English
WITHINafewminutesthenewshadspread,andadozenskiff–loadsofmenwereontheirwaytoMcDougal'scave,andtheferryboat,wellfilledwithpassengers,soonfollowed.
TomSawyerwasintheskiffthatboreJudgeThatcher.
Whenthecavedoorwasunlocked,asorrowfulsightpresenteditselfinthedimtwilightoftheplace.
InjunJoelaystretchedupontheground,dead,withhisfaceclosetothecrackofthedoor,asifhislongingeyeshadbeenfixed,tothelatestmoment,uponthelightandthecheerofthefreeworldoutside.
Tomwastouched,forheknewbyhisownexperiencehowthiswretchhadsuffered.
Hispitywasmoved,butneverthelesshefeltanaboundingsenseofreliefandsecurity,now,whichrevealedtohiminadegreewhichhehadnotfullyappreciatedbeforehowvastaweightofdreadhadbeenlyinguponhimsincethedayheliftedhisvoiceagainstthisbloody–mindedoutcast.
InjunJoe'sbowie–knifelaycloseby,itsbladebrokenintwo.
Thegreatfoundation–beamofthedoorhadbeenchippedandhackedthrough,withtediouslabor;uselesslabor,too,itwas,forthenativerockformedasilloutsideit,anduponthatstubbornmaterialtheknifehadwroughtnoeffect;theonlydamagedonewastotheknifeitself.
Butiftherehadbeennostonyobstructiontherethelaborwouldhavebeenuselessstill,forifthebeamhadbeenwhollycutawayInjunJoecouldnothavesqueezedhisbodyunderthedoor,andheknewit.
Sohehadonlyhackedthatplaceinordertobedoingsomething—inordertopassthewearytime—inordertoemployhistorturedfaculties.
Ordinarilyonecouldfindhalfadozenbitsofcandlestuckaroundinthecrevicesofthisvestibule,lefttherebytourists;buttherewerenonenow.
Theprisonerhadsearchedthemoutandeatenthem.
Hehadalsocontrivedtocatchafewbats,andthese,also,hehadeaten,leavingonlytheirclaws.
Thepoorunfortunatehadstarvedtodeath.
Inoneplace,nearathand,astalagmitehadbeenslowlygrowingupfromthegroundforages,buildedbythewater–dripfromastalactiteoverhead.
Thecaptivehadbrokenoffthestalagmite,anduponthestumphadplacedastone,whereinhehadscoopedashallowhollowtocatchthepreciousdropthatfellonceineverythreeminuteswiththedrearyregularityofaclock–tick—adessertspoonfulonceinfourandtwentyhours.
ThatdropwasfallingwhenthePyramidswerenew;whenTroyfell;whenthefoundationsofRomewerelaidwhenChristwascrucified;whentheConquerorcreatedtheBritishempire;whenColumbussailed;whenthemassacreatLexingtonwas"news."
Itisfallingnow;itwillstillbefallingwhenallthesethingsshallhavesunkdowntheafternoonofhistory,andthetwilightoftradition,andbeenswallowedupinthethicknightofoblivion.Haseverythingapurposeandamission?
Didthisdropfallpatientlyduringfivethousandyearstobereadyforthisflittinghumaninsect'sneed?
andhasitanotherimportantobjecttoaccomplishtenthousandyearstocome?Nomatter.
Itismanyandmanyayearsincethehaplesshalf–breedscoopedoutthestonetocatchthepricelessdrops,buttothisdaythetouriststareslongestatthatpatheticstoneandthatslow–droppingwaterwhenhecomestoseethewondersofMcDougal'scave.
InjunJoe'scupstandsfirstinthelistofthecavern'smarvels;even"Aladdin'sPalace"cannotrivalit.
InjunJoewasburiednearthemouthofthecave;andpeopleflockedthereinboatsandwagonsfromthetownsandfromallthefarmsandhamletsforsevenmilesaround;theybroughttheirchildren,andallsortsofprovisions,andconfessedthattheyhadhadalmostassatisfactoryatimeatthefuneralastheycouldhavehadatthehanging.
Thisfuneralstoppedthefurthergrowthofonething—thepetitiontothegovernorforInjunJoe'spardon.
