by Mark Twain
CHAPTER XVI
AFTER dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on thebar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found asoft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands.Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole. Theywere perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an Englishwalnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another onFriday morning.
After breakfast they went whooping and prancing out on the bar, andchased each other round and round, shedding clothes as they went, untilthey were naked, and then continued the frolic far away up the shoalwater of the bar, against the stiff current, which latter tripped theirlegs from under them from time to time and greatly increased the fun.And now and then they stooped in a group and splashed water in eachother's faces with their palms, gradually approaching each other, withaverted faces to avoid the strangling sprays, and finally gripping andstruggling till the best man ducked his neighbor, and then they allwent under in a tangle of white legs and arms and came up blowing,sputtering, laughing, and gasping for breath at one and the same time.
When they were well exhausted, they would run out and sprawl on thedry, hot sand, and lie there and cover themselves up with it, and byand by break for the water again and go through the originalperformance once more. Finally it occurred to them that their nakedskin represented flesh-colored "tights" very fairly; so they drew aring in the sand and had a circus--with three clowns in it, for nonewould yield this proudest post to his neighbor.
Next they got their marbles and played "knucks" and "ring-taw" and"keeps" till that amusement grew stale. Then Joe and Huck had anotherswim, but Tom would not venture, because he found that in kicking offhis trousers he had kicked his string of rattlesnake rattles off hisankle, and he wondered how he had escaped cramp so long without theprotection of this mysterious charm. He did not venture again until hehad found it, and by that time the other boys were tired and ready torest. They gradually wandered apart, dropped into the "dumps," and fellto gazing longingly across the wide river to where the village laydrowsing in the sun. Tom found himself writing "BECKY" in the sand withhis big toe; he scratched it out, and was angry with himself for hisweakness. But he wrote it again, nevertheless; he could not help it. Heerased it once more and then took himself out of temptation by drivingthe other boys together and joining them.
But Joe's spirits had gone down almost beyond resurrection. He was sohomesick that he could hardly endure the misery of it. The tears layvery near the surface. Huck was melancholy, too. Tom was downhearted,but tried hard not to show it. He had a secret which he was not readyto tell, yet, but if this mutinous depression was not broken up soon,he would have to bring it out. He said, with a great show ofcheerfulness:
"I bet there's been pirates on this island before, boys. We'll exploreit again. They've hid treasures here somewhere. How'd you feel to lighton a rotten chest full of gold and silver--hey?"
But it roused only faint enthusiasm, which faded out, with no reply.Tom tried one or two other seductions; but they failed, too. It wasdiscouraging work. Joe sat poking up the sand with a stick and lookingvery gloomy. Finally he said:
"Oh, boys, let's give it up. I want to go home. It's so lonesome."
"Oh no, Joe, you'll feel better by and by," said Tom. "Just think ofthe fishing that's here."
"I don't care for fishing. I want to go home."
"But, Joe, there ain't such another swimming-place anywhere."
"Swimming's no good. I don't seem to care for it, somehow, when thereain't anybody to say I sha'n't go in. I mean to go home."
"Oh, shucks! Baby! You want to see your mother, I reckon."
"Yes, I DO want to see my mother--and you would, too, if you had one.I ain't any more baby than you are." And Joe snuffled a little.
"Well, we'll let the cry-baby go home to his mother, won't we, Huck?Poor thing--does it want to see its mother? And so it shall. You likeit here, don't you, Huck? We'll stay, won't we?"
Huck said, "Y-e-s"--without any heart in it.
"I'll never speak to you again as long as I live," said Joe, rising."There now!" And he moved moodily away and began to dress himself.
"Who cares!" said Tom. "Nobody wants you to. Go 'long home and getlaughed at. Oh, you're a nice pirate. Huck and me ain't cry-babies.We'll stay, won't we, Huck? Let him go if he wants to. I reckon we canget along without him, per'aps."
But Tom was uneasy, nevertheless, and was alarmed to see Joe gosullenly on with his dressing. And then it was discomforting to seeHuck eying Joe's preparations so wistfully, and keeping up such anominous silence. Presently, without a parting word, Joe began to wadeoff toward the Illinois shore. Tom's heart began to sink. He glanced atHuck. Huck could not bear the look, and dropped his eyes. Then he said:
"I want to go, too, Tom. It was getting so lonesome anyway, and nowit'll be worse. Let's us go, too, Tom."
"I won't! You can all go, if you want to. I mean to stay."
"Tom, I better go."
"Well, go 'long--who's hendering you."
Huck began to pick up his scattered clothes. He said:
"Tom, I wisht you'd come, too. Now you think it over. We'll wait foryou when we get to shore."
"Well, you'll wait a blame long time, that's all."
Huck started sorrowfully away, and Tom stood looking after him, with astrong desire tugging at his heart to yield his pride and go along too.He hoped the boys would stop, but they still waded slowly on. Itsuddenly dawned on Tom that it was become very lonely and still. Hemade one final struggle with his pride, and then darted after hiscomrades, yelling:
"Wait! Wait! I want to tell you something!"
