English
AFTERdinnerallthegangturnedouttohuntforturtleeggsonthebar.
Theywentaboutpokingsticksintothesand,andwhentheyfoundasoftplacetheywentdownontheirkneesanddugwiththeirhands.
Sometimestheywouldtakefiftyorsixtyeggsoutofonehole.
TheywereperfectlyroundwhitethingsatriflesmallerthananEnglishwalnut.
Theyhadafamousfried–eggfeastthatnight,andanotheronFridaymorning.
Afterbreakfasttheywentwhoopingandprancingoutonthebar,andchasedeachotherroundandround,sheddingclothesastheywent,untiltheywerenaked,andthencontinuedthefrolicfarawayuptheshoalwaterofthebar,againstthestiffcurrent,whichlattertrippedtheirlegsfromunderthemfromtimetotimeandgreatlyincreasedthefun.
Andnowandthentheystoopedinagroupandsplashedwaterineachother'sfaceswiththeirpalms,graduallyapproachingeachother,withavertedfacestoavoidthestranglingsprays,andfinallygrippingandstrugglingtillthebestmanduckedhisneighbor,andthentheyallwentunderinatangleofwhitelegsandarmsandcameupblowing,sputtering,laughing,andgaspingforbreathatoneandthesametime.
Whentheywerewellexhausted,theywouldrunoutandsprawlonthedry,hotsand,andliethereandcoverthemselvesupwithit,andbyandbybreakforthewateragainandgothroughtheoriginalperformanceoncemore.
Finallyitoccurredtothemthattheirnakedskinrepresentedflesh–colored"tights"veryfairly;sotheydrewaringinthesandandhadacircus—withthreeclownsinit,fornonewouldyieldthisproudestposttohisneighbor.
Nexttheygottheirmarblesandplayed"knucks"and"ring–taw"and"keeps"tillthatamusementgrewstale.
ThenJoeandHuckhadanotherswim,butTomwouldnotventure,becausehefoundthatinkickingoffhistrousershehadkickedhisstringofrattlesnakerattlesoffhisankle,andhewonderedhowhehadescapedcrampsolongwithouttheprotectionofthismysteriouscharm.
Hedidnotventureagainuntilhehadfoundit,andbythattimetheotherboysweretiredandreadytorest.
Theygraduallywanderedapart,droppedintothe"dumps,"andfelltogazinglonginglyacrossthewiderivertowherethevillagelaydrowsinginthesun.
Tomfoundhimselfwriting"BECKY"inthesandwithhisbigtoe;hescratcheditout,andwasangrywithhimselfforhisweakness.
Buthewroteitagain,nevertheless;hecouldnothelpit.
Heeraseditoncemoreandthentookhimselfoutoftemptationbydrivingtheotherboystogetherandjoiningthem.
ButJoe'sspiritshadgonedownalmostbeyondresurrection.
Hewassohomesickthathecouldhardlyendurethemiseryofit.Thetearslayverynearthesurface.Huckwasmelancholy,too.
Tomwasdownhearted,buttriedhardnottoshowit.
Hehadasecretwhichhewasnotreadytotell,yet,butifthismutinousdepressionwasnotbrokenupsoon,hewouldhavetobringitout.
Hesaid,withagreatshowofcheerfulness:
"Ibetthere'sbeenpiratesonthisislandbefore,boys.We'llexploreitagain.They'vehidtreasuresheresomewhere.How'dyoufeeltolightonarottenchestfullofgoldandsilver—hey?"
Butitrousedonlyfaintenthusiasm,whichfadedout,withnoreply.
Tomtriedoneortwootherseductions;buttheyfailed,too.Itwasdiscouragingwork.
Joesatpokingupthesandwithastickandlookingverygloomy.Finallyhesaid:
"Oh,boys,let'sgiveitup.Iwanttogohome.It'ssolonesome."
"Ohno,Joe,you'llfeelbetterbyandby,"saidTom."Justthinkofthefishingthat'shere."
