汤姆.索亚历险记-第15部分

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tered　a　little；　and　she　put　her　hand　on　Tom's　head　and　said　gently：
〃I　was　meaning　for　the　best；　Tom。　And；　Tom；　it　did　do　you　good。〃
Tom　looked　up　in　her　face　with　just　a　perceptible　twinkle　peeping　through　his　gravity。
〃I　know　you　was　meaning　for　the　best；　aunty；　and　so　was　I　with　Peter。　It　done　him　good；　too。　I　never　see　him　get　around　so　since　〃
〃Oh；　go　'long　with　you；　Tom；　before　you　aggravate　me　again。　And　you　try　and　see　if　you　can't　be　a　good　boy；　for　once；　and　you　needn't　take　any　more　medicine。〃
Tom　reached　school　ahead　of　time。　It　was　noticed　that　this　strange　thing　had　been　occurring　every　day　latterly。　And　now；　as　usual　of　late；　he　hung　about　the　gate　of　the　schoolyard　instead　of　playing　with　his　comrades。　He　was　sick；　he　said；　and　he　looked　it。　He　tried　to　seem　to　be　looking　everywhere　but　whither　he　really　was　looking　　down　the　road。　Presently　Jeff　Thatcher　hove　in　sight；　and　Tom's　face　lighted；　he　gazed　a　moment；　and　then　turned　sorrowfully　away。　When　Jeff　arrived；　Tom　accosted　him；　and　〃led　up〃　warily　to　opportunities　for　remark　about　Becky；　but　the　giddy　lad　never　could　see　the　bait。　Tom　watched　and　watched；　hoping　whenever　a　frisking　frock　came　in　sight；　and　hating　the　owner　of　it　as　soon　as　he　saw　she　was　not　the　right　one。　At　last　frocks　ceased　to　appear；　and　he　dropped　hopelessly　into　the　dumps；　he　entered　the　empty　schoolhouse　and　sat　down　to　suffer。　Then　one　more　frock　passed　in　at　the　gate；　and　Tom's　heart　gave　a　great　bound。　The　next　instant　he　was　out；　and　〃going　on〃　like　an　Indian；　yelling；　laughing；　chasing　boys；　jumping　over　the　fence　at　risk　of　life　and　limb；　throwing　handsprings；　standing　on　his　head　　doing　all　the　heroic　things　he　could　conceive　of；　and　keeping　a　furtive　eye　out；　all　the　while；　to　see　if　Becky　Thatcher　was　noticing。　But　she　seemed　to　be　unconscious　of　it　all；　she　never　looked。　Could　it　be　possible　that　she　was　not　aware　that　he　was　there？　He　carried　his　exploits　to　her　immediate　vicinity；　came　war…whooping　around；　snatched　a　boy's　cap；　hurled　it　to　the　roof　of　the　schoolhouse；　broke　through　a　group　of　boys；　tumbling　them　in　every　direction；　and　fell　sprawling；　himself；　under　Becky's　nose；　almost　upsetting　her　　and　she　turned；　with　her　nose　in　the　air；　and　he　heard　her　say：　〃Mf！　some　people　think　they're　mighty　smart　　always　showing　off！〃
Tom's　cheeks　burned。　He　gathered　himself　up　and　sneaked　off；　crushed　and　crestfallen。　
CHAPTER　XIII
TOM'S　mind　was　made　up　now。　He　was　gloomy　and　desperate。　He　was　a　forsaken；　friendless　boy；　he　said；　nobody　loved　him；　when　they　found　out　what　they　had　driven　him　to；　perhaps　they　would　be　sorry；　he　had　tried　to　do　right　and　get　along；　but　they　would　not　let　him；　since　nothing　would　do　them　but　to　be　rid　of　him；　let　it　be　so；　and　let　them　blame　HIM　for　the　consequences　　why　shouldn't　they？　What　right　had　the　friendless　to　complain？　Yes；　they　had　forced　him　to　it　at　last：　he　would　lead　a　life　of　crime。　There　was　no　choice。
