Reading Help Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Ch.I-XV
`
` "Hellum-a-lee--hard a port! Stand by to meet her when she comes! Port, `
` port! NOW, men! With a will! Stead-y-y-y!" `
` `
` "Steady it is, sir!" `
` `
` The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her `
` head right, and then lay on their oars. The river was not high, so `
` there was not more than a two or three mile current. Hardly a word was `
` said during the next three-quarters of an hour. Now the raft was `
` passing before the distant town. Two or three glimmering lights showed `
` where it lay, peacefully sleeping, beyond the vague vast sweep of `
` star-gemmed water, unconscious of the tremendous event that was happening. `
` The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon `
` the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing `
` "she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death `
` with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. `
` It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island `
` beyond eyeshot of the village, and so he "looked his last" with a `
` broken and satisfied heart. The other pirates were looking their last, `
` too; and they all looked so long that they came near letting the `
` current drift them out of the range of the island. But they discovered `
` the danger in time, and made shift to avert it. About two o'clock in `
` the morning the raft grounded on the bar two hundred yards above the `
` head of the island, and they waded back and forth until they had landed `
` their freight. Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old `
` sail, and this they spread over a nook in the bushes for a tent to `
` shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open `
` air in good weather, as became outlaws. `
` `
` They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty `
` steps within the sombre depths of the forest, and then cooked some `
` bacon in the frying-pan for supper, and used up half of the corn "pone" `
` stock they had brought. It seemed glorious sport to be feasting in that `
` wild, free way in the virgin forest of an unexplored and uninhabited `
` island, far from the haunts of men, and they said they never would `
` return to civilization. The climbing fire lit up their faces and threw `
` its ruddy glare upon the pillared tree-trunks of their forest temple, `
` and upon the varnished foliage and festooning vines. `
` `
` When the last crisp slice of bacon was gone, and the last allowance of `
` corn pone devoured, the boys stretched themselves out on the grass, `
` filled with contentment. They could have found a cooler place, but they `
` would not deny themselves such a romantic feature as the roasting `
` camp-fire. `
` `
` "AIN'T it gay?" said Joe. `
` `
` "It's NUTS!" said Tom. "What would the boys say if they could see us?" `
` `
` "Say? Well, they'd just die to be here--hey, Hucky!" `
` `
` "I reckon so," said Huckleberry; "anyways, I'm suited. I don't want `
` nothing better'n this. I don't ever get enough to eat, gen'ally--and `
` here they can't come and pick at a feller and bullyrag him so." `
` `
` "It's just the life for me," said Tom. "You don't have to get up, `
` mornings, and you don't have to go to school, and wash, and all that `
` blame foolishness. You see a pirate don't have to do ANYTHING, Joe, `
` when he's ashore, but a hermit HE has to be praying considerable, and `
` then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way." `
` `
` "Oh yes, that's so," said Joe, "but I hadn't thought much about it, `
` you know. I'd a good deal rather be a pirate, now that I've tried it." `
` `
` "You see," said Tom, "people don't go much on hermits, nowadays, like `
` they used to in old times, but a pirate's always respected. And a `
` hermit's got to sleep on the hardest place he can find, and put `
` sackcloth and ashes on his head, and stand out in the rain, and--" `
` `
` "What does he put sackcloth and ashes on his head for?" inquired Huck. `
` `
` "I dono. But they've GOT to do it. Hermits always do. You'd have to do `
` that if you was a hermit." `
` `
` "Dern'd if I would," said Huck. `
` `
` "Well, what would you do?" `
` `
` "I dono. But I wouldn't do that." `
` `
` "Why, Huck, you'd HAVE to. How'd you get around it?" `
` `
` "Why, I just wouldn't stand it. I'd run away." `
` `
` "Run away! Well, you WOULD be a nice old slouch of a hermit. You'd be `
` a disgrace." `
` `
` The Red-Handed made no response, being better employed. He had `
` finished gouging out a cob, and now he fitted a weed stem to it, loaded `
` it with tobacco, and was pressing a coal to the charge and blowing a `
` cloud of fragrant smoke--he was in the full bloom of luxurious `
` contentment. The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and `
` secretly resolved to acquire it shortly. Presently Huck said: `
` `
` "What does pirates have to do?" `
` `
` Tom said: `
` `
` "Oh, they have just a bully time--take ships and burn them, and get `
` the money and bury it in awful places in their island where there's `
` ghosts and things to watch it, and kill everybody in the ships--make `
` 'em walk a plank." `
` `
` "And they carry the women to the island," said Joe; "they don't kill `
` the women." `
` `
` "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women--they're too noble. And `
