can't, either." 17180 17181"Yes I can." 17182 17183"No you can't." 17184 17185"I can." 17186 17187"You can't." 17188 17189"Can!" 17190 17191"Can't!" 17192 17193An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said: 17194 17195"What's your name?" 17196 17197"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe." 17198 17199"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business." 17200 17201"Well why don't you?" 17202 17203"If you say much, I will." 17204 17205"Much--much--MUCH. There now." 17206 17207"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with 17208one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to." 17209 17210"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it." 17211 17212"Well I WILL, if you fool with me." 17213 17214"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix." 17215 17216"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!" 17217 17218"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it 17219off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs." 17220 17221"You're a liar!" 17222 17223"You're another." 17224 17225"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up." 17226 17227"Aw--take a walk!" 17228 17229"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a 17230rock off'n your head." 17231 17232"Oh, of COURSE you will." 17233 17234"Well I WILL." 17235 17236"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? 17237Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid." 17238 17239"I AIN'T afraid." 17240 17241"You are." 17242 17243"I ain't." 17244 17245"You are." 17246 17247Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently 17248they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said: 17249 17250"Get away from here!" 17251 17252"Go away yourself!" 17253 17254"I won't." 17255 17256"I won't either." 17257 17258So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and 17259both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with 17260hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both 17261were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, 17262and Tom said: 17263 17264"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he 17265can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too." 17266 17267"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger 17268than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." 17269[Both brothers were imaginary.] 17270 17271"That's a lie." 17272 17273"YOUR saying so don't make it so." 17274 17275Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said: 17276 17277"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand 17278up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep." 17279 17280The new boy stepped over promptly, and said: 17281 17282"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it." 17283 17284"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out." 17285 17286"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?" 17287 17288"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it." 17289 17290The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out 17291with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys 17292were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and 17293for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and 17294clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered 17295themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and 17296through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and 17297pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he. 17298 17299The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage. 17300 17301"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on. 17302 17303At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up 17304and said: 17305 17306"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next 17307time." 17308 17309The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, 17310snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and 17311threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." 17312To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and 17313as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw 17314it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like 17315an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he 17316lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the 17317enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the 17318window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called 17319Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went 17320away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy. 17321 17322He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in 17323at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; 17324and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn 17325his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in 17326its firmness. 17327 17328 17329 17330CHAPTER II 17331 17332SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and 17333fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if 17334the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in 17335every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom 17336and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond 17337the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far 17338enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting. 17339 17340Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a 17341long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and 17342a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board 17343fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a 17344burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost 17345plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant 17346whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed 17347fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at 17348the gate with a tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals. Bringing water from 17349the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom's eyes, before, but 17350now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at 17351the pump. White, mulatto, and negro boys and girls were always there 17352waiting their turns, resting, trading playthings, quarrelling, 17353fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was only 17354a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket of 17355water under an hour--and even then somebody generally had to go after 17356him. Tom said: 17357 17358"Say, Jim, I'll fetch the water if you'll whitewash some." 17359 17360Jim shook his head and said: 17361 17362"Can't, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis 17363water an' not stop foolin' roun' wid anybody. She say she spec' Mars 17364Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an' so she tole me go 'long an' 'tend 17365to my own business--she 'lowed SHE'D 'tend to de whitewashin'." 17366 17367"Oh, never you mind what she said, Jim. That's the way she always 17368talks. Gimme the bucket--I won't be gone only a a minute. SHE won't 17369ever know." 17370 17371"Oh, I dasn't, Mars Tom. Ole missis she'd take an' tar de head off'n 17372me. 'Deed she would." 17373 17374"SHE! She never licks anybody--whacks 'em over the head with her 17375thimble--and who cares for that, I'd like to know. She talks awful, but 17376talk don't hurt--anyways it don't if she don't cry. Jim, I'll give you 17377a marvel. I'll give you a white alley!" 17378 17379Jim began to waver. 17380 17381"White alley, Jim! And it's a bully taw." 17382 17383"My! Dat's a mighty gay marvel, I tell you! But Mars Tom I's powerful 17384'fraid ole missis--" 17385 17386"And besides, if you will I'll show you my sore toe." 17387 17388Jim was only human--this attraction was too much for him. He put down 17389his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toe with absorbing 17390interest while the bandage was being unwound. In another moment he was 17391flying down the street with his pail and a tingling rear, Tom was 17392whitewashing with vigor, and Aunt Polly was retiring from the field 17393with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eye. 17394 17395But Tom's energy did not last. He began to think of the fun he had 17396planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied. Soon the free boys 17397would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and 17398they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very 17399thought of it burnt him like fire. He got out his worldly wealth and 17400examined it--bits of toys, marbles, and trash; enough to buy an 17401exchange of WORK, maybe, but not half enough to buy so much as half an 17402hour of pure freedom. So he returned his straitened means to his 17403pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys. At this dark 17404and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a 17405great, magnificent inspiration. 17406 17407He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. Ben Rogers hove in 17408sight presently--the very boy, of all boys, whose ridicule he had been 17409dreading. Ben's gait was the hop-skip-and-jump--proof enough that his 17410heart was light and his anticipations high. He was eating an apple, and 17411giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned 17412ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat. As 17413he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned 17414far over to starboard and rounded to ponderously and with laborious 17415pomp and circumstance--for he was personating the Big Missouri, and 17416considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. He was boat and 17417captain and engine-bells combined, so he had to imagine himself 17418standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them: 17419 17420"Stop her, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!" The headway ran almost out, and he 17421drew up slowly toward the sidewalk. 17422 17423"Ship up to back! Ting-a-ling-ling!" His arms straightened and 17424stiffened down his sides. 17425 17426"Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow! ch-chow-wow! 17427Chow!" His right hand, meantime, describing stately circles--for it was 17428representing a forty-foot wheel. 17429 17430"Let her go back on the labboard! Ting-a-lingling! Chow-ch-chow-chow!" 17431The left hand began to describe circles. 17432 17433"Stop the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Stop the labboard! Come ahead 17434on the stabboard! Stop her! Let your outside turn over slow! 17435Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ow-ow! Get out that head-line! LIVELY now! 17436Come--out with your spring-line--what're you about there! Take a turn 17437round that stump with the bight of it! Stand by that stage, now--let her 17438go! Done with the engines, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling! SH'T! S'H'T! SH'T!" 17439(trying the gauge-cocks). 17440 17441Tom went on whitewashing--paid no attention to the steamboat. Ben 17442stared a moment and then said: "Hi-YI! YOU'RE up a stump, ain't you!" 17443 17444No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist, then 17445he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as 17446before. Ben ranged up alongside of him. Tom's mouth watered for the 17447apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said: 17448 17449"Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?" 17450 17451Tom wheeled suddenly and said: 17452 17453"Why, it's you, Ben! I warn't noticing." 17454 17455"Say--I'm going in a-swimming, I am. Don't you wish you could? But of 17456course you'd druther WORK--wouldn't you? Course you would!" 17457 17458Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said: 17459 17460"What do you call work?" 17461 17462"Why, ain't THAT work?" 17463 17464Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: 17465 17466"Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain't. All I know, is, it suits Tom 17467Sawyer." 17468 17469"Oh come, now, you don't mean to let on that you LIKE it?" 17470 17471The brush continued to move. 17472 17473"Like it? Well, I don't see why I oughtn't to like it. Does a boy get 17474a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" 17475 17476That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom 17477swept his brush daintily back and forth--stepped back to note the 17478effect--added a touch here and there--criticised the effect again--Ben 17479watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more 17480absorbed. Presently he said: 17481 17482"Say, Tom, let ME whitewash a little." 17483 17484Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: 17485 17486"No--no--I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's 17487awful particular about this fence--right here on the street, you know 17488--but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and SHE wouldn't. Yes, 17489she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very 17490careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two 17491thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done." 17492 17493"No--is that so? Oh come, now--lemme just try. Only just a little--I'd 17494let YOU, if you was me, Tom." 17495 17496"Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly--well, Jim wanted to 17497do it, but she wouldn't let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn't 17498let Sid. Now don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this 17499fence and anything was to happen to it--" 17500 17501"Oh, shucks, I'll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say--I'll give 17502you the core of my apple." 17503 17504"Well, here--No, Ben, now don't. I'm afeard--" 17505 17506"I'll give you ALL of it!" 17507 17508Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his 17509heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in 17510the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, 17511dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more 17512innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every 17513little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time 17514Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for 17515a kite, in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in 17516for a dead rat and a string to swing it with--and so on, and so on, 17517hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being 17518a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling 17519in wealth. He had besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, 17520part of a jews-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a 17521spool cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, 17522a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six 17523fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass doorknob, a 17524dog-collar--but no dog--the handle of a knife, four pieces of 17525orange-peel, and a dilapidated old window sash. 17526 17527He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while--plenty of company 17528--and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out 17529of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village. 17530 17531Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He 17532had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it--namely, 17533that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only 17534necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great 17535and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have 17536comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is OBLIGED to do, 17537and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And 17538this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers 17539or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or 17540climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in 17541England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles 17542on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them 17543considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, 17544that would turn it into work and then they would resign. 17545 17546The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place 17547in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to 17548report. 17549 17550 17551 17552CHAPTER III 17553 17554TOM presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open 17555window in a pleasant rearward apartment, which was bedroom, 17556breakfast-room, dining-room, and library, combined. The balmy summer 17557air, the restful quiet, the odor of the flowers, and the drowsing murmur 17558of the bees had had their effect, and she was nodding over her knitting 17559--for she had no company but the cat, and it was asleep in her lap. Her 17560spectacles were propped up on her gray head for safety. She had thought 17561that of course Tom had deserted long ago, and she wondered at seeing him 17562place himself in her power again in this intrepid way. He said: "Mayn't 17563I go and play now, aunt?" 17564 17565"What, a'ready? How much have you done?" 17566 17567"It's all done, aunt." 17568 17569"Tom, don't lie to me--I can't bear it." 17570 17571"I ain't, aunt; it IS all done." 17572 17573Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see 17574for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. 17575of Tom's statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, 17576and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even 17577a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. 17578She said: 17579 17580"Well, I never! There's no getting round it, you can work when you're 17581a mind to, Tom." And then she diluted the compliment by adding, "But 17582it's powerful seldom you're a mind to, I'm bound to say. Well, go 'long 17583and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I'll tan you." 17584 17585She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took 17586him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to 17587him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a 17588treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. 17589And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he "hooked" a 17590doughnut. 17591 17592Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway 17593that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and 17594the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a 17595hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties 17596and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, 17597and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general 17598thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at 17599peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his 17600black thread and getting him into trouble. 17601 17602Tom skirted the block, and came round into a muddy alley that led by 17603the back of his aunt's cow-stable. He presently got safely beyond the 17604reach of capture and punishment, and hastened toward the public square 17605of the village, where two "military" companies of boys had met for 17606conflict, according to previous appointment. Tom was General of one of 17607these armies, Joe Harper (a bosom friend) General of the other. These 17608two great commanders did not condescend to fight in person--that being 17609better suited to the still smaller fry--but sat together on an eminence 17610and conducted the field operations by orders delivered through 17611aides-de-camp. Tom's army won a great victory, after a long and 17612hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, 17613the terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the 17614necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and 17615marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone. 17616 17617As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived, he saw a new 17618girl in the garden--a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair 17619plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered 17620pantalettes. The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A 17621certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a 17622memory of herself behind. He had thought he loved her to distraction; 17623he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor 17624little evanescent partiality. He had been months winning her; she had 17625confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest 17626boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time 17627she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is 17628done. 17629 17630He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she 17631had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, 17632and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to 17633win her admiration. He kept up this grotesque foolishness for some 17634time; but by-and-by, while he was in the midst of some dangerous 17635gymnastic performances, he glanced aside and saw that the little girl 17636was wending her way toward the house. Tom came up to the fence and 17637leaned on it, grieving, and hoping she would tarry yet awhile longer. 17638She halted a moment on the steps and then moved toward the door. Tom 17639heaved a great sigh as she put her foot on the threshold. But his face 17640lit up, right away, for she tossed a pansy over the fence a moment 17641before she disappeared. 17642 17643The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and 17644then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if 17645he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. 17646Presently he picked up a straw and began trying to balance it on his 17647nose, with his head tilted far back; and as he moved from side to side, 17648in his efforts, he edged nearer and nearer toward the pansy; finally 17649his bare foot rested upon it, his pliant toes closed upon it, and he 17650hopped away with the treasure and disappeared round the corner. But 17651only for a minute--only while he could button the flower inside his 17652jacket, next his heart--or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not 17653much posted in anatomy, and not hypercritical, anyway. 17654 17655He returned, now, and hung about the fence till nightfall, "showing 17656off," as before; but the girl never exhibited herself again, though Tom 17657comforted himself a little with the hope that she had been near some 17658window, meantime, and been aware of his attentions. Finally he strode 17659home reluctantly, with his poor head full of visions. 17660 17661All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered 17662"what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding 17663Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar 17664under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: 17665 17666"Aunt, you don't whack Sid when he takes it." 17667 17668"Well, Sid don't torment a body the way you do. You'd be always into 17669that sugar if I warn't watching you." 17670 17671Presently she stepped into the kitchen, and Sid, happy in his 17672immunity, reached for the sugar-bowl--a sort of glorying over Tom which 17673was wellnigh unbearable. But Sid's fingers slipped and the bowl dropped 17674and broke. Tom was in ecstasies. In such ecstasies that he even 17675controlled his tongue and was silent. He said to himself that he would 17676not speak a word, even when his aunt came in, but would sit perfectly 17677still till she asked who did the mischief; and then he would tell, and 17678there would be nothing so good in the world as to see that pet model 17679"catch it." He was so brimful of exultation that he could hardly hold 17680himself when the old lady came back and stood above the wreck 17681discharging lightnings of wrath from over her spectacles. He said to 17682himself, "Now it's coming!" And the next instant he was sprawling on 17683the floor! The potent palm was uplifted to strike again when Tom cried 17684out: 17685 17686"Hold on, now, what 'er you belting ME for?--Sid broke it!" 17687 17688Aunt Polly paused, perplexed, and Tom looked for healing pity. But 17689when she got her tongue again, she only said: 17690 17691"Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some 17692other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." 17693 17694Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something 17695kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a 17696confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. 17697So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. 17698Tom sulked in a corner and exalted his woes. He knew that in her heart 17699his aunt was on her knees to him, and he was morosely gratified by the 17700consciousness of it. He would hang out no signals, he would take notice 17701of none. He knew that a yearning glance fell upon him, now and then, 17702through a film of tears, but he refused recognition of it. He pictured 17703himself lying sick unto death and his aunt bending over him beseeching 17704one little forgiving word, but he would turn his face to the wall, and 17705die with that word unsaid. Ah, how would she feel then? And he pictured 17706himself brought home from the river, dead, with his curls all wet, and 17707his sore heart at rest. How she would throw herself upon him, and how 17708her tears would fall like rain, and her lips pray God to give her back 17709her boy and she would never, never abuse him any more! But he would lie 17710there cold and white and make no sign--a poor little sufferer, whose 17711griefs were at an end. He so worked upon his feelings with the pathos 17712of these dreams, that he had to keep swallowing, he was so like to 17713choke; and his eyes swam in a blur of water, which overflowed when he 17714winked, and ran down and trickled from the end of his nose. And such a 17715luxury to him was this petting of his sorrows, that he could not bear 17716to have any worldly cheeriness or any grating delight intrude upon it; 17717it was too sacred for such contact; and so, presently, when his cousin 17718Mary danced in, all alive with the joy of seeing home again after an 17719age-long visit of one week to the country, he got up and moved in 17720clouds and darkness out at one door as she brought song and sunshine in 17721at the other. 17722 17723He wandered far from the accustomed haunts of boys, and sought 17724desolate places that were in harmony with his spirit. A log raft in the 17725river invited him, and he seated himself on its outer edge and 17726contemplated the dreary vastness of the stream, wishing, the while, 17727that he could only be drowned, all at once and unconsciously, without 17728undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature. Then he thought 17729of his flower. He got it out, rumpled and wilted, and it mightily 17730increased his dismal felicity. He wondered if she would pity him if she 17731knew? Would she cry, and wish that she had a right to put her arms 17732around his neck and comfort him? Or would she turn coldly away like all 17733the hollow world? This picture brought such an agony of pleasurable 17734suffering that he worked it over and over again in his mind and set it 17735up in new and varied lights, till he wore it threadbare. At last he 17736rose up sighing and departed in the darkness. 17737 17738About half-past nine or ten o'clock he came along the deserted street 17739to where the Adored Unknown lived; he paused a moment; no sound fell 17740upon his listening ear; a candle was casting a dull glow upon the 17741curtain of a second-story window. Was the sacred presence there? He 17742climbed the fence, threaded his stealthy way through the plants, till 17743he stood under that window; he looked up at it long, and with emotion; 17744then he laid him down on the ground under it, disposing himself upon 17745his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast and holding his poor 17746wilted flower. And thus he would die--out in the cold world, with no 17747shelter over his homeless head, no friendly hand to wipe the 17748death-damps from his brow, no loving face to bend pityingly over him 17749when the great agony came. And thus SHE would see him when she looked 17750out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon 17751his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright 17752young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? 17753 17754The window went up, a maid-servant's discordant voice profaned the 17755holy calm, and a deluge of water drenched the prone martyr's remains! 17756 17757The strangling hero sprang up with a relieving snort. There was a whiz 17758as of a missile in the air, mingled with the murmur of a curse, a sound 17759as of shivering glass followed, and a small, vague form went over the 17760fence and shot away in the gloom. 17761 17762Not long after, as Tom, all undressed for bed, was surveying his 17763drenched garments by the light of a tallow dip, Sid woke up; but if he 17764had any dim idea of making any "references to allusions," he thought 17765better of it and held his peace, for there was danger in Tom's eye. 17766 17767Tom turned in without the added vexation of prayers, and Sid made 17768mental note of the omission. 17769 17770 17771 17772CHAPTER IV 17773 17774THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful 17775village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family 17776worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid 17777courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of 17778originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter 17779of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai. 17780 17781Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get 17782his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his 17783energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the 17784Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. 17785At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, 17786but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human 17787thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary 17788took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through 17789the fog: 17790 17791"Blessed are the--a--a--" 17792 17793"Poor"-- 17794 17795"Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--" 17796 17797"In spirit--" 17798 17799"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--" 17800 17801"THEIRS--" 17802 17803"For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 17804of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--" 17805 17806"Sh--" 17807 17808"For they--a--" 17809 17810"S, H, A--" 17811 17812"For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!" 17813 17814"SHALL!" 17815 17816"Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- 17817blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for 17818they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you 17819want to be so mean for?" 17820 17821"Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't 17822do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, 17823you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. 17824There, now, that's a good boy." 17825 17826"All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is." 17827 17828"Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice." 17829 17830"You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again." 17831 17832And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of 17833curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he 17834accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" 17835knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that 17836swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would 17837not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was 17838inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got 17839the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its 17840injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom 17841contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin 17842on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school. 17843 17844Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went 17845outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he 17846dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; 17847poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the 17848kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the 17849door. But Mary removed the towel and said: 17850 17851"Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt 17852you." 17853 17854Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time 17855he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big 17856breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes 17857shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony 17858of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from 17859the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped 17860short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line 17861there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in 17862front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she 17863was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of 17864color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls 17865wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately 17866smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his 17867hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and 17868his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of 17869his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they 17870were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the 17871size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed 17872himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his 17873vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned 17874him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and 17875uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there 17876was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He 17877hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she 17878coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them 17879out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do 17880everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively: 17881 17882"Please, Tom--that's a good boy." 17883 17884So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three 17885children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his 17886whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it. 17887 17888Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church 17889service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon 17890voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. 17891The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three 17892hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort 17893of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom 17894dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade: 17895 17896"Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?" 17897 17898"Yes." 17899 17900"What'll you take for her?" 17901 17902"What'll you give?" 17903 17904"Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook." 17905 17906"Less see 'em." 17907 17908Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. 