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life for a texas and a pilot-house such a night as this, when it's likely to break up

and wash off down the river any minute?" Jim couldn't say nothing to that,

so he didn't try. "And besides," I says, "we might borrow something worth

having, out of the captain's stateroom. Seegars, I bet you -- and cost five cents

apiece, solid cash. Steamboat captains is always rich, and get sixty dollars a

month, and they don't care a cent what a thing costs, you know, long as they

want it. Stick a candle in your pocket; I can't rest, Jim, till we give her a

rummaging. Do you reckon Tom Sawyer would ever go by this thing? Not

for pie, he wouldn't. He'd call it an adventure -- that's what he'd call it;

and he'd land on that wreck if it was his last act. And wouldn't he throw

style into it? -- wouldn't he spread himself, nor nothing? Why, you'd think it

was Christopher C'lumbus discovering Kingdom-Come. I wish Tom Sawyer

was here." ssssssssss

Jim he grumbled a little, but give in. He said we mustn't talk any more

than we could help, and then talk mighty low. The lightning showed us the

wreck again, just in time, and we fetched the starboard derrick, and made

fast there. ssssssssss

The deck was high out, here. We went sneaking down the slope of it to

labboard, in the dark, towards the texas, feeling our way slow with our feet, and

spreading our hands out to fend off the guys, for it was so dark we couldn't see

no sign of them. Pretty soon we struck the forward end of the skylight, and

dumb onto it; and the next step fetched us in front of the captain's door, which

was open, and by Jimminy, away down through the texas-hall we see a light!

and all in the same second we seem to hear low voices in yonder!

Jim whispered and said he was feeling powerful sick, and told me to come

along. I says, all right; and was going to start for the raft; but just then I

heard a voice wail out and say: ssssssssss

"Oh, please don't, boys; I swear I won't ever tell!"

Another voice said, pretty loud:

"It's a lie, Jim Turner. You've acted this way before. You always want

more'n your share of the truck, and you've always got it, too, because you've

swore 't if you didn't you'd tell. But this time you've said it jest one time too

many. You're the meanest, treacherousest hound in this country.''

ssssssssss

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