WE stopped talking, and got to thinking. By and by Tom says:

"Looky here, Huck, what fools we are to not think of it before! I bet I know where Jim is."

"No! Where?"

"In that hut down by the ash-hopper. Why, looky here. When we was at dinner, didn't you see a nigger man go in there with some vittles?"

"Yes."

"What did you think the vittles was for?"

"For a dog."

"So 'd I. Well, it wasn't for a dog."

"Why?"

"Because part of it was watermelon."

"So it was -- I noticed it. Well, it does beat all that I never thought about a dog not eating watermelon. It shows how a body can see and don't see at the same time."

"Well, the nigger unlocked the padlock when he went in, and he locked it again when he came out. He fetched uncle a key about the time we got up from table -- same key, I bet. Watermelon shows man, lock shows prisoner; and it ain't likely there's two prisoners on such a little plantation, and where the people's all so kind and good. Jim's the prisoner. All right -- I'm glad we found it out detective fashion; I wouldn't give shucks for any other way. Now you work your mind, and study out a plan to steal Jim, and I will study out one, too; and we'll take the one we like the best."

What a head for just a boy to have! If I had Tom Sawyer's head I wouldn't trade it off to be a duke, nor mate of a steamboat, nor clown in a circus, nor nothing I can think of. I went to thinking out a plan, but only just to be doing something; I knowed very well where the right plan was going to come from. Pretty soon Tom says:

"Ready?"

"Yes," I says.

"All right -- bring it out."

"My plan is this," I says. "We can easy find out if it's Jim in there. Then get up my canoe to-morrow night, and fetch my raft over from the island. Then the first dark night that comes steal the key out of the old man's britches after he goes to bed, and shove off down the river on the raft with Jim, hiding daytimes and running nights, the way me and Jim used to do before. Wouldn't that plan work?"

"WORK? Why, cert'nly it would work, like rats a-fighting. But it's too blame' simple; there ain't nothing TO it. What's the good of a plan that ain't no more trouble than that? It's as mild as goose-milk. Why, Huck, it wouldn't make no more talk than breaking into a soap factory."

I never said nothing, because I warn't expecting nothing different; but I knowed mighty well that whenever he got HIS plan ready it wouldn't have none of them objections to it.

And it didn't. He told me what it was, and I see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine for style, and would make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed besides. So I was satisfied, and said we would waltz in on it. I needn't tell what it was here, because I knowed it wouldn't stay the way, it was. I knowed he would be changing it around every which way as we went along, and heaving in new bullinesses wherever he got a chance. And that is what he done.

Well, one thing was dead sure, and that was that Tom Sawyer was in earnest, and was actuly going to help steal that nigger out of slavery. That was the thing that was too many for me. Here was a boy that was respectable and well brung up; and had a character to lose; and folks at home that had characters; and he was bright and not leather-headed; and knowing and not ignorant; and not mean, but kind; and yet here he was, without any more pride, or rightness, or feeling, than to stoop to this business, and make himself a shame, and his family a shame, before everybody. I COULDN'T understand it no way at all. It was outrageous, and I knowed I ought to just up and tell him so; and so be his true friend, and let him quit the thing right where he was and save himself. And I DID start to tell him; but he shut me up, and says:

"Don't you reckon I know what I'm about? Don't I generly know what I'm about?"

"Yes."

"Didn't I SAY I was going to help steal the nigger?"

"Yes."

"WELL, then."

That's all he said, and that's all I said. It warn't no use to say any more; because when he said he'd do a thing, he always done it. But I couldn't make out how he was willing to go into this thing; so I just let it go, and never bothered no more about it. If he was bound to have it so, I couldn't help it.

When we got home the house was all dark and still; so we went on down to the hut by the ash-hopper for to examine it. We went through the yard so as to see what the hounds would do. They knowed us, and didn't make no more noise than country dogs is always doing when anything comes by in the night. When we got to the cabin we took a look at the front and the two sides; and on the side I warn't acquainted with -- which was the north side -- we found a square windowhole, up tolerable high, with just one stout board nailed across it. I says:

"Here's the ticket. This hole's big enough for Jim to get through if we wrench off the board."

