END OF CHAPTER 15:

It had clouded up pretty dark just ater I !ot o" to the rat# $ut %t &as clear%"! up
a!a%" "o&'
(Oh# &ell# that)s all %"terpreted &ell e"ou!h as ar as %t !oes# *%+#( I says, ($ut
&hat does these th%"!s sta"d or-(
It &as the lea.es a"d ru$$%sh o" the rat a"d the s+ashed oar' /ou could see the+ %rst0
rate "o&'
*%+ looked at the trash# a"d the" looked at +e# a"d $ack at the trash a!a%"' He had !ot
the drea+ %1ed so stro"! %" h%s head that he could")t see+ to shake %t loose a"d !et the
acts $ack %"to %ts place a!a%" r%!ht a&ay' 2ut &he" he d%d !et the th%"! stra%!hte"ed
arou"d he looked at +e steady &%thout e.er s+%l%"!# a"d says:
(3hat do dey sta") or- I)se !&y"e to tell you' 3he" I !ot all &ore out &%d &ork# e"
&%d de call%") or you# e" &e"t to sleep# +y heart &u4 +os) $roke $ekase you &u4 los)# e"
I d%d") k)yer "o) +o) &hat $eco+e er +e e" de ra)' E" &he" I &ake up e" %"e you $ack
a!%"# all sae e" sou")# de tears co+e# e" I could a !ot do&" o" +y k"ees e" k%ss yo) oot#
I)s so tha"kul' E" all you &u4 th%"k%") )$out &u4 ho& you could +ake a ool u. ole *%+
&%d a l%e' Dat truck dah %s trash; e" trash %s &hat people %s dat puts d%rt o" de head er dey
re")s e" +akes )e+ asha+ed'(
The" he !ot up slo& a"d &alked to the &%!&a+# a"d &e"t %" there &%thout say%"!
a"yth%"! $ut that' 2ut that &as e"ou!h' It +ade +e eel so +ea" I could al+ost k%ssed
his oot to !et h%+ to take %t $ack'
It &as %tee" +%"utes $eore I could &ork +ysel up to !o a"d hu+$le +ysel to a
"%!!er, $ut I do"e %t# a"d I &ar")t e.er sorry or %t ater&ards# "e%ther' I d%d")t do h%+ "o
+ore +ea" tr%cks# a"d I &ould")t do"e that o"e % I)d a k"o&ed %t &ould +ake h%+ eel
that &ay'
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6o+et%+es &e)d ha.e that &hole r%.er all to oursel.es or the lo"!est t%+e' /o"der &as
the $a"ks a"d the %sla"ds# across the &ater, a"d +ay$e a spark 00 &h%ch &as a ca"dle %" a
ca$%" &%"do&, a"d so+et%+es o" the &ater you could see a spark or t&o 00 o" a rat or a
sco&# you k"o&, a"d +ay$e you could hear a %ddle or a so"! co+%"! o.er ro+ o"e o
the+ crats' It)s lo.ely to l%.e o" a rat' 3e had the sky up there# all speckled &%th stars#
a"d &e used to lay o" our $acks a"d look up at the+# a"d d%scuss a$out &hether they &as
+ade or o"ly just happe"ed' *%+ he allo&ed they &as +ade# $ut I allo&ed they happe"ed,
01590
I jud!ed %t &ould ha.e took too lo"! to make so +a"y' *%+ sa%d the +oo" could a laid
the+, &ell# that looked k%"d o reaso"a$le# so I d%d")t say "oth%"! a!a%"st %t# $ecause I).e
see" a ro! lay +ost as +a"y# so o course %t could $e do"e' 3e used to &atch the stars
that ell# too# a"d see the+ streak do&"' *%+ allo&ed they)d !ot spo%led a"d &as ho.e out
o the "est'
O"ce or t&%ce o a "%!ht &e &ould see a stea+$oat sl%pp%"! alo"! %" the dark# a"d "o&
a"d the" she &ould $elch a &hole &orld o sparks up out o her ch%+$leys# a"d they
&ould ra%" do&" %" the r%.er a"d look a&ul pretty, the" she &ould tur" a cor"er a"d her
l%!hts &ould &%"k out a"d her po&&o& shut o a"d lea.e the r%.er st%ll a!a%", a"d $y a"d
$y her &a.es &ould !et to us# a lo"! t%+e ater she &as !o"e# a"d jo!!le the rat a $%t#
a"d ater that you &ould")t hear "oth%"! or you could")t tell ho& lo"!# e1cept +ay$e
ro!s or so+eth%"!'
