Chapter 40
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WE was feeling pretty good after breakfast, and took my canoe and went over the river a-fishing, with a lunch, and had a good time, and took a look at the raft and found her all right, and got home late to supper, and found them in such a sweat and worry they didn’t know which end they was standing on, and made us go right off to bed the minute we was done supper, and wouldn’t tell us what the trouble was, and never let on a word about the new letter, but didn’t need to, because we knowed as much about it as anybody did, and as soon as we was half up stairs and her back was turned we slid for the cellar cupboard and loaded up a good lunch and took it up to our room and went to bed, and got up about half-past eleven, and Tom put on Aunt Sally’s dress that he stole and was going to start with the lunch, but says:
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We were feeling pretty good after breakfast. We took my canoe and went fishing out in the river. We brought lunch with us and had a good time. We also checked in on the raft and it was okay. We got home late to supper and found that the family was so worried that they didn’t know their right hand from their left. They wouldn’t tell us what was bothering them, but they made us go straight to bed the minute we were done with supper. They didn’t need to tell us anything, though, because we knew more about it than anyone else. As soon as Aunt Sally’s back was turned and we were halfway up the stairs, we snuck back down and into the cellar cupboard. We loaded up with all sorts of food for lunch and took it back to our room. We went to bed, but got up again around eleven-thirty. Tom put on Aunt Sally’s dress and was going to put together the lunch, but said:
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“Where’s the butter?”
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“Where’s the butter?”
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“I laid out a hunk of it,” I says, “on a piece of a corn-pone.”
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“I got out a big chunk of it,” I said. “It was on a piece of cornpone.”
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“Well, you LEFT it laid out, then—it ain’t here.”
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“Well, you LEFT it downstairs then, because it isn’t here.”
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“We can get along without it,” I says.
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“We can do without it,” I said.
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“We can get along WITH it, too,” he says; “just you slide down cellar and fetch it. And then mosey right down the lightning-rod and come along. I’ll go and stuff the straw into Jim’s clothes to represent his mother in disguise, and be ready to BA like a sheep and shove soon as you get there.”
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“We can do WITH it too,” he said. “Just go back down to the cellar and bring it up. Then slid down the lightning rod and catch up with me. I’ll go and stuff the straw into Jim’s clothes to make it look like his mother in disguise. Be ready to baaa like a sheep then head out as soon as you get there.”
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So out he went, and down cellar went I. The hunk of butter, big as a person’s fist, was where I had left it, so I took up the slab of corn-pone with it on, and blowed out my light, and started up stairs very stealthy, and got up to the main floor all right, but here comes Aunt Sally with a candle, and I clapped the truck in my hat, and clapped my hat on my head, and the next second she see me; and she says:
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He left, and I went down to the cellar. That hunk of butter, which was as big as a person’s fist, was right where I’d left it. I took the entire slab of cornpone that I’d set it on too. I blew out the light and started to climb back up the stairs quietly. I got to the main floor without a problem. Then ran into Aunt Sally with a candle. I threw the butter and cornpone under my hat and put my hat on my head. She saw me the next second and said:
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“You been down cellar?”
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“Have you been down in the cellar?”
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“Yes’m.”
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“Yes, ma’m.”
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“What you been doing down there?”
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“What were you doing down there?”
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“Noth’n.”
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“Nothing.”
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“NOTH’N!”
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“NOTHING!”
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“No’m.”
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“No, ma’m.”
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“Well, then, what possessed you to go down there this time of night?”
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“Well, what made you go down there at this time of night in the first place?”
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“I don’t know ’m.”
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“I don’t know, ma’m.”
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“You don’t KNOW? Don’t answer me that way. Tom, I want to know what you been DOING down there.”
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“You don’t KNOW? Don’t tell me that. Tom, I want to know what you’ve been DOING down there.”
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“I hain’t been doing a single thing, Aunt Sally, I hope to gracious if I have.”
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“I haven’t been doing anything, Aunt Sally. I swear, I haven’t.”
