StarInfo/Nonsense/Text/TomSawyer1

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                                      1876
                          THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
                                 by Mark Twain
DEDICATION
                                   Dedication
                To my wife this book is affectionately dedicated
PREFACE
                           Preface

  MOST OF THE ADVENTURES recorded in this book really occurred; one or
two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were
schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also,
but not from an individual- he is a combination of the characteristics
of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite
order of architecture.
  The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children
and slaves in the West at the period of this story- that is to say,
thirty or forty years ago.
  Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys
and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that
account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind
adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and
thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes
engaged in.
                                                     THE AUTHOR.
                                                    HARTFORD, 1876.
                           Chapter 1
                  Tom Plays, Fights, and Hides

  "TOM!"
  No answer.
  "Tom!"
  No answer.
  "What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"
  No answer.
  The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them,
about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She
seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy;
they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for
"style," not service;- she could have seen through a pair of stove
lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said,
not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
  "Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll-"
  She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and
punching under the bed with the broom- and so she needed breath to
punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.
  "I never did see the beat of that boy!"
  She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the
tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No
Tom. So she lifted up her voice, at an angle calculated for
distance, and shouted:
  "Y-o-u-u Tom!"
  There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to
seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his
flight.
  "There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in
there?"
  "Nothing."
  "Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What is that
truck?"
  "I don't know, aunt."
  "Well, I know. It's jam- that's what it is. Forty times I've said if
you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch."
The switch hovered in the air- the peril was desperate-
  "My! Look behind you, aunt!"
  The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger.
The lad fled, on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and
disappeared over it.
  His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a
gentle laugh.
  "Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me
tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time?
But old fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog
new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them
alike, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to
know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he
knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me
laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing
my duty by that boy, and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows.
Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying
up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He's full of the Old
Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and
I ain't got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him
off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old
heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few
days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it's so.
He'll play hookey this evening, and I'll just be obleeged to make
him work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him
work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work
more than he hates anything else, and I've got to do some of my duty
by him, or I'll be the ruination of the child."
  Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home
barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next day's
wood and split the kindlings, before supper- at least he was there
in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of
the work. Tom's younger brother, (or rather, half-brother) Sid, was
already through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he
was a quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways.
  While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity
offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and
very deep- for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments.
Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe
she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy and
she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of
low cunning. Said she:
  "Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?"
  "Yes'm."
  "Powerful warm, warn't it?"
  "Yes'm."
  "Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
  A bit of a scare shot through Tom- a touch of uncomfortable
suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing.
So he said:
  "No'm- well, not very much."
  The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
  "But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to
reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody
knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her,
Tom knew where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be
the next move:
  "Some of us pumped on our heads- mine's damp yet. See?"
  Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of
circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new
inspiration:
  "Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to
pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
  The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His
shirt collar was securely sewed.
  "Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played
hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a
kind of a singed cat, as the saying is- better'n you look. This time."
  She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that
Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.
  But Sidney said:
  "Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white
thread, but it's black."
  "Why I did sew it with white! Tom!"
  But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he
said:
  "Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
  In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust
into the lappels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them- one
needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:
  "She'd never noticed, if it hadn't been for Sid. Consound it!
sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with
black. I wish to geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other- I can't keep
the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
  He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy
very well though- and loathed him.
  Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles.
Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him
than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest
bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time- just as
men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new
enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling,
which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to
practice it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn,
a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof
of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music- the
reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy.
Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode
down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of
gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a
new planet. No doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is
concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
  The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom
