WE slept most all day, and started out at night, a little ways behind a monstrous long raft that was as long going by as a procession. She had four long sweeps at each end, so we judged she carried as many as thirty men, likely. She had five big wigwams aboard, wide apart, and an open camp fire in the middle, and a tall flag-pole at each end. There was a power of style about her. It AMOUNTED to something being a raftsman on such a craft as that.

We went drifting down into a big bend, and the night clouded up and got hot. The river was very wide, and was walled with solid timber on both sides; you couldn't see a break in it hardly ever, or a light. We talked about Cairo, and wondered whether we would know it when we got to it. I said likely we wouldn't, because I had heard say there warn't but about a dozen houses there, and if they didn't happen to have them lit up, how was we going to know we was passing a town? Jim said if the two big rivers joined together there, that would show. But I said maybe we might think we was passing the foot of an island and coming into the same old river again. That disturbed Jim -- and me too. So the question was, what to do? I said, paddle ashore the first time a light showed, and tell them pap was behind, coming along with a trading-scow, and was a green hand at the business, and wanted to know how far it was to Cairo. Jim thought it was a good idea, so we took a smoke on it and waited.

There warn't nothing to do now but to look out sharp for the town, and not pass it without seeing it. He said he'd be mighty sure to see it, because he'd be a free man the minute he seen it, but if he missed it he'd be in a slave country again and no more show for freedom. Every little while he jumps up and says:

"Dah she is?"

But it warn't. It was Jack-o'-lanterns, or lightning bugs; so he set down again, and went to watching, same as before. Jim said it made him all over trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom. Well, I can tell you it made me all over trembly and feverish, too, to hear him, because I begun to get it through my head that he WAS most free -- and who was to blame for it? Why, ME. I couldn't get that out of my conscience, no how nor no way. It got to troubling me so I couldn't rest; I couldn't stay still in one place. It hadn't ever come home to me before, what this thing was that I was doing. But now it did; and it stayed with me, and scorched me more and more. I tried to make out to myself that I warn't to blame, because I didn't run Jim off from his rightful owner; but it warn't no use, conscience up and says, every time, "But you knowed he was running for his freedom, and you could a paddled ashore and told somebody." That was so -- I couldn't get around that noway. That was where it pinched. Conscience says to me, "What had poor Miss Watson done to you that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say one single word? What did that poor old woman do to you that you could treat her so mean? Why, she tried to learn you your book, she tried to learn you your manners, she tried to be good to you every way she knowed how. THAT'S what she done."

I got to feeling so mean and so miserable I most wished I was dead. I fidgeted up and down the raft, abusing myself to myself, and Jim was fidgeting up and down past me. We neither of us could keep still. Every time he danced around and says, "Dah's Cairo!" it went through me like a shot, and I thought if it WAS Cairo I reckoned I would die of miserableness.

Jim talked out loud all the time while I was talking to myself. He was saying how the first thing he would do when he got to a free State he would go to saving up money and never spend a single cent, and when he got enough he would buy his wife, which was owned on a farm close to where Miss Watson lived; and then they would both work to buy the two children, and if their master wouldn't sell them, they'd get an Ab'litionist to go and steal them.

It most froze me to hear such talk. He wouldn't ever dared to talk such talk in his life before. Just see what a difference it made in him the minute he judged he was about free. It was according to the old saying, "Give a nigger an inch and he'll take an ell." Thinks I, this is what comes of my not thinking. Here was this nigger, which I had as good as helped to run away, coming right out flat-footed and saying he would steal his children -- children that belonged to a man I didn't even know; a man that hadn't ever done me no harm.

I was sorry to hear Jim say that, it was such a lowering of him. My conscience got to stirring me up hotter than ever, until at last I says to it, "Let up on me -- it ain't too late yet -- I'll paddle ashore at the first light and tell." I felt easy and happy and light as a feather right off. All my troubles was gone. I went to looking out sharp for a light, and sort of singing to myself. By and by one showed. Jim sings out:

"We's safe, Huck, we's safe! Jump up and crack yo' heels! Dat's de good ole Cairo at las', I jis knows it!"

I says:

"I'll take the canoe and go and see, Jim. It mightn't be, you know."