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I reckoned she’d let me go now, and as a generl thing she would; but I s’pose there was so many strange things going on she was just in a sweat about every little thing that warn’t yard-stick straight; so she says, very decided:
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I figured she’d let me go, and under normal circumstances she would have. But I suppose there were so many strange things going on that she was in a frenzy about every little thing that wasn’t perfectly normal. She said, in a very matter-of-fact way:
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“You just march into that setting-room and stay there till I come. You been up to something you no business to, and I lay I’ll find out what it is before I’M done with you.”
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“Just march into the sitting room, and stay there until I come. You’ve been up to something you shouldn’t be doing, and I swear I’ll find out what it is before I’M done with you.”
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So she went away as I opened the door and walked into the setting-room. My, but there was a crowd there! Fifteen farmers, and every one of them had a gun. I was most powerful sick, and slunk to a chair and set down. They was setting around, some of them talking a little, in a low voice, and all of them fidgety and uneasy, but trying to look like they warn’t; but I knowed they was, because they was always taking off their hats, and putting them on, and scratching their heads, and changing their seats, and fumbling with their buttons. I warn’t easy myself, but I didn’t take my hat off, all the same.
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She walked away as I opened the door and walked into the sitting room. There was a whole crowd of people in there! There were fifteen farmers, and every one of them had a gun. I felt awfully sick, and sunk into a chair. They were sitting around, some of them talking a little in low voices. All of them were fidgety and restless, but tried to look like they weren’t. I could tell they were nervous because they kept taking off their hats and putting them back on again, scratching their heads, changing their seats, and fumbling with their buttons. I wasn’t so comfortable myself, but I didn’t take my hat off.
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I did wish Aunt Sally would come, and get done with me, and lick me, if she wanted to, and let me get away and tell Tom how we’d overdone this thing, and what a thundering hornet’s-nest we’d got ourselves into, so we could stop fooling around straight off, and clear out with Jim before these rips got out of patience and come for us.
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I did wish Aunt Sally would come back and be done with me. She could even beat me if she wanted to. As long as I could get away and tell Tom we’d overdone it. We needed stop fooling around and just get out of here with Jim before these guys got impatient and came after us. What a mess we’d gotten ourselves into!
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At last she come and begun to ask me questions, but I COULDN’T answer them straight, I didn’t know which end of me was up; because these men was in such a fidget now that some was wanting to start right NOW and lay for them desperadoes, and saying it warn’t but a few minutes to midnight; and others was trying to get them to hold on and wait for the sheep-signal; and here was Aunty pegging away at the questions, and me a-shaking all over and ready to sink down in my tracks I was that scared; and the place getting hotter and hotter, and the butter beginning to melt and run down my neck and behind my ears; and pretty soon, when one of them says, “I’M for going and getting in the cabin FIRST and right NOW, and catching them when they come,” I most dropped; and a streak of butter come a-trickling down my forehead, and Aunt Sally she see it, and turns white as a sheet, and says:
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Aunt Sally finally came back and started to ask me questions, but I COULDN’T answer them honestly because I was so panicked. Some of the men were so fidgety that they wanted to head out right NOW and wait for those desperadoes, saying it was only a few minutes until midnight anyway. Others were trying to get them to hold off and wait for the sheep signal. And then there was Aunty firing away with questions at me. I was shaking all over and so scared that I was wanted to just sink right into the floor. The place was getting hotter and hotter, and the butter started to melt down my neck and behind my ears. Pretty soon, one of them said, “I’M going to go and get in the cabin FIRST right NOW and catch them when they come.” I almost fainted. A streak of butter trickled down my forehead. Aunt Sally saw it, turned white as a sheet, and said:
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Chapter 40: Page 2
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“For the land’s sake, what IS the matter with the child? He’s got the brain-fever as shore as you’re born, and they’re oozing out!”
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“Lord’s sake! What is the MATTER with this child? He’s got the brain fever for sure! His brains are just oozing right out!”
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And everybody runs to see, and she snatches off my hat, and out comes the bread and what was left of the butter, and she grabbed me, and hugged me, and says:
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Everybody ran over to see. Aunt Sally snatched off my hat and out came the bread and what was left of the butter. She grabbed me, hugged me, and said:
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“Oh, what a turn you did give me! and how glad and grateful I am it ain’t no worse; for luck’s against us, and it never rains but it pours, and when I see that truck I thought we’d lost you, for I knowed by the color and all it was just like your brains would be if—Dear, dear, whyd’nt you TELL me that was what you’d been down there for, I wouldn’t a cared. Now cler out to bed, and don’t lemme see no more of you till morning!”
