CHAPTER	O
I	O
“	O
TOM	O
!	O
”	O

No	O
answer	O
.	O

“	O
TOM	O
!	O
”	O

No	O
answer	O
.	O

“	O
What	O
's	O
gone	O
with	O
that	O
boy	O
,	O
I	O
wonder	EVENT
?	O

You	O
TOM	O
!	O
”	O

No	O
answer	O
.	O

The	O
old	O
lady	O
pulled	EVENT
her	O
spectacles	O
down	O
and	O
looked	EVENT
over	O
them	O
about	O
the	O
room	O
;	O
then	O
she	O
put	EVENT
them	O
up	O
and	O
looked	EVENT
out	O
under	O
them	O
.	O

She	O
seldom	O
or	O
never	O
looked	O
_	O
through	O
_	O
them	O
for	O
so	O
small	O
a	O
thing	O
as	O
a	O
boy	O
;	O
they	O
were	O
her	O
state	O
pair	O
,	O
the	O
pride	O
of	O
her	O
heart	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
built	O
for	O
“	O
style	O
,	O
”	O
not	O
service	O
--	O
she	O
could	O
have	O
seen	O
through	O
a	O
pair	O
of	O
stove-lids	O
just	O
as	O
well	O
.	O

She	O
looked	O
perplexed	O
for	O
a	O
moment	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
said	EVENT
,	O
not	O
fiercely	O
,	O
but	O
still	O
loud	O
enough	O
for	O
the	O
furniture	O
to	O
hear	O
:	O
“	O
Well	O
,	O
I	O
lay	O
if	O
I	O
get	O
hold	O
of	O
you	O
I	O
'll	O
--	O
”	O
She	O
did	O
not	O
finish	O
,	O
for	O
by	O
this	O
time	O
she	O
was	O
bending	EVENT
down	O
and	O
punching	EVENT
under	O
the	O
bed	O
with	O
the	O
broom	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
she	O
needed	O
breath	O
to	O
punctuate	O
the	O
punches	O
with	O
.	O

She	O
resurrected	EVENT
nothing	O
but	O
the	O
cat	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
never	O
did	O
see	O
the	O
beat	O
of	O
that	O
boy	O
!	O
”	O

She	O
went	EVENT
to	O
the	O
open	O
door	O
and	O
stood	EVENT
in	O
it	O
and	O
looked	EVENT
out	O
among	O
the	O
tomato	O
vines	O
and	O
“	O
jimpson	O
”	O
weeds	O
that	O
constituted	O
the	O
garden	O
.	O

No	O
Tom	O
.	O

So	O
she	O
lifted	EVENT
up	O
her	O
voice	O
at	O
an	O
angle	O
calculated	EVENT
for	O
distance	O
and	O
shouted	EVENT
:	O
“	O
Y-o-u-u	O
TOM	O
!	O
”	O

There	O
was	O
a	O
slight	O
noise	EVENT
behind	O
her	O
and	O
she	O
turned	EVENT
just	O
in	O
time	O
to	O
seize	EVENT
a	O
small	O
boy	O
by	O
the	O
slack	O
of	O
his	O
roundabout	O
and	O
arrest	EVENT
his	O
flight	O
.	O

“	O
There	O
!	O

I	O
might	O
'	O
a	O
'	O
thought	O
of	O
that	O
closet	O
.	O

What	O
you	O
been	O
doing	O
in	O
there	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Nothing	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Nothing	O
!	O

Look	O
at	O
your	O
hands	O
.	O

And	O
look	O
at	O
your	O
mouth	O
.	O

What	O
_	O
is	O
_	O
that	O
truck	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
know	O
,	O
aunt	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Well	O
,	O
I	O
know	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
jam	O
--	O
that	O
's	O
what	O
it	O
is	O
.	O

Forty	O
times	O
I	O
've	O
said	O
if	O
you	O
did	O
n't	O
let	O
that	O
jam	O
alone	O
I	O
'd	O
skin	O
you	O
.	O

Hand	O
me	O
that	O
switch	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
switch	O
hovered	EVENT
in	O
the	O
air	O
--	O
the	O
peril	O
was	O
desperate	O
--	O
“	O
My	O
!	O