checked his whistle. A stranger was before him- a boy a shade larger
than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive
curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Peterburg. This boy
was well dressed, too- well dressed on a week-day. This was simply
astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue
cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had
shoes on- and yet it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright
bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's
vitals. The more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he
turned up his nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own
outfit seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the
other moved- but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face
and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:
  "I can lick you!"
  "I'd like to see you try it."
  "Well, I can do it."
  "No you can't, either."
  "Yes I can."
  "No you can't."
  "I can."
  "You can't."
  "Can."
  "Can't."
  An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:
  "What's your name?"
  "'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
  "Well I 'low I'll make it my business."
  "Well why don't you?"
  "If you say much I will."
  "Much- much- much. There now."
  "O, you think you're mighty smart, don't you? I could lick you
with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
  "Well why don't you do it? You say you can do it."
  "Well I will, if you fool with me."
  "O yes- I've seen whole families in the same fix."
  "Smarty! You think you're some, now, don't you? O what a hat!"
  "You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock
it off- and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs."
  "You're a liar!"
  "You're another."
  "You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up."
  "Aw- take a walk!"
  "Say- if you gimme much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a
rock off'n your head."
  "O, of course you will."
  "Well I will."
  "Well why don't you do it then? What do you keep saying you will
for? Why don't you do it? It's because you're afraid."
  "I ain't afraid."
  "You are."
  "I ain't."
  "You are."
  Another pause, and more eyeing and sidling around each other.
Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
  "Get away from here!"
  "Go away yourself!"
  "I won't."
  "I won't either."
  So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and
both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with
hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both
were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution,
and Tom said:
  "You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and
he can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it,
too."
  "What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's
bigger than he is- and what's more, he can throw him over that fence,
too." [Both brothers were imaginary.]
  "That's a lie."
  "Your saying so don't make it so."
  Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
  "I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't
stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal a sheep."
  The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
  "Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
  "Don't you crowd me, now; you better look out."
  "Well you said you'd do it- why don't you do it?"
  "By jingo! for two cents I will do it."
  The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them
out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both
boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like
cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each
other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other's noses,
and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion
took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated
astride the new boy and pounding him with his fists.
  "Holler 'nuff!" said he.
  The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying,- mainly
from rage.
  "Holler 'nuff!"- and the pounding went on.
  At last the stranger got out a smothered "Nuff!" and Tom let him
up and said:
  "Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with,
next time."
  The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing,
snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and
threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out."
To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather,
and as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone,
threw it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and
ran like an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found
out where he lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time,
daring the enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him
through the window and declined. At last the enemy's mother
appeared, and called Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him
away. So he went away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
  He got home pretty late, that night, and when he climbed
cautiously in at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the
person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in her
resolution to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor
became adamantine in its firmness.

00000000  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
*
00000020  20 20 20 20 20 20 31 38  37 36 0a 20 20 20 20 20  |      1876.     |
00000030  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
00000040  20 20 20 20 20 54 48 45  20 41 44 56 45 4e 54 55  |     THE ADVENTU|
00000050  52 45 53 20 4f 46 20 54  4f 4d 20 53 41 57 59 45  |RES OF TOM SAWYE|
00000060  52 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |R.              |
00000070  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
00000080  20 20 20 62 79 20 4d 61  72 6b 20 54 77 61 69 6e  |   by Mark Twain|
00000090  0a 44 45 44 49 43 41 54  49 4f 4e 0a 20 20 20 20  |.DEDICATION.    |
000000a0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
000000b0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 44  |               D|
000000c0  65 64 69 63 61 74 69 6f  6e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20  |edication.      |
000000d0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 54 6f 20 6d 79 20  |          To my |
000000e0  77 69 66 65 20 74 68 69  73 20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 69  |wife this book i|
000000f0  73 20 61 66 66 65 63 74  69 6f 6e 61 74 65 6c 79  |s affectionately|
00000100  20 64 65 64 69 63 61 74  65 64 0a 50 52 45 46 41  | dedicated.PREFA|
00000110  43 45 0a 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |CE.             |
00000120  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 50 72  |              Pr|
00000130  65 66 61 63 65 0a 0a 20  20 4d 4f 53 54 20 4f 46  |eface..  MOST OF|
00000140  20 54 48 45 20 41 44 56  45 4e 54 55 52 45 53 20  | THE ADVENTURES |
00000150  72 65 63 6f 72 64 65 64  20 69 6e 20 74 68 69 73  |recorded in this|
00000160  20 62 6f 6f 6b 20 72 65  61 6c 6c 79 20 6f 63 63  | book really occ|
00000170  75 72 72 65 64 3b 20 6f  6e 65 20 6f 72 0a 74 77  |urred; one or.tw|
00000180  6f 20 77 65 72 65 20 65  78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63  |o were experienc|
00000190  65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 79  20 6f 77 6e 2c 20 74 68  |es of my own, th|
000001a0  65 20 72 65 73 74 20 74  68 6f 73 65 20 6f 66 20  |e rest those of |
000001b0  62 6f 79 73 20 77 68 6f  20 77 65 72 65 0a 73 63  |boys who were.sc|
000001c0  68 6f 6f 6c 6d 61 74 65  73 20 6f 66 20 6d 69 6e  |hoolmates of min|
000001d0  65 2e 20 48 75 63 6b 20  46 69 6e 6e 20 69 73 20  |e. Huck Finn is |
000001e0  64 72 61 77 6e 20 66 72  6f 6d 20 6c 69 66 65 3b  |drawn from life;|
000001f0  20 54 6f 6d 20 53 61 77  79 65 72 20 61 6c 73 6f  | Tom Sawyer also|
00000200  2c 0a 62 75 74 20 6e 6f  74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61  |,.but not from a|
00000210  6e 20 69 6e 64 69 76 69  64 75 61 6c 2d 20 68 65  |n individual- he|
00000220  20 69 73 20 61 20 63 6f  6d 62 69 6e 61 74 69 6f  | is a combinatio|
00000230  6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65  20 63 68 61 72 61 63 74  |n of the charact|
00000240  65 72 69 73 74 69 63 73  0a 6f 66 20 74 68 72 65  |eristics.of thre|
00000250  65 20 62 6f 79 73 20 77  68 6f 6d 20 49 20 6b 6e  |e boys whom I kn|
00000260  65 77 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  74 68 65 72 65 66 6f 72  |ew, and therefor|
00000270  65 20 62 65 6c 6f 6e 67  73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65  |e belongs to the|
