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X
CHAPTER
XIII
TOM'S
mind
was
made
up
now.
He
was
gloomy
and
desperate.
He
was
a
forsaken,
friendless
boy,
he
said;
nobody
loved
him;
when
they
found
out
what
they
had
driven
him
to,
perhaps
they
would
be
sorry;
he
had
tried
to
do
right
and
get
along,
but
they
would
not
let
him;
since
nothing
would
do
them
but
to
be
rid
of
him,
let
it
be
so;
and
let
them
blame
HIM
for
the
consequences--why
shouldn't
they?
What
right
had
the
friendless
to
complain?
Yes,
they
had
forced
him
to
it
at
last:
he
would
lead
a
life
of
crime.
There
was
no
choice.
By
this
time
he
was
far
down
Meadow
Lane,
and
the
bell
for
school
to
"take
up"
tinkled
faintly
upon
his
ear.
He
sobbed,
now,
to
think
he
should
never,
never
hear
that
old
familiar
sound
any
more--it
was
very
hard,
but
it
was
forced
on
him;
since
he
was
driven
out
into
the
cold
world,
he
must
submit--but
he
forgave
them.
Then
the
sobs
came
thick
and
fast.
Just
at
this
point
he
met
his
soul's
sworn
comrade,
Joe
Harper
--hard-eyed,
and
with
evidently
a
great
and
dismal
purpose
in
his
heart.
Plainly
here
were"
two
souls
with
but
a
single
thought."
Tom,
wiping
his
eyes
with
his
sleeve,
began
to
blubber
out
something
about
a
resolution
to
escape
from
hard
usage
and
lack
of
sympathy
at
home
by
roaming
abroad
into
the
great
world
never
to
return;
and
ended
by
hoping
that
Joe
would
not
forget
him.
But
it
transpired
that
this
was
a
request
which
Joe
had
just
been
going
to
make
of
Tom,
and
had
come
to
hunt
him
up
for
that
purpose.
His
mother
had
whipped
him
for
drinking
some
cream
which
he
had
never
tasted
and
knew
nothing
about;
it
was
plain
that
she
was
tired
of
him
and
wished
him
to
go;
if
she
felt
that
way,
there
was
nothing
for
him
to
do
but
succumb;
he
hoped
she
would
be
happy,
and
never
regret
having
driven
her
poor
boy
out
into
the
unfeeling
world
to
suffer
and
die.
As
the
two
boys
walked
sorrowing
along,
they
made
a
new
compact
to
stand
by
each
other
and
be
brothers
and
never
separate
till
death
relieved
them
of
their
troubles.
Then
they
began
to
lay
their
plans.
Joe
was
for
being
a
hermit,
and
living
on
crusts
in
a
remote
cave,
and
dying,
some
time,
of
cold
and
want
and
grief;
but
after
listening
to
Tom,
he
conceded
that
there
were
some
conspicuous
advantages
about
a
life
of
crime,
and
so
he
consented
to
be
a
pirate.
Three
miles
below
St.
Petersburg,
at
a
point
where
the
Mississippi
River
was
a
trifle
over
a
mile
wide,
there
was
a
long,
narrow,
wooded
island,
with
a
shallow
bar
at
the
head
of
it,
and
this
offered
well
as
a
rendezvous.
It
was
not
inhabited;
it
lay
far
over
toward
the
further
shore,
abreast
a
dense
and
almost
wholly
unpeopled
forest.
So
Jackson's
Island
was
chosen.
Who
were
to
be
the
subjects
of
their
piracies
was
a
matter
that
did
not
occur
to
them.
Then
they
hunted
up
Huckleberry
Finn,
and
he
joined
them
promptly,
for
all
careers
were
one
to
him;
he
was
indifferent.
They
presently
separated
to
meet
at
a
lonely
spot
on
the
river-bank
two
miles
above
the
village
at
the
favorite
hour--which
was
midnight.
There
was
a
small
log
raft
there
which
they
meant
to
capture.
Each
would
bring
hooks
and
lines,
and
such
provision
as
he
could
steal
in
the
most
dark
and
mysterious
way--as
became
outlaws.
And
before
the
afternoon
was
done,
they
had
all
managed
to
enjoy
the
sweet
glory
of
spreading
the
fact
that
pretty
soon
the
town
would"
hear
something."
All
who
got
this
vague
hint
were
cautioned
to"
be
mum
and
wait."
About
midnight
Tom
arrived
with
a
boiled
ham
and
a
few
trifles,
and
stopped
in
a
dense
undergrowth
on
a
small
bluff
overlooking
the
meeting-place.
It
was
starlight,
and
very
still.
The
mighty
river
lay
like
an
ocean
at
rest.
Tom
listened
a
moment,
but
no
sound
disturbed
the
quiet.
Then
he
gave
a
low,
distinct
whistle.
It
was
answered
from
under
the
bluff.
Tom
whistled
twice
more;
these
signals
were
answered
in
the
same
way.
Then
a
guarded
voice
said:
"Who
goes
there?"
"Tom
Sawyer,
the
Black
Avenger
of
the
Spanish
Main.
Name
your
names."
"Huck
Finn
the
Red-Handed,
and
Joe
Harper
the
Terror
of
the
Seas."
Tom
had
furnished
these
titles,
from
his
favorite
literature.
"'Tis
well.
Give
the
countersign."
Two
hoarse
whispers
delivered
the
same
awful
word
simultaneously
to
the
brooding
night:
"BLOOD!"
Then
Tom
tumbled
his
ham
over
the
bluff
and
let
himself
down
after
it,
tearing
both
skin
and
clothes
to
some
extent
in
the
effort.
There
was
an
easy,
comfortable
path
along
the
shore
under
the
bluff,
but
it
lacked
the
advantages
of
difficulty
and
danger
so
valued
by
a
pirate.
The
Terror
of
the
Seas
had
brought
a
side
of
bacon,
and
had
about
worn
himself
out
with
getting
it
there.
Finn
the
Red-Handed
had
stolen
a
skillet
and
a
quantity
of
half-cured
leaf
tobacco,
and
had
also
brought
a
few
corn-cobs
to
make
pipes
with.
But
none
of
the
pirates
smoked
or
"chewed"
but
himself.
The
Black
Avenger
of
the
Spanish
Main
said
it
would
never
do
to
start
without
some
fire.
That
was
a
wise
thought;
matches
were
hardly
known
there
in
that
day.
They
saw
a
fire
smouldering
upon
a
great
raft
a
hundred
yards
above,
and
they
went
stealthily
thither
and
helped
themselves
to
a
chunk.
They
made
an
imposing
adventure
of
it,
saying,"
Hist!"
every
now
and
then,
and
suddenly
halting
with
finger
on
lip;
moving
with
hands
on
imaginary
dagger-hilts;
and
giving
orders
in
dismal
whispers
that
if"
the
foe"
stirred,
to"
let
him
have
it
to
the
hilt,"
because"
dead
men
tell
no
tales."
They
knew
well
enough
that
the
raftsmen
were
all
down
at
the
village
laying
in
stores
or
having
a
spree,
but
still
that
was
no
excuse
for
their
conducting
this
thing
in
an
unpiratical
way.
They
shoved
off,
presently,
Tom
in
command,
Huck
at
the
after
oar
and
Joe
at
the
forward.
Tom
stood
amidships,
gloomy-browed,
and
with
folded
arms,
and
gave
his
orders
in
a
low,
stern
whisper:
"Luff,
and
bring
her
to
the
wind!"
"Aye-aye,
sir!"
"Steady,
steady-y-y-y!"
"Steady
it
is,
sir!"
"Let
her
go
off
a
point!"
"Point
it
is,
sir!"
As
the
boys
steadily
and
monotonously
drove
the
raft
toward
mid-stream
it
was
no
doubt
understood
that
these
orders
were
given
only
for
"style,"
and
were
not
intended
to
mean
anything
in
particular.
"What
sail's
she
carrying?"
"Courses,
tops'ls,
and
flying-jib,
sir."
"Send
the
r'yals
up!
Lay
out
aloft,
there,
half
a
dozen
of
ye
--foretopmaststuns'l!
Lively,
now!"
"Aye-aye,
sir!"
"Shake
out
that
maintogalans'l!
Sheets
and
braces!
NOW
my
hearties!"
"Aye-aye,
sir!"
"Hellum-a-lee--hard
a
port!
Stand
by
to
meet
her
when
she
comes!
Port,
port!
NOW,
men!
With
a
will!
Stead-y-y-y!"
"Steady
it
is,
sir!"
The
raft
drew
beyond
the
middle
of
the
river;
the
boys
pointed
her
head
right,
and
then
lay
on
their
oars.
The
river
was
not
high,
so
there
was
not
more
than
a
two
or
three
mile
current.
Hardly
a
word
was
said
during
the
next
three-quarters
of
an
hour.
Now
the
raft
was
passing
before
the
distant
town.
Two
or
three
glimmering
lights
showed
where
it
lay,
peacefully
sleeping,
beyond
the
vague
vast
sweep
of
star-gemmed
water,
unconscious
of
the
tremendous
event
that
was
happening.
The
Black
Avenger
stood
still
with
folded
arms,"
looking
his
last"
upon
the
scene
of
his
former
joys
and
his
later
sufferings,
and
wishing
"she"
could
see
him
now,
abroad
on
the
wild
sea,
facing
peril
and
death
with
dauntless
heart,
going
to
his
doom
with
a
grim
smile
on
his
lips.
It
was
but
a
small
strain
on
his
imagination
to
remove
Jackson's
Island
beyond
eyeshot
of
the
village,
and
so
he"
looked
his
last"
with
a
broken
and
satisfied
heart.
The
other
pirates
were
looking
their
last,
too;
and
they
all
looked
so
long
that
they
came
near
letting
the
current
drift
them
out
of
the
range
of
the
island.
But
they
discovered
the
danger
in
time,
and
made
shift
to
avert
it.
About
two
o'clock
in
the
morning
the
raft
grounded
on
the
bar
two
hundred
yards
above
the
head
of
the
island,
and
they
waded
back
and
forth
until
they
had
landed
their
freight.
Part
of
the
little
raft's
belongings
consisted
of
an
old
sail,
and
this
they
spread
over
a
nook
in
the
bushes
for
a
tent
to
shelter
their
provisions;
but
they
themselves
would
sleep
in
the
open
air
in
good
weather,
as
became
outlaws.
They
built
a
fire
against
the
side
of
a
great
log
twenty
or
thirty
steps
within
the
sombre
depths
of
the
forest,
and
then
cooked
some
bacon
in
the
frying-pan
for
supper,
and
used
up
half
of
the
corn"
pone"
stock
they
had
brought.
It
seemed
glorious
sport
to
be
feasting
in
that
wild,
free
way
in
the
***
forest
of
an
unexplored
and
uninhabited
island,
far
from
the
haunts
of
men,
and
they
said
they
never
would
return
to
civilization.
