THE sun was up so high when I waked that I judged it was after eight o'clock. I laid there in the grass and the cool shade thinking about things, and feeling rested and ruther comfortable and satisfied. I could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was big trees all about, and gloomy in there amongst them. There was freckled4 places on the ground where the light sifted5 down through the leaves, and the freckled places swapped6 about a little, showing there was a little breeze up there. A couple of squirrels set on a limb and jabbered7 at me very friendly.
I was powerful lazy and comfortable -- didn't want to get up and cook breakfast. Well, I was dozing8 off again when I thinks I hears a deep sound of "boom!" away up the river. I rouses up, and rests on my elbow and listens; pretty soon I hears it again. I hopped9 up, and went and looked out at a hole in the leaves, and I see a bunch of smoke laying on the water a long ways up -- about abreast10 the ferry. And there was the ferryboat full of people floating along down. I knowed what was the matter now. "Boom!" I see the white smoke squirt out of the ferryboat's side. You see, they was firing cannon11 over the water, trying to make my carcass come to the top.
I was pretty hungry, but it warn't going to do for me to start a fire, because they might see the smoke. So I set there and watched the cannon-smoke and listened to the boom. The river was a mile wide there, and it always looks pretty on a summer morning -- so I was having a good enough time seeing them hunt for my remainders if I only had a bite to eat. Well, then I happened to think how they always put quicksilver in loaves of bread and float them off, because they always go right to the drownded carcass and stop there. So, says I, I'll keep a lookout12, and if any of them's floating around after me I'll give them a show. I changed to the Illinois edge of the island to see what luck I could have, and I warn't disappointed. A big double loaf come along, and I most got it with a long stick, but my foot slipped and she floated out further. Of course I was where the current set in the closest to the shore -- I knowed enough for that. But by and by along comes another one, and this time I won. I took out the plug and shook out the little dab13 of quicksilver, and set my teeth in. It was "baker's bread" -- what the quality eat; none of your low-down corn-pone.
I got a good place amongst the leaves, and set there on a log, munching14 the bread and watching the ferryboat, and very well satisfied. And then something struck me. I says, now I reckon the widow or the parson or somebody prayed that this bread would find me, and here it has gone and done it. So there ain't no doubt but there is something in that thing -- that is, there's something in it when a body like the widow or the parson prays, but it don't work for me, and I reckon it don't work for only just the right kind.
I lit a pipe and had a good long smoke, and went on watching. The ferryboat was floating with the current, and I allowed I'd have a chance to see who was aboard when she come along, because she would come in close, where the bread did. When she'd got pretty well along down towards me, I put out my pipe and went to where I fished out the bread, and laid down behind a log on the bank in a little open place. Where the log forked I could peep through.
By and by she come along, and she drifted in so close that they could a run out a plank15 and walked ashore16. Most everybody was on the boat. Pap, and Judge Thatcher17, and Bessie Thatcher, and Jo Harper, and Tom Sawyer, and his old Aunt Polly, and Sid and Mary, and plenty more. Everybody was talking about the murder, but the captain broke in and says:
"Look sharp, now; the current sets in the closest here, and maybe he's washed ashore and got tangled18 amongst the brush at the water's edge. I hope so, anyway."
"I didn't hope so. They all crowded up and leaned over the rails, nearly in my face, and kept still, watching with all their might. I could see them first-rate, but they couldn't see me. Then the captain sung out:
"Stand away!" and the cannon let off such a blast right before me that it made me deef with the noise and pretty near blind with the smoke, and I judged I was gone. If they'd a had some bullets in, I reckon they'd a got the corpse19 they was after. Well, I see I warn't hurt, thanks to goodness. The boat floated on and went out of sight around the shoulder of the island. I could hear the booming now and then, further and further off, and by and by, after an hour, I didn't hear it no more. The island was three mile long. I judged they had got to the foot, and was giving it up. But they didn't yet a while. They turned around the foot of the island and started up the channel on the Missouri side, under steam, and booming once in a while as they went. I crossed over to that side and watched them. When they got abreast the head of the island they quit shooting and dropped over to the Missouri shore and went home to the town.
I knowed I was all right now. Nobody else would come a-hunting after me. I got my traps out of the canoe and made me a nice camp in the thick woods. I made a kind of a tent out of my blankets to put my things under so the rain couldn't get at them. I catched a catfish20 and haggled21 him open with my saw, and towards sundown I started my camp fire and had supper. Then I set out a line to catch some fish for breakfast.
When it was dark I set by my camp fire smoking, and feeling pretty well satisfied; but by and by it got sort of lonesome, and so I went and set on the bank and listened to the current swashing along, and counted the stars and drift logs and rafts that come down, and then went to bed; there ain't no better way to put in time when you are lonesome; you can't stay so, you soon get over it.
