THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER - online book

Original Illustrated Version By Mark Twain

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136                                                     TOM SAWYER.
himself out of temptation by driving the other boys together and joining them.
But Joe's spirits had gone down almost beyond resurrection. He was so home­sick that he could hardly endure the misery of it. The tears lay very near the surface. Huck was melancholy, too. Tom was down-hearted, but tried hard not to show it. He had a secret which he was not ready to tell, yet, but if this muti­nous depression was not broken up soon, he would have to bring it out. He said, with a great show of cheerfulness :
"I bet there's been pirates on this island before, boys. We'll explore it again. They've hid treasures here somewhere. How'd you feel to light on a rotten chest full of gold and silver—hey ? "
But it roused only a faint enthusiasm, which faded out, with no reply. Tom tried one or two other seductions; but they failed, too. It was discouraging work. Joe sat poking up the sand with a stick and looking very gloomy. Finally he said:
" O, boys, let's give it up. I want to go home. It's so lonesome."
"Oh, no, Joe, you'll feel better by and by," said Tom. "Just think of the fish­ing that's here."
" I don't care for fishing. I want to go home."
" But Joe, there ain't such another swimming place anywhere."
" Swimming's no good. I don't seem to care for it, somehow, when there ain't anybody to say I shan't go in. I mean to go home."
"O, shucks! Baby! You want to see your mother, I reckon."
" Yes, I do want to see my mother—and you would too, if you had one. I ain't any more baby than you are." And Joe snuffled a little.
"Well, we'll let the cry-baby go home to his mother, won't we Huck? Poor thing—does it want to see its mother? And so it shall. You like it here, don't you Huck ? We'll stay, won't we ? "
Huck said " Y-e-s "—without any heart in it.
"I'll never speak to you again as long as I live," said Joe, rising. "There now! " And he moved moodily away and began to dress himself.
"Who cares ! " said Tom. " Nobody wants you to. Go 'long home and get laughed at. O, you're a nice pirate. Huck and me ain't cry-babies. We'll stay,