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WEwenttiptoeingalongapathamongstthetreesbacktowardstheendofthewidow’sgarden,stoopingdownsoasthebrancheswouldn’tscrapeourheads.
WhenwewaspassingbythekitchenIfelloverarootandmadeanoise.Wescroucheddownandlaidstill.
MissWatson’sbignigger,namedJim,wassettinginthekitchendoor;wecouldseehimprettyclear,becausetherewasalightbehindhim.
Hegotupandstretchedhisneckoutaboutaminute,listening.Thenhesays:
“Whodah?”
Helistenedsomemore;thenhecometiptoeingdownandstoodrightbetweenus;wecouldatouchedhim,nearly.
Well,likelyitwasminutesandminutesthattherewarn’tasound,andwealltheresoclosetogether.
Therewasaplaceonmyanklethatgottoitching,butIdasn’tscratchit;andthenmyearbeguntoitch;andnextmyback,rightbetweenmyshoulders.
SeemedlikeI’ddieifIcouldn’tscratch.
Well,I’venoticedthatthingplentytimessince.
Ifyouarewiththequality,oratafuneral,ortryingtogotosleepwhenyouain’tsleepy—ifyouareanywhereswhereitwon’tdoforyoutoscratch,whyyouwillitchalloverinupwardsofathousandplaces.PrettysoonJimsays:
“Say,whoisyou?Wharisyou?DogmycatsefIdidn’hearsumf’n.Well,IknowwhatI’sgwynetodo:I’sgwynetosetdownhereandlistentellIhearsitagin.”
SohesetdownonthegroundbetwixtmeandTom.
Heleanedhisbackupagainstatree,andstretchedhislegsouttilloneofthemmosttouchedoneofmine.Mynosebeguntoitch.
Ititchedtillthetearscomeintomyeyes.ButIdasn’tscratch.Thenitbeguntoitchontheinside.NextIgottoitchingunder-neath.
Ididn’tknowhowIwasgoingtosetstill.
Thismiserablenesswentonasmuchassixorsevenminutes;butitseemedasightlongerthanthat.
Iwasitchinginelevendifferentplacesnow.
IreckonedIcouldn’tstanditmore’naminutelonger,butIsetmyteethhardandgotreadytotry.
JustthenJimbeguntobreatheheavy;nexthebeguntosnore—andthenIwasprettysooncomfortableagain.
Tomhemadeasigntome—kindofalittlenoisewithhismouth—andwewentcreepingawayonourhandsandknees.
WhenwewastenfootoffTomwhisperedtome,andwantedtotieJimtothetreeforfun.
ButIsaidno;hemightwakeandmakeadisturbance,andthenthey’dfindoutIwarn’tin.
ThenTomsaidhehadn’tgotcandlesenough,andhewouldslipinthekitchenandgetsomemore.Ididn’twanthimtotry.IsaidJimmightwakeupandcome.
ButTomwantedtoreskit;soweslidinthereandgotthreecandles,andTomlaidfivecentsonthetableforpay.
Thenwegotout,andIwasinasweattogetaway;butnothingwoulddoTombuthemustcrawltowhereJimwas,onhishandsandknees,andplaysomethingonhim.
Iwaited,anditseemedagoodwhile,everythingwassostillandlonesome.
AssoonasTomwasbackwecutalongthepath,aroundthegardenfence,andbyandbyfetcheduponthesteeptopofthehilltheothersideofthehouse.
TomsaidheslippedJim’shatoffofhisheadandhungitonalimbrightoverhim,andJimstirredalittle,buthedidn’twake.
AfterwardsJimsaidthewitchesbewitchedhimandputhiminatrance,androdehimallovertheState,andthensethimunderthetreesagain,andhunghishatonalimbtoshowwhodoneit.
AndnexttimeJimtoldithesaidtheyrodehimdowntoNewOrleans;and,afterthat,everytimehetoldithespreaditmoreandmore,tillbyandbyhesaidtheyrodehimallovertheworld,andtiredhimmosttodeath,andhisbackwasalloversaddle-boils.
Jimwasmonstrousproudaboutit,andhegotsohewouldn’thardlynoticetheotherniggers.
NiggerswouldcomemilestohearJimtellaboutit,andhewasmorelookeduptothananyniggerinthatcountry.
Strangeniggerswouldstandwiththeirmouthsopenandlookhimallover,sameasifhewasawonder.
