TomSawyer,Detective

ByMarkTwain

TomSawyer,Detective

CHAPTERI.ANINVITATIONFORTOMANDHUCK

WELL,itwasthenextspringaftermeandTomSawyersetouroldniggerJimfree, the time hewas chained up for a runaway slave down there onTom'suncleSilas'sfarminArkansaw.Thefrostwasworkingoutoftheground,andoutoftheair,too,anditwasgettingcloserandcloserontobarefoottimeeveryday;andnextitwouldbemarbletime,andnextmumbletypeg,andnexttopsandhoops,andnextkites,andthenrightawayitwouldbesummerandgoingina-swimming.Itjustmakesaboyhomesicktolookaheadlikethatandseehowfaroffsummeris.Yes,anditsetshimtosighingandsaddeningaround,andthere'ssomethingthematterwithhim,hedon'tknowwhat.Butanyway,he gets out by himself and mopes and thinks; and mostly he hunts for alonesomeplacehighuponthehillintheedgeofthewoods,andsetsthereandlooksawayoffonthebigMississippidowntherea-reachingmilesandmilesaround the pointswhere the timber looks smoky anddim it's so far off andstill,andeverything'ssosolemnitseemslikeeverybodyyou'velovedisdeadandgone,andyou'mostwishyouwasdeadandgonetoo,anddonewithitall.Don'tyouknowwhatthatis?It'sspringfever.Thatiswhatthenameofitis.Andwhenyou'vegot it,youwant—oh,youdon'tquiteknowwhat it isyouDOwant,butitjustfairlymakesyourheartache,youwantitso!Itseemstoyou thatmainlywhatyouwant is toget away;get away from the sameold

tediousthingsyou'resousedtoseeingandsotiredof,andsetsomethingnew.Thatistheidea;youwanttogoandbeawanderer;youwanttogowanderingfar away to strange countrieswhere everything ismysterious andwonderfuland romantic.And if youcan't do that, you'll putupwith considerable less;you'llgoanywhereyouCANgo,justsoastogetaway,andbethankfulofthechance,too.Well,me and Tom Sawyer had the spring fever, and had it bad, too; but itwarn'tanyusetothinkaboutTomtryingtogetaway,because,ashesaid,hisAuntPollywouldn't lethimquit schoolandgo traipsingoff somerswastingtime;sowewasprettyblue.Wewassettingonthefrontstepsonedayaboutsundowntalkingthisway,whenoutcomeshisauntPollywithaletterinherhandandsays:"Tom,Ireckonyou'vegot topackupandgodowntoArkansaw—yourauntSallywantsyou."I 'mostjumpedoutofmyskinforjoy.IreckonedTomwouldflyathisauntandhugherheadoff;butifyoubelievemehesettherelikearock,andneversaidaword.Itmademefittocrytoseehimactsofoolish,withsuchanoblechance as this opening up.Why,wemight lose it if he didn't speak up andshowhewasthankfulandgrateful.ButhesetthereandstudiedandstudiedtillIwasthatdistressedIdidn'tknowwhattodo;thenhesays,veryca'm,andIcouldashothimforit:"Well," he says, "I'm right down sorry,Aunt Polly, but I reckon I got to beexcused—forthepresent."HisauntPollywasknockedsostupidandsomadatthecoldimpudenceofitthatshecouldn'tsayawordforasmuchasahalfaminute,andthisgavemeachancetonudgeTomandwhisper:"Ain'tyougotanysense?Sp'ilingsuchanoblechanceasthisandthrowingitaway?"Buthewarn'tdisturbed.Hemumbledback:"HuckFinn,doyouwantmetoletherSEEhowbadIwanttogo?Why,she'dbegin todoubt, rightaway,and imaginea lotof sicknessesanddangersandobjections, and first you know she'd take it all back. You lemme alone; IreckonIknowhowtoworkher."Now I never would 'a' thought of that. But hewas right. Tom Sawyerwasalwaysright—thelevelestheadIeversee,andalwaysAThimselfandreadyfor anything youmight spring on him. By this time his aunt Polly was allstraightagain,andsheletfly.Shesays:"You'llbeexcused!YOUwill!Well,Ineverheardthelikeofitinallmydays!TheideaofyoutalkinglikethattoME!Nowtakeyourselfoffandpackyour

traps;andifIhearanotherwordoutofyouaboutwhatyou'llbeexcusedfromandwhatyouwon't,IlayI'LLexcuseyou—withahickory!"Shehithisheadathumpwithherthimbleaswedodgedby,andheletontobewhimperingaswestruckforthestairs.Upinhisroomhehuggedme,hewassooutofhisheadforgladnessbecausehewasgoingtraveling.Andhesays:"Beforewegetawayshe'llwishshehadn'tletmego,butshewon'tknowanywaytogetarounditnow.Afterwhatshe'ssaid,herpridewon'tlethertakeitback."Tomwas packed in tenminutes, all except what his aunt andMary wouldfinish up for him; thenwewaited tenmore for her to get cooled down andsweet and gentle again; for Tom said it took her tenminutes to unruffle intimeswhenhalfofherfeatherswasup,buttwentywhentheywasallup,andthiswasoneofthetimeswhentheywasallup.Thenwewentdown,beinginasweattoknowwhatthelettersaid.Shewassettingthereinabrownstudy,withitlayinginherlap.Wesetdown,andshesays:"They'reinconsiderabletroubledownthere,andtheythinkyouandHuck'llbeakindofdiversionforthem—'comfort,'theysay.Muchofthatthey'llgetoutofyouandHuckFinn,Ireckon.There'saneighbornamedBraceDunlapthat'sbeenwantingtomarrytheirBennyforthreemonths,andatlasttheytoldhimpointblankandonceforall,heCOULDN'T;sohehassouredon them,andthey'reworriedaboutit.Ireckonhe'ssomebodytheythinktheybetterbeonthe good side of, for they've tried to please him by hiring his no-accountbrother tohelpon the farmwhen they can't hardly afford it, anddon'twanthimaroundanyhow.WhoaretheDunlaps?""TheyliveaboutamilefromUncleSilas'splace,AuntPolly—allthefarmersliveaboutamileapartdownthere—andBraceDunlap isa longsight richerthan any of the others, and owns awhole grist of niggers.He's awidower,thirty-six years old, without any children, and is proud of his money andoverbearing, and everybody is a little afraid of him. I judge he thought hecouldhaveanygirlhewanted, just for theasking,and itmusthavesethimback a gooddealwhenhe foundhe couldn't getBenny.Why,Benny's onlyhalf as old as he is, and just as sweet and lovely as—well, you've seenher.PooroldUncleSilas—why,it'spitiful,himtryingtocurryfavorthatway—sohardpushedandpoor,andyethiringthatuselessJubiterDunlaptopleasehisornerybrother.""Whataname—Jubiter!Where'dhegetit?""It'sonly just anickname. I reckon they've forgothis realname longbeforethis.He's twenty-seven,now,andhashad iteversince thefirst timeheeverwentinswimming.Theschoolteacherseenaroundbrownmolethesizeofa

dime on his left leg above his knee, and four little bits ofmoles around it,whenhewasnaked,andhesaiditmindedhimofJubiterandhismoons;andthechildrenthoughtitwasfunny,andsotheygottocallinghimJubiter,andhe'sJubiteryet.He's tall,andlazy,andsly,andsneaky,andruthercowardly,too,butkindofgood-natured,andwears longbrownhairandnobeard,andhasn't got a cent, andBrace boards him for nothing, and gives him his oldclothestowear,anddespiseshim.Jubiterisatwin.""What'st'othertwinlike?""JustexactlylikeJubiter—sotheysay;usedtowas,anyway,buthehain'tbeenseenforsevenyears.Hegottorobbingwhenhewasnineteenortwenty,andtheyjailedhim;buthebrokejailandgotaway—upNorthhere,somers.Theyused to hear about him robbing and burglaring now and then, but that wasyearsago.He'sdead,now.Atleastthat'swhattheysay.Theydon'thearabouthimanymore.""Whatwashisname?""Jake."Therewasn't anythingmore said for a considerablewhile; the old ladywasthinking.Atlastshesays:"ThethingthatismostlyworryingyourauntSallyisthetempersthatthatmanJubitergetsyouruncleinto."Tomwasastonished,andsowasI.Tomsays:"Tempers?UncleSilas?Land,youmustbejoking!Ididn'tknowheHADanytemper.""Workshimupintoperfectrages,yourauntSallysays;saysheactsas ifhewouldreallyhittheman,sometimes.""Aunt Polly, it beats anything I ever heard of. Why, he's just as gentle asmush.""Well,she'sworried,anyway.SaysyouruncleSilasislikeachangedman,onaccountofallthisquarreling.Andtheneighborstalkaboutit,andlayalltheblame on your uncle, of course, because he's a preacher and hain't got anybusinesstoquarrel.YourauntSallysayshehatestogointothepulpithe'ssoashamed; and the people have begun to cool toward him, and he ain't aspopularnowasheusedtowas.""Well,ain'titstrange?Why,AuntPolly,hewasalwayssogoodandkindandmoonyandabsent-mindedandchuckle-headedandlovable—why,hewasjustanangel!WhatCANbethematterofhim,doyoureckon?"

CHAPTERII.JAKEDUNLAP

WEhadpowerfulgoodluck;becausewegotachanceinastern-wheelerfromaway North which was bound for one of them bayous or one-horse riversawaydownLouisianaway,andsowecouldgoall thewaydowntheUpperMississippi and all the way down the Lower Mississippi to that farm inArkansawwithouthavingtochangesteamboatsatSt.Louis;notsoverymuchshortofathousandmilesatonepull.Aprettylonesomeboat;therewarn'tbutfewpassengers,andalloldfolks,thatsetaround,wideapart,dozing,andwasveryquiet.Wewasfourdaysgettingoutofthe"upperriver,"becausewegotagroundsomuch.Butitwarn'tdull—couldn'tbeforboysthatwastraveling,ofcourse.FromtheverystartmeandTomallowedthattherewassomebodysickinthestateroomnext to ourn, because themealswas always toted in there by thewaiters.Byandbyweaskedabout it—Tomdidand thewaitersaid itwasaman,buthedidn'tlooksick."Well,butAIN'Thesick?""Idon'tknow;maybeheis,but'pearstomehe'sjustlettingon.""Whatmakesyouthinkthat?""BecauseifhewassickhewouldpullhisclothesoffSOMEtimeorother—don'tyoureckonhewould?Well,thisonedon't.Atleasthedon'teverpulloffhisboots,anyway.""Themischiefhedon't!Notevenwhenhegoestobed?""No."ItwasalwaysnutsforTomSawyer—amysterywas.Ifyou'dlayoutamysteryandapiebeforemeandhim,youwouldn'thavetosaytakeyourchoice;itwasathingthatwouldregulateitself.BecauseinmynatureIhavealwaysruntopie, whilst in his nature he has always run to mystery. People are madedifferent.Anditisthebestway.Tomsaystothewaiter:"What'stheman'sname?""Phillips.""Where'dhecomeaboard?""IthinkhegotaboardatElexandria,upontheIowaline.""Whatdoyoureckonhe'sa-playing?""Ihain'tanynotion—Ineverthoughtofit."Isaystomyself,here'sanotheronethatrunstopie.

"Anythingpeculiarabouthim?—thewayheactsortalks?""No—nothing,exceptheseemssoscary,andkeepshisdoorslockednightandday both, andwhen you knock hewon't let you in till he opens the door acrackandseeswhoitis.""Byjimminy,it'sint'resting!I'dliketogetalookathim.Say—thenexttimeyou'regoinginthere,don'tyoureckonyoucouldspreadthedoorand—""No,indeedy!He'salwaysbehindit.Hewouldblockthatgame."Tomstudiedoverit,andthenhesays:"Lookyhere.Youlendmeyourapernandletmetakehimhisbreakfastinthemorning.I'llgiveyouaquarter."Theboywasplentywillingenough,if theheadstewardwouldn'tmind.Tomsaysthat'sallright,hereckonedhecouldfixitwiththeheadsteward;andhedoneit.Hefixeditsoaswecouldbothgoinwithapernsonandtotingvittles.Hedidn'tsleepmuch,hewasinsuchasweattogetinthereandfindoutthemystery about Phillips; andmoreover he done a lot of guessing about it allnight,whichwarn'tnouse,forifyouaregoingtofindoutthefactsofathing,what'sthesenseinguessingoutwhatain'tthefactsandwastingammunition?Ididn't lose no sleep. I wouldn't give a dern to know what's the matter ofPhillips,Isaystomyself.Well,inthemorningweputontheapernsandgotacoupleoftraysoftruck,andTomheknockedonthedoor.Themanopeneditacrack,andthenheletus in and shut it quick.By Jackson,whenwe got a sight of him,we 'mostdroppedthetrays!andTomsays:"Why,JubiterDunlap,where'dYOUcomefrom?"Well,themanwasastonished,ofcourse;andfirstoffhelookedlikehedidn'tknowwhether tobescared,orglad,orboth,orwhich,but finallyhesettleddowntobeingglad;andthenhiscolorcomeback,thoughatfirsthisfacehadturned prettywhite. Sowegot to talking togetherwhile he et his breakfast.Andhesays:"ButIaintJubiterDunlap.I'djustassoontellyouwhoIam,though,ifyou'llsweartokeepmum,forIain'tnoPhillips,either."Tomsays:"We'll keep mum, but there ain't any need to tell who you are if you ain'tJubiterDunlap.""Why?""Becauseifyouain'thimyou'ret'othertwin,Jake.You'rethespit'nimageofJubiter."

