汤姆.索亚历险记-第16部分

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d　back　and　forth　until　they　had　landed　their　freight。　Part　of　the　little　raft's　belongings　consisted　of　an　old　sail；　and　this　they　spread　over　a　nook　in　the　bushes　for　a　tent　to　shelter　their　provisions；　but　they　themselves　would　sleep　in　the　open　air　in　good　weather；　as　became　outlaws。
They　built　a　fire　against　the　side　of　a　great　log　twenty　or　thirty　steps　within　the　sombre　depths　of　the　forest；　and　then　cooked　some　bacon　in　the　frying…pan　for　supper；　and　used　up　half　of　the　corn　〃pone〃　stock　they　had　brought。　It　seemed　glorious　sport　to　be　feasting　in　that　wild；　free　way　in　the　virgin　forest　of　an　unexplored　and　uninhabited　island；　far　from　the　haunts　of　men；　and　they　said　they　never　would　return　to　civilization。　The　climbing　fire　lit　up　their　faces　and　threw　its　ruddy　glare　upon　the　pillared　tree…trunks　of　their　forest　temple；　and　upon　the　varnished　foliage　and　festooning　vines。
When　the　last　crisp　slice　of　bacon　was　gone；　and　the　last　allowance　of　corn　pone　devoured；　the　boys　stretched　themselves　out　on　the　grass；　filled　with　contentment。　They　could　have　found　a　cooler　place；　but　they　would　not　deny　themselves　such　a　romantic　feature　as　the　roasting　camp…fire。
〃Ain't　it　gay？〃　said　Joe。
〃It's　nuts！〃　said　Tom。　〃What　would　the　boys　say　if　they　could　see　us？〃
〃Say？　Well；　they'd　just　die　to　be　here　　hey；　Hucky！〃
〃I　reckon　so；〃　said　Huckleberry；　〃anyways；　I'm　suited。　I　don't　want　nothing　better'n　this。　I　don't　ever　get　enough　to　eat；　gen'ally　　and　here　they　can't　come　and　pick　at　a　feller　and　bullyrag　him　so。〃
〃It's　just　the　life　for　me；〃　said　Tom。　〃You　don't　have　to　get　up；　mornings；　and　you　don't　have　to　go　to　school；　and　wash；　and　all　that　blame　foolishness。　You　see　a　pirate　don't　have　to　do　anything；　Joe；　when　he's　ashore；　but　a　hermit　he　has　to　be　praying　considerable；　and　then　he　don't　have　any　fun；　anyway；　all　by　himself　that　way。〃
〃Oh　yes；　that's　so；〃　said　Joe；　〃but　I　hadn't　thought　much　about　it；　you　know。　I'd　a　good　deal　rather　be　a　pirate；　now　that　I've　tried　it。〃
〃You　see；〃　said　Tom；　〃people　don't　go　much　on　hermits；　nowadays；　like　they　used　to　in　old　times；　but　a　pirate's　always　respected。　And　a　hermit's　got　to　sleep　on　the　hardest　place　he　can　find；　and　put　sackcloth　and　ashes　on　his　head；　and　stand　out　in　the　rain；　and　〃
〃What　does　he　put　sackcloth　and　ashes　on　his　head　for？〃　inquired　Huck。
〃I　dono。　But　they've　GOT　to　do　it。　Hermits　always　do。　You'd　have　to　do　that　if　you　was　a　hermit。〃
〃Dern'd　if　I　would；〃　said　Huck。
〃Well；　what　would　you　do？〃
〃I　dono。　But　I　wouldn't　do　that。〃
〃Why；　Huck；　you'd　have　to。　How'd　you　get　around　it？〃
〃Why；　I　just　wouldn't　stand　it。　I'd　run　away。〃
〃Run　away！　Well；　you　would　be　a　nice　old　slouch　of　a　hermit。　You'd　be　a　disgrace。〃
The　Red…Handed　made　no　response；　being　better　employed。　He　had　finished　gouging　out　a　cob；　and　now　he　fitted　a　weed　stem　to　it；　loaded　it　with　tobacco；　and　was　pressing　a　coal　to　the　charge　and　blowing　a　cloud　of　fragrant　smoke　　he　was　in　the　full　bloom　of　luxurious　contentment。　The　other　pirates　envied　him　this　majestic　vice；　and　secretly　resolved　to　acquire　it　shortly。　Presently　Huck　said：
〃What　does　pirates　have　to　do？〃
Tom　said：
〃Oh；　they　have　just　a　bully　time　　take　ships　and　burn　them；　and　get　the　money　and　bury　it　in　awful　places　in　their　island　where　there's　ghosts　and　things　to　watch　it；　and　kill　everybody　in　the　ships　　make　'em　walk　a　plank。〃