And so for three days and nights. No difference -- just the same thing. But the next day I went exploring around down through the island. I was boss of it; it all belonged to me, so to say, and I wanted to know all about it; but mainly I wanted to put in the time. I found plenty strawberries, ripe and prime; and green summer grapes, and green razberries; and the green blackberries was just beginning to show. They would all come handy by and by, I judged.
Well, I went fooling along in the deep woods till I judged I warn't far from the foot of the island. I had my gun along, but I hadn't shot nothing; it was for protection; thought I would kill some game nigh home. About this time I mighty22 near stepped on a good-sized snake, and it went sliding off through the grass and flowers, and I after it, trying to get a shot at it. I clipped along, and all of a sudden I bounded right on to the ashes of a camp fire that was still smoking.
My heart jumped up amongst my lungs. I never waited for to look further, but uncocked my gun and went sneaking24 back on my tiptoes as fast as ever I could. Every now and then I stopped a second amongst the thick leaves and listened, but my breath come so hard I couldn't hear nothing else. I slunk along another piece further, then listened again; and so on, and so on. If I see a stump25, I took it for a man; if I trod on a stick and broke it, it made me feel like a person had cut one of my breaths in two and I only got half, and the short half, too.
When I got to camp I warn't feeling very brash, there warn't much sand in my craw; but I says, this ain't no time to be fooling around. So I got all my traps into my canoe again so as to have them out of sight, and I put out the fire and scattered26 the ashes around to look like an old last year's camp, and then clumb a tree.
I reckon I was up in the tree two hours; but I didn't see nothing, I didn't hear nothing -- I only THOUGHT I heard and seen as much as a thousand things. Well, I couldn't stay up there forever; so at last I got down, but I kept in the thick woods and on the lookout all the time. All I could get to eat was berries and what was left over from breakfast.
By the time it was night I was pretty hungry. So when it was good and dark I slid out from shore before moonrise and paddled over to the Illinois bank -- about a quarter of a mile. I went out in the woods and cooked a supper, and I had about made up my mind I would stay there all night when I hear a PLUNKETY- PLUNK, PLUNKETY-PLUNK, and says to myself, horses coming; and next I hear people's voices. I got everything into the canoe as quick as I could, and then went creeping through the woods to see what I could find out. I hadn't got far when I hear a man say:
"We better camp here if we can find a good place; the horses is about beat out. Let's look around."
I didn't wait, but shoved out and paddled away easy. I tied up in the old place, and reckoned I would sleep in the canoe.
I didn't sleep much. I couldn't, somehow, for thinking. And every time I waked up I thought somebody had me by the neck. So the sleep didn't do me no good. By and by I says to myself, I can't live this way; I'm a-going to find out who it is that's here on the island with me; I'll find it out or bust27. Well, I felt better right off.
So I took my paddle and slid out from shore just a step or two, and then let the canoe drop along down amongst the shadows. The moon was shining, and outside of the shadows it made it most as light as day. I poked28 along well on to an hour, everything still as rocks and sound asleep. Well, by this time I was most down to the foot of the island. A little ripply29, cool breeze begun to blow, and that was as good as saying the night was about done. I give her a turn with the paddle and brung her nose to shore; then I got my gun and slipped out and into the edge of the woods. I sat down there on a log, and looked out through the leaves. I see the moon go off watch, and the darkness begin to blanket the river. But in a little while I see a pale streak30 over the treetops, and knowed the day was coming. So I took my gun and slipped off towards where I had run across that camp fire, stopping every minute or two to listen. But I hadn't no luck somehow; I couldn't seem to find the place. But by and by, sure enough, I catched a glimpse of fire away through the trees. I went for it, cautious and slow. By and by I was close enough to have a look, and there laid a man on the ground. It most give me the fantods. He had a blanket around his head, and his head was nearly in the fire. I set there behind a clump31 of bushes in about six foot of him, and kept my eyes on him steady. It was getting gray daylight now. Pretty soon he gapped and stretched himself and hove off the blanket, and it was Miss Watson's Jim! I bet I was glad to see him. I says:
"Hello, Jim!" and skipped out.
He bounced up and stared at me wild. Then he drops down on his knees, and puts his hands together and says:
"Doan' hurt me -- don't! I hain't ever done no harm to a ghos'. I alwuz liked dead people, en done all I could for 'em. You go en git in de river agin, whah you b'longs, en doan' do nuffn to Ole Jim, 'at 'uz awluz yo' fren'."
Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of HIM telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing. Then I says:
"It's good daylight. Le's get breakfast. Make up your camp fire good."
