We stopped talking, and got to thinking. By and byⒶhistorical collation, Tom says:
“Looky-hereⒶhistorical collation, Huck, what fools we are, to not think of it before! I betⒶemendation I know where Jim is.”
“No! Where?”
“In that hut downⒶemendation by the ash-hopperⒶemendation. Why, looky-hereⒶhistorical collation. When we was at dinner, didn’t you see a nigger man go in there with some vittles?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think the vittles was for?”
“For a dog.”
“So’d I. Well, it warn’tⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation for a dog.”
“Why?”
“Because part of it was watermelon.”
“So it was—I noticed it.Ⓐalteration in the MS Well, it does beat all, that I never thought about a dog not eating watermelon.Ⓐalteration in the MS It shows how a body can see and don’tⒶemendation see,Ⓐhistorical collation at the same time.”
“Well, the nigger unlocked the padlock when he went in, and heⒶemendation locked it again when he comeⒶemendation out. He fetched uncle a key, about the time we got up from table—same key, I bet.Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐalteration in the MS Watermelon shows man, lock shows prisoner; and it ain’t likely there’s two prisoners on suchⒶalteration in the MS a little plantation, and where the people’s all so kind and good. Jim’s the prisoner. All right—I’m glad we found it out detective fashion; I wouldn’t give shucks for any other way. Now you work your mindⒶemendation and study out a plan to steal Jim, and I willⒶemendation study out one, too;Ⓐalteration in the MS and we’ll take the one we like the best.”
What a head for just a boy to have! If I had Tom Sawyer’s head, I wouldn’t trade it off to be a duke, norⒶalteration in the MS mateⒶalteration in the MS of a steamboat, nor [begin page 292] clown in a circusⒶemendation, nor nothing I can think of.Ⓐalteration in the MS I went to thinking out a plan, but only just to be doing something:Ⓐhistorical collation I knowed veryⒶalteration in the MS well where the right plan was going toⒶemendation come from. Pretty soon, Tom says:
“Ready?”
“Yes,” I says.
“All right,Ⓐhistorical collation —bring it out.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“My plan is this,” I says. “We can easy find out if it’s Jim in there.Ⓐalteration in the MS Then get up my canoe tomorrowⒶhistorical collation night, and fetch my raft over from the island. Then the first dark night that comes, steal the key out of the old man’s britchesⒶalteration in the MS, after he goes to bed, and shove off down the river on the raft, with Jim, hiding daytimesⒶhistorical collation and running nights, the wayⒶemendation me and Jim used to do before. Wouldn’t that plan work?”
“Work? Why cert’nly, it wouldⒶalteration in the MS work, likeⒶalteration in the MS rats a-fightingⒶhistorical collation. But it’s too blame’ simple; there ain’t nothing to it.Ⓐalteration in the MS What’s the good of a plan that ain’t no more trouble than that? It’s as mild as goose-milkⒶemendation. Why, Huck, it wouldn’t make no more talk than breaking into a soap factory.”
I never said nothing, because I warn’t expecting nothing different; but I knowed mighty well that whenever he got his plan ready it wouldn’t have none of them objections to it.
And it didn’t. He told me what it was, and I see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine, for style, and wouldⒶalteration in the MS make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed,Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation besides. So I was satisfied, and said we would waltz in on it. I needn’t tell what it was, here, because I knowed it wouldn’t stay the way it was. I knowed he would be changing it around, every which wayⒶemendation, as we went along, and heaving in new bullinesses wherever he got a chance. And that is what he done.
Well, one thing was deadⒶemendation sure; and that was, that Tom Sawyer was inⒶalteration in the MS earnest, and was actulyⒶemendation going to help steal that nigger out of slavery. That wasⒶalteration in the MS the thing that was too many for me. Here was a boy that was respectable, and well brungⒶalteration in the MS up; and had a character to lose; and folks at home that had characters; and he was bright and not leatherheadedⒶhistorical collation; and knowing,Ⓐhistorical collation and not ignorant; and not mean, but kindⒶemendation;Ⓐalteration in the MS and yet here he was, without any more pride, or rightness, or feeling, than to stoop to this businessⒶalteration in the MS, and make himself a shame, and his family a shame, before everybody. I couldn’t understand it, [begin page 293] no way at all. It was outrageous, and I knowed I ought to just up and tell him so; and so be his true friend, and let him quit the thing right where he was, and save himself. And I did start to tell him; but he shut me up,Ⓐalteration in the MS and says:
“Don’t you reckon I know what I’m about? Don’t I generlyⒶemendation know what I’m about?”
“Yes.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Didn’t I say I was going to help steal the nigger?”
“Yes.”
“ Well, Ⓐhistorical collation then.”
That’s all he said, and that’s all I said. It warn’t noⒶalteration in the MS use to say any more; because when he said he’d do a thing, he always done it. But I couldn’t make out how he was willing to go into this thing;Ⓐalteration in the MS so I just let it go, and never bothered no more about it. If he was bound to have it so, I couldn’t help it.
WhenⒶemendation we got home, the house was all dark and still; so we went on down to the hut by the ash-hopper, for to examine it. We went through the yard, so as to see what the hounds would do. They knowed us, and didn’t make no more noise than country dogs isⒶalteration in the MS always doing when anything comes by in the night. When we got to the cabin, we took a look at the front and the two sides; and on the side I warn’tⒶalteration in the MS acquainted with—which wasⒶemendation the north side—we found a square window-hole, up tolerable high, with just one stout board nailed across it. I says:
“Here’s the ticket. This hole’s big enough for Jim to get through, if we wrench off the board.”
Tom says:
“It’s as simple as tit-tat-toe, three-in-a-row, and as easy as playing hookeyⒶhistorical collation. I should hope we can find a way that’s a little more complicated thanⒶalteration in the MS that, Huck Finn.”
