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It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a

trembling, because I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I

knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to

myself:

"All right, then, I'll go to hell" -- and tore it up.

It was awful thoughts, and awful words, but they was said. And I let them

stay said; and never thought no more about reforming. I shoved the whole

thing out of my head; and said I would take up wickedness again, which was

in my line, being brung up to it, and the other warn't. And for a starter, I

would go to work and steal Jim out of slavery again; and if I could think up

anything worse, I would do that, too; because as long as I was in, and in for

good, I might as well go the whole hog. ssssssssss

Then I set to thinking over how to get at it, and turned over considerable

many ways in my mind; and at last fixed up a plan that suited me. So then I

took the bearings of a woody island that was down the river a piece, and as soon

as it was fairly dark I crept out with my raft and went for it, and hid it there,

and then turned in. I slept the night through, and got up before it was light,

raid had my breakfast, and put on my store clothes, and tied up some others and

one thing or another in a bundle, and took the canoe and cleared for shore.

I landed below where I judged was Phelps's place, and hid my bundle in the

woods, and then filled up the canoe with water, and loaded rocks into her and

eunk her where I could find her again when I wanted her, about a quarter of a

mile below a little steam sawmill that was on the bank.

Then I struck up the road, and when I passed the mill I see a sign on it,

"Phelps's Sawmill," and when I come to the farm-houses, two or three hundred

yards further along, I kept my eyes peeled, but didn't see nobody around, though

it was good daylight, now. But I didn't mind, because I didn't want to see

nobody just yet -- I only wanted to get the lay of the land. According to my

plan, I was going to turn up there from the village, not from below. So I just

took a look, and shoved along, straight for town. Well, the very first man I see,

when I got there, was the duke. He was sticking up a bill for the Royal None-

such -- three-night performance -- like that other time. They had the cheek,

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