AThalf–pastnine,thatnight,TomandSidweresenttobed,asusual. Theysaidtheirprayers,andSidwassoonasleep. Tomlayawakeandwaited,inrestlessimpatience. Whenitseemedtohimthatitmustbenearlydaylight,heheardtheclockstriketen!Thiswasdespair. Hewouldhavetossedandfidgeted,ashisnervesdemanded,buthewasafraidhemightwakeSid. Sohelaystill,andstaredupintothedark.Everythingwasdismallystill. Byandby,outofthestillness,little,scarcelyperceptiblenoisesbegantoemphasizethemselves. Thetickingoftheclockbegantobringitselfintonotice.Oldbeamsbegantocrackmysteriously.Thestairscreakedfaintly.Evidentlyspiritswereabroad. Ameasured,muffledsnoreissuedfromAuntPolly'schamber. Andnowthetiresomechirpingofacricketthatnohumaningenuitycouldlocate,began. Nexttheghastlytickingofadeathwatchinthewallatthebed'sheadmadeTomshudder—itmeantthatsomebody'sdayswerenumbered. Thenthehowlofafar–offdogroseonthenightair,andwasansweredbyafainterhowlfromaremoterdistance.Tomwasinanagony. Atlasthewassatisfiedthattimehadceasedandeternitybegun;hebegantodoze,inspiteofhimself;theclockchimedeleven,buthedidnothearit. Andthentherecame,minglingwithhishalf–formeddreams,amostmelancholycaterwauling. Theraisingofaneighboringwindowdisturbedhim.Acryof"Scat!youdevil!" andthecrashofanemptybottleagainstthebackofhisaunt'swoodshedbroughthimwideawake,andasingleminutelaterhewasdressedandoutofthewindowandcreepingalongtheroofofthe"ell"onallfours. He"meow'd"withcautiononceortwice,ashewent;thenjumpedtotheroofofthewoodshedandthencetotheground. HuckleberryFinnwasthere,withhisdeadcat. Theboysmovedoffanddisappearedinthegloom. Attheendofhalfanhourtheywerewadingthroughthetallgrassofthegraveyard. Itwasagraveyardoftheold–fashionedWesternkind. Itwasonahill,aboutamileandahalffromthevillage. Ithadacrazyboardfencearoundit,whichleanedinwardinplaces,andoutwardtherestofthetime,butstooduprightnowhere. Grassandweedsgrewrankoverthewholecemetery. Alltheoldgravesweresunkenin,therewasnotatombstoneontheplace;round–topped,worm–eatenboardsstaggeredoverthegraves,leaningforsupportandfindingnone. "Sacredtothememoryof"So–and–Sohadbeenpaintedonthemonce,butitcouldnolongerhavebeenread,onthemostofthem,now,eveniftherehadbeenlight. Afaintwindmoanedthroughthetrees,andTomfeareditmightbethespiritsofthedead,complainingatbeingdisturbed. Theboystalkedlittle,andonlyundertheirbreath,forthetimeandtheplaceandthepervadingsolemnityandsilenceoppressedtheirspirits. Theyfoundthesharpnewheaptheywereseeking,andensconcedthemselveswithintheprotectionofthreegreatelmsthatgrewinabunchwithinafewfeetofthegrave. Thentheywaitedinsilenceforwhatseemedalongtime. Thehootingofadistantowlwasallthesoundthattroubledthedeadstillness.Tom'sreflectionsgrewoppressive.Hemustforcesometalk.Sohesaidinawhisper: "Hucky,doyoubelievethedeadpeoplelikeitforustobehere?" "IwishtIknowed.It'sawfulsolemnlike,AIN'Tit?" Therewasaconsiderablepause,whiletheboyscanvassedthismatterinwardly.ThenTomwhispered: "Say,Hucky—doyoureckonHossWilliamshearsustalking?" "O'coursehedoes.Leasthissperritdoes." "IwishI'dsaidMisterWilliams.ButInevermeantanyharm.EverybodycallshimHoss." "Abodycan'tbetoopartic'larhowtheytalk'boutthese–yerdeadpeople,Tom." Thiswasadamper,andconversationdiedagain. PresentlyTomseizedhiscomrade'sarmandsaid: "Whatisit,Tom?"Andthetwoclungtogetherwithbeatinghearts. "Sh!There'tisagain!Didn'tyouhearit?" "Lord,Tom,they'recoming!They'recoming,sure.What'llwedo?" "Idono.Thinkthey'llseeus?" "Oh,Tom,theycanseeinthedark,sameascats.IwishtIhadn'tcome." "Oh,don'tbeafeard.Idon'tbelievethey'llbotherus.Weain'tdoinganyharm.Ifwekeepperfectlystill,maybetheywon'tnoticeusatall." "I'lltryto,Tom,but,Lord,I'mallofashiver." Theboysbenttheirheadstogetherandscarcelybreathed.Amuffledsoundofvoicesfloatedupfromthefarendofthegraveyard. "Look!Seethere!"whisperedTom."Whatisit?" "It'sdevil–fire.Oh,Tom,thisisawful." Somevaguefiguresapproachedthroughthegloom,swinginganold–fashionedtinlanternthatfreckledthegroundwithinnumerablelittlespanglesoflight. PresentlyHuckleberrywhisperedwithashudder: "It'sthedevilssureenough.Threeof'em!Lordy,Tom,we'regoners!Canyoupray?" "I'lltry,butdon'tyoubeafeard.Theyain'tgoingtohurtus.'NowIlaymedowntosleep,I—'" "They'reHUMANS!Oneof'emis,anyway.Oneof'em'soldMuffPotter'svoice." "IbetIknowit.Don'tyoustirnorbudge.Heain'tsharpenoughtonoticeus.Drunk,thesameasusual,likely—blamedoldrip!" "Allright,I'llkeepstill.Nowthey'restuck.Can'tfindit.Heretheycomeagain.Nowthey'rehot.Coldagain.Hotagain.Redhot!They'rep'intedright,thistime. Say,Huck,Iknowanothero'themvoices;it'sInjunJoe." "That'sso—thatmurderin'half–breed!I'ddruthertheywasdevilsadernsight.Whatkintheybeupto?" Thewhisperdiedwhollyout,now,forthethreemenhadreachedthegraveandstoodwithinafewfeetoftheboys'hiding–place. "Hereitis,"saidthethirdvoice;andtheownerofitheldthelanternupandrevealedthefaceofyoungDoctorRobinson. PotterandInjunJoewerecarryingahandbarrowwitharopeandacoupleofshovelsonit. Theycastdowntheirloadandbegantoopenthegrave. Thedoctorputthelanternattheheadofthegraveandcameandsatdownwithhisbackagainstoneoftheelmtrees. Hewassoclosetheboyscouldhavetouchedhim. "Hurry,men!"hesaid,inalowvoice;"themoonmightcomeoutatanymoment." Theygrowledaresponseandwentondigging. Forsometimetherewasnonoisebutthegratingsoundofthespadesdischargingtheirfreightofmouldandgravel.Itwasverymonotonous. Finallyaspadestruckuponthecoffinwithadullwoodyaccent,andwithinanotherminuteortwothemenhadhoisteditoutontheground. Theypriedoffthelidwiththeirshovels,gotoutthebodyanddumpeditrudelyontheground. Themoondriftedfrombehindthecloudsandexposedthepallidface. Thebarrowwasgotreadyandthecorpseplacedonit,coveredwithablanket,andboundtoitsplacewiththerope. Pottertookoutalargespring–knifeandcutoffthedanglingendoftheropeandthensaid: "Nowthecussedthing'sready,Sawbones,andyou'lljustoutwithanotherfive,orhereshestays." "That'sthetalk!"saidInjunJoe. "Lookhere,whatdoesthismean?"saidthedoctor."Yourequiredyourpayinadvance,andI'vepaidyou." "Yes,andyoudonemorethanthat,"saidInjunJoe,approachingthedoctor,whowasnowstanding. "Fiveyearsagoyoudrovemeawayfromyourfather'skitchenonenight,whenIcometoaskforsomethingtoeat,andyousaidIwarn'tthereforanygood;andwhenIsworeI'dgetevenwithyouifittookahundredyears,yourfatherhadmejailedforavagrant.DidyouthinkI'dforget? TheInjunbloodain'tinmefornothing. AndnowI'veGOTyou,andyougottoSETTLE,youknow!" Hewasthreateningthedoctor,withhisfistinhisface,bythistime.Thedoctorstruckoutsuddenlyandstretchedtheruffianontheground.Potterdroppedhisknife,andexclaimed: "Here,now,don'tyouhitmypard!"andthenextmomenthehadgrappledwiththedoctorandthetwowerestrugglingwithmightandmain,tramplingthegrassandtearingthegroundwiththeirheels. InjunJoesprangtohisfeet,hiseyesflamingwithpassion,snatchedupPotter'sknife,andwentcreeping,catlikeandstooping,roundandroundaboutthecombatants,seekinganopportunity. Allatoncethedoctorflunghimselffree,seizedtheheavyheadboardofWilliams'graveandfelledPottertotheearthwithit—andinthesameinstantthehalf–breedsawhischanceanddrovetheknifetothehiltintheyoungman'sbreast. HereeledandfellpartlyuponPotter,floodinghimwithhisblood,andinthesamemomentthecloudsblottedoutthedreadfulspectacleandthetwofrightenedboyswentspeedingawayinthedark. Presently,whenthemoonemergedagain,InjunJoewasstandingoverthetwoforms,contemplatingthem. Thedoctormurmuredinarticulately,gavealonggasportwoandwasstill.Thehalf–breedmuttered: "THATscoreissettled—damnyou." Thenherobbedthebody.AfterwhichheputthefatalknifeinPotter'sopenrighthand,andsatdownonthedismantledcoffin. Three—four—fiveminutespassed,andthenPotterbegantostirandmoan. Hishandclosedupontheknife;heraisedit,glancedatit,andletitfall,withashudder. Thenhesatup,pushingthebodyfromhim,andgazedatit,andthenaroundhim,confusedly.HiseyesmetJoe's. "Lord,howisthis,Joe?"hesaid. "It'sadirtybusiness,"saidJoe,withoutmoving. "Lookhere!Thatkindoftalkwon'twash." Pottertrembledandgrewwhite. "IthoughtI'dgotsober.I'dnobusinesstodrinkto–night. Butit'sinmyheadyet—worse'nwhenwestartedhere. I'mallinamuddle;can'trecollectanythingofit,hardly. Tellme,Joe—HONEST,now,oldfeller—didIdoit? Joe,Inevermeantto—'ponmysoulandhonor,Inevermeantto,Joe.Tellmehowitwas,Joe. Oh,it'sawful—andhimsoyoungandpromising." "Why,youtwowasscuffling,andhefetchedyouonewiththeheadboardandyoufellflat;andthenupyoucome,allreelingandstaggeringlike,andsnatchedtheknifeandjammeditintohim,justashefetchedyouanotherawfulclip—andhereyou'velaid,asdeadasawedgetilnow." "Oh,Ididn'tknowwhatIwasa–doing.IwishImaydiethisminuteifIdid. Itwasallonaccountofthewhiskeyandtheexcitement,Ireckon. Ineverusedaweeponinmylifebefore,Joe.I'vefought,butneverwithweepons.They'llallsaythat.Joe,don'ttell! Sayyouwon'ttell,Joe—that'sagoodfeller. Ialwayslikedyou,Joe,andstoodupforyou,too.Don'tyouremember?YouWON'Ttell,WILLyou,Joe?" Andthepoorcreaturedroppedonhiskneesbeforethestolidmurderer,andclaspedhisappealinghands. "No,you'vealwaysbeenfairandsquarewithme,MuffPotter,andIwon'tgobackonyou.There,now,that'sasfairasamancansay." "Oh,Joe,you'reanangel.I'llblessyouforthisthelongestdayIlive."AndPotterbegantocry. "Come,now,that'senoughofthat.Thisain'tanytimeforblubbering.YoubeoffyonderwayandI'llgothis.Move,now,anddon'tleaveanytracksbehindyou." Potterstartedonatrotthatquicklyincreasedtoarun.Thehalf–breedstoodlookingafterhim.Hemuttered: "Ifhe'sasmuchstunnedwiththelickandfuddledwiththerumashehadthelookofbeing,hewon'tthinkoftheknifetillhe'sgonesofarhe'llbeafraidtocomebackafterittosuchaplacebyhimself—chicken–heart!" Twoorthreeminuteslaterthemurderedman,theblanketedcorpse,thelidlesscoffin,andtheopengravewereundernoinspectionbutthemoon's.Thestillnesswascompleteagain,too. 
