THATnightTomandHuckwerereadyfortheiradventure. Theyhungabouttheneighborhoodofthetavernuntilafternine,onewatchingthealleyatadistanceandtheotherthetaverndoor. Nobodyenteredthealleyorleftit;nobodyresemblingtheSpaniardenteredorleftthetaverndoor. Thenightpromisedtobeafairone;soTomwenthomewiththeunderstandingthatifaconsiderabledegreeofdarknesscameon,Huckwastocomeand"maow,"whereuponhewouldslipoutandtrythekeys. Butthenightremainedclear,andHuckclosedhiswatchandretiredtobedinanemptysugarhogsheadabouttwelve. Tuesdaytheboyshadthesameillluck.AlsoWednesday.ButThursdaynightpromisedbetter. Tomslippedoutingoodseasonwithhisaunt'soldtinlantern,andalargetoweltoblindfolditwith. HehidthelanterninHuck'ssugarhogsheadandthewatchbegan. Anhourbeforemidnightthetavernclosedupanditslights(theonlyonesthereabouts)wereputout.NoSpaniardhadbeenseen.Nobodyhadenteredorleftthealley.Everythingwasauspicious. Theblacknessofdarknessreigned,theperfectstillnesswasinterruptedonlybyoccasionalmutteringsofdistantthunder. Tomgothislantern,lititinthehogshead,wrappeditcloselyinthetowel,andthetwoadventurerscreptinthegloomtowardthetavern. HuckstoodsentryandTomfelthiswayintothealley. ThentherewasaseasonofwaitinganxietythatweigheduponHuck'sspiritslikeamountain. Hebegantowishhecouldseeaflashfromthelantern—itwouldfrightenhim,butitwouldatleasttellhimthatTomwasaliveyet. ItseemedhourssinceTomhaddisappeared. Surelyhemusthavefainted;maybehewasdead;maybehishearthadburstunderterrorandexcitement. InhisuneasinessHuckfoundhimselfdrawingcloserandclosertothealley;fearingallsortsofdreadfulthings,andmomentarilyexpectingsomecatastrophetohappenthatwouldtakeawayhisbreath. Therewasnotmuchtotakeaway,forheseemedonlyabletoinhaleitbythimblefuls,andhisheartwouldsoonwearitselfout,thewayitwasbeating. SuddenlytherewasaflashoflightandTomcametearingbyhim:"Run!"saidhe;"run,foryourlife!" Heneedn'thaverepeatedit;oncewasenough;Huckwasmakingthirtyorfortymilesanhourbeforetherepetitionwasuttered. Theboysneverstoppedtilltheyreachedtheshedofadesertedslaughter–houseatthelowerendofthevillage. Justastheygotwithinitsshelterthestormburstandtherainpoureddown.AssoonasTomgothisbreathhesaid: "Huck,itwasawful!Itriedtwoofthekeys,justassoftasIcould;buttheyseemedtomakesuchapowerofracketthatIcouldn'thardlygetmybreathIwassoscared.Theywouldn'tturninthelock,either. Well,withoutnoticingwhatIwasdoing,Itookholdoftheknob,andopencomesthedoor!Itwarn'tlocked! Ihoppedin,andshookoffthetowel,and,GREATCAESAR'SGHOST!" "What!—what'dyousee,Tom?" "Huck,ImoststeppedontoInjunJoe'shand!" "Yes!Hewaslyingthere,soundasleeponthefloor,withhisoldpatchonhiseyeandhisarmsspreadout." "Lordy,whatdidyoudo?Didhewakeup?" "No,neverbudged.Drunk,Ireckon.Ijustgrabbedthattowelandstarted!" "I'dnever'a'thoughtofthetowel,Ibet!" "Well,Iwould.MyauntwouldmakememightysickifIlostit." "Say,Tom,didyouseethatbox?" "Huck,Ididn'twaittolookaround.Ididn'tseethebox,Ididn'tseethecross. Ididn'tseeanythingbutabottleandatincuponthefloorbyInjunJoe;yes,Isawtwobarrelsandlotsmorebottlesintheroom. Don'tyousee,now,what'sthematterwiththatha'ntedroom?" "Why,it'sha'ntedwithwhiskey!MaybeALLtheTemperanceTavernshavegotaha'ntedroom,hey,Huck?" "Well,Ireckonmaybethat'sso.Who'd'a'thoughtsuchathing?Butsay,Tom,now'samightygoodtimetogetthatbox,ifInjunJoe'sdrunk." "AndIreckonnot,Huck.OnlyonebottlealongsideofInjunJoeain'tenough.Ifthere'dbeenthree,he'dbedrunkenoughandI'ddoit." Therewasalongpauseforreflection,andthenTomsaid: "Lookyhere,Huck,lessnottrythatthinganymoretillweknowInjunJoe'snotinthere.It'stooscary. Now,ifwewatcheverynight,we'llbedeadsuretoseehimgoout,sometimeorother,andthenwe'llsnatchthatboxquicker'nlightning." "Well,I'magreed.I'llwatchthewholenightlong,andI'lldoiteverynight,too,ifyou'lldotheotherpartofthejob." "Allright,Iwill.AllyougottodoistotrotupHooperStreetablockandmaow—andifI'masleep,youthrowsomegravelatthewindowandthat'llfetchme." "Now,Huck,thestorm'sover,andI'llgohome.It'llbegintobedaylightinacoupleofhours.Yougobackandwatchthatlong,willyou?" "IsaidIwould,Tom,andIwill.I'llha'ntthattaverneverynightforayear!I'llsleepalldayandI'llstandwatchallnight." "That'sallright.Now,whereyougoingtosleep?" "InBenRogers'hayloft.Heletsme,andsodoeshispap'sniggerman,UncleJake. ItotewaterforUncleJakewheneverhewantsmeto,andanytimeIaskhimhegivesmealittlesomethingtoeatifhecanspareit.That'samightygoodnigger,Tom. Helikesme,becuzIdon'teveractasifIwasabovehim. SometimeI'vesetrightdownandeatWITHhim.Butyouneedn'ttellthat. Abody'sgottodothingswhenhe'sawfulhungryhewouldn'twanttodoasasteadything." "Well,ifIdon'twantyouinthedaytime,I'llletyousleep.Iwon'tcomebotheringaround.Anytimeyouseesomething'sup,inthenight,justskiprightaroundandmaow." 