"Well,I'mJake.Butlookyhere,howdoyoucometoknowusDunlaps?"Tom told about the adventureswe'd had down there at his uncleSilas's lastsummer,andwhenheseethat therewarn'tanythingabouthisfolks—orhimeither,forthatmatter—thatwedidn'tknow,heopenedoutandtalkedperfectlyfreeandcandid.Henevermadeanybonesabouthisowncase;saidhe'dbeenahardlot,wasahardlotyet,andreckonedhe'dbeahardlotplumbtotheend.Hesaidofcourseitwasadangerouslife,and—Hegiveakindofgasp,andsethishead likeaperson that's listening.Wedidn't sayanything, and so itwasverystillforasecondorso,andtherewarn'tnosoundsbut thescreakingofthewoodworkandthechug-chuggingofthemachinerydownbelow.Thenwe got him comfortable again, telling him about his people, and howBrace'swifehadbeendeadthreeyears,andBracewantedtomarryBennyandsheshookhim,andJubiterwasworkingforUncleSilas,andhimandUncleSilasquarrelingallthetime—andthenheletgoandlaughed."Land!"he says, "it's likeold times tohear all this tittle-tattle, anddoesmegood.It'sbeensevenyearsandmoresinceIheardany.Howdotheytalkaboutmethesedays?""Who?""Thefarmers—andthefamily.""Why,theydon'ttalkaboutyouatall—atleastonlyjustamention,onceinalongtime.""Thenation!"hesays,surprised;"whyisthat?""Becausetheythinkyouaredeadlongago.""No!Areyouspeakingtrue?—honorbright,now."Hejumpedup,excited."Honorbright.Thereain'tanybodythinksyouarealive.""ThenI'msaved,I'msaved,sure!I'llgohome.They'llhidemeandsavemylife.Youkeepmum.Swearyou'llkeepmum—swearyou'llnever,nevertellonme.Oh,boys,begoodtoapoordevilthat'sbeinghunteddayandnight,anddasn'tshowhisface!I'veneverdoneyouanyharm;I'llneverdoyouany,asGodisintheheavens;swearyou'llbegoodtomeandhelpmesavemylife."We'dasworeitifhe'dbeenadog;andsowedoneit.Well,hecouldn'tloveusenoughforitorbegratefulenough,poorcuss;itwasallhecoulddotokeepfromhuggingus.Wetalkedalong,andhegotoutalittlehand-bagandbeguntoopenit,andtoldus to turnourbacks.Wedone it, andwhenhe toldus to turn againhewasperfectly different to what he was before. He had on blue goggles and thenaturalest-lookinglongbrownwhiskersandmustashesyoueversee.Hisownmother wouldn't 'a' knowed him. He asked us if he looked like his brother

Jubiter,now."No,"Tomsaid;"thereain'tanythingleftthat'slikehimexceptthelonghair.""Allright,I'llget thatcroppedclosetomyheadbeforeIget there; thenhimandBracewillkeepmysecret,andI'lllivewiththemasbeingastranger,andtheneighborswon'teverguessmeout.Whatdoyouthink?"Tomhestudiedawhile,thenhesays:"Well,ofcoursemeandHuckaregoingtokeepmumthere,butifyoudon'tkeep mum yourself there's going to be a little bit of a risk—it ain't much,maybe,butit'salittle.Imean,ifyoutalk,won'tpeoplenoticethatyourvoiceisjustlikeJubiter's;andmightn'titmakethemthinkofthetwintheyreckonedwasdead,butmaybeafterallwashidallthistimeunderanothername?""ByGeorge,"hesays,"you'reasharpone!You'reperfectlyright. I'vegot toplaydeefanddumbwhenthere'saneighboraround.IfI'dastruckforhomeand forgot that little detail—However, I wasn't striking for home. I wasbreakingforanyplacewhereIcouldgetawayfromthesefellowsthatareafterme; then Iwasgoing toputon thisdisguise andget somedifferent clothes,and—"He jumped for theoutsidedoorand laidhis ear against it and listened,paleandkindofpanting.Presentlyhewhispers:"Soundedlikecockingagun!Lord,whatalifetolead!"Thenhesunkdowninachairalllimpandsicklike,andwipedthesweatoffofhisface.

CHAPTERIII.ADIAMONDROBBERY

FROMthattimeout,wewaswithhim'mostallthetime,andoneort'otherofussleptinhisupperberth.Hesaidhehadbeensolonesome,anditwassuchacomforttohimtohavecompany,andsomebodytotalktoinhistroubles.Wewasinasweattofindoutwhathissecretwas,butTomsaidthebestwaywasnot to seemanxious, then likelyhewoulddrop into it himself inoneofhistalks,butifwegottoaskingquestionshewouldgetsuspiciousandshetuphisshell.Itturnedoutjustso.Itwarn'tnotroubletoseethatheWANTEDtotalkaboutit,butalwaysalongatfirsthewouldscareawayfromitwhenhegotontheveryedgeofit,andgototalkingaboutsomethingelse.Thewayitcomeabout was this: He got to asking us, kind of indifferent like, about thepassengersdownondeck.Wetoldhimaboutthem.Buthewarn'tsatisfied;wewarn'tparticularenough.Hetoldustodescribethembetter.Tomdoneit.Atlast, when Tomwas describing one of the roughest and raggedest ones, he

gaveashiverandagaspandsays:"Oh,lordy,that'soneofthem!They'reaboardsure—Ijustknowedit.IsortofhopedIhadgotaway,butIneverbelievedit.Goon."PresentlywhenTomwasdescribinganothermangy,roughdeckpassenger,hegivethatshiveragainandsays:"That'shim!—that'stheotherone.IfitwouldonlycomeagoodblackstormynightandIcouldgetashore.Yousee,they'vegotspiesonme.They'vegotarighttocomeupandbuydrinksatthebaryonderforrard,andtheytakethatchancetobribesomebodytokeepwatchonme—porterorbootsorsomebody.IfIwastoslipashorewithoutanybodyseeingme,theywouldknowitinsideofanhour."So then he got to wandering along, and pretty soon, sure enough, he wastelling!Hewaspokingalongthroughhisupsanddowns,andwhenhecometothatplacehewentrightalong.Hesays:"Itwasaconfidencegame.Weplayeditonajulery-shopinSt.Louis.Whatwewasafterwasacoupleofnoblebigdi'mondsasbigashazel-nuts,whicheverybodywasrunning tosee.Wewasdressedupfine,andweplayed itontheminbroaddaylight.Weorderedthedi'mondssenttothehotelforustoseeif we wanted to buy, and when we was examining them we had pastecounterfeits all ready, andTHEMwas the things thatwentback to the shopwhenwesaidthewaterwasn'tquitefineenoughfortwelvethousanddollars.""Twelve-thousand-dollars!"Tomsays."Wastheyreallyworthallthatmoney,doyoureckon?""Everycentofit.""Andyoufellowsgotawaywiththem?""As easy as nothing. I don't reckon the julery people know they've beenrobbedyet.Butitwouldn'tbegoodsensetostayaroundSt.Louis,ofcourse,soweconsideredwherewe'dgo.Onewasforgoingoneway,oneanother,sowethrowedup,headsortails,andtheUpperMississippiwon.Wedoneupthedi'mondsinapaperandputournamesonitandputitinthekeepofthehotelclerk,andtoldhimnottoeverleteitherofushaveitagainwithouttheotherswasonhandtoseeitdone;thenwewentdowntown,eachbyhisownself—becauseIreckonmaybeweallhadthesamenotion.Idon'tknowforcertain,butIreckonmaybewehad.""Whatnotion?"Tomsays."Torobtheothers.""What—onetakeeverything,afterallofyouhadhelpedtogetit?""Cert'nly."

ItdisgustedTomSawyer,andhesaiditwastheorneriest,low-downestthingheeverheardof.ButJakeDunlapsaiditwarn'tunusualintheprofession.Saidwhenapersonwas in that lineofbusinesshe'dgot to lookout for his ownintrust,therewarn'tnobodyelsegoingtodoitforhim.Andthenhewenton.Hesays:"Yousee,thetroublewas,youcouldn'tdivideuptwodi'mondsamongstthree.If there'dbeenthree—Butnevermindabout that, therewarn't three. I loafedalong the back streets studying and studying.And I says tomyself, I'll hogthemdi'mondsthefirstchanceIget,andI'llhaveadisguiseallready,andI'llgivetheboystheslip,andwhenI'msafeawayI'llputiton,andthenletthemfind me if they can. So I got the false whiskers and the goggles and thiscountrified suit of clothes, and fetched them along back in a hand-bag; andwhenIwaspassingashopwheretheysellallsortsofthings,Igotaglimpseofoneofmypalsthroughthewindow.ItwasBudDixon.Iwasglad,youbet.I says tomyself, I'll seewhat he buys. So I kept shady, andwatched.Nowwhatdoyoureckonitwashebought?""Whiskers?"saidI."No.""Goggles?""No.""Oh,keepstill,HuckFinn,can'tyou,you'reonlyjusthenderingallyoucan.WhatWASithebought,Jake?""You'dneverguess in theworld. Itwasonly just a screwdriver—just aweelittlebitofascrewdriver.""Well,Ideclare!Whatdidhewantwiththat?""That'swhatIthought.Itwascurious.Itcleanstumpedme.Isaystomyself,whatcanhewantwiththatthing?Well,whenhecomeoutIstoodbackoutofsight,andthentrackedhimtoasecond-handslop-shopandseehimbuyaredflannelshirtandsomeold raggedclothes—just theoneshe'sgotonnow,asyou'vedescribed.ThenIwentdowntothewharfandhidmythingsaboardtheup-riverboat thatwehadpickedout, and then startedbackandhadanotherstreak of luck. I seen our other pal lay in HIS stock of old rusty second-handers.Wegotthedi'mondsandwentaboardtheboat."Butnowwewasupastump,forwecouldn'tgotobed.Wehadtosetupandwatch one another. Pity, that was; pity to put that kind of a strain on us,becausetherewasbadbloodbetweenusfromacoupleofweeksback,andwewasonlyfriends in thewayofbusiness.Badanyway,seeing therewasonlytwodi'mondsbetwixtthreemen.Firstwehadsupper,andthentrampedupanddown the deck together smoking till most midnight; then we went and set

downinmystateroomandlockedthedoorsandlookedinthepieceofpapertoseeifthedi'mondswasallright,thenlaiditonthelowerberthrightinfullsight; and therewe set, and set, andby-and-by it got tobedreadful hard tokeepawake.AtlastBudDixonhedroppedoff.Assoonashewassnoringagood regular gait thatwas likely to last, and had his chin on his breast andlookedpermanent,HalClaytonnoddedtowardsthedi'mondsandthentowardstheoutsidedoor,andIunderstood.I reachedandgot thepaper,andthenwestoodupandwaitedperfectlystill;Budneverstirred;Iturnedthekeyoftheoutsidedoorverysoftandslow, then turned theknobthesameway,andwewenttiptoeingoutontotheguard,andshutthedoorverysoftandgentle."Therewarn'tnobodystirringanywhere,andtheboatwasslippingalong,swiftand steady, through the bigwater in the smokymoonlight.Wenever said aword,butwentstraightupontothehurricane-deckandplumbbackaft,andsetdownontheendofthesky-light.Bothofusknowedwhatthatmeant,withouthaving to explain to one another. Bud Dixon would wake up andmiss theswag, and would come straight for us, for he ain't afeard of anything oranybody,thatmanain't.Hewouldcome,andwewouldheavehimoverboard,orgetkilledtrying.Itmademeshiver,becauseIain'tasbraveassomepeople,butifIshowedthewhitefeather—well,Iknowedbetterthandothat.Ikindofhopedtheboatwouldlandsomers,andwecouldskipashoreandnothavetoruntheriskofthisrow,IwassoscaredofBudDixon,butshewasanupper-rivertubandtherewarn'tnorealchanceofthat."Well, the timestrungalongandalong,and that fellownevercome!Why, itstrung along till dawn begun to break, and still he never come. 'Thunder,' Isays,'whatdoyoumakeoutofthis?—ain'titsuspicious?''Land!'Halsays,'doyoureckonhe'splayingus?—openthepaper!'Idoneit,andbygracioustherewarn't anything in it but a couple of little pieces of loaf-sugar!THAT'S thereasonhecouldsetthereandsnoozeallnightsocomfortable.Smart?Well,Ireckon!Hehadhadthemtwopapersallfixedandready,andhehadputoneoftheminplaceoft'otherrightunderournoses."Wefeltprettycheap.Butthethingtodo,straightoff,wastomakeaplan;andwedoneit.Wewoulddoupthepaperagain,justasitwas,andslipin,veryelaborateandsoft, and lay iton thebunkagain,and letonWEdidn'tknowabout any trick, and hadn't any idea he was a-laughing at us behind thembogussnoresofhis'n;andwewouldstickbyhim,andthefirstnightwewasashorewewouldgethimdrunkandsearchhim,andgetthedi'monds;andDOforhim,too,ifitwarn'ttoorisky.Ifwegottheswag,we'dGOTtodoforhim,orhewouldhuntusdownanddoforus,sure.ButIdidn'thavenorealhope.Iknowedwecouldgethimdrunk—hewasalways ready for that—butwhat'sthegoodofit?Youmightsearchhimayearandneverfind—Well,rightthereI catched my breath and broke off my thought! For an idea went ripping

throughmy head that tore my brains to rags—and land, but I felt gay andgood!Yousee,Ihadhadmybootsoff,tounswellmyfeet,andjustthenItookuponeofthemtoputiton,andIcatchedaglimpseoftheheel-bottom,anditjust took my breath away. You remember about that puzzlesome littlescrewdriver?""YoubetIdo,"saysTom,allexcited."Well, when I catched that glimpse of that boot heel, the idea that wentsmashingthroughmyheadwas,Iknowwherehe'shidthedi'monds!Youlookat this boot heel, now.See, it's bottomedwith a steel plate, and the plate isfastened on with little screws. Now there wasn't a screw about that felleranywherebut inhisbootheels; so, if heneededa screwdriver, I reckoned Iknowedwhy.""Huck,ain'titbully!"saysTom."Well,Igotmybootson,andwewentdownandslippedinandlaidthepaperofsugarontheberth,andsatdownsoftandsheepishandwenttolisteningtoBudDixonsnore.HalClaytondroppedoffprettysoon,but Ididn't; Iwasn'teversowideawakeinmylife.Iwasspyingoutfromundertheshadeofmyhatbrim,searchingthefloorforleather.Ittookmealongtime,andIbeguntothinkmaybemyguesswaswrong,but at last I struck it. It laidoverby thebulkhead, andwas nearly the color of the carpet. It was a little round plugabout as thick as the endofyour little finger, and I says tomyself there's adi'mondinthenestyou'vecomefrom.BeforelongIspiedouttheplug'smate."Think of the smartness and coolness of that blatherskite! He put up thatschemeonus and reasonedoutwhatwewoulddo, andwewent ahead anddoneitperfectlyexact,likeacoupleofpudd'nheads.Hesetthereandtookhisown time to unscrew his heelplates and cut out his plugs and stick in thedi'mondsandscrewonhisplatesagain.Heallowedwewouldstealthebogusswagandwaitallnightforhimtocomeupandgetdrownded,andbyGeorgeit'sjustwhatwedone!Ithinkitwaspowerfulsmart.""Youbetyourlifeitwas!"saysTom,justfullofadmiration.

