English
AFEWminuteslaterTomwasintheshoalwaterofthebar,wadingtowardtheIllinoisshore.
Beforethedepthreachedhismiddlehewashalf–wayover;thecurrentwouldpermitnomorewading,now,sohestruckoutconfidentlytoswimtheremaininghundredyards.
Heswamquarteringupstream,butstillwassweptdownwardratherfasterthanhehadexpected.
However,hereachedtheshorefinally,anddriftedalongtillhefoundalowplaceanddrewhimselfout.
Heputhishandonhisjacketpocket,foundhispieceofbarksafe,andthenstruckthroughthewoods,followingtheshore,withstreaminggarments.
Shortlybeforeteno'clockhecameoutintoanopenplaceoppositethevillage,andsawtheferryboatlyingintheshadowofthetreesandthehighbank.
Everythingwasquietundertheblinkingstars.
Hecreptdownthebank,watchingwithallhiseyes,slippedintothewater,swamthreeorfourstrokesandclimbedintotheskiffthatdid"yawl"dutyattheboat'sstern.
Helaidhimselfdownunderthethwartsandwaited,panting.
Presentlythecrackedbelltappedandavoicegavetheorderto"castoff."
Aminuteortwolatertheskiff'sheadwasstandinghighup,againsttheboat'sswell,andthevoyagewasbegun.
Tomfelthappyinhissuccess,forheknewitwastheboat'slasttripforthenight.
Attheendofalongtwelveorfifteenminutesthewheelsstopped,andTomslippedoverboardandswamashoreinthedusk,landingfiftyyardsdownstream,outofdangerofpossiblestragglers.
Heflewalongunfrequentedalleys,andshortlyfoundhimselfathisaunt'sbackfence.
Heclimbedover,approachedthe"ell,"andlookedinatthesitting–roomwindow,foralightwasburningthere.
TheresatAuntPolly,Sid,Mary,andJoeHarper'smother,groupedtogether,talking.
Theywerebythebed,andthebedwasbetweenthemandthedoor.
Tomwenttothedoorandbegantosoftlyliftthelatch;thenhepressedgentlyandthedooryieldedacrack;hecontinuedpushingcautiously,andquakingeverytimeitcreaked,tillhejudgedhemightsqueezethroughonhisknees;soheputhisheadthroughandbegan,warily.
"Whatmakesthecandleblowso?"saidAuntPolly.Tomhurriedup."Why,thatdoor'sopen,Ibelieve.Why,ofcourseitis.Noendofstrangethingsnow.Go'longandshutit,Sid."
Tomdisappearedunderthebedjustintime.Helayand"breathed"himselfforatime,andthencrepttowherehecouldalmosttouchhisaunt'sfoot.
"ButasIwassaying,"saidAuntPolly,"hewarn'tBAD,sotosay—onlymischEEvous.
Onlyjustgiddy,andharum–scarum,youknow.
Hewarn'tanymoreresponsiblethanacolt.
HEnevermeantanyharm,andhewasthebest–heartedboythateverwas"—andshebegantocry.
"ItwasjustsowithmyJoe—alwaysfullofhisdevilment,anduptoeverykindofmischief,buthewasjustasunselfishandkindashecouldbe—andlawsblessme,tothinkIwentandwhippedhimfortakingthatcream,neveroncerecollectingthatIthroweditoutmyselfbecauseitwassour,andInevertoseehimagaininthisworld,never,never,never,poorabusedboy!"
AndMrs.Harpersobbedasifherheartwouldbreak.
"IhopeTom'sbetteroffwhereheis,"saidSid,"butifhe'dbeenbetterinsomeways—"
"SID!"Tomfelttheglareoftheoldlady'seye,thoughhecouldnotseeit.
"NotawordagainstmyTom,nowthathe'sgone!
God'lltakecareofHIM—neveryoutroubleYOURself,sir!
Oh,Mrs.Harper,Idon'tknowhowtogivehimup!Idon'tknowhowtogivehimup!
Hewassuchacomforttome,althoughhetormentedmyoldheartoutofme,'most."
"TheLordgivethandtheLordhathtakenaway—BlessedbethenameoftheLord!Butit'ssohard—Oh,it'ssohard!
OnlylastSaturdaymyJoebustedafirecrackerrightundermynoseandIknockedhimsprawling.
LittledidIknowthen,howsoon—Oh,ifitwastodooveragainI'dhughimandblesshimforit."
"Yes,yes,yes,Iknowjusthowyoufeel,Mrs.Harper,Iknowjustexactlyhowyoufeel.
Nolongeragothanyesterdaynoon,myTomtookandfilledthecatfullofPain–killer,andIdidthinkthecreturwouldtearthehousedown.
AndGodforgiveme,IcrackedTom'sheadwithmythimble,poorboy,poordeadboy.Buthe'soutofallhistroublesnow.
AndthelastwordsIeverheardhimsaywastoreproach—"
Butthismemorywastoomuchfortheoldlady,andshebrokeentirelydown.
Tomwassnuffling,now,himself—andmoreinpityofhimselfthananybodyelse.
