The Last Chapter

3 min

The first time I catched Tom private I asked him what was his idea, time of the evasion?—what it was he’d planned to do if the evasion worked all right and he managed to set a free that was already free before? And he said, what he had planned in his head from the start, if we got Jim out all safe, was for us to run him down the river on the raft, and have adventures plumb to the mouth of the river, and then tell him about his being free, and take him back up home on a steamboat, in style, and pay him for his lost time, and write word ahead and get out all the around, and have them waltz him into town with a torchlight procession and a brass-band, and then he would be a hero, and so would we. But I reckoned it was about as well the way it was.

The first time I catched Tom alone, I asked him what was his idea for the escape. What had he planned to do if the escape worked and he freed a who was already free? And he said he’d had his plan in his head from the start. If we got Jim out safe, we’d take him down the river on the raft. We’d have adventures plumb to the mouth of the river, and then tell him he was free. Then we’d take him back home on a steamboat, in style, and pay him for his lost time. We’d write ahead and get all the around to turn out. They’d parade him into town with a torchlight procession and a brass band. Then he would be a hero, and so would we. But I reckoned it was about as well the way it was.

We had Jim out of the chains in no time, and when Aunt Polly and Uncle Silas and Aunt Sally found out how good he helped the doctor nurse Tom, they made a heap of fuss over him, and fixed him up prime, and give him all he wanted to eat, and a good time, and nothing to do. And we had him up to the sick-room, and had a high talk; and Tom give Jim forty dollars for being prisoner for us so patient, and doing it up so good, and Jim was pleased most to death, and busted out, and says:

We had Jim out of the chains in no time. Aunt Polly and Uncle Silas and Aunt Sally found out how good he helped the doctor nurse Tom. So they made a big fuss over Jim and treated him real well. They give him all he wanted to eat, a good time, and nothing to do. And we brought him up to Tom’s room, and had a lively talk. Tom give Jim forty dollars for being our prisoner so patient and doing it so well. And Jim was pleased almost to death, and burst out, and says:

“Dah, now, Huck, what I tell you?—what I tell you up dah on Jackson islan’? I tole you I got a hairy breas’, en what’s de sign un it; en I tole you I ben rich wunst, en gwineter to be rich agin; en it’s come true; en heah she is! Dah, now! doan’ talk to me—signs is signs, mine I tell you; en I knowed jis’ ’s well ’at I ’uz gwineter be rich agin as I’s a-stannin’ heah dis minute!”

“There, now, Huck, what did I tell you? What did I tell you up there on Jackson Island? I told you I got a hairy breast, and what that's a sign of. And I told you I been rich once, and going to be rich again. And it's come true, and here she is! There, now! Don't talk to me. Signs is signs, mind I tell you. And I knowed just as well that I was going to be rich again as I's standing here this minute!”

And then Tom he talked along and talked along, and says, le’s all three slide out of here one of these nights and get an outfit, and go for howling adventures amongst the Injuns, over in the Territory, for a couple of weeks or two; and I says, all right, that suits me, but I ain’t got no money for to buy the outfit, and I reckon I couldn’t get none from home, because it’s likely pap’s been back before now, and got it all away from Judge Thatcher and drunk it up.

And then Tom he talked on and on, and says, let's all three sneak out of here one of these nights. We can get some gear and go for wild adventures among the Injuns, over in the Territory. We can stay for a couple of weeks or two. And I says, all right, that suits me, but I ain't got no money to buy the gear. And I reckon I couldn't get none from home, because it's likely pap's been back by now. He's probably got all the money away from Judge Thatcher and drunk it up.

“No, he hain’t,” Tom says; “it’s all there yet—six thousand dollars and more; and your pap hain’t ever been back since. Hadn’t when I come away, anyhow.”

“No, he ain't,” Tom says. “It's all there yet, six thousand dollars and more. And your pap ain't ever been back since. Hadn't when I come away, anyhow.”

Jim says, kind of solemn:

Jim says, kind of serious:

“He ain’t a-comin’ back no mo’, Huck.”

“He ain't coming back no more, Huck.”

I says:

“Why, Jim?”

“Nemmine why, Huck—but he ain’t comin’ back no mo.”

“Never mind why, Huck, but he ain’t coming back no more.”

But I kept at him; so at last he says:

But I kept at him, so finally he says:

“Doan’ you ’member de house dat was float’n down de river, en dey wuz a man in dah, kivered up, en I went in en unkivered him and didn’ let you come in? Well, den, you kin git yo’ money when you wants it, kase dat wuz him.”

“Don't you remember the house that was floating down the river? And they was a man in there, covered up. I went in and uncovered him and didn't let you come in. Well, then, you can get your money when you wants it, because that was him.”

Tom’s most well now, and got his bullet around his neck on a watch-guard for a watch, and is always seeing what time it is, and so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.

Tom’s most well now, and got his bullet hanging around his neck on a watch chain for a watch. He’s always checking what time it is. So there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it. Because if I’d have knowed what a trouble it was to make a book, I wouldn’t have tackled it. And I ain’t going to do it no more. But I reckon I got to head out for the Territory ahead of the rest. Because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and civilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.

THE END. YOURS TRULY, HUCK FINN.

The end