17909Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and 17910some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other 17911boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or 17912fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of 17913clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a 17914quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, 17915elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a 17916boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy 17917turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear 17918him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole 17919class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they 17920came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses 17921perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried 17922through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a 17923passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of 17924the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be 17925exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow 17926tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty 17927cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would 17928have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even 17929for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it 17930was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had 17931won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without 17932stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and 17933he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous 17934misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the 17935superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out 17936and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their 17937tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and 17938so the delivery of one of these prizes was a rare and noteworthy 17939circumstance; the successful pupil was so great and conspicuous for 17940that day that on the spot every scholar's heart was fired with a fresh 17941ambition that often lasted a couple of weeks. It is possible that Tom's 17942mental stomach had never really hungered for one of those prizes, but 17943unquestionably his entire being had for many a day longed for the glory 17944and the eclat that came with it. 17945 17946In due course the superintendent stood up in front of the pulpit, with 17947a closed hymn-book in his hand and his forefinger inserted between its 17948leaves, and commanded attention. When a Sunday-school superintendent 17949makes his customary little speech, a hymn-book in the hand is as 17950necessary as is the inevitable sheet of music in the hand of a singer 17951who stands forward on the platform and sings a solo at a concert 17952--though why, is a mystery: for neither the hymn-book nor the sheet of 17953music is ever referred to by the sufferer. This superintendent was a 17954slim creature of thirty-five, with a sandy goatee and short sandy hair; 17955he wore a stiff standing-collar whose upper edge almost reached his 17956ears and whose sharp points curved forward abreast the corners of his 17957mouth--a fence that compelled a straight lookout ahead, and a turning 17958of the whole body when a side view was required; his chin was propped 17959on a spreading cravat which was as broad and as long as a bank-note, 17960and had fringed ends; his boot toes were turned sharply up, in the 17961fashion of the day, like sleigh-runners--an effect patiently and 17962laboriously produced by the young men by sitting with their toes 17963pressed against a wall for hours together. Mr. Walters was very earnest 17964of mien, and very sincere and honest at heart; and he held sacred 17965things and places in such reverence, and so separated them from worldly 17966matters, that unconsciously to himself his Sunday-school voice had 17967acquired a peculiar intonation which was wholly absent on week-days. He 17968began after this fashion: 17969 17970"Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty 17971as you can and give me all your attention for a minute or two. There 17972--that is it. That is the way good little boys and girls should do. I see 17973one little girl who is looking out of the window--I am afraid she 17974thinks I am out there somewhere--perhaps up in one of the trees making 17975a speech to the little birds. [Applausive titter.] I want to tell you 17976how good it makes me feel to see so many bright, clean little faces 17977assembled in a place like this, learning to do right and be good." And 17978so forth and so on. It is not necessary to set down the rest of the 17979oration. It was of a pattern which does not vary, and so it is familiar 17980to us all. 17981 17982The latter third of the speech was marred by the resumption of fights 17983and other recreations among certain of the bad boys, and by fidgetings 17984and whisperings that extended far and wide, washing even to the bases 17985of isolated and incorruptible rocks like Sid and Mary. But now every 17986sound ceased suddenly, with the subsidence of Mr. Walters' voice, and 17987the conclusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent 17988gratitude. 17989 17990A good part of the whispering had been occasioned by an event which 17991was more or less rare--the entrance of visitors: lawyer Thatcher, 17992accompanied by a very feeble and aged man; a fine, portly, middle-aged 17993gentleman with iron-gray hair; and a dignified lady who was doubtless 17994the latter's wife. The lady was leading a child. Tom had been restless 17995and full of chafings and repinings; conscience-smitten, too--he could 17996not meet Amy Lawrence's eye, he could not brook her loving gaze. But 17997when he saw this small new-comer his soul was all ablaze with bliss in 17998a moment. The next moment he was "showing off" with all his might 17999--cuffing boys, pulling hair, making faces--in a word, using every art 18000that seemed likely to fascinate a girl and win her applause. His 18001exaltation had but one alloy--the memory of his humiliation in this 18002angel's garden--and that record in sand was fast washing out, under 18003the waves of happiness that were sweeping over it now. 18004 18005The visitors were given the highest seat of honor, and as soon as Mr. 18006Walters' speech was finished, he introduced them to the school. The 18007middle-aged man turned out to be a prodigious personage--no less a one 18008than the county judge--altogether the most august creation these 18009children had ever looked upon--and they wondered what kind of material 18010he was made of--and they half wanted to hear him roar, and were half 18011afraid he might, too. He was from Constantinople, twelve miles away--so 18012he had travelled, and seen the world--these very eyes had looked upon 18013the county court-house--which was said to have a tin roof. The awe 18014which these reflections inspired was attested by the impressive silence 18015and the ranks of staring eyes. This was the great Judge Thatcher, 18016brother of their own lawyer. Jeff Thatcher immediately went forward, to 18017be familiar with the great man and be envied by the school. It would 18018have been music to his soul to hear the whisperings: 18019 18020"Look at him, Jim! He's a going up there. Say--look! he's a going to 18021shake hands with him--he IS shaking hands with him! By jings, don't you 18022wish you was Jeff?" 18023 18024Mr. Walters fell to "showing off," with all sorts of official 18025bustlings and activities, giving orders, delivering judgments, 18026discharging directions here, there, everywhere that he could find a 18027target. The librarian "showed off"--running hither and thither with his 18028arms full of books and making a deal of the splutter and fuss that 18029insect authority delights in. The young lady teachers "showed off" 18030--bending sweetly over pupils that were lately being boxed, lifting 18031pretty warning fingers at bad little boys and patting good ones 18032lovingly. The young gentlemen teachers "showed off" with small 18033scoldings and other little displays of authority and fine attention to 18034discipline--and most of the teachers, of both sexes, found business up 18035at the library, by the pulpit; and it was business that frequently had 18036to be done over again two or three times (with much seeming vexation). 18037The little girls "showed off" in various ways, and the little boys 18038"showed off" with such diligence that the air was thick with paper wads 18039and the murmur of scufflings. And above it all the great man sat and 18040beamed a majestic judicial smile upon all the house, and warmed himself 18041in the sun of his own grandeur--for he was "showing off," too. 18042 18043There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walters' ecstasy 18044complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a 18045prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow tickets, but none had enough 18046--he had been around among the star pupils inquiring. He would have given 18047worlds, now, to have that German lad back again with a sound mind. 18048 18049And now at this moment, when hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward 18050with nine yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and 18051demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Walters 18052was not expecting an application from this source for the next ten 18053years. But there was no getting around it--here were the certified 18054checks, and they were good for their face. Tom was therefore elevated 18055to a place with the Judge and the other elect, and the great news was 18056announced from headquarters. It was the most stunning surprise of the 18057decade, and so profound was the sensation that it lifted the new hero 18058up to the judicial one's altitude, and the school had two marvels to 18059gaze upon in place of one. The boys were all eaten up with envy--but 18060those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too 18061late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by 18062trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling 18063whitewashing privileges. These despised themselves, as being the dupes 18064of a wily fraud, a guileful snake in the grass. 18065 18066The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the 18067superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked 18068somewhat of the true gush, for the poor fellow's instinct taught him 18069that there was a mystery here that could not well bear the light, 18070perhaps; it was simply preposterous that this boy had warehoused two 18071thousand sheaves of Scriptural wisdom on his premises--a dozen would 18072strain his capacity, without a doubt. 18073 18074Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and she tried to make Tom see it in 18075her face--but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then she was just a grain 18076troubled; next a dim suspicion came and went--came again; she watched; 18077a furtive glance told her worlds--and then her heart broke, and she was 18078jealous, and angry, and the tears came and she hated everybody. Tom 18079most of all (she thought). 18080 18081Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his tongue was tied, his breath 18082would hardly come, his heart quaked--partly because of the awful 18083greatness of the man, but mainly because he was her parent. He would 18084have liked to fall down and worship him, if it were in the dark. The 18085Judge put his hand on Tom's head and called him a fine little man, and 18086asked him what his name was. The boy stammered, gasped, and got it out: 18087 18088"Tom." 18089 18090"Oh, no, not Tom--it is--" 18091 18092"Thomas." 18093 18094"Ah, that's it. I thought there was more to it, maybe. That's very 18095well. But you've another one I daresay, and you'll tell it to me, won't 18096you?" 18097 18098"Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas," said Walters, "and say 18099sir. You mustn't forget your manners." 18100 18101"Thomas Sawyer--sir." 18102 18103"That's it! That's a good boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. 18104Two thousand verses is a great many--very, very great many. And you 18105never can be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for 18106knowledge is worth more than anything there is in the world; it's what 18107makes great men and good men; you'll be a great man and a good man 18108yourself, some day, Thomas, and then you'll look back and say, It's all 18109owing to the precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood--it's all 18110owing to my dear teachers that taught me to learn--it's all owing to 18111the good superintendent, who encouraged me, and watched over me, and 18112gave me a beautiful Bible--a splendid elegant Bible--to keep and have 18113it all for my own, always--it's all owing to right bringing up! That is 18114what you will say, Thomas--and you wouldn't take any money for those 18115two thousand verses--no indeed you wouldn't. And now you wouldn't mind 18116telling me and this lady some of the things you've learned--no, I know 18117you wouldn't--for we are proud of little boys that learn. Now, no 18118doubt you know the names of all the twelve disciples. Won't you tell us 18119the names of the first two that were appointed?" 18120 18121Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, 18122now, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walters' heart sank within him. He said to 18123himself, it is not possible that the boy can answer the simplest 18124question--why DID the Judge ask him? Yet he felt obliged to speak up 18125and say: 18126 18127"Answer the gentleman, Thomas--don't be afraid." 18128 18129Tom still hung fire. 18130 18131"Now I know you'll tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first 18132two disciples were--" 18133 18134"DAVID AND GOLIAH!" 18135 18136Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene. 18137 18138 18139 18140CHAPTER V 18141 18142ABOUT half-past ten the cracked bell of the small church began to 18143ring, and presently the people began to gather for the morning sermon. 18144The Sunday-school children distributed themselves about the house and 18145occupied pews with their parents, so as to be under supervision. Aunt 18146Polly came, and Tom and Sid and Mary sat with her--Tom being placed 18147next the aisle, in order that he might be as far away from the open 18148window and the seductive outside summer scenes as possible. The crowd 18149filed up the aisles: the aged and needy postmaster, who had seen better 18150days; the mayor and his wife--for they had a mayor there, among other 18151unnecessaries; the justice of the peace; the widow Douglass, fair, 18152smart, and forty, a generous, good-hearted soul and well-to-do, her 18153hill mansion the only palace in the town, and the most hospitable and 18154much the most lavish in the matter of festivities that St. Petersburg 18155could boast; the bent and venerable Major and Mrs. Ward; lawyer 18156Riverson, the new notable from a distance; next the belle of the 18157village, followed by a troop of lawn-clad and ribbon-decked young 18158heart-breakers; then all the young clerks in town in a body--for they 18159had stood in the vestibule sucking their cane-heads, a circling wall of 18160oiled and simpering admirers, till the last girl had run their gantlet; 18161and last of all came the Model Boy, Willie Mufferson, taking as heedful 18162care of his mother as if she were cut glass. He always brought his 18163mother to church, and was the pride of all the matrons. The boys all 18164hated him, he was so good. And besides, he had been "thrown up to them" 18165so much. His white handkerchief was hanging out of his pocket behind, as 18166usual on Sundays--accidentally. Tom had no handkerchief, and he looked 18167upon boys who had as snobs. 18168 18169The congregation being fully assembled, now, the bell rang once more, 18170to warn laggards and stragglers, and then a solemn hush fell upon the 18171church which was only broken by the tittering and whispering of the 18172choir in the gallery. The choir always tittered and whispered all 18173through service. There was once a church choir that was not ill-bred, 18174but I have forgotten where it was, now. It was a great many years ago, 18175and I can scarcely remember anything about it, but I think it was in 18176some foreign country. 18177 18178The minister gave out the hymn, and read it through with a relish, in 18179a peculiar style which was much admired in that part of the country. 18180His voice began on a medium key and climbed steadily up till it reached 18181a certain point, where it bore with strong emphasis upon the topmost 18182word and then plunged down as if from a spring-board: 18183 18184 Shall I be car-ri-ed toe the skies, on flow'ry BEDS of ease, 18185 18186 Whilst others fight to win the prize, and sail thro' BLOODY seas? 18187 18188He was regarded as a wonderful reader. At church "sociables" he was 18189always called upon to read poetry; and when he was through, the ladies 18190would lift up their hands and let them fall helplessly in their laps, 18191and "wall" their eyes, and shake their heads, as much as to say, "Words 18192cannot express it; it is too beautiful, TOO beautiful for this mortal 18193earth." 18194 18195After the hymn had been sung, the Rev. Mr. Sprague turned himself into 18196a bulletin-board, and read off "notices" of meetings and societies and 18197things till it seemed that the list would stretch out to the crack of 18198doom--a queer custom which is still kept up in America, even in cities, 18199away here in this age of abundant newspapers. Often, the less there is 18200to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it. 18201 18202And now the minister prayed. A good, generous prayer it was, and went 18203into details: it pleaded for the church, and the little children of the 18204church; for the other churches of the village; for the village itself; 18205for the county; for the State; for the State officers; for the United 18206States; for the churches of the United States; for Congress; for the 18207President; for the officers of the Government; for poor sailors, tossed 18208by stormy seas; for the oppressed millions groaning under the heel of 18209European monarchies and Oriental despotisms; for such as have the light 18210and the good tidings, and yet have not eyes to see nor ears to hear 18211withal; for the heathen in the far islands of the sea; and closed with 18212a supplication that the words he was about to speak might find grace 18213and favor, and be as seed sown in fertile ground, yielding in time a 18214grateful harvest of good. Amen. 18215 18216There was a rustling of dresses, and the standing congregation sat 18217down. The boy whose history this book relates did not enjoy the prayer, 18218he only endured it--if he even did that much. He was restive all 18219through it; he kept tally of the details of the prayer, unconsciously 18220--for he was not listening, but he knew the ground of old, and the 18221clergyman's regular route over it--and when a little trifle of new 18222matter was interlarded, his ear detected it and his whole nature 18223resented it; he considered additions unfair, and scoundrelly. In the 18224midst of the prayer a fly had lit on the back of the pew in front of 18225him and tortured his spirit by calmly rubbing its hands together, 18226embracing its head with its arms, and polishing it so vigorously that 18227it seemed to almost part company with the body, and the slender thread 18228of a neck was exposed to view; scraping its wings with its hind legs 18229and smoothing them to its body as if they had been coat-tails; going 18230through its whole toilet as tranquilly as if it knew it was perfectly 18231safe. As indeed it was; for as sorely as Tom's hands itched to grab for 18232it they did not dare--he believed his soul would be instantly destroyed 18233if he did such a thing while the prayer was going on. But with the 18234closing sentence his hand began to curve and steal forward; and the 18235instant the "Amen" was out the fly was a prisoner of war. His aunt 18236detected the act and made him let it go. 18237 18238The minister gave out his text and droned along monotonously through 18239an argument that was so prosy that many a head by and by began to nod 18240--and yet it was an argument that dealt in limitless fire and brimstone 18241and thinned the predestined elect down to a company so small as to be 18242hardly worth the saving. Tom counted the pages of the sermon; after 18243church he always knew how many pages there had been, but he seldom knew 18244anything else about the discourse. However, this time he was really 18245interested for a little while. The minister made a grand and moving 18246picture of the assembling together of the world's hosts at the 18247millennium when the lion and the lamb should lie down together and a 18248little child should lead them. But the pathos, the lesson, the moral of 18249the great spectacle were lost upon the boy; he only thought of the 18250conspicuousness of the principal character before the on-looking 18251nations; his face lit with the thought, and he said to himself that he 18252wished he could be that child, if it was a tame lion. 18253 18254Now he lapsed into suffering again, as the dry argument was resumed. 18255Presently he bethought him of a treasure he had and got it out. It was 18256a large black beetle with formidable jaws--a "pinchbug," he called it. 18257It was in a percussion-cap box. The first thing the beetle did was to 18258take him by the finger. A natural fillip followed, the beetle went 18259floundering into the aisle and lit on its back, and the hurt finger 18260went into the boy's mouth. The beetle lay there working its helpless 18261legs, unable to turn over. Tom eyed it, and longed for it; but it was 18262safe out of his reach. Other people uninterested in the sermon found 18263relief in the beetle, and they eyed it too. Presently a vagrant poodle 18264dog came idling along, sad at heart, lazy with the summer softness and 18265the quiet, weary of captivity, sighing for change. He spied the beetle; 18266the drooping tail lifted and wagged. He surveyed the prize; walked 18267around it; smelt at it from a safe distance; walked around it again; 18268grew bolder, and took a closer smell; then lifted his lip and made a 18269gingerly snatch at it, just missing it; made another, and another; 18270began to enjoy the diversion; subsided to his stomach with the beetle 18271between his paws, and continued his experiments; grew weary at last, 18272and then indifferent and absent-minded. His head nodded, and little by 18273little his chin descended and touched the enemy, who seized it. There 18274was a sharp yelp, a flirt of the poodle's head, and the beetle fell a 18275couple of yards away, and lit on its back once more. The neighboring 18276spectators shook with a gentle inward joy, several faces went behind 18277fans and handkerchiefs, and Tom was entirely happy. The dog looked 18278foolish, and probably felt so; but there was resentment in his heart, 18279too, and a craving for revenge. So he went to the beetle and began a 18280wary attack on it again; jumping at it from every point of a circle, 18281lighting with his fore-paws within an inch of the creature, making even 18282closer snatches at it with his teeth, and jerking his head till his 18283ears flapped again. But he grew tired once more, after a while; tried 18284to amuse himself with a fly but found no relief; followed an ant 18285around, with his nose close to the floor, and quickly wearied of that; 18286yawned, sighed, forgot the beetle entirely, and sat down on it. Then 18287there was a wild yelp of agony and the poodle went sailing up the 18288aisle; the yelps continued, and so did the dog; he crossed the house in 18289front of the altar; he flew down the other aisle; he crossed before the 18290doors; he clamored up the home-stretch; his anguish grew with his 18291progress, till presently he was but a woolly comet moving in its orbit 18292with the gleam and the speed of light. At last the frantic sufferer 18293sheered from its course, and sprang into its master's lap; he flung it 18294out of the window, and the voice of distress quickly thinned away and 18295died in the distance. 18296 18297By this time the whole church was red-faced and suffocating with 18298suppressed laughter, and the sermon had come to a dead standstill. The 18299discourse was resumed presently, but it went lame and halting, all 18300possibility of impressiveness being at an end; for even the gravest 18301sentiments were constantly being received with a smothered burst of 18302unholy mirth, under cover of some remote pew-back, as if the poor 18303parson had said a rarely facetious thing. It was a genuine relief to 18304the whole congregation when the ordeal was over and the benediction 18305pronounced. 18306 18307Tom Sawyer went home quite cheerful, thinking to himself that there 18308was some satisfaction about divine service when there was a bit of 18309variety in it. He had but one marring thought; he was willing that the 18310dog should play with his pinchbug, but he did not think it was upright 18311in him to carry it off. 18312 18313 18314 18315CHAPTER VI 18316 18317MONDAY morning found Tom Sawyer miserable. Monday morning always found 18318him so--because it began another week's slow suffering in school. He 18319generally began that day with wishing he had had no intervening 18320holiday, it made the going into captivity and fetters again so much 18321more odious. 18322 18323Tom lay thinking. Presently it occurred to him that he wished he was 18324sick; then he could stay home from school. Here was a vague 18325possibility. He canvassed his system. No ailment was found, and he 18326investigated again. This time he thought he could detect colicky 18327symptoms, and he began to encourage them with considerable hope. But 18328they soon grew feeble, and presently died wholly away. He reflected 18329further. Suddenly he discovered something. One of his upper front teeth 18330was loose. This was lucky; he was about to begin to groan, as a 18331"starter," as he called it, when it occurred to him that if he came 18332into court with that argument, his aunt would pull it out, and that 18333would hurt. So he thought he would hold the tooth in reserve for the 18334present, and seek further. Nothing offered for some little time, and 18335then he remembered hearing the doctor tell about a certain thing that 18336laid up a patient for two or three weeks and threatened to make him 18337lose a finger. So the boy eagerly drew his sore toe from under the 18338sheet and held it up for inspection. But now he did not know the 18339necessary symptoms. However, it seemed well worth while to chance it, 18340so he fell to groaning with considerable spirit. 18341 18342But Sid slept on unconscious. 18343 18344Tom groaned louder, and fancied that he began to feel pain in the toe. 18345 18346No result from Sid. 18347 18348Tom was panting with his exertions by this time. He took a rest and 18349then swelled himself up and fetched a succession of admirable groans. 18350 18351Sid snored on. 18352 18353Tom was aggravated. He said, "Sid, Sid!" and shook him. This course 18354worked well, and Tom began to groan again. Sid yawned, stretched, then 18355brought himself up on his elbow with a snort, and began to stare at 18356Tom. Tom went on groaning. Sid said: 18357 18358"Tom! Say, Tom!" [No response.] "Here, Tom! TOM! What is the matter, 18359Tom?" And he shook him and looked in his face anxiously. 18360 18361Tom moaned out: 18362 18363"Oh, don't, Sid. Don't joggle me." 18364 18365"Why, what's the matter, Tom? I must call auntie." 18366 18367"No--never mind. It'll be over by and by, maybe. Don't call anybody." 18368 18369"But I must! DON'T groan so, Tom, it's awful. How long you been this 18370way?" 18371 18372"Hours. Ouch! Oh, don't stir so, Sid, you'll kill me." 18373 18374"Tom, why didn't you wake me sooner? Oh, Tom, DON'T! It makes my 18375flesh crawl to hear you. Tom, what is the matter?" 18376 18377"I forgive you everything, Sid. [Groan.] Everything you've ever done 18378to me. When I'm gone--" 18379 18380"Oh, Tom, you ain't dying, are you? Don't, Tom--oh, don't. Maybe--" 18381 18382"I forgive everybody, Sid. [Groan.] Tell 'em so, Sid. And Sid, you 18383give my window-sash and my cat with one eye to that new girl that's 18384come to town, and tell her--" 18385 18386But Sid had snatched his clothes and gone. Tom was suffering in 18387reality, now, so handsomely was his imagination working, and so his 18388groans had gathered quite a genuine tone. 18389 18390Sid flew down-stairs and said: 18391 18392"Oh, Aunt Polly, come! Tom's dying!" 18393 18394"Dying!" 18395 18396"Yes'm. Don't wait--come quick!" 18397 18398"Rubbage! I don't believe it!" 18399 18400But she fled up-stairs, nevertheless, with Sid and Mary at her heels. 18401And her face grew white, too, and her lip trembled. When she reached 18402the bedside she gasped out: 18403 18404"You, Tom! Tom, what's the matter with you?" 18405 18406"Oh, auntie, I'm--" 18407 18408"What's the matter with you--what is the matter with you, child?" 18409 18410"Oh, auntie, my sore toe's mortified!" 18411 18412The old lady sank down into a chair and laughed a little, then cried a 18413little, then did both together. This restored her and she said: 18414 18415"Tom, what a turn you did give me. Now you shut up that nonsense and 18416climb out of this." 18417 18418The groans ceased and the pain vanished from the toe. The boy felt a 18419little foolish, and he said: 18420 18421"Aunt Polly, it SEEMED mortified, and it hurt so I never minded my 18422tooth at all." 18423 18424"Your tooth, indeed! What's the matter with your tooth?" 18425 18426"One of them's loose, and it aches perfectly awful." 18427 18428"There, there, now, don't begin that groaning again. Open your mouth. 18429Well--your tooth IS loose, but you're not going to die about that. 18430Mary, get me a silk thread, and a chunk of fire out of the kitchen." 18431 18432Tom said: 18433 18434"Oh, please, auntie, don't pull it out. It don't hurt any more. I wish 18435I may never stir if it does. Please don't, auntie. I don't want to stay 18436home from school." 18437 18438"Oh, you don't, don't you? So all this row was because you thought 18439you'd get to stay home from school and go a-fishing? Tom, Tom, I love 18440you so, and you seem to try every way you can to break my old heart 18441with your outrageousness." By this time the dental instruments were 18442ready. The old lady made one end of the silk thread fast to Tom's tooth 18443with a loop and tied the other to the bedpost. Then she seized the 18444chunk of fire and suddenly thrust it almost into the boy's face. The 18445tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 18446 18447But all trials bring their compensations. As Tom wended to school 18448after breakfast, he was the envy of every boy he met because the gap in 18449his upper row of teeth enabled him to expectorate in a new and 18450admirable way. He gathered quite a following of lads interested in the 18451exhibition; and one that had cut his finger and had been a centre of 18452fascination and homage up to this time, now found himself suddenly 18453without an adherent, and shorn of his glory. His heart was heavy, and 18454he said with a disdain which he did not feel that it wasn't anything to 18455spit like Tom Sawyer; but another boy said, "Sour grapes!" and he 18456wandered away a dismantled hero. 18457 18458Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village, Huckleberry 18459Finn, son of the town drunkard. Huckleberry was cordially hated and 18460dreaded by all the mothers of the town, because he was idle and lawless 18461and vulgar and bad--and because all their children admired him so, and 18462delighted in his forbidden society, and wished they dared to be like 18463him. Tom was like the rest of the respectable boys, in that he envied 18464Huckleberry his gaudy outcast condition, and was under strict orders 18465not to play with him. So he played with him every time he got a chance. 18466Huckleberry was always dressed in the cast-off clothes of full-grown 18467men, and they were in perennial bloom and fluttering with rags. His hat 18468was a vast ruin with a wide crescent lopped out of its brim; his coat, 18469when he wore one, hung nearly to his heels and had the rearward buttons 18470far down the back; but one suspender supported his trousers; the seat 18471of the trousers bagged low and contained nothing, the fringed legs 18472dragged in the dirt when not rolled up. 18473 18474Huckleberry came and went, at his own free will. He slept on doorsteps 18475in fine weather and in empty hogsheads in wet; he did not have to go to 18476school or to church, or call any being master or obey anybody; he could 18477go fishing or swimming when and where he chose, and stay as long as it 18478suited him; nobody forbade him to fight; he could sit up as late as he 18479pleased; he was always the first boy that went barefoot in the spring 18480and the last to resume leather in the fall; he never had to wash, nor 18481put on clean clothes; he could swear wonderfully. In a word, everything 18482that goes to make life precious that boy had. So thought every 18483harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 18484 18485Tom hailed the romantic outcast: 18486 18487"Hello, Huckleberry!" 18488 18489"Hello yourself, and see how you like it." 18490 18491"What's that you got?" 18492 18493"Dead cat." 18494 18495"Lemme see him, Huck. My, he's pretty stiff. Where'd you get him?" 18496 18497"Bought him off'n a boy." 18498 18499"What did you give?" 18500 18501"I give a blue ticket and a bladder that I got at the slaughter-house." 18502 18503"Where'd you get the blue ticket?" 18504 18505"Bought it off'n Ben Rogers two weeks ago for a hoop-stick." 18506 18507"Say--what is dead cats good for, Huck?" 18508 18509"Good for? Cure warts with." 18510 18511"No! Is that so? I know something that's better." 18512 18513"I bet you don't. What is it?" 18514 18515"Why, spunk-water." 18516 18517"Spunk-water! I wouldn't give a dern for spunk-water." 18518 18519"You wouldn't, wouldn't you? D'you ever try it?" 18520 18521"No, I hain't. But Bob Tanner did." 18522 18523"Who told you so!" 18524 18525"Why, he told Jeff Thatcher, and Jeff told Johnny Baker, and Johnny 18526told Jim Hollis, and Jim told Ben Rogers, and Ben told a nigger, and 18527the nigger told me. There now!" 18528 18529"Well, what of it? They'll all lie. Leastways all but the nigger. I 18530don't know HIM. But I never see a nigger that WOULDN'T lie. Shucks! Now 18531you tell me how Bob Tanner done it, Huck." 18532 18533"Why, he took and dipped his hand in a rotten stump where the 18534rain-water was." 18535 18536"In the daytime?" 18537 18538"Certainly." 18539 18540"With his face to the stump?" 18541 18542"Yes. Least I reckon so." 18543 18544"Did he say anything?" 18545 18546"I don't reckon he did. I don't know." 18547 18548"Aha! Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame 18549fool way as that! Why, that ain't a-going to do any good. You got to go 18550all by yourself, to the middle of the woods, where you know there's a 18551spunk-water stump, and just as it's midnight you back up against the 18552stump and jam your hand in and say: 18553 18554 'Barley-corn, barley-corn, injun-meal shorts, 18555 Spunk-water, spunk-water, swaller these warts,' 18556 18557and then walk away quick, eleven steps, with your eyes shut, and then 18558turn around three times and walk home without speaking to anybody. 18559Because if you speak the charm's busted." 18560 18561"Well, that sounds like a good way; but that ain't the way Bob Tanner 18562done." 18563 18564"No, sir, you can bet he didn't, becuz he's the wartiest boy in this 18565town; and he wouldn't have a wart on him if he'd knowed how to work 18566spunk-water. I've took off thousands of warts off of my hands that way, 18567Huck. I play with frogs so much that I've always got considerable many 18568warts. Sometimes I take 'em off with a bean." 18569 18570"Yes, bean's good. I've done that." 18571 18572"Have you? What's your way?" 18573 18574"You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some 18575blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and 18576dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of 18577the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean. You see that piece 18578that's got the blood on it will keep drawing and drawing, trying to 18579fetch the other piece to it, and so that helps the blood to draw the 18580wart, and pretty soon off she comes." 