[begin page 265]

We dasn’t stop again at any town, for days andⒶalteration in the MS days; kept right along down the river. We was down south in the warm weather, now, and a mighty long ways from home. We begun to come to trees with Spanish moss on them, hanging down from the limbs like long gray beards. It was the first I ever see itⒶalteration in the MS Ⓔexplanatory note growing,Ⓐalteration in the MS and it made the woods look solemn and dismal. So now the frauds reckoned they was out of danger, and they begun to work the villages again.

First they done a lecture on temperance; but they didn’t make enough for them both to get drunk on. Then in another village they started a dancing school; but they didn’t knowⒶalteration in the MS no more how to dance than a kangaroo does; so the first prance they made, the general public jumped in and pranced them out of town. Another time they tried a go at yellocution; but they didn’t yellocuteⒶalteration in the MS long till the audience got up and give them a solid good cussing and made them skip out. They tackled missionarying, and mesmerizeringⒶemendation, and doctoring, and telling fortunes, and a little of everything; but they couldn’t seem to have no luck. So at last they got just about dead broke, and laid around the raft, as she floatedⒶalteration in the MS along, thinking, and thinking, and never saying nothing, by the half a day at a time, and dreadful blue and desperate.

And at last they took a changeⒶhistorical collation and begun to lay their heads together in the wigwam and talk low and confidential two or three hoursⒶalteration in the MS at a time. Jim and me got uneasy. We didn’t like the look of it. [begin page 266] We judged they was studying up some kind of worse deviltry than ever. We turned it over and over, and at last we made up our minds theyⒶemendation was going to break into somebody’s house or store, or was going into the counterfeit moneyⒶhistorical collation business, or something. So then we was pretty scared, and made up an agreement that we wouldn’t have nothing in the world to do with such actions, and ifⒶemendation we ever got the least show we would give them the cold shake, and clear out and leave them behind. Well, early one morning we hid the raft in a good safe place about two mile below a little bit of a shabby village, named PikesvilleⒶemendation,Ⓐalteration in the MS and the king he went ashore, and told us all to stay hid whilst he went up to town and smelt around to see if anybody had got anyⒶalteration in the MS wind of the Royal NonesuchⒶemendation there yet. (“House to rob, you mean,” says I to myself; “and when you get through robbing it you’ll comeⒶalteration in the MS back here and wonder what’s become of me and Jim and the raft—and you’llⒶalteration in the MS have to take it out in wondering.”)Ⓐalteration in the MS And he said if he warn’tⒶemendation back by midday, the duke and me would know it was all right, and we was to come along.

So we staid where weⒶalteration in the MS was. The duke he fretted and sweated around, and was inⒶalteration in the MS a mighty sour way. He scolded us for everything, and we couldn’t seem to do nothing right; he found fault with every little thing. Something was a-brewing, sure.Ⓐalteration in the MS I was good and glad when middayⒶemendation come and no king; we could have a change, anywayⒶemendation—and maybe a chance for the change, on top of it.Ⓐalteration in the MS So me and the dukeⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation went up to the village, and hunted around there for the king, and by and byⒶhistorical collation we found him in the back room of a little low doggery, very tight, and a lot of loafers bullyragging him for sport, and he a cussing and threatening with all his might, and so tight he couldn’t walk, and couldn’t doⒶalteration in the MS nothing to them. The duke heⒶemendation begun to abuse him for an old fool, and the king begun to sass back; and the minute they was fairly at it, I lit out, and shook the reefs out of my hind legs, and spunⒶemendation down the river road like a deer—for I see our chance; and I made up my mindⒶalteration in the MS that it would be a long day before they ever see me and Jim again. I got down there allⒶalteration in the MS out of breath but loaded upⒶalteration in the MS with joy, and sung out—

“Set her loose, Jim, we’re all right, now!”

But there warn’t no answer, and nobody come out of the wigwamⒶemendation. Jim was gone! I set up a shout,Ⓐhistorical collation—and then another—and then another one; and run this way and that in the woods, whooping and screeching; but it warn’t no use—old Jim was gone. Then I set down and [begin page 267] cried; I couldn’t help it. But I couldn’t set still long. Pretty soon I went out on the road, trying to think what I better do, and I run across a boy walking, and asked him if he’d seen a strange nigger, dressed so and so, and he says:

“Yes.”

“ WhereboutsⒶemendation?Ⓐalteration in the MS” says I.

“Down toⒶalteration in the MS Silas Phelps’s place, two mile below hereⒺexplanatory note.Ⓐalteration in the MS He’s a runaway nigger, and they’ve got him. Was you lookingⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation for him?”

“You bet I ain’t! I run across him in the woods aboutⒶalteration in the MS an hour or two ago, and heⒶalteration in the MS said if I hollered he’d cut my livers out—and told me to lay down and stay where I was; and I done it. Been there ever since; afeard to come out.”

“Well,” he says, “you needn’t be afeard no more, becuz they’ve got him. He run off f’mⒶalteration in the MS down southⒶhistorical collation, som’ers.”

“It’s a good job they got him.”

“Well, I reckon! There’s two hunderd dollars reward on him. It’s like picking up money out’n the road.”

“Yes, it is—and I couldⒶalteration in the MS a had it if I’d been big enough:Ⓐhistorical collation I see him first. Who nailed him?”

[begin page 268] “It was an old fellowⒶemendation—a stranger—and he sold out his chance in him for forty dollars, becuz he’s got to go up the river and can’t wait. Think o’ that, now! You bet I’dⒶhistorical collation wait, if itⒶalteration in the MS was seven year.”

“That’s me, every time,” says I. “But maybe his chance ain’t worth no more than that, if he’ll sell it so cheap. Maybe there’s something ain’t straight about it.”

“But it is, though—straight as a string. I see the handbillⒶemendation myself. It tells all about him, to a dot—paints him like a picture, and tells the plantation he’s frumⒶtextual note Ⓐemendation, below Newrleans Ⓐemendation. No-sir-ree-bob Ⓐhistorical collation,Ⓐalteration in the MS they ain’t noⒶalteration in the MS trouble ’bout that speculation, you bet you.Ⓐalteration in the MS Say, gimmeⒶalteration in the MS a chaw tobacker,Ⓐalteration in the MS won’t ye?”

I didn’t have none, so he left. I went to the raftⒶalteration in the MS, and set down in the wigwam to think. But I couldn’t come to nothing. I thought,Ⓐhistorical collation till I woreⒶalteration in the MS my head sore, but I couldn’t see no way out of the trouble. After all this long journey, and after all we’dⒶalteration in the MS done for them scoundrels, here was it all come toⒶalteration in the MS nothing, everything all busted up and ruined, because they could have the heart to serveⒶalteration in the MS Jim such a trick as that, and make him a slave again all his life, and amongst strangers, too,Ⓐalteration in the MS for forty dirty dollars.

Once I said to myselfⒶalteration in the MS it would be a thousand times better for Jim to be a slave at home where his family was, as long as he’d got to be a slave, and so I’d better write a letter to Tom Sawyer and tell him to tell Miss Watson where he was. But I soon give up that notion, for two things: she’d be mad and disgusted at his rascality and ungratefulness for leaving her, and so she’d sell him straight down the river again; and if she didn’t, everybody naturally despises an ungrateful nigger, and they’d make Jim feel it all the time, and so he’d feel ornery and disgraced. And then think of me! It would get all around, that Huck Finn helpedⒶalteration in the MS a nigger toⒶemendation get his freedom; and if I was to ever see anybody from that town again, I’d be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame. That’s just the way: a person does a low-down thing, and then he don’t want to take no consequences of it. Thinks as long as he can hide it, it ain’t no disgrace. That wasⒶemendation my fix exactlyⒶemendation. The more I studiedⒶemendation about this, the more my conscience wentⒶemendation to grinding me, and the more wicked,Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation and low-down and ornery I got to feeling. And at last, when it hit me all of a sudden that here was the plain hand of Providence slapping me in the face and letting me knowⒶemendation my wickedness was being watched all [begin page 269] the time from up there in heaven, whilst I was stealing a poor old woman’s nigger that hadn’t ever done me noⒶalteration in the MS harm, and now was showing meⒶemendation there’sⒶalteration in the MS One that’s always on the lookout, and ain’t agoing to allow no such miserable doings to go only justⒶalteration in the MS soⒶalteration in the MS furⒶemendation and no further, I most dropped in my tracks I was so scared. Well, I tried the best I could to kinder soften it up somehow for myself, by saying I was brungⒶemendation up wicked, and so I warn’t so much to blame; but something inside of me kept saying, “There was the Sunday SchoolⒶhistorical collation, you could a gone to it; and if you’d a done it they’d a learntⒶemendation you, thereⒶalteration in the MS, that people that acts as I’d been acting about that nigger goes to everlasting fire.”

It made me shiver. And I about made up my mind to pray; and see if I couldn’t try to quit being the kind of a boy I was, and be better. So I kneeled down. But the words wouldn’t come. Why wouldn’t they? It warn’t no use to try andⒶemendation hide it from Him. Nor from me, neither. I knowed very well why they wouldn’t come. It was because my heart warn’t right; it was because I warn’t square; itⒶhistorical collation was because I was playing double. I was letting on to give up sin, but away inside of me I was holding on to the biggest one of all. I was trying to make my mouth say I would do the right thing and the clean thing, and go and write to that nigger’s owner and tell where he was; but deep down in me I knowed it was a lie—and He knowed it. You can’t pray a lie—I found that out.

So I was full of trouble, full as I could be; and didn’t know what to do. At last I had an idea; and I says, I’ll go and write the letter—and then see if I can pray. Why, it was astonishing, the way I felt as light as a feather, right straight off, and my troubles all gone. So I got a piece of paper and a pencil, all glad and excitedⒶalteration in the MS, and set down and wrote:Ⓐemendation

I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life, and I knowed I could pray,Ⓐhistorical collation now. But I didn’t do it straight off, but laid the paper down and set there thinking;Ⓐalteration in the MS thinkingⒶhistorical collation how good it was all this happened so, and how near I come to being lost and going to hell. And went on thinking. And got to thinking [begin page 270] over our trip down the river; and I seeⒶalteration in the MS Jim before me, all the time, in the day, and in the night-timeⒶhistorical collation, sometimes moonlightⒶemendation, sometimes storms, and we a floating along, talking, and singing, and laughing.Ⓐalteration in the MS But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I’d see him standing my watch on top of his’n, stead of calling me—Ⓐhistorical collationso I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come to him again in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such-likeⒶalteration in the MS times; and would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was; and at last I struck the time I saved him by telling the men we had small-pox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he’s got now; and then I happened to look around, and see that paper.

It was a close place.Ⓐalteration in the MS I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a trembling, because I’d got to decide, foreverⒶemendation, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself:

[begin page 271] “All right, then, I’ll go to hell”—and tore it up.

It was awful thoughts, and awful words, but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming. I shoved the whole thing out of my head; and said I would take up wickedness again, which was in my line, being brungⒶemendation up to it, and the other warn’t. And for a starter, I would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again; and if I could think up anything worse, I would do that, too; because as long as I was in, and in for good, I might as well go the whole hog.