The
climbing
fire
lit
up
their
faces
and
threw
its
ruddy
glare
upon
the
pillared
tree-trunks
of
their
forest
temple,
and
upon
the
varnished
foliage
and
festooning
vines.
When
the
last
crisp
slice
of
bacon
was
gone,
and
the
last
allowance
of
corn
pone
devoured,
the
boys
stretched
themselves
out
on
the
grass,
filled
with
contentment.
They
could
have
found
a
cooler
place,
but
they
would
not
deny
themselves
such
a
romantic
feature
as
the
roasting
camp-fire.
"AIN'T
it
gay?"
said
Joe.
"It's
NUTS!"
said
Tom."
What
would
the
boys
say
if
they
could
see
us?"
"Say?
Well,
they'd
just
die
to
be
here--hey,
Hucky!"
"I
reckon
so,"
said
Huckleberry;"
anyways,
I'm
suited.
I
don't
want
nothing
better'n
this.
I
don't
ever
get
enough
to
eat,
gen'ally--and
here
they
can't
come
and
pick
at
a
feller
and
bullyrag
him
so."
"It's
just
the
life
for
me,"
said
Tom."
You
don't
have
to
get
up,
mornings,
and
you
don't
have
to
go
to
school,
and
wash,
and
all
that
blame
foolishness.
You
see
a
pirate
don't
have
to
do
ANYTHING,
Joe,
when
he's
ashore,
but
a
hermit
HE
has
to
be
praying
considerable,
and
then
he
don't
have
any
fun,
anyway,
all
by
himself
that
way."
"Oh
yes,
that's
so,"
said
Joe,"
but
I
hadn't
thought
much
about
it,
you
know.
I'd
a
good
deal
rather
be
a
pirate,
now
that
I've
tried
it."
"You
see,"
said
Tom,"
people
don't
go
much
on
hermits,
nowadays,
like
they
used
to
in
old
times,
but
a
pirate's
always
respected.
And
a
hermit's
got
to
sleep
on
the
hardest
place
he
can
find,
and
put
sackcloth
and
ashes
on
his
head,
and
stand
out
in
the
rain,
and--"
"What
does
he
put
sackcloth
and
ashes
on
his
head
for?"
inquired
Huck.
"I
dono.
But
they've
GOT
to
do
it.
Hermits
always
do.
You'd
have
to
do
that
if
you
was
a
hermit."
"Dern'd
if
I
would,"
said
Huck.
"Well,
what
would
you
do?"
"I
dono.
But
I
wouldn't
do
that."
"Why,
Huck,
you'd
HAVE
to.
How'd
you
get
around
it?"
"Why,
I
just
wouldn't
stand
it.
I'd
run
away."
"Run
away!
Well,
you
WOULD
be
a
nice
old
slouch
of
a
hermit.
You'd
be
a
disgrace."
The
Red-Handed
made
no
response,
being
better
employed.
He
had
finished
gouging
out
a
cob,
and
now
he
fitted
a
weed
stem
to
it,
loaded
it
with
tobacco,
and
was
pressing
a
coal
to
the
charge
and
blowing
a
cloud
of
fragrant
smoke--he
was
in
the
full
bloom
of
luxurious
contentment.
The
other
pirates
envied
him
this
majestic
vice,
and
secretly
resolved
to
acquire
it
shortly.
Presently
Huck
said:
"What
does
pirates
have
to
do?"
Tom
said:
"Oh,
they
have
just
a
bully
time--take
ships
and
burn
them,
and
get
the
money
and
bury
it
in
awful
places
in
their
island
where
there's
ghosts
and
things
to
watch
it,
and
kill
everybody
in
the
ships--make
'em
walk
a
plank."
"And
they
carry
the
women
to
the
island,"
said
Joe;"
they
don't
kill
the
women."
"No,"
assented
Tom,"
they
don't
kill
the
women--they're
too
noble.
And
the
women's
always
beautiful,
too.
"And
don't
they
wear
the
bulliest
clothes!
Oh
no!
All
gold
and
silver
and
di'monds,"
said
Joe,
with
enthusiasm.
"Who?"
said
Huck.
"Why,
the
pirates."
Huck
scanned
his
own
clothing
forlornly.
"I
reckon
I
ain't
dressed
fitten
for
a
pirate,"
said
he,
with
a
regretful
pathos
in
his
voice;"
but
I
ain't
got
none
but
these."
But
the
other
boys
told
him
the
fine
clothes
would
come
fast
enough,
after
they
should
have
begun
their
adventures.
They
made
him
understand
that
his
poor
rags
would
do
to
begin
with,
though
it
was
customary
for
wealthy
pirates
to
start
with
a
proper
wardrobe.
Gradually
their
talk
died
out
and
drowsiness
began
to
steal
upon
the
eyelids
of
the
little
waifs.
The
pipe
dropped
from
the
fingers
of
the
Red-Handed,
and
he
slept
the
sleep
of
the
conscience-free
and
the
weary.
The
Terror
of
the
Seas
and
the
Black
Avenger
of
the
Spanish
Main
had
more
difficulty
in
getting
to
sleep.
They
said
their
prayers
inwardly,
and
lying
down,
since
there
was
nobody
there
with
authority
to
make
them
kneel
and
recite
aloud;
in
truth,
they
had
a
mind
not
to
say
them
at
all,
but
they
were
afraid
to
proceed
to
such
lengths
as
that,
lest
they
might
call
down
a
sudden
and
special
thunderbolt
from
heaven.