` the women's always beautiful, too. `
` `
` "And don't they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver `
` and di'monds," said Joe, with enthusiasm. `
` `
` "Who?" said Huck. `
` `
` "Why, the pirates." `
` `
` Huck scanned his own clothing forlornly. `
` `
` "I reckon I ain't dressed fitten for a pirate," said he, with a `
` regretful pathos in his voice; "but I ain't got none but these." `
` `
` But the other boys told him the fine clothes would come fast enough, `
` after they should have begun their adventures. They made him understand `
` that his poor rags would do to begin with, though it was customary for `
` wealthy pirates to start with a proper wardrobe. `
` `
` Gradually their talk died out and drowsiness began to steal upon the `
` eyelids of the little waifs. The pipe dropped from the fingers of the `
` Red-Handed, and he slept the sleep of the conscience-free and the `
` weary. The Terror of the Seas and the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main `
` had more difficulty in getting to sleep. They said their prayers `
` inwardly, and lying down, since there was nobody there with authority `
` to make them kneel and recite aloud; in truth, they had a mind not to `
` say them at all, but they were afraid to proceed to such lengths as `
` that, lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from `
` heaven. Then at once they reached and hovered upon the imminent verge `
` of sleep--but an intruder came, now, that would not "down." It was `
` conscience. They began to feel a vague fear that they had been doing `
` wrong to run away; and next they thought of the stolen meat, and then `
` the real torture came. They tried to argue it away by reminding `
` conscience that they had purloined sweetmeats and apples scores of `
` times; but conscience was not to be appeased by such thin `
` plausibilities; it seemed to them, in the end, that there was no `
` getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only `
` "hooking," while taking bacon and hams and such valuables was plain `
` simple stealing--and there was a command against that in the Bible. So `
` they inwardly resolved that so long as they remained in the business, `
` their piracies should not again be sullied with the crime of stealing. `
` Then conscience granted a truce, and these curiously inconsistent `
` pirates fell peacefully to sleep. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XIV `
` `
` WHEN Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and `
` rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the `
` cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose and peace in `
` the deep pervading calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; `
` not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. Beaded dewdrops `
` stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the `
` fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe `
` and Huck still slept. `
` `
` Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently `
` the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of `
` the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life `
` manifested itself. The marvel of Nature shaking off sleep and going to `
` work unfolded itself to the musing boy. A little green worm came `
` crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air `
` from time to time and "sniffing around," then proceeding again--for he `
` was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own `
` accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, `
` by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to `
` go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its `
` curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom's leg and `
` began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad--for that meant that `
` he was going to have a new suit of clothes--without the shadow of a `
` doubt a gaudy piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, `
` from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors; one struggled `
` manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, `
` and lugged it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted lady-bug `
` climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent down close to `
` it and said, "Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, `
` your children's alone," and she took wing and went off to see about it `
` --which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was `
` credulous about conflagrations, and he had practised upon its `
` simplicity more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at `
` its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against `
` its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this `
` time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, `
` and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of `
` enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and `
` stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one `
` side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel `
` and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at `
` intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had `
` probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to `
` be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long `
` lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense foliage far and near, `