Tom says:

"It's as simple as tit-tat-toe, three-in-a-row, and as easy as playing hooky. I should HOPE we can find a way that's a little more complicated than THAT, Huck Finn."

"Well, then," I says, "how 'll it do to saw him out, the way I done before I was murdered that time?"

"That's more LIKE," he says. "It's real mysterious, and troublesome, and good," he says; "but I bet we can find a way that's twice as long. There ain't no hurry; le's keep on looking around."

Betwixt the hut and the fence, on the back side, was a lean-to that joined the hut at the eaves, and was made out of plank. It was as long as the hut, but narrow -- only about six foot wide. The door to it was at the south end, and was padlocked. Tom he went to the soap-kettle and searched around, and fetched back the iron thing they lift the lid with; so he took it and prized out one of the staples. The chain fell down, and we opened the door and went in, and shut it, and struck a match, and see the shed was only built against a cabin and hadn't no connection with it; and there warn't no floor to the shed, nor nothing in it but some old rusty played-out hoes and spades and picks and a crippled plow. The match went out, and so did we, and shoved in the staple again, and the door was locked as good as ever. Tom was joyful. He says;

"Now we're all right. We'll DIG him out. It 'll take about a week!"

Then we started for the house, and I went in the back door -- you only have to pull a buckskin latchstring, they don't fasten the doors -- but that warn't romantical enough for Tom Sawyer; no way would do him but he must climb up the lightning-rod. But after he got up half way about three times, and missed fire and fell every time, and the last time most busted his brains out, he thought he'd got to give it up; but after he was rested he allowed he would give her one more turn for luck, and this time he made the trip.

In the morning we was up at break of day, and down to the nigger cabins to pet the dogs and make friends with the nigger that fed Jim -- if it WAS Jim that was being fed. The niggers was just getting through breakfast and starting for the fields; and Jim's nigger was piling up a tin pan with bread and meat and things; and whilst the others was leaving, the key come from the house.

This nigger had a good-natured, chuckle-headed face, and his wool was all tied up in little bunches with thread. That was to keep witches off. He said the witches was pestering him awful these nights, and making him see all kinds of strange things, and hear all kinds of strange words and noises, and he didn't believe he was ever witched so long before in his life. He got so worked up, and got to running on so about his troubles, he forgot all about what he'd been a-going to do. So Tom says:

"What's the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?"

The nigger kind of smiled around graduly over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says:

"Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur'us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at 'im?"

"Yes."

I hunched Tom, and whispers:

"You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn't the plan."

"No, it warn't; but it's the plan NOW."

So, drat him, we went along, but I didn't like it much. When we got in we couldn't hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out:

"Why, HUCK! En good LAN'! ain' dat Misto Tom?"

I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn't know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn't a done it, because that nigger busted in and says:

"Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?"

We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says:

"Does WHO know us?"

"Why, dis-yer runaway nigger."

"I don't reckon he does; but what put that into your head?"

"What PUT it dar? Didn' he jis' dis minute sing out like he knowed you?"

Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way:

"Well, that's mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?" And turns to me, perfectly ca'm, and says, "Did YOU hear anybody sing out?"

Of course there warn't nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:

"No; I ain't heard nobody say nothing."

Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says:

"Did you sing out?"

"No, sah," says Jim; " I hain't said nothing, sah."

"Not a word?"

"No, sah, I hain't said a word."

"Did you ever see us before?"

"No, sah; not as I knows on."

So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe:

"What do you reckon's the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?"

"Oh, it's de dad-blame' witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey's awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos' kill me, dey sk'yers me so. Please to don't tell nobody 'bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he'll scole me; 'kase he say dey AIN'T no witches. I jis' wish to goodness he was heah now -- DEN what would he say! I jis' bet he couldn' fine no way to git aroun' it DIS time. But it's awluz jis' so; people dat's SOT, stays sot; dey won't look into noth'n'en fine it out f'r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um 'bout it, dey doan' b'lieve you."

Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn't tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says:

"I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn't give him up, I'd hang him." And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says:

"Don't ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it's us; we're going to set you free."

Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we'd come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then.

我们停止了谈话，各自思索起来。后来汤姆说：
    “听我说，哈克，我们多傻啊，先前连想也没有想到这一下子。我敢打赌，我知道杰姆
在哪里了。”
    “不会吧？在哪里呢？”
    “在装灰的桶子旁边那间小屋里。你听我说。我们吃中饭的时候，你没有看见一个黑奴
带着食物走进去么？”
    “看到啦。”
    “你看食物是给谁吃的？”
    “给一只狗嘛。”
    “我原先也这样想。哈，这可不是给一只狗吃的哩。”
    “怎么啦？”
    “因为其中有西瓜。”
    “有这么回事”——我也注意到了这一点。啊，这可真是个怪事。我竟然没有想到狗不
吃西瓜。这表明，一个人是会视而不见的。
    “是啊，那个黑奴进去的时候把门上的挂锁打开，出来时再锁上。我们吃完饭，站起身
来的时候，他从我们叔叔那里取了一把钥匙——我敢打赌，那就是同一把钥匙。西瓜表明了
那是一个人，锁表明了那是一个囚犯，而且小小一个农庄对人又和气善良，因而也不会有两
个囚犯。那个囚犯便是杰姆。好啊——我们按侦探的那个路子——查清了这回事，这叫我挺
高兴的。我是不会按别的路子去查了。现在你来开动开动脑筋，设想出把杰姆给偷将出来的
方案来，我呢，也要设想出我的方案来，然后我们从中挑选一个最佳方案。”
    小小年纪，竟然有这样一个脑袋，有多了不起。我要是有汤姆·索亚的脑袋啊，
如果要用它作为交换条件，可以换个公爵当当，或者当一个轮船上的大副，马戏班的小丑，
或者其它任何玩意儿，那我也决不干。我想啊想的，想搞出一个办法，不过那也只是装装
样子罢了。我心里很清楚，真正的好办法该从哪儿来。没多久，汤姆说：
    “想好啦？”
    “是的，”我说。
    “好啊——说说看。”
    “我的计划是这样，”我说。“杰姆在不在里面，我们不费吹灰之力便能查出来。然后
我们在明晚上便把我的独木舟找出来，再从小岛那边把木筏子弄来。等到哪一天没有月亮，
我们在叔叔睡了以后，从他裤袋里把钥匙偷到手，就同杰姆一起坐木筏子朝大河的下游漂
去，大白天躲起来，晚上走，就和往常我和杰姆干的那个样。这个方案行不行？”
    “行不行？哈，当然啰，能行。就象耗子打架一般，清清楚楚。不过，毛病是简单了，
搞不出什么名堂来。一个方案，执行起来不用费任何什么周折，这有什么劲？味道淡得象
水。啊，哈克，这样叫人家议论起来，不过象谈到抢劫一家肥皂厂，如此而已。”
    我一句话也不说，因为跟我预料的一点也不错。我心里透亮，只要他想出了一个方案，
那是肯定挑不出一点儿毛病的。
