Chapter 18

           ThatwasTom’sgreatsecret—theschemetoreturnhomewithhisbrotherpiratesandattendtheirownfunerals. TheyhadpaddledovertotheMissourishoreonalog,atduskonSaturday,landingfiveorsixmilesbelowthevillage; theyhadsleptinthewoodsattheedgeofthetowntillnearlydaylight,andhadthencreptthroughbacklanesandalleysandfinishedtheirsleepinthegalleryofthechurchamongachaosofinvalidedbenches. 

           Atbreakfast,Mondaymorning,AuntPollyandMarywereverylovingtoTom,andveryattentivetohiswants. Therewasanunusualamountoftalk. InthecourseofitAuntPollysaid: 

           "Well,Idon’tsayitwasn’tafinejoke,Tom,tokeepeverybodysuffering’mostaweeksoyouboyshadagoodtime,butitisapityyoucouldbesohard-heartedastoletmesufferso. Ifyoucouldcomeoveronalogtogotoyourfuneral,youcouldhavecomeoverandgivemeahintsomewaythatyouwarn’tdead,butonlyrunoff." 

           "Yes,youcouldhavedonethat,Tom,"saidMary;"andIbelieveyouwouldifyouhadthoughtofit." 

           "Wouldyou,Tom?"saidAuntPolly,herfacelightingwistfully. "Say,now,wouldyou,ifyou’dthoughtofit?" 

           "I—well,Idon’tknow. ’Twould’a’spoiledeverything." 

           "Tom,Ihopedyoulovedmethatmuch,"saidAuntPolly,withagrievedtonethatdiscomfortedtheboy. "Itwouldhavebeensomethingifyou’dcaredenoughtoTHINKofit,evenifyoudidn’tDOit." 

           "Now,auntie,thatain’tanyharm,"pleadedMary; "it’sonlyTom’sgiddyway—heisalwaysinsucharushthatheneverthinksofanything."