`
` "Hellum-a-lee--hard a port! Stand by to meet her when she comes! Port, `
` port! NOW, men! With a will! Stead-y-y-y!" `
` `
` "Steady it is, sir!" `
` `
` The raft drew beyond the middle of the river; the boys pointed her `
` head right, and then lay on their oars. The river was not high, so `
` there was not more than a two or three mile current. Hardly a word was `
` said during the next three-quarters of an hour. Now the raft was `
` passing before the distant town. Two or three glimmering lights showed `
` where it lay, peacefully sleeping, beyond the vague vast sweep of `
` star-gemmed water, unconscious of the tremendous event that was happening. `
` The Black Avenger stood still with folded arms, "looking his last" upon `
` the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing `
` "she" could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death `
` with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. `
` It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island `
` beyond eyeshot of the village, and so he "looked his last" with a `
` broken and satisfied heart. The other pirates were looking their last, `
` too; and they all looked so long that they came near letting the `
` current drift them out of the range of the island. But they discovered `
` the danger in time, and made shift to avert it. About two o'clock in `
` the morning the raft grounded on the bar two hundred yards above the `
` head of the island, and they waded back and forth until they had landed `
` their freight. Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old `
` sail, and this they spread over a nook in the bushes for a tent to `
` shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open `
` air in good weather, as became outlaws. `
` `
` They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty `
` steps within the sombre depths of the forest, and then cooked some `
` bacon in the frying-pan for supper, and used up half of the corn "pone" `
` stock they had brought. It seemed glorious sport to be feasting in that `
` wild, free way in the virgin forest of an unexplored and uninhabited `
` island, far from the haunts of men, and they said they never would `
` return to civilization. The climbing fire lit up their faces and threw `
` its ruddy glare upon the pillared tree-trunks of their forest temple, `
` and upon the varnished foliage and festooning vines. `
` `
` When the last crisp slice of bacon was gone, and the last allowance of `
` corn pone devoured, the boys stretched themselves out on the grass, `
` filled with contentment. They could have found a cooler place, but they `
` would not deny themselves such a romantic feature as the roasting `
` camp-fire. `
` `
` "AIN'T it gay?" said Joe. `
` `
` "It's NUTS!" said Tom. "What would the boys say if they could see us?" `
` `
` "Say? Well, they'd just die to be here--hey, Hucky!" `
` `
` "I reckon so," said Huckleberry; "anyways, I'm suited. I don't want `
` nothing better'n this. I don't ever get enough to eat, gen'ally--and `
` here they can't come and pick at a feller and bullyrag him so." `
` `
` "It's just the life for me," said Tom. "You don't have to get up, `
` mornings, and you don't have to go to school, and wash, and all that `
` blame foolishness. You see a pirate don't have to do ANYTHING, Joe, `
` when he's ashore, but a hermit HE has to be praying considerable, and `
` then he don't have any fun, anyway, all by himself that way." `
` `
` "Oh yes, that's so," said Joe, "but I hadn't thought much about it, `
` you know. I'd a good deal rather be a pirate, now that I've tried it." `
` `
` "You see," said Tom, "people don't go much on hermits, nowadays, like `
` they used to in old times, but a pirate's always respected. And a `
` hermit's got to sleep on the hardest place he can find, and put `
` sackcloth and ashes on his head, and stand out in the rain, and--" `
` `
` "What does he put sackcloth and ashes on his head for?" inquired Huck. `
` `
` "I dono. But they've GOT to do it. Hermits always do. You'd have to do `
` that if you was a hermit." `
` `
` "Dern'd if I would," said Huck. `
` `
` "Well, what would you do?" `
` `
` "I dono. But I wouldn't do that." `
` `
` "Why, Huck, you'd HAVE to. How'd you get around it?" `
` `
` "Why, I just wouldn't stand it. I'd run away." `
` `
` "Run away! Well, you WOULD be a nice old slouch of a hermit. You'd be `
` a disgrace." `
` `
` The Red-Handed made no response, being better employed. He had `
` finished gouging out a cob, and now he fitted a weed stem to it, loaded `
` it with tobacco, and was pressing a coal to the charge and blowing a `
` cloud of fragrant smoke--he was in the full bloom of luxurious `
` contentment. The other pirates envied him this majestic vice, and `
` secretly resolved to acquire it shortly. Presently Huck said: `
` `
` "What does pirates have to do?" `
` `
` Tom said: `
` `
` "Oh, they have just a bully time--take ships and burn them, and get `
` the money and bury it in awful places in their island where there's `
` ghosts and things to watch it, and kill everybody in the ships--make `
` 'em walk a plank." `
` `
` "And they carry the women to the island," said Joe; "they don't kill `
` the women." `
` `
` "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women--they're too noble. And `
` the women's always beautiful, too. `