    事情果然如此。他跟我说了他的方案，我马上看出了他的计幌识。不过，究竟是什么叫
你脑子里竟会有这么个想法呢？”
    “有这么个想法？他不是刚才喊了声，好象认识你们么？”
    汤姆仿佛大惑不解似地说：
    “啊，这可太稀奇古怪啦。有谁喊啊？什么时候喊的？喊了些什么？”他转身对着我，
态度非常地安详镇静。他说，“你听到有谁喊么？”
    当然没有什么好说的，答案只有一个。我就说：
    “没有啊，我没有听到有谁说话啊。”
    随后他就朝杰姆转过身来，看了他一眼，那神情仿佛他从来没有见到过他。他说：
    “你喊了么？乔个有身份的孩子，受过良好的教养，人品又好，家里人什么，
难道我不是肚子里雪亮么？”
    “是的。”
    “难道我不是说过，要把那个黑奴给偷出来么？”
    “是的。”
    “那就好了。”
    他说的就是这些，我说的也就是这些。这样就用不到再说什么了，因为每当他说要干什
么，他总是干什么。不过我委实不明白为什么他会甘心搅在这件事里面，所以我只好随它
去，不再为此操什么心。要是他非如此干不可，我也无能为力。
    我们到家时，屋子里黑漆漆的，一片寂静。我们便走到下边放灰桶那儿的小屋去，察看
了一番。我们在场院里走了一遍，看看狗会有什么反应。这些狗已经认得了我们，因此就象
乡下一般的狗夜间遇见有什么事的时候照例会发出些声响以外，并没有别的什么反应。我们
走到了那间小屋，对小屋的正面和两侧都察看了一番。在没有察看过的一侧——那是朝北的
一侧——我们发现了一个四方形的窗洞，相当高，只有一块厚实的木板钉在窗洞的中间。我
说：
    “要找的就正是这个。窗洞的大小刚好能叫杰姆钻出来。
    只要我们把木板撬开就行。”
    汤姆说：
    “这就跟下五子棋一样，未免太简单了，也跟逃学一样容易。我宁愿我们能找到一种路
子，能比这个更复杂些的，哈克·芬。”
    “那么好，”我说，“把它锯断，就象我前次被害死那一回那么样，行不行？”
    “这就多少好一些，”他说，“要来个真正神秘兮兮的，曲曲折折的，并且够味儿
的。”他说，“不过我们准保还能找到需得花一倍以上时间的方案。不用心急，让我们再找
找看。”
    在后边的一侧，在小屋和栅栏的中间，有一个披间，它接着小屋的屋檐，是木板做成
的。跟小屋一般长，只是窄窄的——只有六英尺宽。门开在南头，门上了挂锁。汤姆走到煮
肥皂的铁壶那儿，四处搜寻，把人家拿来开壶盖的东西拿了来，用它撬开了一只链环。链子
随着掉下来。我们随手开了门，走了进去，把门关上，点起一根火柴，发现披间只是靠着小
屋搭的，并非连起来的。地上也并没有地板，披间里只放了用坏了的发锈的锄头、铁锹、尖
镐和一张坏了的犁。火柴熄了，我们便走了出来，重新把链环安上。门就象刚才一样锁得好
好的。汤姆兴高采烈。他说：
    “如今我们有办法啦。我们挖个地道让他钻出来。得个把星期时间！”
    随后我们往屋子走去，我从后门进——只消拉一下用鹿皮做的门闩绳子就行了，他们门
是不锁的——不过这样还不够浪漫，不合汤姆·索亚的胃口。他非要爬那根避雷针上楼才算
够味。不过他大致有过三回爬到了半中间，一失手滑了下来。最后一次，还差点儿摔破了脑
袋。他寻思，他非得放弃不可了。可是一休息后，就又要再度试一试运气。这一回啊，他终
于爬了上去。
    第二天，天蒙蒙亮，我们就下去到黑奴住的小屋去，拍拍狗，跟那个给杰姆送吃食的黑
奴套个近乎——如果里面关的是杰姆的话。那些黑奴刚吃过早饭，要开始到地里去。给杰姆
送吃食的那个黑奴呢，他正在把面包、肉等等东西放在一只白铁盆里。别的一些人正走开的
时候，屋里送来了钥匙。