By　this　time　he　was　far　down　Meadow　Lane；　and　the　bell　for　school　to　〃take　up〃　tinkled　faintly　upon　his　ear。　He　sobbed；　now；　to　think　he　should　never；　never　hear　that　old　familiar　sound　any　more　　it　was　very　hard；　but　it　was　forced　on　him；　since　he　was　driven　out　into　the　cold　world；　he　must　submit　　but　he　forgave　them。　Then　the　sobs　came　thick　and　fast。
Just　at　this　point　he　met　his　soul's　sworn　comrade；　Joe　Harper　　hard…eyed；　and　with　evidently　a　great　and　dismal　purpose　in　his　heart。　Plainly　here　were　〃two　souls　with　but　a　single　thought。〃　Tom；　wiping　his　eyes　with　his　sleeve；　began　to　blubber　out　something　about　a　resolution　to　escape　from　hard　usage　and　lack　of　sympathy　at　home　by　roaming　abroad　into　the　great　world　never　to　return；　and　ended　by　hoping　that　Joe　would　not　forget　him。
But　it　transpired　that　this　was　a　request　which　Joe　had　just　been　going　to　make　of　Tom；　and　had　come　to　hunt　him　up　for　that　purpose。　His　mother　had　whipped　him　for　drinking　some　cream　which　he　had　never　tasted　and　knew　nothing　about；　it　was　plain　that　she　was　tired　of　him　and　wished　him　to　go；　if　she　felt　that　way；　there　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　succumb；　he　hoped　she　would　be　happy；　and　never　regret　having　driven　her　poor　boy　out　into　the　unfeeling　world　to　suffer　and　die。
As　the　two　boys　walked　sorrowing　along；　they　made　a　new　compact　to　stand　by　each　other　and　be　brothers　and　never　separate　till　death　relieved　them　of　their　troubles。　Then　they　began　to　lay　their　plans。　Joe　was　for　being　a　hermit；　and　living　on　crusts　in　a　remote　cave；　and　dying；　some　time；　of　cold　and　want　and　grief；　but　after　listening　to　Tom；　he　conceded　that　there　were　some　conspicuous　advantages　about　a　life　of　crime；　and　so　he　consented　to　be　a　pirate。
Three　miles　below　St。　Petersburg；　at　a　point　where　the　Mississippi　River　was　a　trifle　over　a　mile　wide；　there　was　a　long；　narrow；　wooded　island；　with　a　shallow　bar　at　the　head　of　it；　and　this　offered　well　as　a　rendezvous。　It　was　not　inhabited；　it　lay　far　over　toward　the　further　shore；　abreast　a　dense　and　almost　wholly　unpeopled　forest。　So　Jackson's　Island　was　chosen。　Who　were　to　be　the　subjects　of　their　piracies　was　a　matter　that　did　not　occur　to　them。　Then　they　hunted　up　Huckleberry　Finn；　and　he　joined　them　promptly；　for　all　careers　were　one　to　him；　he　was　indifferent。　They　presently　separated　to　meet　at　a　lonely　spot　on　the　river…bank　two　miles　above　the　village　at　the　favorite　hour　　which　was　midnight。　There　was　a　small　log　raft　there　which　they　meant　to　capture。　Each　would　bring　hooks　and　lines；　and　such　provision　as　he　could　steal　in　the　most　dark　and　mysterious　way　　as　became　outlaws。　And　before　the　afternoon　was　done；　they　had　all　managed　to　enjoy　the　sweet　glory　of　spreading　the　fact　that　pretty　soon　the　town　would　〃hear　something。〃　All　who　got　this　vague　hint　were　cautioned　to　〃be　mum　and　wait。〃
