汤姆.索亚历险记-第40节

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〃Oh　yes！　Why；　it　seems　'bout　a　year　ago。　It　was　that　very　night　that　I　follered　Injun　Joe　to　the　widder's。〃
〃YOU　followed　him？〃
〃Yes　　but　you　keep　mum。　I　reckon　Injun　Joe's　left　friends　behind　him；　and　I　don't　want　'em　souring　on　me　and　doing　me　mean　tricks。　If　it　hadn't　ben　for　me　he'd　be　down　in　Texas　now；　all　right。〃
Then　Huck　told　his　entire　adventure　in　confidence　to　Tom；　who　had　only　heard　of　the　Welshman's　part　of　it　before。
〃Well；〃　said　Huck；　presently；　coming　back　to　the　main　question；　〃whoever　nipped　the　whiskey　in　No。　2；　nipped　the　money；　too；　I　reckon　　anyways　it's　a　goner　for　us；　Tom。〃
〃Huck；　that　money　wasn't　ever　in　No。　2！〃
〃What！〃　Huck　searched　his　comrade's　face　keenly。　〃Tom；　have　you　got　on　the　track　of　that　money　again？〃
〃Huck；　it's　in　the　cave！〃
Huck's　eyes　blazed。
〃Say　it　again；　Tom。〃
〃The　money's　in　the　cave！〃
〃Tom　　honest　injun；　now　　is　it　fun；　or　earnest？〃
〃Earnest；　Huck　　just　as　earnest　as　ever　I　was　in　my　life。　Will　you　go　in　there　with　me　and　help　get　it　out？〃
〃I　bet　I　will！　I　will　if　it's　where　we　can　blaze　our　way　to　it　and　not　get　lost。〃
〃Huck；　we　can　do　that　without　the　least　little　bit　of　trouble　in　the　world。〃
〃Good　as　wheat！　What　makes　you　think　the　money's　〃
〃Huck；　you　just　wait　till　we　get　in　there。　If　we　don't　find　it　I'll　agree　to　give　you　my　drum　and　every　thing　I've　got　in　the　world。　I　will；　by　jings。〃
〃All　right　　it's　a　whiz。　When　do　you　say？〃
〃Right　now；　if　you　say　it。　Are　you　strong　enough？〃
〃Is　it　far　in　the　cave？　I　ben　on　my　pins　a　little；　three　or　four　days；　now；　but　I　can't　walk　more'n　a　mile；　Tom　　least　I　don't　think　I　could。〃
〃It's　about　five　mile　into　there　the　way　anybody　but　me　would　go；　Huck；　but　there's　a　mighty　short　cut　that　they　don't　anybody　but　me　know　about。　Huck；　I'll　take　you　right　to　it　in　a　skiff。　I'll　float　the　skiff　down　there；　and　I'll　pull　it　back　again　all　by　myself。　You　needn't　ever　turn　your　hand　over。〃
〃Less　start　right　off；　Tom。〃
〃All　right。　We　want　some　bread　and　meat；　and　our　pipes；　and　a　little　bag　or　two；　and　two　or　three　kite…strings；　and　some　of　these　new…fangled　things　they　call　lucifer　matches。　I　tell　you；　many's　the　time　I　wished　I　had　some　when　I　was　in　there　before。〃
A　trifle　after　noon　the　boys　borrowed　a　small　skiff　from　a　citizen　who　was　absent；　and　got　under　way　at　once。　When　they　were　several　miles　below　〃Cave　Hollow；〃　Tom　said：
〃Now　you　see　this　bluff　here　looks　all　alike　all　the　way　down　from　the　cave　hollow　　no　houses；　no　woodyards；　bushes　all　alike。　But　do　you　see　that　white　place　up　yonder　where　there's　been　a　landslide？　Well；　that's　one　of　my　marks。　We'll　get　ashore；　now。〃
They　landed。
〃Now；　Huck；　where　we're　a…standing　you　could　touch　that　hole　I　got　out　of　with　a　fishing…pole。　See　if　you　can　find　it。〃
Huck　searched　all　the　place　about；　and　found　nothing。　Tom　proudly　marched　into　a　thick　clump　of　sumach　bushes　and　said：