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All the streets a"d la"es &as just +ud, they &ar")t "oth%"! else but +ud 00 +ud as $lack
as tar a"d "%!h a$out a oot deep %" so+e places# a"d t&o or three
01870
%"ches deep %" all the places' The ho!s loaed a"d !ru"ted arou"d e.ery&heres' /ou)d see
a +uddy so& a"d a l%tter o p%!s co+e la4y%"! alo"! the street a"d &hollop hersel r%!ht
do&" %" the &ay# &here olks had to &alk arou"d her# a"d she)d stretch out a"d shut her
eyes a"d &a.e her ears &h%lst the p%!s &as +%lk%"! her# a"d look as happy as % she &as
o" salary' A"d pretty soo" you)d hear a loaer s%"! out# (H%7 so $oy7 s%ck h%+# T%!e7( a"d
a&ay the so& &ould !o# s8ueal%"! +ost horr%$le# &%th a do! or t&o s&%"!%"! to each ear#
a"d three or our do4e" +ore a0co+%"!, a"d the" you &ould see all the loaers !et up a"d
&atch the th%"! out o s%!ht# a"d lau!h at the u" a"d look !rateul or the "o%se' The"
they)d settle $ack a!a%" t%ll there &as a do! %!ht' There could")t a"yth%"! &ake the+ up
all o.er# a"d +ake the+ happy all o.er# l%ke a do! %!ht 00 u"less %t +%!ht $e putt%"!
turpe"t%"e o" a stray do! a"d sett%"! %re to h%+# or ty%"! a t%" pa" to h%s ta%l a"d see h%+
ru" h%+sel to death'
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I &e"t to sleep# a"d *%+ d%d")t call +e &he" %t &as
02070
+y tur"' He ote" do"e that' 3he" I &aked up just at day$reak he &as s%tt%"! there &%th
h%s head do&" $et&%1t h%s k"ees# +oa"%"! a"d +our"%"! to h%+sel' I d%d")t take "ot%ce
"or let o"' I k"o&ed &hat %t &as a$out' He &as th%"k%"! a$out h%s &%e a"d h%s ch%ldre"#
a&ay up yo"der# a"d he &as lo& a"d ho+es%ck, $ecause he had")t e.er $ee" a&ay ro+
ho+e $eore %" h%s l%e, a"d I do $el%e.e he cared just as +uch or h%s people as &h%te
olks does or the%r)"' It do")t see+ "atural# $ut I recko" %t)s so' He &as ote" +oa"%"! a"d
+our"%"! that &ay "%!hts# &he" he jud!ed I &as asleep# a"d say%"!# (Po) l%ttle )9%4a$eth7
po) l%ttle *oh""y7 %t)s +%!hty hard, I spec) I a%")t e.er !&y"e to see you "o +o)# "o +o)7(
He &as a +%!hty !ood "%!!er# *%+ &as'
2ut th%s t%+e I so+eho& !ot to talk%"! to h%+ a$out h%s &%e a"d you"! o"es, a"d $y
a"d $y he says:
(3hat +akes +e eel so $ad d%s t%+e )u4 $ekase I hear su+p" o.er yo"der o" de $a"k
l%ke a &hack# er a sla+# &h%le a!o# e" %t +%"e +e er de t%+e I treat +y l%ttle )9%4a$eth so
