THE sun was up so high when I waked that I judged it was after eight o'clock. I laid there in the grass and the cool shade thinking about things, and feeling rested and ruther comfortable and satisfied. I could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was big trees all about, and gloomy in there amongst them. There was freckled⁴ places on the ground where the light sifted⁵ down through the leaves, and the freckled places swapped⁶ about a little, showing there was a little breeze up there. A couple of squirrels set on a limb and jabbered⁷ at me very friendly.

I was powerful lazy and comfortable -- didn't want to get up and cook breakfast. Well, I was dozing⁸ off again when I thinks I hears a deep sound of "boom!" away up the river. I rouses up, and rests on my elbow and listens; pretty soon I hears it again. I hopped⁹ up, and went and looked out at a hole in the leaves, and I see a bunch of smoke laying on the water a long ways up -- about abreast¹⁰ the ferry. And there was the ferryboat full of people floating along down. I knowed what was the matter now. "Boom!" I see the white smoke squirt out of the ferryboat's side. You see, they was firing cannon¹¹ over the water, trying to make my carcass come to the top.

I was pretty hungry, but it warn't going to do for me to start a fire, because they might see the smoke. So I set there and watched the cannon-smoke and listened to the boom. The river was a mile wide there, and it always looks pretty on a summer morning -- so I was having a good enough time seeing them hunt for my remainders if I only had a bite to eat. Well, then I happened to think how they always put quicksilver in loaves of bread and float them off, because they always go right to the drownded carcass and stop there. So, says I, I'll keep a lookout¹², and if any of them's floating around after me I'll give them a show. I changed to the Illinois edge of the island to see what luck I could have, and I warn't disappointed. A big double loaf come along, and I most got it with a long stick, but my foot slipped and she floated out further. Of course I was where the current set in the closest to the shore -- I knowed enough for that. But by and by along comes another one, and this time I won. I took out the plug and shook out the little dab¹³ of quicksilver, and set my teeth in. It was "baker's bread" -- what the quality eat; none of your low-down corn-pone.

I got a good place amongst the leaves, and set there on a log, munching¹⁴ the bread and watching the ferryboat, and very well satisfied. And then something struck me. I says, now I reckon the widow or the parson or somebody prayed that this bread would find me, and here it has gone and done it. So there ain't no doubt but there is something in that thing -- that is, there's something in it when a body like the widow or the parson prays, but it don't work for me, and I reckon it don't work for only just the right kind.

I lit a pipe and had a good long smoke, and went on watching. The ferryboat was floating with the current, and I allowed I'd have a chance to see who was aboard when she come along, because she would come in close, where the bread did. When she'd got pretty well along down towards me, I put out my pipe and went to where I fished out the bread, and laid down behind a log on the bank in a little open place. Where the log forked I could peep through.

By and by she come along, and she drifted in so close that they could a run out a plank¹⁵ and walked ashore¹⁶. Most everybody was on the boat. Pap, and Judge Thatcher¹⁷, and Bessie Thatcher, and Jo Harper, and Tom Sawyer, and his old Aunt Polly, and Sid and Mary, and plenty more. Everybody was talking about the murder, but the captain broke in and says:

"Look sharp, now; the current sets in the closest here, and maybe he's washed ashore and got tangled¹⁸ amongst the brush at the water's edge. I hope so, anyway."

"I didn't hope so. They all crowded up and leaned over the rails, nearly in my face, and kept still, watching with all their might. I could see them first-rate, but they couldn't see me. Then the captain sung out:

"Stand away!" and the cannon let off such a blast right before me that it made me deef with the noise and pretty near blind with the smoke, and I judged I was gone. If they'd a had some bullets in, I reckon they'd a got the corpse¹⁹ they was after. Well, I see I warn't hurt, thanks to goodness. The boat floated on and went out of sight around the shoulder of the island. I could hear the booming now and then, further and further off, and by and by, after an hour, I didn't hear it no more. The island was three mile long. I judged they had got to the foot, and was giving it up. But they didn't yet a while. They turned around the foot of the island and started up the channel on the Missouri side, under steam, and booming once in a while as they went. I crossed over to that side and watched them. When they got abreast the head of the island they quit shooting and dropped over to the Missouri shore and went home to the town.

I knowed I was all right now. Nobody else would come a-hunting after me. I got my traps out of the canoe and made me a nice camp in the thick woods. I made a kind of a tent out of my blankets to put my things under so the rain couldn't get at them. I catched a catfish²⁰ and haggled²¹ him open with my saw, and towards sundown I started my camp fire and had supper. Then I set out a line to catch some fish for breakfast.

When it was dark I set by my camp fire smoking, and feeling pretty well satisfied; but by and by it got sort of lonesome, and so I went and set on the bank and listened to the current swashing along, and counted the stars and drift logs and rafts that come down, and then went to bed; there ain't no better way to put in time when you are lonesome; you can't stay so, you soon get over it.

And so for three days and nights. No difference -- just the same thing. But the next day I went exploring around down through the island. I was boss of it; it all belonged to me, so to say, and I wanted to know all about it; but mainly I wanted to put in the time. I found plenty strawberries, ripe and prime; and green summer grapes, and green razberries; and the green blackberries was just beginning to show. They would all come handy by and by, I judged.