` `
` "And don't they wear the bulliest clothes! Oh no! All gold and silver `
` and di'monds," said Joe, with enthusiasm. `
` `
` "Who?" said Huck. `
` `
` "Why, the pirates." `
` `
` Huck scanned his own clothing forlornly. `
` `
` "I reckon I ain't dressed fitten for a pirate," said he, with a `
` regretful pathos in his voice; "but I ain't got none but these." `
` `
` But the other boys told him the fine clothes would come fast enough, `
` after they should have begun their adventures. They made him understand `
` that his poor rags would do to begin with, though it was customary for `
` wealthy pirates to start with a proper wardrobe. `
` `
` Gradually their talk died out and drowsiness began to steal upon the `
` eyelids of the little waifs. The pipe dropped from the fingers of the `
` Red-Handed, and he slept the sleep of the conscience-free and the `
` weary. The Terror of the Seas and the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main `
` had more difficulty in getting to sleep. They said their prayers `
` inwardly, and lying down, since there was nobody there with authority `
` to make them kneel and recite aloud; in truth, they had a mind not to `
` say them at all, but they were afraid to proceed to such lengths as `
` that, lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from `
` heaven. Then at once they reached and hovered upon the imminent verge `
` of sleep--but an intruder came, now, that would not "down." It was `
` conscience. They began to feel a vague fear that they had been doing `
` wrong to run away; and next they thought of the stolen meat, and then `
` the real torture came. They tried to argue it away by reminding `
` conscience that they had purloined sweetmeats and apples scores of `
` times; but conscience was not to be appeased by such thin `
` plausibilities; it seemed to them, in the end, that there was no `
` getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only `
` "hooking," while taking bacon and hams and such valuables was plain `
` simple stealing--and there was a command against that in the Bible. So `
` they inwardly resolved that so long as they remained in the business, `
` their piracies should not again be sullied with the crime of stealing. `
` Then conscience granted a truce, and these curiously inconsistent `
` pirates fell peacefully to sleep. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XIV `
` `
` WHEN Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and `
` rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the `
` cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose and peace in `
` the deep pervading calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; `
` not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. Beaded dewdrops `
` stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the `
` fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe `
` and Huck still slept. `
` `
` Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently `
` the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of `
` the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life `
` manifested itself. The marvel of Nature shaking off sleep and going to `
` work unfolded itself to the musing boy. A little green worm came `
` crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air `
` from time to time and "sniffing around," then proceeding again--for he `
` was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own `
` accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, `
` by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to `
` go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its `
` curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom's leg and `
` began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad--for that meant that `
` he was going to have a new suit of clothes--without the shadow of a `
` doubt a gaudy piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, `
` from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors; one struggled `
` manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, `
` and lugged it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted lady-bug `
` climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent down close to `
` it and said, "Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, `
` your children's alone," and she took wing and went off to see about it `
` --which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was `
` credulous about conflagrations, and he had practised upon its `
` simplicity more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at `
` its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against `
` its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this `
` time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, `
` and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of `
` enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and `
` stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one `
` side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel `
` and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at `
` intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had `
` probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to `
` be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long `
` lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense foliage far and near, `
`