They presently stopped and turned around. When he got to where theywere, he began unfolding his secret, and they listened moodily till atlast they saw the "point" he was driving at, and then they set up awar-whoop of applause and said it was "splendid!" and said if he hadtold them at first, they wouldn't have started away. He made a plausibleexcuse; but his real reason had been the fear that not even the secretwould keep them with him any very great length of time, and so he hadmeant to hold it in reserve as a last seduction.
The lads came gayly back and went at their sports again with a will,chattering all the time about Tom's stupendous plan and admiring thegenius of it. After a dainty egg and fish dinner, Tom said he wanted tolearn to smoke, now. Joe caught at the idea and said he would like totry, too. So Huck made pipes and filled them. These novices had neversmoked anything before but cigars made of grape-vine, and they "bit"the tongue, and were not considered manly anyway.
Now they stretched themselves out on their elbows and began to puff,charily, and with slender confidence. The smoke had an unpleasanttaste, and they gagged a little, but Tom said:
"Why, it's just as easy! If I'd a knowed this was all, I'd a learntlong ago."
"So would I," said Joe. "It's just nothing."
"Why, many a time I've looked at people smoking, and thought well Iwish I could do that; but I never thought I could," said Tom.
"That's just the way with me, hain't it, Huck? You've heard me talkjust that way--haven't you, Huck? I'll leave it to Huck if I haven't."
"Yes--heaps of times," said Huck.
"Well, I have too," said Tom; "oh, hundreds of times. Once down by theslaughter-house. Don't you remember, Huck? Bob Tanner was there, andJohnny Miller, and Jeff Thatcher, when I said it. Don't you remember,Huck, 'bout me saying that?"
"Yes, that's so," said Huck. "That was the day after I lost a whitealley. No, 'twas the day before."
"There--I told you so," said Tom. "Huck recollects it."
"I bleeve I could smoke this pipe all day," said Joe. "I don't feelsick."
"Neither do I," said Tom. "I could smoke it all day. But I bet youJeff Thatcher couldn't."
"Jeff Thatcher! Why, he'd keel over just with two draws. Just let himtry it once. HE'D see!"
"I bet he would. And Johnny Miller--I wish could see Johnny Millertackle i
t once."
"Oh, don't I!" said Joe. "Why, I bet you Johnny Miller couldn't anymore do this than nothing. Just one little snifter would fetch HIM."
"'Deed it would, Joe. Say--I wish the boys could see us now."
"So do I."
"Say--boys, don't say anything about it, and some time when they'rearound, I'll come up to you and say, 'Joe, got a pipe? I want a smoke.'And you'll say, kind of careless like, as if it warn't anything, you'llsay, 'Yes, I got my OLD pipe, and another one, but my tobacker ain'tvery good.' And I'll say, 'Oh, that's all right, if it's STRONGenough.' And then you'll out with the pipes, and we'll light up just asca'm, and then just see 'em look!"
"By jings, that'll be gay, Tom! I wish it was NOW!"
"So do I! And when we tell 'em we learned when we was off pirating,won't they wish they'd been along?"
"Oh, I reckon not! I'll just BET they will!"
So the talk ran on. But presently it began to flag a trifle, and growdisjointed. The silences widened; the expectoration marvellouslyincreased. Every pore inside the boys' cheeks became a spoutingfountain; they could scarcely bail out the cellars under their tonguesfast enough to prevent an inundation; little overflowings down theirthroats occurred in spite of all they could do, and sudden retchingsfollowed every time. Both boys were looking very pale and miserable,now. Joe's pipe dropped from his nerveless fingers. Tom's followed.Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with mightand main. Joe said feebly:
"I've lost my knife. I reckon I better go and find it."
Tom said, with quivering lips and halting utterance:
"I'll help you. You go over that way and I'll hunt around by thespring. No, you needn't come, Huck--we can find it."
So Huck sat down again, and waited an hour. Then he found it lonesome,and went to find his comrades. They were wide apart in the woods, bothvery pale, both fast asleep. But something informed him that if theyhad had any trouble they had got rid of it.
They were not talkative at supper that night. They had a humble look,and when Huck prepared his pipe after the meal and was going to preparetheirs, they said no, they were not feeling very well--something theyate at dinner had disagreed with them.
About midnight Joe awoke, and called the boys. There was a broodingoppressiveness in the air that seemed to bode something. The boyshuddled themselves together and sought the friendly companionship ofthe fire, though the dull dead heat of the breathless atmosphere wasstifling. They sat still, intent and waiting. The solemn hushcontinued. Beyond the light of the fire everything was swallowed up inthe blackness of darkness. Presently there came a quivering glow thatvaguely revealed the foliage for a moment and then vanished. By and byanother came, a little stronger. Then another. Then a faint moan camesighing through the branches of the forest and the boys felt a fleetingbreath upon their cheeks, and shuddered with the fancy that the Spiritof the Night had gone by. There was a pause. Now a weird flash turnednight into day and showed every little grass-blade, separate anddistinct, that grew about their feet. And it showed three white,startled faces, too. A deep peal of thunder went rolling and tumblingdown the heavens and lost itself in sullen rumblings in the distance. Asweep of chilly air passed by, rustling all the leaves and snowing theflaky ashes broadcast about the fire. Another fierce glare lit up theforest and an instant crash followed that seemed to rend the tree-topsright over the boys' heads. They clung together in terror, in the thickgloom that followed. A few big rain-drops fell pattering upon theleaves.
"Quick! boys, go for the tent!" exclaimed Tom.
They sprang away, stumbling over roots and among vines in the dark, notwo plunging in the same direction. A furious blast roared through thetrees, making everything sing as it went. One blinding flash afteranother came, and peal on peal of deafening thunder. And now adrenching rain poured down and the rising hurricane drove it in sheetsalong the ground. The boys cried out to each other, but the roaringwind and the booming thunder-blasts drowned their voices utterly.However, one by one they straggled in at last and took shelter underthe tent, cold, scared, and streaming with water; but to have companyin misery seemed something to be grateful for. They could not talk, theold sail flapped so furiously, even if the other noises would haveallowed them. The tempest rose higher and higher, and presently thesail tore loose from its fastenings and went winging away on the blast.The boys seized each others' hands and fled, with many tumblings andbruises, to the shelter of a great oak that stood upon the river-bank.Now the battle was at its highest. Under the ceaseless conflagration oflightning that flamed in the skies, everything below stood out inclean-cut and shadowless distinctness: the bending trees, the billowyriver, white with foam, the driving spray of spume-flakes, the dimoutlines of the high bluffs on the other side, glimpsed through thedrifting cloud-rack and the slanting veil of rain. Every little whilesome giant tree yielded the fight and fell crashing through the youngergrowth; and the unflagging thunder-peals came now in ear-splittingexplosive bursts, keen and sharp, and unspeakably appalling. The stormculminated in one matchless effort that seemed likely to tear the islandto pieces, burn it up, drown it to the tree-tops, blow it away, anddeafen every creature in it, all at one and the same moment. It was awild night for homeless young heads to be out in.
But at last the battle was done, and the forces retired with weakerand weaker threatenings and grumblings, and peace resumed her sway. Theboys went back to camp, a good deal awed; but they found there wasstill something to be thankful for, because the great sycamore, theshelter of their beds, was a ruin, now, blasted by the lightnings, andthey were not under it when the catastrophe happened.
Everything in camp was drenched, the camp-fire as well; for they werebut heedless lads, like their generation, and had made no provisionagainst rain. Here was matter for dismay, for they were soaked throughand chilled. They were eloquent in their distress; but they presentlydiscovered that the fire had eaten so far up under the great log it hadbeen built against (where it curved upward and separated itself fromthe ground), that a handbreadth or so of it had escaped wetting; sothey patiently wrought until, with shreds and bark gathered from theunder sides of sheltered logs, they coaxed the fire to burn again. Thenthey piled on great dead boughs till they had a roaring furnace, andwere glad-hearted once more. They dried their boiled ham and had afeast, and after that they sat by the fire and expanded and glorifiedtheir midnight adventure until morning, for there was not a dry spot tosleep on, anywhere around.
As the sun began to steal in upon the boys, drowsiness came over them,and they went out on the sandbar and lay down to sleep. They gotscorched out by and by, and drearily set about getting breakfast. Afterthe meal they felt rusty, and stiff-jointed, and a little homesick oncemore. Tom saw the signs, and fell to cheering up the pirates as well ashe could. But they cared nothing for marbles, or circus, or swimming,or anything. He reminded them of the imposing secret, and raised a rayof cheer. While it lasted, he got them interested in a new device. Thiswas to knock off being pirates, for a while, and be Indians for achange. They were attracted by this idea; so it was not long beforethey were stripped, and striped from head to heel with black mud, likeso many zebras--all of them chiefs, of course--and then they wenttearing through the woods to attack an English settlement.
By and by they separated into three hostile tribes, and darted uponeach other from ambush with dreadful war-whoops, and killed and scalpedeach other by thousands. It was a gory day. Consequently it was anextremely satisfactory one.
They assembled in camp toward supper-time, hungry and happy; but now adifficulty arose--hostile Indians could not break the bread ofhospitality together without first making peace, and this was a simpleimpossibility without smoking a pipe of peace. There was no otherprocess that ever they had heard of. Two of the savages almost wishedthey had remained pirates. However, there was no other way; so withsuch show of cheerfulness as they could muster they called for the pipeand took their whiff as it passed, in due form.
And behold, they were glad th
ey had gone into savagery, for they hadgained something; they found that they could now smoke a little withouthaving to go and hunt for a lost knife; they did not get sick enough tobe seriously uncomfortable. They were not likely to fool away this highpromise for lack of effort. No, they practised cautiously, aftersupper, with right fair success, and so they spent a jubilant evening.They were prouder and happier in their new acquirement than they wouldhave been in the scalping and skinning of the Six Nations. We willleave them to smoke and chatter and brag, since we have no further usefor them at present.