18581 18582"Yes, that's it, Huck--that's it; though when you're burying it if you 18583say 'Down bean; off wart; come no more to bother me!' it's better. 18584That's the way Joe Harper does, and he's been nearly to Coonville and 18585most everywheres. But say--how do you cure 'em with dead cats?" 18586 18587"Why, you take your cat and go and get in the graveyard 'long about 18588midnight when somebody that was wicked has been buried; and when it's 18589midnight a devil will come, or maybe two or three, but you can't see 18590'em, you can only hear something like the wind, or maybe hear 'em talk; 18591and when they're taking that feller away, you heave your cat after 'em 18592and say, 'Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I'm 18593done with ye!' That'll fetch ANY wart." 18594 18595"Sounds right. D'you ever try it, Huck?" 18596 18597"No, but old Mother Hopkins told me." 18598 18599"Well, I reckon it's so, then. Becuz they say she's a witch." 18600 18601"Say! Why, Tom, I KNOW she is. She witched pap. Pap says so his own 18602self. He come along one day, and he see she was a-witching him, so he 18603took up a rock, and if she hadn't dodged, he'd a got her. Well, that 18604very night he rolled off'n a shed wher' he was a layin drunk, and broke 18605his arm." 18606 18607"Why, that's awful. How did he know she was a-witching him?" 18608 18609"Lord, pap can tell, easy. Pap says when they keep looking at you 18610right stiddy, they're a-witching you. Specially if they mumble. Becuz 18611when they mumble they're saying the Lord's Prayer backards." 18612 18613"Say, Hucky, when you going to try the cat?" 18614 18615"To-night. I reckon they'll come after old Hoss Williams to-night." 18616 18617"But they buried him Saturday. Didn't they get him Saturday night?" 18618 18619"Why, how you talk! How could their charms work till midnight?--and 18620THEN it's Sunday. Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't 18621reckon." 18622 18623"I never thought of that. That's so. Lemme go with you?" 18624 18625"Of course--if you ain't afeard." 18626 18627"Afeard! 'Tain't likely. Will you meow?" 18628 18629"Yes--and you meow back, if you get a chance. Last time, you kep' me 18630a-meowing around till old Hays went to throwing rocks at me and says 18631'Dern that cat!' and so I hove a brick through his window--but don't 18632you tell." 18633 18634"I won't. I couldn't meow that night, becuz auntie was watching me, 18635but I'll meow this time. Say--what's that?" 18636 18637"Nothing but a tick." 18638 18639"Where'd you get him?" 18640 18641"Out in the woods." 18642 18643"What'll you take for him?" 18644 18645"I don't know. I don't want to sell him." 18646 18647"All right. It's a mighty small tick, anyway." 18648 18649"Oh, anybody can run a tick down that don't belong to them. I'm 18650satisfied with it. It's a good enough tick for me." 18651 18652"Sho, there's ticks a plenty. I could have a thousand of 'em if I 18653wanted to." 18654 18655"Well, why don't you? Becuz you know mighty well you can't. This is a 18656pretty early tick, I reckon. It's the first one I've seen this year." 18657 18658"Say, Huck--I'll give you my tooth for him." 18659 18660"Less see it." 18661 18662Tom got out a bit of paper and carefully unrolled it. Huckleberry 18663viewed it wistfully. The temptation was very strong. At last he said: 18664 18665"Is it genuwyne?" 18666 18667Tom lifted his lip and showed the vacancy. 18668 18669"Well, all right," said Huckleberry, "it's a trade." 18670 18671Tom enclosed the tick in the percussion-cap box that had lately been 18672the pinchbug's prison, and the boys separated, each feeling wealthier 18673than before. 18674 18675When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in 18676briskly, with the manner of one who had come with all honest speed. 18677He hung his hat on a peg and flung himself into his seat with 18678business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in his great 18679splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. 18680The interruption roused him. 18681 18682"Thomas Sawyer!" 18683 18684Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble. 18685 18686"Sir!" 18687 18688"Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?" 18689 18690Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of 18691yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric 18692sympathy of love; and by that form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the 18693girls' side of the schoolhouse. He instantly said: 18694 18695"I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!" 18696 18697The master's pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of 18698study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his 18699mind. The master said: 18700 18701"You--you did what?" 18702 18703"Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn." 18704 18705There was no mistaking the words. 18706 18707"Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever 18708listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your 18709jacket." 18710 18711The master's arm performed until it was tired and the stock of 18712switches notably diminished. Then the order followed: 18713 18714"Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you." 18715 18716The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but 18717in reality that result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of 18718his unknown idol and the dread pleasure that lay in his high good 18719fortune. He sat down upon the end of the pine bench and the girl 18720hitched herself away from him with a toss of her head. Nudges and winks 18721and whispers traversed the room, but Tom sat still, with his arms upon 18722the long, low desk before him, and seemed to study his book. 18723 18724By and by attention ceased from him, and the accustomed school murmur 18725rose upon the dull air once more. Presently the boy began to steal 18726furtive glances at the girl. She observed it, "made a mouth" at him and 18727gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she 18728cautiously faced around again, a peach lay before her. She thrust it 18729away. Tom gently put it back. She thrust it away again, but with less 18730animosity. Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it 18731remain. Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it--I got more." The 18732girl glanced at the words, but made no sign. Now the boy began to draw 18733something on the slate, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time 18734the girl refused to notice; but her human curiosity presently began to 18735manifest itself by hardly perceptible signs. The boy worked on, 18736apparently unconscious. The girl made a sort of noncommittal attempt to 18737see, but the boy did not betray that he was aware of it. At last she 18738gave in and hesitatingly whispered: 18739 18740"Let me see it." 18741 18742Tom partly uncovered a dismal caricature of a house with two gable 18743ends to it and a corkscrew of smoke issuing from the chimney. Then the 18744girl's interest began to fasten itself upon the work and she forgot 18745everything else. When it was finished, she gazed a moment, then 18746whispered: 18747 18748"It's nice--make a man." 18749 18750The artist erected a man in the front yard, that resembled a derrick. 18751He could have stepped over the house; but the girl was not 18752hypercritical; she was satisfied with the monster, and whispered: 18753 18754"It's a beautiful man--now make me coming along." 18755 18756Tom drew an hour-glass with a full moon and straw limbs to it and 18757armed the spreading fingers with a portentous fan. The girl said: 18758 18759"It's ever so nice--I wish I could draw." 18760 18761"It's easy," whispered Tom, "I'll learn you." 18762 18763"Oh, will you? When?" 18764 18765"At noon. Do you go home to dinner?" 18766 18767"I'll stay if you will." 18768 18769"Good--that's a whack. What's your name?" 18770 18771"Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer." 18772 18773"That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me 18774Tom, will you?" 18775 18776"Yes." 18777 18778Now Tom began to scrawl something on the slate, hiding the words from 18779the girl. But she was not backward this time. She begged to see. Tom 18780said: 18781 18782"Oh, it ain't anything." 18783 18784"Yes it is." 18785 18786"No it ain't. You don't want to see." 18787 18788"Yes I do, indeed I do. Please let me." 18789 18790"You'll tell." 18791 18792"No I won't--deed and deed and double deed won't." 18793 18794"You won't tell anybody at all? Ever, as long as you live?" 18795 18796"No, I won't ever tell ANYbody. Now let me." 18797 18798"Oh, YOU don't want to see!" 18799 18800"Now that you treat me so, I WILL see." And she put her small hand 18801upon his and a little scuffle ensued, Tom pretending to resist in 18802earnest but letting his hand slip by degrees till these words were 18803revealed: "I LOVE YOU." 18804 18805"Oh, you bad thing!" And she hit his hand a smart rap, but reddened 18806and looked pleased, nevertheless. 18807 18808Just at this juncture the boy felt a slow, fateful grip closing on his 18809ear, and a steady lifting impulse. In that wise he was borne across the 18810house and deposited in his own seat, under a peppering fire of giggles 18811from the whole school. Then the master stood over him during a few 18812awful moments, and finally moved away to his throne without saying a 18813word. But although Tom's ear tingled, his heart was jubilant. 18814 18815As the school quieted down Tom made an honest effort to study, but the 18816turmoil within him was too great. In turn he took his place in the 18817reading class and made a botch of it; then in the geography class and 18818turned lakes into mountains, mountains into rivers, and rivers into 18819continents, till chaos was come again; then in the spelling class, and 18820got "turned down," by a succession of mere baby words, till he brought 18821up at the foot and yielded up the pewter medal which he had worn with 18822ostentation for months. 18823 18824 18825 18826CHAPTER VII 18827 18828THE harder Tom tried to fasten his mind on his book, the more his 18829ideas wandered. So at last, with a sigh and a yawn, he gave it up. It 18830seemed to him that the noon recess would never come. The air was 18831utterly dead. There was not a breath stirring. It was the sleepiest of 18832sleepy days. The drowsing murmur of the five and twenty studying 18833scholars soothed the soul like the spell that is in the murmur of bees. 18834Away off in the flaming sunshine, Cardiff Hill lifted its soft green 18835sides through a shimmering veil of heat, tinted with the purple of 18836distance; a few birds floated on lazy wing high in the air; no other 18837living thing was visible but some cows, and they were asleep. Tom's 18838heart ached to be free, or else to have something of interest to do to 18839pass the dreary time. His hand wandered into his pocket and his face 18840lit up with a glow of gratitude that was prayer, though he did not know 18841it. Then furtively the percussion-cap box came out. He released the 18842tick and put him on the long flat desk. The creature probably glowed 18843with a gratitude that amounted to prayer, too, at this moment, but it 18844was premature: for when he started thankfully to travel off, Tom turned 18845him aside with a pin and made him take a new direction. 18846 18847Tom's bosom friend sat next him, suffering just as Tom had been, and 18848now he was deeply and gratefully interested in this entertainment in an 18849instant. This bosom friend was Joe Harper. The two boys were sworn 18850friends all the week, and embattled enemies on Saturdays. Joe took a 18851pin out of his lapel and began to assist in exercising the prisoner. 18852The sport grew in interest momently. Soon Tom said that they were 18853interfering with each other, and neither getting the fullest benefit of 18854the tick. So he put Joe's slate on the desk and drew a line down the 18855middle of it from top to bottom. 18856 18857"Now," said he, "as long as he is on your side you can stir him up and 18858I'll let him alone; but if you let him get away and get on my side, 18859you're to leave him alone as long as I can keep him from crossing over." 18860 18861"All right, go ahead; start him up." 18862 18863The tick escaped from Tom, presently, and crossed the equator. Joe 18864harassed him awhile, and then he got away and crossed back again. This 18865change of base occurred often. While one boy was worrying the tick with 18866absorbing interest, the other would look on with interest as strong, 18867the two heads bowed together over the slate, and the two souls dead to 18868all things else. At last luck seemed to settle and abide with Joe. The 18869tick tried this, that, and the other course, and got as excited and as 18870anxious as the boys themselves, but time and again just as he would 18871have victory in his very grasp, so to speak, and Tom's fingers would be 18872twitching to begin, Joe's pin would deftly head him off, and keep 18873possession. At last Tom could stand it no longer. The temptation was 18874too strong. So he reached out and lent a hand with his pin. Joe was 18875angry in a moment. Said he: 18876 18877"Tom, you let him alone." 18878 18879"I only just want to stir him up a little, Joe." 18880 18881"No, sir, it ain't fair; you just let him alone." 18882 18883"Blame it, I ain't going to stir him much." 18884 18885"Let him alone, I tell you." 18886 18887"I won't!" 18888 18889"You shall--he's on my side of the line." 18890 18891"Look here, Joe Harper, whose is that tick?" 18892 18893"I don't care whose tick he is--he's on my side of the line, and you 18894sha'n't touch him." 18895 18896"Well, I'll just bet I will, though. He's my tick and I'll do what I 18897blame please with him, or die!" 18898 18899A tremendous whack came down on Tom's shoulders, and its duplicate on 18900Joe's; and for the space of two minutes the dust continued to fly from 18901the two jackets and the whole school to enjoy it. The boys had been too 18902absorbed to notice the hush that had stolen upon the school awhile 18903before when the master came tiptoeing down the room and stood over 18904them. He had contemplated a good part of the performance before he 18905contributed his bit of variety to it. 18906 18907When school broke up at noon, Tom flew to Becky Thatcher, and 18908whispered in her ear: 18909 18910"Put on your bonnet and let on you're going home; and when you get to 18911the corner, give the rest of 'em the slip, and turn down through the 18912lane and come back. I'll go the other way and come it over 'em the same 18913way." 18914 18915So the one went off with one group of scholars, and the other with 18916another. In a little while the two met at the bottom of the lane, and 18917when they reached the school they had it all to themselves. Then they 18918sat together, with a slate before them, and Tom gave Becky the pencil 18919and held her hand in his, guiding it, and so created another surprising 18920house. When the interest in art began to wane, the two fell to talking. 18921Tom was swimming in bliss. He said: 18922 18923"Do you love rats?" 18924 18925"No! I hate them!" 18926 18927"Well, I do, too--LIVE ones. But I mean dead ones, to swing round your 18928head with a string." 18929 18930"No, I don't care for rats much, anyway. What I like is chewing-gum." 18931 18932"Oh, I should say so! I wish I had some now." 18933 18934"Do you? I've got some. I'll let you chew it awhile, but you must give 18935it back to me." 18936 18937That was agreeable, so they chewed it turn about, and dangled their 18938legs against the bench in excess of contentment. 18939 18940"Was you ever at a circus?" said Tom. 18941 18942"Yes, and my pa's going to take me again some time, if I'm good." 18943 18944"I been to the circus three or four times--lots of times. Church ain't 18945shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the time. 18946I'm going to be a clown in a circus when I grow up." 18947 18948"Oh, are you! That will be nice. They're so lovely, all spotted up." 18949 18950"Yes, that's so. And they get slathers of money--most a dollar a day, 18951Ben Rogers says. Say, Becky, was you ever engaged?" 18952 18953"What's that?" 18954 18955"Why, engaged to be married." 18956 18957"No." 18958 18959"Would you like to?" 18960 18961"I reckon so. I don't know. What is it like?" 18962 18963"Like? Why it ain't like anything. You only just tell a boy you won't 18964ever have anybody but him, ever ever ever, and then you kiss and that's 18965all. Anybody can do it." 18966 18967"Kiss? What do you kiss for?" 18968 18969"Why, that, you know, is to--well, they always do that." 18970 18971"Everybody?" 18972 18973"Why, yes, everybody that's in love with each other. Do you remember 18974what I wrote on the slate?" 18975 18976"Ye--yes." 18977 18978"What was it?" 18979 18980"I sha'n't tell you." 18981 18982"Shall I tell YOU?" 18983 18984"Ye--yes--but some other time." 18985 18986"No, now." 18987 18988"No, not now--to-morrow." 18989 18990"Oh, no, NOW. Please, Becky--I'll whisper it, I'll whisper it ever so 18991easy." 18992 18993Becky hesitating, Tom took silence for consent, and passed his arm 18994about her waist and whispered the tale ever so softly, with his mouth 18995close to her ear. And then he added: 18996 18997"Now you whisper it to me--just the same." 18998 18999She resisted, for a while, and then said: 19000 19001"You turn your face away so you can't see, and then I will. But you 19002mustn't ever tell anybody--WILL you, Tom? Now you won't, WILL you?" 19003 19004"No, indeed, indeed I won't. Now, Becky." 19005 19006He turned his face away. She bent timidly around till her breath 19007stirred his curls and whispered, "I--love--you!" 19008 19009Then she sprang away and ran around and around the desks and benches, 19010with Tom after her, and took refuge in a corner at last, with her 19011little white apron to her face. Tom clasped her about her neck and 19012pleaded: 19013 19014"Now, Becky, it's all done--all over but the kiss. Don't you be afraid 19015of that--it ain't anything at all. Please, Becky." And he tugged at her 19016apron and the hands. 19017 19018By and by she gave up, and let her hands drop; her face, all glowing 19019with the struggle, came up and submitted. Tom kissed the red lips and 19020said: 19021 19022"Now it's all done, Becky. And always after this, you know, you ain't 19023ever to love anybody but me, and you ain't ever to marry anybody but 19024me, ever never and forever. Will you?" 19025 19026"No, I'll never love anybody but you, Tom, and I'll never marry 19027anybody but you--and you ain't to ever marry anybody but me, either." 19028 19029"Certainly. Of course. That's PART of it. And always coming to school 19030or when we're going home, you're to walk with me, when there ain't 19031anybody looking--and you choose me and I choose you at parties, because 19032that's the way you do when you're engaged." 19033 19034"It's so nice. I never heard of it before." 19035 19036"Oh, it's ever so gay! Why, me and Amy Lawrence--" 19037 19038The big eyes told Tom his blunder and he stopped, confused. 19039 19040"Oh, Tom! Then I ain't the first you've ever been engaged to!" 19041 19042The child began to cry. Tom said: 19043 19044"Oh, don't cry, Becky, I don't care for her any more." 19045 19046"Yes, you do, Tom--you know you do." 19047 19048Tom tried to put his arm about her neck, but she pushed him away and 19049turned her face to the wall, and went on crying. Tom tried again, with 19050soothing words in his mouth, and was repulsed again. Then his pride was 19051up, and he strode away and went outside. He stood about, restless and 19052uneasy, for a while, glancing at the door, every now and then, hoping 19053she would repent and come to find him. But she did not. Then he began 19054to feel badly and fear that he was in the wrong. It was a hard struggle 19055with him to make new advances, now, but he nerved himself to it and 19056entered. She was still standing back there in the corner, sobbing, with 19057her face to the wall. Tom's heart smote him. He went to her and stood a 19058moment, not knowing exactly how to proceed. Then he said hesitatingly: 19059 19060"Becky, I--I don't care for anybody but you." 19061 19062No reply--but sobs. 19063 19064"Becky"--pleadingly. "Becky, won't you say something?" 19065 19066More sobs. 19067 19068Tom got out his chiefest jewel, a brass knob from the top of an 19069andiron, and passed it around her so that she could see it, and said: 19070 19071"Please, Becky, won't you take it?" 19072 19073She struck it to the floor. Then Tom marched out of the house and over 19074the hills and far away, to return to school no more that day. Presently 19075Becky began to suspect. She ran to the door; he was not in sight; she 19076flew around to the play-yard; he was not there. Then she called: 19077 19078"Tom! Come back, Tom!" 19079 19080She listened intently, but there was no answer. She had no companions 19081but silence and loneliness. So she sat down to cry again and upbraid 19082herself; and by this time the scholars began to gather again, and she 19083had to hide her griefs and still her broken heart and take up the cross 19084of a long, dreary, aching afternoon, with none among the strangers 19085about her to exchange sorrows with. 19086 19087 19088 19089CHAPTER VIII 19090 19091TOM dodged hither and thither through lanes until he was well out of 19092the track of returning scholars, and then fell into a moody jog. He 19093crossed a small "branch" two or three times, because of a prevailing 19094juvenile superstition that to cross water baffled pursuit. Half an hour 19095later he was disappearing behind the Douglas mansion on the summit of 19096Cardiff Hill, and the schoolhouse was hardly distinguishable away off 19097in the valley behind him. He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless 19098way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading 19099oak. There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had 19100even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was 19101broken by no sound but the occasional far-off hammering of a 19102woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense 19103of loneliness the more profound. The boy's soul was steeped in 19104melancholy; his feelings were in happy accord with his surroundings. He 19105sat long with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, 19106meditating. It seemed to him that life was but a trouble, at best, and 19107he more than half envied Jimmy Hodges, so lately released; it must be 19108very peaceful, he thought, to lie and slumber and dream forever and 19109ever, with the wind whispering through the trees and caressing the 19110grass and the flowers over the grave, and nothing to bother and grieve 19111about, ever any more. If he only had a clean Sunday-school record he 19112could be willing to go, and be done with it all. Now as to this girl. 19113What had he done? Nothing. He had meant the best in the world, and been 19114treated like a dog--like a very dog. She would be sorry some day--maybe 19115when it was too late. Ah, if he could only die TEMPORARILY! 19116 19117But the elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one 19118constrained shape long at a time. Tom presently began to drift 19119insensibly back into the concerns of this life again. What if he turned 19120his back, now, and disappeared mysteriously? What if he went away--ever 19121so far away, into unknown countries beyond the seas--and never came 19122back any more! How would she feel then! The idea of being a clown 19123recurred to him now, only to fill him with disgust. For frivolity and 19124jokes and spotted tights were an offense, when they intruded themselves 19125upon a spirit that was exalted into the vague august realm of the 19126romantic. No, he would be a soldier, and return after long years, all 19127war-worn and illustrious. No--better still, he would join the Indians, 19128and hunt buffaloes and go on the warpath in the mountain ranges and the 19129trackless great plains of the Far West, and away in the future come 19130back a great chief, bristling with feathers, hideous with paint, and 19131prance into Sunday-school, some drowsy summer morning, with a 19132bloodcurdling war-whoop, and sear the eyeballs of all his companions 19133with unappeasable envy. But no, there was something gaudier even than 19134this. He would be a pirate! That was it! NOW his future lay plain 19135before him, and glowing with unimaginable splendor. How his name would 19136fill the world, and make people shudder! How gloriously he would go 19137plowing the dancing seas, in his long, low, black-hulled racer, the 19138Spirit of the Storm, with his grisly flag flying at the fore! And at 19139the zenith of his fame, how he would suddenly appear at the old village 19140and stalk into church, brown and weather-beaten, in his black velvet 19141doublet and trunks, his great jack-boots, his crimson sash, his belt 19142bristling with horse-pistols, his crime-rusted cutlass at his side, his 19143slouch hat with waving plumes, his black flag unfurled, with the skull 19144and crossbones on it, and hear with swelling ecstasy the whisperings, 19145"It's Tom Sawyer the Pirate!--the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main!" 19146 19147Yes, it was settled; his career was determined. He would run away from 19148home and enter upon it. He would start the very next morning. Therefore 19149he must now begin to get ready. He would collect his resources 19150together. He went to a rotten log near at hand and began to dig under 19151one end of it with his Barlow knife. He soon struck wood that sounded 19152hollow. He put his hand there and uttered this incantation impressively: 19153 19154"What hasn't come here, come! What's here, stay here!" 19155 19156Then he scraped away the dirt, and exposed a pine shingle. He took it 19157up and disclosed a shapely little treasure-house whose bottom and sides 19158were of shingles. In it lay a marble. Tom's astonishment was boundless! 19159He scratched his head with a perplexed air, and said: 19160 19161"Well, that beats anything!" 19162 19163Then he tossed the marble away pettishly, and stood cogitating. The 19164truth was, that a superstition of his had failed, here, which he and 19165all his comrades had always looked upon as infallible. If you buried a 19166marble with certain necessary incantations, and left it alone a 19167fortnight, and then opened the place with the incantation he had just 19168used, you would find that all the marbles you had ever lost had 19169gathered themselves together there, meantime, no matter how widely they 19170had been separated. But now, this thing had actually and unquestionably 19171failed. Tom's whole structure of faith was shaken to its foundations. 19172He had many a time heard of this thing succeeding but never of its 19173failing before. It did not occur to him that he had tried it several 19174times before, himself, but could never find the hiding-places 19175afterward. He puzzled over the matter some time, and finally decided 19176that some witch had interfered and broken the charm. He thought he 19177would satisfy himself on that point; so he searched around till he 19178found a small sandy spot with a little funnel-shaped depression in it. 19179He laid himself down and put his mouth close to this depression and 19180called-- 19181 19182"Doodle-bug, doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know! Doodle-bug, 19183doodle-bug, tell me what I want to know!" 19184 19185The sand began to work, and presently a small black bug appeared for a 19186second and then darted under again in a fright. 19187 19188"He dasn't tell! So it WAS a witch that done it. I just knowed it." 19189 19190He well knew the futility of trying to contend against witches, so he 19191gave up discouraged. But it occurred to him that he might as well have 19192the marble he had just thrown away, and therefore he went and made a 19193patient search for it. But he could not find it. Now he went back to 19194his treasure-house and carefully placed himself just as he had been 19195standing when he tossed the marble away; then he took another marble 19196from his pocket and tossed it in the same way, saying: 19197 19198"Brother, go find your brother!" 19199 19200He watched where it stopped, and went there and looked. But it must 19201have fallen short or gone too far; so he tried twice more. The last 19202repetition was successful. The two marbles lay within a foot of each 19203other. 19204 19205Just here the blast of a toy tin trumpet came faintly down the green 19206aisles of the forest. Tom flung off his jacket and trousers, turned a 19207suspender into a belt, raked away some brush behind the rotten log, 19208disclosing a rude bow and arrow, a lath sword and a tin trumpet, and in 19209a moment had seized these things and bounded away, barelegged, with 19210fluttering shirt. He presently halted under a great elm, blew an 19211answering blast, and then began to tiptoe and look warily out, this way 19212and that. He said cautiously--to an imaginary company: 19213 19214"Hold, my merry men! Keep hid till I blow." 19215 19216Now appeared Joe Harper, as airily clad and elaborately armed as Tom. 19217Tom called: 19218 19219"Hold! Who comes here into Sherwood Forest without my pass?" 19220 19221"Guy of Guisborne wants no man's pass. Who art thou that--that--" 19222 19223"Dares to hold such language," said Tom, prompting--for they talked 19224"by the book," from memory. 19225 19226"Who art thou that dares to hold such language?" 19227 19228"I, indeed! I am Robin Hood, as thy caitiff carcase soon shall know." 19229 19230"Then art thou indeed that famous outlaw? Right gladly will I dispute 19231with thee the passes of the merry wood. Have at thee!" 19232 19233They took their lath swords, dumped their other traps on the ground, 19234struck a fencing attitude, foot to foot, and began a grave, careful 19235combat, "two up and two down." Presently Tom said: 19236 19237"Now, if you've got the hang, go it lively!" 19238 19239So they "went it lively," panting and perspiring with the work. By and 19240by Tom shouted: 19241 19242"Fall! fall! Why don't you fall?" 19243 19244"I sha'n't! Why don't you fall yourself? You're getting the worst of 19245it." 19246 19247"Why, that ain't anything. I can't fall; that ain't the way it is in 19248the book. The book says, 'Then with one back-handed stroke he slew poor 19249Guy of Guisborne.' You're to turn around and let me hit you in the 19250back." 19251 19252There was no getting around the authorities, so Joe turned, received 19253the whack and fell. 19254 19255"Now," said Joe, getting up, "you got to let me kill YOU. That's fair." 19256 19257"Why, I can't do that, it ain't in the book." 19258 19259"Well, it's blamed mean--that's all." 19260 19261"Well, say, Joe, you can be Friar Tuck or Much the miller's son, and 19262lam me with a quarter-staff; or I'll be the Sheriff of Nottingham and 19263you be Robin Hood a little while and kill me." 19264 19265This was satisfactory, and so these adventures were carried out. Then 19266Tom became Robin Hood again, and was allowed by the treacherous nun to 19267bleed his strength away through his neglected wound. And at last Joe, 19268representing a whole tribe of weeping outlaws, dragged him sadly forth, 19269gave his bow into his feeble hands, and Tom said, "Where this arrow 19270falls, there bury poor Robin Hood under the greenwood tree." Then he 19271shot the arrow and fell back and would have died, but he lit on a 19272nettle and sprang up too gaily for a corpse. 19273 19274The boys dressed themselves, hid their accoutrements, and went off 19275grieving that there were no outlaws any more, and wondering what modern 19276civilization could claim to have done to compensate for their loss. 19277They said they would rather be outlaws a year in Sherwood Forest than 19278President of the United States forever. 19279 19280 19281 19282CHAPTER IX 19283 19284AT half-past nine, that night, Tom and Sid were sent to bed, as usual. 19285They said their prayers, and Sid was soon asleep. Tom lay awake and 19286waited, in restless impatience. When it seemed to him that it must be 19287nearly daylight, he heard the clock strike ten! This was despair. He 19288would have tossed and fidgeted, as his nerves demanded, but he was 19289afraid he might wake Sid. So he lay still, and stared up into the dark. 19290Everything was dismally still. By and by, out of the stillness, little, 19291scarcely perceptible noises began to emphasize themselves. The ticking 19292of the clock began to bring itself into notice. Old beams began to 19293crack mysteriously. The stairs creaked faintly. Evidently spirits were 19294abroad. A measured, muffled snore issued from Aunt Polly's chamber. And 19295now the tiresome chirping of a cricket that no human ingenuity could 19296locate, began. Next the ghastly ticking of a deathwatch in the wall at 19297the bed's head made Tom shudder--it meant that somebody's days were 19298numbered. Then the howl of a far-off dog rose on the night air, and was 19299answered by a fainter howl from a remoter distance. Tom was in an 19300agony. At last he was satisfied that time had ceased and eternity 19301begun; he began to doze, in spite of himself; the clock chimed eleven, 19302but he did not hear it. And then there came, mingling with his 19303half-formed dreams, a most melancholy caterwauling. The raising of a 19304neighboring window disturbed him. A cry of "Scat! you devil!" and the 19305crash of an empty bottle against the back of his aunt's woodshed 19306brought him wide awake, and a single minute later he was dressed and 19307out of the window and creeping along the roof of the "ell" on all 19308fours. He "meow'd" with caution once or twice, as he went; then jumped 19309to the roof of the woodshed and thence to the ground. Huckleberry Finn 19310was there, with his dead cat. The boys moved off and disappeared in the 19311gloom. At the end of half an hour they were wading through the tall 19312grass of the graveyard. 19313 19314It was a graveyard of the old-fashioned Western kind. It was on a 19315hill, about a mile and a half from the village. It had a crazy board 19316fence around it, which leaned inward in places, and outward the rest of 19317the time, but stood upright nowhere. Grass and weeds grew rank over the 19318whole cemetery. All the old graves were sunken in, there was not a 19319tombstone on the place; round-topped, worm-eaten boards staggered over 19320the graves, leaning for support and finding none. "Sacred to the memory 19321of" So-and-So had been painted on them once, but it could no longer 19322have been read, on the most of them, now, even if there had been light. 19323 19324A faint wind moaned through the trees, and Tom feared it might be the 19325spirits of the dead, complaining at being disturbed. The boys talked 19326little, and only under their breath, for the time and the place and the 19327pervading solemnity and silence oppressed their spirits. They found the 19328sharp new heap they were seeking, and ensconced themselves within the 19329protection of three great elms that grew in a bunch within a few feet 19330of the grave. 19331 19332Then they waited in silence for what seemed a long time. The hooting 19333of a distant owl was all the sound that troubled the dead stillness. 