CHAPTERIV.THETHREESLEEPERS

WELL,alldaywewentthroughthehumbugofwatchingoneanother,anditwas pretty sickly business for twoof us and hard to act out, I can tell you.Aboutnightwe landed at oneof them littleMissouri townshighup towardIowa,andhadsupperatthetavern,andgotaroomupstairswithacotandadoublebedinit,butIdumpedmybagunderadealtableinthedarkhallwhilewewasmovingalongittobed,singlefile,melast,andthelandlordinthelead

withatallowcandle.Wehadupalotofwhisky,andwenttoplayinghigh-low-jack for dimes, and as soon as the whisky begun to take hold of Bud westoppeddrinking,butwedidn'tlethimstop.Weloadedhimtillhefelloutofhischairandlaidtheresnoring."Wewasreadyforbusinessnow.Isaidwebetterpullourbootsoff,andhis'ntoo,andnotmakeanynoise,thenwecouldpullhimandhaulhimaroundandransackhimwithoutanytrouble.Sowedoneit.IsetmybootsandBud'ssidebyside,wherethey'dbehandy.Thenwestrippedhimandsearchedhisseamsandhispocketsandhissocksandtheinsideofhisboots,andeverything,andsearched his bundle. Never found any di'monds.We found the screwdriver,andHalsays,'Whatdoyoureckonhewantedwiththat?'IsaidIdidn'tknow;but when he wasn't looking I hooked it. At last Hal he looked beat anddiscouraged,andsaidwe'dgottogiveitup.ThatwaswhatIwaswaitingfor.Isays:"'There'soneplacewehain'tsearched.'"'Whatplaceisthat?'hesays."'Hisstomach.'"'Bygracious, I never thoughtof that!NOWwe'reon thehomestretch, to adeadmoralcertainty.How'llwemanage?'"'Well,'Isays, 'juststaybyhimtillIturnoutandhuntupadrugstore,andIreckon I'll fetch something that'llmake themdi'monds tiredof the companythey'rekeeping.'"Hesaidthat'stheticket,andwithhimlookingstraightatmeIslidmyselfintoBud'sbootsinsteadofmyown,andhenevernoticed.Theywasjustashadelargeforme,but thatwasconsiderablebetter thanbeingtoosmall. IgotmybagasIwenta-gropingthroughthehall,andinaboutaminuteIwasoutthebackwayandstretchinguptheriverroadatafive-milegait."And not feeling so very bad, neither—walking on di'monds don't have nosucheffect.WhenIhadgonefifteenminutesIsaystomyself,there'smore'namilebehindme,andeverythingquiet.AnotherfiveminutesandIsaysthere'sconsiderablemore land behindme now, and there's aman back there that'sbegun towonderwhat's the trouble.Another five and I says tomyself he'sgetting realuneasy—he'swalking the floornow.Another five, and I says tomyself, there's twomile and a half behindme, and he's AWFUL uneasy—beginningtocuss,Ireckon.PrettysoonIsaystomyself,fortyminutesgone—heKNOWSthere'ssomethingup!Fiftyminutes—thetruth'sa-bustingonhimnow! he is reckoning I found the di'monds whilst we was searching, andshovedtheminmypocketandneverleton—yes,andhe'sstartingouttohuntforme.He'll hunt for new tracks in the dust, and they'll as likely send himdowntheriverasup.

"JustthenIseeamancomingdownonamule,andbeforeIthoughtIjumpedintothebush.Itwasstupid!Whenhegotabreasthestoppedandwaitedalittleformetocomeout; thenherodeonagain.ButIdidn't feelgayanymore.IsaystomyselfI'vebotchedmychancesbythat;Isurelyhave,ifhemeetsupwithHalClayton."Well, about three in the morning I fetched Elexandria and see this stern-wheelerlayingthere,andwasveryglad,becauseIfeltperfectlysafe,now,youknow.Itwas justdaybreak.Iwentaboardandgot thisstateroomandputontheseclothesandwentupinthepilot-house—towatch,thoughIdidn'treckontherewasanyneedofit.Isetthereandplayedwithmydi'mondsandwaitedandwaitedfortheboattostart,butshedidn't.Yousee,theywasmendinghermachinery,butIdidn'tknowanythingabout it,notbeingverymuchusedtosteamboats."Well, to cut the tale short, we never left there till plumb noon; and longbefore that I was hid in this stateroom; for before breakfast I see a mancoming,awayoff,thathadagaitlikeHalClayton's,anditmademejustsick.Isaystomyself,ifhefindsoutI'maboardthisboat,he'sgotmelikearatinatrap.Allhe'sgottodoistohavemewatched,andwait—waittillIslipashore,thinkingheisathousandmilesaway,thenslipaftermeanddogmetoagoodplaceandmakemegiveupthedi'monds,andthenhe'll—oh,Iknowwhathe'lldo!Ain't it awful—awful!Andnow to think theOTHERone's aboard, too!Oh, ain't it hard luck, boys—ain't it hard!But you'll help saveme,WON'Tyou?—oh,boys,begoodtoapoordevilthat'sbeinghuntedtodeath,andsaveme—I'llworshiptheverygroundyouwalkon!"Weturnedinandsoothedhimdownandtoldhimwewouldplanforhimandhelphim,andheneedn'tbesoafeard;andsobyandbyhegottofeelingkindofcomfortableagain,andunscrewedhisheelplatesandhelduphisdi'mondsthiswayandthat,admiringthemandlovingthem;andwhenthelightstruckinto them theyWASbeautiful, sure;why, they seemed to kind of bust, andsnapfireoutallaround.ButallthesameIjudgedhewasafool.IfIhadbeenhimIwouldahandedthedi'mondstothempalsandgotthemtogoashoreandleavemealone.Buthewasmadedifferent.Hesaiditwasawholefortuneandhecouldn'tbeartheidea.Twice we stopped to fix themachinery and laid a good while, once in thenight;butitwasn'tdarkenough,andhewasafeardtoskip.Butthethirdtimewehadtofixittherewasabetterchance.WelaidupatacountrywoodyardaboutfortymileaboveUncleSilas'splacealittleafteroneatnight,anditwasthickeningupandgoing to storm.So Jakehe laid forachance to slide.Webeguntotakeinwood.Prettysoontheraincomea-drenchingdown,andthewindblowedhard.Ofcourseeveryboat-handfixedagunnysackandputitonlikeabonnet,thewaytheydowhentheyaretotingwood,andwegotonefor

Jake, andhe slippeddownaftwithhishand-bagandcome tramping forrardjustliketherest,andwalkedashorewiththem,andwhenweseehimpassoutofthelightofthetorch-basketandgetswallowedupinthedark,wegotourbreath again and just felt grateful and splendid. But it wasn't for long.Somebodytold,Ireckon;forinabouteightortenminutesthemtwopalscometearingforrardastightastheycouldjumpanddartedashoreandwasgone.Wewaitedplumbtilldawnfor themtocomeback,andkepthopingtheywould,buttheyneverdid.Wewasawfulsorryandlow-spirited.Allthehopewehadwas thatJakehadgotsuchastart that theycouldn'tgetonhis track,andhewouldgettohisbrother'sandhidethereandbesafe.Hewasgoingtotaketheriverroad,andtoldustofindoutifBraceandJubiterwastohomeandnostrangersthere,andthenslipoutaboutsundownandtellhim.Saidhewouldwait for us in a little bunchof sycamores right backofTom'suncleSilas'stobackerfieldontheriverroad,alonesomeplace.Wesetandtalkedalongtimeabouthischances,andTomsaidhewasallrightif the pals struck up the river instead of down, but itwasn't likely, becausemaybetheyknowedwherehewasfrom;morelikelytheywouldgoright,anddoghimallday,himnotsuspecting,andkillhimwhenitcomedark,andtaketheboots.Sowewasprettysorrowful.

CHAPTERV.ATRAGEDYINTHEWOODS

WEdidn'tgetdonetinkeringthemachinerytillawaylateintheafternoon,andsoitwassoclosetosundownwhenwegothomethatweneverstoppedonourroad,butmadeabreakforthesycamoresastightaswecouldgo,totellJakewhatthedelaywas,andhavehimwaittillwecouldgotoBrace'sandfindouthow things was there. It was getting pretty dim by the time we turned thecorner of the woods, sweating and panting with that long run, and see thesycamoresthirtyyardsaheadofus;andjustthenweseeacoupleofmenrunintothebunchandheardtwoorthreeterriblescreamsforhelp."PoorJakeiskilled,sure,"wesays.Wewasscaredthroughandthrough,andbrokeforthetobacker field andhid there, trembling soour clotheswouldhardly stayon;andjustasweskippedinthere,acoupleofmenwenttearingby,andintothebunchtheywent,andinasecondoutjumpsfourmenandtookoutuptheroadastightastheycouldgo,twochasingtwo.Welaiddown,kindofweakandsick,andlistenedformoresounds,butdidn'thearnoneforagoodwhilebutjustourhearts.Wewasthinkingofthatawfulthinglayingyonderinthesycamores,anditseemedlikebeingthatclosetoaghost,anditgivemethecoldshudders.Themooncomea-swellingupoutoftheground,now,powerfulbigandroundandbright,behindacomboftrees,

like a face looking through prison bars, and the black shadders and whiteplacesbeguntocreeparound,anditwasmiserablequietandstillandnight-breezyandgraveyardyandscary.AllofasuddenTomwhispers:"Look!—what'sthat?""Don't!"Isays."Don'ttakeapersonbysurprisethatway.I'm'mostreadytodie,anyway,withoutyoudoingthat.""Look,Itellyou.It'ssomethingcomingoutofthesycamores.""Don't,Tom!""It'sterribletall!""Oh,lordy-lordy!let's—""Keepstill—it'sa-comingthisway."Hewassoexcitedhecouldhardlygetbreathenoughtowhisper.Ihadtolook.Icouldn'thelpit.Sonowwewasbothonourkneeswithourchinsonafencerailandgazing—yes,andgaspingtoo.Itwascomingdowntheroad—comingintheshadderofthetrees,andyoucouldn'tseeitgood;nottillitwasprettyclose to us; then it stepped into a bright splotch ofmoonlight andwe sunkrightdowninourtracks—itwasJakeDunlap'sghost!Thatwaswhatwesaidtoourselves.Wecouldn'tstir foraminuteor two; thenitwasgone.Wetalkedabout it inlowvoices.Tomsays:"They'remostlydimandsmoky,orlikethey'remadeoutoffog,butthisonewasn't.""No,"Isays;"Iseenthegogglesandthewhiskersperfectlyplain.""Yes, and the very colors in them loud countrified Sunday clothes—plaidbreeches,greenandblack—""Cottonvelvetwestcot,fire-redandyallersquares—""Leatherstraps to thebottomsof thebreeches legsandoneof themhangingunbottoned—""Yes,andthathat—""Whatahatforaghosttowear!"You see it was the first season anybodywore that kind—a black stiff-brimstove-pipe, very high, and not smooth,with a round top—just like a sugar-loaf."Didyounoticeifitshairwasthesame,Huck?""No—seemstomeIdid,thenagainitseemstomeIdidn't.""Ididn'teither;butithaditsbagalong,Inoticedthat."

"SodidI.Howcantherebeaghost-bag,Tom?""Sho! Iwouldn'tbeas ignorantas that if Iwasyou,HuckFinn.Whateveraghosthas,turnstoghost-stuff.They'vegottohavetheirthings,likeanybodyelse.Yousee,yourself, that itsclotheswas turned toghost-stuff.Well, then,what'stohenderitsbagfromturning,too?Ofcourseitdoneit."That was reasonable. I couldn't find no fault with it. Bill Withers and hisbrotherJackcomealongby,talking,andJacksays:"Whatdoyoureckonhewastoting?""Idunno;butitwasprettyheavy.""Yes,allhecouldlug.NiggerstealingcornfromoldParsonSilas,Ijudged.""SodidI.AndsoIallowedIwouldn'tletontoseehim.""That'sme,too."Thentheybothlaughed,andwentonoutofhearing.ItshowedhowunpopularoldUncleSilashadgottobenow.Theywouldn't'a'letaniggerstealanybodyelse'scornandneverdoneanythingtohim.Weheardsomemorevoicesmumblingalong towardsusandgetting louder,andsometimesacackleofalaugh.ItwasLemBeebeandJimLane.JimLanesays:"Who?—JubiterDunlap?""Yes.""Oh, I don't know. I reckon so. I seen him spading up some ground alongaboutanhourago,justbeforesundown—himandtheparson.Saidheguessedhewouldn'tgoto-night,butwecouldhavehisdogifwewantedhim.""Tootired,Ireckon.""Yes—workssohard!""Oh,youbet!"Theycackled at that, andwentonby.Tomsaidwebetter jumpout and tagalong after them, because they was going our way and it wouldn't becomfortable to runacross theghostallbyourselves.Sowedone it, andgothomeallright.Thatnightwas thesecondofSeptember—aSaturday. Isha'n'teverforget it.You'llseewhy,prettysoon.

CHAPTERVI.PLANSTOSECURETHEDIAMONDS

WEtrampedalongbehindJimandLemtillwecometothebackstilewhereoldJim'scabinwas thathewascaptivated in, the timewesethimfree,andherecomethedogspilingaroundustosayhowdy,andtherewasthelightsofthehouse,too;sowewarn'tafeardanymore,andwasgoingtoclimbover,butTomsays:"Holdon;setdownhereaminute.ByGeorge!""What'sthematter?"saysI."Matterenough!"hesays."Wasn'tyouexpectingwewouldbethefirsttotellthefamilywhoitisthat'sbeenkilledyonderinthesycamores,andallaboutthemrapscallionsthatdoneit,andaboutthedi'mondsthey'vesmouchedoffofthe corpse, and paint it up fine, and have the glory of being the ones thatknowsalotmoreaboutitthananybodyelse?""Why, of course. Itwouldn't be you, TomSawyer, if youwas to let such achancegoby.Ireckonitain'tgoingtosuffernoneforlackofpaint,"Isays,"whenyoustartintoscollopthefacts.""Well,now,"hesays,perfectlyca'm,"whatwouldyousayifIwastotellyouIain'tgoingtostartinatall?"Iwasastonishedtohearhimtalkso.Isays:"I'dsayit'salie.Youain'tinearnest,TomSawyer?""You'llsoonsee.Wastheghostbarefooted?""No,itwasn't.Whatofit?""Youwait—I'llshowyouwhat.Didithaveitsbootson?""Yes.Iseenthemplain.""Swearit?""Yes,Iswearit.""SodoI.Nowdoyouknowwhatthatmeans?""No.Whatdoesitmean?""MeansthatthemthievesDIDN'TGETTHEDI'MONDS.""Jimminy!Whatmakesyouthinkthat?""Idon'tonlythinkit,Iknowit.Didn'tthebreechesandgogglesandwhiskersandhand-bagandeveryblessedthingturntoghost-stuff?Everythingithadonturned,didn't it? It shows that thereason itsboots turned toowasbecause itstillhad themonafter itstarted togoha'ntingaround,and if thatain'tproofthatthemblatherskitesdidn'tgettheboots,I'dliketoknowwhatyou'dCALLproof."Thinkofthatnow.Ineverseesuchaheadasthatboyhad.Why,Ihadeyes