About　midnight　Tom　arrived　with　a　boiled　ham　and　a　few　trifles；　and　stopped　in　a　dense　undergrowth　on　a　small　bluff　overlooking　the　meeting…place。　It　was　starlight；　and　very　still。　The　mighty　river　lay　like　an　ocean　at　rest。　Tom　listened　a　moment；　but　no　sound　disturbed　the　quiet。　Then　he　gave　a　low；　distinct　whistle。　It　was　answered　from　under　the　bluff。　Tom　whistled　twice　more；　these　signals　were　answered　in　the　same　way。　Then　a　guarded　voice　said：
〃Who　goes　there？〃
〃Tom　Sawyer；　the　Black　Avenger　of　the　Spanish　Main。　Name　your　names。〃
〃Huck　Finn　the　Red…Handed；　and　Joe　Harper　the　Terror　of　the　Seas。〃　Tom　had　furnished　these　titles；　from　his　favorite　literature。
〃'Tis　well。　Give　the　countersign。〃
Two　hoarse　whispers　delivered　the　same　awful　word　simultaneously　to　the　brooding　night：
〃BLOOD！〃
Then　Tom　tumbled　his　ham　over　the　bluff　and　let　himself　down　after　it；　tearing　both　skin　and　clothes　to　some　extent　in　the　effort。　There　was　an　easy；　comfortable　path　along　the　shore　under　the　bluff；　but　it　lacked　the　advantages　of　difficulty　and　danger　so　valued　by　a　pirate。
The　Terror　of　the　Seas　had　brought　a　side　of　bacon；　and　had　about　worn　himself　out　with　getting　it　there。　Finn　the　Red…Handed　had　stolen　a　skillet　and　a　quantity　of　half…cured　leaf　tobacco；　and　had　also　brought　a　few　corn…cobs　to　make　pipes　with。　But　none　of　the　pirates　smoked　or　〃chewed〃　but　himself。　The　Black　Avenger　of　the　Spanish　Main　said　it　would　never　do　to　start　without　some　fire。　That　was　a　wise　thought；　matches　were　hardly　known　there　in　that　day。　They　saw　a　fire　smouldering　upon　a　great　raft　a　hundred　yards　above；　and　they　went　stealthily　thither　and　helped　themselves　to　a　chunk。　They　made　an　imposing　adventure　of　it；　saying；　〃Hist！〃　every　now　and　then；　and　suddenly　halting　with　finger　on　lip；　moving　with　hands　on　imaginary　dagger…hilts；　and　giving　orders　in　dismal　whispers　that　if　〃the　foe〃　stirred；　to　〃let　him　have　it　to　the　hilt；〃　because　〃dead　men　tell　no　tales。〃　They　knew　well　enough　that　the　raftsmen　were　all　down　at　the　village　laying　in　stores　or　having　a　spree；　but　still　that　was　no　excuse　for　their　conducting　this　thing　in　an　unpiratical　way。
They　shoved　off；　presently；　Tom　in　command；　Huck　at　the　after　oar　and　Joe　at　the　forward。　Tom　stood　amidships；　gloomy…browed；　and　with　folded　arms；　and　gave　his　orders　in　a　low；　stern　whisper：
〃Luff；　and　bring　her　to　the　wind！〃
〃Aye…aye；　sir！〃
〃Steady；　steady…y…y…y！〃
〃Steady　it　is；　sir！〃
〃Let　her　go　off　a　point！〃
〃Point　it　is；　sir！〃
As　the　boys　steadily　and　monotonously　drove　the　raft　toward　mid…stream　it　was　no　doubt　understood　that　these　orders　were　given　only　for　〃style；〃　and　were　not　intended　to　mean　anything　in　particular。
〃What　sail's　she　carrying？〃
〃Courses；　tops'ls；　and　flying…jib；　sir。〃
〃Send　the　r'yals　up！　Lay　out　aloft；　there；　half　a　dozen　of　ye　　foretopmaststuns'l！　Lively；　now！〃
〃Aye…aye；　sir！〃
〃Shake　out　that　maintogalans'l！　Sheets　and　braces！　NOW　my　hearties！〃
〃Aye…aye；　sir！〃
〃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　eye…shot　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