{{huckfp330.jpg}}

"Why, Mars Tom, I doan' want no rats. Dey's de dad-blamedest creturs to

sturb a body, en rustle roun' over 'im, en bite his feet, when he's tryin' to sleep, I

ever see. No, sah, gimme g'yarter-snakes, 'f I's got to have 'm, but doan' gimme

no rats, I ain' got no use f'r um, skasely."

"But Jim, you got to have 'em -- they all do. So don't make no more fuss

about it. Prisoners ain't ever without rats. There ain't no instance of it.

And they train them, and pet them, and learn them tricks, and they get to

be as sociable as flies. But you got to play music to them. You got anything

to play music on?" ssssssssss

"I ain' got nuffn but a coase comb en a piece o' paper, en a juice-harp; but

I reck'n dey wouldn' take no stock in a juice-harp."

"Yes they would. They don't care what kind of music 'tis. A Jew-sharp's

plenty good enough for a rat. All animals likes music -- in a prison they dote on

it. Specially, painful music; and you can't get no other kind out of a jews-

harp. It always interests them; they come out to see what's the matter with you.

Yes, you're all right; you're fixed very well. You want to set on your bed,

nights, before you go to sleep, and early in the mornings, and play your jews-

harp; play The Last Link is Broken -- that's the thing that'll scoop a rat,

quicker'n anything else: and when you've played about two minutes, you'll see

all the rats, and the snakes, and spiders, and things begin to feel worried

about you, and come. And they'll just fairly swarm over you, and have a noble

good time." ssssssssss

"Yes, dey will, I reck'n, Mars Tom, but what kine er time is Jim havin'?

Blest if I kin see de pint. But I'll do it ef I got to. I reck'n I better keep de

animals satisfied, en not have no trouble in de house."

Tom waited to think over, and see if there wasn't nothing else; and pretty

soon he says: ssssssssss

"Oh -- there's one thing I forgot. Could you raise a flower here, do you

reckon?" ssssssssss

"I doan' know but maybe I could, Mars Tom; but it's tolable dark in

heah, en I ain' got no use fr no flower, nohow, en she'd be a pow'ful sight o'

trouble." ssssssssss

ssssssssss

 [330]