Thepetitionhadbeenlargelysigned;manytearfulandeloquentmeetingshadbeenheld,andacommitteeofsappywomenbeenappointedtogoindeepmourningandwailaroundthegovernor,andimplorehimtobeamercifulassandtramplehisdutyunderfoot.
InjunJoewasbelievedtohavekilledfivecitizensofthevillage,butwhatofthat?
IfhehadbeenSatanhimselftherewouldhavebeenplentyofweaklingsreadytoscribbletheirnamestoapardon–petition,anddripatearonitfromtheirpermanentlyimpairedandleakywater–works.
ThemorningafterthefuneralTomtookHucktoaprivateplacetohaveanimportanttalk.
HuckhadlearnedallaboutTom'sadventurefromtheWelshmanandtheWidowDouglas,bythistime,butTomsaidhereckonedtherewasonethingtheyhadnottoldhim;thatthingwaswhathewantedtotalkaboutnow.Huck'sfacesaddened.Hesaid:
"Iknowwhatitis.YougotintoNo.2andneverfoundanythingbutwhiskey.
Nobodytoldmeitwasyou;butIjustknoweditmust'a'benyou,soonasIheard'boutthatwhiskeybusiness;andIknowedyouhadn'tgotthemoneybecuzyou'd'a'gotatmesomewayorotherandtoldmeevenifyouwasmumtoeverybodyelse.
Tom,something'salwaystoldmewe'dnevergetholtofthatswag."
"Why,Huck,Inevertoldonthattavern–keeper.YOUknowhistavernwasallrighttheSaturdayIwenttothepicnic.Don'tyourememberyouwastowatchtherethatnight?"
"Ohyes!Why,itseems'boutayearago.ItwasthatverynightthatIfolleredInjunJoetothewidder's."
"YOUfollowedhim?"
"Yes—butyoukeepmum.IreckonInjunJoe'sleftfriendsbehindhim,andIdon'twant'emsouringonmeanddoingmemeantricks.Ifithadn'tbenformehe'dbedowninTexasnow,allright."
ThenHucktoldhisentireadventureinconfidencetoTom,whohadonlyheardoftheWelshman'spartofitbefore.
"Well,"saidHuck,presently,comingbacktothemainquestion,"whoevernippedthewhiskeyinNo.2,nippedthemoney,too,Ireckon—anywaysit'sagonerforus,Tom."
"Huck,thatmoneywasn'teverinNo.2!"
"What!"Hucksearchedhiscomrade'sfacekeenly."Tom,haveyougotonthetrackofthatmoneyagain?"
"Huck,it'sinthecave!"
Huck'seyesblazed.
"Sayitagain,Tom."
"Themoney'sinthecave!"
"Tom—honestinjun,now—isitfun,orearnest?"
"Earnest,Huck—justasearnestaseverIwasinmylife.Willyougointherewithmeandhelpgetitout?"
"IbetIwill!Iwillifit'swherewecanblazeourwaytoitandnotgetlost."
"Huck,wecandothatwithouttheleastlittlebitoftroubleintheworld."
"Goodaswheat!Whatmakesyouthinkthemoney's—"
"Huck,youjustwaittillwegetinthere.Ifwedon'tfinditI'llagreetogiveyoumydrumandeverythingI'vegotintheworld.Iwill,byjings."
"Allright—it'sawhiz.Whendoyousay?"
"Rightnow,ifyousayit.Areyoustrongenough?"
"Isitfarinthecave?Ibenonmypinsalittle,threeorfourdays,now,butIcan'twalkmore'namile,Tom—leastIdon'tthinkIcould."
"It'saboutfivemileintotherethewayanybodybutmewouldgo,Huck,butthere'samightyshortcutthattheydon'tanybodybutmeknowabout.
Huck,I'lltakeyourighttoitinaskiff.
I'llfloattheskiffdownthere,andI'llpullitbackagainallbymyself.Youneedn'teverturnyourhandover."
"Lessstartrightoff,Tom."
"Allright.Wewantsomebreadandmeat,andourpipes,andalittlebagortwo,andtwoorthreekite–strings,andsomeofthesenew–fangledthingstheycalllucifermatches.