andIcouldseethings,buttheynevermeantnothingtome.ButTomSawyerwasdifferent.WhenTomSawyerseena thing it justgotupon itshind legsandTALKEDtohim—toldhimeverythingitknowed.Ineverseesuchahead."TomSawyer,"Isays,"I'llsayitagainasI'vesaiditamanyatimebefore:Iain't fitten to black your boots. But that's all right—that's neither here northere.GodAlmightymade us all, and someHe gives eyes that's blind, andsomeHegiveseyesthatcansee,andIreckonitain'tnoneofourlookoutwhatHedoneitfor;it'sallright,orHe'd'a'fixeditsomeotherway.Goon—Iseeplentyplainenough,now,thatthemthievesdidn'tgetwaywiththedi'monds.Whydidn'tthey,doyoureckon?""Becausetheygotchasedawaybythemothertwomenbeforetheycouldpullthebootsoffofthecorpse.""That'sso!Iseeitnow.Butlookyhere,Tom,whyain'twetogoandtellaboutit?""Oh,shucks,HuckFinn,can'tyousee?Lookatit.What'sa-goingtohappen?There'sgoing tobean inquest in themorning.Them twomenwill tellhowtheyheardtheyellsandrushedtherejustintimetonotsavethestranger.Thenthe jury'll twaddle and twaddle and twaddle, and finally they'll fetch in averdictthathegotshotorstuckorbustedovertheheadwithsomething,andcome to his death by the inspiration of God. And after they've buried himthey'llauctionoffhisthingsfortopaytheexpenses,andthen'sOURchance.""How,Tom?""Buythebootsfortwodollars!"Well,it'mosttookmybreath."Myland!Why,Tom,WE'LLgetthedi'monds!""You bet. Some day there'll be a big reward offered for them—a thousanddollars,sure.That'sourmoney!Nowwe'lltrotinandseethefolks.Andmindyou we don't know anything about any murder, or any di'monds, or anythieves—don'tyouforgetthat."I had to sigh a little over the way he had got it fixed. I'd 'a' SOLD themdi'monds—yes,sir—fortwelvethousanddollars;butIdidn'tsayanything.Itwouldn'tdoneanygood.Isays:"Butwhat arewegoing to tell your auntSally hasmadeus so longgettingdownherefromthevillage,Tom?""Oh,I'llleavethattoyou,"hesays."Ireckonyoucanexplainitsomehow."Hewasalwaysjustthatstrictanddelicate.Heneverwouldtellaliehimself.Westruckacrossthebigyard,noticingthis,that,andt'otherthingthatwassofamiliar, andwe soglad to see it again, andwhenwegot to the roofedbig

passageway betwixt the double log house and the kitchen part, there waseverythinghangingonthewalljustasitusedtowas,eventoUncleSilas'soldfadedgreenbaizeworking-gownwiththehoodtoit,andraggedywhitepatchbetween theshoulders thatalways looked likesomebodyhadhithimwithasnowball;andthenweliftedthelatchandwalkedin.AuntSallyshewasjusta-ripping and a-tearing around, and the childrenwas huddled in one corner,andtheoldmanhewashuddledintheotherandprayingforhelpintimeofneed.Shejumpedforuswithjoyandtearsrunningdownherfaceandgiveusawhackingboxon theear, and thenhuggedus andkissedus andboxedusagain,andjustcouldn'tseemtogetenoughofit,shewassogladtoseeus;andshesays:"WhereHAVEyou been a-loafing to, you good-for-nothing trash! I've beenthatworriedaboutyouIdidn'tknowwhattodo.Yourtrapshasbeenhereeversolong,andI'vehadsuppercookedfreshaboutfourtimessoastohaveithotandgoodwhenyoucome,tillatlastmypatienceisjustplumbworeout,andIdeclareI—I—whyIcouldskinyoualive!Youmustbestarving,poorthings!—setdown,setdown,everybody;don'tlosenomoretime."Itwasgood tobe thereagainbehindall thatnoblecorn-poneand spareribs,and everything that you could ever want in this world. Old Uncle Silas hepeeledoffoneofhisbulliestold-timeblessings,withasmanylayerstoitasanonion,andwhilsttheangelswashaulingintheslackofitIwastryingtostudyupwhattosayaboutwhatkeptussolong.Whenourplateswasallloadenedandwe'dgota-going,sheaskedme,andIsays:"Well,yousee,—er—Mizzes—""HuckFinn!SincewhenamIMizzestoyou?HaveIeverbeenstingyofcuffsorkissesforyousincethedayyoustoodinthisroomandItookyouforTomSawyer and blessed God for sending you to me, though you told me fourthousandliesandIbelievedeveryoneofthemlikeasimpleton?CallmeAuntSally—likeyoualwaysdone."SoIdoneit.AndIsays:"Well,meandTomallowedwewouldcomealongafootandtakeasmellofthewoods,andwerunacrossLemBeebeandJimLane,andtheyaskedustogo with them blackberrying to-night, and said they could borrow JubiterDunlap'sdog,becausehehadtoldthemjustthatminute—""Wheredidtheyseehim?"saystheoldman;andwhenIlookeduptoseehowHEcometotakeanintrustinalittlethinglikethat,hiseyeswasjustburningintome,hewasthateager.Itsurprisedmesoitkindofthrowedmeoff,butIpulledmyselftogetheragainandsays:"It was when he was spading up some ground along with you, towardssundownoralongthere."

Heonlysaid,"Um,"inakindofadisappointedway,anddidn'ttakenomoreintrust.SoIwenton.Isays:"Well,then,asIwasa-saying—""That'lldo,youneedn'tgonofurder."ItwasAuntSally.Shewasboringrightintomewithhereyes,andveryindignant."HuckFinn,"shesays,"how'dthemmen come to talk about going a-black-berrying in September—in THISregion?"IseeIhadslippedup,andIcouldn'tsayaword.Shewaited,stilla-gazingatme,thenshesays:"Andhow'dtheycometostrikethatidiotideaofgoinga-blackberryinginthenight?""Well,m'm,they—er—theytoldustheyhadalantern,and—""Oh,SHETup—do!Lookyhere;whatwas theygoing todowith adog?—huntblackberrieswithit?""Ithink,m'm,they—""Now, Tom Sawyer, what kind of a lie are you fixing YOUR mouth tocontribit to this mess of rubbage? Speak out—and I warn you before youbegin,thatIdon'tbelieveawordofit.YouandHuck'sbeenuptosomethingyounobusinessto—Iknowitperfectlywell;Iknowyou,BOTHofyou.Nowyouexplain thatdog,and themblackberries, and the lantern, and the restofthatrot—andmindyoutalkasstraightasastring—doyouhear?"Tomhelookedconsiderablehurt,andsays,verydignified:"ItisapityifHuckistobetalkedtothatway,justformakingalittlebitofamistakethatanybodycouldmake.""Whatmistakehashemade?""Why, only the mistake of saying blackberries when of course he meantstrawberries.""TomSawyer,Ilayifyouaggravatemealittlemore,I'll—""AuntSally,withoutknowingit—andofcoursewithoutintendingit—youareinthewrong.Ifyou'd'a'studiednaturalhistorythewayyouought,youwouldknowthatallovertheworldexceptjusthereinArkansawtheyALWAYShuntstrawberrieswithadog—andalantern—"Butshebustedinonhimthereandjustpiledintohimandsnowedhimunder.Shewassomadshecouldn'tget thewordsout fastenough,andshegushedthemoutinoneeverlastingfreshet.ThatwaswhatTomSawyerwasafter.Heallowedtoworkherupandgetherstartedandthenleaveheraloneandletherburnherselfout.Thenshewouldbesoaggravatedwith thatsubject thatshe

wouldn't say anotherword about it, nor let anybody else.Well, it happenedjustso.Whenshewastuckeredoutandhadtoholdup,hesays,quiteca'm:"Andyet,allthesame,AuntSally—""Shetup!"shesays,"Idon'twanttohearanotherwordoutofyou."Sowewas perfectly safe, then, and didn't have nomore trouble about thatdelay.Tomdoneitelegant.

CHAPTERVII.ANIGHT'SVIGIL

BENNYshewaslookingprettysober,andshesighedsome,nowandthen;butprettysoonshegottoaskingaboutMary,andSid,andTom'sauntPolly,andthenAuntSally'scloudsclearedoffandshegotinagoodhumorandjoinedinonthequestionsandwasherlovingestbestself,andsotherestofthesupperwentalonggayandpleasant.Buttheoldmanhedidn'ttakeanyhandhardly,and was absent-minded and restless, and done a considerable amount ofsighing;anditwaskindofheart-breakingtoseehimsosadandtroubledandworried.Byandby,aspellaftersupper,comeaniggerandknockedon thedoorandputhishead inwithhisold strawhat inhishandbowingand scraping, andsaid hisMarse Brace was out at the stile and wanted his brother, and wasgetting tiredwaiting supper for him, andwouldMarseSilas please tell himwherehewas?IneverseeUncleSilasspeakupsosharpandfractiousbefore.Hesays:"AmIhisbrother'skeeper?"Andthenhekindofwiltedtogether,andlookedlikehewishedhehadn't spokenso,and thenhe says,verygentle: "Butyouneedn't say that,Billy; Iwas tooksuddenand irritable, and Iain'tverywellthesedays,andnothardlyresponsible.Tellhimheain'there."Andwhentheniggerwasgonehegotupandwalkedthefloor,backwardsandforwards,mumblingandmutteringtohimselfandplowinghishandsthroughhishair.Itwasrealpitifultoseehim.AuntSallyshewhisperedtousandtoldus not to take notice of him, it embarrassed him. She said he was alwaysthinkingandthinking,sincethesetroublescomeon,andsheallowedhedidn'tmore'nabouthalfknowwhathewasaboutwhen the thinkingspellswasonhim;andshesaidhewalkedinhissleepconsiderablemorenowthanheusedto,andsometimeswanderedaroundoverthehouseandevenoutdoorsinhissleep,andifwecatchedhimatitwemustlethimaloneandnotdisturbhim.Shesaidshereckoneditdidn'tdohimnoharm,andmaybeitdonehimgood.ShesaidBennywastheonlyonethatwasmuchhelptohimthesedays.SaidBennyappearedtoknowjustwhentotrytosoothehimandwhentoleavehim

alone.Sohekeptontrampingupanddownthefloorandmuttering,tillbyandbyhebegun to lookpretty tired; thenBennyshewentandsnuggledup tohissideandputonehandinhisandonearmaroundhiswaistandwalkedwithhim;andhesmileddownonher,andreacheddownandkissedher;andso,littlebylittlethetroublewentoutofhisfaceandshepersuadedhimofftohisroom.Theyhadverypettingwaystogether,anditwasuncommonprettytosee.AuntSallyshewasbusygettingthechildrenreadyforbed;sobyandbyitgotdullandtedious,andmeandTomtookaturninthemoonlight,andfetchedupinthewatermelon-patchandetone,andhadagooddealoftalk.AndTomsaidhe'dbetthequarrelingwasallJubiter'sfault,andhewasgoingtobeonhandthefirsttimehegotachance,andsee;andifitwasso,hewasgoingtodohislevelbesttogetUncleSilastoturnhimoff.And sowe talked and smokedand stuffedwatermelonsmuchas twohours,and then itwas pretty late, andwhenwe got back the housewas quiet anddark,andeverybodygonetobed.Tomhealwaysseeneverything,andnowheseethattheoldgreenbaizework-gownwasgone,andsaid itwasn'tgonewhenhewentout; soheallowed itwascurious,andthenwewentuptobed.WecouldhearBennystirringaroundinherroom,whichwasnexttoourn,andjudgedshewasworriedagooddealabouther fatherandcouldn't sleep.Wefoundwecouldn't,neither.Sowesetupalongtime,andsmokedandtalkedinalowvoice,andfeltprettydullanddown-hearted.Wetalkedthemurderandtheghostoverandoveragain,andgotsocreepyandcrawlywecouldn'tgetsleepynohowandnoway.By and by,when it was away late in the night and all the soundswas latesoundsandsolemn,Tomnudgedmeandwhisperstometolook,andIdoneit,and therewe see aman poking around in the yard like he didn't know justwhat hewanted to do, but itwas pretty dimandwe couldn't see himgood.Thenhestartedforthestile,andashewentoveritthemooncameoutstrong,and he had a long-handled shovel over his shoulder, and we see the whitepatchontheoldwork-gown.SoTomsays:"He's a-walking in his sleep. Iwishwewas allowed to followhim and seewhere he's going to. There, he's turned down by the tobacker-field. Out ofsightnow.It'sadreadfulpityhecan'trestnobetter."Wewaitedalongtime,buthedidn'tcomebackanymore,orifhedidhecomearoundtheotherway;soatlastwewastuckeredoutandwenttosleepandhadnightmares,amillionofthem.Butbeforedawnwewasawakeagain,becausemeantimeastormhadcomeupandbeenraging,andthethunderandlightningwas awful, and thewindwas a-thrashing the trees around, and the rainwas

drivingdowninslantingsheets,andthegullieswasrunningrivers.Tomsays:"Lookyhere,Huck,I'lltellyouonethingthat'smightycurious.Uptothetimewe went out last night the family hadn't heard about Jake Dunlap beingmurdered.NowthementhatchasedHalClaytonandBudDixonawaywouldspread the thing around in a half an hour, and every neighbor that heard itwouldshinoutandflyaroundfromonefarmtot'otherandtrytobethefirsttotell thenews.Land, theydon't have such abig thing as that to tell twice inthirtyyear!Huck,it'smightystrange;Idon'tunderstandit."Sothenhewasinafidgetfortheraintoletup,sowecouldturnoutandrunacrosssomeof thepeopleandsee if theywouldsayanythingabout it tous.Andhesaidiftheydidwemustbehorriblysurprisedandshocked.Wewasoutandgonetheminutetherainstopped.Itwasjustbroaddaythen.Weloafedalonguptheroad,andnowandthenmetapersonandstoppedandsaidhowdy,andtoldthemwhenwecome,andhowweleftthefolksathome,andhowlongwewasgoingtostay,andallthat,butnoneofthemsaidawordabout that thing; which was just astonishing, and no mistake. Tom said hebelieved ifwewent to the sycamoreswewould find that body laying theresolitaryandalone,andnotasoularound.Saidhebelievedthemenchasedthethievessofarintothewoodsthatthethievesprob'lyseenagoodchanceandturned on them at last, and maybe they all killed each other, and so therewasn'tanybodylefttotell.Firstwe knowed, gabbling along that away,wewas right at the sycamores.ThecoldchillstrickleddownmybackandIwouldn'tbudgeanotherstep,forallTom'spersuading.Buthecouldn'tholdin;he'dGOTtoseeifthebootswassafeonthatbodyyet.Sohecropein—andthenextminuteouthecomeagainwithhiseyesbulginghewassoexcited,andsays:"Huck,it'sgone!"IWASastonished!Isays:"Tom,youdon'tmeanit.""It'sgone,sure.Thereain'tasignof it.Theground is trampledsome,but iftherewasanybloodit'sallwashedawaybythestorm,forit'sallpuddlesandslushinthere."AtlastIgivein,andwentandtookalookmyself;anditwasjustasTomsaid—therewasn'tasignofacorpse."Dern it," I says, "the di'monds is gone.Don't you reckon the thieves slunkbackandluggedhimoff,Tom?""Lookslikeit.Itjustdoes.Nowwhere'dtheyhidehim,doyoureckon?""Idon'tknow," I says,disgusted, "andwhat'smore Idon'tcare.They'vegot

theboots,andthat'sallIcaredabout.He'lllayaroundthesewoodsalongtimebeforeIhunthimup."Tomdidn't feel nomore intrust in himneither, only curiosity to knowwhatcomeofhim;buthesaidwe'dlaylowandkeepdarkanditwouldn'tbelongtillthedogsorsomebodyroustedhimout.We went back home to breakfast ever so bothered and put out anddisappointedandswindled.Iwarn'teversodownonacorpsebefore.