Niggersisalwaystalkingaboutwitchesinthedarkbythekitchenfire;butwheneveronewastalkingandlettingontoknowallaboutsuchthings,Jimwouldhappeninandsay,“Hm!Whatyouknow‘boutwitches?”
andthatniggerwascorkedupandhadtotakeabackseat.
Jimalwayskeptthatfive-centerpieceroundhisneckwithastring,andsaiditwasacharmthedevilgivetohimwithhisownhands,andtoldhimhecouldcureanybodywithitandfetchwitcheswheneverhewantedtojustbysayingsomethingtoit;buthenevertoldwhatitwashesaidtoit.
NiggerswouldcomefromallaroundthereandgiveJimanythingtheyhad,justforasightofthatfive-centerpiece;buttheywouldn’ttouchit,becausethedevilhadhadhishandsonit.
Jimwasmostruinedforaservant,becausehegotstuckuponaccountofhavingseenthedevilandbeenrodebywitches.
Well,whenTomandmegottotheedgeofthehilltopwelookedawaydownintothevillageandcouldseethreeorfourlightstwinkling,wheretherewassickfolks,maybe;andthestarsoveruswassparklingeversofine;anddownbythevillagewastheriver,awholemilebroad,andawfulstillandgrand.
WewentdownthehillandfoundJoHarperandBenRogers,andtwoorthreemoreoftheboys,hidintheoldtanyard.
Soweunhitchedaskiffandpulleddowntherivertwomileandahalf,tothebigscaronthehillside,andwentashore.
Wewenttoaclumpofbushes,andTommadeeverybodysweartokeepthesecret,andthenshowedthemaholeinthehill,rightinthethickestpartofthebushes.
Thenwelitthecandles,andcrawledinonourhandsandknees.
Wewentabouttwohundredyards,andthenthecaveopenedup.
Tompokedaboutamongstthepassages,andprettysoonduckedunderawallwhereyouwouldn’tanoticedthattherewasahole.
Wewentalonganarrowplaceandgotintoakindofroom,alldampandsweatyandcold,andtherewestopped.Tomsays:
“Now,we’llstartthisbandofrobbersandcallitTomSawyer’sGang.Everybodythatwantstojoinhasgottotakeanoath,andwritehisnameinblood.”
Everybodywaswilling.SoTomgotoutasheetofpaperthathehadwrotetheoathon,andreadit.
Itsworeeveryboytosticktotheband,andnevertellanyofthesecrets;andifanybodydoneanythingtoanyboyintheband,whicheverboywasorderedtokillthatpersonandhisfamilymustdoit,andhemustn’teatandhemustn’tsleeptillhehadkilledthemandhackedacrossintheirbreasts,whichwasthesignoftheband.
Andnobodythatdidn’tbelongtothebandcouldusethatmark,andifhedidhemustbesued;andifhedoneitagainhemustbekilled.
Andifanybodythatbelongedtothebandtoldthesecrets,hemusthavehisthroatcut,andthenhavehiscarcassburntupandtheashesscatteredallaround,andhisnameblottedoffofthelistwithbloodandnevermentionedagainbythegang,buthaveacurseputonitandbeforgotforever.
Everybodysaiditwasarealbeautifuloath,andaskedTomifhegotitoutofhisownhead.
Hesaid,someofit,buttherestwasoutofpirate-booksandrobber-books,andeverygangthatwashigh-tonedhadit.
SomethoughtitwouldbegoodtokilltheFAMILIESofboysthattoldthesecrets.Tomsaiditwasagoodidea,sohetookapencilandwroteitin.ThenBenRogerssays:
“Here’sHuckFinn,hehain’tgotnofamily;whatyougoingtodo‘bouthim?”
“Well,hain’thegotafather?”saysTomSawyer.
“Yes,he’sgotafather,butyoucan’tneverfindhimthesedays.Heusedtolaydrunkwiththehogsinthetanyard,buthehain’tbeenseeninthesepartsforayearormore.”
Theytalkeditover,andtheywasgoingtorulemeout,becausetheysaideveryboymusthaveafamilyorsomebodytokill,orelseitwouldn’tbefairandsquarefortheothers.
Well,nobodycouldthinkofanythingtodo—everybodywasstumped,andsetstill.
Iwasmostreadytocry;butallatonceIthoughtofaway,andsoIofferedthemMissWatson—theycouldkillher.Everybodysaid:
“Oh,she’lldo.That’sallright.Huckcancomein.”
Thentheyallstuckapinintheirfingerstogetbloodtosignwith,andImademymarkonthepaper.