Then
at
once
they
reached
and
hovered
upon
the
imminent
verge
of
sleep--but
an
intruder
came,
now,
that
would
not"
down."
It
was
conscience.
They
began
to
feel
a
vague
fear
that
they
had
been
doing
wrong
to
run
away;
and
next
they
thought
of
the
stolen
meat,
and
then
the
real
torture
came.
They
tried
to
argue
it
away
by
reminding
conscience
that
they
had
purloined
sweetmeats
and
apples
scores
of
times;
but
conscience
was
not
to
be
appeased
by
such
thin
plausibilities;
it
seemed
to
them,
in
the
end,
that
there
was
no
getting
around
the
stubborn
fact
that
taking
sweetmeats
was
only
"hooking,"
while
taking
bacon
and
hams
and
such
valuables
was
plain
simple
stealing--and
there
was
a
command
against
that
in
the
Bible.
So
they
inwardly
resolved
that
so
long
as
they
remained
in
the
business,
their
piracies
should
not
again
be
sullied
with
the
crime
of
stealing.
Then
conscience
granted
a
truce,
and
these
curiously
inconsistent
pirates
fell
peacefully
to
sleep.
CHAPTER
XIV
WHEN
Tom
awoke
in
the
morning,
he
wondered
where
he
was.
He
sat
up
and
rubbed
his
eyes
and
looked
around.
Then
he
comprehended.
It
was
the
cool
gray
dawn,
and
there
was
a
delicious
sense
of
repose
and
peace
in
the
deep
pervading
calm
and
silence
of
the
woods.
Not
a
leaf
stirred;
not
a
sound
obtruded
upon
great
Nature's
meditation.
Beaded
dewdrops
stood
upon
the
leaves
and
grasses.
A
white
layer
of
ashes
covered
the
fire,
and
a
thin
blue
breath
of
smoke
rose
straight
into
the
air.
Joe
and
Huck
still
slept.
Now,
far
away
in
the
woods
a
bird
called;
another
answered;
presently
the
hammering
of
a
woodpecker
was
heard.
Gradually
the
cool
dim
gray
of
the
morning
whitened,
and
as
gradually
sounds
multiplied
and
life
manifested
itself.
The
marvel
of
Nature
shaking
off
sleep
and
going
to
work
unfolded
itself
to
the
musing
boy.
A
little
green
worm
came
crawling
over
a
dewy
leaf,
lifting
two-thirds
of
his
body
into
the
air
from
time
to
time
and"
sniffing
around,"
then
proceeding
again--for
he
was
measuring,
Tom
said;
and
when
the
worm
approached
him,
of
its
own
accord,
he
sat
as
still
as
a
stone,
with
his
hopes
rising
and
falling,
by
turns,
as
the
creature
still
came
toward
him
or
seemed
inclined
to
go
elsewhere;
and
when
at
last
it
considered
a
painful
moment
with
its
curved
body
in
the
air
and
then
came
decisively
down
upon
Tom's
leg
and
began
a
journey
over
him,
his
whole
heart
was
glad--for
that
meant
that
he
was
going
to
have
a
new
suit
of
clothes--without
the
shadow
of
a
doubt
a
gaudy
piratical
uniform.
Now
a
procession
of
ants
appeared,
from
nowhere
in
particular,
and
went
about
their
labors;
one
struggled
manfully
by
with
a
dead
spider
five
times
as
big
as
itself
in
its
arms,
and
lugged
it
straight
up
a
tree-trunk.
A
brown
spotted
lady-bug
climbed
the
dizzy
height
of
a
grass
blade,
and
Tom
bent
down
close
to
it
and
said,"
Lady-bug,
lady-bug,
fly
away
home,
your
house
is
on
fire,
your
children's
alone,"
and
she
took
wing
and
went
off
to
see
about
it
--which
did
not
surprise
the
boy,
for
he
knew
of
old
that
this
insect
was
credulous
about
conflagrations,
and
he
had
practised
upon
its
simplicity
more
than
once.
A
tumblebug
came
next,
heaving
sturdily
at
its
ball,
and
Tom
touched
the
creature,
to
see
it
shut
its
legs
against
its
body
and
pretend
to
be
dead.
The
birds
were
fairly
rioting
by
this
time.
A
catbird,
the
Northern
mocker,
lit
in
a
tree
over
Tom's
head,
and
trilled
out
her
imitations
of
her
neighbors
in
a
rapture
of
enjoyment;
then
a
shrill
jay
swept
down,
a
flash
of
blue
flame,
and
stopped
on
a
twig
almost
within
the
boy's
reach,
cocked
his
head
to
one
side
and
eyed
the
strangers
with
a
consuming
curiosity;
a
gray
squirrel
and
a
big
fellow
of
the"
fox"
kind
came
skurrying
along,
sitting
up
at
intervals
to
inspect
and
chatter
at
the
boys,
for
the
wild
things
had
probably
never
seen
a
human
being
before
and
scarcely
knew
whether
to
be
afraid
or
not.
All
Nature
was
wide
awake
and
stirring,
now;
long
lances
of
sunlight
pierced
down
through
the
dense
foliage
far
and
near,
and
a
few
butterflies
came
fluttering
upon
the
scene.
Tom
stirred
up
the
other
pirates
and
they
all
clattered
away
with
a
shout,
and
in
a
minute
or
two
were
stripped
and
chasing
after
and
tumbling
over
each
other
in
the
shallow
limpid
water
of
the
white
sandbar.
They
felt
no
longing
for
the
little
village
sleeping
in
the
distance
beyond
the
majestic
waste
of
water.