He jumped and got the canoe ready, and put his old coat in the bottom for me to set on, and give me the paddle; and as I shoved off, he says:

"Pooty soon I'll be a-shout'n' for joy, en I'll say, it's all on accounts o' Huck; I's a free man, en I couldn't ever ben free ef it hadn' ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had; en you's de ONLY fren' ole Jim's got now."

I was paddling off, all in a sweat to tell on him; but when he says this, it seemed to kind of take the tuck all out of me. I went along slow then, and I warn't right down certain whether I was glad I started or whether I warn't. When I was fifty yards off, Jim says:

"Dah you goes, de ole true Huck; de on'y white genlman dat ever kep' his promise to ole Jim."

Well, I just felt sick. But I says, I GOT to do it -- I can't get OUT of it. Right then along comes a skiff with two men in it with guns, and they stopped and I stopped. One of them says:

"What's that yonder?"

"A piece of a raft," I says.

"Do you belong on it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any men on it?"

"Only one, sir."

"Well, there's five niggers run off to-night up yonder, above the head of the bend. Is your man white or black?"

I didn't answer up prompt. I tried to, but the words wouldn't come. I tried for a second or two to brace up and out with it, but I warn't man enough -- hadn't the spunk of a rabbit. I see I was weakening; so I just give up trying, and up and says:

"He's white."

"I reckon we'll go and see for ourselves."

"I wish you would," says I, "because it's pap that's there, and maybe you'd help me tow the raft ashore where the light is. He's sick -- and so is mam and Mary Ann."

"Oh, the devil! we're in a hurry, boy. But I s'pose we've got to. Come, buckle to your paddle, and let's get along."

I buckled to my paddle and they laid to their oars. When we had made a stroke or two, I says:

"Pap'll be mighty much obleeged to you, I can tell you. Everybody goes away when I want them to help me tow the raft ashore, and I can't do it by myself."

"Well, that's infernal mean. Odd, too. Say, boy, what's the matter with your father?"

"It's the -- a -- the -- well, it ain't anything much."

They stopped pulling. It warn't but a mighty little ways to the raft now. One says:

"Boy, that's a lie. What IS the matter with your pap? Answer up square now, and it'll be the better for you."

"I will, sir, I will, honest -- but don't leave us, please. It's the -- the -- Gentlemen, if you'll only pull ahead, and let me heave you the headline, you won't have to come a-near the raft -- please do."

"Set her back, John, set her back!" says one. They backed water. "Keep away, boy -- keep to looard. Confound it, I just expect the wind has blowed it to us. Your pap's got the small-pox, and you know it precious well. Why didn't you come out and say so? Do you want to spread it all over?"

"Well," says I, a-blubbering, "I've told everybody before, and they just went away and left us."

"Poor devil, there's something in that. We are right down sorry for you, but we -- well, hang it, we don't want the small-pox, you see. Look here, I'll tell you what to do. Don't you try to land by yourself, or you'll smash everything to pieces. You float along down about twenty miles, and you'll come to a town on the left-hand side of the river. It will be long after sun-up then, and when you ask for help you tell them your folks are all down with chills and fever. Don't be a fool again, and let people guess what is the matter. Now we're trying to do you a kindness; so you just put twenty miles between us, that's a good boy. It wouldn't do any good to land yonder where the light is -- it's only a wood-yard. Say, I reckon your father's poor, and I'm bound to say he's in pretty hard luck. Here, I'll put a twentydollar gold piece on this board, and you get it when it floats by. I feel mighty mean to leave you; but my kingdom! it won't do to fool with small-pox, don't you see?"

"Hold on, Parker," says the other man, "here's a twenty to put on the board for me. Good-bye, boy; you do as Mr. Parker told you, and you'll be all right."

"That's so, my boy -- good-bye, good-bye. If you see any runaway niggers you get help and nab them, and you can make some money by it."

"Good-bye, sir," says I; "I won't let no runaway niggers get by me if I can help it."

They went off and I got aboard the raft, feeling bad and low, because I knowed very well I had done wrong, and I see it warn't no use for me to try to learn to do right; a body that don't get STARTED right when he's little ain't got no show -- when the pinch comes there ain't nothing to back him up and keep him to his work, and so he gets beat. Then I thought a minute, and says to myself, hold on; s'pose you'd a done right and give Jim up, would you felt better than what you do now? No, says I, I'd feel bad -- I'd feel just the same way I do now. Well, then, says I, what's the use you learning to do right when it's troublesome to do right and ain't no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same? I was stuck. I couldn't answer that. So I reckoned I wouldn't bother no more about it, but after this always do whichever come handiest at the time.