19334Tom's reflections grew oppressive. He must force some talk. So he said 19335in a whisper: 19336 19337"Hucky, do you believe the dead people like it for us to be here?" 19338 19339Huckleberry whispered: 19340 19341"I wisht I knowed. It's awful solemn like, AIN'T it?" 19342 19343"I bet it is." 19344 19345There was a considerable pause, while the boys canvassed this matter 19346inwardly. Then Tom whispered: 19347 19348"Say, Hucky--do you reckon Hoss Williams hears us talking?" 19349 19350"O' course he does. Least his sperrit does." 19351 19352Tom, after a pause: 19353 19354"I wish I'd said Mister Williams. But I never meant any harm. 19355Everybody calls him Hoss." 19356 19357"A body can't be too partic'lar how they talk 'bout these-yer dead 19358people, Tom." 19359 19360This was a damper, and conversation died again. 19361 19362Presently Tom seized his comrade's arm and said: 19363 19364"Sh!" 19365 19366"What is it, Tom?" And the two clung together with beating hearts. 19367 19368"Sh! There 'tis again! Didn't you hear it?" 19369 19370"I--" 19371 19372"There! Now you hear it." 19373 19374"Lord, Tom, they're coming! They're coming, sure. What'll we do?" 19375 19376"I dono. Think they'll see us?" 19377 19378"Oh, Tom, they can see in the dark, same as cats. I wisht I hadn't 19379come." 19380 19381"Oh, don't be afeard. I don't believe they'll bother us. We ain't 19382doing any harm. If we keep perfectly still, maybe they won't notice us 19383at all." 19384 19385"I'll try to, Tom, but, Lord, I'm all of a shiver." 19386 19387"Listen!" 19388 19389The boys bent their heads together and scarcely breathed. A muffled 19390sound of voices floated up from the far end of the graveyard. 19391 19392"Look! See there!" whispered Tom. "What is it?" 19393 19394"It's devil-fire. Oh, Tom, this is awful." 19395 19396Some vague figures approached through the gloom, swinging an 19397old-fashioned tin lantern that freckled the ground with innumerable 19398little spangles of light. Presently Huckleberry whispered with a 19399shudder: 19400 19401"It's the devils sure enough. Three of 'em! Lordy, Tom, we're goners! 19402Can you pray?" 19403 19404"I'll try, but don't you be afeard. They ain't going to hurt us. 'Now 19405I lay me down to sleep, I--'" 19406 19407"Sh!" 19408 19409"What is it, Huck?" 19410 19411"They're HUMANS! One of 'em is, anyway. One of 'em's old Muff Potter's 19412voice." 19413 19414"No--'tain't so, is it?" 19415 19416"I bet I know it. Don't you stir nor budge. He ain't sharp enough to 19417notice us. Drunk, the same as usual, likely--blamed old rip!" 19418 19419"All right, I'll keep still. Now they're stuck. Can't find it. Here 19420they come again. Now they're hot. Cold again. Hot again. Red hot! 19421They're p'inted right, this time. Say, Huck, I know another o' them 19422voices; it's Injun Joe." 19423 19424"That's so--that murderin' half-breed! I'd druther they was devils a 19425dern sight. What kin they be up to?" 19426 19427The whisper died wholly out, now, for the three men had reached the 19428grave and stood within a few feet of the boys' hiding-place. 19429 19430"Here it is," said the third voice; and the owner of it held the 19431lantern up and revealed the face of young Doctor Robinson. 19432 19433Potter and Injun Joe were carrying a handbarrow with a rope and a 19434couple of shovels on it. They cast down their load and began to open 19435the grave. The doctor put the lantern at the head of the grave and came 19436and sat down with his back against one of the elm trees. He was so 19437close the boys could have touched him. 19438 19439"Hurry, men!" he said, in a low voice; "the moon might come out at any 19440moment." 19441 19442They growled a response and went on digging. For some time there was 19443no noise but the grating sound of the spades discharging their freight 19444of mould and gravel. It was very monotonous. Finally a spade struck 19445upon the coffin with a dull woody accent, and within another minute or 19446two the men had hoisted it out on the ground. They pried off the lid 19447with their shovels, got out the body and dumped it rudely on the 19448ground. The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid 19449face. The barrow was got ready and the corpse placed on it, covered 19450with a blanket, and bound to its place with the rope. Potter took out a 19451large spring-knife and cut off the dangling end of the rope and then 19452said: 19453 19454"Now the cussed thing's ready, Sawbones, and you'll just out with 19455another five, or here she stays." 19456 19457"That's the talk!" said Injun Joe. 19458 19459"Look here, what does this mean?" said the doctor. "You required your 19460pay in advance, and I've paid you." 19461 19462"Yes, and you done more than that," said Injun Joe, approaching the 19463doctor, who was now standing. "Five years ago you drove me away from 19464your father's kitchen one night, when I come to ask for something to 19465eat, and you said I warn't there for any good; and when I swore I'd get 19466even with you if it took a hundred years, your father had me jailed for 19467a vagrant. Did you think I'd forget? The Injun blood ain't in me for 19468nothing. And now I've GOT you, and you got to SETTLE, you know!" 19469 19470He was threatening the doctor, with his fist in his face, by this 19471time. The doctor struck out suddenly and stretched the ruffian on the 19472ground. Potter dropped his knife, and exclaimed: 19473 19474"Here, now, don't you hit my pard!" and the next moment he had 19475grappled with the doctor and the two were struggling with might and 19476main, trampling the grass and tearing the ground with their heels. 19477Injun Joe sprang to his feet, his eyes flaming with passion, snatched 19478up Potter's knife, and went creeping, catlike and stooping, round and 19479round about the combatants, seeking an opportunity. All at once the 19480doctor flung himself free, seized the heavy headboard of Williams' 19481grave and felled Potter to the earth with it--and in the same instant 19482the half-breed saw his chance and drove the knife to the hilt in the 19483young man's breast. He reeled and fell partly upon Potter, flooding him 19484with his blood, and in the same moment the clouds blotted out the 19485dreadful spectacle and the two frightened boys went speeding away in 19486the dark. 19487 19488Presently, when the moon emerged again, Injun Joe was standing over 19489the two forms, contemplating them. The doctor murmured inarticulately, 19490gave a long gasp or two and was still. The half-breed muttered: 19491 19492"THAT score is settled--damn you." 19493 19494Then he robbed the body. After which he put the fatal knife in 19495Potter's open right hand, and sat down on the dismantled coffin. Three 19496--four--five minutes passed, and then Potter began to stir and moan. His 19497hand closed upon the knife; he raised it, glanced at it, and let it 19498fall, with a shudder. Then he sat up, pushing the body from him, and 19499gazed at it, and then around him, confusedly. His eyes met Joe's. 19500 19501"Lord, how is this, Joe?" he said. 19502 19503"It's a dirty business," said Joe, without moving. 19504 19505"What did you do it for?" 19506 19507"I! I never done it!" 19508 19509"Look here! That kind of talk won't wash." 19510 19511Potter trembled and grew white. 19512 19513"I thought I'd got sober. I'd no business to drink to-night. But it's 19514in my head yet--worse'n when we started here. I'm all in a muddle; 19515can't recollect anything of it, hardly. Tell me, Joe--HONEST, now, old 19516feller--did I do it? Joe, I never meant to--'pon my soul and honor, I 19517never meant to, Joe. Tell me how it was, Joe. Oh, it's awful--and him 19518so young and promising." 19519 19520"Why, you two was scuffling, and he fetched you one with the headboard 19521and you fell flat; and then up you come, all reeling and staggering 19522like, and snatched the knife and jammed it into him, just as he fetched 19523you another awful clip--and here you've laid, as dead as a wedge til 19524now." 19525 19526"Oh, I didn't know what I was a-doing. I wish I may die this minute if 19527I did. It was all on account of the whiskey and the excitement, I 19528reckon. I never used a weepon in my life before, Joe. I've fought, but 19529never with weepons. They'll all say that. Joe, don't tell! Say you 19530won't tell, Joe--that's a good feller. I always liked you, Joe, and 19531stood up for you, too. Don't you remember? You WON'T tell, WILL you, 19532Joe?" And the poor creature dropped on his knees before the stolid 19533murderer, and clasped his appealing hands. 19534 19535"No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I 19536won't go back on you. There, now, that's as fair as a man can say." 19537 19538"Oh, Joe, you're an angel. I'll bless you for this the longest day I 19539live." And Potter began to cry. 19540 19541"Come, now, that's enough of that. This ain't any time for blubbering. 19542You be off yonder way and I'll go this. Move, now, and don't leave any 19543tracks behind you." 19544 19545Potter started on a trot that quickly increased to a run. The 19546half-breed stood looking after him. He muttered: 19547 19548"If he's as much stunned with the lick and fuddled with the rum as he 19549had the look of being, he won't think of the knife till he's gone so 19550far he'll be afraid to come back after it to such a place by himself 19551--chicken-heart!" 19552 19553Two or three minutes later the murdered man, the blanketed corpse, the 19554lidless coffin, and the open grave were under no inspection but the 19555moon's. The stillness was complete again, too. 19556 19557 19558 19559CHAPTER X 19560 19561THE two boys flew on and on, toward the village, speechless with 19562horror. They glanced backward over their shoulders from time to time, 19563apprehensively, as if they feared they might be followed. Every stump 19564that started up in their path seemed a man and an enemy, and made them 19565catch their breath; and as they sped by some outlying cottages that lay 19566near the village, the barking of the aroused watch-dogs seemed to give 19567wings to their feet. 19568 19569"If we can only get to the old tannery before we break down!" 19570whispered Tom, in short catches between breaths. "I can't stand it much 19571longer." 19572 19573Huckleberry's hard pantings were his only reply, and the boys fixed 19574their eyes on the goal of their hopes and bent to their work to win it. 19575They gained steadily on it, and at last, breast to breast, they burst 19576through the open door and fell grateful and exhausted in the sheltering 19577shadows beyond. By and by their pulses slowed down, and Tom whispered: 19578 19579"Huckleberry, what do you reckon'll come of this?" 19580 19581"If Doctor Robinson dies, I reckon hanging'll come of it." 19582 19583"Do you though?" 19584 19585"Why, I KNOW it, Tom." 19586 19587Tom thought a while, then he said: 19588 19589"Who'll tell? We?" 19590 19591"What are you talking about? S'pose something happened and Injun Joe 19592DIDN'T hang? Why, he'd kill us some time or other, just as dead sure as 19593we're a laying here." 19594 19595"That's just what I was thinking to myself, Huck." 19596 19597"If anybody tells, let Muff Potter do it, if he's fool enough. He's 19598generally drunk enough." 19599 19600Tom said nothing--went on thinking. Presently he whispered: 19601 19602"Huck, Muff Potter don't know it. How can he tell?" 19603 19604"What's the reason he don't know it?" 19605 19606"Because he'd just got that whack when Injun Joe done it. D'you reckon 19607he could see anything? D'you reckon he knowed anything?" 19608 19609"By hokey, that's so, Tom!" 19610 19611"And besides, look-a-here--maybe that whack done for HIM!" 19612 19613"No, 'taint likely, Tom. He had liquor in him; I could see that; and 19614besides, he always has. Well, when pap's full, you might take and belt 19615him over the head with a church and you couldn't phase him. He says so, 19616his own self. So it's the same with Muff Potter, of course. But if a 19617man was dead sober, I reckon maybe that whack might fetch him; I dono." 19618 19619After another reflective silence, Tom said: 19620 19621"Hucky, you sure you can keep mum?" 19622 19623"Tom, we GOT to keep mum. You know that. That Injun devil wouldn't 19624make any more of drownding us than a couple of cats, if we was to 19625squeak 'bout this and they didn't hang him. Now, look-a-here, Tom, less 19626take and swear to one another--that's what we got to do--swear to keep 19627mum." 19628 19629"I'm agreed. It's the best thing. Would you just hold hands and swear 19630that we--" 19631 19632"Oh no, that wouldn't do for this. That's good enough for little 19633rubbishy common things--specially with gals, cuz THEY go back on you 19634anyway, and blab if they get in a huff--but there orter be writing 19635'bout a big thing like this. And blood." 19636 19637Tom's whole being applauded this idea. It was deep, and dark, and 19638awful; the hour, the circumstances, the surroundings, were in keeping 19639with it. He picked up a clean pine shingle that lay in the moonlight, 19640took a little fragment of "red keel" out of his pocket, got the moon on 19641his work, and painfully scrawled these lines, emphasizing each slow 19642down-stroke by clamping his tongue between his teeth, and letting up 19643the pressure on the up-strokes. [See next page.] 19644 19645 "Huck Finn and 19646 Tom Sawyer swears 19647 they will keep mum 19648 about This and They 19649 wish They may Drop 19650 down dead in Their 19651 Tracks if They ever 19652 Tell and Rot." 19653 19654Huckleberry was filled with admiration of Tom's facility in writing, 19655and the sublimity of his language. He at once took a pin from his lapel 19656and was going to prick his flesh, but Tom said: 19657 19658"Hold on! Don't do that. A pin's brass. It might have verdigrease on 19659it." 19660 19661"What's verdigrease?" 19662 19663"It's p'ison. That's what it is. You just swaller some of it once 19664--you'll see." 19665 19666So Tom unwound the thread from one of his needles, and each boy 19667pricked the ball of his thumb and squeezed out a drop of blood. In 19668time, after many squeezes, Tom managed to sign his initials, using the 19669ball of his little finger for a pen. Then he showed Huckleberry how to 19670make an H and an F, and the oath was complete. They buried the shingle 19671close to the wall, with some dismal ceremonies and incantations, and 19672the fetters that bound their tongues were considered to be locked and 19673the key thrown away. 19674 19675A figure crept stealthily through a break in the other end of the 19676ruined building, now, but they did not notice it. 19677 19678"Tom," whispered Huckleberry, "does this keep us from EVER telling 19679--ALWAYS?" 19680 19681"Of course it does. It don't make any difference WHAT happens, we got 19682to keep mum. We'd drop down dead--don't YOU know that?" 19683 19684"Yes, I reckon that's so." 19685 19686They continued to whisper for some little time. Presently a dog set up 19687a long, lugubrious howl just outside--within ten feet of them. The boys 19688clasped each other suddenly, in an agony of fright. 19689 19690"Which of us does he mean?" gasped Huckleberry. 19691 19692"I dono--peep through the crack. Quick!" 19693 19694"No, YOU, Tom!" 19695 19696"I can't--I can't DO it, Huck!" 19697 19698"Please, Tom. There 'tis again!" 19699 19700"Oh, lordy, I'm thankful!" whispered Tom. "I know his voice. It's Bull 19701Harbison." * 19702 19703[* If Mr. Harbison owned a slave named Bull, Tom would have spoken of 19704him as "Harbison's Bull," but a son or a dog of that name was "Bull 19705Harbison."] 19706 19707"Oh, that's good--I tell you, Tom, I was most scared to death; I'd a 19708bet anything it was a STRAY dog." 19709 19710The dog howled again. The boys' hearts sank once more. 19711 19712"Oh, my! that ain't no Bull Harbison!" whispered Huckleberry. "DO, Tom!" 19713 19714Tom, quaking with fear, yielded, and put his eye to the crack. His 19715whisper was hardly audible when he said: 19716 19717"Oh, Huck, IT S A STRAY DOG!" 19718 19719"Quick, Tom, quick! Who does he mean?" 19720 19721"Huck, he must mean us both--we're right together." 19722 19723"Oh, Tom, I reckon we're goners. I reckon there ain't no mistake 'bout 19724where I'LL go to. I been so wicked." 19725 19726"Dad fetch it! This comes of playing hookey and doing everything a 19727feller's told NOT to do. I might a been good, like Sid, if I'd a tried 19728--but no, I wouldn't, of course. But if ever I get off this time, I lay 19729I'll just WALLER in Sunday-schools!" And Tom began to snuffle a little. 19730 19731"YOU bad!" and Huckleberry began to snuffle too. "Consound it, Tom 19732Sawyer, you're just old pie, 'longside o' what I am. Oh, LORDY, lordy, 19733lordy, I wisht I only had half your chance." 19734 19735Tom choked off and whispered: 19736 19737"Look, Hucky, look! He's got his BACK to us!" 19738 19739Hucky looked, with joy in his heart. 19740 19741"Well, he has, by jingoes! Did he before?" 19742 19743"Yes, he did. But I, like a fool, never thought. Oh, this is bully, 19744you know. NOW who can he mean?" 19745 19746The howling stopped. Tom pricked up his ears. 19747 19748"Sh! What's that?" he whispered. 19749 19750"Sounds like--like hogs grunting. No--it's somebody snoring, Tom." 19751 19752"That IS it! Where 'bouts is it, Huck?" 19753 19754"I bleeve it's down at 'tother end. Sounds so, anyway. Pap used to 19755sleep there, sometimes, 'long with the hogs, but laws bless you, he 19756just lifts things when HE snores. Besides, I reckon he ain't ever 19757coming back to this town any more." 19758 19759The spirit of adventure rose in the boys' souls once more. 19760 19761"Hucky, do you das't to go if I lead?" 19762 19763"I don't like to, much. Tom, s'pose it's Injun Joe!" 19764 19765Tom quailed. But presently the temptation rose up strong again and the 19766boys agreed to try, with the understanding that they would take to 19767their heels if the snoring stopped. So they went tiptoeing stealthily 19768down, the one behind the other. When they had got to within five steps 19769of the snorer, Tom stepped on a stick, and it broke with a sharp snap. 19770The man moaned, writhed a little, and his face came into the moonlight. 19771It was Muff Potter. The boys' hearts had stood still, and their hopes 19772too, when the man moved, but their fears passed away now. They tiptoed 19773out, through the broken weather-boarding, and stopped at a little 19774distance to exchange a parting word. That long, lugubrious howl rose on 19775the night air again! They turned and saw the strange dog standing 19776within a few feet of where Potter was lying, and FACING Potter, with 19777his nose pointing heavenward. 19778 19779"Oh, geeminy, it's HIM!" exclaimed both boys, in a breath. 19780 19781"Say, Tom--they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller's 19782house, 'bout midnight, as much as two weeks ago; and a whippoorwill 19783come in and lit on the banisters and sung, the very same evening; and 19784there ain't anybody dead there yet." 19785 19786"Well, I know that. And suppose there ain't. Didn't Gracie Miller fall 19787in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday?" 19788 19789"Yes, but she ain't DEAD. And what's more, she's getting better, too." 19790 19791"All right, you wait and see. She's a goner, just as dead sure as Muff 19792Potter's a goner. That's what the niggers say, and they know all about 19793these kind of things, Huck." 19794 19795Then they separated, cogitating. When Tom crept in at his bedroom 19796window the night was almost spent. He undressed with excessive caution, 19797and fell asleep congratulating himself that nobody knew of his 19798escapade. He was not aware that the gently-snoring Sid was awake, and 19799had been so for an hour. 19800 19801When Tom awoke, Sid was dressed and gone. There was a late look in the 19802light, a late sense in the atmosphere. He was startled. Why had he not 19803been called--persecuted till he was up, as usual? The thought filled 19804him with bodings. Within five minutes he was dressed and down-stairs, 19805feeling sore and drowsy. The family were still at table, but they had 19806finished breakfast. There was no voice of rebuke; but there were 19807averted eyes; there was a silence and an air of solemnity that struck a 19808chill to the culprit's heart. He sat down and tried to seem gay, but it 19809was up-hill work; it roused no smile, no response, and he lapsed into 19810silence and let his heart sink down to the depths. 19811 19812After breakfast his aunt took him aside, and Tom almost brightened in 19813the hope that he was going to be flogged; but it was not so. His aunt 19814wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; 19815and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray 19816hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any 19817more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was 19818sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised 19819to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling 19820that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a 19821feeble confidence. 19822 19823He left the presence too miserable to even feel revengeful toward Sid; 19824and so the latter's prompt retreat through the back gate was 19825unnecessary. He moped to school gloomy and sad, and took his flogging, 19826along with Joe Harper, for playing hookey the day before, with the air 19827of one whose heart was busy with heavier woes and wholly dead to 19828trifles. Then he betook himself to his seat, rested his elbows on his 19829desk and his jaws in his hands, and stared at the wall with the stony 19830stare of suffering that has reached the limit and can no further go. 19831His elbow was pressing against some hard substance. After a long time 19832he slowly and sadly changed his position, and took up this object with 19833a sigh. It was in a paper. He unrolled it. A long, lingering, colossal 19834sigh followed, and his heart broke. It was his brass andiron knob! 19835 19836This final feather broke the camel's back. 19837 19838 19839 19840CHAPTER XI 19841 19842CLOSE upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified 19843with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet undreamed-of telegraph; 19844the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to 19845house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the 19846schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have 19847thought strangely of him if he had not. 19848 19849A gory knife had been found close to the murdered man, and it had been 19850recognized by somebody as belonging to Muff Potter--so the story ran. 19851And it was said that a belated citizen had come upon Potter washing 19852himself in the "branch" about one or two o'clock in the morning, and 19853that Potter had at once sneaked off--suspicious circumstances, 19854especially the washing which was not a habit with Potter. It was also 19855said that the town had been ransacked for this "murderer" (the public 19856are not slow in the matter of sifting evidence and arriving at a 19857verdict), but that he could not be found. Horsemen had departed down 19858all the roads in every direction, and the Sheriff "was confident" that 19859he would be captured before night. 19860 19861All the town was drifting toward the graveyard. Tom's heartbreak 19862vanished and he joined the procession, not because he would not a 19863thousand times rather go anywhere else, but because an awful, 19864unaccountable fascination drew him on. Arrived at the dreadful place, 19865he wormed his small body through the crowd and saw the dismal 19866spectacle. It seemed to him an age since he was there before. Somebody 19867pinched his arm. He turned, and his eyes met Huckleberry's. Then both 19868looked elsewhere at once, and wondered if anybody had noticed anything 19869in their mutual glance. But everybody was talking, and intent upon the 19870grisly spectacle before them. 19871 19872"Poor fellow!" "Poor young fellow!" "This ought to be a lesson to 19873grave robbers!" "Muff Potter'll hang for this if they catch him!" This 19874was the drift of remark; and the minister said, "It was a judgment; His 19875hand is here." 19876 19877Now Tom shivered from head to heel; for his eye fell upon the stolid 19878face of Injun Joe. At this moment the crowd began to sway and struggle, 19879and voices shouted, "It's him! it's him! he's coming himself!" 19880 19881"Who? Who?" from twenty voices. 19882 19883"Muff Potter!" 19884 19885"Hallo, he's stopped!--Look out, he's turning! Don't let him get away!" 19886 19887People in the branches of the trees over Tom's head said he wasn't 19888trying to get away--he only looked doubtful and perplexed. 19889 19890"Infernal impudence!" said a bystander; "wanted to come and take a 19891quiet look at his work, I reckon--didn't expect any company." 19892 19893The crowd fell apart, now, and the Sheriff came through, 19894ostentatiously leading Potter by the arm. The poor fellow's face was 19895haggard, and his eyes showed the fear that was upon him. When he stood 19896before the murdered man, he shook as with a palsy, and he put his face 19897in his hands and burst into tears. 19898 19899"I didn't do it, friends," he sobbed; "'pon my word and honor I never 19900done it." 19901 19902"Who's accused you?" shouted a voice. 19903 19904This shot seemed to carry home. Potter lifted his face and looked 19905around him with a pathetic hopelessness in his eyes. He saw Injun Joe, 19906and exclaimed: 19907 19908"Oh, Injun Joe, you promised me you'd never--" 19909 19910"Is that your knife?" and it was thrust before him by the Sheriff. 19911 19912Potter would have fallen if they had not caught him and eased him to 19913the ground. Then he said: 19914 19915"Something told me 't if I didn't come back and get--" He shuddered; 19916then waved his nerveless hand with a vanquished gesture and said, "Tell 19917'em, Joe, tell 'em--it ain't any use any more." 19918 19919Then Huckleberry and Tom stood dumb and staring, and heard the 19920stony-hearted liar reel off his serene statement, they expecting every 19921moment that the clear sky would deliver God's lightnings upon his head, 19922and wondering to see how long the stroke was delayed. And when he had 19923finished and still stood alive and whole, their wavering impulse to 19924break their oath and save the poor betrayed prisoner's life faded and 19925vanished away, for plainly this miscreant had sold himself to Satan and 19926it would be fatal to meddle with the property of such a power as that. 19927 19928"Why didn't you leave? What did you want to come here for?" somebody 19929said. 19930 19931"I couldn't help it--I couldn't help it," Potter moaned. "I wanted to 19932run away, but I couldn't seem to come anywhere but here." And he fell 19933to sobbing again. 19934 19935Injun Joe repeated his statement, just as calmly, a few minutes 19936afterward on the inquest, under oath; and the boys, seeing that the 19937lightnings were still withheld, were confirmed in their belief that Joe 19938had sold himself to the devil. He was now become, to them, the most 19939balefully interesting object they had ever looked upon, and they could 19940not take their fascinated eyes from his face. 19941 19942They inwardly resolved to watch him nights, when opportunity should 19943offer, in the hope of getting a glimpse of his dread master. 19944 19945Injun Joe helped to raise the body of the murdered man and put it in a 19946wagon for removal; and it was whispered through the shuddering crowd 19947that the wound bled a little! The boys thought that this happy 19948circumstance would turn suspicion in the right direction; but they were 19949disappointed, for more than one villager remarked: 19950 19951"It was within three feet of Muff Potter when it done it." 19952 19953Tom's fearful secret and gnawing conscience disturbed his sleep for as 19954much as a week after this; and at breakfast one morning Sid said: 19955 19956"Tom, you pitch around and talk in your sleep so much that you keep me 19957awake half the time." 19958 19959Tom blanched and dropped his eyes. 19960 19961"It's a bad sign," said Aunt Polly, gravely. "What you got on your 19962mind, Tom?" 19963 19964"Nothing. Nothing 't I know of." But the boy's hand shook so that he 19965spilled his coffee. 19966 19967"And you do talk such stuff," Sid said. "Last night you said, 'It's 19968blood, it's blood, that's what it is!' You said that over and over. And 19969you said, 'Don't torment me so--I'll tell!' Tell WHAT? What is it 19970you'll tell?" 19971 19972Everything was swimming before Tom. There is no telling what might 19973have happened, now, but luckily the concern passed out of Aunt Polly's 19974face and she came to Tom's relief without knowing it. She said: 19975 19976"Sho! It's that dreadful murder. I dream about it most every night 19977myself. Sometimes I dream it's me that done it." 19978 19979Mary said she had been affected much the same way. Sid seemed 19980satisfied. Tom got out of the presence as quick as he plausibly could, 19981and after that he complained of toothache for a week, and tied up his 19982jaws every night. He never knew that Sid lay nightly watching, and 19983frequently slipped the bandage free and then leaned on his elbow 19984listening a good while at a time, and afterward slipped the bandage 19985back to its place again. Tom's distress of mind wore off gradually and 19986the toothache grew irksome and was discarded. If Sid really managed to 19987make anything out of Tom's disjointed mutterings, he kept it to himself. 19988 19989It seemed to Tom that his schoolmates never would get done holding 19990inquests on dead cats, and thus keeping his trouble present to his 19991mind. Sid noticed that Tom never was coroner at one of these inquiries, 19992though it had been his habit to take the lead in all new enterprises; 19993he noticed, too, that Tom never acted as a witness--and that was 19994strange; and Sid did not overlook the fact that Tom even showed a 19995marked aversion to these inquests, and always avoided them when he 19996could. Sid marvelled, but said nothing. However, even inquests went out 19997of vogue at last, and ceased to torture Tom's conscience. 19998 19999Every day or two, during this time of sorrow, Tom watched his 20000opportunity and went to the little grated jail-window and smuggled such 20001small comforts through to the "murderer" as he could get hold of. The 20002jail was a trifling little brick den that stood in a marsh at the edge 20003of the village, and no guards were afforded for it; indeed, it was 20004seldom occupied. These offerings greatly helped to ease Tom's 20005conscience. 20006 20007The villagers had a strong desire to tar-and-feather Injun Joe and 20008ride him on a rail, for body-snatching, but so formidable was his 20009character that nobody could be found who was willing to take the lead 20010in the matter, so it was dropped. He had been careful to begin both of 20011his inquest-statements with the fight, without confessing the 20012grave-robbery that preceded it; therefore it was deemed wisest not 20013to try the case in the courts at present. 20014 20015 20016 20017CHAPTER XII 20018 20019ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret 20020troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest 20021itself about. Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school. Tom had 20022struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the 20023wind," but failed. He began to find himself hanging around her father's 20024house, nights, and feeling very miserable. She was ill. What if she 20025should die! There was distraction in the thought. He no longer took an 20026interest in war, nor even in piracy. The charm of life was gone; there 20027was nothing but dreariness left. He put his hoop away, and his bat; 20028there was no joy in them any more. His aunt was concerned. She began to 20029try all manner of remedies on him. She was one of those people who are 20030infatuated with patent medicines and all new-fangled methods of 20031producing health or mending it. She was an inveterate experimenter in 20032these things. When something fresh in this line came out she was in a 20033fever, right away, to try it; not on herself, for she was never ailing, 20034but on anybody else that came handy. She was a subscriber for all the 20035"Health" periodicals and phrenological frauds; and the solemn ignorance 20036they were inflated with was breath to her nostrils. All the "rot" they 20037contained about ventilation, and how to go to bed, and how to get up, 20038and what to eat, and what to drink, and how much exercise to take, and 20039what frame of mind to keep one's self in, and what sort of clothing to 20040wear, was all gospel to her, and she never observed that her 20041health-journals of the current month customarily upset everything they 20042had recommended the month before. She was as simple-hearted and honest 20043as the day was long, and so she was an easy victim. She gathered 20044together her quack periodicals and her quack medicines, and thus armed 20045with death, went about on her pale horse, metaphorically speaking, with 20046"hell following after." But she never suspected that she was not an 20047angel of healing and the balm of Gilead in disguise, to the suffering 20048neighbors. 20049 20050The water treatment was new, now, and Tom's low condition was a 20051windfall to her. She had him out at daylight every morning, stood him 20052up in the woodshed and drowned him with a deluge of cold water; then 20053she scrubbed him down with a towel like a file, and so brought him to; 20054then she rolled him up in a wet sheet and put him away under blankets 20055till she sweated his soul clean and "the yellow stains of it came 20056through his pores"--as Tom said. 20057 20058Yet notwithstanding all this, the boy grew more and more melancholy 20059and pale and dejected. She added hot baths, sitz baths, shower baths, 20060and plunges. The boy remained as dismal as a hearse. She began to 20061assist the water with a slim oatmeal diet and blister-plasters. She 20062calculated his capacity as she would a jug's, and filled him up every 20063day with quack cure-alls. 20064 20065Tom had become indifferent to persecution by this time. This phase 20066filled the old lady's heart with consternation. This indifference must 20067be broken up at any cost. Now she heard of Pain-killer for the first 20068time. She ordered a lot at once. She tasted it and was filled with 20069gratitude. It was simply fire in a liquid form. She dropped the water 20070treatment and everything else, and pinned her faith to Pain-killer. She 20071gave Tom a teaspoonful and watched with the deepest anxiety for the 20072result. Her troubles were instantly at rest, her soul at peace again; 20073for the "indifference" was broken up. The boy could not have shown a 20074wilder, heartier interest, if she had built a fire under him. 20075 20076Tom felt that it was time to wake up; this sort of life might be 20077romantic enough, in his blighted condition, but it was getting to have 20078too little sentiment and too much distracting variety about it. So he 20079thought over various plans for relief, and finally hit pon that of 20080professing to be fond of Pain-killer. He asked for it so often that he 20081became a nuisance, and his aunt ended by telling him to help himself 20082and quit bothering her. If it had been Sid, she would have had no 20083misgivings to alloy her delight; but since it was Tom, she watched the 20084bottle clandestinely. She found that the medicine did really diminish, 20085but it did not occur to her that the boy was mending the health of a 20086crack in the sitting-room floor with it. 20087 20088One day Tom was in the act of dosing the crack when his aunt's yellow 20089cat came along, purring, eying the teaspoon avariciously, and begging 20090for a taste. Tom said: 20091 20092"Don't ask for it unless you want it, Peter." 