THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER - online book

Original Illustrated Version By Mark Twain

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	3o		TOM SAWYER.
	" Why it's you Ben ! I warn't noticing." "Say—I'm going in a swimming, I am. Don't you wish you could? But of course you'd druther work—wouldn't you? Course you would ! " Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said :
				" What do you call work ? " "Why ain't that work? " Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: " Well, maybe it is, and maybe it aint. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer." "Oh come, now, you don't mean to let on that you like it ? " The brush continued to move. "Like it? Well I don't see why I oughtn't to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day ? " That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth—stepped back to note the effect —added a touch here and there—criti­
		'ain't that work?
	cised the effect again—Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said : "Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little." Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: "No—no—I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's awful particular about this fence—right here on the street, you know—but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and she wouldn't. Yes, she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done.