    这个黑奴的脸看上去是一副脾气好、傻呼呼的样子。他的一头卷发用细绳子扎成一撮一
撮的。那是为了避开妖魔作祟。他说，这些天晚上妖魔作祟，害得他好苦。他见到了种种异
象，听到了种种怪声怪调，他一生中还从没有被作祟得时间这么久。这些搞得他神魂不定，
坐立不安，害得他连平日里该做些什么事也记不得了。汤姆就说：
    “这些食物送给谁啊？是喂狗么？”
    这个黑奴脸上漾开了笑容，好象一块碎砖扔进了一片泥塘。他说：
    “是的，西特少爷。喂一条敢（狗）。你想去看一看么？”
    “好的。”
    我捅了汤姆一下，轻声对他说：
    “你就去啦，天一亮就去？这可不在原来的方案之内啊。”
    “不在，是不在——不过在现今的方案之内。”
    唉，管它呢，我们一起去了，可心里却老大不以为然。我们一进去，四下里什么也看不
见，小屋里太黑了，不过杰姆确确实实在里面，他能看清楚我们。他叫了起来：
    “啊，哈克！我的天啊！这不是汤姆少爷么？”
    这一切，都跟我预料的那么样，早在我意料之中。我也不知道该怎么办，即使知道，也
办不到，因为那个黑奴冷不防地插嘴说：
    “啊，老天！难道他认识你们这两位先生？”
    这时我们能对四下里看得相当清楚了。汤姆呢，他定神地看了黑奴一眼，仿佛莫名其妙
地说：
    “难道有谁认识我们？”
    “啊，这个逃跑的黑奴啊。”
    “我看他并不认识。不过，究竟是什么叫你脑子里竟会有这么个想法呢？”
    “有这么个想法？他不是刚才喊了声，好象认识你们么？”
    汤姆仿佛大惑不解似地说：
    “啊，这可太稀奇古怪啦。有谁喊啊？什么时候喊的？喊了些什么？”他转身对着我，
态度非常地安详镇静。他说，“你听到有谁喊么？”
    当然没有什么好说的，答案只有一个。我就说：
    “没有啊，我没有听到有谁说话啊。”
    随后他就朝杰姆转过身来，看了他一眼，那神情仿佛他从来没有见到过他。他说：
    “你喊了么？”
    “没有。少爷，”杰姆说。“我没有说什么啊，少爷。”
    “一个字也没有？”
    “没有，少爷，一个字也没有。”
    “你过去见到过我们么？”
    “没有，少爷，我不记得曾在哪儿见过你。”
    汤姆便转过身来对着那个黑奴，这时他已经有点儿神经错乱的模样了。汤姆厉声地说：
    “你倒底是怎么回事啊？你怎么会想得出来，说有人在叫喊啊？”
    “唉，少爷，全是妖魔在捣鬼啊，我但愿死了的好，说真格的。他们老是跟我捣淡
（蛋），快把我折幕（磨）死了，吓得我魂不附梯（体）。请你别对任何人说，少爷，要不
然，西拉斯老爷会狠狠刮我一顿。因为他说，根本没有什么妖魔鬼怪。我但愿他现今就在这
里，——看他有什么好说的！我看啊，我能打赌，这一回他可说不圆啦。不过啊，说来也总
是如此，人就是这个样子，人一傻，就傻到底，从来不肯认真看一看，自个儿把事情看个
清，人家即使告诉他真相，他也不肯新（信）。”
    汤姆给了他一角钱，还说，我们不会对别人说什么。还说，他不妨多买几根绳线，把头
发给扎起来。随后他对杰姆看了一眼说：
    “我不知道西拉斯姨父会不会把这个黑奴给吊死。要是我抓住了一个忘恩负义逃亡的黑
奴，我可不会放掉他，我会吊死他。”这时趁那个黑奴走到门口认一认清那个银币，咬一
咬，看是真是假，他就低声对杰姆说：
    “别流露出认得我们。要是你晚上听到挖地这类声响，那是我们。我们要恢复你的自
由。”
    杰姆只能匆匆地抓住了我们的手，紧紧握了握，随后那个黑奴回来了。我们说，只要那
个黑奴要我们再来，我们准来。他就说，他要的，特别是最好在夜晚，因为妖魔多半在黑夜
里作怪，这时如果能有人作伴，那就好得多了。