20093 20094But Peter signified that he did want it. 20095 20096"You better make sure." 20097 20098Peter was sure. 20099 20100"Now you've asked for it, and I'll give it to you, because there ain't 20101anything mean about me; but if you find you don't like it, you mustn't 20102blame anybody but your own self." 20103 20104Peter was agreeable. So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the 20105Pain-killer. Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, and then 20106delivered a war-whoop and set off round and round the room, banging 20107against furniture, upsetting flower-pots, and making general havoc. 20108Next he rose on his hind feet and pranced around, in a frenzy of 20109enjoyment, with his head over his shoulder and his voice proclaiming 20110his unappeasable happiness. Then he went tearing around the house again 20111spreading chaos and destruction in his path. Aunt Polly entered in time 20112to see him throw a few double summersets, deliver a final mighty 20113hurrah, and sail through the open window, carrying the rest of the 20114flower-pots with him. The old lady stood petrified with astonishment, 20115peering over her glasses; Tom lay on the floor expiring with laughter. 20116 20117"Tom, what on earth ails that cat?" 20118 20119"I don't know, aunt," gasped the boy. 20120 20121"Why, I never see anything like it. What did make him act so?" 20122 20123"Deed I don't know, Aunt Polly; cats always act so when they're having 20124a good time." 20125 20126"They do, do they?" There was something in the tone that made Tom 20127apprehensive. 20128 20129"Yes'm. That is, I believe they do." 20130 20131"You DO?" 20132 20133"Yes'm." 20134 20135The old lady was bending down, Tom watching, with interest emphasized 20136by anxiety. Too late he divined her "drift." The handle of the telltale 20137teaspoon was visible under the bed-valance. Aunt Polly took it, held it 20138up. Tom winced, and dropped his eyes. Aunt Polly raised him by the 20139usual handle--his ear--and cracked his head soundly with her thimble. 20140 20141"Now, sir, what did you want to treat that poor dumb beast so, for?" 20142 20143"I done it out of pity for him--because he hadn't any aunt." 20144 20145"Hadn't any aunt!--you numskull. What has that got to do with it?" 20146 20147"Heaps. Because if he'd had one she'd a burnt him out herself! She'd a 20148roasted his bowels out of him 'thout any more feeling than if he was a 20149human!" 20150 20151Aunt Polly felt a sudden pang of remorse. This was putting the thing 20152in a new light; what was cruelty to a cat MIGHT be cruelty to a boy, 20153too. She began to soften; she felt sorry. Her eyes watered a little, 20154and she put her hand on Tom's head and said gently: 20155 20156"I was meaning for the best, Tom. And, Tom, it DID do you good." 20157 20158Tom looked up in her face with just a perceptible twinkle peeping 20159through his gravity. 20160 20161"I know you was meaning for the best, aunty, and so was I with Peter. 20162It done HIM good, too. I never see him get around so since--" 20163 20164"Oh, go 'long with you, Tom, before you aggravate me again. And you 20165try and see if you can't be a good boy, for once, and you needn't take 20166any more medicine." 20167 20168Tom reached school ahead of time. It was noticed that this strange 20169thing had been occurring every day latterly. And now, as usual of late, 20170he hung about the gate of the schoolyard instead of playing with his 20171comrades. He was sick, he said, and he looked it. He tried to seem to 20172be looking everywhere but whither he really was looking--down the road. 20173Presently Jeff Thatcher hove in sight, and Tom's face lighted; he gazed 20174a moment, and then turned sorrowfully away. When Jeff arrived, Tom 20175accosted him; and "led up" warily to opportunities for remark about 20176Becky, but the giddy lad never could see the bait. Tom watched and 20177watched, hoping whenever a frisking frock came in sight, and hating the 20178owner of it as soon as he saw she was not the right one. At last frocks 20179ceased to appear, and he dropped hopelessly into the dumps; he entered 20180the empty schoolhouse and sat down to suffer. Then one more frock 20181passed in at the gate, and Tom's heart gave a great bound. The next 20182instant he was out, and "going on" like an Indian; yelling, laughing, 20183chasing boys, jumping over the fence at risk of life and limb, throwing 20184handsprings, standing on his head--doing all the heroic things he could 20185conceive of, and keeping a furtive eye out, all the while, to see if 20186Becky Thatcher was noticing. But she seemed to be unconscious of it 20187all; she never looked. Could it be possible that she was not aware that 20188he was there? He carried his exploits to her immediate vicinity; came 20189war-whooping around, snatched a boy's cap, hurled it to the roof of the 20190schoolhouse, broke through a group of boys, tumbling them in every 20191direction, and fell sprawling, himself, under Becky's nose, almost 20192upsetting her--and she turned, with her nose in the air, and he heard 20193her say: "Mf! some people think they're mighty smart--always showing 20194off!" 20195 20196Tom's cheeks burned. He gathered himself up and sneaked off, crushed 20197and crestfallen. 20198 20199 20200 20201CHAPTER XIII 20202 20203TOM'S mind was made up now. He was gloomy and desperate. He was a 20204forsaken, friendless boy, he said; nobody loved him; when they found 20205out what they had driven him to, perhaps they would be sorry; he had 20206tried to do right and get along, but they would not let him; since 20207nothing would do them but to be rid of him, let it be so; and let them 20208blame HIM for the consequences--why shouldn't they? What right had the 20209friendless to complain? Yes, they had forced him to it at last: he 20210would lead a life of crime. There was no choice. 20211 20212By this time he was far down Meadow Lane, and the bell for school to 20213"take up" tinkled faintly upon his ear. He sobbed, now, to think he 20214should never, never hear that old familiar sound any more--it was very 20215hard, but it was forced on him; since he was driven out into the cold 20216world, he must submit--but he forgave them. Then the sobs came thick 20217and fast. 20218 20219Just at this point he met his soul's sworn comrade, Joe Harper 20220--hard-eyed, and with evidently a great and dismal purpose in his heart. 20221Plainly here were "two souls with but a single thought." Tom, wiping 20222his eyes with his sleeve, began to blubber out something about a 20223resolution to escape from hard usage and lack of sympathy at home by 20224roaming abroad into the great world never to return; and ended by 20225hoping that Joe would not forget him. 20226 20227But it transpired that this was a request which Joe had just been 20228going to make of Tom, and had come to hunt him up for that purpose. His 20229mother had whipped him for drinking some cream which he had never 20230tasted and knew nothing about; it was plain that she was tired of him 20231and wished him to go; if she felt that way, there was nothing for him 20232to do but succumb; he hoped she would be happy, and never regret having 20233driven her poor boy out into the unfeeling world to suffer and die. 20234 20235As the two boys walked sorrowing along, they made a new compact to 20236stand by each other and be brothers and never separate till death 20237relieved them of their troubles. Then they began to lay their plans. 20238Joe was for being a hermit, and living on crusts in a remote cave, and 20239dying, some time, of cold and want and grief; but after listening to 20240Tom, he conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a 20241life of crime, and so he consented to be a pirate. 20242 20243Three miles below St. Petersburg, at a point where the Mississippi 20244River was a trifle over a mile wide, there was a long, narrow, wooded 20245island, with a shallow bar at the head of it, and this offered well as 20246a rendezvous. It was not inhabited; it lay far over toward the further 20247shore, abreast a dense and almost wholly unpeopled forest. So Jackson's 20248Island was chosen. Who were to be the subjects of their piracies was a 20249matter that did not occur to them. Then they hunted up Huckleberry 20250Finn, and he joined them promptly, for all careers were one to him; he 20251was indifferent. They presently separated to meet at a lonely spot on 20252the river-bank two miles above the village at the favorite hour--which 20253was midnight. There was a small log raft there which they meant to 20254capture. Each would bring hooks and lines, and such provision as he 20255could steal in the most dark and mysterious way--as became outlaws. And 20256before the afternoon was done, they had all managed to enjoy the sweet 20257glory of spreading the fact that pretty soon the town would "hear 20258something." All who got this vague hint were cautioned to "be mum and 20259wait." 20260 20261About midnight Tom arrived with a boiled ham and a few trifles, 20262and stopped in a dense undergrowth on a small bluff overlooking the 20263meeting-place. It was starlight, and very still. The mighty river lay 20264like an ocean at rest. Tom listened a moment, but no sound disturbed the 20265quiet. Then he gave a low, distinct whistle. It was answered from under 20266the bluff. Tom whistled twice more; these signals were answered in the 20267same way. Then a guarded voice said: 20268 20269"Who goes there?" 20270 20271"Tom Sawyer, the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main. Name your names." 20272 20273"Huck Finn the Red-Handed, and Joe Harper the Terror of the Seas." Tom 20274had furnished these titles, from his favorite literature. 20275 20276"'Tis well. Give the countersign." 20277 20278Two hoarse whispers delivered the same awful word simultaneously to 20279the brooding night: 20280 20281"BLOOD!" 20282 20283Then Tom tumbled his ham over the bluff and let himself down after it, 20284tearing both skin and clothes to some extent in the effort. There was 20285an easy, comfortable path along the shore under the bluff, but it 20286lacked the advantages of difficulty and danger so valued by a pirate. 20287 20288The Terror of the Seas had brought a side of bacon, and had about worn 20289himself out with getting it there. Finn the Red-Handed had stolen a 20290skillet and a quantity of half-cured leaf tobacco, and had also brought 20291a few corn-cobs to make pipes with. But none of the pirates smoked or 20292"chewed" but himself. The Black Avenger of the Spanish Main said it 20293would never do to start without some fire. That was a wise thought; 20294matches were hardly known there in that day. They saw a fire 20295smouldering upon a great raft a hundred yards above, and they went 20296stealthily thither and helped themselves to a chunk. They made an 20297imposing adventure of it, saying, "Hist!" every now and then, and 20298suddenly halting with finger on lip; moving with hands on imaginary 20299dagger-hilts; and giving orders in dismal whispers that if "the foe" 20300stirred, to "let him have it to the hilt," because "dead men tell no 20301tales." They knew well enough that the raftsmen were all down at the 20302village laying in stores or having a spree, but still that was no 20303excuse for their conducting this thing in an unpiratical way. 20304 20305They shoved off, presently, Tom in command, Huck at the after oar and 20306Joe at the forward. Tom stood amidships, gloomy-browed, and with folded 20307arms, and gave his orders in a low, stern whisper: 20308 20309"Luff, and bring her to the wind!" 20310 20311"Aye-aye, sir!" 20312 20313"Steady, steady-y-y-y!" 20314 20315"Steady it is, sir!" 20316 20317"Let her go off a point!" 20318 20319"Point it is, sir!" 20320 20321As the boys steadily and monotonously drove the raft toward mid-stream 20322it was no doubt understood that these orders were given only for 20323"style," and were not intended to mean anything in particular. 20324 20325"What sail's she carrying?" 20326 20327"Courses, tops'ls, and flying-jib, sir." 20328 20329"Send the r'yals up! Lay out aloft, there, half a dozen of ye 20330--foretopmaststuns'l! Lively, now!" 20331 20332"Aye-aye, sir!" 20333 20334"Shake out that maintogalans'l! Sheets and braces! NOW my hearties!" 20335 20336"Aye-aye, sir!" 20337 20338"Hellum-a-lee--hard a port! Stand by to meet her when she comes! Port, 20339port! NOW, men! With a will! Stead-y-y-y!" 20340 20341"Steady it is, sir!" 20342 20343The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her 20344head right, and then lay on their oars. The river was not high, so 20345there was not more than a two or three mile current. Hardly a word was 20346said during the next three-quarters of an hour. Now the raft was 20347passing before the distant town. Two or three glimmering lights showed 20348where it lay, peacefully sleeping, beyond the vague vast sweep of 20349star-gemmed water, unconscious of the tremendous event that was happening. 20350The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon 20351the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing 20352"she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death 20353with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. 20354It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island 20355beyond eyeshot of the village, and so he "looked his last" with a 20356broken and satisfied heart. The other pirates were looking their last, 20357too; and they all looked so long that they came near letting the 20358current drift them out of the range of the island. But they discovered 20359the danger in time, and made shift to avert it. About two o'clock in 20360the morning the raft grounded on the bar two hundred yards above the 20361head of the island, and they waded back and forth until they had landed 20362their freight. Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old 20363sail, and this they spread over a nook in the bushes for a tent to 20364shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open 20365air in good weather, as became outlaws. 20366 20367They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty 20368steps within the sombre depths of the forest, and then cooked some 20369bacon in the frying-pan for supper, and used up half of the corn "pone" 20370stock they had brought. It seemed glorious sport to be feasting in that 20371wild, free way in the virgin forest of an unexplored and uninhabited 20372island, far from the haunts of men, and they said they never would 20373return to civilization. The climbing fire lit up their faces and threw 20374its ruddy glare upon the pillared tree-trunks of their forest temple, 20375and upon the varnished foliage and festooning vines. 20376 20377When the last crisp slice of bacon was gone, and the last allowance of 20378corn pone devoured, the boys stretched themselves out on the grass, 20379filled with contentment. They could have found a cooler place, but they 20380would not deny themselves such a romantic feature as the roasting 20381camp-fire. 20382 20383"AIN'T it gay?" said Joe. 20384 20385"It's NUTS!" said Tom. "What would the boys say if they could see us?" 20386 20387"Say? Well, they'd just die to be here--hey, Hucky!" 20388 20389"I reckon so," said Huckleberry; "anyways, I'm suited. I don't want 20390nothing better'n this. I don't ever get enough to eat, gen'ally--and 20391here they can't come and pick at a feller and bullyrag him so." 20392 20393"It's just the life for me," said Tom. "You don't have to get up, 20394mornings, and you don't have to go to school, and wash, and all that 20395blame foolishness. You see a pirate don't have to do ANYTHING, Joe, 20396when he's ashore, but a hermit HE has to be praying considerable, and 20397then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way." 20398 20399"Oh yes, that's so," said Joe, "but I hadn't thought much about it, 20400you know. I'd a good deal rather be a pirate, now that I've tried it." 20401 20402"You see," said Tom, "people don't go much on hermits, nowadays, like 20403they used to in old times, but a pirate's always respected. And a 20404hermit's got to sleep on the hardest place he can find, and put 20405sackcloth and ashes on his head, and stand out in the rain, and--" 20406 20407"What does he put sackcloth and ashes on his head for?" inquired Huck. 20408 20409"I dono. But they've GOT to do it. Hermits always do. You'd have to do 20410that if you was a hermit." 20411 20412"Dern'd if I would," said Huck. 20413 20414"Well, what would you do?" 20415 20416"I dono. But I wouldn't do that." 20417 20418"Why, Huck, you'd HAVE to. How'd you get around it?" 20419 20420"Why, I just wouldn't stand it. I'd run away." 20421 20422"Run away! Well, you WOULD be a nice old slouch of a hermit. You'd be 20423a disgrace." 20424 20425The Red-Handed made no response, being better employed. He had 20426finished gouging out a cob, and now he fitted a weed stem to it, loaded 20427it with tobacco, and was pressing a coal to the charge and blowing a 20428cloud of fragrant smoke--he was in the full bloom of luxurious 20429contentment. The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and 20430secretly resolved to acquire it shortly. Presently Huck said: 20431 20432"What does pirates have to do?" 20433 20434Tom said: 20435 20436"Oh, they have just a bully time--take ships and burn them, and get 20437the money and bury it in awful places in their island where there's 20438ghosts and things to watch it, and kill everybody in the ships--make 20439'em walk a plank." 20440 20441"And they carry the women to the island," said Joe; "they don't kill 20442the women." 20443 20444"No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women--they're too noble. And 20445the women's always beautiful, too. 20446 20447"And don't they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver 20448and di'monds," said Joe, with enthusiasm. 20449 20450"Who?" said Huck. 20451 20452"Why, the pirates." 20453 20454Huck scanned his own clothing forlornly. 20455 20456"I reckon I ain't dressed fitten for a pirate," said he, with a 20457regretful pathos in his voice; "but I ain't got none but these." 20458 20459But the other boys told him the fine clothes would come fast enough, 20460after they should have begun their adventures. They made him understand 20461that his poor rags would do to begin with, though it was customary for 20462wealthy pirates to start with a proper wardrobe. 20463 20464Gradually their talk died out and drowsiness began to steal upon the 20465eyelids of the little waifs. The pipe dropped from the fingers of the 20466Red-Handed, and he slept the sleep of the conscience-free and the 20467weary. The Terror of the Seas and the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main 20468had more difficulty in getting to sleep. They said their prayers 20469inwardly, and lying down, since there was nobody there with authority 20470to make them kneel and recite aloud; in truth, they had a mind not to 20471say them at all, but they were afraid to proceed to such lengths as 20472that, lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from 20473heaven. Then at once they reached and hovered upon the imminent verge 20474of sleep--but an intruder came, now, that would not "down." It was 20475conscience. They began to feel a vague fear that they had been doing 20476wrong to run away; and next they thought of the stolen meat, and then 20477the real torture came. They tried to argue it away by reminding 20478conscience that they had purloined sweetmeats and apples scores of 20479times; but conscience was not to be appeased by such thin 20480plausibilities; it seemed to them, in the end, that there was no 20481getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only 20482"hooking," while taking bacon and hams and such valuables was plain 20483simple stealing--and there was a command against that in the Bible. So 20484they inwardly resolved that so long as they remained in the business, 20485their piracies should not again be sullied with the crime of stealing. 20486Then conscience granted a truce, and these curiously inconsistent 20487pirates fell peacefully to sleep. 20488 20489 20490 20491CHAPTER XIV 20492 20493WHEN Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and 20494rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the 20495cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose and peace in 20496the deep pervading calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; 20497not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. Beaded dewdrops 20498stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the 20499fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe 20500and Huck still slept. 20501 20502Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently 20503the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of 20504the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life 20505manifested itself. The marvel of Nature shaking off sleep and going to 20506work unfolded itself to the musing boy. A little green worm came 20507crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air 20508from time to time and "sniffing around," then proceeding again--for he 20509was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own 20510accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, 20511by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to 20512go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its 20513curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom's leg and 20514began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad--for that meant that 20515he was going to have a new suit of clothes--without the shadow of a 20516doubt a gaudy piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, 20517from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors; one struggled 20518manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, 20519and lugged it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted lady-bug 20520climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent down close to 20521it and said, "Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, 20522your children's alone," and she took wing and went off to see about it 20523--which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was 20524credulous about conflagrations, and he had practised upon its 20525simplicity more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at 20526its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against 20527its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this 20528time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, 20529and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of 20530enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and 20531stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one 20532side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel 20533and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at 20534intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had 20535probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to 20536be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long 20537lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense foliage far and near, 20538and a few butterflies came fluttering upon the scene. 20539 20540Tom stirred up the other pirates and they all clattered away with a 20541shout, and in a minute or two were stripped and chasing after and 20542tumbling over each other in the shallow limpid water of the white 20543sandbar. They felt no longing for the little village sleeping in the 20544distance beyond the majestic waste of water. A vagrant current or a 20545slight rise in the river had carried off their raft, but this only 20546gratified them, since its going was something like burning the bridge 20547between them and civilization. 20548 20549They came back to camp wonderfully refreshed, glad-hearted, and 20550ravenous; and they soon had the camp-fire blazing up again. Huck found 20551a spring of clear cold water close by, and the boys made cups of broad 20552oak or hickory leaves, and felt that water, sweetened with such a 20553wildwood charm as that, would be a good enough substitute for coffee. 20554While Joe was slicing bacon for breakfast, Tom and Huck asked him to 20555hold on a minute; they stepped to a promising nook in the river-bank 20556and threw in their lines; almost immediately they had reward. Joe had 20557not had time to get impatient before they were back again with some 20558handsome bass, a couple of sun-perch and a small catfish--provisions 20559enough for quite a family. They fried the fish with the bacon, and were 20560astonished; for no fish had ever seemed so delicious before. They did 20561not know that the quicker a fresh-water fish is on the fire after he is 20562caught the better he is; and they reflected little upon what a sauce 20563open-air sleeping, open-air exercise, bathing, and a large ingredient 20564of hunger make, too. 20565 20566They lay around in the shade, after breakfast, while Huck had a smoke, 20567and then went off through the woods on an exploring expedition. They 20568tramped gayly along, over decaying logs, through tangled underbrush, 20569among solemn monarchs of the forest, hung from their crowns to the 20570ground with a drooping regalia of grape-vines. Now and then they came 20571upon snug nooks carpeted with grass and jeweled with flowers. 20572 20573They found plenty of things to be delighted with, but nothing to be 20574astonished at. They discovered that the island was about three miles 20575long and a quarter of a mile wide, and that the shore it lay closest to 20576was only separated from it by a narrow channel hardly two hundred yards 20577wide. They took a swim about every hour, so it was close upon the 20578middle of the afternoon when they got back to camp. They were too 20579hungry to stop to fish, but they fared sumptuously upon cold ham, and 20580then threw themselves down in the shade to talk. But the talk soon 20581began to drag, and then died. The stillness, the solemnity that brooded 20582in the woods, and the sense of loneliness, began to tell upon the 20583spirits of the boys. They fell to thinking. A sort of undefined longing 20584crept upon them. This took dim shape, presently--it was budding 20585homesickness. Even Finn the Red-Handed was dreaming of his doorsteps 20586and empty hogsheads. But they were all ashamed of their weakness, and 20587none was brave enough to speak his thought. 20588 20589For some time, now, the boys had been dully conscious of a peculiar 20590sound in the distance, just as one sometimes is of the ticking of a 20591clock which he takes no distinct note of. But now this mysterious sound 20592became more pronounced, and forced a recognition. The boys started, 20593glanced at each other, and then each assumed a listening attitude. 20594There was a long silence, profound and unbroken; then a deep, sullen 20595boom came floating down out of the distance. 20596 20597"What is it!" exclaimed Joe, under his breath. 20598 20599"I wonder," said Tom in a whisper. 20600 20601"'Tain't thunder," said Huckleberry, in an awed tone, "becuz thunder--" 20602 20603"Hark!" said Tom. "Listen--don't talk." 20604 20605They waited a time that seemed an age, and then the same muffled boom 20606troubled the solemn hush. 20607 20608"Let's go and see." 20609 20610They sprang to their feet and hurried to the shore toward the town. 20611They parted the bushes on the bank and peered out over the water. The 20612little steam ferryboat was about a mile below the village, drifting 20613with the current. Her broad deck seemed crowded with people. There were 20614a great many skiffs rowing about or floating with the stream in the 20615neighborhood of the ferryboat, but the boys could not determine what 20616the men in them were doing. Presently a great jet of white smoke burst 20617from the ferryboat's side, and as it expanded and rose in a lazy cloud, 20618that same dull throb of sound was borne to the listeners again. 20619 20620"I know now!" exclaimed Tom; "somebody's drownded!" 20621 20622"That's it!" said Huck; "they done that last summer, when Bill Turner 20623got drownded; they shoot a cannon over the water, and that makes him 20624come up to the top. Yes, and they take loaves of bread and put 20625quicksilver in 'em and set 'em afloat, and wherever there's anybody 20626that's drownded, they'll float right there and stop." 20627 20628"Yes, I've heard about that," said Joe. "I wonder what makes the bread 20629do that." 20630 20631"Oh, it ain't the bread, so much," said Tom; "I reckon it's mostly 20632what they SAY over it before they start it out." 20633 20634"But they don't say anything over it," said Huck. "I've seen 'em and 20635they don't." 20636 20637"Well, that's funny," said Tom. "But maybe they say it to themselves. 20638Of COURSE they do. Anybody might know that." 20639 20640The other boys agreed that there was reason in what Tom said, because 20641an ignorant lump of bread, uninstructed by an incantation, could not be 20642expected to act very intelligently when set upon an errand of such 20643gravity. 20644 20645"By jings, I wish I was over there, now," said Joe. 20646 20647"I do too" said Huck "I'd give heaps to know who it is." 20648 20649The boys still listened and watched. Presently a revealing thought 20650flashed through Tom's mind, and he exclaimed: 20651 20652"Boys, I know who's drownded--it's us!" 20653 20654They felt like heroes in an instant. Here was a gorgeous triumph; they 20655were missed; they were mourned; hearts were breaking on their account; 20656tears were being shed; accusing memories of unkindness to these poor 20657lost lads were rising up, and unavailing regrets and remorse were being 20658indulged; and best of all, the departed were the talk of the whole 20659town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this dazzling notoriety 20660was concerned. This was fine. It was worth while to be a pirate, after 20661all. 20662 20663As twilight drew on, the ferryboat went back to her accustomed 20664business and the skiffs disappeared. The pirates returned to camp. They 20665were jubilant with vanity over their new grandeur and the illustrious 20666trouble they were making. They caught fish, cooked supper and ate it, 20667and then fell to guessing at what the village was thinking and saying 20668about them; and the pictures they drew of the public distress on their 20669account were gratifying to look upon--from their point of view. But 20670when the shadows of night closed them in, they gradually ceased to 20671talk, and sat gazing into the fire, with their minds evidently 20672wandering elsewhere. The excitement was gone, now, and Tom and Joe 20673could not keep back thoughts of certain persons at home who were not 20674enjoying this fine frolic as much as they were. Misgivings came; they 20675grew troubled and unhappy; a sigh or two escaped, unawares. By and by 20676Joe timidly ventured upon a roundabout "feeler" as to how the others 20677might look upon a return to civilization--not right now, but-- 20678 20679Tom withered him with derision! Huck, being uncommitted as yet, joined 20680in with Tom, and the waverer quickly "explained," and was glad to get 20681out of the scrape with as little taint of chicken-hearted homesickness 20682clinging to his garments as he could. Mutiny was effectually laid to 20683rest for the moment. 20684 20685As the night deepened, Huck began to nod, and presently to snore. Joe 20686followed next. Tom lay upon his elbow motionless, for some time, 20687watching the two intently. At last he got up cautiously, on his knees, 20688and went searching among the grass and the flickering reflections flung 20689by the camp-fire. He picked up and inspected several large 20690semi-cylinders of the thin white bark of a sycamore, and finally chose 20691two which seemed to suit him. Then he knelt by the fire and painfully 20692wrote something upon each of these with his "red keel"; one he rolled up 20693and put in his jacket pocket, and the other he put in Joe's hat and 20694removed it to a little distance from the owner. And he also put into the 20695hat certain schoolboy treasures of almost inestimable value--among them 20696a lump of chalk, an India-rubber ball, three fishhooks, and one of that 20697kind of marbles known as a "sure 'nough crystal." Then he tiptoed his 20698way cautiously among the trees till he felt that he was out of hearing, 20699and straightway broke into a keen run in the direction of the sandbar. 20700 20701 20702 20703CHAPTER XV 20704 20705A FEW minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading 20706toward the Illinois shore. Before the depth reached his middle he was 20707half-way over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he 20708struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards. He swam 20709quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he 20710had expected. However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along 20711till he found a low place and drew himself out. He put his hand on his 20712jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through 20713the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments. Shortly before 20714ten o'clock he came out into an open place opposite the village, and 20715saw the ferryboat lying in the shadow of the trees and the high bank. 20716Everything was quiet under the blinking stars. He crept down the bank, 20717watching with all his eyes, slipped into the water, swam three or four 20718strokes and climbed into the skiff that did "yawl" duty at the boat's 20719stern. He laid himself down under the thwarts and waited, panting. 20720 20721Presently the cracked bell tapped and a voice gave the order to "cast 20722off." A minute or two later the skiff's head was standing high up, 20723against the boat's swell, and the voyage was begun. Tom felt happy in 20724his success, for he knew it was the boat's last trip for the night. At 20725the end of a long twelve or fifteen minutes the wheels stopped, and Tom 20726slipped overboard and swam ashore in the dusk, landing fifty yards 20727downstream, out of danger of possible stragglers. 20728 20729He flew along unfrequented alleys, and shortly found himself at his 20730aunt's back fence. He climbed over, approached the "ell," and looked in 20731at the sitting-room window, for a light was burning there. There sat 20732Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and Joe Harper's mother, grouped together, 20733talking. They were by the bed, and the bed was between them and the 20734door. Tom went to the door and began to softly lift the latch; then he 20735pressed gently and the door yielded a crack; he continued pushing 20736cautiously, and quaking every time it creaked, till he judged he might 20737squeeze through on his knees; so he put his head through and began, 20738warily. 20739 20740"What makes the candle blow so?" said Aunt Polly. Tom hurried up. 20741"Why, that door's open, I believe. Why, of course it is. No end of 20742strange things now. Go 'long and shut it, Sid." 20743 20744Tom disappeared under the bed just in time. He lay and "breathed" 20745himself for a time, and then crept to where he could almost touch his 20746aunt's foot. 20747 20748"But as I was saying," said Aunt Polly, "he warn't BAD, so to say 20749--only mischEEvous. Only just giddy, and harum-scarum, you know. He 20750warn't any more responsible than a colt. HE never meant any harm, and 20751he was the best-hearted boy that ever was"--and she began to cry. 20752 20753"It was just so with my Joe--always full of his devilment, and up to 20754every kind of mischief, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he 20755could be--and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking 20756that cream, never once recollecting that I throwed it out myself 20757because it was sour, and I never to see him again in this world, never, 20758never, never, poor abused boy!" And Mrs. Harper sobbed as if her heart 20759would break. 