The Adventures of Tom Sawyer : Chapter 31-32

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Episode Transcript

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Chapter thirty one, Found and lostagain. Now to return to Tom and
Becky's share in the picnic, theytripped along the murky aisles with the rest
of the company, visiting the familiarwonders of the cave, wonders dubbed with
rather over descriptive names such as thedrawing Room, the cathedral, Aladdin's Palace,

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and so on. Presently, thehide and seek frolicking began, and
Tom and Becky engaged in it withzeal, until the exertion began to grow
a trifle wearisome. Then they wandereddown a sinuous avenue, holding their candles
aloft and reading the tangled web workof names, dates, post office addresses,
and mottoes with which the rocky wallshad been frescoed in the candle smoke.

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Still drifting along and talking, theyscarcely noticed that they were now in
a part of the cave whose wallswere not frescoed. They smoked their own
names under an overhanging shelf and movedon. Presently they came to a place
where a little stream of water,trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone
sediment with it, had in theslow dragging ages formed a laced and ruffled

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niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone.Tom squeezed his small body behind it in
order to illuminate it for Becky's gratification. He found that it curtained a sort
of steep natural stairway which was enclosedbetween narrow walls, and at once the
ambition to be a discoverer seized him. Becky responded to his call, and

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they made a smoke mark for futureguidance, and started upon their quest.
They wound this way and that fardown into the secret depths of the cave,
made another mark, and branched offin search of novelties to tell the
upper world about. In one placethey found a spacious cavern, from whose
ceiling depended a multitude of shining stalactitesof the length and circumference of a man's

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leg. They walked all about it, wondering a miering, and presently left
it by one of the numerous passagesthat opened into it. This shortly brought
them to a bewitching spring whose basinwas encrusted with a frostwork of glittering crystals.
It was in the midst of acavern whose walls were supported by many
fantastic pillars, which had been formedby the joining of great stalactites and stalac

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mites together, the result of theceaseless water drip of centuries under the roof,
vast knots of bats had packed themselvestogether, thousands in a bunch.
The lights disturbed the creatures, andthey came flocking down by hundreds, squeaking
and darting furiously at the candles.Tom knew their ways and the danger of
this sort of conduct. He seizedBecky's hand and hurried her into the first

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corridor that offered, and none toosoon for a bat struck Becky's light out
with its wing while she was passingout of the cavern. The bats chased
the children a good distance, butthe fugitives plunged into every new passage that
offered, and at last got ridof the pair those things. Tom found
a subterranean lake shortly which stretched itsdim length away until its shape was lost

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in the shadows. He wanted toexplore its borders, but concluded that it
would be best to sit down andrest awhile first. Now, for the
first time, the deep stillness ofthe place laid a clammy hand upon the
spirits of the children. Becky said, why I didn't notice, But it
seems ever so long since I heardof any of the others. Come to

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think, Becky, we are awaydown below them, and I don't know
how far away north or south oreast or whichever it is. We couldn't
hear them here. Becky grew apprehensive. I wonder how long we've been down
here, Tom, we'd better startback, Yes, I reckon, we
better, Perhaps we better. Canyou find the way, Tom, It's
all a mixed up crookedness to me. I reckon I could find it.

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But then the bats, if theyput both of our candles out, it
will be an awful fix. Let'stry some other way so as not to
go through there. Well, butI hope we won't get lost. It
would be so awful, And thegirl shuddered at the thought of the dreadful
possibilities. They started through a corridorand traversed it in silence a long way,

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glancing at each new opening to seeif there was anything familiar about the
look of it, but they wereall strange. Every time Tom made an
examination, Becky would watch his facefor an encouraging sign, and he would
say cheerily, Oh it's all right. They s ain't the one, but
we'll come to it right away.But he felt less and less hopeful with
each failure, and presently began toturn off into diverging avenues at sheer random

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in desperate hope of finding the onethat was wanted. He still said it
was all right, but there wassuch a leaden dread at his heart that
the words had lost their ring andsounded just as if he had said all
is lost. Becky clung to hisside in an anguish of fear, and
tried hard to keep back the tears, but they would come. At last.

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She said, Oh, Tom,never mind the bats, Let's go
back that way. We seem toget worse and worse off all the time.
Tom stopped listen, said he profoundsilence, silence so deep that even
their breathings were conspicuous in the hush. Tom shouted. The call went echoing
down the empty aisles, and diedout in the distance in a faint sound

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that resembled a ripple of mocking laughter. Oh don't do it again, Tom,
It is too horrid, said Becky. It is horrid, but I
better, Becky. They might hearus, you know, and he shouted
again. The might was even achillier horror than the ghostly laughter. It
so confessed the perishing hope. Thechildren stood still and listened, but there

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was no result. Tom turned uponthe back track at once and hurried his
steps. It was but a littlewhile before a certain indecision in his manner
revealed another fearful fact to Becky.He could not find his way back.
Oh, Tom, you didn't makeany marks, Becky. I was such
a fool, Such a fool.I never thought we might want to come

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back. No, I can't findthe way. It's all mixed up to
Tom. We're lost, We're lost. We never can get out of this
awful place. Oh why did weever leave the others? She sank to
the ground and burst into such afrenzy of crying that Tom was appalled with
the idea that she might die orlose her reason. He sat down by

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her and put his arms around her. She buried her face in his bosom.
She clung to him. She pouredout her terrors, her unavailing regrets,
and the far echoes turned them allto jeering laughter. Tom begged her
to pluck up Hope again, andshe said she could not. He fell
to blaming and abusing himself for gettingher into this miserable situation, and this
had a better effect. She saidshe would try to Hope again. She

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would get up and follow wherever hemight lead, if only he would not
talk like that anymore, For hewas no more to blame than she,
she said. So they moved onagain, aimlessly, simply at random.
All they could do was to move, keep moving for a little while.
Hope made a show of reviving,not with any reason to back it,
but only because it is its natureto revive when the spring has not been

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taken out of it by age andfamiliarity with failure. By and by Tom
took Becky's candle and blew it out. This economy meant so much. Words
were not needed. Becky understood,and her hope died again. She knew
that Tom had a whole candle andthree or four pieces in his pockets,
Yet he must economize. By andby fatigue began to assert its claims.

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The children tried to pay no attention, for it was dreadful to think of
sitting down when time was groans tobe so precious moving in some direction.
In any direction was at least progressand might bear fruit. But to sit
down was to invite death and shortenits pursuit. At last, Becky's frail
limbs refused to carry her. Shesat down. Tom rested with her,

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and they talked of home and thefriends there, and the comfortable beds,
and above all the light. Beckycried, and Tom tried to think of
some way of comforting her, butall his encouragements were grown threadbare with use
and sounded like sarcasms. Fatigue boreso heavily upon Becky that she drowsed off
to sleep. Tom was grateful.He sat looking into her drawn face and

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saw it grow smooth and natural underthe influence of pleasant dreams, and by
and by a smile dawned and rested. There The peaceful face reflected somewhat of
peace and healing into his own spirit, and his thoughts wandered away to bygone
times and dreamy memories. While hewas deep in his musings, Becky woke
up with a breezy little laugh,but it was stricken dead upon her lips,

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and a groan followed it. Oh, how could I sleep? I
wish I never never had waked.No, No, I don't, Tom,
don't look so I won't say itagain. I'm glad you've slept,
Becky. You'll feel rested now andwe'll find the way out. We can
try, Tom, but I've seensuch a beautiful country in my dream.
I reckon, we are going there. Maybe not? Maybe not. Cheer

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up, Becky, and let's goon trying. They rose up and wandered
along, hand in hand and hopeless. They tried to estimate how long they
had been in the cave, butall they knew was that it seemed days
and weeks. And yet it wasplain that this could not be, for
their candles were not gone yet.A long time after this, they could
not tell how long. Tom saidthey must go softly and listen to dripping

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water. They must find a spring. They found one presently, and Tom
said it was time to rest again. Both were cruelly tired, yet Becky
said she thought she could go ona little farther. She was surprised to
hear tom dissent. She could notunderstand it. They sat down, and
Tom fastened his candle to the wallin front of them with some clay.

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Thought was soon busy. Nothing wassaid for some time. Then Becky broke
the silence. Tom, I'm sohungry. Tom took something out of his
pocket. Do you remember this?Said he? Becky almost smiled. It's
our wedding cake, Tom. Yes, I wish it was as big as
a barrel, for it's all we'vegot. I saved it from the picnic

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for us to dream on, Tom, the way grown up people do with
wedding cake. But it'll be our. She dropped the sentence where it was.
Tom divided the cake and Becky atewith good appetite, while Tom nibbled
at his moiety. There was abundanceof cold water to finish the feast with
by and bye. Becky suggested thatthey move on again. Tom was silent

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a moment, then he said,Becky, can you bear it if I
tell you something? Becky's face paled, but she thought she could. Well,
then, Becky, we must stayhere where there's water to drink.
That little piece is our last candle. Becky gave loose to tears and wailings.
Tom did what he could to comforther, but with little effect.