"What's de use er makin' up de camp fire to cook strawbries en sich truck? But you got a gun, hain't you? Den23 we kin2 git sumfn better den strawbries."
"Strawberries and such truck," I says. "Is that what you live on?"
"I couldn' git nuffn else," he says.
"Why, how long you been on the island, Jim?"
"I come heah de night arter you's killed."
"What, all that time?"
"Yes -- indeedy."
"And ain't you had nothing but that kind of rubbage to eat?"
"No, sah -- nuffn else."
"Well, you must be most starved, ain't you?"
"I reck'n I could eat a hoss. I think I could. How long you ben on de islan'?"
"Since the night I got killed."
"No! W'y, what has you lived on? But you got a gun. Oh, yes, you got a gun. Dat's good. Now you kill sumfn en I'll make up de fire."
So we went over to where the canoe was, and while he built a fire in a grassy32 open place amongst the trees, I fetched meal and bacon and coffee, and coffee-pot and frying-pan, and sugar and tin cups, and the nigger was set back considerable, because he reckoned it was all done with witchcraft33. I catched a good big catfish, too, and Jim cleaned him with his knife, and fried him.
When breakfast was ready we lolled on the grass and eat it smoking hot. Jim laid it in with all his might, for he was most about starved. Then when we had got pretty well stuffed, we laid off and lazied. By and by Jim says:
"But looky here, Huck, who wuz it dat 'uz killed in dat shanty34 ef it warn't you?"
Then I told him the whole thing, and he said it was smart. He said Tom Sawyer couldn't get up no better plan than what I had. Then I says:
"How do you come to be here, Jim, and how'd you get here?"
He looked pretty uneasy, and didn't say nothing for a minute. Then he says:
"Maybe I better not tell."
"Why, Jim?"
"Well, dey's reasons. But you wouldn' tell on me ef I uz to tell you, would you, Huck?"
"Blamed if I would, Jim."
"Well, I b'lieve you, Huck. I -- I RUN OFF."
"Jim!"
"But mind, you said you wouldn' tell -- you know you said you wouldn' tell, Huck."
"Well, I did. I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a lowdown Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum -- but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell, and I ain't a-going back there, anyways. So, now, le's know all about it."
"Well, you see, it 'uz dis way. Ole missus -- dat's Miss Watson -- she pecks on me all de time, en treats me pooty rough, but she awluz said she wouldn' sell me down to Orleans. But I noticed dey wuz a nigger trader roun' de place considable lately, en I begin to git oneasy. Well, one night I creeps to de do' pooty late, en de do' warn't quite shet, en I hear old missus tell de widder she gwyne to sell me down to Orleans, but she didn' want to, but she could git eight hund'd dollars for me, en it 'uz sich a big stack o' money she couldn' resis'. De widder she try to git her to say she wouldn' do it, but I never waited to hear de res'. I lit out mighty quick, I tell you.
"I tuck out en shin down de hill, en 'spec to steal a skift 'long de sho' som'ers 'bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirring yit, so I hid in de ole tumble-down cooper-shop on de bank to wait for everybody to go 'way. Well, I wuz dah all night. Dey wuz somebody roun' all de time. 'Long 'bout3 six in de mawnin' skifts begin to go by, en 'bout eight er nine every skift dat went 'long wuz talkin' 'bout how yo' pap come over to de town en say you's killed. Dese las' skifts wuz full o' ladies en genlmen a-goin' over for to see de place. Sometimes dey'd pull up at de sho' en take a res' b'fo' dey started acrost, so by de talk I got to know all 'bout de killin'. I 'uz powerful sorry you's killed, Huck, but I ain't no mo' now.
"I laid dah under de shavin's all day. I 'uz hungry, but I warn't afeard; bekase I knowed ole missus en de widder wuz goin' to start to de campmeet'n' right arter breakfas' en be gone all day, en dey knows I goes off wid de cattle 'bout daylight, so dey wouldn' 'spec to see me roun' de place, en so dey wouldn' miss me tell arter dark in de evenin'. De yuther servants wouldn' miss me, kase dey'd shin out en take holiday soon as de ole folks 'uz out'n de way.
"Well, when it come dark I tuck out up de river road, en went 'bout two mile er more to whah dey warn't no houses. I'd made up my mine 'bout what I's agwyne to do. You see, ef I kep' on tryin' to git away afoot, de dogs 'ud track me; ef I stole a skift to cross over, dey'd miss dat skift, you see, en dey'd know 'bout whah I'd lan' on de yuther side, en whah to pick up my track. So I says, a raff is what I's arter; it doan' MAKE no track.