"Idon'tcareforfishing.Iwanttogohome."
"But,Joe,thereain'tsuchanotherswimming–placeanywhere."
"Swimming'snogood.Idon'tseemtocareforit,somehow,whenthereain'tanybodytosayIsha'n'tgoin.Imeantogohome."
"Oh,shucks!Baby!Youwanttoseeyourmother,Ireckon."
"Yes,IDOwanttoseemymother—andyouwould,too,ifyouhadone.Iain'tanymorebabythanyouare."AndJoesnuffledalittle.
"Well,we'llletthecry–babygohometohismother,won'twe,Huck?Poorthing—doesitwanttoseeitsmother?Andsoitshall.Youlikeithere,don'tyou,Huck?We'llstay,won'twe?"
Hucksaid,"Y–e–s"—withoutanyheartinit.
"I'llneverspeaktoyouagainaslongasIlive,"saidJoe,rising."Therenow!"Andhemovedmoodilyawayandbegantodresshimself.
"Whocares!"saidTom."Nobodywantsyouto.Go'longhomeandgetlaughedat.Oh,you'reanicepirate.Huckandmeain'tcry–babies.We'llstay,won'twe,Huck?Lethimgoifhewantsto.
Ireckonwecangetalongwithouthim,per'aps."
ButTomwasuneasy,nevertheless,andwasalarmedtoseeJoegosullenlyonwithhisdressing.
AndthenitwasdiscomfortingtoseeHuckeyingJoe'spreparationssowistfully,andkeepingupsuchanominoussilence.
Presently,withoutapartingword,JoebegantowadeofftowardtheIllinoisshore.Tom'sheartbegantosink.HeglancedatHuck.
Huckcouldnotbearthelook,anddroppedhiseyes.Thenhesaid:
"Iwanttogo,too,Tom.Itwasgettingsolonesomeanyway,andnowit'llbeworse.Let'susgo,too,Tom."
"Iwon't!Youcanallgo,ifyouwantto.Imeantostay."
"Tom,Ibettergo."
"Well,go'long—who'shenderingyou."
Huckbegantopickuphisscatteredclothes.Hesaid:
"Tom,Iwishtyou'dcome,too.Nowyouthinkitover.We'llwaitforyouwhenwegettoshore."
"Well,you'llwaitablamelongtime,that'sall."
Huckstartedsorrowfullyaway,andTomstoodlookingafterhim,withastrongdesiretuggingathishearttoyieldhisprideandgoalongtoo.
Hehopedtheboyswouldstop,buttheystillwadedslowlyon.
ItsuddenlydawnedonTomthatitwasbecomeverylonelyandstill.
Hemadeonefinalstrugglewithhispride,andthendartedafterhiscomrades,yelling:
"Wait!Wait!Iwanttotellyousomething!"
Theypresentlystoppedandturnedaround.
Whenhegottowheretheywere,hebeganunfoldinghissecret,andtheylistenedmoodilytillatlasttheysawthe"point"hewasdrivingat,andthentheysetupawar–whoopofapplauseandsaiditwas"splendid!"
andsaidifhehadtoldthematfirst,theywouldn'thavestartedaway.
Hemadeaplausibleexcuse;buthisrealreasonhadbeenthefearthatnoteventhesecretwouldkeepthemwithhimanyverygreatlengthoftime,andsohehadmeanttoholditinreserveasalastseduction.
Theladscamegaylybackandwentattheirsportsagainwithawill,chatteringallthetimeaboutTom'sstupendousplanandadmiringthegeniusofit.
Afteradaintyeggandfishdinner,Tomsaidhewantedtolearntosmoke,now.
Joecaughtattheideaandsaidhewouldliketotry,too.SoHuckmadepipesandfilledthem.
Thesenoviceshadneversmokedanythingbeforebutcigarsmadeofgrape–vine,andthey"bit"thetongue,andwerenotconsideredmanlyanyway.