20760 20761"I hope Tom's better off where he is," said Sid, "but if he'd been 20762better in some ways--" 20763 20764"SID!" Tom felt the glare of the old lady's eye, though he could not 20765see it. "Not a word against my Tom, now that he's gone! God'll take 20766care of HIM--never you trouble YOURself, sir! Oh, Mrs. Harper, I don't 20767know how to give him up! I don't know how to give him up! He was such a 20768comfort to me, although he tormented my old heart out of me, 'most." 20769 20770"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away--Blessed be the name of 20771the Lord! But it's so hard--Oh, it's so hard! Only last Saturday my 20772Joe busted a firecracker right under my nose and I knocked him 20773sprawling. Little did I know then, how soon--Oh, if it was to do over 20774again I'd hug him and bless him for it." 20775 20776"Yes, yes, yes, I know just how you feel, Mrs. Harper, I know just 20777exactly how you feel. No longer ago than yesterday noon, my Tom took 20778and filled the cat full of Pain-killer, and I did think the cretur 20779would tear the house down. And God forgive me, I cracked Tom's head 20780with my thimble, poor boy, poor dead boy. But he's out of all his 20781troubles now. And the last words I ever heard him say was to reproach--" 20782 20783But this memory was too much for the old lady, and she broke entirely 20784down. Tom was snuffling, now, himself--and more in pity of himself than 20785anybody else. He could hear Mary crying, and putting in a kindly word 20786for him from time to time. He began to have a nobler opinion of himself 20787than ever before. Still, he was sufficiently touched by his aunt's 20788grief to long to rush out from under the bed and overwhelm her with 20789joy--and the theatrical gorgeousness of the thing appealed strongly to 20790his nature, too, but he resisted and lay still. 20791 20792He went on listening, and gathered by odds and ends that it was 20793conjectured at first that the boys had got drowned while taking a swim; 20794then the small raft had been missed; next, certain boys said the 20795missing lads had promised that the village should "hear something" 20796soon; the wise-heads had "put this and that together" and decided that 20797the lads had gone off on that raft and would turn up at the next town 20798below, presently; but toward noon the raft had been found, lodged 20799against the Missouri shore some five or six miles below the village 20800--and then hope perished; they must be drowned, else hunger would have 20801driven them home by nightfall if not sooner. It was believed that the 20802search for the bodies had been a fruitless effort merely because the 20803drowning must have occurred in mid-channel, since the boys, being good 20804swimmers, would otherwise have escaped to shore. This was Wednesday 20805night. If the bodies continued missing until Sunday, all hope would be 20806given over, and the funerals would be preached on that morning. Tom 20807shuddered. 20808 20809Mrs. Harper gave a sobbing good-night and turned to go. Then with a 20810mutual impulse the two bereaved women flung themselves into each 20811other's arms and had a good, consoling cry, and then parted. Aunt Polly 20812was tender far beyond her wont, in her good-night to Sid and Mary. Sid 20813snuffled a bit and Mary went off crying with all her heart. 20814 20815Aunt Polly knelt down and prayed for Tom so touchingly, so 20816appealingly, and with such measureless love in her words and her old 20817trembling voice, that he was weltering in tears again, long before she 20818was through. 20819 20820He had to keep still long after she went to bed, for she kept making 20821broken-hearted ejaculations from time to time, tossing unrestfully, and 20822turning over. But at last she was still, only moaning a little in her 20823sleep. Now the boy stole out, rose gradually by the bedside, shaded the 20824candle-light with his hand, and stood regarding her. His heart was full 20825of pity for her. He took out his sycamore scroll and placed it by the 20826candle. But something occurred to him, and he lingered considering. His 20827face lighted with a happy solution of his thought; he put the bark 20828hastily in his pocket. Then he bent over and kissed the faded lips, and 20829straightway made his stealthy exit, latching the door behind him. 20830 20831He threaded his way back to the ferry landing, found nobody at large 20832there, and walked boldly on board the boat, for he knew she was 20833tenantless except that there was a watchman, who always turned in and 20834slept like a graven image. He untied the skiff at the stern, slipped 20835into it, and was soon rowing cautiously upstream. When he had pulled a 20836mile above the village, he started quartering across and bent himself 20837stoutly to his work. He hit the landing on the other side neatly, for 20838this was a familiar bit of work to him. He was moved to capture the 20839skiff, arguing that it might be considered a ship and therefore 20840legitimate prey for a pirate, but he knew a thorough search would be 20841made for it and that might end in revelations. So he stepped ashore and 20842entered the woods. 20843 20844He sat down and took a long rest, torturing himself meanwhile to keep 20845awake, and then started warily down the home-stretch. The night was far 20846spent. It was broad daylight before he found himself fairly abreast the 20847island bar. He rested again until the sun was well up and gilding the 20848great river with its splendor, and then he plunged into the stream. A 20849little later he paused, dripping, upon the threshold of the camp, and 20850heard Joe say: 20851 20852"No, Tom's true-blue, Huck, and he'll come back. He won't desert. He 20853knows that would be a disgrace to a pirate, and Tom's too proud for 20854that sort of thing. He's up to something or other. Now I wonder what?" 20855 20856"Well, the things is ours, anyway, ain't they?" 20857 20858"Pretty near, but not yet, Huck. The writing says they are if he ain't 20859back here to breakfast." 20860 20861"Which he is!" exclaimed Tom, with fine dramatic effect, stepping 20862grandly into camp. 20863 20864A sumptuous breakfast of bacon and fish was shortly provided, and as 20865the boys set to work upon it, Tom recounted (and adorned) his 20866adventures. They were a vain and boastful company of heroes when the 20867tale was done. Then Tom hid himself away in a shady nook to sleep till 20868noon, and the other pirates got ready to fish and explore. 20869 20870 20871 20872CHAPTER XVI 20873 20874AFTER dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on the 20875bar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found a 20876soft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands. 20877Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole. They 20878were perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an English 20879walnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another on 20880Friday morning. 20881 20882After breakfast they went whooping and prancing out on the bar, and 20883chased each other round and round, shedding clothes as they went, until 20884they were naked, and then continued the frolic far away up the shoal 20885water of the bar, against the stiff current, which latter tripped their 20886legs from under them from time to time and greatly increased the fun. 20887And now and then they stooped in a group and splashed water in each 20888other's faces with their palms, gradually approaching each other, with 20889averted faces to avoid the strangling sprays, and finally gripping and 20890struggling till the best man ducked his neighbor, and then they all 20891went under in a tangle of white legs and arms and came up blowing, 20892sputtering, laughing, and gasping for breath at one and the same time. 20893 20894When they were well exhausted, they would run out and sprawl on the 20895dry, hot sand, and lie there and cover themselves up with it, and by 20896and by break for the water again and go through the original 20897performance once more. Finally it occurred to them that their naked 20898skin represented flesh-colored "tights" very fairly; so they drew a 20899ring in the sand and had a circus--with three clowns in it, for none 20900would yield this proudest post to his neighbor. 20901 20902Next they got their marbles and played "knucks" and "ring-taw" and 20903"keeps" till that amusement grew stale. Then Joe and Huck had another 20904swim, but Tom would not venture, because he found that in kicking off 20905his trousers he had kicked his string of rattlesnake rattles off his 20906ankle, and he wondered how he had escaped cramp so long without the 20907protection of this mysterious charm. He did not venture again until he 20908had found it, and by that time the other boys were tired and ready to 20909rest. They gradually wandered apart, dropped into the "dumps," and fell 20910to gazing longingly across the wide river to where the village lay 20911drowsing in the sun. Tom found himself writing "BECKY" in the sand with 20912his big toe; he scratched it out, and was angry with himself for his 20913weakness. But he wrote it again, nevertheless; he could not help it. He 20914erased it once more and then took himself out of temptation by driving 20915the other boys together and joining them. 20916 20917But Joe's spirits had gone down almost beyond resurrection. He was so 20918homesick that he could hardly endure the misery of it. The tears lay 20919very near the surface. Huck was melancholy, too. Tom was downhearted, 20920but tried hard not to show it. He had a secret which he was not ready 20921to tell, yet, but if this mutinous depression was not broken up soon, 20922he would have to bring it out. He said, with a great show of 20923cheerfulness: 20924 20925"I bet there's been pirates on this island before, boys. We'll explore 20926it again. They've hid treasures here somewhere. How'd you feel to light 20927on a rotten chest full of gold and silver--hey?" 20928 20929But it roused only faint enthusiasm, which faded out, with no reply. 20930Tom tried one or two other seductions; but they failed, too. It was 20931discouraging work. Joe sat poking up the sand with a stick and looking 20932very gloomy. Finally he said: 20933 20934"Oh, boys, let's give it up. I want to go home. It's so lonesome." 20935 20936"Oh no, Joe, you'll feel better by and by," said Tom. "Just think of 20937the fishing that's here." 20938 20939"I don't care for fishing. I want to go home." 20940 20941"But, Joe, there ain't such another swimming-place anywhere." 20942 20943"Swimming's no good. I don't seem to care for it, somehow, when there 20944ain't anybody to say I sha'n't go in. I mean to go home." 20945 20946"Oh, shucks! Baby! You want to see your mother, I reckon." 20947 20948"Yes, I DO want to see my mother--and you would, too, if you had one. 20949I ain't any more baby than you are." And Joe snuffled a little. 20950 20951"Well, we'll let the cry-baby go home to his mother, won't we, Huck? 20952Poor thing--does it want to see its mother? And so it shall. You like 20953it here, don't you, Huck? We'll stay, won't we?" 20954 20955Huck said, "Y-e-s"--without any heart in it. 20956 20957"I'll never speak to you again as long as I live," said Joe, rising. 20958"There now!" And he moved moodily away and began to dress himself. 20959 20960"Who cares!" said Tom. "Nobody wants you to. Go 'long home and get 20961laughed at. Oh, you're a nice pirate. Huck and me ain't cry-babies. 20962We'll stay, won't we, Huck? Let him go if he wants to. I reckon we can 20963get along without him, per'aps." 20964 20965But Tom was uneasy, nevertheless, and was alarmed to see Joe go 20966sullenly on with his dressing. And then it was discomforting to see 20967Huck eying Joe's preparations so wistfully, and keeping up such an 20968ominous silence. Presently, without a parting word, Joe began to wade 20969off toward the Illinois shore. Tom's heart began to sink. He glanced at 20970Huck. Huck could not bear the look, and dropped his eyes. Then he said: 20971 20972"I want to go, too, Tom. It was getting so lonesome anyway, and now 20973it'll be worse. Let's us go, too, Tom." 20974 20975"I won't! You can all go, if you want to. I mean to stay." 20976 20977"Tom, I better go." 20978 20979"Well, go 'long--who's hendering you." 20980 20981Huck began to pick up his scattered clothes. He said: 20982 20983"Tom, I wisht you'd come, too. Now you think it over. We'll wait for 20984you when we get to shore." 20985 20986"Well, you'll wait a blame long time, that's all." 20987 20988Huck started sorrowfully away, and Tom stood looking after him, with a 20989strong desire tugging at his heart to yield his pride and go along too. 20990He hoped the boys would stop, but they still waded slowly on. It 20991suddenly dawned on Tom that it was become very lonely and still. He 20992made one final struggle with his pride, and then darted after his 20993comrades, yelling: 20994 20995"Wait! Wait! I want to tell you something!" 20996 20997They presently stopped and turned around. When he got to where they 20998were, he began unfolding his secret, and they listened moodily till at 20999last they saw the "point" he was driving at, and then they set up a 21000war-whoop of applause and said it was "splendid!" and said if he had 21001told them at first, they wouldn't have started away. He made a plausible 21002excuse; but his real reason had been the fear that not even the secret 21003would keep them with him any very great length of time, and so he had 21004meant to hold it in reserve as a last seduction. 21005 21006The lads came gayly back and went at their sports again with a will, 21007chattering all the time about Tom's stupendous plan and admiring the 21008genius of it. After a dainty egg and fish dinner, Tom said he wanted to 21009learn to smoke, now. Joe caught at the idea and said he would like to 21010try, too. So Huck made pipes and filled them. These novices had never 21011smoked anything before but cigars made of grape-vine, and they "bit" 21012the tongue, and were not considered manly anyway. 21013 21014Now they stretched themselves out on their elbows and began to puff, 21015charily, and with slender confidence. The smoke had an unpleasant 21016taste, and they gagged a little, but Tom said: 21017 21018"Why, it's just as easy! If I'd a knowed this was all, I'd a learnt 21019long ago." 21020 21021"So would I," said Joe. "It's just nothing." 21022 21023"Why, many a time I've looked at people smoking, and thought well I 21024wish I could do that; but I never thought I could," said Tom. 21025 21026"That's just the way with me, hain't it, Huck? You've heard me talk 21027just that way--haven't you, Huck? I'll leave it to Huck if I haven't." 21028 21029"Yes--heaps of times," said Huck. 21030 21031"Well, I have too," said Tom; "oh, hundreds of times. Once down by the 21032slaughter-house. Don't you remember, Huck? Bob Tanner was there, and 21033Johnny Miller, and Jeff Thatcher, when I said it. Don't you remember, 21034Huck, 'bout me saying that?" 21035 21036"Yes, that's so," said Huck. "That was the day after I lost a white 21037alley. No, 'twas the day before." 21038 21039"There--I told you so," said Tom. "Huck recollects it." 21040 21041"I bleeve I could smoke this pipe all day," said Joe. "I don't feel 21042sick." 21043 21044"Neither do I," said Tom. "I could smoke it all day. But I bet you 21045Jeff Thatcher couldn't." 21046 21047"Jeff Thatcher! Why, he'd keel over just with two draws. Just let him 21048try it once. HE'D see!" 21049 21050"I bet he would. And Johnny Miller--I wish could see Johnny Miller 21051tackle it once." 21052 21053"Oh, don't I!" said Joe. "Why, I bet you Johnny Miller couldn't any 21054more do this than nothing. Just one little snifter would fetch HIM." 21055 21056"'Deed it would, Joe. Say--I wish the boys could see us now." 21057 21058"So do I." 21059 21060"Say--boys, don't say anything about it, and some time when they're 21061around, I'll come up to you and say, 'Joe, got a pipe? I want a smoke.' 21062And you'll say, kind of careless like, as if it warn't anything, you'll 21063say, 'Yes, I got my OLD pipe, and another one, but my tobacker ain't 21064very good.' And I'll say, 'Oh, that's all right, if it's STRONG 21065enough.' And then you'll out with the pipes, and we'll light up just as 21066ca'm, and then just see 'em look!" 21067 21068"By jings, that'll be gay, Tom! I wish it was NOW!" 21069 21070"So do I! And when we tell 'em we learned when we was off pirating, 21071won't they wish they'd been along?" 21072 21073"Oh, I reckon not! I'll just BET they will!" 21074 21075So the talk ran on. But presently it began to flag a trifle, and grow 21076disjointed. The silences widened; the expectoration marvellously 21077increased. Every pore inside the boys' cheeks became a spouting 21078fountain; they could scarcely bail out the cellars under their tongues 21079fast enough to prevent an inundation; little overflowings down their 21080throats occurred in spite of all they could do, and sudden retchings 21081followed every time. Both boys were looking very pale and miserable, 21082now. Joe's pipe dropped from his nerveless fingers. Tom's followed. 21083Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with might 21084and main. Joe said feebly: 21085 21086"I've lost my knife. I reckon I better go and find it." 21087 21088Tom said, with quivering lips and halting utterance: 21089 21090"I'll help you. You go over that way and I'll hunt around by the 21091spring. No, you needn't come, Huck--we can find it." 21092 21093So Huck sat down again, and waited an hour. Then he found it lonesome, 21094and went to find his comrades. They were wide apart in the woods, both 21095very pale, both fast asleep. But something informed him that if they 21096had had any trouble they had got rid of it. 21097 21098They were not talkative at supper that night. They had a humble look, 21099and when Huck prepared his pipe after the meal and was going to prepare 21100theirs, they said no, they were not feeling very well--something they 21101ate at dinner had disagreed with them. 21102 21103About midnight Joe awoke, and called the boys. There was a brooding 21104oppressiveness in the air that seemed to bode something. The boys 21105huddled themselves together and sought the friendly companionship of 21106the fire, though the dull dead heat of the breathless atmosphere was 21107stifling. They sat still, intent and waiting. The solemn hush 21108continued. Beyond the light of the fire everything was swallowed up in 21109the blackness of darkness. Presently there came a quivering glow that 21110vaguely revealed the foliage for a moment and then vanished. By and by 21111another came, a little stronger. Then another. Then a faint moan came 21112sighing through the branches of the forest and the boys felt a fleeting 21113breath upon their cheeks, and shuddered with the fancy that the Spirit 21114of the Night had gone by. There was a pause. Now a weird flash turned 21115night into day and showed every little grass-blade, separate and 21116distinct, that grew about their feet. And it showed three white, 21117startled faces, too. A deep peal of thunder went rolling and tumbling 21118down the heavens and lost itself in sullen rumblings in the distance. A 21119sweep of chilly air passed by, rustling all the leaves and snowing the 21120flaky ashes broadcast about the fire. Another fierce glare lit up the 21121forest and an instant crash followed that seemed to rend the tree-tops 21122right over the boys' heads. They clung together in terror, in the thick 21123gloom that followed. A few big rain-drops fell pattering upon the 21124leaves. 21125 21126"Quick! boys, go for the tent!" exclaimed Tom. 21127 21128They sprang away, stumbling over roots and among vines in the dark, no 21129two plunging in the same direction. A furious blast roared through the 21130trees, making everything sing as it went. One blinding flash after 21131another came, and peal on peal of deafening thunder. And now a 21132drenching rain poured down and the rising hurricane drove it in sheets 21133along the ground. The boys cried out to each other, but the roaring 21134wind and the booming thunder-blasts drowned their voices utterly. 21135However, one by one they straggled in at last and took shelter under 21136the tent, cold, scared, and streaming with water; but to have company 21137in misery seemed something to be grateful for. They could not talk, the 21138old sail flapped so furiously, even if the other noises would have 21139allowed them. The tempest rose higher and higher, and presently the 21140sail tore loose from its fastenings and went winging away on the blast. 21141The boys seized each others' hands and fled, with many tumblings and 21142bruises, to the shelter of a great oak that stood upon the river-bank. 21143Now the battle was at its highest. Under the ceaseless conflagration of 21144lightning that flamed in the skies, everything below stood out in 21145clean-cut and shadowless distinctness: the bending trees, the billowy 21146river, white with foam, the driving spray of spume-flakes, the dim 21147outlines of the high bluffs on the other side, glimpsed through the 21148drifting cloud-rack and the slanting veil of rain. Every little while 21149some giant tree yielded the fight and fell crashing through the younger 21150growth; and the unflagging thunder-peals came now in ear-splitting 21151explosive bursts, keen and sharp, and unspeakably appalling. The storm 21152culminated in one matchless effort that seemed likely to tear the island 21153to pieces, burn it up, drown it to the tree-tops, blow it away, and 21154deafen every creature in it, all at one and the same moment. It was a 21155wild night for homeless young heads to be out in. 21156 21157But at last the battle was done, and the forces retired with weaker 21158and weaker threatenings and grumblings, and peace resumed her sway. The 21159boys went back to camp, a good deal awed; but they found there was 21160still something to be thankful for, because the great sycamore, the 21161shelter of their beds, was a ruin, now, blasted by the lightnings, and 21162they were not under it when the catastrophe happened. 21163 21164Everything in camp was drenched, the camp-fire as well; for they were 21165but heedless lads, like their generation, and had made no provision 21166against rain. Here was matter for dismay, for they were soaked through 21167and chilled. They were eloquent in their distress; but they presently 21168discovered that the fire had eaten so far up under the great log it had 21169been built against (where it curved upward and separated itself from 21170the ground), that a handbreadth or so of it had escaped wetting; so 21171they patiently wrought until, with shreds and bark gathered from the 21172under sides of sheltered logs, they coaxed the fire to burn again. Then 21173they piled on great dead boughs till they had a roaring furnace, and 21174were glad-hearted once more. They dried their boiled ham and had a 21175feast, and after that they sat by the fire and expanded and glorified 21176their midnight adventure until morning, for there was not a dry spot to 21177sleep on, anywhere around. 21178 21179As the sun began to steal in upon the boys, drowsiness came over them, 21180and they went out on the sandbar and lay down to sleep. They got 21181scorched out by and by, and drearily set about getting breakfast. After 21182the meal they felt rusty, and stiff-jointed, and a little homesick once 21183more. Tom saw the signs, and fell to cheering up the pirates as well as 21184he could. But they cared nothing for marbles, or circus, or swimming, 21185or anything. He reminded them of the imposing secret, and raised a ray 21186of cheer. While it lasted, he got them interested in a new device. This 21187was to knock off being pirates, for a while, and be Indians for a 21188change. They were attracted by this idea; so it was not long before 21189they were stripped, and striped from head to heel with black mud, like 21190so many zebras--all of them chiefs, of course--and then they went 21191tearing through the woods to attack an English settlement. 21192 21193By and by they separated into three hostile tribes, and darted upon 21194each other from ambush with dreadful war-whoops, and killed and scalped 21195each other by thousands. It was a gory day. Consequently it was an 21196extremely satisfactory one. 21197 21198They assembled in camp toward supper-time, hungry and happy; but now a 21199difficulty arose--hostile Indians could not break the bread of 21200hospitality together without first making peace, and this was a simple 21201impossibility without smoking a pipe of peace. There was no other 21202process that ever they had heard of. Two of the savages almost wished 21203they had remained pirates. However, there was no other way; so with 21204such show of cheerfulness as they could muster they called for the pipe 21205and took their whiff as it passed, in due form. 21206 21207And behold, they were glad they had gone into savagery, for they had 21208gained something; they found that they could now smoke a little without 21209having to go and hunt for a lost knife; they did not get sick enough to 21210be seriously uncomfortable. They were not likely to fool away this high 21211promise for lack of effort. No, they practised cautiously, after 21212supper, with right fair success, and so they spent a jubilant evening. 21213They were prouder and happier in their new acquirement than they would 21214have been in the scalping and skinning of the Six Nations. We will 21215leave them to smoke and chatter and brag, since we have no further use 21216for them at present. 21217 21218 21219 21220CHAPTER XVII 21221 21222BUT there was no hilarity in the little town that same tranquil 21223Saturday afternoon. The Harpers, and Aunt Polly's family, were being 21224put into mourning, with great grief and many tears. An unusual quiet 21225possessed the village, although it was ordinarily quiet enough, in all 21226conscience. The villagers conducted their concerns with an absent air, 21227and talked little; but they sighed often. The Saturday holiday seemed a 21228burden to the children. They had no heart in their sports, and 21229gradually gave them up. 21230 21231In the afternoon Becky Thatcher found herself moping about the 21232deserted schoolhouse yard, and feeling very melancholy. But she found 21233nothing there to comfort her. She soliloquized: 21234 21235"Oh, if I only had a brass andiron-knob again! But I haven't got 21236anything now to remember him by." And she choked back a little sob. 21237 21238Presently she stopped, and said to herself: 21239 21240"It was right here. Oh, if it was to do over again, I wouldn't say 21241that--I wouldn't say it for the whole world. But he's gone now; I'll 21242never, never, never see him any more." 21243 21244This thought broke her down, and she wandered away, with tears rolling 21245down her cheeks. Then quite a group of boys and girls--playmates of 21246Tom's and Joe's--came by, and stood looking over the paling fence and 21247talking in reverent tones of how Tom did so-and-so the last time they 21248saw him, and how Joe said this and that small trifle (pregnant with 21249awful prophecy, as they could easily see now!)--and each speaker 21250pointed out the exact spot where the lost lads stood at the time, and 21251then added something like "and I was a-standing just so--just as I am 21252now, and as if you was him--I was as close as that--and he smiled, just 21253this way--and then something seemed to go all over me, like--awful, you 21254know--and I never thought what it meant, of course, but I can see now!" 21255 21256Then there was a dispute about who saw the dead boys last in life, and 21257many claimed that dismal distinction, and offered evidences, more or 21258less tampered with by the witness; and when it was ultimately decided 21259who DID see the departed last, and exchanged the last words with them, 21260the lucky parties took upon themselves a sort of sacred importance, and 21261were gaped at and envied by all the rest. One poor chap, who had no 21262other grandeur to offer, said with tolerably manifest pride in the 21263remembrance: 21264 21265"Well, Tom Sawyer he licked me once." 21266 21267But that bid for glory was a failure. Most of the boys could say that, 21268and so that cheapened the distinction too much. The group loitered 21269away, still recalling memories of the lost heroes, in awed voices. 21270 21271When the Sunday-school hour was finished, the next morning, the bell 21272began to toll, instead of ringing in the usual way. It was a very still 21273Sabbath, and the mournful sound seemed in keeping with the musing hush 21274that lay upon nature. The villagers began to gather, loitering a moment 21275in the vestibule to converse in whispers about the sad event. But there 21276was no whispering in the house; only the funereal rustling of dresses 21277as the women gathered to their seats disturbed the silence there. None 21278could remember when the little church had been so full before. There 21279was finally a waiting pause, an expectant dumbness, and then Aunt Polly 21280entered, followed by Sid and Mary, and they by the Harper family, all 21281in deep black, and the whole congregation, the old minister as well, 21282rose reverently and stood until the mourners were seated in the front 21283pew. There was another communing silence, broken at intervals by 21284muffled sobs, and then the minister spread his hands abroad and prayed. 21285A moving hymn was sung, and the text followed: "I am the Resurrection 21286and the Life." 21287 21288As the service proceeded, the clergyman drew such pictures of the 21289graces, the winning ways, and the rare promise of the lost lads that 21290every soul there, thinking he recognized these pictures, felt a pang in 21291remembering that he had persistently blinded himself to them always 21292before, and had as persistently seen only faults and flaws in the poor 21293boys. The minister related many a touching incident in the lives of the 21294departed, too, which illustrated their sweet, generous natures, and the 21295people could easily see, now, how noble and beautiful those episodes 21296were, and remembered with grief that at the time they occurred they had 21297seemed rank rascalities, well deserving of the cowhide. The 21298congregation became more and more moved, as the pathetic tale went on, 21299till at last the whole company broke down and joined the weeping 21300mourners in a chorus of anguished sobs, the preacher himself giving way 21301to his feelings, and crying in the pulpit. 21302 21303There was a rustle in the gallery, which nobody noticed; a moment 21304later the church door creaked; the minister raised his streaming eyes 21305above his handkerchief, and stood transfixed! First one and then 21306another pair of eyes followed the minister's, and then almost with one 21307impulse the congregation rose and stared while the three dead boys came 21308marching up the aisle, Tom in the lead, Joe next, and Huck, a ruin of 21309drooping rags, sneaking sheepishly in the rear! They had been hid in 21310the unused gallery listening to their own funeral sermon! 21311 21312Aunt Polly, Mary, and the Harpers threw themselves upon their restored 21313ones, smothered them with kisses and poured out thanksgivings, while 21314poor Huck stood abashed and uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what to 21315do or where to hide from so many unwelcoming eyes. He wavered, and 21316started to slink away, but Tom seized him and said: 21317 21318"Aunt Polly, it ain't fair. Somebody's got to be glad to see Huck." 21319 21320"And so they shall. I'm glad to see him, poor motherless thing!" And 21321the loving attentions Aunt Polly lavished upon him were the one thing 21322capable of making him more uncomfortable than he was before. 21323 21324Suddenly the minister shouted at the top of his voice: "Praise God 21325from whom all blessings flow--SING!--and put your hearts in it!" 21326 21327And they did. Old Hundred swelled up with a triumphant burst, and 21328while it shook the rafters Tom Sawyer the Pirate looked around upon the 21329envying juveniles about him and confessed in his heart that this was 21330the proudest moment of his life. 21331 21332As the "sold" congregation trooped out they said they would almost be 21333willing to be made ridiculous again to hear Old Hundred sung like that 21334once more. 21335 21336Tom got more cuffs and kisses that day--according to Aunt Polly's 21337varying moods--than he had earned before in a year; and he hardly knew 21338which expressed the most gratefulness to God and affection for himself. 21339 21340 21341 21342CHAPTER XVIII 21343 21344THAT was Tom's great secret--the scheme to return home with his 21345brother pirates and attend their own funerals. They had paddled over to 21346the Missouri shore on a log, at dusk on Saturday, landing five or six 21347miles below the village; they had slept in the woods at the edge of the 21348town till nearly daylight, and had then crept through back lanes and 21349alleys and finished their sleep in the gallery of the church among a 21350chaos of invalided benches. 21351 21352At breakfast, Monday morning, Aunt Polly and Mary were very loving to 21353Tom, and very attentive to his wants. There was an unusual amount of 21354talk. In the course of it Aunt Polly said: 21355 21356"Well, I don't say it wasn't a fine joke, Tom, to keep everybody 21357suffering 'most a week so you boys had a good time, but it is a pity 21358you could be so hard-hearted as to let me suffer so. If you could come 21359over on a log to go to your funeral, you could have come over and give 21360me a hint some way that you warn't dead, but only run off." 21361 21362"Yes, you could have done that, Tom," said Mary; "and I believe you 21363would if you had thought of it." 21364 21365"Would you, Tom?" said Aunt Polly, her face lighting wistfully. "Say, 21366now, would you, if you'd thought of it?" 21367 21368"I--well, I don't know. 'Twould 'a' spoiled everything." 21369 21370"Tom, I hoped you loved me that much," said Aunt Polly, with a grieved 21371tone that discomforted the boy. "It would have been something if you'd 21372cared enough to THINK of it, even if you didn't DO it." 21373 21374"Now, auntie, that ain't any harm," pleaded Mary; "it's only Tom's 21375giddy way--he is always in such a rush that he never thinks of 21376anything." 21377 21378"More's the pity. Sid would have thought. And Sid would have come and 21379DONE it, too. Tom, you'll look back, some day, when it's too late, and 21380wish you'd cared a little more for me when it would have cost you so 21381little." 21382 21383"Now, auntie, you know I do care for you," said Tom. 21384 21385"I'd know it better if you acted more like it." 21386 21387"I wish now I'd thought," said Tom, with a repentant tone; "but I 21388dreamt about you, anyway. That's something, ain't it?" 21389 21390"It ain't much--a cat does that much--but it's better than nothing. 21391What did you dream?" 21392 21393"Why, Wednesday night I dreamt that you was sitting over there by the 21394bed, and Sid was sitting by the woodbox, and Mary next to him." 21395 21396"Well, so we did. So we always do. I'm glad your dreams could take 21397even that much trouble about us." 21398 21399"And I dreamt that Joe Harper's mother was here." 21400 21401"Why, she was here! Did you dream any more?" 21402 21403"Oh, lots. But it's so dim, now." 21404 21405"Well, try to recollect--can't you?" 21406 21407"Somehow it seems to me that the wind--the wind blowed the--the--" 21408 21409"Try harder, Tom! The wind did blow something. Come!" 21410 21411Tom pressed his fingers on his forehead an anxious minute, and then 21412said: 21413 21414"I've got it now! I've got it now! It blowed the candle!" 