"I see a light a-comin' roun' de p'int bymeby, so I wade35' in en shove' a log ahead o' me en swum more'n half way acrost de river, en got in 'mongst de driftwood, en kep' my head down low, en kinder swum agin de current tell de raff come along. Den I swum to de stern uv it en tuck a-holt. It clouded up en 'uz pooty dark for a little while. So I clumb up en laid down on de planks36. De men 'uz all 'way yonder in de middle, whah de lantern wuz. De river wuz arisin', en dey wuz a good current; so I reck'n'd 'at by fo' in de mawnin' I'd be twenty-five mile down de river, en den I'd slip in jis b'fo' daylight en swim asho', en take to de woods on de Illinois side.
"But I didn' have no luck. When we 'uz mos' down to de head er de islan' a man begin to come aft wid de lantern, I see it warn't no use fer to wait, so I slid overboard en struck out fer de islan'. Well, I had a notion I could lan' mos' anywhers, but I couldn't -- bank too bluff37. I 'uz mos' to de foot er de islan' b'fo' I found' a good place. I went into de woods en jedged I wouldn' fool wid raffs no mo', long as dey move de lantern roun' so. I had my pipe en a plug er dog-leg, en some matches in my cap, en dey warn't wet, so I 'uz all right."
"And so you ain't had no meat nor bread to eat all this time? Why didn't you get mud-turkles?"
"How you gwyne to git 'm? You can't slip up on um en grab um; en how's a body gwyne to hit um wid a rock? How could a body do it in de night? En I warn't gwyne to show mysef on de bank in de daytime."
"Well, that's so. You've had to keep in the woods all the time, of course. Did you hear 'em shooting the cannon?"
"Oh, yes. I knowed dey was arter you. I see um go by heah -- watched um thoo de bushes."
Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting38. Jim said it was a sign it was going to rain. He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same way when young birds done it. I was going to catch some of them, but Jim wouldn't let me. He said it was death. He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them catched a bird, and his old granny said his father would die, and he did.
And Jim said you mustn't count the things you are going to cook for dinner, because that would bring bad luck. The same if you shook the table-cloth after sundown. And he said if a man owned a beehive and that man died, the bees must be told about it before sun-up next morning, or else the bees would all weaken down and quit work and die. Jim said bees wouldn't sting idiots; but I didn't believe that, because I had tried them lots of times myself, and they wouldn't sting me.
I had heard about some of these things before, but not all of them. Jim knowed all kinds of signs. He said he knowed most everything. I said it looked to me like all the signs was about bad luck, and so I asked him if there warn't any good-luck signs. He says:
"Mighty few -- an' DEY ain't no use to a body. What you want to know when good luck's a-comin' for? Want to keep it off?" And he said: "Ef you's got hairy arms en a hairy breas', it's a sign dat you's agwyne to be rich. Well, dey's some use in a sign like dat, 'kase it's so fur ahead. You see, maybe you's got to be po' a long time fust, en so you might git discourage' en kill yo'sef 'f you didn' know by de sign dat you gwyne to be rich bymeby."
"Have you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, Jim?"
"What's de use to ax dat question? Don't you see I has?"
"Well, are you rich?"
"No, but I ben rich wunst, and gwyne to be rich agin. Wunst I had foteen dollars, but I tuck to specalat'n', en got busted39 out."
"What did you speculate in, Jim?"
"Well, fust I tackled stock."
"What kind of stock?"
"Why, live stock -- cattle, you know. I put ten dollars in a cow. But I ain' gwyne to resk no mo' money in stock. De cow up 'n' died on my han's."
"So you lost the ten dollars."
"No, I didn't lose it all. I on'y los' 'bout nine of it. I sole de hide en taller for a dollar en ten cents."
"You had five dollars and ten cents left. Did you speculate any more?"
"Yes. You know that one-laigged nigger dat b'longs to old Misto Bradish? Well, he sot up a bank, en say anybody dat put in a dollar would git fo' dollars mo' at de en' er de year. Well, all de niggers went in, but dey didn't have much. I wuz de on'y one dat had much. So I stuck out for mo' dan fo' dollars, en I said 'f I didn' git it I'd start a bank mysef. Well, o' course dat nigger want' to keep me out er de business, bekase he says dey warn't business 'nough for two banks, so he say I could put in my five dollars en he pay me thirty-five at de en' er de year.
"So I done it. Den I reck'n'd I'd inves' de thirty-five dollars right off en keep things a-movin'. Dey wuz a nigger name' Bob, dat had ketched a woodflat, en his marster didn' know it; en I bought it off'n him en told him to take de thirty-five dollars when de en' er de year come; but somebody stole de wood-flat dat night, en nex day de one-laigged nigger say de bank's busted. So dey didn' none uv us git no money."