Look	O
behind	O
you	O
,	O
aunt	O
!	O
”	O

The	O
old	O
lady	O
whirled	EVENT
round	O
,	O
and	O
snatched	EVENT
her	O
skirts	O
out	O
of	O
danger	O
.	O

The	O
lad	O
fled	EVENT
on	O
the	O
instant	O
,	O
scrambled	EVENT
up	O
the	O
high	O
board-fence	O
,	O
and	O
disappeared	EVENT
over	O
it	O
.	O

His	O
aunt	O
Polly	O
stood	O
surprised	EVENT
a	O
moment	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
broke	O
into	O
a	O
gentle	O
laugh	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Hang	O
the	O
boy	O
,	O
ca	O
n't	O
I	O
never	O
learn	O
anything	O
?	O

Ai	O
n't	O
he	O
played	O
me	O
tricks	O
enough	O
like	O
that	O
for	O
me	O
to	O
be	O
looking	O
out	O
for	O
him	O
by	O
this	O
time	O
?	O

But	O
old	O
fools	O
is	O
the	O
biggest	O
fools	O
there	O
is	O
.	O

Ca	O
n't	O
learn	O
an	O
old	O
dog	O
new	O
tricks	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
saying	O
is	O
.	O

But	O
my	O
goodness	O
,	O
he	O
never	O
plays	O
them	O
alike	O
,	O
two	O
days	O
,	O
and	O
how	O
is	O
a	O
body	O
to	O
know	O
what	O
's	O
coming	O
?	O

He	O
'	O
pears	O
to	O
know	O
just	O
how	O
long	O
he	O
can	O
torment	O
me	O
before	O
I	O
get	O
my	O
dander	O
up	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
knows	O
if	O
he	O
can	O
make	O
out	O
to	O
put	O
me	O
off	O
for	O
a	O
minute	O
or	O
make	O
me	O
laugh	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
all	O
down	O
again	O
and	O
I	O
ca	O
n't	O
hit	O
him	O
a	O
lick	O
.	O

I	O
ai	O
n't	O
doing	O
my	O
duty	O
by	O
that	O
boy	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
's	O
the	O
Lord	O
's	O
truth	O
,	O
goodness	O
knows	O
.	O

Spare	O
the	O
rod	O
and	O
spile	O
the	O
child	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Good	O
Book	O
says	O
.	O

I	O
'm	O
a	O
laying	O
up	O
sin	O
and	O
suffering	O
for	O
us	O
both	O
,	O
I	O
know	O
.	O

He	O
's	O
full	O
of	O
the	O
Old	O
Scratch	O
,	O
but	O
laws-a-me	O
!	O

he	O
's	O
my	O
own	O
dead	O
sister	O
's	O
boy	O
,	O
poor	O
thing	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
ai	O
n't	O
got	O
the	O
heart	O
to	O
lash	O
him	O
,	O
somehow	O
.	O

Every	O
time	O
I	O
let	O
him	O
off	O
,	O
my	O
conscience	O
does	O
hurt	O
me	O
so	O
,	O
and	O
every	O
time	O
I	O
hit	O
him	O
my	O
old	O
heart	O
most	O
breaks	O
.	O

Well-a-well	O
,	O
man	O
that	O
is	O
born	O
of	O
woman	O
is	O
of	O
few	O
days	O
and	O
full	O
of	O
trouble	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Scripture	O
says	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
reckon	O
it	O
's	O
so	O
.	O

He	O
'll	O
play	O
hookey	O
this	O
evening	O
,	O
*	O
and	O
[	O
*	O
Southwestern	O
for	O
“	O
afternoon	O
”	O
]	O
I	O
'll	O
just	O
be	O
obleeged	O
to	O
make	O
him	O
work	O
,	O
tomorrow	O
,	O
to	O
punish	O
him	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
mighty	O
hard	O
to	O
make	O
him	O
work	O
Saturdays	O
,	O
when	O
all	O
the	O
boys	O
is	O
having	O
holiday	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
hates	O
work	O
more	O
than	O
he	O
hates	O
anything	O
else	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
've	O
_	O
got	O
_	O
to	O
do	O
some	O
of	O
my	O
duty	O
by	O
him	O
,	O
or	O
I	O
'll	O
be	O
the	O
ruination	O
of	O
the	O
child	O
.	O
”	O

