Chapter 18 Tom's Adventure.
Over the next few days, Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas began to notice that items were missing from the house.
The sheet, spoon, candles, and other things that Tom had decided were necessary to free Jim.
Tom and I tried to fool them by replacing some of the items and taking others later on.
Tom's plan was also bothering Jim, who was supposed to write poems and paint a coat of arms.
The problem was that none of us knew how to do that.
Tom did a pretty good job of making them up for Jim.
Three weeks passed.
I thought it was taking a very long time to free him.
When we were finally ready to set Jim free, Tom said we had to write warning letters to Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas.
The letters had to be from a mysterious stranger.
Tom had read all about it in one of his books.
One night, he left a note that said, Beware, trouble is brewing.
Keep a sharp lookout.
Unknown Friend He slipped it under the front door of the house.
The next night, he drew a skull and crossbones on the front door.
The night after that, he drew a coffin on the back door.
It was all very mysterious and scary.
Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas were quite upset.
The slightest noise outside made them jump.
People thought there were ghosts everywhere.
Then Tom left another letter.
I wish to be your friend.
I want to warn you that there is a desperate gang who want to steal the runaway slave tonight.
They have been trying to scare you so you will stay in the house and not bother them.
I am one of the gang, but I wish to quit it and live an honest life again.
The letter said the gang would sneak onto the farm at midnight and told how the family could capture the gang.
The next day, while Tom was out making preparations, I went back to the house.
There was quite a crowd there, 15 farmers, and every one of them had a weapon.
I felt sick.
Everyone was talking in a low voice.
They all looked fidgety and uneasy.
I ran and found Tom at the hut as soon as I could get away.
I told him about the men.
His eyes blazed and he said, No!
Is that so?
Ain't that something?
Hurry, I said.
We have to set Jim free now.
We slipped the chain off Jim's leg.
Just then we heard the men approaching.
We all hid when they opened the door.
It was dark and no one saw us as we crawled out of the hole we'd dug.
We crept around outside toward the fence and were nearly away when Tom's pants caught on a piece of wood.
Someone heard us and yelled, "'Who's that?
Answer or I'll shoot!'
We didn't answer.
We just ran and ran.
There was a bang, bang, bang, and the bullets whizzed around us.
We heard the men yell, there they are.
They're headed for the river.
After them, boys, and turn loose the dogs.
We made it to the river and found where I had hidden my canoe.
We hopped in and rode for dear life toward the island where I had hidden the raft.
We were far away from the men.
When we finally stepped onto the raft, I said, Now, Jim, you're free again.
I bet you'll never be a slave again.
It was a mighty good job, too, Huck, he said.
It was planned beautifully.
Nobody could have come up with a better plan than that.
We were all as glad as we could be, but Tom was even happier because he had a bullet in the calf of his leg.
Well, Gemini didn't feel as good as we did before.
It was hurting Tom a lot and bleeding pretty heavily.
We tore up one of the Duke's shirts to bandage him, but he wanted to do it himself.
We did it so elegantly, didn't we, he said, still excited about the escape.
Jim and I knew Tom needed a doctor, but Tom didn't want one.
It never happened like that in any of his adventure books.
Finally, he agreed to let me go.
He didn't have a choice, but I let him think it was his decision.
He made me promise to blindfold the doctor so he wouldn't know where we were hidden.
I said I would, and Jim said he would hide until the doctor left.
The doctor I found in town was a very kind-looking old man.
I told him my brother was hurt in a hunting accident and that we wanted him to help us, without telling our parents.
Who are your folks? he asked.
The Phelpses.
Oh, he said, and a few moments later, how did you say he got shot?
He had a dream and it shot him.
Some dream, he said.
When he saw my canoe, he said it wouldn't be big enough for both of us.
He told me to stay at his office until he came back.
I didn't have time to argue with him, so I told him which island Tom was on, and he set out for it.
Well, pretty soon I fell asleep out there.
When I woke up, the sun was high.
I went back to the doctor's house, but they told me he wasn't back yet.
I thought that sounded pretty bad for Tom.
I wanted to get back to the island right away.
I left the doctor's house, but just as I turned the corner, I bumped right into Uncle Silas.
Why, Tom, where have you been all this time, you rascal?
I haven't been anywhere, I said.
Just hunt for that runaway slave, me and Sid.
Wow, wherever did you go?
Your aunt's been mighty worried.
We were all right, I said.
We followed the men and the dogs and took a canoe out onto the water.
We got a little lost and slept out there until just now.
Sid's at the post office.
We were about to head home.
Uncle Silas came with me to the post office to get Sid.
Of course, he wasn't there, so Uncle Silas said we should head home right away.
He picked up a letter that had come in for him, and then we left.
When we got home, Aunt Sally was so glad to see me that she laughed and cried and hugged me.
She was pretty angry, too, and said she would also be angry with Sid as soon as he came home.
The place was full of farmers and their families.
Everybody was talking about the excitement of the previous night and the mysterious letters and drawings.
I knew all these had been done by Tom and me, but I kept my mouth shut.
Tom didn't come back at all that day.
Uncle Silas went into town several times to look for him and by nightfall he and Aunt Sally were very worried.
She stayed up all night waiting for him.
Uncle Silas was out again before breakfast, but he couldn't find any trace of Tom.
When he came back, he remembered the letter he'd picked up the previous day.
He gave it to Aunt Sally, and she said, Why, it's from St.
Petersburg.
It's from Sis.
But before she could open it, she dropped it and ran to the door.
She'd seen something outside.
So had I.
It was Tom Sawyer on a mattress, the old doctor and Jim who had his hands tied behind him.
A lot of people were walking behind him.
She started crying and hugged Tom.
He was very tired and couldn't speak.
She and Uncle Silas were so happy to see that Tom was alive.
A few of the people brought Tom upstairs, and I followed the crowd of people who took Jim away.
They thought he was responsible for all the trouble last night and were very mad at him.
He didn't say anything and pretended not to recognize me.
They took him to the same hut as before, but this time they chained him up a lot more and had guards stand outside.
They were pretty hard on him until the doctor told everyone to treat Jim well.
When I found the boy, I was able to fix the wound easily enough, but he was in no condition for me to leave to get help.
He got worse and worse and Talked all sorts of foolishness.
I said I had to get help.
As soon as I said it, that runaway slave came out from wherever he was hiding and he said he would help.
He did, too, and very well.
He helped me care for the boy until we saw some men pass by in a boat on the river.
He let them tie up his hands and never made a fuss as we brought him and the boy back home.
He's not a bad man, gentlemen.
That softened up a lot of the people.
I was thankful to that old doctor for doing Jim such a good turn.
The men agreed that Jim had done well, and they took off many of his chains.
