Reading Help Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Ch.I-XV
`
` "Certainly." `
` `
` "With his face to the stump?" `
` `
` "Yes. Least I reckon so." `
` `
` "Did he say anything?" `
` `
` "I don't reckon he did. I don't know." `
` `
` "Aha! Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame `
` fool way as that! Why, that ain't a-going to do any good. You got to go `
` all by yourself, to the middle of the woods, where you know there's a `
` spunk-water stump, and just as it's midnight you back up against the `
` stump and jam your hand in and say: `
` `
` 'Barley-corn, barley-corn, injun-meal shorts, `
` Spunk-water, spunk-water, swaller these warts,' `
` `
` and then walk away quick, eleven steps, with your eyes shut, and then `
` turn around three times and walk home without speaking to anybody. `
` Because if you speak the charm's busted." `
` `
` "Well, that sounds like a good way; but that ain't the way Bob Tanner `
` done." `
` `
` "No, sir, you can bet he didn't, becuz he's the wartiest boy in this `
` town; and he wouldn't have a wart on him if he'd knowed how to work `
` spunk-water. I've took off thousands of warts off of my hands that way, `
` Huck. I play with frogs so much that I've always got considerable many `
` warts. Sometimes I take 'em off with a bean." `
` `
` "Yes, bean's good. I've done that." `
` `
` "Have you? What's your way?" `
` `
` "You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some `
` blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and `
` dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of `
` the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean. You see that piece `
` that's got the blood on it will keep drawing and drawing, trying to `
` fetch the other piece to it, and so that helps the blood to draw the `
` wart, and pretty soon off she comes." `
` `
` "Yes, that's it, Huck--that's it; though when you're burying it if you `
` say 'Down bean; off wart; come no more to bother me!' it's better. `
` That's the way Joe Harper does, and he's been nearly to Coonville and `
` most everywheres. But say--how do you cure 'em with dead cats?" `
` `
` "Why, you take your cat and go and get in the graveyard 'long about `
` midnight when somebody that was wicked has been buried; and when it's `
` midnight a devil will come, or maybe two or three, but you can't see `
` 'em, you can only hear something like the wind, or maybe hear 'em talk; `
` and when they're taking that feller away, you heave your cat after 'em `
` and say, 'Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I'm `
` done with ye!' That'll fetch ANY wart." `
` `
` "Sounds right. D'you ever try it, Huck?" `
` `
` "No, but old Mother Hopkins told me." `
` `
` "Well, I reckon it's so, then. Becuz they say she's a witch." `
` `
` "Say! Why, Tom, I KNOW she is. She witched pap. Pap says so his own `
` self. He come along one day, and he see she was a-witching him, so he `
` took up a rock, and if she hadn't dodged, he'd a got her. Well, that `
` very night he rolled off'n a shed wher' he was a layin drunk, and broke `
` his arm." `
` `
` "Why, that's awful. How did he know she was a-witching him?" `
` `
` "Lord, pap can tell, easy. Pap says when they keep looking at you `
` right stiddy, they're a-witching you. Specially if they mumble. Becuz `
` when they mumble they're saying the Lord's Prayer backards." `
` `
` "Say, Hucky, when you going to try the cat?" `
` `
` "To-night. I reckon they'll come after old Hoss Williams to-night." `
` `
` "But they buried him Saturday. Didn't they get him Saturday night?" `
` `
` "Why, how you talk! How could their charms work till midnight?--and `
` THEN it's Sunday. Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't `
` reckon." `
` `
` "I never thought of that. That's so. Lemme go with you?" `
` `
` "Of course--if you ain't afeard." `
` `
` "Afeard! 'Tain't likely. Will you meow?" `
` `
` "Yes--and you meow back, if you get a chance. Last time, you kep' me `
` a-meowing around till old Hays went to throwing rocks at me and says `
` 'Dern that cat!' and so I hove a brick through his window--but don't `
` you tell." `
` `
` "I won't. I couldn't meow that night, becuz auntie was watching me, `
` but I'll meow this time. Say--what's that?" `
` `
` "Nothing but a tick." `
` `
` "Where'd you get him?" `
` `
` "Out in the woods." `
` `
` "What'll you take for him?" `
` `
` "I don't know. I don't want to sell him." `
` `
` "All right. It's a mighty small tick, anyway." `
` `
` "Oh, anybody can run a tick down that don't belong to them. I'm `
` satisfied with it. It's a good enough tick for me." `
` `
` "Sho, there's ticks a plenty. I could have a thousand of 'em if I `
` wanted to." `
` `
` "Well, why don't you? Becuz you know mighty well you can't. This is a `
` pretty early tick, I reckon. It's the first one I've seen this year." `
` `
` "Say, Huck--I'll give you my tooth for him." `
` `
` "Less see it." `
` `
` Tom got out a bit of paper and carefully unrolled it. Huckleberry `
` viewed it wistfully. The temptation was very strong. At last he said: `
` `
` "Is it genuwyne?" `
` `
` Tom lifted his lip and showed the vacancy. `
` `
` "Well, all right," said Huckleberry, "it's a trade." `
` `
` Tom enclosed the tick in the percussion-cap box that had lately been `
` the pinchbug's prison, and the boys separated, each feeling wealthier `
` than before. `
` `
` When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in `
` briskly, with the manner of one who had come with all honest speed. `
` He hung his hat on a peg and flung himself into his seat with `
