Analytical Reader

Tenth chapter.

1.       It organizes the paragraphs

·         “Huckleberry, what do you think will happen now?”

“If the doctor dies, they will hang Indian Joe.”

Tom spoke. “Who will tell about it? You and I?”

“If we did, and if Indian Joe did not hang, he would kill us.”

“I was thinking that, Huck.”

“Let Muff Potter tell if he is fool enough. He is usually drunk

enough.”

Tom continued to think. Then he said, “Huck, Muff Potter does

not know what happened. The doctor had hit him with that board.

Huck, are you sure that you won’t tell?”

“Tom, we can’t tell. You know that. Indian Joe would drown us

like two cats if we told. Tom, we must promise never to tell. It must be

a strong promise. With writing. And blood.”

·         The next morning his aunt gave him some food. Then she wept,

and she asked him why he hurt her old heart. She wished to help him

to be good. She tried and tried, but she could try no more.

A thousand beatings would have been easier for Tom. He wept. He

promised to be good. But he felt that she did not believe his promises.

He went to school, and there the teacher beat him and Joe Harper,

because they had run away from school the day before.

Then he went to his seat. A hard object, covered in paper, was

waiting for him there. He opened the paper. Inside was the bright, shin­

ing ball that looked like gold that he had given to Becky Thatcher.

This was too much. Now his heart was broken.

·         Tom agreed with all his heart. This idea was what must be done.

It was deep and dark and fearful. This was the hour and the place to

do it. He found a clean broad piece of wood. In his pocket he found

something to write with. The moon was his light. Painfully he formed

the words:

Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer promise they will never tell about this,

and they wish they may die in their footsteps if they ever tell.

·         THE TWO BOYS RAN TOWARD THE VILLAGE. THEY LOOKED BEHIND

them often, afraid that they were being followed.

After a while, they came to the edge of the village. There stood

an old building which was not used. They ran through the open door

and fell to the ground.

·         Then each boy cut a finger and signed in blood TS and HF. Tom

helped Huck to write his H and F.

Then they made a hole in the ground near the wall of the build­

ing. They placed the piece of wood in the hole and covered it with

earth. Now they were certain. Their mouths would never speak about

what their eyes had seen.

When Tom entered his house through his bedroom window, the

night was almost gone. He took off his clothes very quietly and lay

down. He believed, happily, that his aunt would never know that he

had been away. But Sid was not asleep.