or"ery' 6he &ar")t o")y )$out o) year ole# e" she tuck de sk)yarlet e.er# e" had a po&ul
rou!h spell, $ut she !ot &ell# e" o"e day she &as a0sta""%") arou")# e" I says to her# I
says:
()6het de do)')
(6he "e.er do"e %t, j%s) stood dah# k%"er s+%l%") up at +e' It +ake +e +ad, e" I says
a!%"# +%!hty loud# I says:
()Doa") you hear +e- 6het de do)7)
(6he j%s stood de sa+e &ay# k%"er s+%l%") up' I &as a0$%l%")7 I says:
()I lay I make you +%"e7)
02080
(E" &%d dat I etch) her a slap s%de de head dat so"t her a0spra&l%")' De" I &e"t %"to de
yuther roo+# e" )u4 !o"e )$out te" +%"utes, e" &he" I co+e $ack dah &as dat do) a0
sta""%") ope" yit, e" dat ch%le sta""%") +os) r%!ht %" %t# a0look%") do&" a"d +our"%")# e" de
tears ru""%") do&"' :y# $ut I wuz +ad7 I &as a0!&y"e or de ch%le# $ut j%s) de" 00 %t &as a
do) dat ope" %""erds 00 j%s) de"# )lo"! co+e de &%"d e" sla+ %t to# $eh%"e de ch%le# ker0
blam! 00 e" +y la")# de ch%le "e.er +o.e)7 :y $re +os) hop outer +e, e" I eel so 00 so
00 I doa") k"o& how I eel' I crope out# all a0tre+$l%")# e" crope arou") e" ope" de do) easy
e" slo&# e" poke +y head %" $eh%"e de ch%le# so) e" st%ll# e" all u. a sudde" I says pow!
j%s) as loud as I could yell' She neer bud!e! Oh# Huck# I $ust out a0cry%") e" !ra$ her up
%" +y ar+s# e" say# )Oh# de po) l%ttle th%"!7 De 9ord ;od A+%!hty o!%.e po) ole *%+#
ka4e he "e.er !&y"e to o!%.e h%ssel as lo"!)s he l%.e7) Oh# she &as plu+$ dee e"
du+$# Huck# plu+$ dee e" du+$ 00 e" I)d $e" a0treat)" her so7(
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I elt !ood a"d all &ashed clea" o s%" or the %rst t%+e I had e.er elt so %" +y l%e# a"d
I k"o&ed I could pray "o&' 2ut I d%d")t do %t stra%!ht o# $ut la%d the paper do&" a"d set
there th%"k%"! 00 th%"k%"! ho& !ood %t &as all th%s happe"ed so# a"d ho& "ear I co+e to
$e%"! lost a"d !o%"! to hell' A"d &e"t o" th%"k%"!' A"d !ot to th%"k%"! o.er our tr%p
do&" the r%.er, a"d I see *%+ $eore +e all the t%+e: %" the day a"d %" the "%!ht0t%+e#
so+et%+es +oo"l%!ht# so+et%+es stor+s# a"d &e a0loat%"! alo"!# talk%"! a"d s%"!%"!
a"d lau!h%"!' 2ut so+eho& I could")t see+ to str%ke "o places to harde" +e a!a%"st h%+#
$ut o"ly the other k%"d' I)d see h%+ sta"d%"! +y &atch o" top o h%s)"# )stead o call%"!