Nowtheystretchedthemselvesoutontheirelbowsandbegantopuff,charily,andwithslenderconfidence.Thesmokehadanunpleasanttaste,andtheygaggedalittle,butTomsaid:
"Why,it'sjustaseasy!IfI'daknowedthiswasall,I'dalearntlongago."
"SowouldI,"saidJoe."It'sjustnothing."
"Why,manyatimeI'velookedatpeoplesmoking,andthoughtwellIwishIcoulddothat;butIneverthoughtIcould,"saidTom.
"That'sjustthewaywithme,hain'tit,Huck?You'veheardmetalkjustthatway—haven'tyou,Huck?I'llleaveittoHuckifIhaven't."
"Yes—heapsoftimes,"saidHuck.
"Well,Ihavetoo,"saidTom;"oh,hundredsoftimes.Oncedownbytheslaughter–house.Don'tyouremember,Huck?
BobTannerwasthere,andJohnnyMiller,andJeffThatcher,whenIsaidit.
Don'tyouremember,Huck,'boutmesayingthat?"
"Yes,that'sso,"saidHuck."ThatwasthedayafterIlostawhitealley.No,'twasthedaybefore."
"There—Itoldyouso,"saidTom."Huckrecollectsit."
"IbleeveIcouldsmokethispipeallday,"saidJoe."Idon'tfeelsick."
"NeitherdoI,"saidTom."Icouldsmokeitallday.ButIbetyouJeffThatchercouldn't."
"JeffThatcher!Why,he'dkeeloverjustwithtwodraws.Justlethimtryitonce.HE'Dsee!"
"Ibethewould.AndJohnnyMiller—IwishcouldseeJohnnyMillertackleitonce."
"Oh,don'tI!"saidJoe."Why,IbetyouJohnnyMillercouldn'tanymoredothisthannothing.JustonelittlesnifterwouldfetchHIM."
"'Deeditwould,Joe.Say—Iwishtheboyscouldseeusnow."
"SodoI."
"Say—boys,don'tsayanythingaboutit,andsometimewhenthey'rearound,I'llcomeuptoyouandsay,'Joe,gotapipe?Iwantasmoke.'
Andyou'llsay,kindofcarelesslike,asifitwarn'tanything,you'llsay,'Yes,IgotmyOLDpipe,andanotherone,butmytobackerain'tverygood.'
AndI'llsay,'Oh,that'sallright,ifit'sSTRONGenough.'
Andthenyou'lloutwiththepipes,andwe'lllightupjustasca'm,andthenjustsee'emlook!"
"Byjings,that'llbegay,Tom!IwishitwasNOW!"
"SodoI!Andwhenwetell'emwelearnedwhenwewasoffpirating,won'ttheywishthey'dbeenalong?"
"Oh,Ireckonnot!I'lljustBETtheywill!"
Sothetalkranon.Butpresentlyitbegantoflagatrifle,andgrowdisjointed.
Thesilenceswidened;theexpectorationmarvellouslyincreased.
Everyporeinsidetheboys'cheeksbecameaspoutingfountain;theycouldscarcelybailoutthecellarsundertheirtonguesfastenoughtopreventaninundation;littleoverflowingsdowntheirthroatsoccurredinspiteofalltheycoulddo,andsuddenretchingsfollowedeverytime.
Bothboyswerelookingverypaleandmiserable,now.
Joe'spipedroppedfromhisnervelessfingers.Tom'sfollowed.
Bothfountainsweregoingfuriouslyandbothpumpsbailingwithmightandmain.Joesaidfeebly:
"I'velostmyknife.IreckonIbettergoandfindit."
Tomsaid,withquiveringlipsandhaltingutterance:
"I'llhelpyou.YougooverthatwayandI'llhuntaroundbythespring.No,youneedn'tcome,Huck—wecanfindit."
SoHucksatdownagain,andwaitedanhour.
Thenhefounditlonesome,andwenttofindhiscomrades.
Theywerewideapartinthewoods,bothverypale,bothfastasleep.