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“Oh, you scared me so much! I’m so glad and grateful to see that it isn’t worse. We’re having a streak of bad luck—when it rains, it pours—and when I saw all that stuff sliding down your head I thought we’d lost you. I thought by the color of it that it was just as if your brains had… Dear, dear, why didn’t you TELL me that’s what you’d been doing down there? I wouldn’t have cared. Now go back up to bed, and I don’t want to see you until morning!”
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I was up stairs in a second, and down the lightning-rod in another one, and shinning through the dark for the lean-to. I couldn’t hardly get my words out, I was so anxious; but I told Tom as quick as I could we must jump for it now, and not a minute to lose—the house full of men, yonder, with guns!
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I was back upstairs in a second, then down the lightning rod in another. I ran through the dark to the lean-to. I could barely say anything because I was so anxious, but I told Tom as quickly as I could that we had to make a break for it. The house was full of men with guns, and we didn’t have a minute to lose.
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His eyes just blazed; and he says:
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His eyes just blazed, and he said:
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“No!—is that so? AIN’T it bully! Why, Huck, if it was to do overagain, I bet I could fetch two hundred! If we could put it off till—”
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“No! Is that so? That’s GREAT! Why, Huck, if I were to do it all over again, I bet I could get them to round up two hundred men! If we could just put this off until….”
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“Hurry! HURRY!” I says. “Where’s Jim?”
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“Hurry! HURRY!” I said. “Where’s Jim?”
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“Right at your elbow; if you reach out your arm you can touch him. He’s dressed, and everything’s ready. Now we’ll slide out and give the sheep-signal.”
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“He’s right at your elbow. If you reach out your arm, you can touch him. He’s dressed, and everything’s ready. Now we’ll just sneak out of hear and give the sheep signal.”
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But then we heard the tramp of men coming to the door, and heard them begin to fumble with the pad-lock, and heard a man say:
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But right then we heard a bunch of men running to the door, and we heard them begin to fumble with the padlock. We heard a man say:
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“I TOLD you we’d be too soon; they haven’t come—the door is locked. Here, I’ll lock some of you into the cabin, and you lay for ’em in the dark and kill ’em when they come; and the rest scatter around a piece, and listen if you can hear ’em coming.”
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“I TOLD you we’d get here too early. They haven’t come yet—the door is still locked. Here, I’ll lock some of you in the cabin, and you can wait for them in the dark and kill them when they come in. The rest of you can scatter around and listen if you can hear them coming.”
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So in they come, but couldn’t see us in the dark, and most trod on us whilst we was hustling to get under the bed. But we got under all right, and out through the hole, swift but soft—Jim first, me next, and Tom last, which was according to Tom’s orders. Now we was in the lean-to, and heard trampings close by outside. So we crept to the door, and Tom stopped us there and put his eye to the crack, but couldn’t make out nothing, it was so dark; and whispered and said he would listen for the steps to get further, and when he nudged us Jim must glide out first, and him last. So he set his ear to the crack and listened, and listened, and listened, and the steps a-scraping around out there all the time; and at last he nudged us, and we slid out, and stooped down, not breathing, and not making the least noise, and slipped stealthy towards the fence in Injun file, and got to it all right, and me and Jim over it; but Tom’s britches catched fast on a splinter on the top rail, and then he hear the steps coming, so he had to pull loose, which snapped the splinter and made a noise; and as he dropped in our tracks and started somebody sings out:
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They came in. They couldn’t see us in the dark and almost stepped on us as we were hustling to get under the bed. We made it under all right and went out through the hole, quickly but quietly—Jim first, me next, and Tom last, just as Tom had instructed. Now we were in the lean-to and heard the tramping of feet close by. We crept to the door, and Tom stopped us there. He put his eye to the crack, but couldn’t see anything because it was so dark. He whispered that he would listen for the footsteps to get further away and then he’d nudge us so that Jim could sneak out first, me next, and him last. He put his ear to the crack and listened for a while. You could hear the footsteps out there the whole time, but he finally nudged us, and we slid out. We stooped down, not breathing and not making any noise, and slipped stealthily to the fence in single file. We made it to the fence, and Jim and I climbed over it, but Tom’s pants got caught on a plinter on the top rail. He heard footsteps coming, so he had to pull loose, which snapped the splinter and made a noise. As he dropped down beside us, somebody called out:
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“Who’s that? Answer, or I’ll shoot!”