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At length, Becky said Tom,Well, Becky, they'll miss us and
hunt for us. Yes, theywill, certainly they will. Maybe they're
hunting for us, now, Tom, why I reckon, maybe they are?
I hope they are. When wouldthey miss us, Tom? When
they get back to the boat,I reckon, Tom, it might be
dark? Then would they notice wehadn't come? I don't know, but

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anyway, your mother would miss youas soon as they got home. A
frightened look in Becky's face brought Tomto his senses, and he saw that
he had made a blunder. Beckywas not to have gone home that night.
The children became silent and thoughtful.In a moment, a new burst
of grief from Becky showed Tom thatthe thing in his mind had struck hers,
also that the Sabbath morning might behalf spent. Before Missus Thatcher discovered

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that Becky was not at Missus Harper's. The children fastened their eyes upon their
bit of candle and watched it meltslowly and pitilessly away, saw the half
inch of wick stand alone. Atlast, saw the feeble flame rise and
fall climb, the thin column ofsmoke linger at its top a moment,
and then the horror of utter darknessreigned. How long afterward it was that

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Becky came to a slow consciousness thatshe was crying in Tom's arms. Neither
could tell. All that they knewwas that, after what seemed a mighty
stretch of time, both awoke outof a dead stupor of sleep and resumed
their miseries once more. Tom saidit might be Sunday, now, maybe
Monday. He tried to get Beckyto talk, but her sorrows were too

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oppressive. All her hopes were gone. Tom said that they must have been
missed long ago, and no doubtthe search was going on. He would
shout and maybe someone would come.He tried it, but in the darkness,
the distant echoes sounded so hideously thathe tried it no more. The
hours wasted away, and hunger cameto torment the captives again. A portion

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of Tom's half of the cake wasleft. They divided and ate it,
but they seemed hungrier than before.The poor morsel of food only wetted desire.
By and by, Tom said,sh did you hear that? Both
held their breath and listened. Therewas a sound like the faintest far off
shout. Instantly, Tom answered it, and, leading Becky by the hand,

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started groping down the corridor in itsdirection. Presently, he listened again.
Again, the sound was heard,and apparently a little nearer it's them,
said Tom, they're coming. Comealong, Becky, we're all right
now. The joy of the prisonerswas almost overwhelming. Their speed was slow,
however, because pitfalls were somewhat commonand had to be guarded against.

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They shortly came to one and hadto stop. It might be three feet
deep, it might be a hundred. There was no passing it at any
rate. Tom got down on hisbreast and reached as far down as he
could no bottom. They must staythere and wait until the searchers came.
They listened evidently, the distant shoutingswere growing more distant. A moment or

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two more and they had gone altogether. The heart sinking misery of it.
Tom whooped until he was hoarse,but it was of no use. He
talked hopefully to Becky. But anage of anxious waiting past, and no
sounds came again. The children gropedtheir way back to the spring. The
weary time dragged on. They sleptagain and awoke, famished and woe stricken.

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Tom believed it must be Tuesday bythis time. Now an idea struck
him. There were some side passagesnear at hand. It would be better
to explore some of these than bearthe weight of the heavy time in idleness.
He took a kite line from hispocket, tied it to a projection,
and he and Becky started Tom andthe lead, unwinding the line as

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he groped along. At the endof twenty paces, the corridor ended in
a jumping off place. Tom gotdown on his knees and felt below and
then as far around the corner ashe could reach with his hands. Conveniently,
he made an effort to stretch yeta little farther to the right,
and at that moment, not twentyyards away, a human hand holding a

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candle appeared from behind a rock.Tom lifted up a glorious shout, and
instantly that hand was followed by thebody it belonged to injun Joe's. Tom
was paralyzed. He could not move. He was vastly gratified the next moment
to see the Spaniard take to hisheels and get himself out of sight.
Tom wondered that Joe had not recognizedhis voice and come over and killed him

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for testifying in court, but theechoes must have disguised the voice. Without
doubt that was it, he reasoned. Tom's fright weakened every muscle in his
body. He said to himself thatif he had strength enough to get back
to the spring, he would staythere, and nothing should tempt him to
run the risk of meeting injun Joeagain. He was careful to keep from
Becky what it was he seen.He told her he had only shouted for

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luck, but hunger and wretchedness risesuperior to fears in the long run.
Another tedious weight of the spring andanother long sleep brought changes. The children
awoke, tortured with a raging hunger. Tom believed that it must be Wednesday
or Thursday, or even Friday orSaturday now, and that the search had
been given over. He proposed toexplore another passage. He felt willing to

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risk injun Joe and all other terrors. But Becky was very weak. She
had sunk into a dreary apathy andwould not be roused. She said she
would wait now where she was anddie. It would not be long.
She told Tom to go with hiskite line and explore if he chose,
but she implored him to come backevery little while and speak to her,

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and she made him promise that whenthe awful time came, he would stay
by her and hold her hand untilall was over. Tom kissed her with
a choking sensation in his throat,and made a show of being confident of
finding the searchers or an escape fromthe cave. Then he took the kite
line in his hand and went gropingdown one of the passages on his hands

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and knees, distressed with hunger andsick with bodings of coming doom. End
of chapter thirty one, Chapter thirtytwo, turn out They're found. Tuesday
afternoon came and waned to the twilight. The village of Saint Petersburg still mourned.