〃And　they　carry　the　women　to　the　island；〃　said　Joe；　〃they　don't　kill　the　women。〃
〃No；〃　assented　Tom；　〃they　don't　kill　the　women　　they're　too　noble。　And　the　women's　always　beautiful；　too。
〃And　don't　they　wear　the　bulliest　clothes！　Oh　no！　All　gold　and　silver　and　di'monds；〃　said　Joe；　with　enthusiasm。
〃Who？〃　said　Huck。
〃Why；　the　pirates。〃
Huck　scanned　his　own　clothing　forlornly。
〃I　reckon　I　ain't　dressed　fitten　for　a　pirate；〃　said　he；　with　a　regretful　pathos　in　his　voice；　〃but　I　ain't　got　none　but　these。〃
But　the　other　boys　told　him　the　fine　clothes　would　come　fast　enough；　after　they　should　have　begun　their　adventures。　They　made　him　understand　that　his　poor　rags　would　do　to　begin　with；　though　it　was　customary　for　wealthy　pirates　to　start　with　a　proper　wardrobe。
Gradually　their　talk　died　out　and　drowsiness　began　to　steal　upon　the　eyelids　of　the　little　waifs。　The　pipe　dropped　from　the　fingers　of　the　Red…Handed；　and　he　slept　the　sleep　of　the　conscience…free　and　the　weary。　The　Terror　of　the　Seas　and　the　Black　Avenger　of　the　Spanish　Main　had　more　difficulty　in　getting　to　sleep。　They　said　their　prayers　inwardly；　and　lying　down；　since　there　was　nobody　there　with　authority　to　make　them　kneel　and　recite　aloud；　in　truth；　they　had　a　mind　not　to　say　them　at　all；　but　they　were　afraid　to　proceed　to　such　lengths　as　that；　lest　they　might　call　down　a　sudden　and　special　thunderbolt　from　heaven。　Then　at　once　they　reached　and　hovered　upon　the　imminent　verge　of　sleep　　but　an　intruder　came；　now；　that　would　not　〃down。〃　It　was　conscience。　They　began　to　feel　a　vague　fear　that　they　had　been　doing　wrong　to　run　away；　and　next　they　thought　of　the　stolen　meat；　and　then　the　real　torture　came。　They　tried　to　argue　it　away　by　reminding　conscience　that　they　had　purloined　sweetmeats　and　apples　scores　of　times；　but　conscience　was　not　to　be　appeased　by　such　thin　plausibilities；　it　seemed　to　them；　in　the　end；　that　there　was　no　getting　around　the　stubborn　fact　that　taking　sweetmeats　was　only　〃hooking；〃　while　taking　bacon　and　hams　and　such　valuables　was　plain　simple　stealing　　and　there　was　a　command　against　that　in　the　Bible。　So　they　inwardly　resolved　that　so　long　as　they　remained　in　the　business；　their　piracies　should　not　again　be　sullied　with　the　crime　of　stealing。　Then　conscience　granted　a　truce；　and　these　curiously　inconsistent　pirates　fell　peacefully　to　sleep。　
CHAPTER　XIV
WHEN　Tom　awoke　in　the　morning；　he　wondered　where　he　was。　He　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　around。　Then　he　comprehended。　It　was　the　cool　gray　dawn；　and　there　was　a　delicious　sense　of　repose　and　peace　in　the　deep　pervading　calm　and　silence　of　the　woods。　Not　a　leaf　stirred；　not　a　sound　obtruded　upon　great　Nature's　meditation。　Beaded　dewdrops　stood　upon　the　leaves　and　grasses。　A　white　layer　of　ashes　covered　the　fire；　and　a　thin　blue　breath　of　smoke　rose　straight　into　the　air。　Joe　and　Huck　still　slept。
Now；　far　away　in　the　woods　a　bird　called；　another　answered；　presently　the　hammering　of　a　woodpecker　was　heard。　Gradually　the　cool　dim　gray　of　the　morning　whitened；　and　as　gradually　sounds　multiplied　and　life　manifested　itself。　The　marvel　of　Nature　shaking　off　sleep　and　going　to　work　unfolded　itself　to　the　musing　boy。　