Butsomethinginformedhimthatiftheyhadhadanytroubletheyhadgotridofit.
Theywerenottalkativeatsupperthatnight.
Theyhadahumblelook,andwhenHuckpreparedhispipeafterthemealandwasgoingtopreparetheirs,theysaidno,theywerenotfeelingverywell—somethingtheyateatdinnerhaddisagreedwiththem.
AboutmidnightJoeawoke,andcalledtheboys.
Therewasabroodingoppressivenessintheairthatseemedtobodesomething.
Theboyshuddledthemselvestogetherandsoughtthefriendlycompanionshipofthefire,thoughthedulldeadheatofthebreathlessatmospherewasstifling.Theysatstill,intentandwaiting.Thesolemnhushcontinued.
Beyondthelightofthefireeverythingwasswallowedupintheblacknessofdarkness.
Presentlytherecameaquiveringglowthatvaguelyrevealedthefoliageforamomentandthenvanished.
Byandbyanothercame,alittlestronger.Thenanother.
Thenafaintmoancamesighingthroughthebranchesoftheforestandtheboysfeltafleetingbreathupontheircheeks,andshudderedwiththefancythattheSpiritoftheNighthadgoneby.Therewasapause.
Nowaweirdflashturnednightintodayandshowedeverylittlegrass–blade,separateanddistinct,thatgrewabouttheirfeet.
Anditshowedthreewhite,startledfaces,too.
Adeeppealofthunderwentrollingandtumblingdowntheheavensandlostitselfinsullenrumblingsinthedistance.
Asweepofchillyairpassedby,rustlingalltheleavesandsnowingtheflakyashesbroadcastaboutthefire.
Anotherfierceglarelituptheforestandaninstantcrashfollowedthatseemedtorendthetree–topsrightovertheboys'heads.
Theyclungtogetherinterror,inthethickgloomthatfollowed.
Afewbigrain–dropsfellpatteringupontheleaves.
"Quick!boys,goforthetent!"exclaimedTom.
Theysprangaway,stumblingoverrootsandamongvinesinthedark,notwoplunginginthesamedirection.
Afuriousblastroaredthroughthetrees,makingeverythingsingasitwent.
Oneblindingflashafteranothercame,andpealonpealofdeafeningthunder.
Andnowadrenchingrainpoureddownandtherisinghurricanedroveitinsheetsalongtheground.
Theboyscriedouttoeachother,buttheroaringwindandtheboomingthunder–blastsdrownedtheirvoicesutterly.
However,onebyonetheystraggledinatlastandtookshelterunderthetent,cold,scared,andstreamingwithwater;buttohavecompanyinmiseryseemedsomethingtobegratefulfor.
Theycouldnottalk,theoldsailflappedsofuriously,eveniftheothernoiseswouldhaveallowedthem.
Thetempestrosehigherandhigher,andpresentlythesailtoreloosefromitsfasteningsandwentwingingawayontheblast.
Theboysseizedeachothers'handsandfled,withmanytumblingsandbruises,totheshelterofagreatoakthatstoodupontheriver–bank.Nowthebattlewasatitshighest.
Undertheceaselessconflagrationoflightningthatflamedintheskies,everythingbelowstoodoutinclean–cutandshadowlessdistinctness:thebendingtrees,thebillowyriver,whitewithfoam,thedrivingsprayofspume–flakes,thedimoutlinesofthehighbluffsontheotherside,glimpsedthroughthedriftingcloud–rackandtheslantingveilofrain.
Everylittlewhilesomegianttreeyieldedthefightandfellcrashingthroughtheyoungergrowth;andtheunflaggingthunder–pealscamenowinear–splittingexplosivebursts,keenandsharp,andunspeakablyappalling.
Thestormculminatedinonematchlesseffortthatseemedlikelytoteartheislandtopieces,burnitup,drownittothetree–tops,blowitaway,anddeafeneverycreatureinit,allatoneandthesamemoment.