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00000290  20 6f 66 20 61 72 63 68  69 74 65 63 74 75 72 65  | of architecture|
000002a0  2e 0a 20 20 54 68 65 20  6f 64 64 20 73 75 70 65  |..  The odd supe|
000002b0  72 73 74 69 74 69 6f 6e  73 20 74 6f 75 63 68 65  |rstitions touche|
000002c0  64 20 75 70 6f 6e 20 77  65 72 65 20 61 6c 6c 20  |d upon were all |
000002d0  70 72 65 76 61 6c 65 6e  74 20 61 6d 6f 6e 67 20  |prevalent among |
000002e0  63 68 69 6c 64 72 65 6e  0a 61 6e 64 20 73 6c 61  |children.and sla|
000002f0  76 65 73 20 69 6e 20 74  68 65 20 57 65 73 74 20  |ves in the West |
00000300  61 74 20 74 68 65 20 70  65 72 69 6f 64 20 6f 66  |at the period of|
00000310  20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74  6f 72 79 2d 20 74 68 61  | this story- tha|
00000320  74 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20  73 61 79 2c 0a 74 68 69  |t is to say,.thi|
00000330  72 74 79 20 6f 72 20 66  6f 72 74 79 20 79 65 61  |rty or forty yea|
00000340  72 73 20 61 67 6f 2e 0a  20 20 41 6c 74 68 6f 75  |rs ago..  Althou|
00000350  67 68 20 6d 79 20 62 6f  6f 6b 20 69 73 20 69 6e  |gh my book is in|
00000360  74 65 6e 64 65 64 20 6d  61 69 6e 6c 79 20 66 6f  |tended mainly fo|
00000370  72 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e  74 65 72 74 61 69 6e 6d  |r the entertainm|
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00000390  67 69 72 6c 73 2c 20 49  20 68 6f 70 65 20 69 74  |girls, I hope it|
000003a0  20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e 6f  74 20 62 65 20 73 68 75  | will not be shu|
000003b0  6e 6e 65 64 20 62 79 20  6d 65 6e 20 61 6e 64 20  |nned by men and |
000003c0  77 6f 6d 65 6e 20 6f 6e  20 74 68 61 74 0a 61 63  |women on that.ac|
000003d0  63 6f 75 6e 74 2c 20 66  6f 72 20 70 61 72 74 20  |count, for part |
000003e0  6f 66 20 6d 79 20 70 6c  61 6e 20 68 61 73 20 62  |of my plan has b|
000003f0  65 65 6e 20 74 6f 20 74  72 79 20 74 6f 20 70 6c  |een to try to pl|
00000400  65 61 73 61 6e 74 6c 79  20 72 65 6d 69 6e 64 0a  |easantly remind.|
00000410  61 64 75 6c 74 73 20 6f  66 20 77 68 61 74 20 74  |adults of what t|
00000420  68 65 79 20 6f 6e 63 65  20 77 65 72 65 20 74 68  |hey once were th|
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00000440  20 68 6f 77 20 74 68 65  79 20 66 65 6c 74 20 61  | how they felt a|
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00000460  61 6c 6b 65 64 2c 20 61  6e 64 20 77 68 61 74 20  |alked, and what |
00000470  71 75 65 65 72 20 65 6e  74 65 72 70 72 69 73 65  |queer enterprise|
00000480  73 20 74 68 65 79 20 73  6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73  |s they sometimes|
00000490  0a 65 6e 67 61 67 65 64  20 69 6e 2e 0a 20 20 20  |.engaged in..   |
000004a0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
*
000004d0  20 20 54 48 45 20 41 55  54 48 4f 52 2e 0a 20 20  |  THE AUTHOR..  |
000004e0  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |                |
*
00000510  20 20 48 41 52 54 46 4f  52 44 2c 20 31 38 37 36  |  HARTFORD, 1876|
00000520  2e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |..              |
00000530  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 43 68 61  |             Cha|
00000540  70 74 65 72 20 31 0a 20  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  |pter 1.         |
00000550  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 54 6f 6d 20 50 6c 61  |         Tom Pla|
00000560  79 73 2c 20 46 69 67 68  74 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  |ys, Fights, and |
00000570  48 69 64 65 73 0a 0a 20  20 22 54 4f 4d 21 22 0a  |Hides..  "TOM!".|
00000580  20 20 4e 6f 20 61 6e 73  77 65 72 2e 0a 20 20 22  |  No answer..  "|
00000590  54 6f 6d 21 22 0a 20 20  4e 6f 20 61 6e 73 77 65  |Tom!".  No answe|
000005a0  72 2e 0a 20 20 22 57 68  61 74 27 73 20 67 6f 6e  |r..  "What's gon|
000005b0  65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74  68 61 74 20 62 6f 79 2c  |e with that boy,|
000005c0  20 49 20 77 6f 6e 64 65  72 3f 20 59 6f 75 20 54  | I wonder? You T|
000005d0  4f 4d 21 22 0a 20 20 4e  6f 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72  |OM!".  No answer|
000005e0  2e 0a 20 20 54 68 65 20  6f 6c 64 20 6c 61 64 79  |..  The old lady|
000005f0  20 70 75 6c 6c 65 64 20  68 65 72 20 73 70 65 63  | pulled her spec|
00000600  74 61 63 6c 65 73 20 64  6f 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20  |tacles down and |
00000610  6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 6f  76 65 72 20 74 68 65 6d  |looked over them|
00000620  2c 0a 61 62 6f 75 74 20  74 68 65 20 72 6f 6f 6d  |,.about the room|
00000630  3b 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73  68 65 20 70 75 74 20 74  |; then she put t|
00000640  68 65 6d 20 75 70 20 61  6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 65  |hem up and looke|
00000650  64 20 6f 75 74 20 75 6e  64 65 72 20 74 68 65 6d  |d out under them|
00000660  2e 20 53 68 65 0a 73 65  6c 64 6f 6d 20 6f 72 20  |. She.seldom or |
00000670  6e 65 76 65 72 20 6c 6f  6f 6b 65 64 20 74 68 72  |never looked thr|
00000680  6f 75 67 68 20 74 68 65  6d 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f  |ough them for so|
00000690  20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 61  20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61  | small a thing a|
000006a0  73 20 61 20 62 6f 79 3b  0a 74 68 65 79 20 77 65  |s a boy;.they we|
000006b0  72 65 20 68 65 72 20 73  74 61 74 65 20 70 61 69  |re her state pai|
000006c0  72 2c 20 74 68 65 20 70  72 69 64 65 20 6f 66 20  |r, the pride of |
000006d0  68 65 72 20 68 65 61 72  74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77  |her heart, and w|
000006e0  65 72 65 20 62 75 69 6c  74 20 66 6f 72 0a 22 73  |ere built for."s|
000006f0  74 79 6c 65 2c 22 20 6e  6f 74 20 73 65 72 76 69  |tyle," not servi|
00000700  63 65 3b 2d 20 73 68 65  20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 68  |ce;- she could h|
00000710  61 76 65 20 73 65 65 6e  20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68  |ave seen through|
00000720  20 61 20 70 61 69 72 20  6f 66 20 73 74 6f 76 65  | a pair of stove|
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00000740  6c 6c 2e 20 53 68 65 20  6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20 70  |ll. She looked p|
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000007d0  64 20 6f 66 20 79 6f 75  20 49 27 6c 6c 2d 22 0a  |d of you I'll-".|
000007e0  20 20 53 68 65 20 64 69  64 20 6e 6f 74 20 66 69  |  She did not fi|
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00000800  73 20 74 69 6d 65 20 73  68 65 20 77 61 73 20 62  |s time she was b|
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00000950  20 4e 6f 0a 54 6f 6d 2e  20 53 6f 20 73 68 65 20  | No.Tom. So she |
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00000a90  22 0a 20 20 22 4e 6f 74  68 69 6e 67 2e 22 0a 20  |".  "Nothing.". |
00000aa0  20 22 4e 6f 74 68 69 6e  67 21 20 4c 6f 6f 6b 20  | "Nothing! Look |
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00000dd0  20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 70  6c 61 79 73 20 74 68 65  | never plays the|
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00000f60  47 6f 6f 64 20 42 6f 6f  6b 20 73 61 79 73 2e 20  |Good Book says. |
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00001050  63 69 65 6e 63 65 20 64  6f 65 73 20 68 75 72 74  |cience does hurt|
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00001070  79 20 74 69 6d 65 20 49  20 68 69 74 20 68 69 6d  |y time I hit him|
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000010a0  61 2d 77 65 6c 6c 2c 20  6d 61 6e 20 74 68 61 74  |a-well, man that|
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00001100  20 49 20 72 65 63 6b 6f  6e 20 69 74 27 73 20 73  | I reckon it's s|
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00001120  6f 6b 65 79 20 74 68 69  73 20 65 76 65 6e 69 6e  |okey this evenin|
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000012b0  4a 69 6d 2c 20 74 68 65  20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 63  |Jim, the small c|
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000015b0  65 73 20 61 73 20 6d 61  72 76 65 6c 73 20 6f 66  |es as marvels of|
000015c0  0a 6c 6f 77 20 63 75 6e  6e 69 6e 67 2e 20 53 61  |.low cunning. Sa|
000015d0  69 64 20 73 68 65 3a 0a  20 20 22 54 6f 6d 2c 20  |id she:.  "Tom, |
000015e0  69 74 20 77 61 73 20 6d  69 64 64 6c 69 6e 67 20  |it was middling |
000015f0  77 61 72 6d 20 69 6e 20  73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 2c 20  |warm in school, |
00001600  77 61 72 6e 27 74 20 69  74 3f 22 0a 20 20 22 59  |warn't it?".  "Y|