` business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in his great `
` splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. `
` The interruption roused him. `
` `
` "Thomas Sawyer!" `
` `
` Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble. `
` `
` "Sir!" `
` `
` "Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?" `
` `
` Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of `
` yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric `
` sympathy of love; and by that form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the `
` girls' side of the schoolhouse. He instantly said: `
` `
` "I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!" `
` `
` The master's pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of `
` study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his `
` mind. The master said: `
` `
` "You--you did what?" `
` `
` "Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn." `
` `
` There was no mistaking the words. `
` `
` "Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever `
` listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your `
` jacket." `
` `
` The master's arm performed until it was tired and the stock of `
` switches notably diminished. Then the order followed: `
` `
` "Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you." `
` `
` The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but `
` in reality that result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of `
` his unknown idol and the dread pleasure that lay in his high good `
` fortune. He sat down upon the end of the pine bench and the girl `
` hitched herself away from him with a toss of her head. Nudges and winks `
` and whispers traversed the room, but Tom sat still, with his arms upon `
` the long, low desk before him, and seemed to study his book. `
` `
` By and by attention ceased from him, and the accustomed school murmur `
` rose upon the dull air once more. Presently the boy began to steal `
` furtive glances at the girl. She observed it, "made a mouth" at him and `
` gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she `
` cautiously faced around again, a peach lay before her. She thrust it `
` away. Tom gently put it back. She thrust it away again, but with less `
` animosity. Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it `
` remain. Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it--I got more." The `
` girl glanced at the words, but made no sign. Now the boy began to draw `
` something on the slate, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time `
` the girl refused to notice; but her human curiosity presently began to `
` manifest itself by hardly perceptible signs. The boy worked on, `
` apparently unconscious. The girl made a sort of noncommittal attempt to `
` see, but the boy did not betray that he was aware of it. At last she `
`
` "Certainly." `
` `
` "With his face to the stump?" `
` `
` "Yes. Least I reckon so." `
` `
` "Did he say anything?" `
` `
` "I don't reckon he did. I don't know." `
` `
` "Aha! Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame `
` fool way as that! Why, that ain't a-going to do any good. You got to go `
` all by yourself, to the middle of the woods, where you know there's a `
` spunk-water stump, and just as it's midnight you back up against the `
` stump and jam your hand in and say: `
` `
` 'Barley-corn, barley-corn, injun-meal shorts, `
` Spunk-water, spunk-water, swaller these warts,' `
` `
` and then walk away quick, eleven steps, with your eyes shut, and then `
` turn around three times and walk home without speaking to anybody. `
` Because if you speak the charm's busted." `
` `
` "Well, that sounds like a good way; but that ain't the way Bob Tanner `
` done." `
` `
` "No, sir, you can bet he didn't, becuz he's the wartiest boy in this `
` town; and he wouldn't have a wart on him if he'd knowed how to work `
` spunk-water. I've took off thousands of warts off of my hands that way, `
` Huck. I play with frogs so much that I've always got considerable many `
` warts. Sometimes I take 'em off with a bean." `
` `
` "Yes, bean's good. I've done that." `
` `
` "Have you? What's your way?" `
` `
` "You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some `
` blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and `
` dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of `
` the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean. You see that piece `
` that's got the blood on it will keep drawing and drawing, trying to `
` fetch the other piece to it, and so that helps the blood to draw the `
` wart, and pretty soon off she comes." `
` `
` "Yes, that's it, Huck--that's it; though when you're burying it if you `
` say 'Down bean; off wart; come no more to bother me!' it's better. `
` That's the way Joe Harper does, and he's been nearly to Coonville and `
` most everywheres. But say--how do you cure 'em with dead cats?" `
` `
` "Why, you take your cat and go and get in the graveyard 'long about `
` midnight when somebody that was wicked has been buried; and when it's `
` midnight a devil will come, or maybe two or three, but you can't see `
` 'em, you can only hear something like the wind, or maybe hear 'em talk; `
` and when they're taking that feller away, you heave your cat after 'em `
` and say, 'Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I'm `
` done with ye!' That'll fetch ANY wart." `
` `
` "Sounds right. D'you ever try it, Huck?" `
` `
` "No, but old Mother Hopkins told me." `
` `
` "Well, I reckon it's so, then. Becuz they say she's a witch." `
` `
` "Say! Why, Tom, I KNOW she is. She witched pap. Pap says so his own `
` self. He come along one day, and he see she was a-witching him, so he `
` took up a rock, and if she hadn't dodged, he'd a got her. Well, that `
` very night he rolled off'n a shed wher' he was a layin drunk, and broke `
` his arm." `
` `
` "Why, that's awful. How did he know she was a-witching him?" `
` `
` "Lord, pap can tell, easy. Pap says when they keep looking at you `
` right stiddy, they're a-witching you. Specially if they mumble. Becuz `
` when they mumble they're saying the Lord's Prayer backards." `
` `
` "Say, Hucky, when you going to try the cat?" `
` `
` "To-night. I reckon they'll come after old Hoss Williams to-night." `
` `
` "But they buried him Saturday. Didn't they get him Saturday night?" `
` `
` "Why, how you talk! How could their charms work till midnight?--and `
` THEN it's Sunday. Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't `
` reckon." `
` `
` "I never thought of that. That's so. Lemme go with you?" `
` `
` "Of course--if you ain't afeard." `
` `
` "Afeard! 'Tain't likely. Will you meow?" `
` `
` "Yes--and you meow back, if you get a chance. Last time, you kep' me `
` a-meowing around till old Hays went to throwing rocks at me and says `
` 'Dern that cat!' and so I hove a brick through his window--but don't `
` you tell." `
` `
` "I won't. I couldn't meow that night, becuz auntie was watching me, `
` but I'll meow this time. Say--what's that?" `
` `
` "Nothing but a tick." `
` `
` "Where'd you get him?" `
` `
` "Out in the woods." `
` `
` "What'll you take for him?" `
` `
` "I don't know. I don't want to sell him." `
` `
` "All right. It's a mighty small tick, anyway." `
` `
` "Oh, anybody can run a tick down that don't belong to them. I'm `
` satisfied with it. It's a good enough tick for me." `
` `
` "Sho, there's ticks a plenty. I could have a thousand of 'em if I `
` wanted to." `
` `
` "Well, why don't you? Becuz you know mighty well you can't. This is a `
` pretty early tick, I reckon. It's the first one I've seen this year." `
` `
` "Say, Huck--I'll give you my tooth for him." `
` `
` "Less see it." `
` `
` Tom got out a bit of paper and carefully unrolled it. Huckleberry `
` viewed it wistfully. The temptation was very strong. At last he said: `
` `
` "Is it genuwyne?" `
` `
` Tom lifted his lip and showed the vacancy. `
` `
` "Well, all right," said Huckleberry, "it's a trade." `
` `
` Tom enclosed the tick in the percussion-cap box that had lately been `
` the pinchbug's prison, and the boys separated, each feeling wealthier `
` than before. `
` `
` When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in `
` briskly, with the manner of one who had come with all honest speed. `
` He hung his hat on a peg and flung himself into his seat with `
` business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in his great `
` splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. `
` The interruption roused him. `
` `
` "Thomas Sawyer!" `
` `
` Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble. `
` `
` "Sir!" `
` `
` "Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?" `
` `
` Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of `
` yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric `
` sympathy of love; and by that form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the `
` girls' side of the schoolhouse. He instantly said: `
` `
` "I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!" `
` `
` The master's pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of `
` study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his `
` mind. The master said: `
` `
` "You--you did what?" `
` `
` "Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn." `
` `
` There was no mistaking the words. `
` `
` "Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever `
` listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your `
` jacket." `
` `
` The master's arm performed until it was tired and the stock of `
` switches notably diminished. Then the order followed: `
` `
` "Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you." `
` `
` The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but `
` in reality that result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of `
` his unknown idol and the dread pleasure that lay in his high good `
` fortune. He sat down upon the end of the pine bench and the girl `
` hitched herself away from him with a toss of her head. Nudges and winks `
` and whispers traversed the room, but Tom sat still, with his arms upon `
` the long, low desk before him, and seemed to study his book. `
` `
` By and by attention ceased from him, and the accustomed school murmur `
` rose upon the dull air once more. Presently the boy began to steal `
` furtive glances at the girl. She observed it, "made a mouth" at him and `
` gave him the back of her head for the space of a minute. When she `
` cautiously faced around again, a peach lay before her. She thrust it `
` away. Tom gently put it back. She thrust it away again, but with less `
` animosity. Tom patiently returned it to its place. Then she let it `
` remain. Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it--I got more." The `
` girl glanced at the words, but made no sign. Now the boy began to draw `
` something on the slate, hiding his work with his left hand. For a time `
` the girl refused to notice; but her human curiosity presently began to `
` manifest itself by hardly perceptible signs. The boy worked on, `
` apparently unconscious. The girl made a sort of noncommittal attempt to `
` see, but the boy did not betray that he was aware of it. At last she `
`