登陆注册
5200800000072

第72章

TUESDAY afternoon came, and waned to the twilight.The village of St.Petersburg still mourned.The lost children had not been found.Public prayers had been offered up for them, and many and many a private prayer that had the petitioner's whole heart in it; but still no good news came from the cave.The majority of the searchers had given up the quest and gone back to their daily avocations, saying that it was plain the children could never be found.Mrs.Thatcher was very ill, and a great part of the time delirious.People said it was heartbreaking to hear her call her child, and raise her head and listen a whole minute at a time, then lay it wearily down again with a moan.Aunt Polly had drooped into a settled melancholy, and her gray hair had grown almost white.The village went to its rest on Tuesday night, sad and forlorn.

Away in the middle of the night a wild peal burst from the village bells, and in a moment the streets were swarming with frantic half-clad people, who shouted, "Turn out! turn out! they're found! they're found!" Tin pans and horns were added to the din, the population massed itself and moved toward the river, met the children coming in an open carriage drawn by shouting citizens, thronged around it, joined its homeward march, and swept magnificently up the main street roaring huzzah after huzzah!

The village was illuminated; nobody went to bed again; it was the greatest night the little town had ever seen.During the first half-hour a procession of villagers filed through Judge Thatcher's house, seized the saved ones and kissed them, squeezed Mrs.Thatcher's hand, tried to speak but couldn't -- and drifted out raining tears all over the place.

Aunt Polly's happiness was complete, and Mrs.Thatcher's nearly so.It would be complete, however, as soon as the messenger dispatched with the great news to the cave should get the word to her husband.Tom lay upon a sofa with an eager auditory about him and told the history of the wonderful adventure, putting in many striking additions to adorn it withal; and closed with a description of how he left Becky and went on an exploring expedition; how he followed two avenues as far as his kite-line would reach; how he followed a third to the fullest stretch of the kite-line, and was about to turn back when he glimpsed a far-off speck that looked like daylight; dropped the line and groped toward it, pushed his head and shoulders through a small hole, and saw the broad Mississippi rolling by! And if it had only happened to be night he would not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that passage any more! He told how he went back for Becky and broke the good news and she told him not to fret her with such stuff, for she was tired, and knew she was going to die, and wanted to.He described how he labored with her and convinced her; and how she almost died for joy when she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight; how he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out; how they sat there and cried for gladness; how some men came along in a skiff and Tom hailed them and told them their situation and their famished condition; how the men didn't believe the wild tale at first, "because," said they, "you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in" -- then took them aboard, rowed to a house, gave them supper, made them rest till two or three hours after dark and then brought them home.

Before day-dawn, Judge Thatcher and the handful of searchers with him were tracked out, in the cave, by the twine clews they had strung behind them, and informed of the great news.

Three days and nights of toil and hunger in the cave were not to be shaken off at once, as Tom and Becky soon discovered.They were bedridden all of Wednesday and Thursday, and seemed to grow more and more tired and worn, all the time.Tom got about, a little, on Thursday, was down-town Friday, and nearly as whole as ever Saturday; but Becky did not leave her room until Sunday, and then she looked as if she had passed through a wasting illness.

Tom learned of Huck's sickness and went to see him on Friday, but could not be admitted to the bedroom; neither could he on Saturday or Sunday.He was admitted daily after that, but was warned to keep still about his adventure and introduce no exciting topic.The Widow Douglas stayed by to see that he obeyed.At home Tom learned of the Cardiff Hill event; also that the "ragged man's" body had eventually been found in the river near the ferrylanding; he had been drowned while trying to escape, perhaps.

About a fortnight after Tom's rescue from the cave, he started off to visit Huck, who had grown plenty strong enough, now, to hear exciting talk, and Tom had some that would interest him, he thought.Judge Thatcher's house was on Tom's way, and he stopped to see Becky.The Judge and some friends set Tom to talking, and some one asked him ironically if he wouldn't like to go to the cave again.Tom said he thought he wouldn't mind it.The Judge said:

"Well, there are others just like you, Tom, I've not the least doubt.But we have taken care of that.Nobody will get lost in that cave any more.""Why?"

"Because I had its big door sheathed with boiler iron two weeks ago, and triple-locked -- and I've got the keys."Tom turned as white as a sheet.

"What's the matter, boy! Here, run, somebody! Fetch a glass of water!"The water was brought and thrown into Tom's face.

