Chapter 7 On the Wreck We floated along the river for a few days, and then we had a big storm.
The rain poured down in a solid sheet.
When the lightning glared, we could see a steamboat that had crashed on some rocks ahead of us.
We were drifting right toward her.
Let's land on her, Jim.
But Jim was dead against it at first.
He said, I don't want to go fooling around on any wreck.
We're doing all right, and we should leave this alone.
There's probably a watchman on the wreck anyway.
There's nothing left to watch on her, Jim.
It looks like it's about to break up and wash off down the river any minute.
Besides, we might find something in the captain's room.
Steamboat captains are always rich.
You think Tom Sawyer would let this go by?
Never.
He would call it an adventure.
Jim grumbled a little, but he finally gave in.
He said we shouldn't talk much if we got aboard.
The lightning showed us the wreck again just in time.
We rode over to it and tied the raft and canoe to the side.
We climbed aboard in the dark.
Soon we were in front of the captain's door, which was open.
Down the hall we saw a light.
In the same moment we heard voices.
Jim said he was feeling sick and told me to come along with him.
I said all right and was going to start for the raft, but just then I heard a voice say, Oh, please don't, boys, I swear I won't ever tell.
Another voice said pretty loudly, It's a lie, Turner.
You've acted this way before.
You always want more than your share, and you've always gotten.
'cause you've sworn that, if you didn't, you'd tell on us.
'but this time you've joked about it once too often.
"'You're the meanest, most disloyal hound in this country.'"
By this time, Jim was already gone for the raft.
I was curious.
I said to myself Tom Sawyer wouldn't back out now, so I wouldn't either.
I crept along until I was in the room right next to the men.
Inside, I saw a man tied up and lying on the floor.
Two men were standing over him.
The man on the floor said, Oh, please don't, Bill.
I won't ever tell on you.
The two men started walking to where I was.
I moved as fast as I could, but there wasn't much room.
They walked into the room where I was hiding.
I was cornered.
Now I was sorry that I'd been so curious.
Luckily, they didn't see me.
Instead, they talked about the man on the floor.
He said he'll tell on us, and he will.
It won't make a difference if we let him go now.
He'll turn against us.
I think you're right, Bill.
Here's my idea.
We'll look around this ship and take whatever we can find.
Then we'll leave him here and head for shore.
This boat can't last for more than two hours before it breaks up and watches us off downriver.
No one will ever find it.
As soon as they left the room, I took off.
I was in a cold sweat.
It was dark outside and I whispered, Jet!
He was next to me and answered right away.
I said, quick, Jim, there's no time.
There's a gang of murderers on board.
If we don't get rid of their boat so these fellas can't get away, they're going to kill someone.
If we can find their boat, we'll have them trapped so the sheriff can come and get them.
I'll look on this side, you look on the other side.
Start looking where we tied up our raft and then... Oh, no.
There is no raft.
She broke loose.
She's gone.
And we're stuck.