A
vagrant
current
or
a
slight
rise
in
the
river
had
carried
off
their
raft,
but
this
only
gratified
them,
since
its
going
was
something
like
burning
the
bridge
between
them
and
civilization.
They
came
back
to
camp
wonderfully
refreshed,
glad-hearted,
and
ravenous;
and
they
soon
had
the
camp-fire
blazing
up
again.
Huck
found
a
spring
of
clear
cold
water
close
by,
and
the
boys
made
cups
of
broad
oak
or
hickory
leaves,
and
felt
that
water,
sweetened
with
such
a
wildwood
charm
as
that,
would
be
a
good
enough
substitute
for
coffee.
While
Joe
was
slicing
bacon
for
breakfast,
Tom
and
Huck
asked
him
to
hold
on
a
minute;
they
stepped
to
a
promising
nook
in
the
river-bank
and
threw
in
their
lines;
almost
immediately
they
had
reward.
Joe
had
not
had
time
to
get
impatient
before
they
were
back
again
with
some
handsome
bass,
a
couple
of
sun-perch
and
a
small
catfish--provisions
enough
for
quite
a
family.
They
fried
the
fish
with
the
bacon,
and
were
astonished;
for
no
fish
had
ever
seemed
so
delicious
before.
They
did
not
know
that
the
quicker
a
fresh-water
fish
is
on
the
fire
after
he
is
caught
the
better
he
is;
and
they
reflected
little
upon
what
a
sauce
open-air
sleeping,
open-air
exercise,
bathing,
and
a
large
ingredient
of
hunger
make,
too.
They
lay
around
in
the
shade,
after
breakfast,
while
Huck
had
a
smoke,
and
then
went
off
through
the
woods
on
an
exploring
expedition.
They
tramped
gayly
along,
over
decaying
logs,
through
tangled
underbrush,
among
solemn
monarchs
of
the
forest,
hung
from
their
crowns
to
the
ground
with
a
drooping
regalia
of
grape-vines.
Now
and
then
they
came
upon
snug
nooks
carpeted
with
grass
and
jeweled
with
flowers.
They
found
plenty
of
things
to
be
delighted
with,
but
nothing
to
be
astonished
at.
They
discovered
that
the
island
was
about
three
miles
long
and
a
quarter
of
a
mile
wide,
and
that
the
shore
it
lay
closest
to
was
only
separated
from
it
by
a
narrow
channel
hardly
two
hundred
yards
wide.
They
took
a
swim
about
every
hour,
so
it
was
close
upon
the
middle
of
the
afternoon
when
they
got
back
to
camp.
They
were
too
hungry
to
stop
to
fish,
but
they
fared
sumptuously
upon
cold
ham,
and
then
threw
themselves
down
in
the
shade
to
talk.
But
the
talk
soon
began
to
drag,
and
then
died.
The
stillness,
the
solemnity
that
brooded
in
the
woods,
and
the
sense
of
loneliness,
began
to
tell
upon
the
spirits
of
the
boys.
They
fell
to
thinking.
A
sort
of
undefined
longing
crept
upon
them.
This
took
dim
shape,
presently--it
was
budding
homesickness.
Even
Finn
the
Red-Handed
was
dreaming
of
his
doorsteps
and
empty
hogsheads.
But
they
were
all
ashamed
of
their
weakness,
and
none
was
brave
enough
to
speak
his
thought.
For
some
time,
now,
the
boys
had
been
dully
conscious
of
a
peculiar
sound
in
the
distance,
just
as
one
sometimes
is
of
the
ticking
of
a
clock
which
he
takes
no
distinct
note
of.
But
now
this
mysterious
sound
became
more
pronounced,
and
forced
a
recognition.
The
boys
started,
glanced
at
each
other,
and
then
each
assumed
a
listening
attitude.
There
was
a
long
silence,
profound
and
unbroken;
then
a
deep,
sullen
boom
came
floating
down
out
of
the
distance.
"What
is
it!"
exclaimed
Joe,
under
his
breath.
"I
wonder,"
said
Tom
in
a
whisper.
"'Tain't
thunder,"
said
Huckleberry,
in
an
awed
tone,"
becuz
thunder--"
"Hark!"
said
Tom."
Listen--don't
talk."
They
waited
a
time
that
seemed
an
age,
and
then
the
same
muffled
boom
troubled
the
solemn
hush.
"Let's
go
and
see."
They
sprang
to
their
feet
and
hurried
to
the
shore
toward
the
town.
They
parted
the
bushes
on
the
bank
and
peered
out
over
the
water.
The
little
steam
ferryboat
was
about
a
mile
below
the
village,
drifting
with
the
current.
Her
broad
deck
seemed
crowded
with
people.
There
were
a
great
many
skiffs
rowing
about
or
floating
with
the
stream
in
the
neighborhood
of
the
ferryboat,
but
the
boys
could
not
determine
what
the
men
in
them
were
doing.
Presently
a
great
jet
of
white
smoke
burst
from
the
ferryboat's
side,
and
as
it
expanded
and
rose
in
a
lazy
cloud,
that
same
dull
throb
of
sound
was
borne
to
the
listeners
again.
"I
know
now!"
exclaimed
Tom;"
somebody's
drownded!"
"That's
it!"
said
Huck;"
they
done
that
last
summer,
when
Bill
Turner
got
drownded;
they
shoot
a
cannon
over
the
water,
and
that
makes
him
come
up
to
the
top.
Yes,
and
they
take
loaves
of
bread
and
put
quicksilver in 'em and set 'em afloat, and wherever there's anybody
that's
drownded,
they'll
float
right
there
and
stop."