“Now,”saysBenRogers,“what’sthelineofbusinessofthisGang?”
“Nothingonlyrobberyandmurder,”Tomsaid.
“Butwhoarewegoingtorob?—houses,orcattle,or—“
“Stuff!stealingcattleandsuchthingsain’trobbery;it’sburglary,”saysTomSawyer.“Weain’tburglars.Thatain’tnosortofstyle.Wearehigh-waymen.
Westopstagesandcarriagesontheroad,withmaskson,andkillthepeopleandtaketheirwatchesandmoney.”
“Mustwealwayskillthepeople?”
“Oh,certainly.It’sbest.Someauthoritiesthinkdifferent,butmostlyit’sconsideredbesttokillthem—exceptsomethatyoubringtothecavehere,andkeepthemtillthey’reransomed.”
“Ransomed?What’sthat?”
“Idon’tknow.Butthat’swhattheydo.I’veseenitinbooks;andsoofcoursethat’swhatwe’vegottodo.”
“Buthowcanwedoitifwedon’tknowwhatitis?”
“Why,blameitall,we’veGOTtodoit.Don’tItellyouit’sinthebooks?Doyouwanttogotodoingdifferentfromwhat’sinthebooks,andgetthingsallmuddledup?”
“Oh,that’sallveryfinetoSAY,TomSawyer,buthowinthenationarethesefellowsgoingtoberansomedifwedon’tknowhowtodoittothem?—that’sthethingIwanttogetat.Now,whatdoyoureckonitis?”
“Well,Idon’tknow.Butper’apsifwekeepthemtillthey’reransomed,itmeansthatwekeepthemtillthey’redead.“
“Now,that’ssomethingLIKE.That’llanswer.Whycouldn’tyousaidthatbefore?
We’llkeepthemtillthey’reransomedtodeath;andabothersomelotthey’llbe,too—eatingupeverything,andalwaystryingtogetloose.”
“Howyoutalk,BenRogers.Howcantheygetloosewhenthere’saguardoverthem,readytoshootthemdowniftheymoveapeg?”
“Aguard!Well,thatISgood.
Sosomebody’sgottosetupallnightandnevergetanysleep,justsoastowatchthem.Ithinkthat’sfoolishness.
Whycan’tabodytakeaclubandransomthemassoonastheygethere?”
“Becauseitain’tinthebooksso—that’swhy.
Now,BenRogers,doyouwanttodothingsregular,ordon’tyou?—that’stheidea.
Don’tyoureckonthatthepeoplethatmadethebooksknowswhat’sthecorrectthingtodo?
DoyoureckonYOUcanlearn‘emanything?Notbyagooddeal.
No,sir,we’lljustgoonandransomthemintheregularway.”
“Allright.Idon’tmind;butIsayit’safoolway,anyhow.Say,dowekillthewomen,too?”
“Well,BenRogers,ifIwasasignorantasyouIwouldn’tleton.Killthewomen?
No;nobodyeversawanythinginthebookslikethat.
Youfetchthemtothecave,andyou’realwaysaspoliteaspietothem;andbyandbytheyfallinlovewithyou,andneverwanttogohomeanymore.”
“Well,ifthat’sthewayI’magreed,butIdon’ttakenostockinit.
Mightysoonwe’llhavethecavesoclutteredupwithwomen,andfellowswaitingtoberansomed,thattherewon’tbenoplacefortherob-bers.
Butgoahead,Iain’tgotnothingtosay.”
LittleTommyBarneswasasleepnow,andwhentheywakedhimuphewasscared,andcried,andsaidhewantedtogohometohisma,anddidn’twanttobearobberanymore.
Sotheyallmadefunofhim,andcalledhimcry-baby,andthatmadehimmad,andhesaidhewouldgostraightandtellallthesecrets.
ButTomgivehimfivecentstokeepquiet,andsaidwewouldallgohomeandmeetnextweek,androbsomebodyandkillsomepeople.
BenRogerssaidhecouldn’tgetoutmuch,onlySundays,andsohewantedtobeginnextSunday;butalltheboyssaiditwouldbewickedtodoitonSunday,andthatsettledthething.
Theyagreedtogetto-getherandfixadayassoonastheycould,andthenweelectedTomSawyerfirstcaptainandJoHarpersecondcaptainoftheGang,andsostartedhome.
Iclumbuptheshedandcreptintomywindowjustbeforedaywasbreaking.Mynewclotheswasallgreasedupandclayey,andIwasdog-tired.
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