Well, I went fooling along in the deep woods till I judged I warn't far from the foot of the island. I had my gun along, but I hadn't shot nothing; it was for protection; thought I would kill some game nigh home. About this time I mighty²² near stepped on a good-sized snake, and it went sliding off through the grass and flowers, and I after it, trying to get a shot at it. I clipped along, and all of a sudden I bounded right on to the ashes of a camp fire that was still smoking.

My heart jumped up amongst my lungs. I never waited for to look further, but uncocked my gun and went sneaking²⁴ back on my tiptoes as fast as ever I could. Every now and then I stopped a second amongst the thick leaves and listened, but my breath come so hard I couldn't hear nothing else. I slunk along another piece further, then listened again; and so on, and so on. If I see a stump²⁵, I took it for a man; if I trod on a stick and broke it, it made me feel like a person had cut one of my breaths in two and I only got half, and the short half, too.

When I got to camp I warn't feeling very brash, there warn't much sand in my craw; but I says, this ain't no time to be fooling around. So I got all my traps into my canoe again so as to have them out of sight, and I put out the fire and scattered²⁶ the ashes around to look like an old last year's camp, and then clumb a tree.

I reckon I was up in the tree two hours; but I didn't see nothing, I didn't hear nothing -- I only THOUGHT I heard and seen as much as a thousand things. Well, I couldn't stay up there forever; so at last I got down, but I kept in the thick woods and on the lookout all the time. All I could get to eat was berries and what was left over from breakfast.

By the time it was night I was pretty hungry. So when it was good and dark I slid out from shore before moonrise and paddled over to the Illinois bank -- about a quarter of a mile. I went out in the woods and cooked a supper, and I had about made up my mind I would stay there all night when I hear a PLUNKETY- PLUNK, PLUNKETY-PLUNK, and says to myself, horses coming; and next I hear people's voices. I got everything into the canoe as quick as I could, and then went creeping through the woods to see what I could find out. I hadn't got far when I hear a man say:

"We better camp here if we can find a good place; the horses is about beat out. Let's look around."

I didn't wait, but shoved out and paddled away easy. I tied up in the old place, and reckoned I would sleep in the canoe.

I didn't sleep much. I couldn't, somehow, for thinking. And every time I waked up I thought somebody had me by the neck. So the sleep didn't do me no good. By and by I says to myself, I can't live this way; I'm a-going to find out who it is that's here on the island with me; I'll find it out or bust²⁷. Well, I felt better right off.

So I took my paddle and slid out from shore just a step or two, and then let the canoe drop along down amongst the shadows. The moon was shining, and outside of the shadows it made it most as light as day. I poked²⁸ along well on to an hour, everything still as rocks and sound asleep. Well, by this time I was most down to the foot of the island. A little ripply²⁹, cool breeze begun to blow, and that was as good as saying the night was about done. I give her a turn with the paddle and brung her nose to shore; then I got my gun and slipped out and into the edge of the woods. I sat down there on a log, and looked out through the leaves. I see the moon go off watch, and the darkness begin to blanket the river. But in a little while I see a pale streak³⁰ over the treetops, and knowed the day was coming. So I took my gun and slipped off towards where I had run across that camp fire, stopping every minute or two to listen. But I hadn't no luck somehow; I couldn't seem to find the place. But by and by, sure enough, I catched a glimpse of fire away through the trees. I went for it, cautious and slow. By and by I was close enough to have a look, and there laid a man on the ground. It most give me the fantods. He had a blanket around his head, and his head was nearly in the fire. I set there behind a clump³¹ of bushes in about six foot of him, and kept my eyes on him steady. It was getting gray daylight now. Pretty soon he gapped and stretched himself and hove off the blanket, and it was Miss Watson's Jim! I bet I was glad to see him. I says:

"Hello, Jim!" and skipped out.

He bounced up and stared at me wild. Then he drops down on his knees, and puts his hands together and says:

"Doan' hurt me -- don't! I hain't ever done no harm to a ghos'. I alwuz liked dead people, en done all I could for 'em. You go en git in de river agin, whah you b'longs, en doan' do nuffn to Ole Jim, 'at 'uz awluz yo' fren'."

Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of HIM telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing. Then I says:

"It's good daylight. Le's get breakfast. Make up your camp fire good."

"What's de use er makin' up de camp fire to cook strawbries en sich truck? But you got a gun, hain't you? Den²³ we kin² git sumfn better den strawbries."

"Strawberries and such truck," I says. "Is that what you live on?"

"I couldn' git nuffn else," he says.

"Why, how long you been on the island, Jim?"

"I come heah de night arter you's killed."

"What, all that time?"

"Yes -- indeedy."

"And ain't you had nothing but that kind of rubbage to eat?"

"No, sah -- nuffn else."

"Well, you must be most starved, ain't you?"

"I reck'n I could eat a hoss. I think I could. How long you ben on de islan'?"

"Since the night I got killed."

"No! W'y, what has you lived on? But you got a gun. Oh, yes, you got a gun. Dat's good. Now you kill sumfn en I'll make up de fire."

So we went over to where the canoe was, and while he built a fire in a grassy³² open place amongst the trees, I fetched meal and bacon and coffee, and coffee-pot and frying-pan, and sugar and tin cups, and the nigger was set back considerable, because he reckoned it was all done with witchcraft³³. I catched a good big catfish, too, and Jim cleaned him with his knife, and fried him.