I went into the wigwam; Jim warn't there. I looked all around; he warn't anywhere. I says:

"Jim!"

"Here I is, Huck. Is dey out o' sight yit? Don't talk loud."

He was in the river under the stern oar, with just his nose out. I told him they were out of sight, so he come aboard. He says:

"I was a-listenin' to all de talk, en I slips into de river en was gwyne to shove for sho' if dey come aboard. Den I was gwyne to swim to de raf' agin when dey was gone. But lawsy, how you did fool 'em, Huck! Dat WUZ de smartes' dodge! I tell you, chile, I'spec it save' ole Jim -- ole Jim ain't going to forgit you for dat, honey."

Then we talked about the money. It was a pretty good raise -- twenty dollars apiece. Jim said we could take deck passage on a steamboat now, and the money would last us as far as we wanted to go in the free States. He said twenty mile more warn't far for the raft to go, but he wished we was already there.

Towards daybreak we tied up, and Jim was mighty particular about hiding the raft good. Then he worked all day fixing things in bundles, and getting all ready to quit rafting.

That night about ten we hove in sight of the lights of a town away down in a left-hand bend.

I went off in the canoe to ask about it. Pretty soon I found a man out in the river with a skiff, setting a trotline. I ranged up and says:

"Mister, is that town Cairo?"

"Cairo? no. You must be a blame' fool."

"What town is it, mister?"

"If you want to know, go and find out. If you stay here botherin' around me for about a half a minute longer you'll get something you won't want."

I paddled to the raft. Jim was awful disappointed, but I said never mind, Cairo would be the next place, I reckoned.

We passed another town before daylight, and I was going out again; but it was high ground, so I didn't go. No high ground about Cairo, Jim said. I had forgot it. We laid up for the day on a towhead tolerable close to the left-hand bank. I begun to suspicion something. So did Jim. I says:

"Maybe we went by Cairo in the fog that night."

He says:

"Doan' le's talk about it, Huck. Po' niggers can't have no luck. I awluz 'spected dat rattlesnake-skin warn't done wid its work."

"I wish I'd never seen that snake-skin, Jim -- I do wish I'd never laid eyes on it."

"It ain't yo' fault, Huck; you didn' know. Don't you blame yo'self 'bout it."

When it was daylight, here was the clear Ohio water inshore, sure enough, and outside was the old regular Muddy! So it was all up with Cairo.

We talked it all over. It wouldn't do to take to the shore; we couldn't take the raft up the stream, of course. There warn't no way but to wait for dark, and start back in the canoe and take the chances. So we slept all day amongst the cottonwood thicket, so as to be fresh for the work, and when we went back to the raft about dark the canoe was gone!

We didn't say a word for a good while. There warn't anything to say. We both knowed well enough it was some more work of the rattlesnake-skin; so what was the use to talk about it? It would only look like we was finding fault, and that would be bound to fetch more bad luck -- and keep on fetching it, too, till we knowed enough to keep still.

By and by we talked about what we better do, and found there warn't no way but just to go along down with the raft till we got a chance to buy a canoe to go back in. We warn't going to borrow it when there warn't anybody around, the way pap would do, for that might set people after us.

So we shoved out after dark on the raft.

Anybody that don't believe yet that it's foolishness to handle a snake-skin, after all that that snake-skin done for us, will believe it now if they read on and see what more it done for us.

The place to buy canoes is off of rafts laying up at shore. But we didn't see no rafts laying up; so we went along during three hours and more. Well, the night got gray and ruther thick, which is the next meanest thing to fog. You can't tell the shape of the river, and you can't see no distance. It got to be very late and still, and then along comes a steamboat up the river. We lit the lantern, and judged she would see it. Up-stream boats didn't generly come close to us; they go out and follow the bars and hunt for easy water under the reefs; but nights like this they bull right up the channel against the whole river.

We could hear her pounding along, but we didn't see her good till she was close. She aimed right for us. Often they do that and try to see how close they can come without touching; sometimes the wheel bites off a sweep, and then the pilot sticks his head out and laughs, and thinks he's mighty smart. Well, here she comes, and we said she was going to try and shave us; but she didn't seem to be sheering off a bit. She was a big one, and she was coming in a hurry, too, looking like a black cloud with rows of glow-worms around it; but all of a sudden she bulged out, big and scary, with a long row of wide-open furnace doors shining like red-hot teeth, and her monstrous bows and guards hanging right over us. There was a yell at us, and a jingling of bells to stop the engines, a powwow of cussing, and whistling of steam -- and as Jim went overboard on one side and I on the other, she come smashing straight through the raft.

I dived -- and I aimed to find the bottom, too, for a thirty-foot wheel had got to go over me, and I wanted it to have plenty of room. I could always stay under water a minute; this time I reckon I stayed under a minute and a half. Then I bounced for the top in a hurry, for I was nearly busting. I popped out to my armpits and blowed the water out of my nose, and puffed a bit. Of course there was a booming current; and of course that boat started her engines again ten seconds after she stopped them, for they never cared much for raftsmen; so now she was churning along up the river, out of sight in the thick weather, though I could hear her.

I sung out for Jim about a dozen times, but I didn't get any answer; so I grabbed a plank that touched me while I was "treading water," and struck out for shore, shoving it ahead of me. But I made out to see that the drift of the current was towards the lefthand shore, which meant that I was in a crossing; so I changed off and went that way.

It was one of these long, slanting, two-mile crossings; so I was a good long time in getting over. I made a safe landing, and clumb up the bank. I couldn't see but a little ways, but I went poking along over rough ground for a quarter of a mile or more, and then I run across a big old-fashioned double log-house before I noticed it. I was going to rush by and get away, but a lot of dogs jumped out and went to howling and barking at me, and I knowed better than to move another peg.

我们睡了几乎一整天，在晚上才动身，这时看到了前边不远处，有一只长得出奇的木
排。木排之长，仿佛象一个好大的游行队伍一般。木排上每一头有四根长桨①，因此我们估
摸他们可能共有三十来个人之多。上面有五处窝棚，彼此离得很开。在中间的地方，露天生
了个篝火。两头竖起了高高的旗竿。那个派头非同一般。它仿佛在大声宣告，在这样的大排
上当个伙计，才称得上是个人物。    ①诺顿版注：长桨作推进或掌舵之用。①诺顿版注：指肯塔基，下面一章写的“打冤家”就发生在这里。

我们正顺水漂到一处大的河流里。夜晚，天上起了云，挺闷热。河水很宽，两岸巨木森森，连绵不断，也透不出一丝亮光。我们谈到了开罗。还说，我们经过时，不知道能不能认出那个地方。我说，也许我们认不出来，因为我听说，开罗不过十几家人家罢了，要是镇上没有点起灯的话，我们经过时，怎么能知道那是开罗呢？杰姆说，要是两条大河在那儿合流，那一定能看得出来。不过我说，说不定我们会以为我们只是在经过一个小岛的岛尾，又回到了原来的河上，这也难说啊。这样一说，害得杰姆大为心神不安——我自己也如此。这样一来，就有一个该怎么办的问题了。我说，不妨一见有灯光，便划过去走上岸。不妨跟人家说，我爸爸在后边坐着商船，马上过来。还可以说，他做生意是个生手，想知道这儿离开罗还有多远。杰姆认为这个主意不错。我们便一边抽烟，一边等着①。

①诺顿版注：以下本有写密西西比河上木筏夫一节，为有关当年河上生活的名篇，后抽去编入《密西西比河上的生活》（１８８３）。按后来的不同版本，有不同的处理，有略去的，有移作附录的，有仍编入第十六章的。我们这个译本把这个名篇收作《附录》（一）。