"What did you do with the ten cents, Jim?"
"Well, I 'uz gwyne to spen' it, but I had a dream, en de dream tole me to give it to a nigger name' Balum -- Balum's Ass1 dey call him for short; he's one er dem chuckleheads, you know. But he's lucky, dey say, en I see I warn't lucky. De dream say let Balum inves' de ten cents en he'd make a raise for me. Well, Balum he tuck de money, en when he wuz in church he hear de preacher say dat whoever give to de po' len' to de Lord, en boun' to git his money back a hund'd times. So Balum he tuck en give de ten cents to de po', en laid low to see what wuz gwyne to come of it."
"Well, what did come of it, Jim?"
"Nuffn never come of it. I couldn' manage to k'leck dat money no way; en Balum he couldn'. I ain' gwyne to len' no mo' money 'dout I see de security. Boun' to git yo' money back a hund'd times, de preacher says! Ef I could git de ten CENTS back, I'd call it squah, en be glad er de chanst."
"Well, it's all right anyway, Jim, long as you're going to be rich again some time or other."
"Yes; en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns mysef, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'."
当我醒过来时，太阳已经高挂蓝天了，我估计过八点了。我躺在草地上的树荫里，想着那些事，觉得歇够了，既舒服又惬意。从三三两两的树缝里我能看见太阳，但是，周围多是大树，树荫里阴沉沉的。阳光透过树叶撒在地上，留下斑斑点点，那些斑点晃晃悠悠，看得出是风在树梢上轻拂。一对松鼠坐在树枝上，吱吱喳喳，非常亲热地冲着我叫。
我又懒散又舒适--都不想起来做早饭了。我刚要再合起眼来，这时，就听见河上游那边沉沉地传来"轰！" 的一声响，我醒过来，支着胳膊听，很快地，又听见一声。我跳了起来，跑过去从树缝里朝外看，看见远远的水面升起一堆烟--在几乎与渡口并齐的地方。那条渡船上载满了人，正往下漂。这回我明白是怎么回事了。" 轰！" 我看见白烟从渡船边喷出来。这是他们在河上放炮，想用这种法子让我的尸体浮到水面上来。我很饿，可又不能生火，因为这么一来他们会看见冒的烟。于是，我就静静地坐在那里。瞧放炮的白烟，听轰轰的响声。大河有一英里宽，在一个夏天的早晨总是显得很好看--因此，我看着他们打捞我的尸首可真是有意思，如果有一口吃的那就更妙不可言了..我点着一袋烟，长长地吸了一阵，又接着看。渡船正顺着水流漂，我想当船过来时，我就有机会看到谁在船上。当它顺水朝我这边开过来时，我吹灭了烟，趴在岸边一小片空地上的一根木头后面。从那根木头分叉地方，我可以偷偷地往外看。慢慢地，船过来了，它离岸很近，几乎就能放下跳板走到岸上。几乎所有的人都在船上：有爸，蒴切尔法官，还有贝西·萨切尔，乔·哈波，还有汤母·索亚和他的波丽老姨妈，席勒和玛丽，另外还有好多其他人。大家都在谈着这桩谋杀案，可是，船长插话说："注意瞧着吧，水流在这里离岸最近，没准他被冲到岸上，给水边的树丛给绊住了。反正我希望是这样。"我可不想这样。他们全都拥挤起来，靠在栏杆上，都快挤到我脸上了，大家都一声不吱，全神贯注。我能很清楚地看见他们，但是，他们看不见我。这时，船长高喊："站开！" 大炮又响了，刚好落在我前面，轰隆声快把我都震聋了，烟也差点儿把我熏瞎了，我想我可完了。他们如果装有炮弹的话，我想他们这下就能得到他们在找的尸首。幸好，我知道自己没给伤着，感谢上帝。船继续向前漂，在岛的拐弯处消失了。我还能听见轰隆声，渐渐地越来越远，慢慢地过了一个小时，我就再也听不着了。这座岛约有三英里长。我猜他们是到了岛那头，就要放弃了。可是，他们一时还没收手。他们绕着岛尾，开上了密苏里州那边的水道，向前行驶着，边走还时不时地轰隆一声。我翻过来岛到另一侧注视着他们。他们驶到和岛头并齐的时候，就不再放炮了，在密苏里州那边靠岸，返回了镇上。