HecouldhearMarycrying,andputtinginakindlywordforhimfromtimetotime.
Hebegantohaveanobleropinionofhimselfthaneverbefore.
Still,hewassufficientlytouchedbyhisaunt'sgrieftolongtorushoutfromunderthebedandoverwhelmherwithjoy—andthetheatricalgorgeousnessofthethingappealedstronglytohisnature,too,butheresistedandlaystill.
Hewentonlistening,andgatheredbyoddsandendsthatitwasconjecturedatfirstthattheboyshadgotdrownedwhiletakingaswim;thenthesmallrafthadbeenmissed;next,certainboyssaidthemissingladshadpromisedthatthevillageshould"hearsomething"soon;thewise–headshad"putthisandthattogether"anddecidedthattheladshadgoneoffonthatraftandwouldturnupatthenexttownbelow,presently;buttowardnoontherafthadbeenfound,lodgedagainsttheMissourishoresomefiveorsixmilesbelowthevillage—andthenhopeperished;theymustbedrowned,elsehungerwouldhavedriventhemhomebynightfallifnotsooner.
Itwasbelievedthatthesearchforthebodieshadbeenafruitlesseffortmerelybecausethedrowningmusthaveoccurredinmid–channel,sincetheboys,beinggoodswimmers,wouldotherwisehaveescapedtoshore.ThiswasWednesdaynight.
IfthebodiescontinuedmissinguntilSunday,allhopewouldbegivenover,andthefuneralswouldbepreachedonthatmorning.Tomshuddered.
Mrs.Harpergaveasobbinggood–nightandturnedtogo.
Thenwithamutualimpulsethetwobereavedwomenflungthemselvesintoeachother'sarmsandhadagood,consolingcry,andthenparted.
AuntPollywastenderfarbeyondherwont,inhergood–nighttoSidandMary.
SidsnuffledabitandMarywentoffcryingwithallherheart.
AuntPollykneltdownandprayedforTomsotouchingly,soappealingly,andwithsuchmeasurelessloveinherwordsandheroldtremblingvoice,thathewaswelteringintearsagain,longbeforeshewasthrough.
Hehadtokeepstilllongaftershewenttobed,forshekeptmakingbroken–heartedejaculationsfromtimetotime,tossingunrestfully,andturningover.
Butatlastshewasstill,onlymoaningalittleinhersleep.
Nowtheboystoleout,rosegraduallybythebedside,shadedthecandle–lightwithhishand,andstoodregardingher.Hisheartwasfullofpityforher.
Hetookouthissycamorescrollandplaceditbythecandle.
Butsomethingoccurredtohim,andhelingeredconsidering.
Hisfacelightedwithahappysolutionofhisthought;heputthebarkhastilyinhispocket.
Thenhebentoverandkissedthefadedlips,andstraightwaymadehisstealthyexit,latchingthedoorbehindhim.
Hethreadedhiswaybacktotheferrylanding,foundnobodyatlargethere,andwalkedboldlyonboardtheboat,forheknewshewastenantlessexceptthattherewasawatchman,whoalwaysturnedinandsleptlikeagravenimage.
Heuntiedtheskiffatthestern,slippedintoit,andwassoonrowingcautiouslyupstream.
Whenhehadpulledamileabovethevillage,hestartedquarteringacrossandbenthimselfstoutlytohiswork.
Hehitthelandingontheothersideneatly,forthiswasafamiliarbitofworktohim.
Hewasmovedtocapturetheskiff,arguingthatitmightbeconsideredashipandthereforelegitimatepreyforapirate,butheknewathoroughsearchwouldbemadeforitandthatmightendinrevelations.
Sohesteppedashoreandenteredthewoods.
Hesatdownandtookalongrest,torturinghimselfmeanwhiletokeepawake,andthenstartedwarilydownthehome–stretch.Thenightwasfarspent.
Itwasbroaddaylightbeforehefoundhimselffairlyabreasttheislandbar.
Herestedagainuntilthesunwaswellupandgildingthegreatriverwithitssplendor,andthenheplungedintothestream.
Alittlelaterhepaused,dripping,uponthethresholdofthecamp,andheardJoesay:
"No,Tom'strue–blue,Huck,andhe'llcomeback.Hewon'tdesert.
Heknowsthatwouldbeadisgracetoapirate,andTom'stooproudforthatsortofthing.He'suptosomethingorother.NowIwonderwhat?"
"Well,thethingsisours,anyway,ain'tthey?"
"Prettynear,butnotyet,Huck.Thewritingsaystheyareifheain'tbackheretobreakfast."
"Whichheis!"exclaimedTom,withfinedramaticeffect,steppinggrandlyintocamp.
Asumptuousbreakfastofbaconandfishwasshortlyprovided,andastheboyssettoworkuponit,Tomrecounted(andadorned)hisadventures.
Theywereavainandboastfulcompanyofheroeswhenthetalewasdone.
ThenTomhidhimselfawayinashadynooktosleeptillnoon,andtheotherpiratesgotreadytofishandexplore.
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