13 Trapped in the Cave

CHAPTER 13 Trapped in the Cave That Sunday morning, as soon as dawn broke, Huck again came racing up the hill and knocked gently at the old Welshman's door. "Who's there?" a gruff voice shouted. "Please let me in. It's only Huck Finn." "That's a name that can open this door night or day, lad! Welcome." The door was quickly unlocked. Huck was given a comfortable seat as the old man began preparing a hero's breakfast for him. "The boys and I were hoping you'd stop

back here last night." "I was awful scared," said Huck. "I took off when the pistols went off, and I was a-feared to come back before it was light." "Poor chap, you do look as if you've had a hard night. There's a bed here for you when you've had your breakfast. We came near to catching those devils last night. We would have had 'em if I hadn't sneezed. It was the worst kind of luck! Right off, those scoundrels started running. We fired away at them, but they were off in a jiffy. The sheriff got a posse together, and they're searching the woods. You couldn't see what they were like, in the dark, I suppose?" "Oh, yes, I saw them downtown and followed them. One's the Spaniard that's been around here once or twice. The other's—" "That's enough, lad. We know the men!

Off with you boys, and tell the sheriff!" Just as the Welshman's sons were about to leave the room, Huck sprang up. "Oh, please don't tell anybody it was me that told on 'em. Oh, please!" "Huck, you ought to have the credit." "Oh, no, no! Please don't tell!" "They won't—and I won't. But why don't you want it known?" Huck would not explain—other than that he was afraid. The old man promised secrecy once more. "How did you come to follow these fellows? Were they looking suspicious?" Huck was silent for a while, thinking of what to say. "Well, you see, I couldn't sleep last night, and I saw these two men down by the inn and one of them was carrying something that

looked stolen." He went on, quickly making up a story about how he decided to follow the men, one of whom he recognized as the Spaniard, up the hill and to the Widow Douglas' house. "And then the Spaniard said—" "What? The Spaniard can talk?" Huck realized his mistake instantly. He made several feeble efforts to try to cover his tracks but the old man cut him off. "My boy, don't be afraid of me. I wouldn't hurt a hair on your head for all the world. You know something about that Spaniard that you want to keep secret. Now trust me, lad, tell me the rest. I won't betray you." Huck looked into the old man's honest eyes a moment, then he whispered in his ear: "'Tain't a Spaniard—it's Injun Joe!" The Welshman almost jumped out of his

chair. After a moment, he said: "It's all clear now. Injun Joe always held it against the widow's husband for putting him in jail all the time." Huck sat down to breakfast feeling faint. He was mad at himself for being so nervous and letting the information about Injun Joe slip. At the same time, he felt relieved. The Welshman told the rest of the story: how the scoundrels had dropped a bunch of burglar tools when they ran. There was no mention of treasure, which, Huck thought, must mean that it was still back in the room in the inn. Injun Joe and his friend would be captured and jailed that day, Huck figured. Then he and Tom could seize the gold that very night without any trouble at all. Everyone in St.Petersburg went early to church that morning. The town was buzzing with the news from the night before. The

word was that not a sign of the two villains had been found. When the sermon was finished, Judge Thatcher's wife dropped alongside of Mrs.Harper as she moved down the aisle with the crowd and said: "Is my Becky going to sleep all day? I just expected she would be tired to death." "Your Becky?" "Yes. Didn't she stay with you last night?" "Why, no." Mrs.Thatcher turned pale and sank into a pew. Just then Tom's Aunt Polly passed by and said: "Good morning, Mrs.Thatcher. Good morning, Mrs.Harper. I reckon my Tom must have stayed at your house last night—or with you, Mrs.Harper. And now he's afraid to come to church. I've got to settle with him." Mrs.Thatcher shook her head feebly, and