〃Here　you　are！　Look　at　it；　Huck；　it's　the　snuggest　hole　in　this　country。　You　just　keep　mum　about　it。　All　along　I've　been　wanting　to　be　a　robber；　but　I　knew　I'd　got　to　have　a　thing　like　this；　and　where　to　run　across　it　was　the　bother。　We've　got　it　now；　and　we'll　keep　it　quiet；　only　we'll　let　Joe　Harper　and　Ben　Rogers　in　　because　of　course　there's　got　to　be　a　Gang；　or　else　there　wouldn't　be　any　style　about　it。　Tom　Sawyer's　Gang　　it　sounds　splendid；　don't　it；　Huck？〃
〃Well；　it　just　does；　Tom。　And　who'll　we　rob？〃
〃Oh；　most　anybody。　Waylay　people　　that's　mostly　the　way。〃
〃And　kill　them？〃
〃No；　not　always。　Hive　them　in　the　cave　till　they　raise　a　ransom。〃
〃What's　a　ransom？〃
〃Money。　You　make　them　raise　all　they　can；　off'n　their　friends；　and　after　you've　kept　them　a　year；　if　it　ain't　raised　then　you　kill　them。　That's　the　general　way。　Only　you　don't　kill　the　women。　You　shut　up　the　women；　but　you　don't　kill　them。　They're　always　beautiful　and　rich；　and　awfully　scared。　You　take　their　watches　and　things；　but　you　always　take　your　hat　off　and　talk　polite。　They　ain't　anybody　as　polite　as　robbers　　you'll　see　that　in　any　book。　Well；　the　women　get　to　loving　you；　and　after　they've　been　in　the　cave　a　week　or　two　weeks　they　stop　crying　and　after　that　you　couldn't　get　them　to　leave。　If　you　drove　them　out　they'd　turn　right　around　and　come　back。　It's　so　in　all　the　books。〃
〃Why；　it's　real　bully；　Tom。　I　believe　it's　better'n　to　be　a　pirate。〃
〃Yes；　it's　better　in　some　ways；　because　it's　close　to　home　and　circuses　and　all　that。〃
By　this　time　everything　was　ready　and　the　boys　entered　the　hole；　Tom　in　the　lead。　They　toiled　their　way　to　the　farther　end　of　the　tunnel；　then　made　their　spliced　kite…strings　fast　and　moved　on。　A　few　steps　brought　them　to　the　spring；　and　Tom　felt　a　shudder　quiver　all　through　him。　He　showed　Huck　the　fragment　of　candle…wick　perched　on　a　lump　of　clay　against　the　wall；　and　described　how　he　and　Becky　had　watched　the　flame　struggle　and　expire。
The　boys　began　to　quiet　down　to　whispers；　now；　for　the　stillness　and　gloom　of　the　place　oppressed　their　spirits。　They　went　on；　and　presently　entered　and　followed　Tom's　other　corridor　until　they　reached　the　〃jumping…off　place。〃　The　candles　revealed　the　fact　that　it　was　not　really　a　precipice；　but　only　a　steep　clay　hill　twenty　or　thirty　feet　high。　Tom　whispered：
〃Now　I'll　show　you　something；　Huck。〃
He　held　his　candle　aloft　and　said：
〃Look　as　far　around　the　corner　as　you　can。　Do　you　see　that？　There　　on　the　big　rock　over　yonder　　done　with　candle…smoke。〃
〃Tom；　it's　a　cross！〃
〃NOW　where's　your　Number　Two？　'under　the　cross；'　hey？　Right　yonder's　where　I　saw　Injun　Joe　poke　up　his　candle；　Huck！〃
Huck　stared　at　the　mystic　sign　awhile；　and　then　said　with　a　shaky　voice：
〃Tom；　less　git　out　of　here！〃
〃What！　and　leave　the　treasure？〃
〃Yes　　leave　it。　Injun　Joe's　ghost　is　round　about　there；　certain。〃
〃No　it　ain't；　Huck；　no　it　ain't。　It　would　ha'nt　the　place　where　he　died　　away　out　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave　　five　mile　from　here。〃
〃No；　Tom；　it　wouldn't。　It　would　hang　round　the　money。　I　know　the　ways　of　ghosts；　and　so　do　you。〃
Tom　began　to　fear　that　Huck　was　right。　Misgivings　gathered　in　his　mind。　But　presently　an　idea　occurred　to　him　
〃Lookyhere；　Huck；　what　fools　we're　making　of　ourselves！　Injun　Joe's　ghost　ain't　a　going　to　come　around　where　there's　a　cross！〃
