Page 126 - the-adventures-of-tom-sawyer

they’ll float right there and stop.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard about that,’ said Joe. ‘I wonder what
makes the bread do that.’
‘Oh, it ain’t the bread, so much,’ said Tom; ‘I reckon it’s
mostly what they SAY over it before they start it out.’
‘But they don’t say anything over it,’ said Huck. ‘I’ve seen
‘em and they don’t.’
‘Well, that’s funny,’ said Tom. ‘But maybe they say it to
themselves. Of COURSE they do. Anybody might know
that.’
The other boys agreed that there was reason in what Tom
said, because an ignorant lump of bread, uninstructed by
an incantation, could not be expected to act very intelli-
gently when set upon an errand of such gravity.
‘By jings, I wish I was over there, now,’ said Joe.
‘I do too’ said Huck ‘I’d give heaps to know who it is.’
The boys still listened and watched. Presently a revealing
thought flashed through Tom’s mind, and he exclaimed:
‘Boys, I know who’s drownded — it’s us!’
They felt like heroes in an instant. Here was a gorgeous
triumph; they were missed; they were mourned; hearts
were breaking on their account; tears were being shed; ac-
cusing memories of unkindness to these poor lost lads were
rising up, and unavailing regrets and remorse were being
indulged; and best of all, the departed were the talk of the
whole town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this daz-
zling notoriety was concerned. This was fine. It was worth
while to be a pirate, after all.
As twilight drew on, the ferryboat went back to her ac-

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