When breakfast was ready we lolled on the grass and eat it smoking hot. Jim laid it in with all his might, for he was most about starved. Then when we had got pretty well stuffed, we laid off and lazied. By and by Jim says:

"But looky here, Huck, who wuz it dat 'uz killed in dat shanty³⁴ ef it warn't you?"

Then I told him the whole thing, and he said it was smart. He said Tom Sawyer couldn't get up no better plan than what I had. Then I says:

"How do you come to be here, Jim, and how'd you get here?"

He looked pretty uneasy, and didn't say nothing for a minute. Then he says:

"Maybe I better not tell."

"Why, Jim?"

"Well, dey's reasons. But you wouldn' tell on me ef I uz to tell you, would you, Huck?"

"Blamed if I would, Jim."

"Well, I b'lieve you, Huck. I -- I RUN OFF."

"Jim!"

"But mind, you said you wouldn' tell -- you know you said you wouldn' tell, Huck."

"Well, I did. I said I wouldn't, and I'll stick to it. Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a lowdown Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum -- but that don't make no difference. I ain't a-going to tell, and I ain't a-going back there, anyways. So, now, le's know all about it."

"Well, you see, it 'uz dis way. Ole missus -- dat's Miss Watson -- she pecks on me all de time, en treats me pooty rough, but she awluz said she wouldn' sell me down to Orleans. But I noticed dey wuz a nigger trader roun' de place considable lately, en I begin to git oneasy. Well, one night I creeps to de do' pooty late, en de do' warn't quite shet, en I hear old missus tell de widder she gwyne to sell me down to Orleans, but she didn' want to, but she could git eight hund'd dollars for me, en it 'uz sich a big stack o' money she couldn' resis'. De widder she try to git her to say she wouldn' do it, but I never waited to hear de res'. I lit out mighty quick, I tell you.

"I tuck out en shin down de hill, en 'spec to steal a skift 'long de sho' som'ers 'bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirring yit, so I hid in de ole tumble-down cooper-shop on de bank to wait for everybody to go 'way. Well, I wuz dah all night. Dey wuz somebody roun' all de time. 'Long 'bout³ six in de mawnin' skifts begin to go by, en 'bout eight er nine every skift dat went 'long wuz talkin' 'bout how yo' pap come over to de town en say you's killed. Dese las' skifts wuz full o' ladies en genlmen a-goin' over for to see de place. Sometimes dey'd pull up at de sho' en take a res' b'fo' dey started acrost, so by de talk I got to know all 'bout de killin'. I 'uz powerful sorry you's killed, Huck, but I ain't no mo' now.

"I laid dah under de shavin's all day. I 'uz hungry, but I warn't afeard; bekase I knowed ole missus en de widder wuz goin' to start to de campmeet'n' right arter breakfas' en be gone all day, en dey knows I goes off wid de cattle 'bout daylight, so dey wouldn' 'spec to see me roun' de place, en so dey wouldn' miss me tell arter dark in de evenin'. De yuther servants wouldn' miss me, kase dey'd shin out en take holiday soon as de ole folks 'uz out'n de way.

"Well, when it come dark I tuck out up de river road, en went 'bout two mile er more to whah dey warn't no houses. I'd made up my mine 'bout what I's agwyne to do. You see, ef I kep' on tryin' to git away afoot, de dogs 'ud track me; ef I stole a skift to cross over, dey'd miss dat skift, you see, en dey'd know 'bout whah I'd lan' on de yuther side, en whah to pick up my track. So I says, a raff is what I's arter; it doan' MAKE no track.

"I see a light a-comin' roun' de p'int bymeby, so I wade³⁵' in en shove' a log ahead o' me en swum more'n half way acrost de river, en got in 'mongst de driftwood, en kep' my head down low, en kinder swum agin de current tell de raff come along. Den I swum to de stern uv it en tuck a-holt. It clouded up en 'uz pooty dark for a little while. So I clumb up en laid down on de planks³⁶. De men 'uz all 'way yonder in de middle, whah de lantern wuz. De river wuz arisin', en dey wuz a good current; so I reck'n'd 'at by fo' in de mawnin' I'd be twenty-five mile down de river, en den I'd slip in jis b'fo' daylight en swim asho', en take to de woods on de Illinois side.

"But I didn' have no luck. When we 'uz mos' down to de head er de islan' a man begin to come aft wid de lantern, I see it warn't no use fer to wait, so I slid overboard en struck out fer de islan'. Well, I had a notion I could lan' mos' anywhers, but I couldn't -- bank too bluff³⁷. I 'uz mos' to de foot er de islan' b'fo' I found' a good place. I went into de woods en jedged I wouldn' fool wid raffs no mo', long as dey move de lantern roun' so. I had my pipe en a plug er dog-leg, en some matches in my cap, en dey warn't wet, so I 'uz all right."

"And so you ain't had no meat nor bread to eat all this time? Why didn't you get mud-turkles?"

"How you gwyne to git 'm? You can't slip up on um en grab um; en how's a body gwyne to hit um wid a rock? How could a body do it in de night? En I warn't gwyne to show mysef on de bank in de daytime."

"Well, that's so. You've had to keep in the woods all the time, of course. Did you hear 'em shooting the cannon?"

"Oh, yes. I knowed dey was arter you. I see um go by heah -- watched um thoo de bushes."

Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting³⁸. Jim said it was a sign it was going to rain. He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same way when young birds done it. I was going to catch some of them, but Jim wouldn't let me. He said it was death. He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them catched a bird, and his old granny said his father would die, and he did.

And Jim said you mustn't count the things you are going to cook for dinner, because that would bring bad luck. The same if you shook the table-cloth after sundown. And he said if a man owned a beehive and that man died, the bees must be told about it before sun-up next morning, or else the bees would all weaken down and quit work and die. Jim said bees wouldn't sting idiots; but I didn't believe that, because I had tried them lots of times myself, and they wouldn't sting me.

I had heard about some of these things before, but not all of them. Jim knowed all kinds of signs. He said he knowed most everything. I said it looked to me like all the signs was about bad luck, and so I asked him if there warn't any good-luck signs. He says:

"Mighty few -- an' DEY ain't no use to a body. What you want to know when good luck's a-comin' for? Want to keep it off?" And he said: "Ef you's got hairy arms en a hairy breas', it's a sign dat you's agwyne to be rich. Well, dey's some use in a sign like dat, 'kase it's so fur ahead. You see, maybe you's got to be po' a long time fust, en so you might git discourage' en kill yo'sef 'f you didn' know by de sign dat you gwyne to be rich bymeby."

"Have you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, Jim?"

"What's de use to ax dat question? Don't you see I has?"

"Well, are you rich?"

"No, but I ben rich wunst, and gwyne to be rich agin. Wunst I had foteen dollars, but I tuck to specalat'n', en got busted³⁹ out."

"What did you speculate in, Jim?"

"Well, fust I tackled stock."

"What kind of stock?"

"Why, live stock -- cattle, you know. I put ten dollars in a cow. But I ain' gwyne to resk no mo' money in stock. De cow up 'n' died on my han's."

"So you lost the ten dollars."

"No, I didn't lose it all. I on'y los' 'bout nine of it. I sole de hide en taller for a dollar en ten cents."

"You had five dollars and ten cents left. Did you speculate any more?"

"Yes. You know that one-laigged nigger dat b'longs to old Misto Bradish? Well, he sot up a bank, en say anybody dat put in a dollar would git fo' dollars mo' at de en' er de year. Well, all de niggers went in, but dey didn't have much. I wuz de on'y one dat had much. So I stuck out for mo' dan fo' dollars, en I said 'f I didn' git it I'd start a bank mysef. Well, o' course dat nigger want' to keep me out er de business, bekase he says dey warn't business 'nough for two banks, so he say I could put in my five dollars en he pay me thirty-five at de en' er de year.

"So I done it. Den I reck'n'd I'd inves' de thirty-five dollars right off en keep things a-movin'. Dey wuz a nigger name' Bob, dat had ketched a woodflat, en his marster didn' know it; en I bought it off'n him en told him to take de thirty-five dollars when de en' er de year come; but somebody stole de wood-flat dat night, en nex day de one-laigged nigger say de bank's busted. So dey didn' none uv us git no money."

"What did you do with the ten cents, Jim?"

"Well, I 'uz gwyne to spen' it, but I had a dream, en de dream tole me to give it to a nigger name' Balum -- Balum's Ass¹ dey call him for short; he's one er dem chuckleheads, you know. But he's lucky, dey say, en I see I warn't lucky. De dream say let Balum inves' de ten cents en he'd make a raise for me. Well, Balum he tuck de money, en when he wuz in church he hear de preacher say dat whoever give to de po' len' to de Lord, en boun' to git his money back a hund'd times. So Balum he tuck en give de ten cents to de po', en laid low to see what wuz gwyne to come of it."

"Well, what did come of it, Jim?"

"Nuffn never come of it. I couldn' manage to k'leck dat money no way; en Balum he couldn'. I ain' gwyne to len' no mo' money 'dout I see de security. Boun' to git yo' money back a hund'd times, de preacher says! Ef I could git de ten CENTS back, I'd call it squah, en be glad er de chanst."

"Well, it's all right anyway, Jim, long as you're going to be rich again some time or other."

"Yes; en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns mysef, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'."