21415 21416"Mercy on us! Go on, Tom--go on!" 21417 21418"And it seems to me that you said, 'Why, I believe that that door--'" 21419 21420"Go ON, Tom!" 21421 21422"Just let me study a moment--just a moment. Oh, yes--you said you 21423believed the door was open." 21424 21425"As I'm sitting here, I did! Didn't I, Mary! Go on!" 21426 21427"And then--and then--well I won't be certain, but it seems like as if 21428you made Sid go and--and--" 21429 21430"Well? Well? What did I make him do, Tom? What did I make him do?" 21431 21432"You made him--you--Oh, you made him shut it." 21433 21434"Well, for the land's sake! I never heard the beat of that in all my 21435days! Don't tell ME there ain't anything in dreams, any more. Sereny 21436Harper shall know of this before I'm an hour older. I'd like to see her 21437get around THIS with her rubbage 'bout superstition. Go on, Tom!" 21438 21439"Oh, it's all getting just as bright as day, now. Next you said I 21440warn't BAD, only mischeevous and harum-scarum, and not any more 21441responsible than--than--I think it was a colt, or something." 21442 21443"And so it was! Well, goodness gracious! Go on, Tom!" 21444 21445"And then you began to cry." 21446 21447"So I did. So I did. Not the first time, neither. And then--" 21448 21449"Then Mrs. Harper she began to cry, and said Joe was just the same, 21450and she wished she hadn't whipped him for taking cream when she'd 21451throwed it out her own self--" 21452 21453"Tom! The sperrit was upon you! You was a prophesying--that's what you 21454was doing! Land alive, go on, Tom!" 21455 21456"Then Sid he said--he said--" 21457 21458"I don't think I said anything," said Sid. 21459 21460"Yes you did, Sid," said Mary. 21461 21462"Shut your heads and let Tom go on! What did he say, Tom?" 21463 21464"He said--I THINK he said he hoped I was better off where I was gone 21465to, but if I'd been better sometimes--" 21466 21467"THERE, d'you hear that! It was his very words!" 21468 21469"And you shut him up sharp." 21470 21471"I lay I did! There must 'a' been an angel there. There WAS an angel 21472there, somewheres!" 21473 21474"And Mrs. Harper told about Joe scaring her with a firecracker, and 21475you told about Peter and the Painkiller--" 21476 21477"Just as true as I live!" 21478 21479"And then there was a whole lot of talk 'bout dragging the river for 21480us, and 'bout having the funeral Sunday, and then you and old Miss 21481Harper hugged and cried, and she went." 21482 21483"It happened just so! It happened just so, as sure as I'm a-sitting in 21484these very tracks. Tom, you couldn't told it more like if you'd 'a' 21485seen it! And then what? Go on, Tom!" 21486 21487"Then I thought you prayed for me--and I could see you and hear every 21488word you said. And you went to bed, and I was so sorry that I took and 21489wrote on a piece of sycamore bark, 'We ain't dead--we are only off 21490being pirates,' and put it on the table by the candle; and then you 21491looked so good, laying there asleep, that I thought I went and leaned 21492over and kissed you on the lips." 21493 21494"Did you, Tom, DID you! I just forgive you everything for that!" And 21495she seized the boy in a crushing embrace that made him feel like the 21496guiltiest of villains. 21497 21498"It was very kind, even though it was only a--dream," Sid soliloquized 21499just audibly. 21500 21501"Shut up, Sid! A body does just the same in a dream as he'd do if he 21502was awake. Here's a big Milum apple I've been saving for you, Tom, if 21503you was ever found again--now go 'long to school. I'm thankful to the 21504good God and Father of us all I've got you back, that's long-suffering 21505and merciful to them that believe on Him and keep His word, though 21506goodness knows I'm unworthy of it, but if only the worthy ones got His 21507blessings and had His hand to help them over the rough places, there's 21508few enough would smile here or ever enter into His rest when the long 21509night comes. Go 'long Sid, Mary, Tom--take yourselves off--you've 21510hendered me long enough." 21511 21512The children left for school, and the old lady to call on Mrs. Harper 21513and vanquish her realism with Tom's marvellous dream. Sid had better 21514judgment than to utter the thought that was in his mind as he left the 21515house. It was this: "Pretty thin--as long a dream as that, without any 21516mistakes in it!" 21517 21518What a hero Tom was become, now! He did not go skipping and prancing, 21519but moved with a dignified swagger as became a pirate who felt that the 21520public eye was on him. And indeed it was; he tried not to seem to see 21521the looks or hear the remarks as he passed along, but they were food 21522and drink to him. Smaller boys than himself flocked at his heels, as 21523proud to be seen with him, and tolerated by him, as if he had been the 21524drummer at the head of a procession or the elephant leading a menagerie 21525into town. Boys of his own size pretended not to know he had been away 21526at all; but they were consuming with envy, nevertheless. They would 21527have given anything to have that swarthy suntanned skin of his, and his 21528glittering notoriety; and Tom would not have parted with either for a 21529circus. 21530 21531At school the children made so much of him and of Joe, and delivered 21532such eloquent admiration from their eyes, that the two heroes were not 21533long in becoming insufferably "stuck-up." They began to tell their 21534adventures to hungry listeners--but they only began; it was not a thing 21535likely to have an end, with imaginations like theirs to furnish 21536material. And finally, when they got out their pipes and went serenely 21537puffing around, the very summit of glory was reached. 21538 21539Tom decided that he could be independent of Becky Thatcher now. Glory 21540was sufficient. He would live for glory. Now that he was distinguished, 21541maybe she would be wanting to "make up." Well, let her--she should see 21542that he could be as indifferent as some other people. Presently she 21543arrived. Tom pretended not to see her. He moved away and joined a group 21544of boys and girls and began to talk. Soon he observed that she was 21545tripping gayly back and forth with flushed face and dancing eyes, 21546pretending to be busy chasing schoolmates, and screaming with laughter 21547when she made a capture; but he noticed that she always made her 21548captures in his vicinity, and that she seemed to cast a conscious eye 21549in his direction at such times, too. It gratified all the vicious 21550vanity that was in him; and so, instead of winning him, it only "set 21551him up" the more and made him the more diligent to avoid betraying that 21552he knew she was about. Presently she gave over skylarking, and moved 21553irresolutely about, sighing once or twice and glancing furtively and 21554wistfully toward Tom. Then she observed that now Tom was talking more 21555particularly to Amy Lawrence than to any one else. She felt a sharp 21556pang and grew disturbed and uneasy at once. She tried to go away, but 21557her feet were treacherous, and carried her to the group instead. She 21558said to a girl almost at Tom's elbow--with sham vivacity: 21559 21560"Why, Mary Austin! you bad girl, why didn't you come to Sunday-school?" 21561 21562"I did come--didn't you see me?" 21563 21564"Why, no! Did you? Where did you sit?" 21565 21566"I was in Miss Peters' class, where I always go. I saw YOU." 21567 21568"Did you? Why, it's funny I didn't see you. I wanted to tell you about 21569the picnic." 21570 21571"Oh, that's jolly. Who's going to give it?" 21572 21573"My ma's going to let me have one." 21574 21575"Oh, goody; I hope she'll let ME come." 21576 21577"Well, she will. The picnic's for me. She'll let anybody come that I 21578want, and I want you." 21579 21580"That's ever so nice. When is it going to be?" 21581 21582"By and by. Maybe about vacation." 21583 21584"Oh, won't it be fun! You going to have all the girls and boys?" 21585 21586"Yes, every one that's friends to me--or wants to be"; and she glanced 21587ever so furtively at Tom, but he talked right along to Amy Lawrence 21588about the terrible storm on the island, and how the lightning tore the 21589great sycamore tree "all to flinders" while he was "standing within 21590three feet of it." 21591 21592"Oh, may I come?" said Grace Miller. 21593 21594"Yes." 21595 21596"And me?" said Sally Rogers. 21597 21598"Yes." 21599 21600"And me, too?" said Susy Harper. "And Joe?" 21601 21602"Yes." 21603 21604And so on, with clapping of joyful hands till all the group had begged 21605for invitations but Tom and Amy. Then Tom turned coolly away, still 21606talking, and took Amy with him. Becky's lips trembled and the tears 21607came to her eyes; she hid these signs with a forced gayety and went on 21608chattering, but the life had gone out of the picnic, now, and out of 21609everything else; she got away as soon as she could and hid herself and 21610had what her sex call "a good cry." Then she sat moody, with wounded 21611pride, till the bell rang. She roused up, now, with a vindictive cast 21612in her eye, and gave her plaited tails a shake and said she knew what 21613SHE'D do. 21614 21615At recess Tom continued his flirtation with Amy with jubilant 21616self-satisfaction. And he kept drifting about to find Becky and lacerate 21617her with the performance. At last he spied her, but there was a sudden 21618falling of his mercury. She was sitting cosily on a little bench behind 21619the schoolhouse looking at a picture-book with Alfred Temple--and so 21620absorbed were they, and their heads so close together over the book, 21621that they did not seem to be conscious of anything in the world besides. 21622Jealousy ran red-hot through Tom's veins. He began to hate himself for 21623throwing away the chance Becky had offered for a reconciliation. He 21624called himself a fool, and all the hard names he could think of. He 21625wanted to cry with vexation. Amy chatted happily along, as they walked, 21626for her heart was singing, but Tom's tongue had lost its function. He 21627did not hear what Amy was saying, and whenever she paused expectantly he 21628could only stammer an awkward assent, which was as often misplaced as 21629otherwise. He kept drifting to the rear of the schoolhouse, again and 21630again, to sear his eyeballs with the hateful spectacle there. He could 21631not help it. And it maddened him to see, as he thought he saw, that 21632Becky Thatcher never once suspected that he was even in the land of the 21633living. But she did see, nevertheless; and she knew she was winning her 21634fight, too, and was glad to see him suffer as she had suffered. 21635 21636Amy's happy prattle became intolerable. Tom hinted at things he had to 21637attend to; things that must be done; and time was fleeting. But in 21638vain--the girl chirped on. Tom thought, "Oh, hang her, ain't I ever 21639going to get rid of her?" At last he must be attending to those 21640things--and she said artlessly that she would be "around" when school 21641let out. And he hastened away, hating her for it. 21642 21643"Any other boy!" Tom thought, grating his teeth. "Any boy in the whole 21644town but that Saint Louis smarty that thinks he dresses so fine and is 21645aristocracy! Oh, all right, I licked you the first day you ever saw 21646this town, mister, and I'll lick you again! You just wait till I catch 21647you out! I'll just take and--" 21648 21649And he went through the motions of thrashing an imaginary boy 21650--pummelling the air, and kicking and gouging. "Oh, you do, do you? You 21651holler 'nough, do you? Now, then, let that learn you!" And so the 21652imaginary flogging was finished to his satisfaction. 21653 21654Tom fled home at noon. His conscience could not endure any more of 21655Amy's grateful happiness, and his jealousy could bear no more of the 21656other distress. Becky resumed her picture inspections with Alfred, but 21657as the minutes dragged along and no Tom came to suffer, her triumph 21658began to cloud and she lost interest; gravity and absent-mindedness 21659followed, and then melancholy; two or three times she pricked up her 21660ear at a footstep, but it was a false hope; no Tom came. At last she 21661grew entirely miserable and wished she hadn't carried it so far. When 21662poor Alfred, seeing that he was losing her, he did not know how, kept 21663exclaiming: "Oh, here's a jolly one! look at this!" she lost patience 21664at last, and said, "Oh, don't bother me! I don't care for them!" and 21665burst into tears, and got up and walked away. 21666 21667Alfred dropped alongside and was going to try to comfort her, but she 21668said: 21669 21670"Go away and leave me alone, can't you! I hate you!" 21671 21672So the boy halted, wondering what he could have done--for she had said 21673she would look at pictures all through the nooning--and she walked on, 21674crying. Then Alfred went musing into the deserted schoolhouse. He was 21675humiliated and angry. He easily guessed his way to the truth--the girl 21676had simply made a convenience of him to vent her spite upon Tom Sawyer. 21677He was far from hating Tom the less when this thought occurred to him. 21678He wished there was some way to get that boy into trouble without much 21679risk to himself. Tom's spelling-book fell under his eye. Here was his 21680opportunity. He gratefully opened to the lesson for the afternoon and 21681poured ink upon the page. 21682 21683Becky, glancing in at a window behind him at the moment, saw the act, 21684and moved on, without discovering herself. She started homeward, now, 21685intending to find Tom and tell him; Tom would be thankful and their 21686troubles would be healed. Before she was half way home, however, she 21687had changed her mind. The thought of Tom's treatment of her when she 21688was talking about her picnic came scorching back and filled her with 21689shame. She resolved to let him get whipped on the damaged 21690spelling-book's account, and to hate him forever, into the bargain. 21691 21692 21693 21694CHAPTER XIX 21695 21696TOM arrived at home in a dreary mood, and the first thing his aunt 21697said to him showed him that he had brought his sorrows to an 21698unpromising market: 21699 21700"Tom, I've a notion to skin you alive!" 21701 21702"Auntie, what have I done?" 21703 21704"Well, you've done enough. Here I go over to Sereny Harper, like an 21705old softy, expecting I'm going to make her believe all that rubbage 21706about that dream, when lo and behold you she'd found out from Joe that 21707you was over here and heard all the talk we had that night. Tom, I 21708don't know what is to become of a boy that will act like that. It makes 21709me feel so bad to think you could let me go to Sereny Harper and make 21710such a fool of myself and never say a word." 21711 21712This was a new aspect of the thing. His smartness of the morning had 21713seemed to Tom a good joke before, and very ingenious. It merely looked 21714mean and shabby now. He hung his head and could not think of anything 21715to say for a moment. Then he said: 21716 21717"Auntie, I wish I hadn't done it--but I didn't think." 21718 21719"Oh, child, you never think. You never think of anything but your own 21720selfishness. You could think to come all the way over here from 21721Jackson's Island in the night to laugh at our troubles, and you could 21722think to fool me with a lie about a dream; but you couldn't ever think 21723to pity us and save us from sorrow." 21724 21725"Auntie, I know now it was mean, but I didn't mean to be mean. I 21726didn't, honest. And besides, I didn't come over here to laugh at you 21727that night." 21728 21729"What did you come for, then?" 21730 21731"It was to tell you not to be uneasy about us, because we hadn't got 21732drownded." 21733 21734"Tom, Tom, I would be the thankfullest soul in this world if I could 21735believe you ever had as good a thought as that, but you know you never 21736did--and I know it, Tom." 21737 21738"Indeed and 'deed I did, auntie--I wish I may never stir if I didn't." 21739 21740"Oh, Tom, don't lie--don't do it. It only makes things a hundred times 21741worse." 21742 21743"It ain't a lie, auntie; it's the truth. I wanted to keep you from 21744grieving--that was all that made me come." 21745 21746"I'd give the whole world to believe that--it would cover up a power 21747of sins, Tom. I'd 'most be glad you'd run off and acted so bad. But it 21748ain't reasonable; because, why didn't you tell me, child?" 21749 21750"Why, you see, when you got to talking about the funeral, I just got 21751all full of the idea of our coming and hiding in the church, and I 21752couldn't somehow bear to spoil it. So I just put the bark back in my 21753pocket and kept mum." 21754 21755"What bark?" 21756 21757"The bark I had wrote on to tell you we'd gone pirating. I wish, now, 21758you'd waked up when I kissed you--I do, honest." 21759 21760The hard lines in his aunt's face relaxed and a sudden tenderness 21761dawned in her eyes. 21762 21763"DID you kiss me, Tom?" 21764 21765"Why, yes, I did." 21766 21767"Are you sure you did, Tom?" 21768 21769"Why, yes, I did, auntie--certain sure." 21770 21771"What did you kiss me for, Tom?" 21772 21773"Because I loved you so, and you laid there moaning and I was so sorry." 21774 21775The words sounded like truth. The old lady could not hide a tremor in 21776her voice when she said: 21777 21778"Kiss me again, Tom!--and be off with you to school, now, and don't 21779bother me any more." 21780 21781The moment he was gone, she ran to a closet and got out the ruin of a 21782jacket which Tom had gone pirating in. Then she stopped, with it in her 21783hand, and said to herself: 21784 21785"No, I don't dare. Poor boy, I reckon he's lied about it--but it's a 21786blessed, blessed lie, there's such a comfort come from it. I hope the 21787Lord--I KNOW the Lord will forgive him, because it was such 21788goodheartedness in him to tell it. But I don't want to find out it's a 21789lie. I won't look." 21790 21791She put the jacket away, and stood by musing a minute. Twice she put 21792out her hand to take the garment again, and twice she refrained. Once 21793more she ventured, and this time she fortified herself with the 21794thought: "It's a good lie--it's a good lie--I won't let it grieve me." 21795So she sought the jacket pocket. A moment later she was reading Tom's 21796piece of bark through flowing tears and saying: "I could forgive the 21797boy, now, if he'd committed a million sins!" 21798 21799 21800 21801CHAPTER XX 21802 21803THERE was something about Aunt Polly's manner, when she kissed Tom, 21804that swept away his low spirits and made him lighthearted and happy 21805again. He started to school and had the luck of coming upon Becky 21806Thatcher at the head of Meadow Lane. His mood always determined his 21807manner. Without a moment's hesitation he ran to her and said: 21808 21809"I acted mighty mean to-day, Becky, and I'm so sorry. I won't ever, 21810ever do that way again, as long as ever I live--please make up, won't 21811you?" 21812 21813The girl stopped and looked him scornfully in the face: 21814 21815"I'll thank you to keep yourself TO yourself, Mr. Thomas Sawyer. I'll 21816never speak to you again." 21817 21818She tossed her head and passed on. Tom was so stunned that he had not 21819even presence of mind enough to say "Who cares, Miss Smarty?" until the 21820right time to say it had gone by. So he said nothing. But he was in a 21821fine rage, nevertheless. He moped into the schoolyard wishing she were 21822a boy, and imagining how he would trounce her if she were. He presently 21823encountered her and delivered a stinging remark as he passed. She 21824hurled one in return, and the angry breach was complete. It seemed to 21825Becky, in her hot resentment, that she could hardly wait for school to 21826"take in," she was so impatient to see Tom flogged for the injured 21827spelling-book. If she had had any lingering notion of exposing Alfred 21828Temple, Tom's offensive fling had driven it entirely away. 21829 21830Poor girl, she did not know how fast she was nearing trouble herself. 21831The master, Mr. Dobbins, had reached middle age with an unsatisfied 21832ambition. The darling of his desires was, to be a doctor, but poverty 21833had decreed that he should be nothing higher than a village 21834schoolmaster. Every day he took a mysterious book out of his desk and 21835absorbed himself in it at times when no classes were reciting. He kept 21836that book under lock and key. There was not an urchin in school but was 21837perishing to have a glimpse of it, but the chance never came. Every boy 21838and girl had a theory about the nature of that book; but no two 21839theories were alike, and there was no way of getting at the facts in 21840the case. Now, as Becky was passing by the desk, which stood near the 21841door, she noticed that the key was in the lock! It was a precious 21842moment. She glanced around; found herself alone, and the next instant 21843she had the book in her hands. The title-page--Professor Somebody's 21844ANATOMY--carried no information to her mind; so she began to turn the 21845leaves. She came at once upon a handsomely engraved and colored 21846frontispiece--a human figure, stark naked. At that moment a shadow fell 21847on the page and Tom Sawyer stepped in at the door and caught a glimpse 21848of the picture. Becky snatched at the book to close it, and had the 21849hard luck to tear the pictured page half down the middle. She thrust 21850the volume into the desk, turned the key, and burst out crying with 21851shame and vexation. 21852 21853"Tom Sawyer, you are just as mean as you can be, to sneak up on a 21854person and look at what they're looking at." 21855 21856"How could I know you was looking at anything?" 21857 21858"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Tom Sawyer; you know you're 21859going to tell on me, and oh, what shall I do, what shall I do! I'll be 21860whipped, and I never was whipped in school." 21861 21862Then she stamped her little foot and said: 21863 21864"BE so mean if you want to! I know something that's going to happen. 21865You just wait and you'll see! Hateful, hateful, hateful!"--and she 21866flung out of the house with a new explosion of crying. 21867 21868Tom stood still, rather flustered by this onslaught. Presently he said 21869to himself: 21870 21871"What a curious kind of a fool a girl is! Never been licked in school! 21872Shucks! What's a licking! That's just like a girl--they're so 21873thin-skinned and chicken-hearted. Well, of course I ain't going to tell 21874old Dobbins on this little fool, because there's other ways of getting 21875even on her, that ain't so mean; but what of it? Old Dobbins will ask 21876who it was tore his book. Nobody'll answer. Then he'll do just the way 21877he always does--ask first one and then t'other, and when he comes to the 21878right girl he'll know it, without any telling. Girls' faces always tell 21879on them. They ain't got any backbone. She'll get licked. Well, it's a 21880kind of a tight place for Becky Thatcher, because there ain't any way 21881out of it." Tom conned the thing a moment longer, and then added: "All 21882right, though; she'd like to see me in just such a fix--let her sweat it 21883out!" 21884 21885Tom joined the mob of skylarking scholars outside. In a few moments 21886the master arrived and school "took in." Tom did not feel a strong 21887interest in his studies. Every time he stole a glance at the girls' 21888side of the room Becky's face troubled him. Considering all things, he 21889did not want to pity her, and yet it was all he could do to help it. He 21890could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. Presently 21891the spelling-book discovery was made, and Tom's mind was entirely full 21892of his own matters for a while after that. Becky roused up from her 21893lethargy of distress and showed good interest in the proceedings. She 21894did not expect that Tom could get out of his trouble by denying that he 21895spilt the ink on the book himself; and she was right. The denial only 21896seemed to make the thing worse for Tom. Becky supposed she would be 21897glad of that, and she tried to believe she was glad of it, but she 21898found she was not certain. When the worst came to the worst, she had an 21899impulse to get up and tell on Alfred Temple, but she made an effort and 21900forced herself to keep still--because, said she to herself, "he'll tell 21901about me tearing the picture sure. I wouldn't say a word, not to save 21902his life!" 21903 21904Tom took his whipping and went back to his seat not at all 21905broken-hearted, for he thought it was possible that he had unknowingly 21906upset the ink on the spelling-book himself, in some skylarking bout--he 21907had denied it for form's sake and because it was custom, and had stuck 21908to the denial from principle. 21909 21910A whole hour drifted by, the master sat nodding in his throne, the air 21911was drowsy with the hum of study. By and by, Mr. Dobbins straightened 21912himself up, yawned, then unlocked his desk, and reached for his book, 21913but seemed undecided whether to take it out or leave it. Most of the 21914pupils glanced up languidly, but there were two among them that watched 21915his movements with intent eyes. Mr. Dobbins fingered his book absently 21916for a while, then took it out and settled himself in his chair to read! 21917Tom shot a glance at Becky. He had seen a hunted and helpless rabbit 21918look as she did, with a gun levelled at its head. Instantly he forgot 21919his quarrel with her. Quick--something must be done! done in a flash, 21920too! But the very imminence of the emergency paralyzed his invention. 21921Good!--he had an inspiration! He would run and snatch the book, spring 21922through the door and fly. But his resolution shook for one little 21923instant, and the chance was lost--the master opened the volume. If Tom 21924only had the wasted opportunity back again! Too late. There was no help 21925for Becky now, he said. The next moment the master faced the school. 21926Every eye sank under his gaze. There was that in it which smote even 21927the innocent with fear. There was silence while one might count ten 21928--the master was gathering his wrath. Then he spoke: "Who tore this book?" 21929 21930There was not a sound. One could have heard a pin drop. The stillness 21931continued; the master searched face after face for signs of guilt. 21932 21933"Benjamin Rogers, did you tear this book?" 21934 21935A denial. Another pause. 21936 21937"Joseph Harper, did you?" 21938 21939Another denial. Tom's uneasiness grew more and more intense under the 21940slow torture of these proceedings. The master scanned the ranks of 21941boys--considered a while, then turned to the girls: 21942 21943"Amy Lawrence?" 21944 21945A shake of the head. 21946 21947"Gracie Miller?" 21948 21949The same sign. 21950 21951"Susan Harper, did you do this?" 21952 21953Another negative. The next girl was Becky Thatcher. Tom was trembling 21954from head to foot with excitement and a sense of the hopelessness of 21955the situation. 21956 21957"Rebecca Thatcher" [Tom glanced at her face--it was white with terror] 21958--"did you tear--no, look me in the face" [her hands rose in appeal] 21959--"did you tear this book?" 21960 21961A thought shot like lightning through Tom's brain. He sprang to his 21962feet and shouted--"I done it!" 21963 21964The school stared in perplexity at this incredible folly. Tom stood a 21965moment, to gather his dismembered faculties; and when he stepped 21966forward to go to his punishment the surprise, the gratitude, the 21967adoration that shone upon him out of poor Becky's eyes seemed pay 21968enough for a hundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of his own 21969act, he took without an outcry the most merciless flaying that even Mr. 21970Dobbins had ever administered; and also received with indifference the 21971added cruelty of a command to remain two hours after school should be 21972dismissed--for he knew who would wait for him outside till his 21973captivity was done, and not count the tedious time as loss, either. 21974 21975Tom went to bed that night planning vengeance against Alfred Temple; 21976for with shame and repentance Becky had told him all, not forgetting 21977her own treachery; but even the longing for vengeance had to give way, 21978soon, to pleasanter musings, and he fell asleep at last with Becky's 21979latest words lingering dreamily in his ear-- 21980 21981"Tom, how COULD you be so noble!" 21982 21983 21984 21985CHAPTER XXI 21986 21987VACATION was approaching. The schoolmaster, always severe, grew 21988severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a 21989good showing on "Examination" day. His rod and his ferule were seldom 21990idle now--at least among the smaller pupils. Only the biggest boys, and 21991young ladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing. Mr. Dobbins' 21992lashings were very vigorous ones, too; for although he carried, under 21993his wig, a perfectly bald and shiny head, he had only reached middle 21994age, and there was no sign of feebleness in his muscle. As the great 21995day approached, all the tyranny that was in him came to the surface; he 21996seemed to take a vindictive pleasure in punishing the least 21997shortcomings. The consequence was, that the smaller boys spent their 21998days in terror and suffering and their nights in plotting revenge. They 21999threw away no opportunity to do the master a mischief. But he kept 22000ahead all the time. The retribution that followed every vengeful 22001success was so sweeping and majestic that the boys always retired from 22002the field badly worsted. At last they conspired together and hit upon a 22003plan that promised a dazzling victory. They swore in the sign-painter's 22004boy, told him the scheme, and asked his help. He had his own reasons 22005for being delighted, for the master boarded in his father's family and 22006had given the boy ample cause to hate him. The master's wife would go 22007on a visit to the country in a few days, and there would be nothing to 22008interfere with the plan; the master always prepared himself for great 22009occasions by getting pretty well fuddled, and the sign-painter's boy 22010said that when the dominie had reached the proper condition on 22011Examination Evening he would "manage the thing" while he napped in his 22012chair; then he would have him awakened at the right time and hurried 22013away to school. 22014 22015In the fulness of time the interesting occasion arrived. At eight in 22016the evening the schoolhouse was brilliantly lighted, and adorned with 22017wreaths and festoons of foliage and flowers. The master sat throned in 22018his great chair upon a raised platform, with his blackboard behind him. 22019He was looking tolerably mellow. Three rows of benches on each side and 22020six rows in front of him were occupied by the dignitaries of the town 22021and by the parents of the pupils. To his left, back of the rows of 22022citizens, was a spacious temporary platform upon which were seated the 22023scholars who were to take part in the exercises of the evening; rows of 22024small boys, washed and dressed to an intolerable state of discomfort; 22025rows of gawky big boys; snowbanks of girls and young ladies clad in 22026lawn and muslin and conspicuously conscious of their bare arms, their 22027grandmothers' ancient trinkets, their bits of pink and blue ribbon and 22028the flowers in their hair. All the rest of the house was filled with 22029non-participating scholars. 22030 22031The exercises began. A very little boy stood up and sheepishly 22032recited, "You'd scarce expect one of my age to speak in public on the 22033stage," etc.--accompanying himself with the painfully exact and 22034spasmodic gestures which a machine might have used--supposing the 22035machine to be a trifle out of order. But he got through safely, though 22036cruelly scared, and got a fine round of applause when he made his 22037manufactured bow and retired. 22038 22039A little shamefaced girl lisped, "Mary had a little lamb," etc., 22040performed a compassion-inspiring curtsy, got her meed of applause, and 22041sat down flushed and happy. 22042 22043Tom Sawyer stepped forward with conceited confidence and soared into 22044the unquenchable and indestructible "Give me liberty or give me death" 22045speech, with fine fury and frantic gesticulation, and broke down in the 22046middle of it. A ghastly stage-fright seized him, his legs quaked under 22047him and he was like to choke. True, he had the manifest sympathy of the 22048house but he had the house's silence, too, which was even worse than 22049its sympathy. The master frowned, and this completed the disaster. Tom 22050struggled awhile and then retired, utterly defeated. There was a weak 22051attempt at applause, but it died early. 22052 22053"The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck" followed; also "The Assyrian Came 22054Down," and other declamatory gems. Then there were reading exercises, 22055and a spelling fight. The meagre Latin class recited with honor. The 22056prime feature of the evening was in order, now--original "compositions" 22057by the young ladies. Each in her turn stepped forward to the edge of 22058the platform, cleared her throat, held up her manuscript (tied with 22059dainty ribbon), and proceeded to read, with labored attention to 22060"expression" and punctuation. The themes were the same that had been 22061illuminated upon similar occasions by their mothers before them, their 22062grandmothers, and doubtless all their ancestors in the female line 22063clear back to the Crusades. "Friendship" was one; "Memories of Other 22064Days"; "Religion in History"; "Dream Land"; "The Advantages of 22065Culture"; "Forms of Political Government Compared and Contrasted"; 22066"Melancholy"; "Filial Love"; "Heart Longings," etc., etc. 22067 22068A prevalent feature in these compositions was a nursed and petted 22069melancholy; another was a wasteful and opulent gush of "fine language"; 22070another was a tendency to lug in by the ears particularly prized words 22071and phrases until they were worn entirely out; and a peculiarity that 22072conspicuously marked and marred them was the inveterate and intolerable 22073sermon that wagged its crippled tail at the end of each and every one 22074of them. No matter what the subject might be, a brain-racking effort 22075was made to squirm it into some aspect or other that the moral and 22076religious mind could contemplate with edification. The glaring 22077insincerity of these sermons was not sufficient to compass the 22078banishment of the fashion from the schools, and it is not sufficient 22079to-day; it never will be sufficient while the world stands, perhaps. 22080There is no school in all our land where the young ladies do not feel 22081obliged to close their compositions with a sermon; and you will find 22082that the sermon of the most frivolous and the least religious girl in 22083the school is always the longest and the most relentlessly pious. But 22084enough of this. Homely truth is unpalatable. 22085 22086Let us return to the "Examination." The first composition that was 22087read was one entitled "Is this, then, Life?" Perhaps the reader can 22088endure an extract from it: 22089 22090 "In the common walks of life, with what delightful 22091 emotions does the youthful mind look forward to some 22092 anticipated scene of festivity! Imagination is busy 22093 sketching rose-tinted pictures of joy. In fancy, the 22094 voluptuous votary of fashion sees herself amid the 22095 festive throng, 'the observed of all observers.' Her 22096 graceful form, arrayed in snowy robes, is whirling 22097 through the mazes of the joyous dance; her eye is 22098 brightest, her step is lightest in the gay assembly. 