我知道这回我就没事了。再也不会有人来找我了。我从独木舟上拿下来我带的东西，在密林深处给自己搭了个舒服服的小窝儿。我用毯子做了个帐篷把东西放在下面，这样，下雨就淋不湿了。我捉到一条鲇鱼，拿锯把它拉开，临近太阳落下时，我生起篝火吃晚饭。然后，我把鱼线放好，为明天早饭捉几条鱼。
天黑了，我坐在火旁抽烟，感觉很惬意，可是，很快又有些孤独，于是，我就走过去，坐在河岸上，听听河水哗哗向前流动的声音，数数天上的星星，还有顺水漂下来的浮木和木排，再回来睡觉。你孤独的时候，没有更好的办法消磨时光，你又不能老闷着，过一会儿就没事了。
就这么着过了三天三夜。没有一点儿变化--都是老样子。但是第四天，我开始穿越这座岛，四处察看。我是它的主人，它全都属于我，姑且这么说吧，所以，我就想弄清楚整个岛的情况，但是，主要还是想消磨时光。我找到了很多草莓，又大又熟；还有夏季的青葡萄，青的黑莓刚长出来，过些时候，这些东西就可以随手摘下来吃了。
我就这么在密密的树林里傻转悠，一直到了离岛尾不远的地方。我带着枪，但是，什么也没打，枪是作为防卫用的；离家近时，我想打点野味。正想着，我险些踩上一条大蛇，它顺着草地和花丛溜走了。我追赶它，想开枪打它。我跑得飞快，突然，刚好踩在一堆篝火灰烬上，它还在冒烟。
我的心一下子被提到嗓子眼儿上了。我来不及停下仔细察看，就拉下枪栓，踮着脚尖尽快往回溜。我不时地停下一会儿，躲进密林里听听。但是，我喘气太重，别的什么也听不见。我又向前走一段，再听听，就这么走走听听。如果我看见树桩，就当它是人，如果我踩着树枝，把它碰断，就觉得像是有人把我的一口气掐成了两截，我只剩了半口气，还是那半口短的。我跑到营地，就觉得没什么劲儿了，肚里的勇气也没多少了，但是，我对自己说，这可绝不是闲逛荡的时候。于是，我将所有的东西又都拿进独木舟，为的是不让人看到这些东西，我灭掉火，看起来就像是去年的老篝火，然后，我爬到一棵树上。
我估计在树上呆了两个小时，可我什么也没有看着，什么也没听见--好多次我只是（认为）自己看着听见了。好了，我不可能总是呆在上面。最后，我下来了，不过我还是躲在密林里，一直留神提防着。我能拿来吃的，只有莓子和早饭剩的东西了。
到了晚上，我很饿。趁天黑我从河岸悄悄划出，划到伊利诺斯那边--约有四分之一英里。我跑进树林里，做了顿饭。我刚准备在那里过夜，这时，一阵踢踏踢踏声。心想，马来了。接着，听到有人声。我赶忙把所有的东西都搬进独木舟，然后，爬着钻进树林去，看看我能发现什么。没爬多远，就听到一个人说："如果这儿能找到个好地方的话，我们就在这里宿营，马是快累垮了。我们找找看吧。"我没有再等，赶快推开小舟，轻轻划走了。我把它划回老地方，打算睡在独木舟里。
我没睡多久。我睡不着，不知怎么回事，因为我老想事儿。每次醒了，总想着有人掐我的脖子。因此，睡觉对我没什么用。后来，我想不能这样下去，我要弄明白在这个岛上是谁和我在一起，我必须弄个明白，要不就豁出去了。这么想着，我马上感觉好些了。
于是，我拿起桨，划离岸边一两步远；接着就让独木舟在树荫下，顺着岸边往下漂。月亮当空而挂，树荫外面亮得跟白昼一般。我摸索着向前划了一个小时，一切都像石头一般静默，都在酣睡。这一次，我几乎划到了岛尾。一丝凉凉的微风开始吹动，这就是说，夜快过去了。我拿桨一拨，小舟调头靠岸；然后，我拿起枪，悄悄儿走进树林，在一根木头上坐下来，透过树叶朝外看。我看到月亮隐退了，黑暗开始笼罩河面。过了一阵，我看见一道灰白的光出现在树梢上，知道天就要亮了。所以，我拿起枪，向我遇到那堆篝火的地方悄悄地摸过去，过一阵停下来听听。可是，我怎么也不走运，好像找不到那个地方了。可是又过了一会儿，一点没错，远远地透过那些树木，我看到了火光。我走过去，小心翼翼地，脚步轻轻地。很快我就靠近了，看得见了，地上躺着个人，可把我吓着了。他用毯子裹着头，头几乎要伸进火堆里去了。我坐在一簇矮树后面，离他大约有六英尺远，眼睛死死地盯着他。这时，天色已经发白。不一会儿，他打个哈欠，又伸伸胳膊腿，扔掉毯子，原来是华森小姐的吉姆！我敢说，我很高兴见到他。我说："喂，吉姆！" 就跳了出来。
他猛然跃起，两眼直瞪，神色惊慌。接着，他双膝跪倒，两手合十，说道："别害我呀--别！我可从未害过鬼。我历来喜欢死人，一向会想办法帮助他们。你再回到河里去吧，那儿才是你应该呆的地方，可千万别害老吉姆，他一向是你的朋友。"还好，我没用多久就让他明白了我没死。我见到他可真高兴。现在，我不觉得孤单了。我告诉他说，我并不害怕他去告发我在哪里。我一直往下说，但是，他只是坐在那儿看着我，不发一言。后来，我说："天大亮了。我们做早饭吧。把你的篝火生好。""生火干嘛？难道要煮草莓那样的东西吗？不过，你有杆枪，是不是？我们不可能弄些比草莓好吃的东西吗？""草莓那样的东西，"我说，" 你就靠那活命吗？""我找不到别的。" 他说。