"Yes,
I've
heard
about
that,"
said
Joe."
I
wonder
what
makes
the
bread
do
that."
"Oh,
it
ain't
the
bread,
so
much,"
said
Tom;"
I
reckon
it's
mostly
what
they
SAY
over
it
before
they
start
it
out."
"But they don't say anything over it," said Huck. "I've seen 'em and
they
don't."
"Well,
that's
funny,"
said
Tom."
But
maybe
they
say
it
to
themselves.
Of
COURSE
they
do.
Anybody
might
know
that."
The
other
boys
agreed
that
there
was
reason
in
what
Tom
said,
because
an
ignorant
lump
of
bread,
uninstructed
by
an
incantation,
could
not
be
expected
to
act
very
intelligently
when
set
upon
an
errand
of
such
gravity.
"By
jings,
I
wish
I
was
over
there,
now,"
said
Joe.
"I
do
too"
said
Huck"
I'd
give
heaps
to
know
who
it
is."
The
boys
still
listened
and
watched.
Presently
a
revealing
thought
flashed
through
Tom's
mind,
and
he
exclaimed:
"Boys,
I
know
who's
drownded--it's
us!"
They
felt
like
heroes
in
an
instant.
Here
was
a
gorgeous
triumph;
they
were
missed;
they
were
mourned;
hearts
were
breaking
on
their
account;
tears
were
being
shed;
accusing
memories
of
unkindness
to
these
poor
lost
lads
were
rising
up,
and
unavailing
regrets
and
remorse
were
being
indulged;
and
best
of
all,
the
departed
were
the
talk
of
the
whole
town,
and
the
envy
of
all
the
boys,
as
far
as
this
dazzling
notoriety
was
concerned.
This
was
fine.
It
was
worth
while
to
be
a
pirate,
after
all.
As
twilight
drew
on,
the
ferryboat
went
back
to
her
accustomed
business
and
the
skiffs
disappeared.
The
pirates
returned
to
camp.
They
were
jubilant
with
vanity
over
their
new
grandeur
and
the
illustrious
trouble
they
were
making.
They
caught
fish,
cooked
supper
and
ate
it,
and
then
fell
to
guessing
at
what
the
village
was
thinking
and
saying
about
them;
and
the
pictures
they
drew
of
the
public
distress
on
their
account
were
gratifying
to
look
upon--from
their
point
of
view.
But
when
the
shadows
of
night
closed
them
in,
they
gradually
ceased
to
talk,
and
sat
gazing
into
the
fire,
with
their
minds
evidently
wandering
elsewhere.
The
excitement
was
gone,
now,
and
Tom
and
Joe
could
not
keep
back
thoughts
of
certain
persons
at
home
who
were
not
enjoying
this
fine
frolic
as
much
as
they
were.
Misgivings
came;
they
grew
troubled
and
unhappy;
a
sigh
or
two
escaped,
unawares.
By
and
by
Joe
timidly
ventured
upon
a
roundabout"
feeler"
as
to
how
the
others
might
look
upon
a
return
to
civilization--not
right
now,
but--
Tom
withered
him
with
derision!
Huck,
being
uncommitted
as
yet,
joined
in
with
Tom,
and
the
waverer
quickly"
explained,"
and
was
glad
to
get
out
of
the
scrape
with
as
little
taint
of
chicken-hearted
homesickness
clinging
to
his
garments
as
he
could.
Mutiny
was
effectually
laid
to
rest
for
the
moment.
As
the
night
deepened,
Huck
began
to
nod,
and
presently
to
snore.
Joe
followed
next.
Tom
lay
upon
his
elbow
motionless,
for
some
time,
watching
the
two
intently.
At
last
he
got
up
cautiously,
on
his
knees,
and
went
searching
among
the
grass
and
the
flickering
reflections
flung
by
the
camp-fire.
He
picked
up
and
inspected
several
large
semi-cylinders
of
the
thin
white
bark
of
a
sycamore,
and
finally
chose
two
which
seemed
to
suit
him.
Then
he
knelt
by
the
fire
and
painfully
wrote
something
upon
each
of
these
with
his"
red
keel";
one
he
rolled
up
and
put
in
his
jacket
pocket,
and
the
other
he
put
in
Joe's
hat
and
removed
it
to
a
little
distance
from
the
owner.
And
he
also
put
into
the
hat
certain
schoolboy
treasures
of
almost
inestimable
value--among
them
a
lump
of
chalk,
an
India-rubber
ball,
three
fishhooks,
and
one
of
that
kind of marbles known as a "sure 'nough crystal." Then he tiptoed his
way
cautiously
among
the
trees
till
he
felt
that
he
was
out
of
hearing,
and
straightway
broke
into
a
keen
run
in
the
direction
of
the
sandbar.
CHAPTER
XV
A
FEW
minutes
later
Tom
was
in
the
shoal
water
of
the
bar,
wading
toward
the
Illinois
shore.
Before
the
depth
reached
his
middle
he
was
half-way
over;
the
current
would
permit
no
more
wading,
now,
so
he
struck
out
confidently
to
swim
the
remaining
hundred
yards.
He
swam
quartering
upstream,
but
still
was
swept
downward
rather
faster
than
he
had
expected.
However,
he
reached
the
shore
finally,
and
drifted
along
till
he
found
a
low
place
and
drew
himself
out.
He
put
his
hand
on
his
jacket
pocket,
found
his
piece
of
bark
safe,
and
then
struck
through
the
woods,
following
the
shore,
with
streaming
garments.