等我醒来，太阳已经老高了。我看，该是过了八点钟了吧。我躺在草地上阴凉的树荫
里，一边思量着，觉得身上已经歇过气来了，挺舒服的，挺满意的。透过树荫的一两处空
隙，我能见到阳光。不过，这里到处是一棵棵巨大的树木，一片阴森森的。有些地方，阳光
透过树叶，往下筛落，留下了地上几处斑斑点点亮色。每当这些地方亮色摇曳，便知道有微
风吹拂过。枝头有几只松鼠，态度友好地对着我吱吱地叫着。
    我还是一味懒洋洋的，舒舒服服的，——还不想起身做早饭。是啊，我又打起了瞌睡。
可是忽听得河上远处传来重重的“轰”的一声，我连忙爬了起来，支起一只胳膊，仔细地倾
听。没有多久，又传来了一声。我跳起身来，走出去，通过树叶的空隙往外张望，但见远处
大河之上一团黑烟——大约是在渡口附近。渡船上挤满了人，正往下游漂来。到了这一刻，
我已懂得是怎么一回事了。“轰”，我看到渡船一侧喷出白烟。要知道，他们这是在河上放
炮，指望我的尸体能浮到水面上来。
    我正饿极了，不过眼下可不是我生火的时刻，因为人家会望见烟的。所以我就坐下来，
看着炮火冒的烟，听着炮轰声声。大河河面有一英里宽，每到夏天早晨，一片好风光——这
样，看着人家忙着找寻我的尸体，委实是一种乐趣。只要我能有一口东西吃就好。嗯，我突
然想起，人们往往把水银灌到面包圈里，然后让它们在水面上漂，因为它们往往对准了沉在
下面的尸体漂去，一到那里便停下来不动了。我自言自语：我得留心看着，看有没有漂到我
身边来找我的面包。要是有的话，定要给点颜色给它们看看。我移到了岛上靠伊利诺斯州一
边的地方，看一看我的运气究竟如何。事情倒并没有叫我失望，一只特大的面包漂了过来，
我靠了一根长棍子，几乎把面包捞到手了，只是脚一滑，它就漂向远处了。当然，我是等在
水流最靠近河岸的地方的——这个窍门我是精通的。可是不久又漂来了第二个，这一回啊，
我可就旗开得胜啦。我拨开上面的塞子，把那一点儿水银给抖了出来，就咬了一口。这可是
“面包房的面包”——是供上等人吃的——可不是你们下等人吃的那种玉米面包。
    我在树荫深处找到了一个绝好的去处，在那边一根原木上一坐，一边啃面包，一边看看
那只渡船上的热闹，好不开怀。正是在这么一个时刻，一个念头涌上我的心头。我对我自己
说，据我现时推想起来，那寡妇或是牧师，或是别的什么人，肯定做过祷告，但愿这块面包
会把我找到。如今它漂过来了，结果是如此这般，这已经毫无怀疑的余地。其中毕竟有些什
么奥妙吧，这就是说，当寡妇或者牧师那样的人做了祷告，结果却在我身上便不灵验，这其
中必定有些什么奥妙，我推想，大概必须是对路的人才灵，不然就不灵吧。
    我点起了烟斗，痛痛快快吸了一口，一边继续看望着。渡船还在顺着水势漂流。我心
想，渡船漂过来的时候，我肯定能有机会看一看清楚，船上究竟是哪些人，因为渡船势必会
逼近面包沉下的地方漂过去。渡船顺水朝着我这个方向开来的时候，我把烟斗熄灭了，走到
了我捞那块面包的地方，伏在一小片开阔地的岸边一根木头后边。透过木头桠叉的空隙，我
能向外偷看到一切。
    渡船慢慢漂了过来，离岸很近了，只要架上一块跳板，便能走到岸上来。几乎全部人马
都在船上：爸爸，法官撒切尔，贝茜·撒切尔，乔·哈贝，还有汤姆·索亚和他的老阿姨葆
莉，还有西特和玛丽等其他很多人。一个个都在谈论暗杀的事，不过船长插话说：
    “注意了，注意了，水流在这儿离岸最近，说不定他给冲上了岸，在水边矮树丛里给绊
住了，至少是我但愿如此。”
    我可不愿如此哩。大伙儿便挤在一起，在船栏杆上探出身子，几乎跟我脸对脸。他们一
齐静静地站在那里，聚精会神地察看着。我能把他们看得清清楚楚，不过他们就是看不见
我。接着，船长忽然高声喊：
    “站开”！一声炮响，简直就是在我面前放的，震得我耳朵都聋了，炮灰几乎弄瞎了我
的眼睛。我心想，这下子我可完了。要是他们放进几颗子弹的话，我看他们这回准定能找到
他们寻找的那具尸体。啊，谢天谢地，我没有受伤。渡船继续往上面漂去，到了岛岬那边就
见不到了。我时不时听到老远传来的炮声，一个钟点以后，就听不见了。这个岛有三英里
长，我判断，他们已到了岛尾，便决定不找了。可事实上他们还是继续找了一会儿的。他们
从岛尾往回转，开足马力，沿着密苏里州一侧的水道找，一路上偶尔也发了炮。我跑到了岛
的那一侧去，看着动静。船开到了岛尖，他们便停止了炮轰，停靠在密苏里州一边的岸边，
纷纷回到镇上各人的家里去。
    到了这一刻，我知道一切平安无事了。不会再有人来寻找我了。我把独木小舟上的物品
取了出来，在密林深处搭了个小巧的营帐。我利用毯子搭了个帐篷，下面堆放了我那些物
品，免得遭雨淋。我钓到了一条大鲶鱼，用我的那把锯子剖开了肚子。日落以前，我烧起了
篝火，吃了晚饭。接着放了鱼竿，好钓条鱼以备明天的早餐。
    天黑了，我在营帐边上抽着烟，心里觉得挺满意的。慢慢地又感到有点儿寂寞。我便在
河岸上坐下，倾听着流水冲刷河岸声，数数天上的星星，数数从上游漂下来的木头和木筏
子，然后去睡觉。在寂寞的时候，这是消磨时间最好的办法了。你不会老是这样的，你很快
就会习惯的。
    就这样，三天三夜过去了。没有什么不一样的——一切照旧。不过，到第二天，我走遍
了全岛，好好巡视了一番。我是一岛之主啦，这岛上一切全归于我啦，不妨这么个说法嘛。
我得通晓这儿所有的一切啊。不过，话说回来，主要原因还是为了消磨时光。我找到了好多
好多的杨莓，熟了的，最好的杨莓，还有青的野萄萄和青的草莓，还有青的黑莓子。这些不
久都会熟透。依我看，你随手可以摘来吃。
    好，我在密林深处转悠，到后来，我估计已经离岛尾不远了。我随身带了枪的，不过我
没有打过什么东西，只为了防身之用，只是想到了离家不远处，打几只野味。就在这时，我
差点儿踩在一条大蛇身上。这时，这条蛇正在青草和花丛中游过。我追过去，满心想给它一
枪。我正在向前飞跑，突然之间，我踩到一堆篝火的灰烬，并且还在冒烟呢①。   