22099 22100 "In such delicious fancies time quickly glides by, 22101 and the welcome hour arrives for her entrance into 22102 the Elysian world, of which she has had such bright 22103 dreams. How fairy-like does everything appear to 22104 her enchanted vision! Each new scene is more charming 22105 than the last. But after a while she finds that 22106 beneath this goodly exterior, all is vanity, the 22107 flattery which once charmed her soul, now grates 22108 harshly upon her ear; the ball-room has lost its 22109 charms; and with wasted health and imbittered heart, 22110 she turns away with the conviction that earthly 22111 pleasures cannot satisfy the longings of the soul!" 22112 22113And so forth and so on. There was a buzz of gratification from time to 22114time during the reading, accompanied by whispered ejaculations of "How 22115sweet!" "How eloquent!" "So true!" etc., and after the thing had closed 22116with a peculiarly afflicting sermon the applause was enthusiastic. 22117 22118Then arose a slim, melancholy girl, whose face had the "interesting" 22119paleness that comes of pills and indigestion, and read a "poem." Two 22120stanzas of it will do: 22121 22122 "A MISSOURI MAIDEN'S FAREWELL TO ALABAMA 22123 22124 "Alabama, good-bye! I love thee well! 22125 But yet for a while do I leave thee now! 22126 Sad, yes, sad thoughts of thee my heart doth swell, 22127 And burning recollections throng my brow! 22128 For I have wandered through thy flowery woods; 22129 Have roamed and read near Tallapoosa's stream; 22130 Have listened to Tallassee's warring floods, 22131 And wooed on Coosa's side Aurora's beam. 22132 22133 "Yet shame I not to bear an o'er-full heart, 22134 Nor blush to turn behind my tearful eyes; 22135 'Tis from no stranger land I now must part, 22136 'Tis to no strangers left I yield these sighs. 22137 Welcome and home were mine within this State, 22138 Whose vales I leave--whose spires fade fast from me 22139 And cold must be mine eyes, and heart, and tete, 22140 When, dear Alabama! they turn cold on thee!" 22141 22142There were very few there who knew what "tete" meant, but the poem was 22143very satisfactory, nevertheless. 22144 22145Next appeared a dark-complexioned, black-eyed, black-haired young 22146lady, who paused an impressive moment, assumed a tragic expression, and 22147began to read in a measured, solemn tone: 22148 22149 "A VISION 22150 22151 "Dark and tempestuous was night. Around the 22152 throne on high not a single star quivered; but 22153 the deep intonations of the heavy thunder 22154 constantly vibrated upon the ear; whilst the 22155 terrific lightning revelled in angry mood 22156 through the cloudy chambers of heaven, seeming 22157 to scorn the power exerted over its terror by 22158 the illustrious Franklin! Even the boisterous 22159 winds unanimously came forth from their mystic 22160 homes, and blustered about as if to enhance by 22161 their aid the wildness of the scene. 22162 22163 "At such a time, so dark, so dreary, for human 22164 sympathy my very spirit sighed; but instead thereof, 22165 22166 "'My dearest friend, my counsellor, my comforter 22167 and guide--My joy in grief, my second bliss 22168 in joy,' came to my side. She moved like one of 22169 those bright beings pictured in the sunny walks 22170 of fancy's Eden by the romantic and young, a 22171 queen of beauty unadorned save by her own 22172 transcendent loveliness. So soft was her step, it 22173 failed to make even a sound, and but for the 22174 magical thrill imparted by her genial touch, as 22175 other unobtrusive beauties, she would have glided 22176 away un-perceived--unsought. A strange sadness 22177 rested upon her features, like icy tears upon 22178 the robe of December, as she pointed to the 22179 contending elements without, and bade me contemplate 22180 the two beings presented." 22181 22182This nightmare occupied some ten pages of manuscript and wound up with 22183a sermon so destructive of all hope to non-Presbyterians that it took 22184the first prize. This composition was considered to be the very finest 22185effort of the evening. The mayor of the village, in delivering the 22186prize to the author of it, made a warm speech in which he said that it 22187was by far the most "eloquent" thing he had ever listened to, and that 22188Daniel Webster himself might well be proud of it. 22189 22190It may be remarked, in passing, that the number of compositions in 22191which the word "beauteous" was over-fondled, and human experience 22192referred to as "life's page," was up to the usual average. 22193 22194Now the master, mellow almost to the verge of geniality, put his chair 22195aside, turned his back to the audience, and began to draw a map of 22196America on the blackboard, to exercise the geography class upon. But he 22197made a sad business of it with his unsteady hand, and a smothered 22198titter rippled over the house. He knew what the matter was, and set 22199himself to right it. He sponged out lines and remade them; but he only 22200distorted them more than ever, and the tittering was more pronounced. 22201He threw his entire attention upon his work, now, as if determined not 22202to be put down by the mirth. He felt that all eyes were fastened upon 22203him; he imagined he was succeeding, and yet the tittering continued; it 22204even manifestly increased. And well it might. There was a garret above, 22205pierced with a scuttle over his head; and down through this scuttle 22206came a cat, suspended around the haunches by a string; she had a rag 22207tied about her head and jaws to keep her from mewing; as she slowly 22208descended she curved upward and clawed at the string, she swung 22209downward and clawed at the intangible air. The tittering rose higher 22210and higher--the cat was within six inches of the absorbed teacher's 22211head--down, down, a little lower, and she grabbed his wig with her 22212desperate claws, clung to it, and was snatched up into the garret in an 22213instant with her trophy still in her possession! And how the light did 22214blaze abroad from the master's bald pate--for the sign-painter's boy 22215had GILDED it! 22216 22217That broke up the meeting. The boys were avenged. Vacation had come. 22218 22219 NOTE:--The pretended "compositions" quoted in 22220 this chapter are taken without alteration from a 22221 volume entitled "Prose and Poetry, by a Western 22222 Lady"--but they are exactly and precisely after 22223 the schoolgirl pattern, and hence are much 22224 happier than any mere imitations could be. 22225 22226 22227 22228CHAPTER XXII 22229 22230TOM joined the new order of Cadets of Temperance, being attracted by 22231the showy character of their "regalia." He promised to abstain from 22232smoking, chewing, and profanity as long as he remained a member. Now he 22233found out a new thing--namely, that to promise not to do a thing is the 22234surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very 22235thing. Tom soon found himself tormented with a desire to drink and 22236swear; the desire grew to be so intense that nothing but the hope of a 22237chance to display himself in his red sash kept him from withdrawing 22238from the order. Fourth of July was coming; but he soon gave that up 22239--gave it up before he had worn his shackles over forty-eight hours--and 22240fixed his hopes upon old Judge Frazer, justice of the peace, who was 22241apparently on his deathbed and would have a big public funeral, since 22242he was so high an official. During three days Tom was deeply concerned 22243about the Judge's condition and hungry for news of it. Sometimes his 22244hopes ran high--so high that he would venture to get out his regalia 22245and practise before the looking-glass. But the Judge had a most 22246discouraging way of fluctuating. At last he was pronounced upon the 22247mend--and then convalescent. Tom was disgusted; and felt a sense of 22248injury, too. He handed in his resignation at once--and that night the 22249Judge suffered a relapse and died. Tom resolved that he would never 22250trust a man like that again. 22251 22252The funeral was a fine thing. The Cadets paraded in a style calculated 22253to kill the late member with envy. Tom was a free boy again, however 22254--there was something in that. He could drink and swear, now--but found 22255to his surprise that he did not want to. The simple fact that he could, 22256took the desire away, and the charm of it. 22257 22258Tom presently wondered to find that his coveted vacation was beginning 22259to hang a little heavily on his hands. 22260 22261He attempted a diary--but nothing happened during three days, and so 22262he abandoned it. 22263 22264The first of all the negro minstrel shows came to town, and made a 22265sensation. Tom and Joe Harper got up a band of performers and were 22266happy for two days. 22267 22268Even the Glorious Fourth was in some sense a failure, for it rained 22269hard, there was no procession in consequence, and the greatest man in 22270the world (as Tom supposed), Mr. Benton, an actual United States 22271Senator, proved an overwhelming disappointment--for he was not 22272twenty-five feet high, nor even anywhere in the neighborhood of it. 22273 22274A circus came. The boys played circus for three days afterward in 22275tents made of rag carpeting--admission, three pins for boys, two for 22276girls--and then circusing was abandoned. 22277 22278A phrenologist and a mesmerizer came--and went again and left the 22279village duller and drearier than ever. 22280 22281There were some boys-and-girls' parties, but they were so few and so 22282delightful that they only made the aching voids between ache the harder. 22283 22284Becky Thatcher was gone to her Constantinople home to stay with her 22285parents during vacation--so there was no bright side to life anywhere. 22286 22287The dreadful secret of the murder was a chronic misery. It was a very 22288cancer for permanency and pain. 22289 22290Then came the measles. 22291 22292During two long weeks Tom lay a prisoner, dead to the world and its 22293happenings. He was very ill, he was interested in nothing. When he got 22294upon his feet at last and moved feebly down-town, a melancholy change 22295had come over everything and every creature. There had been a 22296"revival," and everybody had "got religion," not only the adults, but 22297even the boys and girls. Tom went about, hoping against hope for the 22298sight of one blessed sinful face, but disappointment crossed him 22299everywhere. He found Joe Harper studying a Testament, and turned sadly 22300away from the depressing spectacle. He sought Ben Rogers, and found him 22301visiting the poor with a basket of tracts. He hunted up Jim Hollis, who 22302called his attention to the precious blessing of his late measles as a 22303warning. Every boy he encountered added another ton to his depression; 22304and when, in desperation, he flew for refuge at last to the bosom of 22305Huckleberry Finn and was received with a Scriptural quotation, his 22306heart broke and he crept home and to bed realizing that he alone of all 22307the town was lost, forever and forever. 22308 22309And that night there came on a terrific storm, with driving rain, 22310awful claps of thunder and blinding sheets of lightning. He covered his 22311head with the bedclothes and waited in a horror of suspense for his 22312doom; for he had not the shadow of a doubt that all this hubbub was 22313about him. He believed he had taxed the forbearance of the powers above 22314to the extremity of endurance and that this was the result. It might 22315have seemed to him a waste of pomp and ammunition to kill a bug with a 22316battery of artillery, but there seemed nothing incongruous about the 22317getting up such an expensive thunderstorm as this to knock the turf 22318from under an insect like himself. 22319 22320By and by the tempest spent itself and died without accomplishing its 22321object. The boy's first impulse was to be grateful, and reform. His 22322second was to wait--for there might not be any more storms. 22323 22324The next day the doctors were back; Tom had relapsed. The three weeks 22325he spent on his back this time seemed an entire age. When he got abroad 22326at last he was hardly grateful that he had been spared, remembering how 22327lonely was his estate, how companionless and forlorn he was. He drifted 22328listlessly down the street and found Jim Hollis acting as judge in a 22329juvenile court that was trying a cat for murder, in the presence of her 22330victim, a bird. He found Joe Harper and Huck Finn up an alley eating a 22331stolen melon. Poor lads! they--like Tom--had suffered a relapse. 22332 22333 22334 22335CHAPTER XXIII 22336 22337AT last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred--and vigorously: the murder 22338trial came on in the court. It became the absorbing topic of village 22339talk immediately. Tom could not get away from it. Every reference to 22340the murder sent a shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and 22341fears almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in his 22342hearing as "feelers"; he did not see how he could be suspected of 22343knowing anything about the murder, but still he could not be 22344comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept him in a cold shiver 22345all the time. He took Huck to a lonely place to have a talk with him. 22346It would be some relief to unseal his tongue for a little while; to 22347divide his burden of distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he 22348wanted to assure himself that Huck had remained discreet. 22349 22350"Huck, have you ever told anybody about--that?" 22351 22352"'Bout what?" 22353 22354"You know what." 22355 22356"Oh--'course I haven't." 22357 22358"Never a word?" 22359 22360"Never a solitary word, so help me. What makes you ask?" 22361 22362"Well, I was afeard." 22363 22364"Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days if that got found out. 22365YOU know that." 22366 22367Tom felt more comfortable. After a pause: 22368 22369"Huck, they couldn't anybody get you to tell, could they?" 22370 22371"Get me to tell? Why, if I wanted that half-breed devil to drownd me 22372they could get me to tell. They ain't no different way." 22373 22374"Well, that's all right, then. I reckon we're safe as long as we keep 22375mum. But let's swear again, anyway. It's more surer." 22376 22377"I'm agreed." 22378 22379So they swore again with dread solemnities. 22380 22381"What is the talk around, Huck? I've heard a power of it." 22382 22383"Talk? Well, it's just Muff Potter, Muff Potter, Muff Potter all the 22384time. It keeps me in a sweat, constant, so's I want to hide som'ers." 22385 22386"That's just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he's a goner. 22387Don't you feel sorry for him, sometimes?" 22388 22389"Most always--most always. He ain't no account; but then he hain't 22390ever done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little, to get money 22391to get drunk on--and loafs around considerable; but lord, we all do 22392that--leastways most of us--preachers and such like. But he's kind of 22393good--he give me half a fish, once, when there warn't enough for two; 22394and lots of times he's kind of stood by me when I was out of luck." 22395 22396"Well, he's mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my 22397line. I wish we could get him out of there." 22398 22399"My! we couldn't get him out, Tom. And besides, 'twouldn't do any 22400good; they'd ketch him again." 22401 22402"Yes--so they would. But I hate to hear 'em abuse him so like the 22403dickens when he never done--that." 22404 22405"I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear 'em say he's the bloodiest looking 22406villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn't ever hung before." 22407 22408"Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I've heard 'em say that if he 22409was to get free they'd lynch him." 22410 22411"And they'd do it, too." 22412 22413The boys had a long talk, but it brought them little comfort. As the 22414twilight drew on, they found themselves hanging about the neighborhood 22415of the little isolated jail, perhaps with an undefined hope that 22416something would happen that might clear away their difficulties. But 22417nothing happened; there seemed to be no angels or fairies interested in 22418this luckless captive. 22419 22420The boys did as they had often done before--went to the cell grating 22421and gave Potter some tobacco and matches. He was on the ground floor 22422and there were no guards. 22423 22424His gratitude for their gifts had always smote their consciences 22425before--it cut deeper than ever, this time. They felt cowardly and 22426treacherous to the last degree when Potter said: 22427 22428"You've been mighty good to me, boys--better'n anybody else in this 22429town. And I don't forget it, I don't. Often I says to myself, says I, 22430'I used to mend all the boys' kites and things, and show 'em where the 22431good fishin' places was, and befriend 'em what I could, and now they've 22432all forgot old Muff when he's in trouble; but Tom don't, and Huck 22433don't--THEY don't forget him, says I, 'and I don't forget them.' Well, 22434boys, I done an awful thing--drunk and crazy at the time--that's the 22435only way I account for it--and now I got to swing for it, and it's 22436right. Right, and BEST, too, I reckon--hope so, anyway. Well, we won't 22437talk about that. I don't want to make YOU feel bad; you've befriended 22438me. But what I want to say, is, don't YOU ever get drunk--then you won't 22439ever get here. Stand a litter furder west--so--that's it; it's a prime 22440comfort to see faces that's friendly when a body's in such a muck of 22441trouble, and there don't none come here but yourn. Good friendly 22442faces--good friendly faces. Git up on one another's backs and let me 22443touch 'em. That's it. Shake hands--yourn'll come through the bars, but 22444mine's too big. Little hands, and weak--but they've helped Muff Potter 22445a power, and they'd help him more if they could." 22446 22447Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of 22448horrors. The next day and the day after, he hung about the court-room, 22449drawn by an almost irresistible impulse to go in, but forcing himself 22450to stay out. Huck was having the same experience. They studiously 22451avoided each other. Each wandered away, from time to time, but the same 22452dismal fascination always brought them back presently. Tom kept his 22453ears open when idlers sauntered out of the court-room, but invariably 22454heard distressing news--the toils were closing more and more 22455relentlessly around poor Potter. At the end of the second day the 22456village talk was to the effect that Injun Joe's evidence stood firm and 22457unshaken, and that there was not the slightest question as to what the 22458jury's verdict would be. 22459 22460Tom was out late, that night, and came to bed through the window. He 22461was in a tremendous state of excitement. It was hours before he got to 22462sleep. All the village flocked to the court-house the next morning, for 22463this was to be the great day. Both sexes were about equally represented 22464in the packed audience. After a long wait the jury filed in and took 22465their places; shortly afterward, Potter, pale and haggard, timid and 22466hopeless, was brought in, with chains upon him, and seated where all 22467the curious eyes could stare at him; no less conspicuous was Injun Joe, 22468stolid as ever. There was another pause, and then the judge arrived and 22469the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court. The usual whisperings 22470among the lawyers and gathering together of papers followed. These 22471details and accompanying delays worked up an atmosphere of preparation 22472that was as impressive as it was fascinating. 22473 22474Now a witness was called who testified that he found Muff Potter 22475washing in the brook, at an early hour of the morning that the murder 22476was discovered, and that he immediately sneaked away. After some 22477further questioning, counsel for the prosecution said: 22478 22479"Take the witness." 22480 22481The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but dropped them again when 22482his own counsel said: 22483 22484"I have no questions to ask him." 22485 22486The next witness proved the finding of the knife near the corpse. 22487Counsel for the prosecution said: 22488 22489"Take the witness." 22490 22491"I have no questions to ask him," Potter's lawyer replied. 22492 22493A third witness swore he had often seen the knife in Potter's 22494possession. 22495 22496"Take the witness." 22497 22498Counsel for Potter declined to question him. The faces of the audience 22499began to betray annoyance. Did this attorney mean to throw away his 22500client's life without an effort? 22501 22502Several witnesses deposed concerning Potter's guilty behavior when 22503brought to the scene of the murder. They were allowed to leave the 22504stand without being cross-questioned. 22505 22506Every detail of the damaging circumstances that occurred in the 22507graveyard upon that morning which all present remembered so well was 22508brought out by credible witnesses, but none of them were cross-examined 22509by Potter's lawyer. The perplexity and dissatisfaction of the house 22510expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench. 22511Counsel for the prosecution now said: 22512 22513"By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we 22514have fastened this awful crime, beyond all possibility of question, 22515upon the unhappy prisoner at the bar. We rest our case here." 22516 22517A groan escaped from poor Potter, and he put his face in his hands and 22518rocked his body softly to and fro, while a painful silence reigned in 22519the court-room. Many men were moved, and many women's compassion 22520testified itself in tears. Counsel for the defence rose and said: 22521 22522"Your honor, in our remarks at the opening of this trial, we 22523foreshadowed our purpose to prove that our client did this fearful deed 22524while under the influence of a blind and irresponsible delirium 22525produced by drink. We have changed our mind. We shall not offer that 22526plea." [Then to the clerk:] "Call Thomas Sawyer!" 22527 22528A puzzled amazement awoke in every face in the house, not even 22529excepting Potter's. Every eye fastened itself with wondering interest 22530upon Tom as he rose and took his place upon the stand. The boy looked 22531wild enough, for he was badly scared. The oath was administered. 22532 22533"Thomas Sawyer, where were you on the seventeenth of June, about the 22534hour of midnight?" 22535 22536Tom glanced at Injun Joe's iron face and his tongue failed him. The 22537audience listened breathless, but the words refused to come. After a 22538few moments, however, the boy got a little of his strength back, and 22539managed to put enough of it into his voice to make part of the house 22540hear: 22541 22542"In the graveyard!" 22543 22544"A little bit louder, please. Don't be afraid. You were--" 22545 22546"In the graveyard." 22547 22548A contemptuous smile flitted across Injun Joe's face. 22549 22550"Were you anywhere near Horse Williams' grave?" 22551 22552"Yes, sir." 22553 22554"Speak up--just a trifle louder. How near were you?" 22555 22556"Near as I am to you." 22557 22558"Were you hidden, or not?" 22559 22560"I was hid." 22561 22562"Where?" 22563 22564"Behind the elms that's on the edge of the grave." 22565 22566Injun Joe gave a barely perceptible start. 22567 22568"Any one with you?" 22569 22570"Yes, sir. I went there with--" 22571 22572"Wait--wait a moment. Never mind mentioning your companion's name. We 22573will produce him at the proper time. Did you carry anything there with 22574you." 22575 22576Tom hesitated and looked confused. 22577 22578"Speak out, my boy--don't be diffident. The truth is always 22579respectable. What did you take there?" 22580 22581"Only a--a--dead cat." 22582 22583There was a ripple of mirth, which the court checked. 22584 22585"We will produce the skeleton of that cat. Now, my boy, tell us 22586everything that occurred--tell it in your own way--don't skip anything, 22587and don't be afraid." 22588 22589Tom began--hesitatingly at first, but as he warmed to his subject his 22590words flowed more and more easily; in a little while every sound ceased 22591but his own voice; every eye fixed itself upon him; with parted lips 22592and bated breath the audience hung upon his words, taking no note of 22593time, rapt in the ghastly fascinations of the tale. The strain upon 22594pent emotion reached its climax when the boy said: 22595 22596"--and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, 22597Injun Joe jumped with the knife and--" 22598 22599Crash! Quick as lightning the half-breed sprang for a window, tore his 22600way through all opposers, and was gone! 22601 22602 22603 22604CHAPTER XXIV 22605 22606TOM was a glittering hero once more--the pet of the old, the envy of 22607the young. His name even went into immortal print, for the village 22608paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be 22609President, yet, if he escaped hanging. 22610 22611As usual, the fickle, unreasoning world took Muff Potter to its bosom 22612and fondled him as lavishly as it had abused him before. But that sort 22613of conduct is to the world's credit; therefore it is not well to find 22614fault with it. 22615 22616Tom's days were days of splendor and exultation to him, but his nights 22617were seasons of horror. Injun Joe infested all his dreams, and always 22618with doom in his eye. Hardly any temptation could persuade the boy to 22619stir abroad after nightfall. Poor Huck was in the same state of 22620wretchedness and terror, for Tom had told the whole story to the lawyer 22621the night before the great day of the trial, and Huck was sore afraid 22622that his share in the business might leak out, yet, notwithstanding 22623Injun Joe's flight had saved him the suffering of testifying in court. 22624The poor fellow had got the attorney to promise secrecy, but what of 22625that? Since Tom's harassed conscience had managed to drive him to the 22626lawyer's house by night and wring a dread tale from lips that had been 22627sealed with the dismalest and most formidable of oaths, Huck's 22628confidence in the human race was well-nigh obliterated. 22629 22630Daily Muff Potter's gratitude made Tom glad he had spoken; but nightly 22631he wished he had sealed up his tongue. 22632 22633Half the time Tom was afraid Injun Joe would never be captured; the 22634other half he was afraid he would be. He felt sure he never could draw 22635a safe breath again until that man was dead and he had seen the corpse. 22636 22637Rewards had been offered, the country had been scoured, but no Injun 22638Joe was found. One of those omniscient and awe-inspiring marvels, a 22639detective, came up from St. Louis, moused around, shook his head, 22640looked wise, and made that sort of astounding success which members of 22641that craft usually achieve. That is to say, he "found a clew." But you 22642can't hang a "clew" for murder, and so after that detective had got 22643through and gone home, Tom felt just as insecure as he was before. 22644 22645The slow days drifted on, and each left behind it a slightly lightened 22646weight of apprehension. 22647 22648 22649 22650CHAPTER XXV 22651 22652THERE comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has 22653a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. This 22654desire suddenly came upon Tom one day. He sallied out to find Joe 22655Harper, but failed of success. Next he sought Ben Rogers; he had gone 22656fishing. Presently he stumbled upon Huck Finn the Red-Handed. Huck 22657would answer. Tom took him to a private place and opened the matter to 22658him confidentially. Huck was willing. Huck was always willing to take a 22659hand in any enterprise that offered entertainment and required no 22660capital, for he had a troublesome superabundance of that sort of time 22661which is not money. "Where'll we dig?" said Huck. 22662 22663"Oh, most anywhere." 22664 22665"Why, is it hid all around?" 22666 22667"No, indeed it ain't. It's hid in mighty particular places, Huck 22668--sometimes on islands, sometimes in rotten chests under the end of a 22669limb of an old dead tree, just where the shadow falls at midnight; but 22670mostly under the floor in ha'nted houses." 22671 22672"Who hides it?" 22673 22674"Why, robbers, of course--who'd you reckon? Sunday-school 22675sup'rintendents?" 22676 22677"I don't know. If 'twas mine I wouldn't hide it; I'd spend it and have 22678a good time." 22679 22680"So would I. But robbers don't do that way. They always hide it and 22681leave it there." 22682 22683"Don't they come after it any more?" 22684 22685"No, they think they will, but they generally forget the marks, or 22686else they die. Anyway, it lays there a long time and gets rusty; and by 22687and by somebody finds an old yellow paper that tells how to find the 22688marks--a paper that's got to be ciphered over about a week because it's 22689mostly signs and hy'roglyphics." 22690 22691"Hyro--which?" 22692 22693"Hy'roglyphics--pictures and things, you know, that don't seem to mean 22694anything." 22695 22696"Have you got one of them papers, Tom?" 22697 22698"No." 22699 22700"Well then, how you going to find the marks?" 22701 22702"I don't want any marks. They always bury it under a ha'nted house or 22703on an island, or under a dead tree that's got one limb sticking out. 22704Well, we've tried Jackson's Island a little, and we can try it again 22705some time; and there's the old ha'nted house up the Still-House branch, 22706and there's lots of dead-limb trees--dead loads of 'em." 22707 22708"Is it under all of them?" 22709 22710"How you talk! No!" 22711 22712"Then how you going to know which one to go for?" 22713 22714"Go for all of 'em!" 22715 22716"Why, Tom, it'll take all summer." 22717 22718"Well, what of that? Suppose you find a brass pot with a hundred 22719dollars in it, all rusty and gray, or rotten chest full of di'monds. 22720How's that?" 22721 22722Huck's eyes glowed. 22723 22724"That's bully. Plenty bully enough for me. Just you gimme the hundred 22725dollars and I don't want no di'monds." 22726 22727"All right. But I bet you I ain't going to throw off on di'monds. Some 22728of 'em's worth twenty dollars apiece--there ain't any, hardly, but's 22729worth six bits or a dollar." 22730 22731"No! Is that so?" 22732 22733"Cert'nly--anybody'll tell you so. Hain't you ever seen one, Huck?" 22734 22735"Not as I remember." 22736 22737"Oh, kings have slathers of them." 22738 22739"Well, I don' know no kings, Tom." 22740 22741"I reckon you don't. But if you was to go to Europe you'd see a raft 22742of 'em hopping around." 22743 22744"Do they hop?" 22745 22746"Hop?--your granny! No!" 22747 22748"Well, what did you say they did, for?" 22749 22750"Shucks, I only meant you'd SEE 'em--not hopping, of course--what do 22751they want to hop for?--but I mean you'd just see 'em--scattered around, 22752you know, in a kind of a general way. Like that old humpbacked Richard." 22753 22754"Richard? What's his other name?" 22755 22756"He didn't have any other name. Kings don't have any but a given name." 22757 22758"No?" 22759 22760"But they don't." 22761 22762"Well, if they like it, Tom, all right; but I don't want to be a king 22763and have only just a given name, like a nigger. But say--where you 22764going to dig first?" 22765 22766"Well, I don't know. S'pose we tackle that old dead-limb tree on the 22767hill t'other side of Still-House branch?" 22768 22769"I'm agreed." 22770 22771So they got a crippled pick and a shovel, and set out on their 22772three-mile tramp. They arrived hot and panting, and threw themselves 22773down in the shade of a neighboring elm to rest and have a smoke. 22774 22775"I like this," said Tom. 22776 22777"So do I." 22778 22779"Say, Huck, if we find a treasure here, what you going to do with your 22780share?" 22781 22782"Well, I'll have pie and a glass of soda every day, and I'll go to 22783every circus that comes along. I bet I'll have a gay time." 22784 22785"Well, ain't you going to save any of it?" 22786 22787"Save it? What for?" 22788 22789"Why, so as to have something to live on, by and by." 22790 22791"Oh, that ain't any use. Pap would come back to thish-yer town some 22792day and get his claws on it if I didn't hurry up, and I tell you he'd 22793clean it out pretty quick. What you going to do with yourn, Tom?" 22794 22795"I'm going to buy a new drum, and a sure-'nough sword, and a red 22796necktie and a bull pup, and get married." 22797 22798"Married!" 22799 22800"That's it." 22801 22802"Tom, you--why, you ain't in your right mind." 22803 22804"Wait--you'll see." 22805 22806"Well, that's the foolishest thing you could do. Look at pap and my 22807mother. Fight! Why, they used to fight all the time. I remember, mighty 22808well." 22809 22810"That ain't anything. The girl I'm going to marry won't fight." 22811 22812"Tom, I reckon they're all alike. They'll all comb a body. Now you 22813better think 'bout this awhile. I tell you you better. What's the name 22814of the gal?" 22815 22816"It ain't a gal at all--it's a girl." 22817 22818"It's all the same, I reckon; some says gal, some says girl--both's 22819right, like enough. Anyway, what's her name, Tom?" 22820 22821"I'll tell you some time--not now." 22822 22823"All right--that'll do. Only if you get married I'll be more lonesomer 22824than ever." 22825 22826"No you won't. You'll come and live with me. Now stir out of this and 22827we'll go to digging." 22828 22829They worked and sweated for half an hour. No result. They toiled 22830another half-hour. Still no result. Huck said: 22831 22832"Do they always bury it as deep as this?" 22833 22834"Sometimes--not always. Not generally. I reckon we haven't got the 22835right place." 22836 22837So they chose a new spot and began again. The labor dragged a little, 22838but still they made progress. They pegged away in silence for some 22839time. Finally Huck leaned on his shovel, swabbed the beaded drops from 22840his brow with his sleeve, and said: 22841 22842"Where you going to dig next, after we get this one?" 22843 22844"I reckon maybe we'll tackle the old tree that's over yonder on 22845Cardiff Hill back of the widow's." 22846 22847"I reckon that'll be a good one. But won't the widow take it away from 22848us, Tom? It's on her land." 22849 22850"SHE take it away! Maybe she'd like to try it once. Whoever finds one 22851of these hid treasures, it belongs to him. It don't make any difference 22852whose land it's on." 22853 22854That was satisfactory. The work went on. By and by Huck said: 22855 22856"Blame it, we must be in the wrong place again. What do you think?" 22857 22858"It is mighty curious, Huck. I don't understand it. Sometimes witches 22859interfere. I reckon maybe that's what's the trouble now." 22860 22861"Shucks! Witches ain't got no power in the daytime." 22862 22863"Well, that's so. I didn't think of that. Oh, I know what the matter 22864is! What a blamed lot of fools we are! You got to find out where the 22865shadow of the limb falls at midnight, and that's where you dig!" 22866 22867"Then consound it, we've fooled away all this work for nothing. Now 22868hang it all, we got to come back in the night. It's an awful long way. 22869Can you get out?" 22870 22871"I bet I will. We've got to do it to-night, too, because if somebody 22872sees t