Itwasawildnightforhomelessyoungheadstobeoutin.
Butatlastthebattlewasdone,andtheforcesretiredwithweakerandweakerthreateningsandgrumblings,andpeaceresumedhersway.
Theboyswentbacktocamp,agooddealawed;buttheyfoundtherewasstillsomethingtobethankfulfor,becausethegreatsycamore,theshelteroftheirbeds,wasaruin,now,blastedbythelightnings,andtheywerenotunderitwhenthecatastrophehappened.
Everythingincampwasdrenched,thecamp–fireaswell;fortheywerebutheedlesslads,liketheirgeneration,andhadmadenoprovisionagainstrain.
Herewasmatterfordismay,fortheyweresoakedthroughandchilled.
Theywereeloquentintheirdistress;buttheypresentlydiscoveredthatthefirehadeatensofarupunderthegreatlogithadbeenbuiltagainst(whereitcurvedupwardandseparateditselffromtheground),thatahandbreadthorsoofithadescapedwetting;sotheypatientlywroughtuntil,withshredsandbarkgatheredfromtheundersidesofshelteredlogs,theycoaxedthefiretoburnagain.
Thentheypiledongreatdeadboughstilltheyhadaroaringfurnace,andwereglad–heartedoncemore.
Theydriedtheirboiledhamandhadafeast,andafterthattheysatbythefireandexpandedandglorifiedtheirmidnightadventureuntilmorning,fortherewasnotadryspottosleepon,anywherearound.
Asthesunbegantostealinupontheboys,drowsinesscameoverthem,andtheywentoutonthesandbarandlaydowntosleep.
Theygotscorchedoutbyandby,anddrearilysetaboutgettingbreakfast.
Afterthemealtheyfeltrusty,andstiff–jointed,andalittlehomesickoncemore.
Tomsawthesigns,andfelltocheeringupthepiratesaswellashecould.
Buttheycarednothingformarbles,orcircus,orswimming,oranything.
Heremindedthemoftheimposingsecret,andraisedarayofcheer.
Whileitlasted,hegottheminterestedinanewdevice.
Thiswastoknockoffbeingpirates,forawhile,andbeIndiansforachange.
Theywereattractedbythisidea;soitwasnotlongbeforetheywerestripped,andstripedfromheadtoheelwithblackmud,likesomanyzebras—allofthemchiefs,ofcourse—andthentheywenttearingthroughthewoodstoattackanEnglishsettlement.
Byandbytheyseparatedintothreehostiletribes,anddarteduponeachotherfromambushwithdreadfulwar–whoops,andkilledandscalpedeachotherbythousands.Itwasagoryday.
Consequentlyitwasanextremelysatisfactoryone.
Theyassembledincamptowardsupper–time,hungryandhappy;butnowadifficultyarose—hostileIndianscouldnotbreakthebreadofhospitalitytogetherwithoutfirstmakingpeace,andthiswasasimpleimpossibilitywithoutsmokingapipeofpeace.
Therewasnootherprocessthatevertheyhadheardof.
Twoofthesavagesalmostwishedtheyhadremainedpirates.
However,therewasnootherway;sowithsuchshowofcheerfulnessastheycouldmustertheycalledforthepipeandtooktheirwhiffasitpassed,indueform.
Andbehold,theyweregladtheyhadgoneintosavagery,fortheyhadgainedsomething;theyfoundthattheycouldnowsmokealittlewithouthavingtogoandhuntforalostknife;theydidnotgetsickenoughtobeseriouslyuncomfortable.
Theywerenotlikelytofoolawaythishighpromiseforlackofeffort.
No,theypractisedcautiously,aftersupper,withrightfairsuccess,andsotheyspentajubilantevening.
TheywereprouderandhappierintheirnewacquirementthantheywouldhavebeeninthescalpingandskinningoftheSixNations.
Wewillleavethemtosmokeandchatterandbrag,sincewehavenofurtheruseforthematpresent.
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