CHAPTERVIII.TALKINGWITHTHEGHOST

ITwarn'tverycheerfulatbreakfast.AuntSallyshelookedoldandtiredandletthechildrensnarlandfussatoneanotheranddidn'tseemtonoticeitwasgoing on, which wasn't her usual style; me and Tom had a plenty to thinkaboutwithouttalking;Bennyshelookedlikeshehadn'thadmuchsleep,andwhenever she'd lift her head a little and steal a look towards her father youcouldseetherewastearsinhereyes;andasfortheoldman,histhingsstayedonhisplateandgotcoldwithouthimknowingtheywasthere,Ireckon,forhewasthinkingandthinkingall thetime,andneversaidawordandneveretabite.By and bywhen itwas stillest, that nigger's headwas poked in at the dooragain,andhesaidhisMarseBracewasgettingpowerfuluneasyaboutMarseJubiter,whichhadn'tcomehomeyet,andwouldMarseSilasplease—Hewaslooking atUncleSilas, andhe stopped there, like the rest of hiswordswasfroze; for Uncle Silas he rose up shaky and steadied himself leaning hisfingersonthe table,andhewaspanting,andhiseyeswassetonthenigger,andhekept swallowing, andputhisotherhandup tohis throat a coupleoftimes,andatlasthegothiswordsstarted,andsays:"Does he—does he—think—WHAT does he think! Tell him—tell him—"Then he sunk down in his chair limp andweak, and says, so as you couldhardlyhearhim:"Goaway—goaway!"Theniggerlookedscaredandclearedout,andweallfelt—well,Idon'tknowhowwefelt,butitwasawful,withtheoldmanpantingthere,andhiseyessetandlookinglikeapersonthatwasdying.Noneofuscouldbudge;butBennysheslidaroundsoft,withhertearsrunningdown,andstoodbyhisside,andnestledhisoldgrayheadupagainstherandbeguntostrokeitandpetitwithherhands,andnoddedtoustogoaway,andwedoneit,goingoutveryquiet,likethedeadwasthere.Me and Tom struck out for the woods mighty solemn, and saying howdifferent it was now to what it was last summer when we was here and

everything was so peaceful and happy and everybody thought so much ofUncleSilas,andhewassocheerfulandsimple-heartedandpudd'n-headedandgood—andnowlookathim.Ifhehadn'tlosthismindhewasn'tmuchshortofit.Thatwaswhatweallowed.Itwas amost lovelydaynow, andbright and sunshiny; and the further andfurtherwewentoverthehillstowardstheprairiethelovelierandlovelierthetrees and flowers got to be and the more it seemed strange and somehowwrongthat therehad tobe trouble insuchaworldas this.Andthenallofasudden I catchedmy breath and grabbed Tom's arm, and all my livers andlungsandthingsfelldownintomylegs."Thereitis!"Isays.Wejumpedbackbehindabushshivering,andTomsays:"'Sh!—don'tmakeanoise."Itwassettingonalogrightintheedgeofalittleprairie,thinking.ItriedtogetTomtocomeaway,buthewouldn't,andIdasn'tbudgebymyself.Hesaidwemightn'tevergetanotherchancetoseeone,andhewasgoingtolookhisfillatthisoneifhediedforit.SoIlookedtoo,thoughitgivemethefan-todstodoit.TomheHADtotalk,buthetalkedlow.Hesays:"PoorJakey,it'sgotallitsthingson,justashesaidhewould.NOWyouseewhatwewasn'tcertainabout—itshair. It'snot longnowtheway itwas: it'sgotitcroppedclosetoitshead,thewayhesaidhewould.Huck,IneverseeanythinglookanymorenaturalerthanwhatItdoes.""NorIneither,"Isays;"I'drecognizeitanywheres.""SowouldI.Itlooksperfectlysolidandgenuwyne,justthewayitdonebeforeitdied."Sowekepta-gazing.PrettysoonTomsays:"Huck, there'ssomethingmightycuriousabout thisone,don'tyouknow?IToughtn'ttobegoingaroundinthedaytime.""That'sso,Tom—Ineverheardthelikeofitbefore.""No,sir,theydon'tevercomeoutonlyatnight—andthennottillaftertwelve.There's something wrong about this one, now youmark my words. I don'tbelieveit'sgotanyrighttobearoundinthedaytime.Butdon'titlooknatural!Jakewasgoingtoplaydeefanddumbhere,sotheneighborswouldn'tknowhisvoice.Doyoureckonitwoulddothatifwewastoholleratit?""Lordy,Tom,don'ttalkso!IfyouwastoholleratitI'ddieinmytracks.""Don'tyouworry,Iain'tgoingtoholleratit.Look,Huck,it'sa-scratchingitshead—don'tyousee?""Well,whatofit?"

"Why, this.What's the sense of it scratching its head? There ain't anythingtheretoitch;itsheadismadeoutoffogorsomethinglikethat,andcan'titch.Afogcan'titch;anyfoolknowsthat.""Well,then,ifitdon'titchandcan'titch,whatinthenationisitscratchingitfor?Ain'titjusthabit,don'tyoureckon?""No,sir,Idon't.Iain'tabitsatisfiedaboutthewaythisoneacts.I'veablamegoodnotionit'sabogusone—Ihave,assureasI'ma-sittinghere.Because,ifit—Huck!""Well,what'sthematternow?""YOUCAN'TSEETHEBUSHESTHROUGHIT!""Why,Tom,it'sso,sure!It'sassolidasacow.Isortofbegintothink—""Huck,it'sbitingoffachawoftobacker!ByGeorge,THEYdon'tchaw—theyhain'tgotanythingtochawWITH.Huck!""I'ma-listening.""Itain'taghostatall.It'sJakeDunlaphisownself!""Ohyourgranny!"Isays."HuckFinn,didwefindanycorpseinthesycamores?""No.""Oranysignofone?""No.""Mightygoodreason.Hadn'teverbeenanycorpsethere.""Why,Tom,youknowweheard—""Yes, we did—heard a howl or two. Does that prove anybody was killed?Course itdon't.Andweseen fourmen run, then thisonecomewalkingoutandwetookitforaghost.Nomoreghostthanyouare.ItwasJakeDunlaphisown self, and it's JakeDunlapnow.He's been andgothis hair cropped, thewayhesaidhewould,andhe'splayinghimselfforastranger,justthesameashesaidhewould.Ghost?Hum!—he'sassoundasanut."ThenIseeitall,andhowwehadtooktoomuchforgranted.Iwaspowerfulgladhedidn'tgetkilled,andsowasTom,andwewonderedwhichhewouldlikethebest—forustoneverletontoknowhim,orhow?Tomreckonedthebestwaywouldbetogoandaskhim.Sohestarted;butIkeptalittlebehind,because I didn't know but it might be a ghost, after all.When Tom got towherehewas,hesays:"MeandHuck'smightygladtoseeyouagain,andyouneedn'tbeafearedwe'lltell.Andifyouthinkit'llbesaferforyouifwedon'tletontoknowyouwhen

we run across you, say theword and you'll see you can depend on us, andwouldruthercutourhandsoffthangetyouintotheleastlittlebitofdanger."Firstoffhelookedsurprisedtoseeus,andnotveryglad,either;butasTomwentonhelookedpleasanter,andwhenhewasdonehesmiled,andnoddedhisheadseveraltimes,andmadesignswithhishands,andsays:"Goo-goo—goo-goo,"thewaydeefanddummiesdoes.Just thenwesee someofSteveNickerson'speoplecoming that lived t'othersideoftheprairie,soTomsays:"Youdoitelegant;Ineverseeanybodydoitbetter.You'reright;playitonus,too;playitonussameastheothers;it'llkeepyouinpracticeandpreventyoumakingblunders.We'llkeepawayfromyouandletonwedon'tknowyou,butanytimewecanbeanyhelp,youjustletusknow."ThenweloafedalongpasttheNickersons,andofcoursetheyaskedifthatwasthenewstrangeryonder,andwhere'dhecomefrom,andwhatwashisname,andwhichcommunionwashe,Babtis'orMethodis',andwhichpolitics,WhigorDemocrat, and how long is he staying, and all them other questions thathumansalwaysaskswhenastrangercomes,andanimalsdoes,too.ButTomsaidhewarn'tabletomakeanythingoutofdeefanddumbsigns,andthesamewith goo-gooing.Thenwewatched themgo and bullyrag Jake; becausewewas pretty uneasy for him. Tom said it would take him days to get so hewouldn'tforgethewasadeefanddummysometimes,andspeakoutbeforehethought.WhenwehadwatchedlongenoughtoseethatJakewasgettingalongallrightandworkinghissignsverygood,weloafedalongagain,allowingtostriketheschoolhouseaboutrecesstime,whichwasathree-miletramp.IwassodisappointednottohearJaketellabouttherowinthesycamores,andhownearhecometogettingkilled,thatIcouldn'tseemtogetoverit,andTomhefeltthesame,butsaidifwewasinJake'sfixwewouldwanttogocarefulandkeepstillandnottakeanychances.Theboysandgirlswasallgladtoseeusagain,andwehadarealgoodtimeallthrough recess. Coming to school theHenderson boys had come across thenewdeefanddummyand told therest;soall thescholarswaschuckfullofhimandcouldn'ttalkaboutanythingelse,andwasinasweattogetasightofhim because they hadn't ever seen a deef and dummy in their lives, and itmadeapowerfulexcitement.Tomsaiditwastoughtohavetokeepmumnow;saidwewouldbeheroesifwe could come out and tell all we knowed; but after all, it was still moreheroictokeepmum,therewarn'ttwoboysinamillioncoulddoit.ThatwasTomSawyer'sideaaboutit,andIreckonedtherewarn'tanybodycouldbetterit.

CHAPTERIX.FINDINGOFJUBITERDUNLAP

INthenexttwoorthreedaysDummyhegottobepowerfulpopular.Hewentassociatingaroundwiththeneighbors,andtheymademuchofhim,andwasproud to have such a rattling curiosity among them. They had him tobreakfast, they had him to dinner, they had him to supper; they kept himloaded up with hog and hominy, and warn't ever tired staring at him andwondering over him, andwishing they knowedmore about him, hewas souncommon and romantic. His signs warn't no good; people couldn'tunderstandthemandheprob'lycouldn'thimself,buthedoneasightofgoo-gooing, and so everybodywas satisfied, and admired to hear him go it.Hetotedapieceof slatearound,andapencil;andpeoplewrotequestionson itand he wrote answers; but there warn't anybody could read his writing butBraceDunlap.Bracesaidhecouldn'treaditverygood,buthecouldmanageto dig out themeaningmost of the time.He saidDummy said he belongedawayoffsomersandusedtobewelloff,butgotbustedbyswindlerswhichhehadtrusted,andwaspoornow,andhadn'tanywaytomakealiving.EverybodypraisedBraceDunlapforbeingsogoodtothatstranger.Helethimhavea little log-cabinall tohimself,andhadhisniggers takecareof it,andfetchhimallthevittleshewanted.Dummy was at our house some, because old Uncle Silas was so afflictedhimself,thesedays,thatanybodyelsethatwasafflictedwasacomforttohim.MeandTomdidn'tletonthatwehadknowedhimbefore,andhedidn'tletonthathehadknowedusbefore.Thefamilytalkedtheirtroublesoutbeforehimthesameasifhewasn'tthere,butwereckoneditwasn'tanyharmforhimtohearwhattheysaid.Generlyhedidn'tseemtonotice,butsometimeshedid.Well,twoorthreedayswentalong,andeverybodygottogettinguneasyaboutJubiterDunlap.Everybodywas askingeverybody if theyhadany ideawhathadbecomeofhim.No,theyhadn't,theysaid:andtheyshooktheirheadsandsaidtherewassomethingpowerfulstrangeaboutit.Anotherandanotherdaywentby;thentherewasareportgotaroundthatprapshewasmurdered.Youbet it made a big stir! Everybody's tongue was clacking away after that.Saturday twoor threegangs turnedout andhunted thewoods to see if theycouldrunacrosshisremainders.MeandTomhelped,anditwasnoblegoodtimesandexciting.Tomhewas sobrimfulof ithecouldn't eatnor rest.Hesaid if we could find that corpse wewould be celebrated, andmore talkedaboutthanifwegotdrownded.Theothersgottiredandgiveitup;butnotTomSawyer—thatwarn'thisstyle.Saturday night he didn't sleep any, hardly, trying to think up a plan; andtowardsdaylightinthemorninghestruckit.Hesnakedmeoutofbedandwas

