CHAPTER I
"Tom!"
No answer.
"Tom!"
No answer.
"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You Tom!"
No answer.
The old lady pulled her spectacles1 down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair2, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style", not service - she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids3 just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely4, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll ..."
She did not finish, for by this time she was bending5 down and punching6 under the bed with the broom7, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected8 nothing but the cat.
"I never did see the beat of that boy!"
She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato vines9 and "jimpson" weeds10 that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she lifted up11 her voice at an angle calculated for distance and shouted:
"Y-o-u-u TOM!"
There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize12 a small boy by the slack13 of his roundabout14 and arrest his flight.
"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet15. What you been doing in there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What is that truck16?"
"I don't know, aunt."
"Well, I know. It's jam17 - that's what it is. Forty times I've said if you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you18. Hand me that switch19."
The switch hovered20 in the air - the peril21 was desperate -
"My! Look behind you, aunt!"
The old lady whirled22 round, and snatched23 her skirts out of danger. The lad24 fled on the instant, scrambled25 up the high board-fence26, and disappeared over it.
His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle27 laugh.
"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools28 is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying29 is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike30, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how long he can torment31 me before I get my dander up32, and he knows if he can make out to put me off33 for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick34. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child35, as the Good Book36 says. I'm a laying up37 sin and suffering for us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash38 him, somehow. Every time I let him off39, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble40, as the Scripture says, and I reckon41 it's so. He'll play hookey this evening [Southwestern for "afternoon"], and I'll just be obleeged to make him work, tomorrow, to punish him. It's mighty42 hard to make him work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more than he hates anything else, and I've got to do some of my duty by him, or I'll be the ruination of the child."
Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's wood43 and split the kindlings44 before supper45 - at least he was there in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths46 of the work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother47) Sid was already through with his part of the work48 (picking up chips49), for he was a quiet50 boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways51.
While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing52 sugar as opportunity offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile53, and very deep54 - for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments55. Like many other simple-hearted56 souls, it was her pet vanity57 to believe she was endowed58 with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices59 as marvels60 of low cunning61. Said she:
"Tom, it was middling62 warm in school, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Powerful warm, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
A bit63 of a scare64 shot through Tom - a touch of65 uncomfortable suspicion. He searched66 Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said:
"No'm - well, not very much."
The old lady reached out67 her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered68 her to reflect69 that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite70 of her, Tom knew where the wind lay71, now. So he forestalled72 what might be the next move:
"Some of us pumped on73 our heads - mine's damp74 yet. See?"
Aunt Polly was vexed75 to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick76. Then she had a new inspiration:
"Tom, you didn't have to undo77 your shirt collar78 where I sewed79 it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
The trouble vanished80 out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely81 sewed.
"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a singed cat, as the saying is - better'n you look. This time."
She was half sorry her sagacity82 had miscarried83, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into84 obedient85 conduct for once.
But Sidney said:
"Well, now, if I didn't think86 you sewed his collar with white thread, but it's black."
"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!"
But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:
"Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
In a safe place Tom examined two large needles87 which were thrust88 into the lapels89 of his jacket, and had thread bound about them - one needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:
"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to geeminy she'd stick to90 one or t'other - I can't keep the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam91 Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though - and loathed92 him.
Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not because his troubles were one whit less93 heavy and bitter94 to him than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down95 and drove them out of his mind for the time - just as men's misfortunes96 are forgotten in the excitement97 of new enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling98, which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering99 to practise it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar100 bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble101, produced by touching the tongue102 to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of103 the music - the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence104 and attention soon gave him the knack of it105, and he strode106 down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude107. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet - no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed108 pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked109 his whistle. A stranger was before him - a boy a shade110 larger than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive111 curiosity in the poor little shabby112 village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too - well dressed on a week-day. This was simply astounding113. His cap was a dainty114 thing, his closebuttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty115, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on - and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie116, a bright bit of ribbon117. He had a citified air about him that ate118 into Tom's vitals119. The more Tom stared120 at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his finery121 and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit122 seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved - but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:
"I can lick you!"
"I'd like to see you try it."
"Well, I can do it."
"No you can't, either."
"Yes I can."
"No you can't."
"I can."
"You can't."
"Can!"
"Can't!"
An uncomfortable123 pause. Then Tom said:
"What's your name?"
"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
"Well I 'low I'll make it my business."
"Well why don't you?"
"If you say much, I will."
"Much - much - much. There now."
"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, Don't you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
"Well why don't you do it? You say you can do it."
"Well I will, if you fool with me124."
"Oh yes - I've seen whole families in the same fix."
"Smarty! You think you're some, now, don't you? Oh, what a hat!"
"You can lump125 that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it off - and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs126."
"You're a liar127!"
"You're another."
"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up128."
"Aw - take a walk129!"
"Say - if you give me much more of your sass130 I'll take and bounce131 a rock off'n your head."
"Oh, of course you will."
"Well I will."
"Well why don't you do it then? What do you keep saying you will for? Why don't you do it? It's because you're afraid."
"I ain't afraid."
"You are."
"I ain't."
"You are."
Another pause, and more eying132 and sidling133 around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
"Get away from here!"
"Go away yourself!"
"I won't."
"I won't either."
So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both shoving134 with might and main135, and glowering136 at each other with hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling137 till both were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain138 with watchful139 caution, and Tom said:
"You're a coward140 and a pup141. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash142 you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too."
"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger than he is - and what's more, he can throw him over that fence143, too." [Both brothers were imaginary.]
"That's a lie."
"Your saying so don't make it so."
Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep."
The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
"Don't you crowd144 me now; you better look out."
"Well, you said you'd do it - why don't you do it?"
"By jingo! for two cents I will do it."
The new boy took two broad145 coppers146 out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck147 them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling148 and tumbling149 in the dirt, gripped150 together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged151 and tore152 at each other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched153 each other's nose, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride154 the new boy, and pounding155 him with his fists156.
"Holler 'nuff157!" said he.
The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying - mainly from rage158.
"Holler 'nuff!" - and the pounding went on.
At last the stranger got out a smothered159 "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up and said:
"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next time."
The new boy went off160 brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing161, snuffling162, and occasionally looking back and shaking163 his head and threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." To which Tom responded with jeers164, and started off in high feather165, and as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched166 up a stone, threw it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail167 and ran like an antelope168. Tom chased169 the traitor170 home, and thus found out where he lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution171 to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine172 in its firmness173.