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The lost children had not been found. Public prayers had been offered up
for them, and many and manya private prayer that had the petitioner's whole
heart in it, But still nogood news came from the cave. The
majority of the searchers had given upthe quest and gone back to their daily
vocations, saying that it was plainthe children could never be found. Missus
Thatcher was very ill, and agreat part of the time delirious. People

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said it was heartbreaking to hear hercall her child and raise her head and
listen a whole minute at a time, then lay it wearily down again with
a moan. Aunt Polly had droopedinto a settled melancholy, and her gray
hair had grown almost white. Thevillage went to its rest on Tuesday night,
sad and forlorn away. In themiddle of the night, a wild

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peal burst from the village bells,and in a moment the streets were swarming
with frantic, half clad people whoshouted, turn out, turn out,
They're found, They're found. Tinpans and horns were added to the din.
The population massed itself and moved towardthe river. Met the children coming
in an open carriage drawn by shoutingcitizens. Thronged around it, joined its

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homeward march, and swept magnificently upthe main street, roaring huzzah after hazzah.
The village was illuminated. Nobody wentto bed again. It was the
greatest night the little town had everseen. During the first half hour,
a procession of villagers filed through JudgeThatcher's house, seized the saved ones and
kissed them, squeezed missus Thatcher's hand, tried to speak, but couldn't,

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and drifted out, raining tears allover the place. Aunt Polly's happiness was
complete, and missus Thatcher's nearly soit would be complete. However, as
soon as the messenger dispatched with agreat news to the cave should get the
word to her husband. Tom layupon a sofa with an eager auditory about
him, and told the history ofthe wonderful adventure, putting in many striking

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additions to adorn it withal, andclosed with a description of how he left
Becky and went on an exploring expedition. How he followed two avenues as far
as his kite line would reach,how he followed a third to the fullest
stretch of the kite line, andwas about to turn back when he glimpsed
a far off speck that looked likedaylight, dropped the line and groped toward

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it, pushed his head and shouldersthrough a small hole, and saw the
broad Mississippi rolling by. And ifit had only happened to be night,
he would not have seen that speckof daylight, and would not have explored
that passage anymore. He told howhe went back Becky and broke the good
news, and she told him notto fret her with such stuff, for
she was tired and knew she wasgoing to die and wanted to. He

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described how he labored with her andconvinced her, and how she almost died
for joy when she had groped towhere she actually saw the blue speck of
daylight. How he pushed his wayout at the hole and then helped her
out. How they sat there andcried for gladness. How some men came
along in a skiff, and Tomhailed them and told them their situation and

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their famished condition. How the mendidn't believe the wild tale at first,
because said they you are five milesdown the river below the valley the cave
is in. Then took them aboard, rode to a house, gave them
supper, made them rest till twoor three hours after dark, and then
brought them home before day dawn.Judge Thatcher and the handful of searchers with

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him were tracked out in the caveby the twine clues they had strung behind
them and informed of the great news. Three days and nights of toil and
hunger in the cave were not tobe shaken off at once, as Tom
and Becky soon discovered they were bedriddenall of Wednesday and Thursday, and seemed
to grow more and more tired andworn all the time. Tom got about

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a little on Thursday, was downtownFriday and nearly as whole as ever Saturday,
but Becky did not leave her roomuntil Sunday, and then she looked
as if she had passed through awasting illness. Tom learned of Huck's sickness
and went to see him on Friday, but could not be admitted to the
bedroom, neither could he on Saturdayor Sunday. He was admitted daily after

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that, but was warned to keepstill about his adventure and introduced no exciting
topic. The widow Douglas, stayedby to see that he obeyed. At
home, Tom learned of the CardiffHill event, also that the ragged man's
body had eventually been found in theriver near the ferry landing he had been
drowned while trying to escape, Perhapsabout a fortnight after Tom's rescue from the

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cave, he started off to visitHuck, who had grown plenty strong enough
now to hear exciting talk and Tomhad some that would interest him, he
thought, Judge Thatcher's house was onTom's way, and he stopped to see
Becky. The judge and some friendsset Tom to talking, and some one
asked him ironically if he wouldn't liketo go to the cave again. Tom

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said he thought he wouldn't mind it. The judge said, well, there
are others just like you, Tom. I've not the least doubt, but
we have taken care of that.Nobody will get lost in that cave anymore.
Why because I had its big doorsheathed with boiler iron two weeks ago
and triple locked, and I've gotthe keys. Tom turned as white as

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a sheet. What's the matter?Boy? Here? Run? Somebody fetch
a glass of water. The waterwas brought and thrown into Tom's face.
Ah, now you're all right?What was the matter with you? Tom?
Oh? Judge injun Joe's in thecave, end of chapter thirty two,