allexcited,andsays:"Quick,Huck,snatchonyourclothes—I'vegotit!Bloodhound!"In two minutes we was tearing up the river road in the dark towards thevillage. Old Jeff Hooker had a bloodhound, and Tomwas going to borrowhim.Isays:"Thetrail'stooold,Tom—andbesides,it'srained,youknow.""Itdon'tmakeanydifference,Huck.Ifthebody'shidinthewoodsanywherearoundthehoundwillfindit.Ifhe'sbeenmurderedandburied,theywouldn'tburyhimdeep,itain'tlikely,andifthedoggoesoverthespothe'llscenthim,sure.Huck,we'regoingtobecelebrated,sureasyou'reborn!"Hewas just a-blazing; andwhenever he got afire hewasmost likely to getafire all over. Thatwas theway this time. In twominutes he had got it allcipheredout,andwasn'tonlyjustgoingtofindthecorpse—no,hewasgoingto get on the trackof thatmurderer andhuntHIMdown, too; andnot onlythat,buthewasgoingtosticktohimtill—"Well,"Isays,"youbetterfindthecorpsefirst;Ireckonthat'sa-plentyforto-day.Forallweknow,thereAIN'Tany corpse and nobody hain't been murdered. That cuss could 'a' gone offsomersandnotbeenkilledatall."Thatgraveledhim,andhesays:"HuckFinn,Ineverseesuchapersonasyoutowanttospoileverything.AslongasYOUcan'tseeanythinghopefulinathing,youwon'tletanybodyelse.Whatgoodcan itdoyou to throwcoldwateron thatcorpseandgetup thatselfishtheorythatthereain'tbeenanymurder?Noneintheworld.Idon'tseehowyoucanactso.Iwouldn'ttreatyoulikethat,andyouknowit.Herewe'vegotanoblegoodopportunitytomakearuputation,and—""Oh,goahead,"Isays."I'msorry,andItakeitallback.Ididn'tmeannothing.Fixitanywayyouwantit.HEain'tanyconsequencetome.Ifhe'skilled,I'masgladofitasyouare;andifhe—""Ineversaidanythingaboutbeingglad;Ionly—""Well,then,I'masSORRYasyouare.Anywayyoudrutherhaveit,thatisthewayIdrutherhaveit.He—""Thereain'tanydruthersABOUTit,HuckFinn;nobodysaidanythingaboutdruthers.Andasfor—"Heforgothewastalking,andwenttrampingalong,studying.Hebeguntogetexcitedagain,andprettysoonhesays:"Huck, it'llbe thebulliest thingthateverhappenedifwefindthebodyaftereverybodyelsehasquitlooking,andthengoaheadandhuntupthemurderer.Itwon'tonlybeanhonortous,butit'llbeanhonortoUncleSilasbecauseit

wasusthatdoneit.It'llsethimupagain,youseeifitdon't."ButOldJeffHookerhe throwedcoldwateron thewholebusinesswhenwegottohisblacksmithshopandtoldhimwhatwecomefor."You can take the dog," he says, "but you ain't a-going to find any corpse,because there ain't any corpse to find.Everybody's quit looking, and they'reright.Soonastheycometothink,theyknowedtherewarn'tnocorpse.AndI'lltellyouforwhy.Whatdoesapersonkillanotherpersonfor,TomSawyer?—answermethat.""Why,he—er—""Answerup!Youain'tnofool.WhatdoeshekillhimFOR?""Well,sometimesit'sforrevenge,and—""Wait.One thingata time.Revenge,saysyou;andrightyouare.Nowwhoever had anything agin that poor trifling no-account? Who do you reckonwouldwanttokillHIM?—thatrabbit!"Tom was stuck. I reckon he hadn't thought of a person having to have aREASONforkillingapersonbefore,andnowheseesitwarn'tlikelyanybodywould have thatmuch of a grudge against a lamb like JubiterDunlap. Theblacksmithsays,byandby:"The revenge idea won't work, you see.Well, then, what's next? Robbery?B'gosh, thatmust 'a' been it, Tom!Yes, sirree, I reckonwe've struck it thistime.Somefellerwantedhisgallus-buckles,andsohe—"But itwas so funny he busted out laughing, and justwent on laughing andlaughingandlaughingtillhewas'mostdead,andTomlookedsoputoutandcheapthatIknowedhewasashamedhehadcome,andhewishedhehadn't.But oldHooker never let up on him.He raked up everything a person evercouldwanttokillanotherpersonabout,andanyfoolcouldseetheydidn'tanyofthemfitthiscase,andhejustmadenoendoffunofthewholebusinessandofthepeoplethathadbeenhuntingthebody;andhesaid:"If they'd had any sense they'd 'a' knowed the lazy cuss slid out becausehewantedaloafingspellafterallthiswork.He'llcomepotteringbackinacoupleofweeks,andthenhow'llyoufellersfeel?But,lawsblessyou,takethedog,andgoandhunthisremainders.Do,Tom."Then he busted out, and had another of them forty-rod laughs of hisn.Tomcouldn'tbackdownafterallthis,sohesaid,"Allright,unchainhim;"andtheblacksmithdoneit,andwestartedhomeandleftthatoldmanlaughingyet.Itwasalovelydog.Thereain'tanydogthat'sgotalovelierdispositionthanabloodhound, and this one knowed us and liked us. He capered and racedaroundeversofriendly,andpowerfulgladtobefreeandhaveaholiday;but

Tomwassocutuphecouldn'ttakeanyintrustinhim,andsaidhewishedhe'dstoppedandthoughtaminutebeforeheeverstartedonsuchafoolerrand.HesaidoldJeffHookerwouldtelleverybody,andwe'dneverhearthelastofit.Sowe loafed alonghomedown the back lanes, feelingpretty glumandnottalking.Whenwewaspassingthefarcornerofourtobackerfieldweheardthedog set up a long howl in there, and we went to the place and he wasscratchingthegroundwithallhismight,andeverynowandthencantinguphisheadsidewaysandfetchinganotherhowl.Itwasalongsquare,theshapeofagrave;therainhadmadeitsinkdownandshow the shape. The minute we come and stood there we looked at oneanotherandneversaidaword.Whenthedoghaddugdownonlyafewincheshegrabbedsomethingandpulleditup,anditwasanarmandasleeve.Tomkindofgaspedout,andsays:"Comeaway,Huck—it'sfound."I just felt awful.Westruck for the roadand fetched the firstmen that comealong.Theygotaspadeat thecribanddugout thebody,andyouneverseesuchanexcitement.Youcouldn'tmakeanythingoutoftheface,butyoudidn'tneedto.Everybodysaid:"PoorJubiter;it'shisclothes,tothelastrag!"Somerushedofftospreadthenewsandtellthejusticeofthepeaceandhaveaninquest,andmeandTomlitoutforthehouse.Tomwasallafireand'mostoutofbreathwhenwecometearinginwhereUncleSilasandAuntSallyandBennywas.Tomsungout:"Me and Huck's found Jubiter Dunlap's corpse all by ourselves with abloodhound, after everybodyelsehadquit huntingandgiven it up; and if ithadn'tabeenforusitneverWOULD'a'beenfound;andheWASmurderedtoo—theydoneitwithacluborsomethinglikethat;andI'mgoingtostartinandfindthemurderer,next,andIbetI'lldoit!"AuntSallyandBennysprunguppaleandastonished,butUncleSilasfellrightforwardoutofhischairontothefloorandgroansout:"Oh,myGod,you'vefoundhimNOW!"

CHAPTERX.THEARRESTOFUNCLESILAS

THEMawfulwordsfrozeussolid.Wecouldn'tmovehandorfootforasmuchashalfaminute.Thenwekindofcometo,andliftedtheoldmanupandgothimintohischair,andBennypettedhimandkissedhimandtriedtocomforthim,andpooroldAuntSallyshedonethesame;but,poorthings,theywasso

broke up and scared and knocked out of their right minds that they didn'thardlyknowwhat theywasabout.WithTomitwasawful; it 'mostpetrifiedhimto thinkmaybehehadgothisuncle intoa thousand timesmore troublethanever,andmaybeitwouldn'teverhappenedifhehadn'tbeensoambitioustogetcelebrated,andletthecorpsealonethewaytheothersdone.Butprettysoonhesortofcometohimselfagainandsays:"UncleSilas, don't you say anotherword like that. It's dangerous, and thereain'tashadderoftruthinit."Aunt Sally andBennywas thankful to hear him say that, and they said thesame; but the oldmanhewagged his head sorrowful and hopeless, and thetearsrundownhisface,andhesays;"No—Idoneit;poorJubiter,Idoneit!"Itwasdreadfultohearhimsayit.Thenhewentonandtoldaboutit,andsaidithappenedthedaymeandTomcome—alongaboutsundown.HesaidJubiterpestered him and aggravated him till hewas somad he just sort of lost hismindandgrabbedupastickandhithimovertheheadwithallhismight,andJubiterdroppedinhistracks.Thenhewasscaredandsorry,andgotdownonhiskneesandliftedhisheadup,andbeggedhimtospeakandsayhewasn'tdead; andbefore longhe come to, andwhenhe seewho itwasholdinghishead,hejumpedlikehewas'mostscaredtodeath,andclearedthefenceandtoreintothewoods,andwasgone.Sohehopedhewasn'thurtbad."Butlaws,"hesays,"itwasonlyjustfearthatgavehimthatlastlittlespurtofstrength,andofcourse itsoonplayedoutandhelaiddownin thebush,andtherewasn'tanybodytohelphim,andhedied."Thentheoldmancriedandgrieved,andsaidhewasamurdererandthemarkof Cainwas on him, and he had disgraced his family andwas going to befoundoutandhung.ButTomsaid:"No,youain'tgoingtobefoundout.YouDIDN'Tkillhim.ONElickwouldn'tkillhim.Somebodyelsedoneit.""Oh, yes," he says, "I done it—nobody else.Whoelse had anything againsthim?WhoelseCOULDhaveanythingagainsthim?"Helookedupkindoflikehehopedsomeofuscouldmentionsomebodythatcouldhaveagrudgeagainstthatharmlessno-account,butofcourseitwarn'tnouse—heHADus;wecouldn'tsayaword.Henoticedthat,andhesaddeneddownagain,andIneverseeafacesomiserableandsopitifultosee.Tomhadasuddenidea,andsays:"Butholdon!—somebodyBURIEDhim.Nowwho—"Heshutoffsudden.Iknowedthereason.Itgivemethecoldshudderswhenhesaid them words, because right away I remembered about us seeing Uncle

Silasprowlingaroundwithalong-handledshovelawayinthenightthatnight.AndIknowedBennyseenhim,too,becauseshewastalkingaboutitoneday.TheminuteTomshutoffhechangedthesubjectandwent tobeggingUncleSilastokeepmum,andtherestofusdonethesame,andsaidheMUST,andsaiditwasn'thisbusinesstotellonhimself,andifhekeptmumnobodywouldeverknow;butifitwasfoundoutandanyharmcometohimitwouldbreakthe family'sheartsandkill them,andyetneverdoanybodyanygood.Soatlasthepromised.Wewasallofusmorecomfortable,then,andwenttoworktocheeruptheoldman.Wetoldhimallhe'dgottodowastokeepstill,anditwouldn'tbe long till thewhole thingwouldblowoverandbe forgot.Weallsaidtherewouldn'tanybodyeversuspectUncleSilas,noreverdreamofsucha thing, he being so good and kind, and having such a good character; andTomsays,cordialandhearty,hesays:"Why, just look at it a minute; just consider. Here is Uncle Silas, all theseyearsapreacher—athisownexpense;alltheseyearsdoinggoodwithallhismightandeverywayhecanthinkof—athisownexpense,allthetime;alwaysbeenlovedbyeverybody,andrespected;alwaysbeenpeaceableandmindinghisownbusiness,theverylastmaninthiswholedeestricttotouchaperson,andeverybodyknowsit.SuspectHIM?Why, itain'tanymorepossible than—""ByauthorityoftheStateofArkansaw,IarrestyouforthemurderofJubiterDunlap!"shoutsthesheriffatthedoor.It was awful. Aunt Sally and Benny flung themselves at Uncle Silas,screamingandcrying,andhuggedhimandhungtohim,andAuntSallysaidgo away, she wouldn't ever give him up, they shouldn't have him, and theniggerstheycomecrowdingandcryingtothedoorand—well,Icouldn'tstandit;itwasenoughtobreakaperson'sheart;soIgotout.They tookhimup to the little one-horse jail in thevillage, andwe allwentalong to tell him good-bye; and Tom was feeling elegant, and says to me,"We'll have a most noble good time and heaps of danger some dark nightgettinghimoutof there,Huck,andit'llbe talkedabouteverywheresandwewill be celebrated;" but the old man busted that scheme up the minute hewhispered tohimabout it.Hesaidno, itwashisduty tostandwhatever thelawdonetohim,andhewouldsticktothejailplumbthroughtotheend,eveniftherewarn'tnodoortoit.ItdisappointedTomandgraveledhimagooddeal,buthehadtoputupwithit.ButhefeltresponsibleandboundtogethisuncleSilasfree;andhetoldAuntSally, the last thing,not toworry,becausehewasgoing to turn inandworknightanddayandbeatthisgameandfetchUncleSilasoutinnocent;andshewasverylovingtohimandthankedhimandsaidsheknowedhewoulddohisvery best. And she told us to help Benny take care of the house and the

children, and thenwe had a good-bye cry all around andwent back to thefarm, and left her there to livewith the jailer'swife amonth till the trial inOctober.

CHAPTERXI.TOMSAWYERDISCOVERSTHEMURDERERS

WELL,thatwasahardmonthonusall.PoorBenny,shekeptupthebestshecould,andmeandTomtriedtokeepthingscheerfulthereatthehouse,butitkindofwentfornothing,asyoumaysay.Itwasthesameupat thejail.Wewentupeverydaytoseetheoldpeople,butitwasawfuldreary,becausetheoldmanwarn'tsleepingmuch,andwaswalkinginhissleepconsiderableandsohegottolookingfaggedandmiserable,andhismindgotshaky,andweallgotafraidhistroubleswouldbreakhimdownandkillhim.Andwheneverwetriedtopersuadehimtofeelcheerfuler,heonlyshookhisheadandsaidifweonlyknowedwhat itwas tocarryaroundamurderer's loadinyourheartwewouldn'ttalkthatway.TomandallofuskepttellinghimitWASN'Tmurder,but justaccidentalkilling!but itnevermadeanydifference—itwasmurder,andhewouldn'thaveitanyotherway.Heactu'lybeguntocomeoutplainandsquare towards trial time and acknowledge that he TRIED to kill theman.Why,thatwasawful,youknow.Itmadethingsseemfiftytimesasdreadful,andtherewarn'tnomorecomfortforAuntSallyandBenny.Buthepromisedhewouldn'tsayawordabouthismurderwhenotherswasaround,andwewasgladofthat.TomSawyerrackedtheheadoffofhimselfallthatmonthtryingtoplansomewayout forUncleSilas,andmany's thenighthekeptmeup 'mostallnightwiththiskindoftiresomework,buthecouldn'tseemtogetontherighttracknoway.Asforme,Ireckonedabodymightaswellgiveitup,italllookedsoblueandIwassodownhearted;buthewouldn't.Hestucktothebusinessrightalong,andwentonplanningandthinkingandransackinghishead.Soatlastthetrialcomeon,towardsthemiddleofOctober,andwewasallinthecourt.Theplacewasjammed,ofcourse.PooroldUncleSilas,helookedmorelikeadeadpersonthanaliveone,hiseyeswassohollowandhelookedsothinandsomournful.BennyshesetononesideofhimandAuntSallyontheother,andtheyhadveilson,andwasfulloftrouble.ButTomhesetbyourlawyer,andhadhisfingerineverywheres,ofcourse.Thelawyerlethim,andthe judge let him. He 'most took the business out of the lawyer's handssometimes;whichwaswellenough,because thatwasonlyamud-turtleofaback-settlement lawyeranddidn'tknowenough tocomeinwhen it rains,asthesayingis.They swore in the jury, and then the lawyer for the prostitution got up and