00001610  65 73 27 6d 2e 22 0a 20  20 22 50 6f 77 65 72 66  |es'm.".  "Powerf|
00001620  75 6c 20 77 61 72 6d 2c  20 77 61 72 6e 27 74 20  |ul warm, warn't |
00001630  69 74 3f 22 0a 20 20 22  59 65 73 27 6d 2e 22 0a  |it?".  "Yes'm.".|
00001640  20 20 22 44 69 64 6e 27  74 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61  |  "Didn't you wa|
00001650  6e 74 20 74 6f 20 67 6f  20 69 6e 20 61 2d 73 77  |nt to go in a-sw|
00001660  69 6d 6d 69 6e 67 2c 20  54 6f 6d 3f 22 0a 20 20  |imming, Tom?".  |
00001670  41 20 62 69 74 20 6f 66  20 61 20 73 63 61 72 65  |A bit of a scare|
00001680  20 73 68 6f 74 20 74 68  72 6f 75 67 68 20 54 6f  | shot through To|
00001690  6d 2d 20 61 20 74 6f 75  63 68 20 6f 66 20 75 6e  |m- a touch of un|
000016a0  63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 61  62 6c 65 0a 73 75 73 70  |comfortable.susp|
000016b0  69 63 69 6f 6e 2e 20 48  65 20 73 65 61 72 63 68  |icion. He search|
000016c0  65 64 20 41 75 6e 74 20  50 6f 6c 6c 79 27 73 20  |ed Aunt Polly's |
000016d0  66 61 63 65 2c 20 62 75  74 20 69 74 20 74 6f 6c  |face, but it tol|
000016e0  64 20 68 69 6d 20 6e 6f  74 68 69 6e 67 2e 0a 53  |d him nothing..S|
000016f0  6f 20 68 65 20 73 61 69  64 3a 0a 20 20 22 4e 6f  |o he said:.  "No|
00001700  27 6d 2d 20 77 65 6c 6c  2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 76 65  |'m- well, not ve|
00001710  72 79 20 6d 75 63 68 2e  22 0a 20 20 54 68 65 20  |ry much.".  The |
00001720  6f 6c 64 20 6c 61 64 79  20 72 65 61 63 68 65 64  |old lady reached|
00001730  20 6f 75 74 20 68 65 72  20 68 61 6e 64 20 61 6e  | out her hand an|
00001740  64 20 66 65 6c 74 20 54  6f 6d 27 73 20 73 68 69  |d felt Tom's shi|
00001750  72 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  73 61 69 64 3a 0a 20 20  |rt, and said:.  |
00001760  22 42 75 74 20 79 6f 75  20 61 69 6e 27 74 20 74  |"But you ain't t|
00001770  6f 6f 20 77 61 72 6d 20  6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 6f  |oo warm now, tho|
00001780  75 67 68 2e 22 20 41 6e  64 20 69 74 20 66 6c 61  |ugh." And it fla|
00001790  74 74 65 72 65 64 20 68  65 72 20 74 6f 0a 72 65  |ttered her to.re|
000017a0  66 6c 65 63 74 20 74 68  61 74 20 73 68 65 20 68  |flect that she h|
000017b0  61 64 20 64 69 73 63 6f  76 65 72 65 64 20 74 68  |ad discovered th|
000017c0  61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73  68 69 72 74 20 77 61 73  |at the shirt was|
000017d0  20 64 72 79 20 77 69 74  68 6f 75 74 20 61 6e 79  | dry without any|
000017e0  62 6f 64 79 0a 6b 6e 6f  77 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61  |body.knowing tha|
000017f0  74 20 74 68 61 74 20 77  61 73 20 77 68 61 74 20  |t that was what |
00001800  73 68 65 20 68 61 64 20  69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 6d  |she had in her m|
00001810  69 6e 64 2e 20 42 75 74  20 69 6e 20 73 70 69 74  |ind. But in spit|
00001820  65 20 6f 66 20 68 65 72  2c 0a 54 6f 6d 20 6b 6e  |e of her,.Tom kn|
00001830  65 77 20 77 68 65 72 65  20 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e  |ew where the win|
00001840  64 20 6c 61 79 2c 20 6e  6f 77 2e 20 53 6f 20 68  |d lay, now. So h|
00001850  65 20 66 6f 72 65 73 74  61 6c 6c 65 64 20 77 68  |e forestalled wh|
00001860  61 74 20 6d 69 67 68 74  20 62 65 0a 74 68 65 20  |at might be.the |
00001870  6e 65 78 74 20 6d 6f 76  65 3a 0a 20 20 22 53 6f  |next move:.  "So|
00001880  6d 65 20 6f 66 20 75 73  20 70 75 6d 70 65 64 20  |me of us pumped |
00001890  6f 6e 20 6f 75 72 20 68  65 61 64 73 2d 20 6d 69  |on our heads- mi|
000018a0  6e 65 27 73 20 64 61 6d  70 20 79 65 74 2e 20 53  |ne's damp yet. S|
000018b0  65 65 3f 22 0a 20 20 41  75 6e 74 20 50 6f 6c 6c  |ee?".  Aunt Poll|
000018c0  79 20 77 61 73 20 76 65  78 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74  |y was vexed to t|
000018d0  68 69 6e 6b 20 73 68 65  20 68 61 64 20 6f 76 65  |hink she had ove|
000018e0  72 6c 6f 6f 6b 65 64 20  74 68 61 74 20 62 69 74  |rlooked that bit|
000018f0  20 6f 66 0a 63 69 72 63  75 6d 73 74 61 6e 74 69  | of.circumstanti|
00001900  61 6c 20 65 76 69 64 65  6e 63 65 2c 20 61 6e 64  |al evidence, and|
00001910  20 6d 69 73 73 65 64 20  61 20 74 72 69 63 6b 2e  | missed a trick.|
00001920  20 54 68 65 6e 20 73 68  65 20 68 61 64 20 61 20  | Then she had a |
00001930  6e 65 77 0a 69 6e 73 70  69 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 3a  |new.inspiration:|
00001940  0a 20 20 22 54 6f 6d 2c  20 79 6f 75 20 64 69 64  |.  "Tom, you did|
00001950  6e 27 74 20 68 61 76 65  20 74 6f 20 75 6e 64 6f  |n't have to undo|
00001960  20 79 6f 75 72 20 73 68  69 72 74 20 63 6f 6c 6c  | your shirt coll|
00001970  61 72 20 77 68 65 72 65  20 49 20 73 65 77 65 64  |ar where I sewed|
00001980  20 69 74 2c 20 74 6f 0a  70 75 6d 70 20 6f 6e 20  | it, to.pump on |
00001990  79 6f 75 72 20 68 65 61  64 2c 20 64 69 64 20 79  |your head, did y|
000019a0  6f 75 3f 20 55 6e 62 75  74 74 6f 6e 20 79 6f 75  |ou? Unbutton you|
000019b0  72 20 6a 61 63 6b 65 74  21 22 0a 20 20 54 68 65  |r jacket!".  The|
000019c0  20 74 72 6f 75 62 6c 65  20 76 61 6e 69 73 68 65  | trouble vanishe|
000019d0  64 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66  20 54 6f 6d 27 73 20 66  |d out of Tom's f|
000019e0  61 63 65 2e 20 48 65 20  6f 70 65 6e 65 64 20 68  |ace. He opened h|
000019f0  69 73 20 6a 61 63 6b 65  74 2e 20 48 69 73 0a 73  |is jacket. His.s|
00001a00  68 69 72 74 20 63 6f 6c  6c 61 72 20 77 61 73 20  |hirt collar was |
00001a10  73 65 63 75 72 65 6c 79  20 73 65 77 65 64 2e 0a  |securely sewed..|
00001a20  20 20 22 42 6f 74 68 65  72 21 20 57 65 6c 6c 2c  |  "Bother! Well,|
00001a30  20 67 6f 20 27 6c 6f 6e  67 20 77 69 74 68 20 79  | go 'long with y|
00001a40  6f 75 2e 20 49 27 64 20  6d 61 64 65 20 73 75 72  |ou. I'd made sur|
00001a50  65 20 79 6f 75 27 64 20  70 6c 61 79 65 64 0a 68  |e you'd played.h|
00001a60  6f 6f 6b 65 79 20 61 6e  64 20 62 65 65 6e 20 61  |ookey and been a|
00001a70  2d 73 77 69 6d 6d 69 6e  67 2e 20 42 75 74 20 49  |-swimming. But I|
00001a80  20 66 6f 72 67 69 76 65  20 79 65 2c 20 54 6f 6d  | forgive ye, Tom|
00001a90  2e 20 49 20 72 65 63 6b  6f 6e 20 79 6f 75 27 72  |. I reckon you'r|
00001aa0  65 20 61 0a 6b 69 6e 64  20 6f 66 20 61 20 73 69  |e a.kind of a si|
00001ab0  6e 67 65 64 20 63 61 74  2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65  |nged cat, as the|
00001ac0  20 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20  69 73 2d 20 62 65 74 74  | saying is- bett|
00001ad0  65 72 27 6e 20 79 6f 75  20 6c 6f 6f 6b 2e 20 54  |er'n you look. T|
00001ae0  68 69 73 20 74 69 6d 65  2e 22 0a 20 20 53 68 65  |his time.".  She|
00001af0  20 77 61 73 20 68 61 6c  66 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20  | was half sorry |
00001b00  68 65 72 20 73 61 67 61  63 69 74 79 20 68 61 64  |her sagacity had|
00001b10  20 6d 69 73 63 61 72 72  69 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64  | miscarried, and|
00001b20  20 68 61 6c 66 20 67 6c  61 64 20 74 68 61 74 0a  | half glad that.|
00001b30  54 6f 6d 20 68 61 64 20  73 74 75 6d 62 6c 65 64  |Tom had stumbled|
00001b40  20 69 6e 74 6f 20 6f 62  65 64 69 65 6e 74 20 63  | into obedient c|
00001b50  6f 6e 64 75 63 74 20 66  6f 72 20 6f 6e 63 65 2e  |onduct for once.|
00001b60  0a 20 20 42 75 74 20 53  69 64 6e 65 79 20 73 61  |.  But Sidney sa|
00001b70  69 64 3a 0a 20 20 22 57  65 6c 6c 2c 20 6e 6f 77  |id:.  "Well, now|
00001b80  2c 20 69 66 20 49 20 64  69 64 6e 27 74 20 74 68  |, if I didn't th|
00001b90  69 6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 20  73 65 77 65 64 20 68 69  |ink you sewed hi|
00001ba0  73 20 63 6f 6c 6c 61 72  20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68  |s collar with wh|
00001bb0  69 74 65 0a 74 68 72 65  61 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20  |ite.thread, but |
00001bc0  69 74 27 73 20 62 6c 61  63 6b 2e 22 0a 20 20 22  |it's black.".  "|
00001bd0  57 68 79 20 49 20 64 69  64 20 73 65 77 20 69 74  |Why I did sew it|
00001be0  20 77 69 74 68 20 77 68  69 74 65 21 20 54 6f 6d  | with white! Tom|
00001bf0  21 22 0a 20 20 42 75 74  20 54 6f 6d 20 64 69 64  |!".  But Tom did|
00001c00  20 6e 6f 74 20 77 61 69  74 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68  | not wait for th|
00001c10  65 20 72 65 73 74 2e 20  41 73 20 68 65 20 77 65  |e rest. As he we|
00001c20  6e 74 20 6f 75 74 20 61  74 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f  |nt out at the do|
00001c30  6f 72 20 68 65 0a 73 61  69 64 3a 0a 20 20 22 53  |or he.said:.  "S|
00001c40  69 64 64 79 2c 20 49 27  6c 6c 20 6c 69 63 6b 20  |iddy, I'll lick |
00001c50  79 6f 75 20 66 6f 72 20  74 68 61 74 2e 22 0a 20  |you for that.". |
00001c60  20 49 6e 20 61 20 73 61  66 65 20 70 6c 61 63 65  | In a safe place|
00001c70  20 54 6f 6d 20 65 78 61  6d 69 6e 65 64 20 74 77  | Tom examined tw|
00001c80  6f 20 6c 61 72 67 65 20  6e 65 65 64 6c 65 73 20  |o large needles |
00001c90  77 68 69 63 68 20 77 65  72 65 20 74 68 72 75 73  |which were thrus|
00001ca0  74 0a 69 6e 74 6f 20 74  68 65 20 6c 61 70 70 65  |t.into the lappe|
00001cb0  6c 73 20 6f 66 20 68 69  73 20 6a 61 63 6b 65 74  |ls of his jacket|
00001cc0  2c 20 61 6e 64 20 68 61  64 20 74 68 72 65 61 64  |, and had thread|
00001cd0  20 62 6f 75 6e 64 20 61  62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65  | bound about the|
00001ce0  6d 2d 20 6f 6e 65 0a 6e  65 65 64 6c 65 20 63 61  |m- one.needle ca|
00001cf0  72 72 69 65 64 20 77 68  69 74 65 20 74 68 72 65  |rried white thre|
00001d00  61 64 20 61 6e 64 20 74  68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72  |ad and the other|
00001d10  20 62 6c 61 63 6b 2e 20  48 65 20 73 61 69 64 3a  | black. He said:|
00001d20  0a 20 20 22 53 68 65 27  64 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20  |.  "She'd never |
00001d30  6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 2c  20 69 66 20 69 74 20 68  |noticed, if it h|
00001d40  61 64 6e 27 74 20 62 65  65 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 53  |adn't been for S|
00001d50  69 64 2e 20 43 6f 6e 73  6f 75 6e 64 20 69 74 21  |id. Consound it!|
00001d60  0a 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d  65 73 20 73 68 65 20 73  |.sometimes she s|
00001d70  65 77 73 20 69 74 20 77  69 74 68 20 77 68 69 74  |ews it with whit|
00001d80  65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73  6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73  |e, and sometimes|
00001d90  20 73 68 65 20 73 65 77  73 20 69 74 20 77 69 74  | she sews it wit|
00001da0  68 0a 62 6c 61 63 6b 2e  20 49 20 77 69 73 68 20  |h.black. I wish |
00001db0  74 6f 20 67 65 65 6d 69  6e 79 20 73 68 65 27 64  |to geeminy she'd|
00001dc0  20 73 74 69 63 6b 20 74  6f 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 72  | stick to one or|
00001dd0  20 74 27 6f 74 68 65 72  2d 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27  | t'other- I can'|
00001de0  74 20 6b 65 65 70 0a 74  68 65 20 72 75 6e 20 6f  |t keep.the run o|
00001df0  66 20 27 65 6d 2e 20 42  75 74 20 49 20 62 65 74  |f 'em. But I bet|
00001e00  20 79 6f 75 20 49 27 6c  6c 20 6c 61 6d 20 53 69  | you I'll lam Si|
00001e10  64 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68  61 74 2e 20 49 27 6c 6c  |d for that. I'll|
00001e20  20 6c 65 61 72 6e 20 68  69 6d 21 22 0a 20 20 48  | learn him!".  H|
00001e30  65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f  74 20 74 68 65 20 4d 6f  |e was not the Mo|
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00001e50  69 6c 6c 61 67 65 2e 20  48 65 20 6b 6e 65 77 20  |illage. He knew |
00001e60  74 68 65 20 6d 6f 64 65  6c 20 62 6f 79 0a 76 65  |the model boy.ve|
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00001e80  61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 61 74  68 65 64 20 68 69 6d 2e  |and loathed him.|
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00001ed0  6f 75 62 6c 65 73 2e 0a  4e 6f 74 20 62 65 63 61  |oubles..Not beca|
00001ee0  75 73 65 20 68 69 73 20  74 72 6f 75 62 6c 65 73  |use his troubles|
00001ef0  20 77 65 72 65 20 6f 6e  65 20 77 68 69 74 20 6c  | were one whit l|
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00001f30  61 20 6d 61 6e 2c 20 62  75 74 20 62 65 63 61 75  |a man, but becau|
00001f40  73 65 20 61 20 6e 65 77  20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 77  |se a new and pow|
00001f50  65 72 66 75 6c 20 69 6e  74 65 72 65 73 74 0a 62  |erful interest.b|
00001f60  6f 72 65 20 74 68 65 6d  20 64 6f 77 6e 20 61 6e  |ore them down an|
00001f70  64 20 64 72 6f 76 65 20  74 68 65 6d 20 6f 75 74  |d drove them out|
00001f80  20 6f 66 20 68 69 73 20  6d 69 6e 64 20 66 6f 72  | of his mind for|
00001f90  20 74 68 65 20 74 69 6d  65 2d 20 6a 75 73 74 20  | the time- just |
00001fa0  61 73 0a 6d 65 6e 27 73  20 6d 69 73 66 6f 72 74  |as.men's misfort|
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00001ff0  77 20 69 6e 74 65 72 65  73 74 20 77 61 73 20 61  |w interest was a|
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00002010  69 6e 20 77 68 69 73 74  6c 69 6e 67 2c 0a 77 68  |in whistling,.wh|
00002020  69 63 68 20 68 65 20 68  61 64 20 6a 75 73 74 20  |ich he had just |
00002030  61 63 71 75 69 72 65 64  20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 20  |acquired from a |
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00002050  73 20 73 75 66 66 65 72  69 6e 67 20 74 6f 0a 70  |s suffering to.p|
00002060  72 61 63 74 69 63 65 20  69 74 20 75 6e 64 69 73  |ractice it undis|
00002070  74 75 72 62 65 64 2e 20  49 74 20 63 6f 6e 73 69  |turbed. It consi|
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00002090  61 72 20 62 69 72 64 2d  6c 69 6b 65 20 74 75 72  |ar bird-like tur|
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00002110  69 64 73 74 20 6f 66 20  74 68 65 20 6d 75 73 69  |idst of the musi|
00002120  63 2d 20 74 68 65 0a 72  65 61 64 65 72 20 70 72  |c- the.reader pr|
00002130  6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 72  65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 73  |obably remembers|
00002140  20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20  64 6f 20 69 74 2c 20 69  | how to do it, i|
00002150  66 20 68 65 20 68 61 73  20 65 76 65 72 20 62 65  |f he has ever be|
00002160  65 6e 20 61 20 62 6f 79  2e 0a 44 69 6c 69 67 65  |en a boy..Dilige|
00002170  6e 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20  61 74 74 65 6e 74 69 6f  |nce and attentio|
00002180  6e 20 73 6f 6f 6e 20 67  61 76 65 20 68 69 6d 20  |n soon gave him |
00002190  74 68 65 20 6b 6e 61 63  6b 20 6f 66 20 69 74 2c  |the knack of it,|
000021a0  20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 20  73 74 72 6f 64 65 0a 64  | and he strode.d|
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000021c0  69 74 68 20 68 69 73 20  6d 6f 75 74 68 20 66 75  |ith his mouth fu|
000021d0  6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 68 61  72 6d 6f 6e 79 20 61 6e  |ll of harmony an|
000021e0  64 20 68 69 73 20 73 6f  75 6c 20 66 75 6c 6c 20  |d his soul full |
000021f0  6f 66 0a 67 72 61 74 69  74 75 64 65 2e 20 48 65  |of.gratitude. He|
00002200  20 66 65 6c 74 20 6d 75  63 68 20 61 73 20 61 6e  | felt much as an|
00002210  20 61 73 74 72 6f 6e 6f  6d 65 72 20 66 65 65 6c  | astronomer feel|
00002220  73 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61  73 20 64 69 73 63 6f 76  |s who has discov|
00002230  65 72 65 64 20 61 0a 6e  65 77 20 70 6c 61 6e 65  |ered a.new plane|
00002240  74 2e 20 4e 6f 20 64 6f  75 62 74 2c 20 61 73 20  |t. No doubt, as |
00002250  66 61 72 20 61 73 20 73  74 72 6f 6e 67 2c 20 64  |far as strong, d|
00002260  65 65 70 2c 20 75 6e 61  6c 6c 6f 79 65 64 20 70  |eep, unalloyed p|
00002270  6c 65 61 73 75 72 65 20  69 73 0a 63 6f 6e 63 65  |leasure is.conce|
00002280  72 6e 65 64 2c 20 74 68  65 20 61 64 76 61 6e 74  |rned, the advant|
00002290  61 67 65 20 77 61 73 20  77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65  |age was with the|
000022a0  20 62 6f 79 2c 20 6e 6f  74 20 74 68 65 20 61 73  | boy, not the as|
000022b0  74 72 6f 6e 6f 6d 65 72  2e 0a 20 20 54 68 65 20  |tronomer..  The |
000022c0  73 75 6d 6d 65 72 20 65  76 65 6e 69 6e 67 73 20  |summer evenings |
000022d0  77 65 72 65 20 6c 6f 6e  67 2e 20 49 74 20 77 61  |were long. It wa|
000022e0  73 20 6e 6f 74 20 64 61  72 6b 2c 20 79 65 74 2e  |s not dark, yet.|
000022f0  20 50 72 65 73 65 6e 74  6c 79 20 54 6f 6d 0a 63  | Presently Tom.c|
00002300  68 65 63 6b 65 64 20 68  69 73 20 77 68 69 73 74  |hecked his whist|
00002310  6c 65 2e 20 41 20 73 74  72 61 6e 67 65 72 20 77  |le. A stranger w|
00002320  61 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72  65 20 68 69 6d 2d 20 61  |as before him- a|
00002330  20 62 6f 79 20 61 20 73  68 61 64 65 20 6c 61 72  | boy a shade lar|
00002340  67 65 72 0a 74 68 61 6e  20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66  |ger.than himself|
00002350  2e 20 41 20 6e 65 77 2d  63 6f 6d 65 72 20 6f 66  |. A new-comer of|
00002360  20 61 6e 79 20 61 67 65  20 6f 72 20 65 69 74 68  | any age or eith|
00002370  65 72 20 73 65 78 20 77  61 73 20 61 6e 20 69 6d  |er sex was an im|
00002380  70 72 65 73 73 69 76 65  0a 63 75 72 69 6f 73 69  |pressive.curiosi|
00002390  74 79 20 69 6e 20 74 68  65 20 70 6f 6f 72 20 6c  |ty in the poor l|
000023a0  69 74 74 6c 65 20 73 68  61 62 62 79 20 76 69 6c  |ittle shabby vil|