Shortly
before
ten
o'clock
he
came
out
into
an
open
place
opposite
the
village,
and
saw
the
ferryboat
lying
in
the
shadow
of
the
trees
and
the
high
bank.
Everything
was
quiet
under
the
blinking
stars.
He
crept
down
the
bank,
watching
with
all
his
eyes,
slipped
into
the
water,
swam
three
or
four
strokes
and
climbed
into
the
skiff
that
did"
yawl"
duty
at
the
boat's
stern.
He
laid
himself
down
under
the
thwarts
and
waited,
panting.
Presently
the
cracked
bell
tapped
and
a
voice
gave
the
order
to"
cast
off."
A
minute
or
two
later
the
skiff's
head
was
standing
high
up,
against
the
boat's
swell,
and
the
voyage
was
begun.
Tom
felt
happy
in
his
success,
for
he
knew
it
was
the
boat's
last
trip
for
the
night.
At
the
end
of
a
long
twelve
or
fifteen
minutes
the
wheels
stopped,
and
Tom
slipped
overboard
and
swam
ashore
in
the
dusk,
landing
fifty
yards
downstream,
out
of
danger
of
possible
stragglers.
He
flew
along
unfrequented
alleys,
and
shortly
found
himself
at
his
aunt's
back
fence.
He
climbed
over,
approached
the"
ell,"
and
looked
in
at
the
sitting-room
window,
for
a
light
was
burning
there.
There
sat
Aunt
Polly,
Sid,
Mary,
and
Joe
Harper's
mother,
grouped
together,
talking.
They
were
by
the
bed,
and
the
bed
was
between
them
and
the
door.
Tom
went
to
the
door
and
began
to
softly
lift
the
latch;
then
he
pressed
gently
and
the
door
yielded
a
crack;
he
continued
pushing
cautiously,
and
quaking
every
time
it
creaked,
till
he
judged
he
might
squeeze
through
on
his
knees;
so
he
put
his
head
through
and
began,
warily.
"What
makes
the
candle
blow
so?"
said
Aunt
Polly.
Tom
hurried
up.
"Why,
that
door's
open,
I
believe.
Why,
of
course
it
is.
No
end
of
strange things now. Go 'long and shut it, Sid."
Tom
disappeared
under
the
bed
just
in
time.
He
lay
and"
breathed"
himself
for
a
time,
and
then
crept
to
where
he
could
almost
touch
his
aunt's
foot.
"But
as
I
was
saying,"
said
Aunt
Polly,"
he
warn't
BAD,
so
to
say
--only
mischEEvous.
Only
just
giddy,
and
harum-scarum,
you
know.
He
warn't
any
more
responsible
than
a
colt.
HE
never
meant
any
harm,
and
he
was
the
best-hearted
boy
that
ever
was"--and
she
began
to
cry.
"It
was
just
so
with
my
Joe--always
full
of
his
devilment,
and
up
to
every
kind
of
mischief,
but
he
was
just
as
unselfish
and
kind
as
he
could
be--and
laws
bless
me,
to
think
I
went
and
whipped
him
for
taking
that
cream,
never
once
recollecting
that
I
throwed
it
out
myself
because
it
was
sour,
and
I
never
to
see
him
again
in
this
world,
never,
never,
never,
poor
abused
boy!"
And
Mrs.
Harper
sobbed
as
if
her
heart
would
break.
"I
hope
Tom's
better
off
where
he
is,"
said
Sid,"
but
if
he'd
been
better
in
some
ways--"
"SID!"
Tom
felt
the
glare
of
the
old
lady's
eye,
though
he
could
not
see
it."
Not
a
word
against
my
Tom,
now
that
he's
gone!
God'll
take
care
of
HIM--never
you
trouble
YOURself,
sir!
Oh,
Mrs.
Harper,
I
don't
know
how
to
give
him
up!
I
don't
know
how
to
give
him
up!
He
was
such
a
comfort to me, although he tormented my old heart out of me, 'most."
"The
Lord
giveth
and
the
Lord
hath
taken
away--Blessed
be
the
name
of
the
Lord!
But
it's
so
hard--Oh,
it's
so
hard!
Only
last
Saturday
my
Joe
busted
a
firecracker
right
under
my
nose
and
I
knocked
him
sprawling.
Little
did
I
know
then,
how
soon--Oh,
if
it
was
to
do
over
again
I'd
hug
him
and
bless
him
for
it."
"Yes,
yes,
yes,
I
know
just
how
you
feel,
Mrs.
Harper,
I
know
just
exactly
how
you
feel.
No
longer
ago
than
yesterday
noon,
my
Tom
took
and
filled
the
cat
full
of
Pain-killer,
and
I
did
think
the
cretur
would
tear
the
house
down.
And
God
forgive
me,
I
cracked
Tom's
head
with
my
thimble,
poor
boy,
poor
dead
boy.
But
he's
out
of
all
his
troubles
now.
And
the
last
words
I
ever
heard
him
say
was
to
reproach--"
But
this
memory
was
too
much
for
the
old
lady,
and
she
broke
entirely
down.
Tom
was
snuffling,
now,
himself--and
more
in
pity
of
himself
than
anybody
else.
He
could
hear
Mary
crying,
and
putting
in
a
kindly
word
for
him
from
time
to
time.
He
began
to
have
a
nobler
opinion
of
himself
than
ever
before.
Still,
he
was
sufficiently
touched
by
his
aunt's
grief
to
long
to
rush
out
from
under
the
bed
and
overwhelm
her
with
joy--and
the
theatrical
gorgeousness
of
the
thing
appealed
strongly
to
his
nature,
too,
but
he
resisted
and
lay
still.