begun.Hemadea terrible speechagainst theoldman, thatmadehimmoanandgroan,andmadeBennyandAuntSallycry.ThewayHEtoldabout themurderkindofknockedus all stupid itwas sodifferent from theoldman'stale.HesaidhewasgoingtoprovethatUncleSilaswasSEENtokillJubiterDunlapbytwogoodwitnesses,anddoneitdeliberate,andSAIDhewasgoingtokillhimtheveryminutehehithimwiththeclub;andtheyseenhimhideJubiter in the bushes, and they seen that Jubiter was stone-dead. And saidUncleSilas come later and lugged Jubiterdown into the tobacker field, andtwomenseenhimdoit.AndsaidUncleSilasturnedout,awayinthenight,andburiedJubiter,andamanseenhimatit.I says to myself, poor old Uncle Silas has been lying about it because hereckonednobodyseenhimandhecouldn'tbeartobreakAuntSally'sheartandBenny's; and right hewas: as forme, Iwould 'a' lied the sameway, and sowould anybody that had any feeling, to save them suchmisery and sorrowwhichTHEYwarn't noways responsible for.Well, itmadeour lawyer lookprettysick;anditknockedTomsilly,too,foralittlespell,butthenhebracedupandletonthathewarn'tworried—butIknowedheWAS,allthesame.Andthepeople—my,butitmadeastiramongstthem!Andwhenthatlawyerwasdonetellingthejurywhathewasgoingtoprove,hesetdownandbeguntoworkhiswitnesses.First,hecalledalotofthemtoshowthattherewasbadbloodbetwixtUncleSilasandthediseased;andtheytoldhowtheyhadheardUncleSilasthreatenthe diseased, at one time and another, and how it gotworse andworse andeverybodywas talkingabout it, andhowdiseasedgot afraidofhis life, andtold twoor threeof themhewascertainUncleSilaswouldupandkill himsometimeoranother.Tom and our lawyer asked them some questions; but it warn't no use, theystucktowhattheysaid.Next,theycalledupLemBeebe,andhetookthestand.Itcomeintomymind,then, how Lem and Jim Lane had come along talking, that time, aboutborrowingadogor something fromJubiterDunlap;and thatbroughtup theblackberries and the lantern; and thatbroughtupBill and JackWithers, andhowtheypassedby,talkingaboutaniggerstealingUncleSilas'scorn;andthatfetchedupouroldghostthatcomealongaboutthesametimeandscaredusso—andhereHEwastoo,andaprivilegedcharacter,onaccountsofhisbeingdeef and dumb and a stranger, and they had fixed him a chair inside therailing, where he could cross his legs and be comfortable, whilst the otherpeoplewasallinajamsotheycouldn'thardlybreathe.Soitallcomebacktome just the way it was that day; and it made me mournful to think howpleasantitwasuptothen,andhowmiserableeversince.

Well,itwasawful.Itkindoffrozeeverybody'sbloodtohearit,andthehousewas 'mostasstillwhilsthewastellingitasiftherewarn'tnobodyinit.Andwhenhewasdone,youcouldhearthemgaspandsigh,alloverthehouse,andlook at one another the same as to say, "Ain't it perfectly terrible—ain't itawful!"Nowhappenedathingthatastonishedme.Allthetimethefirstwitnesseswasprovingthebadbloodandthethreatsandallthat,TomSawyerwasaliveandlayingforthem;andtheminutetheywasthrough,hewentforthem,anddonehis level best to catch them in lies and spile their testimony.But now, howdifferent. When Lem first begun to talk, and never said anything aboutspeakingtoJubiterortryingtoborrowadogoffofhim,hewasallaliveandlayingforLem,andyoucouldseehewasgettingreadytocross-questionhimtodeathprettysoon,andthenIjudgedhimandmewouldgoonthestandbyand by and tell what we heard him and Jim Lane say. But the next time IlookedatTomIgotthecoldshivers.Why,hewasinthebrowneststudyyouever see—miles andmiles away.Hewarn't hearing awordLemBeebewassaying; and when he got through he was still in that brown-study, just thesame.Ourlawyerjoggledhim,andthenhelookedupstartled,andsays,"Takethewitnessifyouwanthim.Lemmealone—Iwanttothink."Well,thatbeatme.Icouldn'tunderstandit.AndBennyandhermother—oh,theylookedsick,theywassotroubled.Theyshovedtheirveilstoonesideandtriedtogethiseye,butitwarn'tanyuse,andIcouldn'tgethiseyeeither.Sothemud-turtlehetackledthewitness,butitdidn'tamounttonothing;andhemadeamessofit.Then they called up JimLane, and he told the very same story over again,exact.Tomneverlistenedtothisoneatall,butsettherethinkingandthinking,milesandmilesaway.Sothemud-turtlewentinaloneagainandcomeoutjustas flat as he done before. The lawyer for the prostitution looked verycomfortable,butthejudgelookeddisgusted.Yousee,Tomwasjustthesameas a regular lawyer, nearly, because it was Arkansaw law for a prisoner tochooseanybodyhewantedtohelphis lawyer,andTomhadhadUncleSilasshovehim into the case, andnowhewasbotching it andyoucould see thejudgedidn'tlikeitmuch.Allthatthemud-turtlegotoutofLemandJimwasthis:heaskedthem:"Whydidn'tyougoandtellwhatyousaw?""We was afraid we would get mixed up in it ourselves. And we was juststartingdowntherivera-huntingforall theweekbesides;butassoonaswecomebackwefoundoutthey'dbeensearchingforthebody,sothenwewentandtoldBraceDunlapallaboutit.""Whenwasthat?"

"Saturdaynight,September9th."Thejudgehespokeupandsays:"Mr. Sheriff, arrest these twowitnesses on suspicions of being accessionaryafterthefacttothemurder."Thelawyerfortheprostitutionjumpsupallexcited,andsays:"Yourhonor!Iprotestagainstthisextraordi—""Setdown!" says the judge,pullinghisbowieand laying itonhispulpit. "IbegyoutorespecttheCourt."Sohedoneit.ThenhecalledBillWithers.It made the people shiver to think of poor old Uncle Silas toting off thediseased down to the place in his tobacker field where the dog dug up thebody,buttherewarn'tmuchsympathyaroundamongstthefaces,andIheardonecusssay"'TisthecoldestbloodedworkIeverstruck,luggingamurderedmanaroundlikethat,andgoingtoburyhimlikeaanimal,andhimapreacheratthat."Tomhewenton thinking, andnever tooknonotice; soour lawyer took thewitnessanddonethebesthecould,anditwasplentypoorenough.ThenJackWithershecomeonthestandandtoldthesametale,justlikeBilldone.AndafterhimcomesBraceDunlap,andhewas lookingverymournful,andmostcrying;and therewasa rustleandastirallaround,andeverybodygotready to listen, and lotsof thewomen folks said, "Poor cretur, poor cretur,"andyoucouldseeamanyofthemwipingtheireyes.Andheslumpeddowninhischaircryingandsobbing,and'mosteverybodyinthehousebustedoutwailing,andcrying,andsaying,"Oh,it'sawful—awful—horrible!"andtherewasamosttremendousexcitement,andyoucouldn'thearyourselfthink;andrightinthemidstofitupjumpsoldUncleSilas,whiteasasheet,andsingsout:"IT'STRUE,EVERYWORD—IMURDEREDHIMINCOLDBLOOD!"ByJackson,itpetrifiedthem!Peopleroseupwildalloverthehouse,strainingand staring for a better look at him, and the judgewas hammeringwith hismalletandthesheriffyelling"Order—orderinthecourt—order!"Andall thewhile theoldmanstoodtherea-quakingandhiseyesa-burning,and not looking at his wife and daughter, which was clinging to him andbegginghimtokeepstill,butpawingthemoffwithhishandsandsayingheWOULDclearhisblacksoulfromcrime,heWOULDheaveoffthisloadthatwasmorethanhecouldbear,andheWOULDN'Tbearitanotherhour!Andthenheragedrightalongwithhisawfultale,everybodya-staringandgasping,

judge, jury, lawyers, and everybody, andBenny andAuntSally crying theirhearts out. And by George, Tom Sawyer never looked at him once! Neveronce—justsettheregazingwithallhiseyesatsomethingelse,Icouldn'ttellwhat. And so the old man raged right along, pouring his words out like astreamoffire:"Ikilledhim!Iamguilty!ButIneverhadthenotioninmylifetohurthimorharmhim,spiteofallthemliesaboutmythreateninghim,tilltheveryminuteIraisedtheclub—thenmyheartwentcold!—thenthepityallwentoutofit,andIstrucktokill!Inthatonemomentallmywrongscomeintomymind;alltheinsultsthatthatmanandthescoundrelhisbrother,there,hadputuponme,andhowtheylaidin together toruinmewiththepeople,andtakeawaymygood name, and DRIVE me to some deed that would destroy me and myfamilythathadn'teverdoneTHEMnoharm,sohelpmeGod!Andtheydoneitinameanrevenge—forwhy?Becausemyinnocentpuregirlhereatmysidewouldn'tmarrythatrich,insolent,ignorantcoward,BraceDunlap,who'sbeensnivelinghereoverabrotherhenevercaredabrassfarthingfor—"[IseeTomgive a jump and look glad THIS time, to a dead certainty] "—and in thatmomentI'vetoldyouabout,IforgotmyGodandrememberedonlymyheart'sbitterness,Godforgiveme,andIstrucktokill.InonesecondIwasmiserablysorry—oh,filledwithremorse;butIthoughtofmypoorfamily,andIMUSThidewhatI'ddonefortheirsakes;andIdidhidethatcorpseinthebushes;andpresentlyIcarriedittothetobackerfield;andinthedeepnightIwentwithmyshovelandburieditwhere—"UpjumpsTomandshouts:"NOW,I'vegotit!"andwaveshishand,oh,eversofineandstarchy,towardstheoldman,andsays:"Setdown!AmurderWASdone,butyouneverhadnohandinit!"Well,sir,youcouldaheardapindrop.AndtheoldmanhesunkdownkindofbewilderedinhisseatandAuntSallyandBennydidn'tknowit,becausetheywassoastonishedandstaringatTomwiththeirmouthsopenandnotknowingwhattheywasabout.Andthewholehousethesame.Ineverseenpeoplelookso helpless and tangled up, and I hain't ever seen eyes bug out and gazewithoutablinkthewaytheirndid.Tomsays,perfectlyca'm:"Yourhonor,mayIspeak?""ForGod'ssake,yes—goon!"saysthejudge,soastonishedandmixeduphedidn'tknowwhathewasabouthardly.ThenTomhestoodthereandwaitedasecondortwo—thatwasfortoworkupan"effect,"ashecallsit—thenhestartedinjustasca'masever,andsays:"Forabouttwoweeksnowthere'sbeenalittlebillstickingonthefrontofthis

courthouseofferingtwothousanddollarsrewardforacoupleofbigdi'monds—stole at St. Louis. Them di'monds is worth twelve thousand dollars. ButnevermindaboutthattillIgettoit.Nowaboutthismurder.Iwilltellyouallaboutit—howithappened—whodoneit—everyDEtail."You could see everybody nestle now, and begin to listen for all they wasworth."Thismanhere,BraceDunlap,that'sbeensnivelingsoabouthisdeadbrotherthatYOUknowhenevercaredastrawfor,wanted tomarry thatyounggirlthere,andshewouldn'thavehim.SohetoldUncleSilashewouldmakehimsorry.UncleSilasknowedhowpowerfulhewas,andhowlittlechancehehadagainst suchaman,andhewasscaredandworried,anddoneeverythinghecouldthinkoftosmoothhimoverandgethimtobegoodtohim:heeventookhisno-accountbrotherJubiteronthefarmandgivehimwagesandstintedhisown family to pay them; and Jubiter done everything his brother couldcontrivetoinsultUncleSilas,andfretandworryhim,andtrytodriveUncleSilasintodoinghimahurt,soastoinjureUncleSilaswiththepeople.Anditdone it. Everybody turned against him and said themeanest kind of thingsabout him, and it graduly broke his heart—yes, and hewas soworried anddistressedthatoftenhewarn'thardlyinhisrightmind."Well, on that Saturday thatwe've had somuch trouble about, twoof thesewitnesseshere,LemBeebeandJimLane,comealongbywhereUncleSilasandJubiterDunlapwasatwork—andthatmuchofwhatthey'vesaidistrue,the rest is lies. They didn't hearUncle Silas say hewould kill Jubiter; theydidn't hearnoblowstruck; theydidn't seenodeadman, and theydidn't seeUncle Silas hide anything in the bushes. Look at them now—how they setthere,wishing theyhadn't been sohandywith their tongues; anyway, they'llwishitbeforeIgetdone."ThatsameSaturdayeveningBillandJackWithersDIDseeonemanluggingoffanotherone.Thatmuchofwhattheysaidistrue,andtherestislies.Firstoff they thought it was a nigger stealing Uncle Silas's corn—you notice itmakes them look silly, now, to find out somebody overheard them say that.That's because they found out by and by who it was that was doing thelugging,andTHEYknowbestwhytheysworeherethattheytookitforUncleSilasbythegait—whichitWASN'T,andtheyknoweditwhentheysworetothatlie."AmanoutinthemoonlightDIDseeamurderedpersonputundergroundinthetobackerfield—butitwasn'tUncleSilasthatdonetheburying.Hewasinhisbedatthatverytime."Now,then,beforeIgoon,Iwanttoaskyouifyou'veevernoticedthis:thatpeople,whenthey'rethinkingdeep,orwhenthey'reworried,aremostalways

doing something with their hands, and they don't know it, and don't noticewhat it is their hands are doing, some stroke their chins; some stroke theirnoses;somestrokeupUNDERtheirchinwiththeirhand;sometwirlachain,some fumble abutton, then there's some thatdrawsa figureor a letterwiththeirfingerontheircheek,orundertheirchinorontheirunderlip.That'sMYway.WhenI'mrestless,orworried,orthinkinghard,IdrawcapitalV'sonmycheekoronmyunderliporundermychin,andneveranythingBUTcapitalV's—andhalfthetimeIdon'tnoticeitanddon'tknowI'mdoingit."Thatwasodd.ThatisjustwhatIdo;onlyImakeanO.AndIcouldseepeoplenoddingtooneanother,sameastheydowhentheymean"THAT'sso.""Now,then,I'llgoon.ThatsameSaturday—no,itwasthenightbefore—therewasasteamboatlayingatFlagler'sLanding,fortymilesabovehere,anditwasrainingandstorminglikethenation.Andtherewasathiefaboard,andhehadthemtwobigdi'mondsthat'sadvertisedouthereonthiscourthousedoor;andheslippedashorewithhishand-bagandstruckoutintothedarkandthestorm,andhewasa-hopinghecouldgettothistownallrightandbesafe.Buthehadtwopalsaboardtheboat,hiding,andheknowedtheywasgoingtokillhimthefirstchancetheygotandtakethedi'monds;becauseallthreestolethem,andthenthisfellowhegotholdofthemandskipped."Well,hehadn'tbeengonemore'ntenminutesbeforehispalsfounditout,andtheyjumpedashoreandlitoutafterhim.Prob'lytheyburntmatchesandfoundhistracks.Anyway,theydoggedalongafterhimalldaySaturdayandkeptoutofhissight;andtowardssundownhecometothebunchofsycamoresdownbyUncleSilas'sfield,andhewentintheretogetadisguiseoutofhishand-bagandputitonbeforeheshowedhimselfhereinthetown—andmindyouhe done that just a little after the time that Uncle Silas was hitting JubiterDunlapovertheheadwithaclub—forheDIDhithim."Buttheminutethepalsseethatthiefslideintothebunchofsycamores,theyjumpedoutofthebushesandslidinafterhim."Theyfellonhimandclubbedhimtodeath."Yes,forallhescreamedandhowledso,theyneverhadnomercyonhim,butclubbedhimtodeath.Andtwomenthatwasrunningalongtheroadheardhimyellingthatway,andtheymadearushintothesycamorebunch—whichwaswheretheywasboundfor,anyway—andwhenthepalssawthemtheylitoutandthetwonewmenafterthema-chasingthemastightastheycouldgo.Butonlyaminuteor two—thenthese twonewmenslippedbackveryquiet intothesycamores."THENwhatdidtheydo?Iwill tellyouwhat theydone.Theyfoundwherethethiefhadgothisdisguiseoutofhiscarpet-sacktoputon;sooneofthemstripsandputsonthatdisguise."