Tom	O
did	O
play	O
hookey	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
had	O
a	O
very	O
good	O
time	O
.	O

He	O
got	EVENT
back	O
home	O
barely	O
in	O
season	O
to	O
help	O
Jim	O
,	O
the	O
small	O
colored	O
boy	O
,	O
saw	EVENT
next-day	O
's	O
wood	O
and	O
split	EVENT
the	O
kindlings	O
before	O
supper	O
--	O
at	O
least	O
he	O
was	O
there	O
in	O
time	O
to	O
tell	EVENT
his	O
adventures	O
to	O
Jim	O
while	O
Jim	O
did	O
three-fourths	O
of	O
the	O
work	O
.	O

Tom	O
's	O
younger	O
brother	O
(	O
or	O
rather	O
half-brother	O
)	O
Sid	O
was	O
already	O
through	EVENT
with	O
his	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
work	O
(	O
picking	EVENT
up	O
chips	O
)	O
,	O
for	O
he	O
was	O
a	O
quiet	O
boy	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
no	O
adventurous	O
,	O
trouble-some	O
ways	O
.	O

While	O
Tom	O
was	O
eating	EVENT
his	O
supper	EVENT
,	O
and	O
stealing	EVENT
sugar	O
as	O
opportunity	O
offered	O
,	O
Aunt	O
Polly	O
asked	O
him	O
questions	EVENT
that	O
were	O
full	O
of	O
guile	O
,	O
and	O
very	O
deep	O
--	O
for	O
she	O
wanted	O
to	O
trap	O
him	O
into	O
damaging	O
revealments	O
.	O

Like	O
many	O
other	O
simple-hearted	O
souls	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
her	O
pet	O
vanity	O
to	O
believe	O
she	O
was	O
endowed	O
with	O
a	O
talent	O
for	O
dark	O
and	O
mysterious	O
diplomacy	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
loved	O
to	O
contemplate	O
her	O
most	O
transparent	O
devices	O
as	O
marvels	O
of	O
low	O
cunning	O
.	O

Said	EVENT
she	O
:	O
“	O
Tom	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
middling	O
warm	O
in	O
school	O
,	O
war	O
n't	O
it	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Yes	O
'm	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Powerful	O
warm	O
,	O
war	O
n't	O
it	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Yes	O
'm	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Did	O
n't	O
you	O
want	O
to	O
go	O
in	O
a-swimming	O
,	O
Tom	O
?	O
”	O

A	O
bit	O
of	O
a	O
scare	EVENT
shot	O
through	O
Tom	O
--	O
a	O
touch	O
of	O
uncomfortable	O
suspicion	EVENT
.	O

He	O
searched	EVENT
Aunt	O
Polly	O
's	O
face	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
told	O
him	O
nothing	O
.	O

So	O
he	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
No	O
'm	O
--	O
well	O
,	O
not	O
very	O
much	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
old	O
lady	O
reached	EVENT
out	O
her	O
hand	O
and	O
felt	EVENT
Tom	O
's	O
shirt	O
,	O
and	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
But	O
you	O
ai	O
n't	O
too	O
warm	O
now	O
,	O
though	O
.	O
”	O

And	O
it	O
flattered	EVENT
her	O
to	O
reflect	EVENT
that	O
she	O
had	O
discovered	EVENT
that	O
the	O
shirt	O
was	O
dry	O
without	O
anybody	O
knowing	O
that	O
that	O
was	O
what	O
she	O
had	O
in	O
her	O
mind	O
.	O

But	O
in	O
spite	O
of	O
her	O
,	O
Tom	O
knew	O
where	O
the	O
wind	O
lay	O
,	O
now	O
.	O

So	O
he	O
forestalled	EVENT
what	O
might	O
be	O
the	O
next	O
move	O
:	O
“	O
Some	O
of	O
us	O
pumped	EVENT
on	O
our	O
heads	O
--	O
mine	O
's	O
damp	O
yet	O
.	O

See	O
?	O
”	O

Aunt	O
Polly	O
was	O
vexed	EVENT
to	O
think	EVENT
she	O
had	O
overlooked	EVENT
that	O
bit	O
of	O
circumstantial	O
evidence	O
,	O
and	O
missed	EVENT
a	O
trick	O
.	O