眼下无事可做，就只是睁大了眼睛，留心察看着是否到了开罗。可别不在意，错过了还不知道啊。杰姆说，他肯定会认出来的，因为只要一认出来，从那一个时刻起，他便是一个自由人了。反之，如果一错过，他便会再一次身在奴隶制的州里，再也没有自由的机会啦。于是，每隔一会儿，他便会跳起来说道：“到啦。”可是并非灯火。那不过是些鬼火或者是萤火虫罢了。他便又坐了下来，象刚才那样，又盯着望。杰姆说，眼看自由就在眼前，他浑身发抖、发热。啊，我要说的是，听他这么一说，也叫我全身发抖发热。因为在我的脑子里，也开始在形成一个观念，这便是，他快要自由了。——那么，这事该怪罪谁呢？啊，该怪罪我啊。不管怎么说，不管什么个办法，在我的良心上，这一点就是去不掉。这可叫我坐立不安啊。在过去，我从没有想到这一层，从没有想到自己正在干的究竟是什么一回事。可是现在想到了，认真想过了，这叫我越来越心焦。我也曾试图给自己辩解，说这怪罪不得我，因为我可没有叫杰姆从他那个合理合法的主人那儿逃跑啊。可是辩解也没有什么用。每一回，良心会站出来，说道：“可是你明明知道他为了自由正在逃跑啊，你尽可以划到岸上去，向人家告发他啊。”这话说得不错——这个理是我绕不过去的，无法绕过去。这是直刺良心的，良心对我这么说，“可怜的华珍小姐有什么地方亏待了你，你竟然可以明明看见她的黑奴在你的眼皮底下逃掉，却从未说过任何一个字？那个可怜的老妇人有什么地方对不住你，你竟然这样卑鄙地对待她？啊，她想方设法要你好好读你的书，她想方设法要你有规有矩，她一桩桩、一件件，凡是能见到的，总是想尽办法对你好。她可就是那么样对待你的啊。”我只觉得自己太卑鄙了，太难受了，但愿就此死了的好。我在木筏上忐忑不安地走来走去，一边怪怨自己，而杰姆也在忐忑不安地在我身边走来走去。我们两人，谁也安不下心来。每一次，他跳起了舞，说道，“开罗到啦！”我就中了一枪，并且刺透了我的心。我这时心想，要真是开罗的话，我真会难受得死过去①。

①诺顿版注：关于对黑奴制的态度，人们务须记住，本书所写的故事，在当时，凡有钱人以及教会，都是支持黑奴制的。哈克当时内心里正有两种感情在交战、一种是忠于社会上流行的维护奴隶制的，另一种是对黑人表示同情。这样一种内心的矛盾，贯串全书。

在我自言自语的时候，杰姆不停地高声讲话。他在说，一到了自由州，他第一件事要干些什么，那就是拼命挣钱，决不乱花一分钱，等到积聚得够数目了，便要把老婆赎买回来。她如今是属于一家农庄的，地点靠近华珍小姐那里。然后他们两个人要拼命干活，好把两个小孩赎买回来。还说，要是他们那个主人不肯卖他们的话，他们就要找个反对黑奴制度的人，把孩子们偷出来。听到他这样说，我几乎全身冰凉。在他一生中，在今天以前，他决不敢说出这样的话来。可见当他断定自己快要自由的这一刹那间，他这人的变化有多么大。正是老话说得好：“给黑奴一寸，他便要一尺。”我心想，这全只是因为我没有好好地想一想，才会有如此的结果啊。在我的面前，如今正是这么一个黑奴，我一直等于在帮着他逃跑，如今竟然这么露骨地说什么他要偷走他的孩子们——这些孩子原本是属于一个我所不认识的人的，而且此人从来也没有害过我啊。听到杰姆说出这样的话来，我非常难过。这也是杰姆太不自爱才说出了这样的话。我的良心从我心里煽起的火正越煽越旺，到后来，我对我自己的良心说：“别再怪罪我吧——还来得及呢——见灯光，我就划过去，上岸，去告发他。”于是我马上觉得满心舒坦，很高兴，身子轻得像一根羽毛似的。我所有的烦恼也都烟消云散了。我继续张望着，看有没有灯光。这时我高兴得要在心里为自己歌唱一曲哩。没有多久，出现了一处灯光。杰姆欢呼了起来：“我们得救啦，哈克，我们得救啦！跳起来，立个正，大好的开罗终于到啦，我心里有数的！”我说：“我把小舟划过去，看一看，杰姆。你要知道，也许还不是呢。”他跳将起来，弄好了小舟，把他的旧上衣放在船肚里，好叫我坐在上面。他把桨递给了我。在我划的时候，他说：“马上，我就要欢呼啦。我要说，这一切，都得归功哈克。我是个自由人啦。可要不是哈克，我哪里会自由呢。全是哈克干成功的。杰姆永生永世忘不掉你，哈克。你是我最好的朋友，你也是我杰姆唯一的一个朋友。”我刚把小船划开，急着想去告发他，可是他这么一说，我就泄气泄了个精光。我动作缓慢起来了，也辨不清我心里是高兴呢，还是不高兴。我划了有五十码，杰姆说：“你去啦，你这个对朋友忠心耿耿的哈克。在白人绅士先生里面，你是对我老杰姆唯一守信用的人。”啊，我只觉得心里不是滋味。不过我心想，我还是非得这么干不行——这事我躲不过啊。恰恰在这么一个时刻，开过来一只小船，上面有两个人，手上有枪。他们停了船，我也停了船。他们中有人说：“那边是什么啊？”“一只木筏子”，我说。“你是木筏子上的人么？”“是的，先生。”“上面有人么？”“只有一个，先生。”“嗯，今晚上逃掉了五个黑奴，是上边河湾口上的。你那个人是白人还是黑人？”我并没有立刻回答。我想要回答的，可就是话说不出口。一两秒钟以后，我决定鼓起勇气说出来，可是我那男子汉大丈夫的气概不够——连一只兔子的勇气都没有。我知道自己正在泄气，便干脆放弃了原来的念头，直截了当地说：“一个白人。”“我看还是去亲自看一下。”“你们这样做得好”，我说，“是我爸爸在那一边，最好请你们劳驾帮个忙，把木筏子拖到有灯光的岸边，他有病——跟我妈和玛丽·安一个样。”“哦，孩子，我们他妈的忙得很啊。不过我看我们还是得去一趟。来吧——使劲划起来，一块儿去。”我用力划，他们也用力划。划了一两下，我说：“我跟你们说实话，爸爸一定会十分感谢你们。我要人家帮个忙，把木筏子拖到岸上去，可是一个个都溜了。我一个人又干不起来。”“嗯，这可真是卑鄙万分啦。而且很怪。再说，好孩子，你爸爸究竟是怎么一回事啊？”“是——是——嗐，也没有什么了不得的。”他们停下来不划了。这一刻，离木筏才只一点点儿路了。有一个人说：“孩子，你这是在撒谎。你爸爸究竟是怎么一回事啊。老老实实地回答，这样对你也好。”“我会的，先生，老老实实——不过千万别把我们丢在这里。这病——这——先生们，只要你们把船划过去，我把木筏子船头上的绳索递给你们，你们就不用靠拢木筏——求求你们了。”“把船倒回去，约翰，把船倒回去！”有一个人说。他们在水上往后退。“快躲开，孩子——躲到下风头去。他妈的，我估摸着风已经把它吹给我们了吧。你爸爸得了天花，你自己应该是清清楚楚的。那你为什么不老老实实说出来？难道你要把这个散布得到处都是么？”“嗯，”我哭哭啼啼地说，“我跟每一个人都说了，可是他们一个个都溜了，抛下了我们。”“可怜的小鬼头，这话也有些道理。