A　little　green　worm　came　crawling　over　a　dewy　leaf；　lifting　two…thirds　of　his　body　into　the　air　from　time　to　time　and　〃sniffing　around；〃　then　proceeding　again　　for　he　was　measuring；　Tom　said；　and　when　the　worm　approached　him；　of　its　own　accord；　he　sat　as　still　as　a　stone；　with　his　hopes　rising　and　falling；　by　turns；　as　the　creature　still　came　toward　him　or　seemed　inclined　to　go　elsewhere；　and　when　at　last　it　considered　a　painful　moment　with　its　curved　body　in　the　air　and　then　came　decisively　down　upon　Tom's　leg　and　began　a　journey　over　him；　his　whole　heart　was　glad　　for　that　meant　that　he　was　going　to　have　a　new　suit　of　clothes　　without　the　shadow　of　a　doubt　a　gaudy　piratical　uniform。　Now　a　procession　of　ants　appeared；　from　nowhere　in　particular；　and　went　about　their　labors；　one　struggled　manfully　by　with　a　dead　spider　five　times　as　big　as　itself　in　its　arms；　and　lugged　it　straight　up　a　tree…trunk。　A　brown　spotted　lady…bug　climbed　the　dizzy　height　of　a　grass　blade；　and　Tom　bent　down　close　to　it　and　said；　
〃Lady…bug；　lady…bug；　fly　away　home；　
your　house　is　on　fire；　your　children's　alone；〃　
and　she　took　wing　and　went　off　to　see　about　it　　which　did　not　surprise　the　boy；　for　he　knew　of　old　that　this　insect　was　credulous　about　conflagrations；　and　he　had　practised　upon　its　simplicity　more　than　once。　A　tumblebug　came　next；　heaving　sturdily　at　its　ball；　and　Tom　touched　the　creature；　to　see　it　shut　its　legs　against　its　body　and　pretend　to　be　dead。　The　birds　were　fairly　rioting　by　this　time。　A　catbird；　the　Northern　mocker；　lit　in　a　tree　over　Tom's　head；　and　trilled　out　her　imitations　of　her　neighbors　in　a　rapture　of　enjoyment；　then　a　shrill　jay　swept　down；　a　flash　of　blue　flame；　and　stopped　on　a　twig　almost　within　the　boy's　reach；　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　eyed　the　strangers　with　a　consuming　curiosity；　a　gray　squirrel　and　a　big　fellow　of　the　〃fox〃　kind　came　skurrying　along；　sitting　up　at　intervals　to　inspect　and　chatter　at　the　boys；　for　the　wild　things　had　probably　never　seen　a　human　being　before　and　scarcely　knew　whether　to　be　afraid　or　not。　All　Nature　was　wide　awake　and　stirring；　now；　long　lances　of　sunlight　pierced　down　through　the　dense　foliage　far　and　near；　and　a　few　butterflies　came　fluttering　upon　the　scene。
Tom　stirred　up　the　other　pirates　and　they　all　clattered　away　with　a　shout；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　were　stripped　and　chasing　after　and　tumbling　over　each　other　in　the　shallow　limpid　water　of　the　white　sandbar。　They　felt　no　longing　for　the　little　village　sleeping　in　the　distance　beyond　the　majestic　waste　of　water。　A　vagrant　current　or　a　slight　rise　in　the　river　had　carried　off　their　raft；　but　this　only　gratified　them；　since　its　going　was　something　like　burning　the　bridge　between　them　and　civilization。
They　came　back　to　camp　wonderfully　refreshed；　glad…hearted；　and　ravenous；　and　they　soon　had　the　camp…fire　blazing　up　again。　Huck　found　a　spring　of　clear　cold　water　close　by；　and　the　boys　made　cups　of　broad　oak　or　hickory　leaves；　and　felt　that　water；　sweetened　with　such　a　wildwood　charm　as　that；　would　be　a　good　enough　substitute　for　coffee。　While　Joe　was　slicing　bacon　for　breakfast；　Tom　and　Huck　asked　him　to　hold　on　a　minute；　they　stepped　to　a　promising　nook　in　the　river…bank　and　threw　in　their　lines；　almost　immediately　they　had　reward。　Joe　had　not　had　time　to　get　impatient　before　they　were　back　again　with　some　handsome　bass；　a　couple　of　sun…perch　and　a　small　catfish　　provisions　enough　for　quite　a　family。　They　fried　the　fish　with　the　bacon；　and　were　astonished；　for　no　fish　had　ever　seemed　so　delicious　before。　They　did　not　know　that　the　quicker　a　fresh…water　fish　is　on　the　fire　after　he　is　caught　the　better　he　is；　and　they　reflected　little　upon　wh