the adventure in the finest dramatic manner he was master of, but the
surprise it occasioned was largely counterfeit and not as clamorous and
effusive as it might have been under happier circumstances. However,
the widow made a pretty fair show of astonishment, and heaped so many
compliments and so much gratitude upon Huck that he almost forgot
the nearly intolerable discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely
intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody s gaze
and everybody s laudations.
The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have him
educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start him in
business in a modest way. Tom s chance was come. He said:
Huck don t need it. Huck s rich.
Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the company kept
back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant joke. But
the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it:
Huck s got money. Maybe you don t believe it, but he s got lots of it.
Oh, you needn t smile I reckon I can show you. You just wait a minute.
Tom ran out of doors. The company looked at each other with a perplexed
interest and inquiringly at Huck, who was tongue-tied.
Sid, what ails Tom? said Aunt Polly. He well, there ain t ever any
making of that boy out. I never
Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and Aunt Polly
did not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin upon the
table and said:
There what did I tell you? Half of it s Huck s and half of it s mine!
The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody spoke for
a moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom said
he could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brimful of
interest. There was scarcely an interruption from any one to break the
charm of its flow. When he had finished, Mr. Jones said:
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