我们也为你难过，不过，我们——滚他妈的，我们可不愿意害什么天花，知道吧。听我说，我告诉你怎么办。你一个人可别想靠拢河岸，不然的话，你只会落得个一塌糊涂的下场。你还是往下漂二十英里左右，就到了河上左手一个镇子上。那个时辰，太阳出了很久了，你求人家帮忙时，不妨说你们家的人都是害的一忽儿发冷、一忽儿发热，倒了下来。别再充当傻瓜蛋了，让人家猜想到了究竟是怎么一回事。我们也是存心为你做一桩好事，所以嘛，你就把我们和你之间保持个二十英里吧，这才是一个好孩子。要是到点灯的那边上岸，那是毫无用处的——那边只是个堆放木头的厂房。听我说，——我估摸，你爸爸也是穷苦人，我不能不说，他眼前命运挺艰难。这里——我留下值二十块钱的金元，放在这块板子上。你捞上这块板子，就是你的了。抛开你们不管，我自个儿也觉得对不住人，不过，我的天啊，我可不愿意跟天花开什么玩笑，你明白不明白？”“别撒手，巴克，”另一个人说，“把我这二十块钱也放在木板上。再见了，孩子，还是遵照巴克先生的嘱咐为好，你会把什么问题都给解决得好好的。”“是这样，我的孩子——再见了，再见了。你要是见到有逃跑的黑奴，不妨找人帮个忙，把他们给逮起来，你也可以从中得些钱嘛。”“再见了，先生，”我说，“只要我办得到，我决不会让黑奴在我手里逃掉。”他们划走了，我上了木筏，心里头可不是个滋味，因为我很清楚，自己这是做了错事。我也明白，我这个人要想学好也是做不到的了：一个人从小起，没有一开始就学好，以后也就成不了气候——一旦危急临头，也没有什么东西能支撑住他，把事干好，这样，就只能败下阵来。我又思量了一会儿，就对自己说，等一等——假如说，你是做得对了，把杰姆交了出去，你心里会比现在这个时刻好受些么？不，我说，我会难受的——我会象眼下一样地那么个感觉。我就说，这么说来，既然学好，做得对，需得费劲，做错不必费劲，而代价都是一个样，不多一分，不少一分，那么又何必学着做对的事呢？这个问题可把我给卡住了，我回答不出来。我就想，从今以后，别再为这个操什么心了吧；从此以后，不论遇到什么事，只要怎样办方便就怎样办吧。我走进窝棚，杰姆不在那里。我四下里一找，到处见不到他。我说：“杰姆！”“我在这里啊，哈克。那些人望不见影子了么？别大声叫嚷。”他身在河水中，在船舶的桨下，只有鼻子露出水面。我告诉他，那些人望不见了，他这才爬上船。他说：“你们讲的话，我全听到了。我溜到了河中，要是他们上船的话，我会游上岸去。他们一走，我就会又游到筏子上来。不过啊，我的天，你可把他们作弄得够苦的了，哈克。这一手玩得可真帅！我跟你说，老弟，你这一下可是救了老杰姆一命——老杰姆永永远远也不会忘掉老弟啊。”随后我们谈到了钱。这下子可真捞了不少。每人二十块大洋呢。杰姆说，如今我们可以在轮船上打统舱票了。这笔钱够我们到各自由州，愿去哪里就去那里的所有花费了。他说，再走二十英里路，对木筏子来说，也不算远。他但愿我们已经到了那里才好。拂晓时分，我们系好了木筏。杰姆对怎样能把木筏藏得好好的，特别留神。接下来，他用了一整天把东西捆好，准备好随时可以离开木筏子。那一个夜晚十点钟光景，我们望见左手河湾下边一个镇子上透着灯光。我把小船划过去进行探询。不久我见到有一个人在河上驾着小船，正在水中下拦河钩绳。我划过去问道：“先生，这里是开罗镇么？”“开罗？不，你可真是个傻瓜蛋。”“先生，那么，是什么一个镇子？”“你要想知道，不妨去问一问。你要是再缠着我半分钟，就有你好看的。”我划到了木筏那边，杰姆失望到了极点。可是我说，不用灰心，据我估计，下面一个镇子就会是开罗了。我们在拂晓以前到了另一个镇子。我正要出去，一看是片高地，因此也就不出去了。杰姆说，开罗四周并没有什么高地，我差点儿把这个给忘了。我们白天混了一天，那是在离左岸不远的一处沙洲。我开始产生了一些疑虑，杰姆也一个样。我说：“说不定那晚上我们在大雾中漂过了开罗。”他说：“别谈这个啦，哈克。可怜的黑人就是交不到好云（运）气。我一直在疑心，那条蛇皮给我们带来的坏云（运）气还没有完呢。”“我但愿从没有见到过那张蛇皮的，杰姆——我但愿我这一双眼睛从没有见到过那张蛇皮。”“这不是你的什么车（错），哈克。你根本不知道嘛。你用不着为这个怪罪自己嘛。”天一亮，岸这一边果然是俄亥俄河清清的河水，千真万确。外边还是原先那种混浊的河水。啊，原来开罗确实已经错过了①。