Itellyou,many'sthetimeIwishedIhadsomewhenIwasintherebefore."
Atrifleafternoontheboysborrowedasmallskifffromacitizenwhowasabsent,andgotunderwayatonce.Whentheywereseveralmilesbelow"CaveHollow,"Tomsaid:
"Nowyouseethisbluffherelooksallalikeallthewaydownfromthecavehollow—nohouses,nowood–yards,bushesallalike.
Butdoyouseethatwhiteplaceupyonderwherethere'sbeenalandslide?Well,that'soneofmymarks.We'llgetashore,now."
Theylanded.
"Now,Huck,wherewe'rea–standingyoucouldtouchthatholeIgotoutofwithafishing–pole.Seeifyoucanfindit."
Hucksearchedalltheplaceabout,andfoundnothing.Tomproudlymarchedintoathickclumpofsumachbushesandsaid:
"Hereyouare!Lookatit,Huck;it'sthesnuggestholeinthiscountry.Youjustkeepmumaboutit.
AllalongI'vebeenwantingtobearobber,butIknewI'dgottohaveathinglikethis,andwheretorunacrossitwasthebother.
We'vegotitnow,andwe'llkeepitquiet,onlywe'llletJoeHarperandBenRogersin—becauseofcoursethere'sgottobeaGang,orelsetherewouldn'tbeanystyleaboutit.
TomSawyer'sGang—itsoundssplendid,don'tit,Huck?"
"Well,itjustdoes,Tom.Andwho'llwerob?"
"Oh,mostanybody.Waylaypeople—that'smostlytheway."
"Andkillthem?"
"No,notalways.Hivetheminthecavetilltheyraisearansom."
"What'saransom?"
"Money.Youmakethemraisealltheycan,off'ntheirfriends;andafteryou'vekeptthemayear,ifitain'traisedthenyoukillthem.That'sthegeneralway.Onlyyoudon'tkillthewomen.
Youshutupthewomen,butyoudon'tkillthem.
They'realwaysbeautifulandrich,andawfullyscared.
Youtaketheirwatchesandthings,butyoualwaystakeyourhatoffandtalkpolite.
Theyain'tanybodyaspoliteasrobbers—you'llseethatinanybook.
Well,thewomengettolovingyou,andafterthey'vebeeninthecaveaweekortwoweekstheystopcryingandafterthatyoucouldn'tgetthemtoleave.
Ifyoudrovethemoutthey'dturnrightaroundandcomeback.It'ssoinallthebooks."
"Why,it'srealbully,Tom.Ibelieveit'sbetter'ntobeapirate."
"Yes,it'sbetterinsomeways,becauseit'sclosetohomeandcircusesandallthat."
Bythistimeeverythingwasreadyandtheboysenteredthehole,Tominthelead.
Theytoiledtheirwaytothefartherendofthetunnel,thenmadetheirsplicedkite–stringsfastandmovedon.
Afewstepsbroughtthemtothespring,andTomfeltashudderquiverallthroughhim.
HeshowedHuckthefragmentofcandle–wickperchedonalumpofclayagainstthewall,anddescribedhowheandBeckyhadwatchedtheflamestruggleandexpire.
Theboysbegantoquietdowntowhispers,now,forthestillnessandgloomoftheplaceoppressedtheirspirits.
Theywenton,andpresentlyenteredandfollowedTom'sothercorridoruntiltheyreachedthe"jumping–offplace."
Thecandlesrevealedthefactthatitwasnotreallyaprecipice,butonlyasteepclayhilltwentyorthirtyfeethigh.Tomwhispered:
"NowI'llshowyousomething,Huck."
Heheldhiscandlealoftandsaid:
"Lookasfararoundthecornerasyoucan.Doyouseethat?There—onthebigrockoveryonder—donewithcandle–smoke."
"Tom,it'saCROSS!"
"NOWwhere'syourNumberTwo?'UNDERTHECROSS,'hey?Rightyonder'swhereIsawInjunJoepokeuphiscandle,Huck!"
Huckstaredatthemysticsignawhile,andthensaidwithashakyvoice:
"Tom,lessgitoutofhere!"