　　①诺顿版注：哈克发现篝火灰烬，乃富于戏剧性的细节，可与笛福《鲁滨逊漂流
记》第十一章发现脚印的细节先后媲美。

    我的这颗心啊，简直要跳出来啦。我一刻也没有停下来察看，马上把枪上的扳机拉下
来，踮着脚尖，偷偷往回缩，缩得越快越好。间或有时候放下脚步，在密密的一簇簇树叶丛
中停个片刻，仔细倾听一下，可是我喘气喘得这么厉害，很难听到别的声音。一路之上，情
况便是如此。要是看见一根枯树桩，我便当作是一个人。要是我踩在了一根树枝上面，踩断
了，我便觉得仿佛有人把我的喘气砍成了两半，我只剩了半口气，而且是短的那半口气。
回到宿营地，我不再是那么急躁了，我原来的那股勇气所剩不多了。不过，我对自己
说，没时间磨蹭了。我就把自己的什物再一次放到了独木小舟上，免得给人发现。我把篝火
熄灭了，把灰烬往四周撒开，好叫人家见了以为是一年前的灰烬似的。接下来，我便爬上了
一棵树。
依我估算，我爬在树上有两个钟头。不过我什么也没有见到，什么也没有听到——我只
是自以为自己听见了、看见了上千桩事情。啊，我可不能老耽在那里啊。我终于爬了下来，
不过我还是耽在密密的林子里，自始至终留着神。我能吃到的只是草莓，还有早饭吃了剩下
的。
到了晚上，我可饿慌了。所以天黑尽的时候，我趁着月亮还没有上来，便划离岸边，找
到了伊利诺斯州岸边——大致有四分之一英里那么一段路。我上了岸，进了林子里，烧好了
晚饭，正当我快要打定主意，准备在整个儿一晚上都耽在那边的时候，突然听到了一声声
“得——得——得——得”，我便对自个儿说，是马来了。接下来听到了人的说话声。我赶
紧把所有的东西都搬上了独木小舟，偷偷穿过林子，看一看究竟。走不好远，就听到一个男
子在说：
“要是我们能找到一个合适的地方，最好在这儿宿营，马快累垮了。让我们四下里察看
一下。”
我没有耽搁，便抄起桨来，划了出去。我把独木舟栓在老地方，思量着不妨在小舟里睡
它一下。
我没有睡多久。不知怎么搞的，一想心事，便睡不着。每一回醒来，总仿佛觉得有人卡
住了我的脖子。这样，睡也无益。后来，我对我自个儿说，我这样不行，我得弄明白究竟是
谁跟我一起在这岛上。不弄清楚，便完蛋了。这样一想，我马上心里好过些。
这样，我便抄起桨来，先把小舟荡开，离岸一两步，再让小舟顺着黑影往下淌。月色皎
洁，除了阴影处以外，亮得如同白昼。我小心翼翼地漂了近一个钟头。满世界如同一块岩石
那般寂静，睡得好香，不知不觉间快到岛尾了。一阵凉风微微地吹来，这等于说，夜快尽
了。我掉转船头，系到了岸边。然后带上枪，溜进了林子的边边上。我在那里的一棵圆木上
坐下，透过一簇簇树叶，向外张望。但见月亮下沉，一片黑暗遮住了大河。不过没有多久，
只见树梢头出现了一抹鱼肚白，便知白天正在来临。我就带了枪，朝发现了篝火灰烬的方向
溜去，每隔一两分钟便停下脚步，倾听一番。可是，该我运气不好，仿佛总是找不到那块地
方。不过，隔了一会儿，千真万确的，通过远处的树丛，我发现了火光一闪。我小心谨慎地
慢慢地朝这个方向走去。慢慢逼近了，能看清了。啊，有一个人正躺在地上。这下子啊，真
是吓得我簌簌打颤。他毯子蒙住了脑袋，脑袋凑近篝火。我坐在一簇矮树丛里，离他大约六
英尺光景，眼睛盯住了他。现在天色灰白了。一会儿，他打了个呵欠，伸了伸懒腰，掀掉了
毯子，啊，原来是华珍小姐的杰姆啊！见了他，我有多高兴。我说：