000023b0  6c 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20  53 74 2e 20 50 65 74 65  |lage of St. Pete|
000023c0  72 62 75 72 67 2e 20 54  68 69 73 20 62 6f 79 0a  |rburg. This boy.|
000023d0  77 61 73 20 77 65 6c 6c  20 64 72 65 73 73 65 64  |was well dressed|
000023e0  2c 20 74 6f 6f 2d 20 77  65 6c 6c 20 64 72 65 73  |, too- well dres|
000023f0  73 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 61  20 77 65 65 6b 2d 64 61  |sed on a week-da|
00002400  79 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20  77 61 73 20 73 69 6d 70  |y. This was simp|
00002410  6c 79 0a 61 73 74 6f 75  6e 64 69 6e 67 2e 20 48  |ly.astounding. H|
00002420  69 73 20 63 61 70 20 77  61 73 20 61 20 64 61 69  |is cap was a dai|
00002430  6e 74 79 20 74 68 69 6e  67 2c 20 68 69 73 20 63  |nty thing, his c|
00002440  6c 6f 73 65 2d 62 75 74  74 6f 6e 65 64 20 62 6c  |lose-buttoned bl|
00002450  75 65 0a 63 6c 6f 74 68  20 72 6f 75 6e 64 61 62  |ue.cloth roundab|
00002460  6f 75 74 20 77 61 73 20  6e 65 77 20 61 6e 64 20  |out was new and |
00002470  6e 61 74 74 79 2c 20 61  6e 64 20 73 6f 20 77 65  |natty, and so we|
00002480  72 65 20 68 69 73 20 70  61 6e 74 61 6c 6f 6f 6e  |re his pantaloon|
00002490  73 2e 20 48 65 20 68 61  64 0a 73 68 6f 65 73 20  |s. He had.shoes |
000024a0  6f 6e 2d 20 61 6e 64 20  79 65 74 20 69 74 20 77  |on- and yet it w|
000024b0  61 73 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20  46 72 69 64 61 79 2e 20  |as only Friday. |
000024c0  48 65 20 65 76 65 6e 20  77 6f 72 65 20 61 20 6e  |He even wore a n|
000024d0  65 63 6b 74 69 65 2c 20  61 20 62 72 69 67 68 74  |ecktie, a bright|
000024e0  0a 62 69 74 20 6f 66 20  72 69 62 62 6f 6e 2e 20  |.bit of ribbon. |
000024f0  48 65 20 68 61 64 20 61  20 63 69 74 69 66 69 65  |He had a citifie|
00002500  64 20 61 69 72 20 61 62  6f 75 74 20 68 69 6d 20  |d air about him |
00002510  74 68 61 74 20 61 74 65  20 69 6e 74 6f 20 54 6f  |that ate into To|
00002520  6d 27 73 0a 76 69 74 61  6c 73 2e 20 54 68 65 20  |m's.vitals. The |
00002530  6d 6f 72 65 20 54 6f 6d  20 73 74 61 72 65 64 20  |more Tom stared |
00002540  61 74 20 74 68 65 20 73  70 6c 65 6e 64 69 64 20  |at the splendid |
00002550  6d 61 72 76 65 6c 2c 20  74 68 65 20 68 69 67 68  |marvel, the high|
00002560  65 72 20 68 65 0a 74 75  72 6e 65 64 20 75 70 20  |er he.turned up |
00002570  68 69 73 20 6e 6f 73 65  20 61 74 20 68 69 73 20  |his nose at his |
00002580  66 69 6e 65 72 79 20 61  6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 73  |finery and the s|
00002590  68 61 62 62 69 65 72 20  61 6e 64 20 73 68 61 62  |habbier and shab|
000025a0  62 69 65 72 20 68 69 73  20 6f 77 6e 0a 6f 75 74  |bier his own.out|
000025b0  66 69 74 20 73 65 65 6d  65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 69  |fit seemed to hi|
000025c0  6d 20 74 6f 20 67 72 6f  77 2e 20 4e 65 69 74 68  |m to grow. Neith|
000025d0  65 72 20 62 6f 79 20 73  70 6f 6b 65 2e 20 49 66  |er boy spoke. If|
000025e0  20 6f 6e 65 20 6d 6f 76  65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 0a  | one moved, the.|
000025f0  6f 74 68 65 72 20 6d 6f  76 65 64 2d 20 62 75 74  |other moved- but|
00002600  20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73 69  64 65 77 69 73 65 2c 20  | only sidewise, |
00002610  69 6e 20 61 20 63 69 72  63 6c 65 3b 20 74 68 65  |in a circle; the|
00002620  79 20 6b 65 70 74 20 66  61 63 65 20 74 6f 20 66  |y kept face to f|
00002630  61 63 65 0a 61 6e 64 20  65 79 65 20 74 6f 20 65  |ace.and eye to e|
00002640  79 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 74  68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 2e  |ye all the time.|
00002650  20 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79  20 54 6f 6d 20 73 61 69  | Finally Tom sai|
00002660  64 3a 0a 20 20 22 49 20  63 61 6e 20 6c 69 63 6b  |d:.  "I can lick|
00002670  20 79 6f 75 21 22 0a 20  20 22 49 27 64 20 6c 69  | you!".  "I'd li|
00002680  6b 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65  65 20 79 6f 75 20 74 72  |ke to see you tr|
00002690  79 20 69 74 2e 22 0a 20  20 22 57 65 6c 6c 2c 20  |y it.".  "Well, |
000026a0  49 20 63 61 6e 20 64 6f  20 69 74 2e 22 0a 20 20  |I can do it.".  |
000026b0  22 4e 6f 20 79 6f 75 20  63 61 6e 27 74 2c 20 65  |"No you can't, e|
000026c0  69 74 68 65 72 2e 22 0a  20 20 22 59 65 73 20 49  |ither.".  "Yes I|
000026d0  20 63 61 6e 2e 22 0a 20  20 22 4e 6f 20 79 6f 75  | can.".  "No you|
000026e0  20 63 61 6e 27 74 2e 22  0a 20 20 22 49 20 63 61  | can't.".  "I ca|
000026f0  6e 2e 22 0a 20 20 22 59  6f 75 20 63 61 6e 27 74  |n.".  "You can't|
00002700  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 43 61  6e 2e 22 0a 20 20 22 43  |.".  "Can.".  "C|
00002710  61 6e 27 74 2e 22 0a 20  20 41 6e 20 75 6e 63 6f  |an't.".  An unco|
00002720  6d 66 6f 72 74 61 62 6c  65 20 70 61 75 73 65 2e  |mfortable pause.|
00002730  20 54 68 65 6e 20 54 6f  6d 20 73 61 69 64 3a 0a  | Then Tom said:.|
00002740  20 20 22 57 68 61 74 27  73 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6e  |  "What's your n|
00002750  61 6d 65 3f 22 0a 20 20  22 27 54 69 73 6e 27 74  |ame?".  "'Tisn't|
00002760  20 61 6e 79 20 6f 66 20  79 6f 75 72 20 62 75 73  | any of your bus|
00002770  69 6e 65 73 73 2c 20 6d  61 79 62 65 2e 22 0a 20  |iness, maybe.". |
00002780  20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 49  20 27 6c 6f 77 20 49 27  | "Well I 'low I'|
00002790  6c 6c 20 6d 61 6b 65 20  69 74 20 6d 79 20 62 75  |ll make it my bu|
000027a0  73 69 6e 65 73 73 2e 22  0a 20 20 22 57 65 6c 6c  |siness.".  "Well|
000027b0  20 77 68 79 20 64 6f 6e  27 74 20 79 6f 75 3f 22  | why don't you?"|
000027c0  0a 20 20 22 49 66 20 79  6f 75 20 73 61 79 20 6d  |.  "If you say m|
000027d0  75 63 68 20 49 20 77 69  6c 6c 2e 22 0a 20 20 22  |uch I will.".  "|
000027e0  4d 75 63 68 2d 20 6d 75  63 68 2d 20 6d 75 63 68  |Much- much- much|
000027f0  2e 20 54 68 65 72 65 20  6e 6f 77 2e 22 0a 20 20  |. There now.".  |
00002800  22 4f 2c 20 79 6f 75 20  74 68 69 6e 6b 20 79 6f  |"O, you think yo|
00002810  75 27 72 65 20 6d 69 67  68 74 79 20 73 6d 61 72  |u're mighty smar|
00002820  74 2c 20 64 6f 6e 27 74  20 79 6f 75 3f 20 49 20  |t, don't you? I |
00002830  63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6c 69  63 6b 20 79 6f 75 0a 77  |could lick you.w|
00002840  69 74 68 20 6f 6e 65 20  68 61 6e 64 20 74 69 65  |ith one hand tie|
00002850  64 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64  20 6d 65 2c 20 69 66 20  |d behind me, if |
00002860  49 20 77 61 6e 74 65 64  20 74 6f 2e 22 0a 20 20  |I wanted to.".  |
00002870  22 57 65 6c 6c 20 77 68  79 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20  |"Well why don't |
00002880  79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20 69  74 3f 20 59 6f 75 20 73  |you do it? You s|
00002890  61 79 20 79 6f 75 20 63  61 6e 20 64 6f 20 69 74  |ay you can do it|
000028a0  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 57 65  6c 6c 20 49 20 77 69 6c  |.".  "Well I wil|
000028b0  6c 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f  75 20 66 6f 6f 6c 20 77  |l, if you fool w|
000028c0  69 74 68 20 6d 65 2e 22  0a 20 20 22 4f 20 79 65  |ith me.".  "O ye|
000028d0  73 2d 20 49 27 76 65 20  73 65 65 6e 20 77 68 6f  |s- I've seen who|
000028e0  6c 65 20 66 61 6d 69 6c  69 65 73 20 69 6e 20 74  |le families in t|
000028f0  68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20  66 69 78 2e 22 0a 20 20  |he same fix.".  |
00002900  22 53 6d 61 72 74 79 21  20 59 6f 75 20 74 68 69  |"Smarty! You thi|
00002910  6e 6b 20 79 6f 75 27 72  65 20 73 6f 6d 65 2c 20  |nk you're some, |
00002920  6e 6f 77 2c 20 64 6f 6e  27 74 20 79 6f 75 3f 20  |now, don't you? |
00002930  4f 20 77 68 61 74 20 61  20 68 61 74 21 22 0a 20  |O what a hat!". |
00002940  20 22 59 6f 75 20 63 61  6e 20 6c 75 6d 70 20 74  | "You can lump t|
00002950  68 61 74 20 68 61 74 20  69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64  |hat hat if you d|
00002960  6f 6e 27 74 20 6c 69 6b  65 20 69 74 2e 20 49 20  |on't like it. I |
00002970  64 61 72 65 20 79 6f 75  20 74 6f 20 6b 6e 6f 63  |dare you to knoc|
00002980  6b 0a 69 74 20 6f 66 66  2d 20 61 6e 64 20 61 6e  |k.it off- and an|
00002990  79 62 6f 64 79 20 74 68  61 74 27 6c 6c 20 74 61  |ybody that'll ta|
000029a0  6b 65 20 61 20 64 61 72  65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 73  |ke a dare will s|
000029b0  75 63 6b 20 65 67 67 73  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 59 6f  |uck eggs.".  "Yo|
000029c0  75 27 72 65 20 61 20 6c  69 61 72 21 22 0a 20 20  |u're a liar!".  |
000029d0  22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20  61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 2e  |"You're another.|
