Chapter 34

4 min

Huck said: “Tom, we can slope, if we can find a rope. The window ain’t high from the ground.”

Huck said: “Tom, we can sneak away if we can find a rope. The window ain’t far from the ground.”

“Shucks! what do you want to slope for?”

“Shucks! What do you want to run off for?”

“Well, I ain’t used to that kind of a crowd. I can’t stand it. I ain’t going down there, Tom.”

“Well, I ain’t used to that kind of crowd. I can’t stand it. I ain’t going down there, Tom.”

“Oh, bother! It ain’t anything. I don’t mind it a bit. I’ll take care of you.”

Sid appeared.

“Tom,” said he, “auntie has been waiting for you all the afternoon. Mary got your Sunday clothes ready, and everybody’s been fretting about you. Say—ain’t this grease and clay, on your clothes?”

“Tom,” he said, “auntie has been waiting for you all afternoon. Mary got your Sunday clothes ready, and everybody’s been worrying about you. Say, ain’t this grease and clay on your clothes?”

“Now, Mr. Siddy, you jist ’tend to your own business. What’s all this blowout about, anyway?”

“Now, Mr. Siddy, you just tend to your own business. What’s all this fuss about, anyway?”

“It’s one of the widow’s parties that she’s always having. This time it’s for the Welshman and his sons, on account of that scrape they helped her out of the other night. And say—I can tell you something, if you want to know.”

“It’s one of those parties the widow is always having. This time it’s for the Welshman and his sons, because they helped her out of trouble the other night. And hey, I can tell you something, if you want to know.”

“Well, what?”

“Why, old Mr. Jones is going to try to spring something on the people here tonight, but I overheard him tell auntie today about it, as a secret, but I reckon it’s not much of a secret now. Everybody knows—the widow, too, for all she tries to let on she don’t. Mr. Jones was bound Huck should be here—couldn’t get along with his grand secret without Huck, you know!”

“Why, old Mr. Jones is going to try to surprise the people here tonight. But I overheard him tell auntie about it today as a secret. But I reckon it’s not much of a secret now. Everybody knows, the widow too, for all she tries to let on she don’t. Mr. Jones was bound Huck should be here. He couldn’t pull off his grand secret without Huck, you know!”

“Secret about what, Sid?”

“About Huck tracking the robbers to the widow’s. I reckon Mr. Jones was going to make a grand time over his surprise, but I bet you it will drop pretty flat.”

“About Huck tracking the robbers to the widow’s house. I reckon Mr. Jones was going to make a big deal out of his surprise. But I bet you the surprise will fall pretty flat.”

Sid chuckled in a very contented and satisfied way.

Sid chuckled, sounding very content and satisfied.

“Sid, was it you that told?”

“Sid, were you the one who told?”

“Oh, never mind who it was. Somebody told—that’s enough.”

“Oh, never mind who it was. Somebody told. That’s enough.”

“Sid, there’s only one person in this town mean enough to do that, and that’s you. If you had been in Huck’s place you’d ’a’ sneaked down the hill and never told anybody on the robbers. You can’t do any but mean things, and you can’t bear to see anybody praised for doing good ones. There—no thanks, as the widow says”—and Tom cuffed Sid’s ears and helped him to the door with several kicks. “Now go and tell auntie if you dare—and tomorrow you’ll catch it!”

“Sid, there’s only one person in this town mean enough to do that, and that’s you. If you had been in Huck’s place, you’d have sneaked down the hill and never told anybody about the robbers. You can’t do anything but mean things, and you can’t stand seeing anybody praised for doing good ones. There, no thanks needed, as the widow says.” Tom slapped Sid’s ears and helped him to the door with several kicks. “Now go and tell auntie if you dare. If you do, you’ll get it tomorrow!”

Some minutes later the widow’s guests were at the supper-table, and a dozen children were propped up at little side-tables in the same room, after the fashion of that country and that day. At the proper time Mr. Jones made his little speech, in which he thanked the widow for the honor she was doing himself and his sons, but said that there was another person whose modesty—

A few minutes later, the widow’s guests were seated at the supper table. A dozen children were propped up at small side tables in the same room. That was the custom in that part of the country at the time. At the right moment, Mr. Jones gave his short speech. He thanked the widow for honoring him and his sons. But he said there was another person whose modesty...

And so forth and so on. He sprung his secret about Huck’s share in the adventure in the finest dramatic manner he was master of, but the surprise it occasioned was largely counterfeit and not as clamorous and effusive as it might have been under happier circumstances. However, the widow made a pretty fair show of astonishment, and heaped so many compliments and so much gratitude upon Huck that he almost forgot the nearly intolerable discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody’s gaze and everybody’s laudations.

And so on and so forth. He revealed his secret about Huck’s part in the adventure with all the drama he could manage. But the surprise he caused was mostly pretend. It was less loud and enthusiastic than it might have been under happier circumstances. Still, the widow put on a pretty good show of astonishment and showered Huck with praise and thanks. His new clothes were almost unbearably uncomfortable. But he nearly forgot that discomfort in the completely unbearable discomfort of having everyone stare at him and praise him.

The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have him educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start him in business in a modest way. Tom’s chance was come. He said:

The widow said she planned to give Huck a home with her and make sure he got an education. And when she could spare the money, she would help him start a small business. Tom’s chance had come. He said:

“Huck don’t need it. Huck’s rich.”

Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the company kept back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant joke. But the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it:

Only a great effort to stay polite kept everyone from giving this pleasant joke its well-deserved laugh. But the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it:

“Huck’s got money. Maybe you don’t believe it, but he’s got lots of it. Oh, you needn’t smile—I reckon I can show you. You just wait a minute.”

“Huck’s got money. Maybe you don’t believe it, but he’s got lots of it. Oh, you don’t need to smile. I reckon I can show you. You just wait a minute.”

Tom ran out of doors. The company looked at each other with a perplexed interest—and inquiringly at Huck, who was tongue-tied.

Tom ran outside. The others looked at each other with confusion and curiosity, then looked questioningly at Huck, who couldn't speak.

“Sid, what ails Tom?” said Aunt Polly. “He—well, there ain’t ever any making of that boy out. I never—”

“Sid, what’s wrong with Tom?” said Aunt Polly. “He, well, there ain’t ever any figuring that boy out. I never...”

Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and Aunt Polly did not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin upon the table and said:

Tom came in, struggling with his heavy sacks, and Aunt Polly stopped mid-sentence. Tom poured the pile of gold coins onto the table and said:

“There—what did I tell you? Half of it’s Huck’s and half of it’s mine!”

“There, what did I tell you? Half of it’s Huck’s and half of it’s mine!”

The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody spoke for a moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom said he could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brimful of interest. There was scarcely an interruption from any one to break the charm of its flow. When he had finished, Mr. Jones said:

The sight took everyone's breath away. Everyone stared, and for a moment no one spoke. Then they all demanded an explanation. Tom said he could explain, and he did. His story was long but full of interest. Almost no one interrupted, and the story held everyone spellbound. When Tom finished, Mr. Jones said:

“I thought I had fixed up a little surprise for this occasion, but it don’t amount to anything now. This one makes it sing mighty small, I’m willing to allow.”

“I thought I had put together a little surprise for this occasion. But it don’t amount to anything now. This one makes my surprise look mighty small, I’m willing to admit.”

The money was counted. The sum amounted to a little over twelve thousand dollars. It was more than any one present had ever seen at one time before, though several persons were there who were worth considerably more than that in property.

The money was counted. It came to a little over twelve thousand dollars. No one there had ever seen so much money at once. Yet several people there owned property worth considerably more than that amount.