"What!andleavethetreasure?"
"Yes—leaveit.InjunJoe'sghostisroundaboutthere,certain."
"Noitain't,Huck,noitain't.Itwouldha'nttheplacewherehedied—awayoutatthemouthofthecave—fivemilefromhere."
"No,Tom,itwouldn't.Itwouldhangroundthemoney.Iknowthewaysofghosts,andsodoyou."
TombegantofearthatHuckwasright.Misgivingsgatheredinhismind.Butpresentlyanideaoccurredtohim—
"Lookyhere,Huck,whatfoolswe'remakingofourselves!InjunJoe'sghostain'tagoingtocomearoundwherethere'sacross!"
Thepointwaswelltaken.Ithaditseffect.
"Tom,Ididn'tthinkofthat.Butthat'sso.It'sluckforus,thatcrossis.Ireckonwe'llclimbdownthereandhaveahuntforthatbox."
Tomwentfirst,cuttingrudestepsintheclayhillashedescended.Huckfollowed.
Fouravenuesopenedoutofthesmallcavernwhichthegreatrockstoodin.
Theboysexaminedthreeofthemwithnoresult.
Theyfoundasmallrecessintheonenearestthebaseoftherock,withapalletofblanketsspreaddowninit;alsoanoldsuspender,somebaconrind,andthewell–gnawedbonesoftwoorthreefowls.Buttherewasnomoney–box.
Theladssearchedandresearchedthisplace,butinvain.Tomsaid:
"HesaidUNDERthecross.Well,thiscomesnearesttobeingunderthecross.Itcan'tbeundertherockitself,becausethatsetssolidontheground."
Theysearchedeverywhereoncemore,andthensatdowndiscouraged.Huckcouldsuggestnothing.By–and–byTomsaid:
"Lookyhere,Huck,there'sfootprintsandsomecandle–greaseontheclayaboutonesideofthisrock,butnotontheothersides.Now,what'sthatfor?IbetyouthemoneyISundertherock.I'mgoingtodigintheclay."
"Thatain'tnobadnotion,Tom!"saidHuckwithanimation.
Tom's"realBarlow"wasoutatonce,andhehadnotdugfourinchesbeforehestruckwood.
"Hey,Huck!—youhearthat?"
Huckbegantodigandscratchnow.Someboardsweresoonuncoveredandremoved.
Theyhadconcealedanaturalchasmwhichledundertherock.
Tomgotintothisandheldhiscandleasfarundertherockashecould,butsaidhecouldnotseetotheendoftherift.Heproposedtoexplore.
Hestoopedandpassedunder;thenarrowwaydescendedgradually.
Hefolloweditswindingcourse,firsttotheright,thentotheleft,Huckathisheels.
Tomturnedashortcurve,by–and–by,andexclaimed:
"Mygoodness,Huck,lookyhere!"
Itwasthetreasure–box,sureenough,occupyingasnuglittlecavern,alongwithanemptypowder–keg,acoupleofgunsinleathercases,twoorthreepairsofoldmoccasins,aleatherbelt,andsomeotherrubbishwellsoakedwiththewater–drip.
"Gotitatlast!"saidHuck,ploughingamongthetarnishedcoinswithhishand."My,butwe'rerich,Tom!"
"Huck,Ialwaysreckonedwe'dgetit.It'sjusttoogoodtobelieve,butweHAVEgotit,sure!Say—let'snotfoolaroundhere.Let'ssnakeitout.LemmeseeifIcanliftthebox."
Itweighedaboutfiftypounds.Tomcouldliftit,afteranawkwardfashion,butcouldnotcarryitconveniently.
"Ithoughtso,"hesaid;"THEYcarrieditlikeitwasheavy,thatdayattheha'ntedhouse.Inoticedthat.IreckonIwasrighttothinkoffetchingthelittlebagsalong."
Themoneywassooninthebagsandtheboystookituptothecrossrock.
"Nowlessfetchthegunsandthings,"saidHuck.
"No,Huck—leavethemthere.They'rejustthetrickstohavewhenwegotorobbing.We'llkeepthemthereallthetime,andwe'llholdourorgiesthere,too.It'sanawfulsnugplacefororgies."