①诺顿版注：开罗镇位于俄亥俄河注入密西西比河的入口处。俄亥俄水较清，流入水浊的密西西比河。哈克和杰姆看到了清浊两种水，因而知道已错过了开罗镇。

我们把事情的方方面面谈了一遍。走陆路，那是不行的。我们当然无法把木筏划到上游去。没有别的办法，只能等到天黑，再坐小划子往回走，试试运气了。所以我们便在密密的白杨丛里睡了一整天。等到擦黑我们回木筏那里，小划子不见啦！一时间，我们一句话也说不出来。没有什么话好说的嘛。我们两人肚子里都明白，这是蛇皮又一次作的怪，说有什么用？说只能仿佛我们故意找岔子，结果只能招来更多的坏运气——而且不停地招来恶运，一直要到我们终于懂得了该一声不吭才行。后来我们谈到了我们最好该怎么办。最后认定没有别的什么好办法，只能坐木筏往下游漂去，一直到找到一个机会，能买只小划子往回走。我们不打算趁四周无人时随手借它一只，就象我爸爸当年干的那个样子，因为那么一来，就会有人在后面追我们。因此，我们就在天黑以后，坐着筏子走开了。蛇皮给了我们这么多祸害，要是有人至今还不相信玩弄蛇皮该是多么愚蠢，那么，只要他继续读下去看看它怎样进一步加害我们，就一定会相信了。要购买独木舟，通常是就在有木筏停靠着的那个岸边。不过我们并没有看见那边有什么木筏子，所以我们一直往前走了三个多小时。啊，夜色变得灰蒙蒙的，闷得很，这是仅次于大雾那么叫人讨厌的。河上是什么个光景，你就是看不清。连远和近也辨不清了。夜已深，一片寂静，这时下游开来了一只轮船。我们把灯点亮了，断定人家在轮船上会见到灯光的。下游开来的船，一般开来时不会和我们很靠近，它们开出去时沿着沙洲，挑暗礁底下水势平缓的水上走。不过，在这样的夜晚，它们便不顾一切往水道上拱，仿佛跟整个儿的大河作对似的。我们听得见它轰轰轰开过来，不过在靠近以前没有看得很清楚。它恰恰正朝着我们开来。这些轮船一般往往这么干，好露一露它们能多么贴近得一擦而过，可又能碰不到我们。有的时候，大轮盘把一根长桨咬飞了，然后领港的会探出脑袋，大笑一声，自以为挺帅的。好，如今它开过来了。我们说，它是想要给我们刮一刮胡子吧。可是它并没有往旁边闪那么一闪啊。这可是一条大轮，正急匆匆地开过来，看上去活象一大片乌黑乌黑的云，四周围亮着一排排萤火虫似的亮光，可是一刹那间，它突然露出了它庞然大物的凶相，但见一长排敞得开开的炉门，一闪闪发着红光，仿佛红得炽热的一排排牙齿，它那大得吓人的船头和护拦装置直接罩住了我们。对着我们发出了一声大叫，又响起了停止开动引擎的铃声，一阵阵咒骂声，一排排放气声，——正当杰姆从那一边、我从这一边往水下跳的一刹那，大轮猛冲过来，从木筏的中间冲过去。我往下潜水——目的是要摸到水底，因为一只直径三丈的大轮子眼看着要在我的头项上开过去。我得保持一个距离，我得有个足够活动的空间。我能在水下停留一分钟，这一回嘛，我估计停留了整整一分半钟。然后我急着窜到水面上，因为我委实快要憋死了。我一下子把脑袋探出水面，水齐着胳肢窝，一边由嘴里往外喷水，一边由鼻子里往外擤水。当然啰，水流得很急。轮船停机以后十秒钟，又开动了机器。因为这些轮船根本没有把木筏子上的工人放在眼里，眼下它正沿着大河往上游开过去，在浓重的夜色中消失得无影无踪，只是偶尔我还能听到它的声音。我大声叫唤杰姆有十来回，不过毫无回音。我就把我“踩水”时碰着我身子的一块木板抓住了，推着它往岸上游去。不过我发现，水是朝着左岸流的①。这也就是说，我已来到了横水道里了，于是我转了一个方向，朝那个方向游去。这是一条两英里长的斜斜的横水道，因此我花了不少时间才游过去。我找了一个安全地点爬上岸来。我没法看得很远，只能在坑坑洼洼的地上摸着往前走了四分之一英里路。接下来不知不觉间走到了一座老式的那种用双层圆木搭成的大房子跟前。我正要急匆匆走过，突然窜出几条狗，朝我汪汪乱叫，我知道，我还是站着不移动一步的为是。