"Ah, now you're all right.What was the matter with you, Tom?""Oh, Judge, Injun Joe's in the cave!"

同类推荐
  • 淞故述

    淞故述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医学源流论

    医学源流论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鹿皮子集

    鹿皮子集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Call of the Canyon

    The Call of the Canyon

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 指归集

    指归集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 幸福大抽奖

    幸福大抽奖

    黄永乐得到幸福系统,只要幸福就能抽奖,抽取全世界的东西。能抽取海水,也能抽取空气;能抽取植物,也能抽取动物;能抽取美食,也能抽取美女;能抽取地底的宝藏,也能抽取天上的飞机;能抽取超市的商品,也能抽取军火库的武器;能抽取武功秘籍,也能抽取神丹妙药;能抽取现实世界的东西,也能抽取小说世界的东西;想抽什么,就抽什么。从此,黄永乐过上抽奖的幸福生活……
  • 总裁老公被嫌弃

    总裁老公被嫌弃

    未出生就被自家老爹卖了,还是卖给多金帅气男,但此男口贱脸皮厚,看精灵古怪小女孩对上腹黑大叔!
  • 惊天祸水:不做帝王妃

    惊天祸水:不做帝王妃

    世人皆知:权倾朝野的东厂督主郑寒大太监,为人古怪,手段毒辣,“他”的鹰犬遍布天下。上至朝野下至江湖,没有任何事能逃过“他”的耳目。可晴天一个霹雳,这朝廷第一大佞臣竟然是个女人!且为了跟东厂死对头——西厂巡察使沈孤城谈恋爱,竟脱下官服换上了女装!正当围观群众纷纷表示狗眼已瞎的时候,真龙天子竟也搀和进来,当起了“史上最贵”小三!满朝文武彻底醉了,史官颤抖着小身板,捏着毛笔风中凌乱……最终,他颤巍巍在史书上写下一笔——贵圈真乱!===本文写崩了!给看官大老爷们跪下了!最近几天就完坑,对不住!
  • 将军家的书童

    将军家的书童

    “将军,你今天要与苏公主去游湖,可别迟到了。”那是老夫人特别交待的,她只管奉命行事。“你难道一点也不担心我要娶公主的事情吗?”一双腹黑的眼眸闪着某种期待。“担心啊,担心你不能把公主伺候好,谁叫你风评不好。”她特无辜的睁大眼。那些人都将矛头指到了她身上,她只是个书童好吗,她还是个男人!
  • 快乐其实很容易

    快乐其实很容易

    快乐大不易!这是一本读“心”之作,是教会你处理复杂情感和压力的百宝箱。很多人生困惑、迷茫、烦恼、痛苦甚至失望的问题,都将在书中得到充分的诠释。读完它,你可以轻松而酣畅地感叹:快乐其实很容易啊!
  • The Story of the Glittering Plain

    The Story of the Glittering Plain

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 甜美小娇妻:竹马吃定你

    甜美小娇妻:竹马吃定你

    三岁,他,她相识。十七岁,她碰了一个男孩子的手,他吃味地说:“我的手随便牵。”她懵了很久才知道……结婚以后,她在刷视频,看着视频里小哥哥的腹肌,一脸沉醉。第二天,她不知道是怎么起床的。(本书是甜,可能会有一些玻璃渣,但可以放心入坑。)
  • 倾世将军,独孤贵妃传

    倾世将军,独孤贵妃传

    她是周朝战无不胜的少年将军,生而荣耀,战而获赏,碧玉年华便封为将军。她也是周朝皇帝的贵妃,皎若秋月,夭桃浓李,后宫荣宠集于一身。她更是女贞氏族的皇后,风华绝代,才思敏捷,终帮夫君成千秋霸业。她不仅是独孤将军的独子,更是独孤将军倾国倾城的女儿。本以为将戎装一世,没曾想到当年桃花树下,烟雨梦中,他执手相看便改变她一生的命运……
  • 重生泼辣俏娇媳

    重生泼辣俏娇媳

    新书《重生九零幸福攻略》开文了,请大家继续支持。曲小白尝尽了人间冷暖,父亲死了,弟弟腿断了,家散了,而自己也被所谓的亲人折磨的饱经沧桑......醒来却回到了十二岁,父亲未死,弟弟还好好的!这一世,曲小白发誓,定要护家人安全,好日子也要过起来。某男:媳妇儿,全都听你的!
  • 天凑巧

    天凑巧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。