Then I set to thinking over how to getⒶemendation at it, and turned over considerableⒶalteration in the MS many ways in my mind; and at last fixed up a plan that suited me. So thenⒶalteration in the MS I took the bearings of a woodyⒶalteration in the MS island that was down the river a pieceⒶemendation, and as soon as it was fairly dark I crept out with my raft and wentⒶalteration in the MS for it, and hid it there, andⒶalteration in the MS then turned in. I slept the night through, and got up before it was light, and had my breakfast, and put on my storeⒶalteration in the MS clothes, and tied up some others and one thing or anotherⒶalteration in the MS in a bundle, and took the canoe and cleared for shore. I landedⒶalteration in the MS below where I judged was Phelps’s place, and hid my bundle in the woods, and then filled up the canoe with water, and loaded rocks into her and sunk her where I could find her again when I wanted her,Ⓐalteration in the MS about a quarter of a mile below a little steam sawmill that was on the bank.

Then I struck upⒶemendation the road, and when I passed the millⒶalteration in the MS I see a sign on it, “Phelps’s Sawmill,” and when I come to the farm housesⒶhistorical collation, twoⒶalteration in the MS or three hundred yards further along, I kept my eyes peeled, but didn’t see nobodyⒶemendation around, though it was good daylight, now. But I didn’t mind, because I didn’t wantⒶalteration in the MS to see nobody just yet—I only wanted to get the lay of the land. According to my plan, I was going to turn up there from the village, not from below. So I just took a look, and shoved along, straight for town. WellⒶemendation, the very first man I see, when I got there, was the duke. He was sticking up a bill for the Royal NonesuchⒶemendation—three-night performance,Ⓐhistorical collation like that other time. They had the cheek, them frauds! I was right on him, before I could shirk. He lookedⒶalteration in the MS astonished, and says:

“Hel-lo! Where’d you come from?” Then he says, kind of glad,Ⓐhistorical collation and eager, “Where’s the raft?—got her in a good place?”Ⓐalteration in the MS

I says:

“Why, that’s just what I was agoing to ask your grace.”

[begin page 272] Then he didn’t look so joyful—and says:

“What was your idea for askingⒶemendation me?” he says.

“Well,” I says, “when I see the king in that doggery,Ⓐemendation yesterday, I says to myself, we can’t get him home for hours, till he’s soberer; so I went a loafing around town to put in the time, and wait. A man up andⒶemendation offered me ten cents to help him pull a skiff over the river and back to fetch a sheep, and so I went along; but when we was dragging him to the boat, and the man left me aholt of the rope and went behind him to shove him along, he was too strong for me, and jerked loose and run, and we after him. We didn’t have no dog, and so we had to chase him all over the country till we tired him out. We never got him till dark, then we fetched him over,Ⓐalteration in the MS and I started down for the raft. When I got there and see it was gone, I says to myself, ‘They’veⒶhistorical collation got into trouble and had to leave; and they’ve took my nigger, which is the only nigger I’ve got in the world, and now I’m in a strange country, and ain’t got no property no more, nor nothing, and no way to make my living;’Ⓐalteration in the MS so I set down and cried. I slept in the woods all night.Ⓐalteration in the MS But what did become of the raft,Ⓐhistorical collation then?Ⓐalteration in the MS—and Jim, poor Jim!”Ⓐalteration in the MS

“Blamed if I know—that is, what’s become of the raft. That old fool had made a trade and got forty dollars, and when we found him in the doggery,Ⓐemendation the loafersⒶemendation had matched half dollars with him and got every cent but what he’d spent for whisky; and when I got him home late last night and found the raft gone, we saidⒶemendation, ‘ThatⒶalteration in the MS little rascal has stole our raft and shook us, and run off down the river.’ ”

“I wouldn’t shake my nigger Ⓐalteration in the MS, would I?—the only nigger I had in the world, and the only property.”

“We neverⒶalteration in the MS thought of that. Fact is, I reckon we’d come to consider him our nigger; yes, we did consider him so—goodness knows we hadⒶemendation trouble enough for him. So,Ⓐhistorical collation when we see the raft was gone, and we flat brokeⒶemendation, there warn’t anythingⒶemendation for it but to try the Royal NonesuchⒶemendation another shake. And I’ve pegged along ever since, dryⒶalteration in the MS as a powder hornⒶhistorical collation. Where’s that ten cents?Ⓐemendation Give it hereⒶemendation.”