000029e0  22 0a 20 20 22 59 6f 75  27 72 65 20 61 20 66 69  |".  "You're a fi|
000029f0  67 68 74 69 6e 67 20 6c  69 61 72 20 61 6e 64 20  |ghting liar and |
00002a00  64 61 73 6e 27 74 20 74  61 6b 65 20 69 74 20 75  |dasn't take it u|
00002a10  70 2e 22 0a 20 20 22 41  77 2d 20 74 61 6b 65 20  |p.".  "Aw- take |
00002a20  61 20 77 61 6c 6b 21 22  0a 20 20 22 53 61 79 2d  |a walk!".  "Say-|
00002a30  20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20  67 69 6d 6d 65 20 6d 75  | if you gimme mu|
00002a40  63 68 20 6d 6f 72 65 20  6f 66 20 79 6f 75 72 20  |ch more of your |
00002a50  73 61 73 73 20 49 27 6c  6c 20 74 61 6b 65 20 61  |sass I'll take a|
00002a60  6e 64 20 62 6f 75 6e 63  65 20 61 0a 72 6f 63 6b  |nd bounce a.rock|
00002a70  20 6f 66 66 27 6e 20 79  6f 75 72 20 68 65 61 64  | off'n your head|
00002a80  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 4f 2c  20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72  |.".  "O, of cour|
00002a90  73 65 20 79 6f 75 20 77  69 6c 6c 2e 22 0a 20 20  |se you will.".  |
00002aa0  22 57 65 6c 6c 20 49 20  77 69 6c 6c 2e 22 0a 20  |"Well I will.". |
00002ab0  20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 77  68 79 20 64 6f 6e 27 74  | "Well why don't|
00002ac0  20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20  69 74 20 74 68 65 6e 3f  | you do it then?|
00002ad0  20 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f  20 79 6f 75 20 6b 65 65  | What do you kee|
00002ae0  70 20 73 61 79 69 6e 67  20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 6c  |p saying you wil|
00002af0  6c 0a 66 6f 72 3f 20 57  68 79 20 64 6f 6e 27 74  |l.for? Why don't|
00002b00  20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20  69 74 3f 20 49 74 27 73  | you do it? It's|
00002b10  20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65  20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20  | because you're |
00002b20  61 66 72 61 69 64 2e 22  0a 20 20 22 49 20 61 69  |afraid.".  "I ai|
00002b30  6e 27 74 20 61 66 72 61  69 64 2e 22 0a 20 20 22  |n't afraid.".  "|
00002b40  59 6f 75 20 61 72 65 2e  22 0a 20 20 22 49 20 61  |You are.".  "I a|
00002b50  69 6e 27 74 2e 22 0a 20  20 22 59 6f 75 20 61 72  |in't.".  "You ar|
00002b60  65 2e 22 0a 20 20 41 6e  6f 74 68 65 72 20 70 61  |e.".  Another pa|
00002b70  75 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64  20 6d 6f 72 65 20 65 79  |use, and more ey|
00002b80  65 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64  20 73 69 64 6c 69 6e 67  |eing and sidling|
00002b90  20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20  65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 68  | around each oth|
00002ba0  65 72 2e 0a 50 72 65 73  65 6e 74 6c 79 20 74 68  |er..Presently th|
00002bb0  65 79 20 77 65 72 65 20  73 68 6f 75 6c 64 65 72  |ey were shoulder|
00002bc0  20 74 6f 20 73 68 6f 75  6c 64 65 72 2e 20 54 6f  | to shoulder. To|
00002bd0  6d 20 73 61 69 64 3a 0a  20 20 22 47 65 74 20 61  |m said:.  "Get a|
00002be0  77 61 79 20 66 72 6f 6d  20 68 65 72 65 21 22 0a  |way from here!".|
00002bf0  20 20 22 47 6f 20 61 77  61 79 20 79 6f 75 72 73  |  "Go away yours|
00002c00  65 6c 66 21 22 0a 20 20  22 49 20 77 6f 6e 27 74  |elf!".  "I won't|
00002c10  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 49 20  77 6f 6e 27 74 20 65 69  |.".  "I won't ei|
00002c20  74 68 65 72 2e 22 0a 20  20 53 6f 20 74 68 65 79  |ther.".  So they|
00002c30  20 73 74 6f 6f 64 2c 20  65 61 63 68 20 77 69 74  | stood, each wit|
00002c40  68 20 61 20 66 6f 6f 74  20 70 6c 61 63 65 64 20  |h a foot placed |
00002c50  61 74 20 61 6e 20 61 6e  67 6c 65 20 61 73 20 61  |at an angle as a|
00002c60  20 62 72 61 63 65 2c 20  61 6e 64 0a 62 6f 74 68  | brace, and.both|
00002c70  20 73 68 6f 76 69 6e 67  20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 69  | shoving with mi|
00002c80  67 68 74 20 61 6e 64 20  6d 61 69 6e 2c 20 61 6e  |ght and main, an|
00002c90  64 20 67 6c 6f 77 65 72  69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 65  |d glowering at e|
00002ca0  61 63 68 20 6f 74 68 65  72 20 77 69 74 68 0a 68  |ach other with.h|
00002cb0  61 74 65 2e 20 42 75 74  20 6e 65 69 74 68 65 72  |ate. But neither|
00002cc0  20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 67  65 74 20 61 6e 20 61 64  | could get an ad|
00002cd0  76 61 6e 74 61 67 65 2e  20 41 66 74 65 72 20 73  |vantage. After s|
00002ce0  74 72 75 67 67 6c 69 6e  67 20 74 69 6c 6c 20 62  |truggling till b|
00002cf0  6f 74 68 0a 77 65 72 65  20 68 6f 74 20 61 6e 64  |oth.were hot and|
00002d00  20 66 6c 75 73 68 65 64  2c 20 65 61 63 68 20 72  | flushed, each r|
00002d10  65 6c 61 78 65 64 20 68  69 73 20 73 74 72 61 69  |elaxed his strai|
00002d20  6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 77  61 74 63 68 66 75 6c 20  |n with watchful |
00002d30  63 61 75 74 69 6f 6e 2c  0a 61 6e 64 20 54 6f 6d  |caution,.and Tom|
00002d40  20 73 61 69 64 3a 0a 20  20 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65  | said:.  "You're|
00002d50  20 61 20 63 6f 77 61 72  64 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20  | a coward and a |
00002d60  70 75 70 2e 20 49 27 6c  6c 20 74 65 6c 6c 20 6d  |pup. I'll tell m|
00002d70  79 20 62 69 67 20 62 72  6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 6e  |y big brother on|
00002d80  20 79 6f 75 2c 20 61 6e  64 0a 68 65 20 63 61 6e  | you, and.he can|
00002d90  20 74 68 72 61 73 68 20  79 6f 75 20 77 69 74 68  | thrash you with|
00002da0  20 68 69 73 20 6c 69 74  74 6c 65 20 66 69 6e 67  | his little fing|
00002db0  65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  49 27 6c 6c 20 6d 61 6b  |er, and I'll mak|
00002dc0  65 20 68 69 6d 20 64 6f  20 69 74 2c 0a 74 6f 6f  |e him do it,.too|
00002dd0  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 57 68  61 74 20 64 6f 20 49 20  |.".  "What do I |
00002de0  63 61 72 65 20 66 6f 72  20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 69  |care for your bi|
00002df0  67 20 62 72 6f 74 68 65  72 3f 20 49 27 76 65 20  |g brother? I've |
00002e00  67 6f 74 20 61 20 62 72  6f 74 68 65 72 20 74 68  |got a brother th|
00002e10  61 74 27 73 0a 62 69 67  67 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e  |at's.bigger than|
00002e20  20 68 65 20 69 73 2d 20  61 6e 64 20 77 68 61 74  | he is- and what|
00002e30  27 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 2c  20 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20  |'s more, he can |
00002e40  74 68 72 6f 77 20 68 69  6d 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74  |throw him over t|
00002e50  68 61 74 20 66 65 6e 63  65 2c 0a 74 6f 6f 2e 22  |hat fence,.too."|
00002e60  20 5b 42 6f 74 68 20 62  72 6f 74 68 65 72 73 20  | [Both brothers |
00002e70  77 65 72 65 20 69 6d 61  67 69 6e 61 72 79 2e 5d  |were imaginary.]|
00002e80  0a 20 20 22 54 68 61 74  27 73 20 61 20 6c 69 65  |.  "That's a lie|
00002e90  2e 22 0a 20 20 22 59 6f  75 72 20 73 61 79 69 6e  |.".  "Your sayin|
00002ea0  67 20 73 6f 20 64 6f 6e  27 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 20  |g so don't make |
00002eb0  69 74 20 73 6f 2e 22 0a  20 20 54 6f 6d 20 64 72  |it so.".  Tom dr|
00002ec0  65 77 20 61 20 6c 69 6e  65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65  |ew a line in the|
00002ed0  20 64 75 73 74 20 77 69  74 68 20 68 69 73 20 62  | dust with his b|
00002ee0  69 67 20 74 6f 65 2c 20  61 6e 64 20 73 61 69 64  |ig toe, and said|
00002ef0  3a 0a 20 20 22 49 20 64  61 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20  |:.  "I dare you |
00002f00  74 6f 20 73 74 65 70 20  6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 61  |to step over tha|
00002f10  74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49  27 6c 6c 20 6c 69 63 6b  |t, and I'll lick|
00002f20  20 79 6f 75 20 74 69 6c  6c 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61  | you till you ca|
00002f30  6e 27 74 0a 73 74 61 6e  64 20 75 70 2e 20 41 6e  |n't.stand up. An|
00002f40  79 62 6f 64 79 20 74 68  61 74 27 6c 6c 20 74 61  |ybody that'll ta|
00002f50  6b 65 20 61 20 64 61 72  65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 73  |ke a dare will s|
00002f60  74 65 61 6c 20 61 20 73  68 65 65 70 2e 22 0a 20  |teal a sheep.". |
00002f70  20 54 68 65 20 6e 65 77  20 62 6f 79 20 73 74 65  | The new boy ste|
00002f80  70 70 65 64 20 6f 76 65  72 20 70 72 6f 6d 70 74  |pped over prompt|
00002f90  6c 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  73 61 69 64 3a 0a 20 20  |ly, and said:.  |
00002fa0  22 4e 6f 77 20 79 6f 75  20 73 61 69 64 20 79 6f  |"Now you said yo|
00002fb0  75 27 64 20 64 6f 20 69  74 2c 20 6e 6f 77 20 6c  |u'd do it, now l|