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“Who’s that? Answer, or I’ll shoot!”
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But we didn’t answer; we just unfurled our heels and shoved. Then there was a rush, and a BANG, BANG, BANG! and the bullets fairly whizzed around us! We heard them sing out:
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We didn’t answer, but just dug our heels in and ran. There was some commotion and then BANG, BANG, BANG! and the bullets whizzed around us! We heard the men cry out:
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“Here they are! They’ve broke for the river! After ’em, boys, and turn loose the dogs!”
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“They’re here! They’re running to the river! After them, boys, and turn the dogs loose!”
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So here they come, full tilt. We could hear them because they wore boots and yelled, but we didn’t wear no boots and didn’t yell. We was in the path to the mill; and when they got pretty close on to us we dodged into the bush and let them go by, and then dropped in behind them. They’d had all the dogs shut up, so they wouldn’t scare off the robbers; but by this time somebody had let them loose, and here they come, making powwow enough for a million; but they was our dogs; so we stopped in our tracks till they catched up; and when they see it warn’t nobody but us, and no excitement to offer them, they only just said howdy, and tore right ahead towards the shouting and clattering; and then we up-steam again, and whizzed along after them till we was nearly to the mill, and then struck up through the bush to where my canoe was tied, and hopped in and pulled for dear life towards the middle of the river, but didn’t make no more noise than we was obleeged to. Then we struck out, easy and comfortable, for the island where my raft was; and we could hear them yelling and barking at each other all up and down the bank, till we was so far away the sounds got dim and died out. And when we stepped on to the raft I says:
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They came running after us at full speed. We could hear them because they wore boots and yelled, but we weren’t wearing boots and didn’t yell. We were on the path heading toward the mill, and when they got pretty close to us we dove into the bushes and let them run past. Then we got back on the path behind them. They had locked away the dogs so that they wouldn’t scare the thieves, but by then someone had set them loose. They came after us, making as much racket as a million dogs. But they were our dogs, so we stopped in our tracks until they caught up. When they saw that it was only us and that we weren’t exciting, they just stopped for a moment to say hello and then ran along barking and making noise. We started running after them until we were almost to the mill. Then we ran through the bushes to the place where I’d hidden my canoe. We hopped in and started rowing for dear life toward the middle of the river, trying to make as little noise as possible. When we got there, we relaxed a little and headed for the island where my raft was. We could hear the men and dogs yelling and barking at each other up and down the bank until we were so far away the sounds faded and died. When we stepped on the raft, I said:
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Chapter 40: Page 3
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“NOW, old Jim, you’re a free man again, and I bet you won’t ever be a slave no more.”
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“NOW you’re a free man again, Jim! And I bet you won’t ever be a slave again!”
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“En a mighty good job it wuz, too, Huck. It ’uz planned beautiful, en it ’uz done beautiful; en dey ain’t NOBODY kin git up a plan dat’s mo’ mixed-up en splendid den what dat one wuz.”
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“And you did a good job, too, Huck. It was planned beautifully and you pulled it off perfectly. There isn’t ANYONE who can come up wth a plan as intricate and splendid as that one.”
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We was all glad as we could be, but Tom was the gladdest of all because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg.
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We were all very glad, but Tom was the gladdest of all, because he had a bullet lodged in his calf.