"Whatorgies?"
"Idono.Butrobbersalwayshaveorgies,andofcoursewe'vegottohavethem,too.
Comealong,Huck,we'vebeeninherealongtime.It'sgettinglate,Ireckon.I'mhungry,too.
We'lleatandsmokewhenwegettotheskiff."
Theypresentlyemergedintotheclumpofsumachbushes,lookedwarilyout,foundthecoastclear,andweresoonlunchingandsmokingintheskiff.
Asthesundippedtowardthehorizontheypushedoutandgotunderway.
Tomskimmeduptheshorethroughthelongtwilight,chattingcheerilywithHuck,andlandedshortlyafterdark.
"Now,Huck,"saidTom,"we'llhidethemoneyintheloftofthewidow'swoodshed,andI'llcomeupinthemorningandwe'llcountitanddivide,andthenwe'llhuntupaplaceoutinthewoodsforitwhereitwillbesafe.
JustyoulayquiethereandwatchthestufftillIrunandhookBennyTaylor'slittlewagon;Iwon'tbegoneaminute."
Hedisappeared,andpresentlyreturnedwiththewagon,putthetwosmallsacksintoit,threwsomeoldragsontopofthem,andstartedoff,dragginghiscargobehindhim.
WhentheboysreachedtheWelshman'shouse,theystoppedtorest.
Justastheywereabouttomoveon,theWelshmansteppedoutandsaid:
"Hallo,who'sthat?"
"HuckandTomSawyer."
"Good!Comealongwithme,boys,youarekeepingeverybodywaiting.Here—hurryup,trotahead—I'llhaulthewagonforyou.Why,it'snotaslightasitmightbe.Gotbricksinit?—oroldmetal?"
"Oldmetal,"saidTom.
"Ijudgedso;theboysinthistownwilltakemoretroubleandfoolawaymoretimehuntingupsixbits'worthofoldirontoselltothefoundrythantheywouldtomaketwicethemoneyatregularwork.
Butthat'shumannature—hurryalong,hurryalong!"
Theboyswantedtoknowwhatthehurrywasabout.
"Nevermind;you'llsee,whenwegettotheWidowDouglas'."
Hucksaidwithsomeapprehension—forhewaslongusedtobeingfalselyaccused:
"Mr.Jones,wehaven'tbeendoingnothing."
TheWelshmanlaughed.
"Well,Idon'tknow,Huck,myboy.Idon'tknowaboutthat.Ain'tyouandthewidowgoodfriends?"
"Yes.Well,she'sbengoodfriendstome,anyway."
"Allright,then.Whatdoyouwanttobeafraidfor?"
ThisquestionwasnotentirelyansweredinHuck'sslowmindbeforehefoundhimselfpushed,alongwithTom,intoMrs.Douglas'drawing–room.Mr.Jonesleftthewagonnearthedoorandfollowed.
Theplacewasgrandlylighted,andeverybodythatwasofanyconsequenceinthevillagewasthere.
TheThatcherswerethere,theHarpers,theRogerses,AuntPolly,Sid,Mary,theminister,theeditor,andagreatmanymore,andalldressedintheirbest.
Thewidowreceivedtheboysasheartilyasanyonecouldwellreceivetwosuchlookingbeings.
Theywerecoveredwithclayandcandle–grease.
AuntPollyblushedcrimsonwithhumiliation,andfrownedandshookherheadatTom.
Nobodysufferedhalfasmuchasthetwoboysdid,however.Mr.Jonessaid:
"Tomwasn'tathome,yet,soIgavehimup;butIstumbledonhimandHuckrightatmydoor,andsoIjustbroughtthemalonginahurry."
"Andyoudidjustright,"saidthewidow."Comewithme,boys."
Shetookthemtoabedchamberandsaid:
"Nowwashanddressyourselves.Herearetwonewsuitsofclothes—shirts,socks,everythingcomplete.
They'reHuck's—no,nothanks,Huck—Mr.JonesboughtoneandItheother.Butthey'llfitbothofyou.Getintothem.
We'llwait—comedownwhenyouareslickedupenough."
Thensheleft.
Share this article to
FINISH