00002fc0  65 74 27 73 20 73 65 65  20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20  |et's see you do |
00002fd0  69 74 2e 22 0a 20 20 22  44 6f 6e 27 74 20 79 6f  |it.".  "Don't yo|
00002fe0  75 20 63 72 6f 77 64 20  6d 65 2c 20 6e 6f 77 3b  |u crowd me, now;|
00002ff0  20 79 6f 75 20 62 65 74  74 65 72 20 6c 6f 6f 6b  | you better look|
00003000  20 6f 75 74 2e 22 0a 20  20 22 57 65 6c 6c 20 79  | out.".  "Well y|
00003010  6f 75 20 73 61 69 64 20  79 6f 75 27 64 20 64 6f  |ou said you'd do|
00003020  20 69 74 2d 20 77 68 79  20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 79  | it- why don't y|
00003030  6f 75 20 64 6f 20 69 74  3f 22 0a 20 20 22 42 79  |ou do it?".  "By|
00003040  20 6a 69 6e 67 6f 21 20  66 6f 72 20 74 77 6f 20  | jingo! for two |
00003050  63 65 6e 74 73 20 49 20  77 69 6c 6c 20 64 6f 20  |cents I will do |
00003060  69 74 2e 22 0a 20 20 54  68 65 20 6e 65 77 20 62  |it.".  The new b|
00003070  6f 79 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20  74 77 6f 20 62 72 6f 61  |oy took two broa|
00003080  64 20 63 6f 70 70 65 72  73 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66  |d coppers out of|
00003090  20 68 69 73 20 70 6f 63  6b 65 74 20 61 6e 64 20  | his pocket and |
000030a0  68 65 6c 64 20 74 68 65  6d 0a 6f 75 74 20 77 69  |held them.out wi|
000030b0  74 68 20 64 65 72 69 73  69 6f 6e 2e 20 54 6f 6d  |th derision. Tom|
000030c0  20 73 74 72 75 63 6b 20  74 68 65 6d 20 74 6f 20  | struck them to |
000030d0  74 68 65 20 67 72 6f 75  6e 64 2e 20 49 6e 20 61  |the ground. In a|
000030e0  6e 20 69 6e 73 74 61 6e  74 20 62 6f 74 68 0a 62  |n instant both.b|
000030f0  6f 79 73 20 77 65 72 65  20 72 6f 6c 6c 69 6e 67  |oys were rolling|
00003100  20 61 6e 64 20 74 75 6d  62 6c 69 6e 67 20 69 6e  | and tumbling in|
00003110  20 74 68 65 20 64 69 72  74 2c 20 67 72 69 70 70  | the dirt, gripp|
00003120  65 64 20 74 6f 67 65 74  68 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65  |ed together like|
00003130  0a 63 61 74 73 3b 20 61  6e 64 20 66 6f 72 20 74  |.cats; and for t|
00003140  68 65 20 73 70 61 63 65  20 6f 66 20 61 20 6d 69  |he space of a mi|
00003150  6e 75 74 65 20 74 68 65  79 20 74 75 67 67 65 64  |nute they tugged|
00003160  20 61 6e 64 20 74 6f 72  65 20 61 74 20 65 61 63  | and tore at eac|
00003170  68 0a 6f 74 68 65 72 27  73 20 68 61 69 72 20 61  |h.other's hair a|
00003180  6e 64 20 63 6c 6f 74 68  65 73 2c 20 70 75 6e 63  |nd clothes, punc|
00003190  68 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20  73 63 72 61 74 63 68 65  |hed and scratche|
000031a0  64 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f  74 68 65 72 27 73 20 6e  |d each other's n|
000031b0  6f 73 65 73 2c 0a 61 6e  64 20 63 6f 76 65 72 65  |oses,.and covere|
000031c0  64 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65  6c 76 65 73 20 77 69 74  |d themselves wit|
000031d0  68 20 64 75 73 74 20 61  6e 64 20 67 6c 6f 72 79  |h dust and glory|
000031e0  2e 20 50 72 65 73 65 6e  74 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20  |. Presently the |
000031f0  63 6f 6e 66 75 73 69 6f  6e 0a 74 6f 6f 6b 20 66  |confusion.took f|
00003200  6f 72 6d 2c 20 61 6e 64  20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68  |orm, and through|
00003210  20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 67  20 6f 66 20 62 61 74 74  | the fog of batt|
00003220  6c 65 20 54 6f 6d 20 61  70 70 65 61 72 65 64 2c  |le Tom appeared,|
00003230  20 73 65 61 74 65 64 0a  61 73 74 72 69 64 65 20  | seated.astride |
00003240  74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 20  62 6f 79 20 61 6e 64 20  |the new boy and |
00003250  70 6f 75 6e 64 69 6e 67  20 68 69 6d 20 77 69 74  |pounding him wit|
00003260  68 20 68 69 73 20 66 69  73 74 73 2e 0a 20 20 22  |h his fists..  "|
00003270  48 6f 6c 6c 65 72 20 27  6e 75 66 66 21 22 20 73  |Holler 'nuff!" s|
00003280  61 69 64 20 68 65 2e 0a  20 20 54 68 65 20 62 6f  |aid he..  The bo|
00003290  79 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 73  74 72 75 67 67 6c 65 64  |y only struggled|
000032a0  20 74 6f 20 66 72 65 65  20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66  | to free himself|
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000032e0  75 66 66 21 22 2d 20 61  6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 70  |uff!"- and the p|
000032f0  6f 75 6e 64 69 6e 67 20  77 65 6e 74 20 6f 6e 2e  |ounding went on.|
00003300  0a 20 20 41 74 20 6c 61  73 74 20 74 68 65 20 73  |.  At last the s|
00003310  74 72 61 6e 67 65 72 20  67 6f 74 20 6f 75 74 20  |tranger got out |
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00003330  66 21 22 20 61 6e 64 20  54 6f 6d 20 6c 65 74 20  |f!" and Tom let |
00003340  68 69 6d 0a 75 70 20 61  6e 64 20 73 61 69 64 3a  |him.up and said:|
00003350  0a 20 20 22 4e 6f 77 20  74 68 61 74 27 6c 6c 20  |.  "Now that'll |
00003360  6c 65 61 72 6e 20 79 6f  75 2e 20 42 65 74 74 65  |learn you. Bette|
00003370  72 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 6f  75 74 20 77 68 6f 20 79  |r look out who y|
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00003390  74 68 2c 0a 6e 65 78 74  20 74 69 6d 65 2e 22 0a  |th,.next time.".|
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00003430  67 20 77 68 61 74 20 68  65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20  |g what he would |
00003440  64 6f 20 74 6f 20 54 6f  6d 20 74 68 65 20 22 6e  |do to Tom the "n|
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00003460  68 74 20 68 69 6d 20 6f  75 74 2e 22 0a 54 6f 20  |ht him out.".To |
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00003480  64 65 64 20 77 69 74 68  20 6a 65 65 72 73 2c 20  |ded with jeers, |
00003490  61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72  74 65 64 20 6f 66 66 20  |and started off |
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00003580  68 65 72 65 20 68 65 20  6c 69 76 65 64 2e 20 48  |here he lived. H|
00003590  65 20 74 68 65 6e 20 68  65 6c 64 20 61 20 70 6f  |e then held a po|
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00003630  74 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e  65 6d 79 27 73 20 6d 6f  |t the enemy's mo|
00003640  74 68 65 72 0a 61 70 70  65 61 72 65 64 2c 20 61  |ther.appeared, a|
00003650  6e 64 20 63 61 6c 6c 65  64 20 54 6f 6d 20 61 20  |nd called Tom a |
00003660  62 61 64 2c 20 76 69 63  69 6f 75 73 2c 20 76 75  |bad, vicious, vu|
00003670  6c 67 61 72 20 63 68 69  6c 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20  |lgar child, and |
00003680  6f 72 64 65 72 65 64 20  68 69 6d 0a 61 77 61 79  |ordered him.away|
00003690  2e 20 53 6f 20 68 65 20  77 65 6e 74 20 61 77 61  |. So he went awa|
000036a0  79 3b 20 62 75 74 20 68  65 20 73 61 69 64 20 68  |y; but he said h|
000036b0  65 20 22 27 6c 6f 77 65  64 22 20 74 6f 20 22 6c  |e "'lowed" to "l|
000036c0  61 79 22 20 66 6f 72 20  74 68 61 74 20 62 6f 79  |ay" for that boy|
000036d0  2e 0a 20 20 48 65 20 67  6f 74 20 68 6f 6d 65 20  |..  He got home |
000036e0  70 72 65 74 74 79 20 6c  61 74 65 2c 20 74 68 61  |pretty late, tha|
000036f0  74 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2c  20 61 6e 64 20 77 68 65  |t night, and whe|
00003700  6e 20 68 65 20 63 6c 69  6d 62 65 64 0a 63 61 75  |n he climbed.cau|
00003710  74 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 20  69 6e 20 61 74 20 74 68  |tiously in at th|
00003720  65 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77  2c 20 68 65 20 75 6e 63  |e window, he unc|
00003730  6f 76 65 72 65 64 20 61  6e 20 61 6d 62 75 73 63  |overed an ambusc|
00003740  61 64 65 2c 20 69 6e 20  74 68 65 0a 70 65 72 73  |ade, in the.pers|
00003750  6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 68 69  73 20 61 75 6e 74 3b 20  |on of his aunt; |
00003760  61 6e 64 20 77 68 65 6e  20 73 68 65 20 73 61 77  |and when she saw|
00003770  20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61  74 65 20 68 69 73 20 63  | the state his c|
00003780  6c 6f 74 68 65 73 20 77  65 72 65 20 69 6e 20 68  |lothes were in h|
00003790  65 72 0a 72 65 73 6f 6c  75 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f  |er.resolution to|
000037a0  20 74 75 72 6e 20 68 69  73 20 53 61 74 75 72 64  | turn his Saturd|
000037b0  61 79 20 68 6f 6c 69 64  61 79 20 69 6e 74 6f 20  |ay holiday into |
000037c0  63 61 70 74 69 76 69 74  79 20 61 74 20 68 61 72  |captivity at har|
000037d0  64 20 6c 61 62 6f 72 0a  62 65 63 61 6d 65 20 61  |d labor.became a|
000037e0  64 61 6d 61 6e 74 69 6e  65 20 69 6e 20 69 74 73  |damantine in its|
000037f0  20 66 69 72 6d 6e 65 73  73 2e 0a                 | firmness..|
000037fb

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