Tom waited a little here, for some more "effect"—then he says, verydeliberate:"Themanthatputonthatdeadman'sdisguisewas—JUBITERDUNLAP!""GreatScott!"everybodyshouted,alloverthehouse,andoldUncleSilashelookedperfectlyastonished."Yes,itwasJubiterDunlap.Notdead,yousee.Thentheypulledoffthedeadman'sbootsandputJubiterDunlap'soldraggedshoesonthecorpseandputthe corpse's boots on Jubiter Dunlap. Then Jubiter Dunlap stayedwhere hewas, and the otherman lugged the dead body off in the twilight; and aftermidnighthewenttoUncleSilas'shouse,andtookhisoldgreenwork-robeoffof the pegwhere it always hangs in the passage betwixt the house and thekitchen andput it on, and stole the long-handled shovel andwent off downintothetobackerfieldandburiedthemurderedman."He stopped, and stood half a minute. Then—"And who do you reckon themurderedmanWAS?Itwas—JAKEDunlap,thelong-lostburglar!""GreatScott!""Andthemanthatburiedhimwas—BRACEDunlap,hisbrother!""GreatScott!""Andwhodoyoureckon is thismowing idiothere that's lettingonall theseweekstobeadeefanddumbstranger?It's—JUBITERDunlap!"My land, they all busted out in a howl, and you never see the like of thatexcitementsincethedayyouwasborn.AndTomhemadeajumpforJubiterandsnakedoffhisgogglesandhisfalsewhiskers,andtherewasthemurderedman,sureenough,justasaliveasanybody!AndAuntSallyandBennytheywenttohuggingandcryingandkissingandsmotheringoldUncleSilastothatdegreehewasmoremuddledandconfusedandmushedupinhismindthanheeverwasbefore, and that is sayingconsiderable.Andnext,peoplebegun toyell:"TomSawyer!TomSawyer!Shut up everybody, and let himgoon!Goon,TomSawyer!"Whichmadehimfeeluncommonbully,foritwasnutsforTomSawyertobeapubliccharacterthat-away,andahero,ashecallsit.Sowhenitwasallquiet,hesays:"There ain't much left, only this.When that man there, Bruce Dunlap, hadmostworriedthelifeandsenseoutofUncleSilastillatlastheplumblosthismindandhitthisotherblatherskite,hisbrother,withaclub,Ireckonheseenhischance.Jubiterbrokeforthewoodstohide,andIreckonthegamewasforhimtoslideout,inthenight,andleavethecountry.ThenBracewouldmake

everybodybelieveUncleSilaskilledhimandhidhisbodysomers; and thatwouldruinUncleSilasanddriveHIMoutofthecountry—hanghim,maybe;Idunno. But when they found their dead brother in the sycamores withoutknowinghim,becausehewassobatteredup,theyseetheyhadabetterthing;disguise BOTH and bury Jake and dig him up presently all dressed up inJubiter'sclothes,andhireJimLaneandBillWithersandtheotherstosweartosomehandylies—whichtheydone.Andtheretheyset,now,andItoldthemthey would be looking sick before I got done, and that is the way they'relookingnow."Well,meandHuckFinnhere,wecomedownon theboatwith the thieves,and the dead one told us all about the di'monds, and said the otherswouldmurderhimiftheygotthechance;andwewasgoingtohelphimallwecould.Wewasboundforthesycamoreswhenweheardthemkillinghiminthere;butwe was in there in the early morning after the storm and allowed nobodyhadn'tbeenkilled,afterall.AndwhenweseeJubiterDunlapherespreadingaround in the very same disguise Jake told us HE was going to wear, wethoughtitwasJakehisownself—andhewasgoo-gooingdeefanddumb,andTHATwasaccordingtoagreement."Well,meandHuckwentonhuntingforthecorpseaftertheothersquit,andwe found it. And was proud, too; but Uncle Silas he knocked us crazy bytellingusHEkilledtheman.Sowewasmightysorrywefoundthebody,andwasboundtosaveUncleSilas'sneckifwecould;anditwasgoingtobetoughwork,too,becausehewouldn'tletusbreakhimoutofprisonthewaywedonewithouroldniggerJim."I done everything I could thewholemonth to think up someway to saveUncleSilas,butIcouldn'tstrikeathing.Sowhenwecomeintocourtto-dayIcome empty, and couldn't see no chance anywheres.But by and by I had aglimpse of something that setme thinking—just a littlewee glimpse—onlythat, and not enough to make sure; but it set me thinking hard—andWATCHING,whenIwasonlylettingontothink;andbyandby,sureenough,whenUncleSilaswaspilingoutthatstuffaboutHIMkillingJubiterDunlap,Icatched that glimpse again, and this time I jumped up and shut down theproceedings, because IKNOWED JubiterDunlapwas a-setting here beforeme.IknowedhimbyathingwhichIseenhimdo—andIrememberedit.I'dseenhimdoitwhenIwashereayearago."He stopped then, and studiedaminute—laying for an "effect"—Iknowed itperfectlywell.Thenheturnedofflikehewasgoingtoleavetheplatform,andsays,kindoflazyandindifferent:"Well,Ibelievethatisall."Why,youneverheardsuchahowl!—anditcomefromthewholehouse:

"WhatWAS it you seen him do? Staywhere you are, you little devil!Youthink you are going towork a body up till hismouth's a-watering and stopthere?WhatWASithedone?"Thatwasit,yousee—hejustdoneittogetan"effect";youcouldn't'a'pulledhimoffofthatplatformwithayokeofoxen."Oh, itwasn't anythingmuch," he says. "I seen him looking a little excitedwhenhefoundUncleSilaswasactuallyfixing tohanghimself foramurderthatwarn't ever done; and he gotmore andmore nervous andworried, I a-watchinghimsharpbutnotseemingtolookathim—andallofasuddenhishands begun to work and fidget, and pretty soon his left crept up andHISFINGERDRAWEDACROSSONHISCHEEK,andthenIHADhim!"Well, then they rippedandhowledand stompedandclapped theirhands tillTom Sawyer was that proud and happy he didn't know what to do withhimself.Andthenthejudgehelookeddownoverhispulpitandsays:"Myboy, didyouSEEall thevariousdetails of this strange conspiracy andtragedythatyou'vebeendescribing?""No,yourhonor,Ididn'tseeanyofthem.""Didn'tseeanyofthem!Why,you'vetoldthewholehistorystraightthrough,justthesameasifyou'dseenitwithyoureyes.Howdidyoumanagethat?"Tomsays,kindofeasyandcomfortable:"Oh,justnoticingtheevidenceandpiecingthisandthattogether,yourhonor;justanordinarylittlebitofdetectivework;anybodycould'a'doneit.""Nothingof thekind!Not two inamillioncould 'a'done it.Youareaveryremarkableboy."Then they let go and give Tom another smashing round, and he—well, hewouldn't'a'soldoutforasilvermine.Thenthejudgesays:"Butareyoucertainyou'vegotthiscurioushistorystraight?""Perfectly,yourhonor.HereisBraceDunlap—lethimdenyhisshareofit ifhe wants to take the chance; I'll engage to make him wish he hadn't saidanything......Well, you seeHE'Sprettyquiet.Andhis brother's prettyquiet,and them fourwitnesses that lied soandgotpaid for it, they'reprettyquiet.Andas forUncleSilas, it ain't anyuse forhim toput inhisoar, Iwouldn'tbelievehimunderoath!"Well, sir, that fairly made them shout; and even the judge he let go andlaughed. Tom he was just feeling like a rainbow. When they was donelaughinghelooksupatthejudgeandsays:

"Yourhonor,there'sathiefinthishouse.""Athief?""Yes,sir.Andhe'sgotthemtwelve-thousand-dollardi'mondsonhim."Bygracious,butitmadeastir!Everybodywentshouting:"Whichishim?whichishim?p'inthimout!"Andthejudgesays:"Pointhimout,mylad.Sheriff,youwillarresthim.Whichoneisit?"Tomsays:"Thislatedeadmanhere—JubiterDunlap."Thentherewasanotherthunderinglet-goofastonishmentandexcitement;butJubiter, which was astonished enough before, was just fairly putrified withastonishmentthistime.Andhespokeup,abouthalfcrying,andsays:"NowTHAT'Sa lie.Yourhonor, itain't fair; I'mplentybadenoughwithoutthat.Idonetheotherthings—Braceheputmeuptoit,andpersuadedme,andpromisedhe'dmakemerich,someday,andIdoneit,andI'msorryIdoneit,and I wisht I hadn't; but I hain't stole no di'monds, and I hain't GOT nodi'monds;IwishtImayneverstirifitain'tso.Thesheriffcansearchmeandsee."Tomsays:"Yourhonor,itwasn'trighttocallhimathief,andI'llletuponthatalittle.Hedidsteal thedi'monds,buthedidn'tknowit.Hestole themfromhisbrotherJake when he was laying dead, after Jake had stole them from the otherthieves;butJubiterdidn'tknowhewasstealingthem;andhe'sbeenswellingaround here with them amonth; yes, sir, twelve thousand dollars' worth ofdi'mondsonhim—allthatriches,andgoingaroundhereeverydayjustlikeapoorman.Yes,yourhonor,he'sgotthemonhimnow."Thejudgespokeupandsays:"Searchhim,sheriff."Well,sir,thesheriffheransackedhimhighandlow,andeverywhere:searchedhishat,socks,seams,boots,everything—andTomhestoodtherequiet,layingfor another of them effects of hisn. Finally the sheriff he give it up, andeverybodylookeddisappointed,andJubitersays:"There,now!what'dItellyou?"Andthejudgesays:"Itappearsyouweremistakenthistime,myboy."ThenTom tookanattitudeand leton tobe studyingwithallhismight, and

scratchinghishead.Thenallofasuddenheglancedupchipper,andsays:"Oh,nowI'vegotit!I'dforgot."Whichwasalie,andIknowedit.Thenhesays:"Willsomebodybegoodenoughtolendmealittlesmallscrewdriver?Therewasone inyourbrother'shand-bag thatyousmouched,Jubiter,but I reckonyoudidn'tfetchitwithyou.""No,Ididn't.Ididn'twantit,andIgiveitaway.""That'sbecauseyoudidn'tknowwhatitwasfor."Jubiterhadhisbootsonagain,bynow,andwhenthethingTomwantedwaspassedoverthepeople'sheadstillitgottohim,hesaystoJubiter:"Putupyourfootonthischair."Andhekneeleddownandbeguntounscrewtheheel-plate,everybodywatching;andwhenhegotthatbigdi'mondoutofthat boot-heel and held it up and let it flash and blaze and squirt sunlighteverwhichaway,itjusttookeverybody'sbreath;andJubiterhelookedsosickand sorry you never see the like of it. And when Tom held up the otherdi'mondhelookedsorrierthanever.Land!hewasthinkinghowhewould'a'skippedoutandbeenrichandindependentinaforeignlandifhe'donlyhadthelucktoguesswhatthescrewdriverwasinthecarpet-bagfor.Well, itwas amost exciting time, take it all around, and Tom got cords ofglory.Thejudgetookthedi'monds,andstoodupinhispulpit,andclearedhisthroat,andshovedhisspectaclesbackonhishead,andsays:"I'llkeepthemandnotifytheowners;andwhentheysendforthemitwillbearealpleasuretometohandyouthetwothousanddollars,foryou'veearnedthemoney—yes,andyou'veearnedthedeepestandmostsincerestthanksofthiscommunitybesides,forliftingawrongedandinnocentfamilyoutofruinandshame, and saving a good and honorableman from a felon's death, and forexposing to infamy and the punishment of the law a cruel and odiousscoundrelandhismiserablecreatures!"Well,sir,ifthere'dbeenabrassbandtobustoutsomemusic,then,itwould'a'beenjusttheperfectestthingIeversee,andTomSawyerhesaidthesame.ThenthesheriffhenabbedBraceDunlapandhiscrowd,andbyandbynextmonththejudgehadthemupfortrialandjailedthewholelot.Andeverybodycrowdedback toUncleSilas's little old church, andwas ever so loving andkindtohimandthefamilyandcouldn'tdoenoughforthem;andUncleSilashepreached themtheblamedest jumbledest idioticsermonsyoueverstruck,andwouldtangleyouupsoyoucouldn'tfindyourwayhomeindaylight;butthepeopleneverletonbutwhattheythoughtitwastheclearestandbrightestand elegantest sermons that everwas; and theywould set there and cry, forloveandpity;but,byGeorge,theygivemethejim-jamsandthefan-todsand

cakedupwhatbrainsIhad,andturnedthemsolid;butbyandbytheylovedtheoldman'sintellectsbackintohimagain,andhewasassoundinhisskullaseverhewas,whichain'tnoflattery,Ireckon.Andsothewholefamilywasashappyasbirds,andnobodycouldbegratefulerandlovingerthanwhattheywastoTomSawyer;andthesametome,thoughIhadn'tdonenothing.Andwhenthetwothousanddollarscome,Tomgivehalfofittome,andnevertoldanybodyso,whichdidn'tsurpriseme,becauseIknowedhim.

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