“哈啰，杰姆！”我跳了出去。
他一下子蹦了起来，一脸狂野地瞪着我。接着他双膝下跪，双手合拢地说：
“别害我，别害我！我从尾（未）伤害过一个鬼魂。我一相（向）喜欢死人，尽力为他
们做毫（好）事。你回到河里去吧，那是你的地方，可碧（别）伤害老杰姆，他可丛（从）
来都是你的好朋友。”
不用花多少功夫，我便叫他弄明白了我没有死，我见到了他又多么高兴。我对他说，如
今我便不寂寞了。我并不怕他会把我现今在哪里告诉别人。我一直说着话，可他只是坐在那
里，看着我，不吭一声。我就说：
“大白天了。来，吃早饭。把你的篝火生生好。”
“生篝火有什么用处？草莓这类东西也用得着煮？不过你有一枝枪，不是么？我们能弄
到比草莓祥（强）的东西。”
“草莓一类的东西，”我说，“难道你只靠这些活命？”
“我找不到碧（别）的东西啊，”他说。
“啊，杰姆，你在岛上有多久了？”
“就在你被杀的那一天，我道（到）岛上的。”
“啊，来了这么久？”
“是的，确确实实。”
“除了这些玩意儿，没有吃到别的？”
“没有——没有碧（别）的。”
“啊，你一定是饿慌了，是吧？”
“我看我能吞下一匹骂（马）。你在岛上又有多久？”
“从我被杀害的那一个晚上起。”
“啊，你靠什么活呢？不过你有枝枪。哦，是啊，你有枝枪。这就毫（好）。你现在可
以打点什摸（么）来，我来生火。”
我们就一起到了系船的地方。他在树林里开阔地带草地上生起火，我去拿玉米、咸肉、
咖啡和咖啡壶、平底锅，还有糖和洋铁皮杯子。这些把这个黑奴可吓了一跳，因为他认为这
些都是魔法变出来的。我又钓到了一条大鲶鱼，由杰姆用他的小刀收拾干净，放在锅里煎了。
早饭准备好了，我们便歪在草地上热菜热汤吃开了。杰姆使劲往肚子里塞，因为他实在
饿慌了。等到肚子一装满，我们便懒洋洋躺了下来。
后来杰姆说：
“不过听我说，哈克，要不是你被杀死的话，那又是谁在那个小见（间）里被杀死的
呢？”
我就把全部经过一古脑儿倒给他听。他说，这干得漂亮。他说，就是汤姆·索亚也不会
干得比你这下子更漂亮的了。”
我就说：
“杰姆，你是怎样到这儿来的呢？你怎么会到这儿来的呢？”
他神色大为不安，有一阵子一声也不响。接下来他说：
“也许我还是不说的好。”
“为什么，杰姆？”
“嗯，是有原因的。不过嘛，要是我告诉你的话，哈克，你不会告发我的，是吧？”
“杰姆，我要是告发的话，我就是个混蛋。”
“好，我相信你，哈克——我是逃跑的”
“杰姆！”
“当心，你说过你不会告发的——你知道你说过决不告发的，哈克。”
“好啊，我是说过。我说过决不告发，我说了话算数。说老实话，我决不反悔。当然
啰，人家会骂我是一个下贱的废奴主义者①，为了这个看不起我——不过这没有什么关系。
我不会告发。反正我也决不会再回那儿去了。所以说，把事情原原本本全说一遍吧。”
“好吧，听我说，事情是这样的。老小姐——就是说华珍小姐——她从早到晚挑剔我—
—对我可凶啦——不过她老说，她不会把我卖到下游奥尔良②那里去。不过我注意到，最近
有一个黑奴贩子，老在这里走动，我就心神不定。啊，一天晚上，我偷偷到了门口，那是很
晚了，门没有关京（紧），我听到老小姐告诉寡斧（妇），说她要把我卖到下游奥尔良去。
说她本不愿意卖，不过卖了能得八百块大羊（洋），这么泰（大）的一个数目，她不能不动
心。寡妇劝她别这羊（样）干，不过我没有等她们说完，就急急忙忙溜之大吉了，就这样。    