"哎呀，你在这岛上呆了多长时间啦，吉姆？""我来这里呀，是在你被杀以后的那个晚上。""什么，你一直呆在这里？""是啊--一点没错。""莫非你除了那些乱七八糟的东西，别的东西没吃？""没有，您哪--没别的可吃。""这么说，你肯定快饿死了，是不是？""我想着我可以吃得下一匹大马。我想我可以。你在这岛上多久了？""从我被杀死那个夜里。""嗨！那，你都靠吃什么来活命？不过你不有杆枪吗？是啊，你有枪。那就好办。你这就去打些东西，我来生火。"于是，我们就朝独木舟走去，他在树林的空草地上点火的时候，我去拿来了面、咸肉和咖啡，还有咖啡壶，平底锅、糖和铁杯。那个黑人着实被吓了一跳，因为他觉得这些都是魔法变的。我还抓到一条很大的鲇鱼，吉姆拿他的刀子给收拾干净，把鱼油炸了。
早饭做好之后，我们懒懒地歪在草地上趁热吃了。吉姆拼命往嘴里塞，因为他快要饿死了。当我们把肚子都填得满满当当的了，就歇一阵，啥也不干。
过了一会儿，吉姆说："可是你看，哈克，如果不是你的话，那是谁被弄死在那个小屋里啦？"接着，我就把事情的全部讲给他听，他说干得真漂亮。他说汤姆·索亚也不会想出我这样的妙法。然后，我问："你怎么会来到这里，吉姆，你是怎么来的？"他看上去很不自在，有一分钟不吱声。后来，他才说："或许，我不告诉你为好。""到底怎么回来，吉姆？""唉，总有原因。要是我想告诉你，你不会去告发我吧，你会吗，哈克？""我要说了就不得好死，吉姆。""那好吧，我相信你，哈克。我--我是逃出来的。""吉姆！""记着，你说过你不会告发--你知道你说过你不会告发，哈克。""对，我说过。我说了我不会，我肯定说到做到。我绝对不会骗你。因为我闭嘴沉默，人们准会叫我是个下流的废奴分子，还会看不起我--可是，那有什么关系呢？我不告发，我也不回去，管它怎么着。那么，现在，把事情的经过跟我说说吗。""好吧，你瞧，是这么回事。老女主人--就是华森小姐--她总挑我毛病，待我很坏，可是她还老说不会把我卖到奥尔良去。可我注意到有个黑奴贩子常在这一带转悠，后来，我就不自在了。一天晚上，我偷偷地摸到门口，很晚了，门关得也不怎么严实，我听见老女主人对那寡妇说，她要把我卖到奥尔良去。尽管她并不想卖，可是她拿我能卖到八百块钱，那可是一大笔钱，她不能不要。那个寡妇劝她别卖，可我再也等不到她们把话说完了。我跑得可够快了，给你说吧。
我悄悄地出门往山下跑，想去镇上游的岸边偷只小船，可有人来回走动，我就藏在河边那个摇摇晃晃的破烂箍桶铺里，等着人一个一个全走完。唉，我在那里躲了整整一个晚上。周围总是有人。可能是在早上六点的时候，开始有小船划过去，大概八九点钟的时候，所有过往的船只都在讲你爸怎么到镇上来说你给人杀了。到后来，那些小船上坐满了先生太太，都去看热闹。有时候，他们靠在岸边，歇一阵才开始过河。我就是这样听到他们说话，才整个儿知道了这件杀人的事。听说你给人杀了，我几乎难受极了，哈克，不过现在，我不难受了。我在刨花堆里躺了一整天。我饿着，可我并不害怕；因为我知道女主人和寡妇早饭之后要去开布道会，得出去一天，她们知道我在天亮时赶着牲口出门了，这么一来，她们不会想到会在那个地方看见我，所以，她们一直要等到天黑以后才可以发现我不见了。别的佣人也不会发觉我不在了，因为那两个老太婆只要一出去，她们就会赶紧跑出去给自己放假。
等到天黑之后，我就出来顺着河边大路往上走，走了两英里多，一直到没有房屋的地方。我抱定主意该朝哪边走。你知道我要是这么一直步行的话，狗会咬我，我要是偷只小船过河去，他们就会发现小船丢了。你清楚，他们也会知道我可能在什么地方上岸，在哪里找到我的行踪。所以我说，木排才是我想要找的，它能做到不留痕迹。
我看到有亮光从拐弯的地方过来，慢慢地，我嘡水下河，我推着一根圆木在前面，游到河当中还过一点儿，混到浮木中间，低下头，等到水流告诉我木排过来了，我就游了过去。我游到木排尾部，一把抓住它。这时，天上堆起了乌云，天昏地暗了一阵。于是，我爬上去躺在木排板上。人全都远远地在木排当中有灯的地方。河水上涨，水流得十分急；所以，我估计到早上四点，我就可以顺河漂出25 英里，到时候我再下来，在天亮以前游过对岸，钻进树林，就是伊利诺斯那边的树林。可是，不巧的很。我快漂到岛头的时候，一个人拿着灯走了过来。我一看，等着没用了，就溜下水去，朝这座岛游过来。我原以为哪个地方都能上岸，可是不行--岸太陡。我快游到岛尾了，才寻到个好地方。我钻进树林，铁了心再也不上木排干傻事了，但凡有人拿着灯在上面晃来荡去。我把我的烟斗和一个烟草块，还有火柴放在帽子里，都没被弄湿，就这样，我没事了。""这么说，你这几天一直都没肉也没面包吃吗？你为什么不捉老鳖呢？""怎么捉呀？你总不至于偷偷摸过去，用手抓吧！用石头怎么能砸得住呢？在晚上怎么砸？白天我也不能在岸上露面。""对，是这么一回事。当然啦，你得一直呆在树林里。你听见他们放炮了吗？""噢，听见了。我知道他们是在找你。我看见他们从这里走了，就从那些矮树林中盯着他们。"几只小鸟飞过来了，每回飞一两码远就落下来。吉姆说那是天快要下雨的征兆。他说小鸡儿飞飞停停是这样的征兆，所以，他觉得小鸟这样飞时，也说明是天要下雨了。我想捉几只鸟，吉姆不让，他说那会要死人的。他说他父亲有一回病得很重，他们谁捉了一只鸟，他的老奶奶说他父亲会死的，他就死了。