“Well,Ⓐhistorical collation then,” I says, “how’ll it do to saw him out, the way I done before I was murdered, that time?”
“That’s more like,” he says. “It’s real mysterious, and troublesome, and good,” he says; “but I bet we can find a wayⒶalteration in the MS that’s twice as long. There ain’t no hurry; le’s keep on looking around.”
Betwixt the hut and the fence, on the backsideⒶhistorical collation, was a lean-to, that joined the hut at the eaves, and was made out of plank. It was as long as the hut, but narrow—only about six foot wide. The door [begin page 294] to it was at the south end, and was padlocked. Tom heⒶemendation went to the soap kettle, and searched around and fetched back the iron thing they liftⒶemendation the lid with; so he took itⒶalteration in the MS and prized out one of the staples. The chainⒶalteration in the MS fell down, and we opened the door and went in, and shut itⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS and struck a match, and see the shed was only built against the cabin and hadn’t no connection with it; and there warn’t no floorⒶalteration in the MS to the shed, nor nothing in it but some old rusty played-out hoes, and spades, and picksⒶhistorical collation and a crippledⒶalteration in the MS plow. The match went out, and so did we, and shoved in the staple again, and the door was locked as good as ever. Tom was joyful. He says:
“Now we’re all right. We’llⒶalteration in the MS dig him out. It’ll take about a week!”
Then we started for the house, and I went in the back door—you only haveⒶalteration in the MS to pull a buckskin latch-string, they don’t fasten the doors—but that warn’t romantical enough for Tom Sawyer: no way wouldⒶalteration in the MS do him but he must climb upⒶemendation the lightning rodⒶhistorical collation. But after he got up half wayⒶhistorical collation about three times, and missed fire and fell every [begin page 295] time, and the last time most busted his brains out, he thought he’d got to give it up; but after he was rested, he allowed he would give her one more turn for luck, and this time he made the trip.Ⓐalteration in the MS
In the morning we was up at break of day, and down to the nigger cabins to pet the dogs and make friends with the nigger that fed Jim—if it was Jim that was being fed.Ⓐalteration in the MS The niggers was just getting through breakfast and starting for the fields; and Jim’s nigger was piling up a tin pan with bread and meat and things; and whilst the others was leaving, the key come from the house.
This nigger had a good-naturedⒶemendation chuckleheadedⒶhistorical collation face, and his wool was all tied up in little bunches with thread. That was to keep witches off. He said the witches was pestering him awful, these nights, and making him see all kinds of strange things, and hear all kinds of strange words and noises, and he didn’t believe he was ever witched so long, before, in his life. He got so worked up, and got to runningⒶhistorical collation on so,Ⓐhistorical collation about his troubles, heⒶemendation forgot all about what he’d been agoing to do.Ⓐalteration in the MS So Tom says:
“What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?”
The nigger kind ofⒶemendation smiled around graduly over his faceⒶhistorical collation like when you heave a brickbat inⒶemendation a mud puddle, and he says:
“Yes, marsⒶhistorical collation Sid, a dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’imⒶemendation?”
“Yes.”
I hunched Tom, and whispers:Ⓐalteration in the MS
“You going, rightⒶalteration in the MS here in the daybreakⒶhistorical collation? That warn’t the plan.”
“No, it warn’t—but it’s the plan now.”
So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in, we couldn’t hardly see anything,Ⓐalteration in the MS it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, andⒶalteration in the MS could see us; and he sings out:Ⓐalteration in the MS
“WhyⒶhistorical collation Huck! En good lan’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?”
I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had, I couldn’t a done it; because that nigger busted in and says:
“Why, de gracious sakes! doⒶalteration in the MS he know you genlmenⒶemendation?”
We could see pretty well, now. Tom heⒶemendation looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says:
“Does who know us?”
“Why, dish-yer runaway nigger.”
[begin page 296] “I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?”
“What put it darⒶemendation? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?”
Tom says, in a puzzled-upⒶemendation kind of wayⒶemendation:Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Well, that’s mighty curious. Who sung out? When did he sing out? What did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’mⒶemendation, and says, “Did you hear anybody sing out?”
Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:
“No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.”
Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before; and says:
“Did you sing out?”
“No, sah,” says Jim,Ⓐhistorical collation “I hain’t said nothing, sah.”
“Not a word?”
“No, sahⒶalteration in the MS, I hain’t said a wordⒶemendation.”
“Did you ever see us before?”
“No, sah; not as I knows on.”
So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressedⒶemendation, and says, kindⒶalteration in the MS of severe:
“What do you reckon’sⒶemendation the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?”
“OⒶhistorical collation, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, enⒶalteration in the MS I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluzⒶalteration in the MS at it, sah, en dey do mos’ killⒶalteration in the MS me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it,Ⓐhistorical collation sahⒶalteration in the MS, er ole marsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey ain’ Ⓐhistorical collation no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—den what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it dis time. But it’s awluzⒶalteration in the MS jis’ so:Ⓐhistorical collation people dat’s sot, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’nⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation en fine it out [begin page 297] f’rⒶemendation deyselves, en when you fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doanⒶhistorical collation b’lieveⒶalteration in the MS you.”
Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobodyⒶemendation; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at JimⒶhistorical collation and says:
“I wonder if uncleⒶhistorical collation Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I wasⒶalteration in the MS to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” AndⒶalteration in the MS whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim, and says:
“Don’t ever let onⒶalteration in the MS to know us. And if you hear any digging going on,Ⓐhistorical collation nightsⒶalteration in the MS, it’s us: we’re going to set you free.”
Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it, then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particularⒶemendation if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around,Ⓐhistorical collation then.Ⓐalteration in the MS