+e# so I could !o o" sleep%"!, a"d see h%+ ho& !lad he &as &he" I co+e $ack out o the
o!, a"d &he" I co+e to h%+ a!a%" %" the s&a+p# up there &here the eud &as, a"d such0
l%ke t%+es, a"d &ould al&ays call +e ho"ey# a"d pet +e a"d do e.eryth%"! he could th%"k
o or +e# a"d ho& !ood he al&ays &as, a"d at last I struck the t%+e I sa.ed h%+ $y
tell%"! the +e" &e had s+all0po1 a$oard# a"d he &as so !rateul# a"d sa%d I &as the $est
r%e"d old *%+ e.er had %" the &orld# a"d the only o"e he)s !ot "o&, a"d the" I happe"ed
to look arou"d a"d see that paper'
It &as a close place' I took %t up# a"d held %t %" +y ha"d' I &as a0tre+$l%"!# $ecause I)d
!ot to dec%de# ore.er# $et&%1t t&o th%"!s# a"d I k"o&ed %t' I stud%ed a +%"ute# sort o
hold%"! +y $reath# a"d the" says to +ysel:
(All r%!ht# the"# I)ll !o to hell( 00 a"d tore %t up'
It &as a&ul thou!hts a"d a&ul &ords# $ut they &as sa%d' A"d I let the+ stay sa%d, a"d
"e.er
02850
thou!ht "o +ore a$out reor+%"!' I sho.ed the &hole th%"! out o +y head# a"d sa%d I
&ould take up &%cked"ess a!a%"# &h%ch &as %" +y l%"e# $e%"! $ru"! up to %t# a"d the
other &ar")t' A"d or a starter I &ould !o to &ork a"d steal *%+ out o sla.ery a!a%", a"d
% I could th%"k up a"yth%"! &orse# I &ould do that# too, $ecause as lo"! as I &as %"# a"d
%" or !ood# I +%!ht as &ell !o the &hole ho!'
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THE %rst t%+e I catched To+ pr%.ate I asked h%+ &hat &as h%s %dea# t%+e o the
e.as%o"- 00 &hat %t &as he)d pla""ed to do % the e.as%o" &orked all r%!ht a"d he +a"a!ed
to set a "%!!er ree that &as already ree $eore- A"d he sa%d# &hat he had pla""ed %" h%s
head ro+ the start# % &e !ot *%+ out all sae# &as or us to ru" h%+ do&" the r%.er o" the
rat# a"d ha.e ad.e"tures plu+$ to the +outh o the r%.er# a"d the" tell h%+ a$out h%s
$e%"! ree# a"d take h%+ $ack up ho+e o" a stea+$oat# %" style# a"d pay h%+ or h%s lost
t%+e# a"d &r%te &ord ahead a"d !et out all the "%!!ers arou"d# a"d ha.e the+ &alt4 h%+
%"to to&" &%th a torchl%!ht process%o" a"d a $rass0$a"d# a"d the" he &ould $e a hero# a"d
so &ould &e' 2ut I recko"ed %t &as a$out as &ell the &ay %t &as'
3e had *%+ out o the cha%"s %" "o t%+e# a"d &he" Au"t Polly a"d <"cle 6%las a"d
Au"t 6ally ou"d out ho& !ood he helped the doctor "urse To+# they +ade a heap o uss
o.er h%+# a"d %1ed h%+ up pr%+e# a"d !%.e h%+ all he &a"ted to eat# a"d a !ood t%+e#
a"d "oth%"! to do' A"d &e had h%+ up to the s%ck0roo+# a"d had a h%!h talk, a"d To+
!%.e *%+ orty dollars or $e%"! pr%so"er or us so pat%e"t# a"d do%"! %t up so !ood# a"d
*%+ &as pleased +ost to death# a"d $usted out# a"d says:
("ah, "o&# Huck# &hat I tell you- 00 &hat I tell
0#870
you up dah o" *ackso" %sla")- I tole you I !ot a ha%ry $reas)# e" &hat)s de s%!" u" %t, e" I
tole you I $e" r%ch &u"st# e" !&%"eter to $e r%ch a!in e" %t)s co+e true, e" heah she is!
"ah, "o&7 doa") talk to me 00 s%!"s %s si!ns, +%"e I tell you, e" I k"o&ed j%s) )s &ell )at I
)u4 !&%"eter $e r%ch a!%" as I)s a0sta""%") heah d%s +%"ute7(