He
went
on
listening,
and
gathered
by
odds
and
ends
that
it
was
conjectured
at
first
that
the
boys
had
got
drowned
while
taking
a
swim;
then
the
small
raft
had
been
missed;
next,
certain
boys
said
the
missing
lads
had
promised
that
the
village
should"
hear
something"
soon;
the
wise-heads
had"
put
this
and
that
together"
and
decided
that
the
lads
had
gone
off
on
that
raft
and
would
turn
up
at
the
next
town
below,
presently;
but
toward
noon
the
raft
had
been
found,
lodged
against
the
Missouri
shore
some
five
or
six
miles
below
the
village
--and
then
hope
perished;
they
must
be
drowned,
else
hunger
would
have
driven
them
home
by
nightfall
if
not
sooner.
It
was
believed
that
the
search
for
the
bodies
had
been
a
fruitless
effort
merely
because
the
drowning
must
have
occurred
in
mid-channel,
since
the
boys,
being
good
swimmers,
would
otherwise
have
escaped
to
shore.
This
was
Wednesday
night.
If
the
bodies
continued
missing
until
Sunday,
all
hope
would
be
given
over,
and
the
funerals
would
be
preached
on
that
morning.
Tom
shuddered.
Mrs.
Harper
gave
a
sobbing
good-night
and
turned
to
go.
Then
with
a
mutual
impulse
the
two
bereaved
women
flung
themselves
into
each
other's
arms
and
had
a
good,
consoling
cry,
and
then
parted.
Aunt
Polly
was
tender
far
beyond
her
wont,
in
her
good-night
to
Sid
and
Mary.
Sid
snuffled
a
bit
and
Mary
went
off
crying
with
all
her
heart.
Aunt
Polly
knelt
down
and
prayed
for
Tom
so
touchingly,
so
appealingly,
and
with
such
measureless
love
in
her
words
and
her
old
trembling
voice,
that
he
was
weltering
in
tears
again,
long
before
she
was
through.
He
had
to
keep
still
long
after
she
went
to
bed,
for
she
kept
making
broken-hearted
ejaculations
from
time
to
time,
tossing
unrestfully,
and
turning
over.
But
at
last
she
was
still,
only
moaning
a
little
in
her
sleep.
Now
the
boy
stole
out,
rose
gradually
by
the
bedside,
shaded
the
candle-light
with
his
hand,
and
stood
regarding
her.
His
heart
was
full
of
pity
for
her.
He
took
out
his
sycamore
scroll
and
placed
it
by
the
candle.
But
something
occurred
to
him,
and
he
lingered
considering.
His
face
lighted
with
a
happy
solution
of
his
thought;
he
put
the
bark
hastily
in
his
pocket.
Then
he
bent
over
and
kissed
the
faded
lips,
and
straightway
made
his
stealthy
exit,
latching
the
door
behind
him.
He
threaded
his
way
back
to
the
ferry
landing,
found
nobody
at
large
there,
and
walked
boldly
on
board
the
boat,
for
he
knew
she
was
tenantless
except
that
there
was
a
watchman,
who
always
turned
in
and
slept
like
a
graven
image.
He
untied
the
skiff
at
the
stern,
slipped
into
it,
and
was
soon
rowing
cautiously
upstream.
When
he
had
pulled
a
mile
above
the
village,
he
started
quartering
across
and
bent
himself
stoutly
to
his
work.
He
hit
the
landing
on
the
other
side
neatly,
for
this
was
a
familiar
bit
of
work
to
him.
He
was
moved
to
capture
the
skiff,
arguing
that
it
might
be
considered
a
ship
and
therefore
legitimate
prey
for
a
pirate,
but
he
knew
a
thorough
search
would
be
made
for
it
and
that
might
end
in
revelations.
So
he
stepped
ashore
and
entered
the
woods.
He
sat
down
and
took
a
long
rest,
torturing
himself
meanwhile
to
keep
awake,
and
then
started
warily
down
the
home-stretch.
The
night
was
far
spent.
It
was
broad
daylight
before
he
found
himself
fairly
abreast
the
island
bar.
He
rested
again
until
the
sun
was
well
up
and
gilding
the
great
river
with
its
splendor,
and
then
he
plunged
into
the
stream.
A
little
later
he
paused,
dripping,
upon
the
threshold
of
the
camp,
and
heard
Joe
say:
"No,
Tom's
true-blue,
Huck,
and
he'll
come
back.
He
won't
desert.
He
knows
that
would
be
a
disgrace
to
a
pirate,
and
Tom's
too
proud
for
that
sort
of
thing.
He's
up
to
something
or
other.
Now
I
wonder
what?"
"Well,
the
things
is
ours,
anyway,
ain't
they?"
"Pretty
near,
but
not
yet,
Huck.
The
writing
says
they
are
if
he
ain't
back
here
to
breakfast."
"Which
he
is!"
exclaimed
Tom,
with
fine
dramatic
effect,
stepping
grandly
into
camp.
A
sumptuous
breakfast
of
bacon
and
fish
was
shortly
provided,
and
as
the
boys
set
to
work
upon
it,
Tom
recounted(
and
adorned)
his
adventures.
They
were
a
vain
and
boastful
company
of
heroes
when
the
tale
was
done.
Then
Tom
hid
himself
away
in
a
shady
nook
to
sleep
till
noon,
and
the
other
pirates
got
ready
to
fish
and
explore.