Page 269 - the-adventures-of-tom-sawyer

Injun Joe’s ghost ain’t a going to come around where there’s
a cross!’
The point was well taken. It had its effect.
‘Tom, I didn’t think of that. But that’s so. It’s luck for us,
that cross is. I reckon we’ll climb down there and have a
hunt for that box.’
Tom went first, cutting rude steps in the clay hill as he
descended. Huck followed. Four avenues opened out of the
small cavern which the great rock stood in. The boys exam-
ined three of them with no result. They found a small recess
in the one nearest the base of the rock, with a pallet of blan-
kets spread down in it; also an old suspender, some bacon
rind, and the well-gnawed bones of two or three fowls. But
there was no money-box. The lads searched and researched
this place, but in vain. Tom said:
‘He said UNDER the cross. Well, this comes nearest to
being under the cross. It can’t be under the rock itself, be-
cause that sets solid on the ground.’
They searched everywhere once more, and then sat down
discouraged. Huck could suggest nothing. By-and-by Tom
said:
‘Lookyhere, Huck, there’s footprints and some candle-
grease on the clay about one side of this rock, but not on
the other sides. Now, what’s that for? I bet you the money IS
under the rock. I’m going to dig in the clay.’
‘That ain’t no bad notion, Tom!’ said Huck with anima-
tion.
Tom’s ‘real Barlow’ was out at once, and he had not dug
four inches before he struck wood.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer