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.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, butit was forced on him; since he was driven out into the cold world, he must submit--but he forgave them.Thenthe 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 anddismal purpose in his heart.Plainly here were "two souls with but a single thought." Tom, wiping his eyeswith his sleeve, began to blubber out something about a resolution to escape from hard usage and lack ofsympathy at home by roaming abroad into the great world never to return; and ended by hoping that Joewould 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 hunthim up for that purpose.His mother had whipped him for drinking some cream which he had never tasted andknew nothing about; it was plain that she was tired of him and wished him to go; if she felt that way, therewas nothing for him to do but succumb; he hoped she would be happy, and never regret having driven herpoor 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 brothersand never separate till death relieved them of their troubles.Then they began to lay their plans.Joe was forbeing a hermit, and living on crusts in a remote cave, and dying, some time, of cold and want and grief; butafter listening to Tom, he conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a life of crime, and sohe consented to be a pirate.Three miles below St.Petersburg, at a point where the Mississippi River was a trifle over a mile wide, therewas 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 unpeopledforest.So Jackson's Island was chosen.Who were to be the subjects of their piracies was a matter that did notoccur to them.Then they hunted up Huckleberry Finn, and he joined them promptly, for all careers were oneto him; he was indifferent.They presently separated to meet at a lonely spot on the river-bank two milesabove the village at the favorite hour--which was midnight.There was a small log raft there which they meantto capture.Each would bring hooks and lines, and such provision as he could steal in the most dark andmysterious way--as became outlaws.And before the afternoon was done, they had all managed to enjoy thesweet glory of spreading the fact that pretty soon the town would "hear something." All who got this vaguehint 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 asmall bluff overlooking the meeting- place.It was starlight, and very still.The mighty river lay like an oceanat rest.Tom listened a moment, but no sound disturbed the quiet.Then he gave a low, distinct whistle.It wasanswered from under the bluff.Tom whistled twice more; these signals were answered in the same way.Thena guarded voice said:"Who goes there?""Tom Sawyer, the Black Avenger of the Spanish Main.Name your names." CHAPTER XIII 61"Huck Finn the Red-Handed, and Joe Harper the Terror of the Seas." Tom had furnished these titles, from hisfavorite 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 someextent in the effort.There was an easy, comfortable path along the shore under the bluff, but it lacked theadvantages 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.Finnthe Red-Handed had stolen a skillet and a quantity of half-cured leaf tobacco, and had also brought a fewcorn-cobs to make pipes with.But none of the pirates smoked or "chewed" but himself.The Black Avenger ofthe Spanish Main said it would never do to start without some fire.That was a wise thought; matches werehardly known there in that day.They saw a fire smouldering upon a great raft a hundred yards above, and theywent 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 imaginarydagger-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 layingin 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 stoodamidships, 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 thatthese 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!" CHAPTER XIII 62"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.Theriver was not high, so there was not more than a two or three mile current.Hardly a word was said during thenext three-quarters of an hour.Now the raft was passing before the distant town.Two or three glimmeringlights 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 himnow, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death with dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smileon his lips.It was but a small strain on his imagination to remove Jackson's Island beyond eyeshot of thevillage, 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 raftgrounded on the bar two hundred yards above the head of the island, and they waded back and forth until theyhad landed their freight.Part of the little raft's belongings consisted of an old sail, and this they spread over anook in the bushes for a tent to shelter their provisions; but they themselves would sleep in the open air ingood weather, as became outlaws
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