I had considerableⒶemendation money, so I give him ten cents, but begged him to spend it for something to eat, and give me some, becauseⒶemendation it was all the money I had, and I hadn’t had nothing to eat since yesterday. He never said nothing. TheⒶemendation next minute he whirls on me and says:

[begin page 273] “Do you reckon that nigger wouldⒶemendation blow on us? We’dⒶalteration in the MS skinⒶemendation him if he done that!”

“How can he blow?Ⓐalteration in the MS Hain’t he run off?”

“No! That old fool sold him, and never divided with me, and the money’s gone.”

“Sold him?” I says, and begun to cry:Ⓐhistorical collation “WhyⒶhistorical collation, he was my nigger, and that was my money. Where is he?—I want my nigger.”

“Well, you can’t get your nigger, that’s all—so dry up your blubbering.Ⓐalteration in the MS Looky-hereⒶhistorical collation—do you think you’d venture to blow on us? Blamed if I think I’d trust you. Why,Ⓐalteration in the MS if you was to blow on us—Ⓐhistorical collation”

He stopped, but I never see the duke look so uglyⒶalteration in the MS out of his eyes before. I went on a-whimpering, and says:

“I don’t wantⒶemendation to blow on nobody;Ⓐalteration in the MS and I ain’t got no time to blow, nohow. I got to turn out and find my nigger.”

[begin page 274] He looked kinder bothered, and stood there with his billsⒶalteration in the MS fluttering on his arm, thinking, and wrinkling upⒶemendation his forehead. At last he says:

“I’ll tell you something. We got to be here three days. If you’ll promise you won’t blow, and won’t let the nigger blow, I’ll tell you where to find him.”

So I promised, and he says:

“A farmer by the name of SilasⒶalteration in the MS Ph—Ⓐhistorical collation” and then he stopped. You see,Ⓐhistorical collation he started to tell me the truth; but when he stopped, that way, and begun to study and think,Ⓐhistorical collation again, I reckoned he was changing his mind. And so he was. He wouldn’t trust me; he wanted to make sure of having me out of the way the whole three days. So pretty soon he says:Ⓐalteration in the MS

“TheⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note man that bought him is named Abram Foster—Abram G. Foster—and he lives forty mile back here in the country, on the road to LafayetteⒺexplanatory note.”

“All right,” I says, “I can walk it in threeⒶalteration in the MS days. And I’ll start this very afternoon.”

[begin page 73] “No you won’t, you’ll start now; and don’t you lose anyⒶemendation time about it, neither, nor do any gabbling by the way. Just keep a tight tongue in your head and move right along, and then you won’t get intoⒶemendation trouble with us,Ⓐalteration in the MS d’ye hear?”

That was the order I wanted, and that was the one I played for. I wanted to be left free to work my plans.

“So clear out,” he says; “and you can tell Mr. FosterⒶalteration in the MS whatever you want to. Maybe you can get him to believe thatⒶemendation Jim is your nigger—some idiots don’t requireⒶemendation documents—leastways I’ve heard there’s such down South here. And when youⒶalteration in the MS tell him the handbill and the reward’s bogus, maybe he’ll believe you when you explain to him what the idea was for getting ’emⒶalteration in the MS out. Go ’long, now, and tell him anything you wantⒶalteration in the MS to; but mind you don’t work your jaw any between here and there.”

So I left, and struck for the back country. I didn’t look around, but I kinder felt like he was watching me. But I knowedⒶalteration in the MS I could tire him outⒶalteration in the MS at that. I went straight out in the country as much as a mile, before I stopped; then I doubled back through the woods towards Phelps’s. I reckoned I better start in on my plan straight off, without [begin page 275] fooling around, because I wanted to stop Jim’s mouth till these fellows could get away. I didn’t want no trouble with their kind. I’d seen all I wanted to of them, and wanted to get entirely shut of them.