Then	O
she	O
had	O
a	O
new	O
inspiration	EVENT
:	O
“	O
Tom	O
,	O
you	O
did	O
n't	O
have	O
to	O
undo	O
your	O
shirt	O
collar	O
where	O
I	O
sewed	O
it	O
,	O
to	O
pump	O
on	O
your	O
head	O
,	O
did	O
you	O
?	O

Unbutton	O
your	O
jacket	O
!	O
”	O

The	O
trouble	O
vanished	EVENT
out	O
of	O
Tom	O
's	O
face	O
.	O

He	O
opened	EVENT
his	O
jacket	O
.	O

His	O
shirt	O
collar	O
was	O
securely	O
sewed	O
.	O

“	O
Bother	O
!	O

Well	O
,	O
go	O
'	O
long	O
with	O
you	O
.	O

I	O
'd	O
made	O
sure	O
you	O
'd	O
played	O
hookey	O
and	O
been	O
a-swimming	O
.	O

But	O
I	O
forgive	EVENT
ye	O
,	O
Tom	O
.	O

I	O
reckon	O
you	O
're	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
a	O
singed	O
cat	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
saying	O
is	O
--	O
better	O
'n	O
you	O
look	O
.	O

_	O
This	O
_	O
time	O
.	O
”	O

She	O
was	O
half	O
sorry	EVENT
her	O
sagacity	O
had	O
miscarried	EVENT
,	O
and	O
half	O
glad	EVENT
that	O
Tom	O
had	O
stumbled	EVENT
into	O
obedient	O
conduct	O
for	O
once	O
.	O

But	O
Sidney	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
Well	O
,	O
now	O
,	O
if	O
I	O
did	O
n't	O
think	O
you	O
sewed	O
his	O
collar	O
with	O
white	O
thread	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
's	O
black	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Why	O
,	O
I	O
did	O
sew	O
it	O
with	O
white	O
!	O

Tom	O
!	O
”	O

But	O
Tom	O
did	O
not	O
wait	O
for	O
the	O
rest	O
.	O

As	O
he	O
went	EVENT
out	O
at	O
the	O
door	O
he	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
Siddy	O
,	O
I	O
'll	O
lick	O
you	O
for	O
that	O
.	O
”	O

In	O
a	O
safe	O
place	O
Tom	O
examined	EVENT
two	O
large	O
needles	O
which	O
were	O
thrust	O
into	O
the	O
lapels	O
of	O
his	O
jacket	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
thread	O
bound	O
about	O
them	O
--	O
one	O
needle	O
carried	O
white	O
thread	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
black	O
.	O

He	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
She	O
'd	O
never	O
noticed	O
if	O
it	O
had	O
n't	O
been	O
for	O
Sid	O
.	O

Confound	O
it	O
!	O

sometimes	O
she	O
sews	O
it	O
with	O
white	O
,	O
and	O
sometimes	O
she	O
sews	O
it	O
with	O
black	O
.	O

I	O
wish	EVENT
to	O
gee-miny	O
she	O
'd	O
stick	O
to	O
one	O
or	O
t	O
'	O
other	O
--	O
I	O
ca	O
n't	O
keep	O
the	O
run	O
of	O
'em	O
.	O

But	O
I	O
bet	O
you	O
I	O
'll	O
lam	O
Sid	O
for	O
that	O
.	O

I	O
'll	O
learn	O
him	O
!	O
”	O

He	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
Model	O
Boy	O
of	O
the	O
village	O
.	O

He	O
knew	O
the	O
model	O
boy	O
very	O
well	O
though	O
--	O
and	O
loathed	O
him	O
.	O

Within	O
two	O
minutes	O
,	O
or	O
even	O
less	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
forgotten	EVENT
all	O
his	O
troubles	O
.	O

Not	O
because	O
his	O
troubles	O
were	O
one	O
whit	O
less	O
heavy	O
and	O
bitter	O
to	O
him	O
than	O
a	O
man	O
's	O
are	O
to	O
a	O
man	O
,	O
but	O
because	O
a	O
new	O
and	O
powerful	O
interest	O
bore	EVENT
them	O
down	O
and	O
drove	EVENT
them	O
out	O
of	O
his	O
mind	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
--	O
just	O
as	O
men	O
's	O
misfortunes	O
are	O
forgotten	O
in	O
the	O
excitement	O
of	O
new	O
enterprises	O
.	O