吉姆又说你不能数你拿来做晚饭的东西，因为这么做会带来坏运。如果你在太阳落山后抖桌布也会有同样的结果。他还说要是一个人有个蜂箱，那人死了，在第二天太阳出来以前，就得让蜜蜂知道这个消息，否则，蜜蜂全得生病，不干活儿死掉。吉姆说蜜蜂不螫傻瓜，可我不信这个，因为我试过好多次，它们不螫我。
你以前听过这些事，但是不全。吉姆知道一切征兆。他说他差不多什么都懂。我说依我看，几乎所有的征兆都说的是坏运气，所以，我就问有没有好运气的征兆。他说："极少--它们对人也没什么用。好运气快来了你想知道它干嘛？想避开它吗？"他又说，" 如果你胳膊胸脯上有毛那是你会阔气的征兆，像这种征兆还有点用，因为，它可是说老远以后的事情。你明白吧，或许你会先穷上好多年，这样，要是你不知道这个征兆说你将来会慢慢儿阔起来的话，你也许就会灰心丧气得自杀了。""你胳膊和胸脯上有毛吗，吉姆？""问这话有啥用？你不是看到我有毛吗？""那，你阔气吗？""不，可我也阔气过一阵，以后也还会再阔气起来的。我曾经有过14 块钱，可是我投出去做生意，全赔了。".."好啦，反正那也没什么，吉姆，只要将来有一天还会阔起来。""是呀--我现在就很阔气，过来瞧瞧吧。我是我自己的，我能卖八百块钱呢。我真想拿到这笔钱，我倒一点儿也不想多要。"
收听单词发音 |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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4
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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swapped
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| 交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来） | |
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jabbered
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的过去式和过去分词 )；急促兴奋地说话 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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dab
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| v.轻触，轻拍，轻涂；n.(颜料等的)轻涂 | |
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munching
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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thatcher
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| n.茅屋匠 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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catfish
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| n.鲶鱼 | |
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haggled
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| v.讨价还价( haggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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ripply
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| 波纹状的，潺潺声的 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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shanty
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| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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