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When me and Jim heard that we didn’t feel so brash as what we did before. It was hurting him considerable, and bleeding; so we laid him in the wigwam and tore up one of the duke’s shirts for to bandage him, but he says:
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When Jim and I heard this we didn’t feel too happy anymore. Tom was in a lot of pain, and he was bleeding. We put him in the wigwam and tore up one of the duke’s shirts to use as a bandage, but he said:
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“Gimme the rags; I can do it myself. Don’t stop now; don’t fool around here, and the evasion booming along so handsome; man the sweeps, and set her loose! Boys, we done it elegant!—’deed we did. I wish WE’D a had the handling of Louis XVI., there wouldn’t a been no ’Son of Saint Louis, ascend to heaven!’ wrote down in HIS biography; no, sir, we’d a whooped him over the BORDER—that’s what we’d a done with HIM—and done it just as slick as nothing at all, too. Man the sweeps—man the sweeps!”
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“Give me the rags—I can do it myself. Don’t stop now, don’t fool around when the evasion is going so well. Man the oars and get her going! Boys, we did it beautifully! Yes, we did. I wish WE’D been the ones to try to break out Louis XVI. There wouldn’t have been a ‘Son of Saint Louis, ascend to heaven!’ written down in HIS biography. No sir, we’d have swooped him over the BORDER. That’s what WE would have done with HIM, and done it just as slick as anything, too. Man the oars, man the oars!”
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But me and Jim was consulting—and thinking. And after we’d thought a minute, I says:
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But Jim and I were talking it over and thinking. And after we’d thought a minute, I said:
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“Say it, Jim.”
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“Just say it, Jim.”
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So he says:
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So he said:
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“Well, den, dis is de way it look to me, Huck. Ef it wuz HIM dat ’uz bein’ sot free, en one er de boys wuz to git shot, would he say, ’Go on en save me, nemmine ’bout a doctor f’r to save dis one?’ Is dat like Mars Tom Sawyer? Would he say dat? You BET he wouldn’t! WELL, den, is JIM gywne to say it? No, sah—I doan’ budge a step out’n dis place ’dout a DOCTOR, not if it’s forty year!”
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“Well, this is this way it looks to me, Huck. If it was HIM that was being set free and one of the other boys got shot, would he say, ‘Go on, you’ve got to save me! Nevermind about a doctor, you’ve got to save me?’” Is that what Master Tom would say? Would he say that? Of course he wouldn’t! Well, then, is JIM going to say it? No, sir—I won’t budge off this raft without a doctor, not if it takes forty years!”
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I knowed he was white inside, and I reckoned he’d say what he did say—so it was all right now, and I told Tom I was a-going for a doctor. He raised considerable row about it, but me and Jim stuck to it and wouldn’t budge; so he was for crawling out and setting the raft loose himself; but we wouldn’t let him. Then he give us a piece of his mind, but it didn’t do no good.
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I knew Jim was like a white man inside, and I figured that’s what he’d say—so it was settled, and I told Tom that I was going back to get a doctor. He put up a big fuss over it, but Jim and I wouldn’t budge. Tom wanted to crawl out of the wigwam and set the raft loose himself, but we wouldn’t let him. Then he started yelling at us, giving us a piece of his mind. But it didn’t do any good.
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So when he sees me getting the canoe ready, he says:
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So when he saw me getting the canoe ready, he said:
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“Well, then, if you re bound to go, I’ll tell you the way to do when you get to the village. Shut the door and blindfold the doctor tight and fast, and make him swear to be silent as the grave, and put a purse full of gold in his hand, and then take and lead him all around the back alleys and everywheres in the dark, and then fetch him here in the canoe, in a roundabout way amongst the islands, and search him and take his chalk away from him, and don’t give it back to him till you get him back to the village, or else he will chalk this raft so he can find it again. It’s the way they all do.”
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“Well then, if you’re determined to go, I’ll tell you what to do when you get to the village. Shut the door and blindfold the doctor securely, then make him swear not to tell anyone anything about what he’s going to see. Put a purse full of gold in his hand, and then lead him around the back alleyways in the dark before bringing him here to the canoe. Take a roundabout way through the islands, and search him and take his chalk away from him. Don’t give it back to him until you’ve gotten him back to the village, or elese he will mark up this raft so that he can find it again. That’s how they always do it.”
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So I said I would, and left, and Jim was to hide in the woods when he see the doctor coming till he was gone again.
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I said I’d do it that way, then left. Jim was going to hide in the woods when he saw the doctor coming and not come out again until he was gone.
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