This	O
new	O
interest	O
was	O
a	O
valued	O
novelty	O
in	O
whistling	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
had	O
just	O
acquired	EVENT
from	O
a	O
negro	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
was	O
suffering	O
to	O
practise	O
it	O
un-disturbed	O
.	O

It	O
consisted	O
in	O
a	O
peculiar	O
bird-like	O
turn	O
,	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
liquid	O
warble	O
,	O
produced	O
by	O
touching	O
the	O
tongue	O
to	O
the	O
roof	O
of	O
the	O
mouth	O
at	O
short	O
intervals	O
in	O
the	O
midst	O
of	O
the	O
music	O
--	O
the	O
reader	O
probably	O
remembers	O
how	O
to	O
do	O
it	O
,	O
if	O
he	O
has	O
ever	O
been	O
a	O
boy	O
.	O

Diligence	O
and	O
attention	O
soon	O
gave	O
him	O
the	O
knack	O
of	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
strode	EVENT
down	O
the	O
street	O
with	O
his	O
mouth	O
full	O
of	O
harmony	O
and	O
his	O
soul	O
full	O
of	O
gratitude	O
.	O

He	O
felt	O
much	O
as	O
an	O
astronomer	O
feels	O
who	O
has	O
discovered	O
a	O
new	O
planet	O
--	O
no	O
doubt	O
,	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
strong	O
,	O
deep	O
,	O
unalloyed	O
pleasure	O
is	O
concerned	O
,	O
the	O
advantage	O
was	O
with	O
the	O
boy	O
,	O
not	O
the	O
astronomer	O
.	O

The	O
summer	O
evenings	O
were	O
long	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
not	O
dark	O
,	O
yet	O
.	O

Presently	O
Tom	O
checked	EVENT
his	O
whistle	O
.	O

A	O
stranger	O
was	O
before	O
him	O
--	O
a	O
boy	O
a	O
shade	O
larger	O
than	O
himself	O
.	O

A	O
new-comer	O
of	O
any	O
age	O
or	O
either	O
sex	O
was	O
an	O
im-pressive	O
curiosity	O
in	O
the	O
poor	O
little	O
shabby	O
village	O
of	O
St.	O
Petersburg	O
.	O

This	O
boy	O
was	O
well	O
dressed	O
,	O
too	O
--	O
well	O
dressed	O
on	O
a	O
week-day	O
.	O

This	O
was	O
simply	O
as	O
astounding	O
.	O

His	O
cap	O
was	O
a	O
dainty	O
thing	O
,	O
his	O
close-buttoned	O
blue	O
cloth	O
roundabout	O
was	O
new	O
and	O
natty	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
were	O
his	O
pantaloons	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
shoes	O
on	O
--	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
only	O
Friday	O
.	O

He	O
even	O
wore	O
a	O
necktie	O
,	O
a	O
bright	O
bit	O
of	O
ribbon	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
a	O
citified	O
air	O
about	O
him	O
that	O
ate	EVENT
into	O
Tom	O
's	O
vitals	O
.	O

The	O
more	O
Tom	O
stared	EVENT
at	O
the	O
splendid	O
marvel	O
,	O
the	O
higher	O
he	O
turned	EVENT
up	O
his	O
nose	O
at	O
his	O
finery	O
and	O
the	O
shabbier	O
and	O
shabbier	O
his	O
own	O
outfit	O
seemed	O
to	O
him	O
to	O
grow	O
.	O

Neither	O
boy	O
spoke	O
.	O

If	O
one	O
moved	O
,	O
the	O
other	O
moved	O
--	O
but	O
only	O
sidewise	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
circle	O
;	O
they	O
kept	O
face	O
to	O
face	O
and	O
eye	O
to	O
eye	O
all	O
the	O
time	O
.	O

Finally	O
Tom	O
said	EVENT
:	O
“	O
I	O
can	O
lick	O
you	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
'd	O
like	O
to	O
see	O
you	O
try	O
it	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Well	O
,	O
I	O
can	O
do	O
it	O
.	O
”	O