The　point　was　well　taken。　It　had　its　effect。
〃Tom；　I　didn't　think　of　that。　But　that's　so。　It's　luck　for　us；　that　cross　is。　I　reckon　we'll　climb　down　there　and　have　a　hunt　for　that　box。〃
Tom　went　first；　cutting　rude　steps　in　the　clay　hill　as　he　descended。　Huck　followed。　Four　avenues　opened　out　of　the　small　cavern　which　the　great　rock　stood　in。　The　boys　examined　three　of　them　with　no　result。　They　found　a　small　recess　in　the　one　nearest　the　base　of　the　rock；　with　a　pallet　of　blankets　spread　down　in　it；　also　an　old　suspender；　some　bacon　rind；　and　the　well…gnawed　bones　of　two　or　three　fowls。　But　there　was　no　money…box。　The　lads　searched　and　researched　this　place；　but　in　vain。　Tom　said：
〃He　said　under　the　cross。　Well；　this　comes　nearest　to　being　under　the　cross。　It　can't　be　under　the　rock　itself；　because　that　sets　solid　on　the　ground。〃
They　searched　everywhere　once　more；　and　then　sat　down　discouraged。　Huck　could　suggest　nothing。　By…and…by　Tom　said：
〃Lookyhere；　Huck；　there's　footprints　and　some　candle…grease　on　the　clay　about　one　side　of　this　rock；　but　not　on　the　other　sides。　Now；　what's　that　for？　I　bet　you　the　money　IS　under　the　rock。　I'm　going　to　dig　in　the　clay。〃
〃That　ain't　no　bad　notion；　Tom！〃　said　Huck　with　animation。
Tom's　〃real　Barlow〃　was　out　at　once；　and　he　had　not　dug　four　inches　before　he　struck　wood。
〃Hey；　Huck！　　you　hear　that？〃
Huck　began　to　dig　and　scratch　now。　Some　boards　were　soon　uncovered　and　removed。　They　had　concealed　a　natural　chasm　which　led　under　the　rock。　Tom　got　into　this　and　held　his　candle　as　far　under　the　rock　as　he　could；　but　said　he　could　not　see　to　the　end　of　the　rift。　He　proposed　to　explore。　He　stooped　and　passed　under；　the　narrow　way　descended　gradually。　He　followed　its　winding　course；　first　to　the　right；　then　to　the　left；　Huck　at　his　heels。　Tom　turned　a　short　curve；　by…and…by；　and　exclaimed：
〃My　goodness；　Huck；　lookyhere！〃
It　was　the　treasure…box；　sure　enough；　occupying　a　snug　little　cavern；　along　with　an　empty　powder…keg；　a　couple　of　guns　in　leather　cases；　two　or　three　pairs　of　old　moccasins；　a　leather　belt；　and　some　other　rubbish　well　soaked　with　the　water…drip。
〃Got　it　at　last！〃　said　Huck；　ploughing　among　the　tarnished　coins　with　his　hand。　〃My；　but　we're　rich；　Tom！〃
〃Huck；　I　always　reckoned　we'd　get　it。　It's　just　too　good　to　believe；　but　we　have　got　it；　sure！　Say　　let's　not　fool　around　here。　Let's　snake　it　out。　Lemme　see　if　I　can　lift　the　box。〃
It　weighed　about　fifty　pounds。　Tom　could　lift　it；　after　an　awkward　fashion；　but　could　not　carry　it　conveniently。
〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said；　〃They　carried　it　like　it　was　heavy；　that　day　at　the　ha'nted　house。　I　noticed　that。　I　reckon　I　was　right　to　think　of　fetching　the　little　bags　along。〃
The　money　was　soon　in　the　bags　and　the　boys　took　it　up　to　the　cross　rock。
〃Now　less　fetch　the　guns　and　things；〃　said　Huck。
〃No；　Huck　　leave　them　there。　They're　just　the　tricks　to　have　when　we　go　to　robbing。　We'll　keep　them　there　all　the　time；　and　we'll　hold　our　orgies　there；　too。　It's　an　awful　snug　place　for　orgies。〃
〃What　orgies？〃
〃I　dono。　But　r