English
TUESDAYafternooncame,andwanedtothetwilight.
ThevillageofSt.Petersburgstillmourned.Thelostchildrenhadnotbeenfound.
Publicprayershadbeenofferedupforthem,andmanyandmanyaprivateprayerthathadthepetitioner'swholeheartinit;butstillnogoodnewscamefromthecave.
Themajorityofthesearchershadgivenupthequestandgonebacktotheirdailyavocations,sayingthatitwasplainthechildrencouldneverbefound.
Mrs.Thatcherwasveryill,andagreatpartofthetimedelirious.
Peoplesaiditwasheartbreakingtohearhercallherchild,andraiseherheadandlistenawholeminuteatatime,thenlayitwearilydownagainwithamoan.
AuntPollyhaddroopedintoasettledmelancholy,andhergrayhairhadgrownalmostwhite.
ThevillagewenttoitsrestonTuesdaynight,sadandforlorn.
Awayinthemiddleofthenightawildpealburstfromthevillagebells,andinamomentthestreetswereswarmingwithfrantichalf–cladpeople,whoshouted,"Turnout!turnout!they'refound!they'refound!"
Tinpansandhornswereaddedtothedin,thepopulationmasseditselfandmovedtowardtheriver,metthechildrencominginanopencarriagedrawnbyshoutingcitizens,throngedaroundit,joineditshomewardmarch,andsweptmagnificentlyupthemainstreetroaringhuzzahafterhuzzah!
Thevillagewasilluminated;nobodywenttobedagain;itwasthegreatestnightthelittletownhadeverseen.
Duringthefirsthalf–houraprocessionofvillagersfiledthroughJudgeThatcher'shouse,seizedthesavedonesandkissedthem,squeezedMrs.Thatcher'shand,triedtospeakbutcouldn't—anddriftedoutrainingtearsallovertheplace.
AuntPolly'shappinesswascomplete,andMrs.Thatcher'snearlyso.
Itwouldbecomplete,however,assoonasthemessengerdispatchedwiththegreatnewstothecaveshouldgetthewordtoherhusband.
Tomlayuponasofawithaneagerauditoryabouthimandtoldthehistoryofthewonderfuladventure,puttinginmanystrikingadditionstoadornitwithal;andclosedwithadescriptionofhowheleftBeckyandwentonanexploringexpedition;howhefollowedtwoavenuesasfarashiskite–linewouldreach;howhefollowedathirdtothefulleststretchofthekite–line,andwasabouttoturnbackwhenheglimpsedafar–offspeckthatlookedlikedaylight;droppedthelineandgropedtowardit,pushedhisheadandshouldersthroughasmallhole,andsawthebroadMississippirollingby!
Andifithadonlyhappenedtobenighthewouldnothaveseenthatspeckofdaylightandwouldnothaveexploredthatpassageanymore!
HetoldhowhewentbackforBeckyandbrokethegoodnewsandshetoldhimnottofretherwithsuchstuff,forshewastired,andknewshewasgoingtodie,andwantedto.
Hedescribedhowhelaboredwithherandconvincedher;andhowshealmostdiedforjoywhenshehadgropedtowheresheactuallysawthebluespeckofdaylight;howhepushedhiswayoutattheholeandthenhelpedherout;howtheysatthereandcriedforgladness;howsomemencamealonginaskiffandTomhailedthemandtoldthemtheirsituationandtheirfamishedcondition;howthemendidn'tbelievethewildtaleatfirst,"because,"saidthey,"youarefivemilesdowntheriverbelowthevalleythecaveisin"—thentookthemaboard,rowedtoahouse,gavethemsupper,madethemresttilltwoorthreehoursafterdarkandthenbroughtthemhome.
Beforeday–dawn,JudgeThatcherandthehandfulofsearcherswithhimweretrackedout,inthecave,bythetwineclewstheyhadstrungbehindthem,andinformedofthegreatnews.
Threedaysandnightsoftoilandhungerinthecavewerenottobeshakenoffatonce,asTomandBeckysoondiscovered.
TheywerebedriddenallofWednesdayandThursday,andseemedtogrowmoreandmoretiredandworn,allthetime.
Tomgotabout,alittle,onThursday,wasdown–townFriday,andnearlyaswholeaseverSaturday;butBeckydidnotleaveherroomuntilSunday,andthenshelookedasifshehadpassedthroughawastingillness.
TomlearnedofHuck'ssicknessandwenttoseehimonFriday,butcouldnotbeadmittedtothebedroom;neithercouldheonSaturdayorSunday.
Hewasadmitteddailyafterthat,butwaswarnedtokeepstillabouthisadventureandintroducenoexcitingtopic.
TheWidowDouglasstayedbytoseethatheobeyed.
AthomeTomlearnedoftheCardiffHillevent;alsothatthe"raggedman's"bodyhadeventuallybeenfoundintheriverneartheferry–landing;hehadbeendrownedwhiletryingtoescape,perhaps.
AboutafortnightafterTom'srescuefromthecave,hestartedofftovisitHuck,whohadgrownplentystrongenough,now,tohearexcitingtalk,andTomhadsomethatwouldinteresthim,hethought.
JudgeThatcher'shousewasonTom'sway,andhestoppedtoseeBecky.
TheJudgeandsomefriendssetTomtotalking,andsomeoneaskedhimironicallyifhewouldn'tliketogotothecaveagain.
Tomsaidhethoughthewouldn'tmindit.TheJudgesaid:
"Well,thereareothersjustlikeyou,Tom,I'venottheleastdoubt.Butwehavetakencareofthat.Nobodywillgetlostinthatcaveanymore."
"Why?"
"BecauseIhaditsbigdoorsheathedwithboilerirontwoweeksago,andtriple–locked—andI'vegotthekeys."
Tomturnedaswhiteasasheet.
"What'sthematter,boy!Here,run,somebody!Fetchaglassofwater!"
ThewaterwasbroughtandthrownintoTom'sface.
"Ah,nowyou'reallright.Whatwasthematterwithyou,Tom?"
"Oh,Judge,InjunJoe'sinthecave!"
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