　　①当时密苏里这个新成立的州是蓄奴州，当地白人普遍认为废奴主义者是大逆不道
者，就连马克·吐温年幼时也曾视奴隶制为当然的事。马克·吐温在《自传》第二章中说，
“我读小学的时候，对蓄奴制还并无反感。当时我并没有认识到这样的制度有什么不对。”
（参见皮佛《哈克贝里·芬》，３页。）
②诺顿版注：当时伊利诺斯州法律上是自由州，和蓄奴州（包括密苏里州），仅隔了密
西西比河和俄亥俄河。黑人如果身上没有已获自由身份的证件而进入该州的，可被逮捕，并
受到一定的处罚。杰姆当时如果要进入对逃亡黑奴表示同情的北方各州，切实可行的办法是
越过俄亥俄河。

    “我溜出家门，急忙赶下山去，原想到镇上一处地方偷一只小船。不过，那里人来人
往。我就多（躲）在岸边那个箍桶匠的破屋子里，等人家一个个走开。我等了镇镇（整整）
一个晚上，总是有人。直到早上六点钟，小船一条条开过。到八九点钟，每一条经过那里的
小船都说，你爸爸怎样来到镇上，又怎样说你是如何如何被杀害的。一些船上挤满了太太和
老爷们，去到现场看个究竟。有的停告（靠）在岸边，歇一歇再开。所以从他们的谈话里，
我得知了你被杀死的全部情况。你被杀，我很难过。不过现在不难过了，哈克。
“我在刨花堆里躺了一整天，也真饿了。不过我心里并不黑（害）怕。因为我清楚，老
小姐和寡妇一吃过早饭便去参加野营会，要去一正（整）天。她们知道我白天要伺候生
（牲）口，因此她们在那里不会看到我。在天黑以前，她们不会想到找我。说到其余的佣
人，他们也不会找我，因为一看到老家伙不在家，他们便早已逍遥直（自）在去了。
“是啊，天一黑，我便溜出门去，沿着大河走了两英里多路，到了没有人家住的地方。
我该怎么办，我对此下钉（定）了决心。要知道，如果我光靠两只甲（脚）走路，狗会追中
（踪）而来。要是我偷一只船渡过去，人家会发现自己家的船失踪了，并且会知道在对面什
么地方上岸，这样也会跟踪而来。所以我对自个儿说，最好是找一个木筏子，这不会留下踪
迹。
“一会儿工夫，我看到岛尖透出一道亮广（光），我就跳下水去，抓住一根木头往前
推，泅到了河中央，游到漂着的木头堆里，把脑袋放得低低的，逆着水势游，一直等到有木
筏子过来。接着，我游到木筏的后梢，紧紧爪（抓）住不放。这时候，天上起了云，一时间
天很黑。我便乘机爬了上去，躺在木板子上。木筏上的人都聚在木筏中间有盏灯的地方。大
河帐（涨）潮了，水势很猛。我估摸着，到早上四点钟光景，我可以下去二十五英里了。到
那时候，天亮以前，我会溜下河里，游到岸上，舟（钻）进伊利诺斯州那一边的树林子里去。
“不过，我运气不好。快到岛尖了，一个人却提着登（灯）走过来。我一看不好，不能
再耽搁了，便溜下了水，朝岛尖游去。我本以为，哪里都能尚（上）得去，可是不行——河
岸太陡。快到岛尾，我才找到一个好去处。我钻进了树林子，心想木筏上灯移来移去的，我
再也不跟木筏子打交道啦。我把我的烟斗和一块板烟①，还有一盒火柴都塞在我的帽子里，
因此没有弄潮，所以我的日子还好过。”    

　　①诺顿版注：指一种劣质烟叶。

    “这样说来，你这阵子当然没有吃到肉和面包，是吧？你为什么不捉几只甲鱼吃呢？”
“我怎么个捉法？总不能偷偷地过去，光用手就能捉住吧？又怎么能光靠一块石子就打
中它？在黑夜里怎么个干法？再说，在大百（白）天，我才不会在岸边暴路（露）我自己
呢。”
“好，说得对。当然啰，自始至终，你得躲在树林子里。你听到了他们的炮声么？”
“哦，听到的，我知道这是冲着你的。我看见他们在这里过去的，我透过矮树重
（丛），丁（盯）住了他们的。”
有几只小鸟飞来，一次飞一两码，便歇一歇。杰姆说，这是一种预兆，要下雨了。他
说，小鸡这样飞的话，就是一种预兆，因此他推想，小鸟这样飞，便也是一种预兆。我想捉
它几只，可杰姆不同意。他说，这样会死人。他说，他父亲当年病得很重，有人捉了一只小
鸟，他年老的妈妈说，父亲会死去，后来他果真死了。
杰姆还说，凡是你准备在中午煮来吃的，你不能去数它一数究竟是多少，不然会招来恶
运。太阳落山以后，你要是把桌布抖一抖，也会得恶运。他还说，一个人如果养了一窝蜂
群，一旦这人死了，必须在第二天日出以前把死讯让蜂群知晓，不然，蜂群会病歪歪的，不
采蜜了，死去了。杰姆说，蜂子不会蜇傻瓜蛋，不过我不信这个，因为我自己便试过好几
回，可就是不蜇我。
这类的事，我以前也听说过了一些，不过听得不全。杰姆可懂得所有形形色色的预兆，
他说他几乎什么都通晓。我说，据我看，仿佛预兆全都是坏的预兆，因此我问他，究竟有没
有好运的预兆。他说：
“很少很少——再说，好的兆头对人一无用处。你要知道什么时候交好运，这有什么用
处？难道是为了自个儿能笃（躲）过它？”他还说，“要是胳膊上是毛茸茸的，或是胸后是
毛茸茸的，这是预兆你要发财。啊，这样的预兆还有点儿用，因为那是好旧（久）以后才会
来的事。要知道，说不定你非得先穷个很长的时间，要不是你知道终究有那么一天你会发才
（财），说不定你会灰心伤（丧）气到自杀的地步。”
“那你有没有毛茸茸的胳膊、毛茸茸的胸口，杰姆？”
“还用问？你没有看见我都有么？”
“那么，你发了财吗？”
“没有。不过，我是发过了的。下一回，我还会发。有一回，我有十四块大羊（洋）。
我用来做了投鸡（机）生意，结果都裴（赔）光了。”
“你搞的什么投机生意，杰姆？”
“嗯，我先搞的是股票。”
“什么样的股票？”
“啊，活股票。牲口嘛①，你明白么？我买一头奶牛化（花）了十块大洋。以后我可不
会在牲口上冒险化（花）钱啦。那头牛一到了我手上就私（死）啦。”    

　　①活股票，英语中“活”与“股票”（livestock）合起来，即成另一个词：牲口。

    “那你丢了十块钱？”
“不，我没有全赔光。我损失了十分之九。我把牛皮和牛邮（油）给卖了一块一毛钱。”
“你剩下了五块一毛钱。你后来又搞了什么投机生意了么？”
“搞了的。你知道波拉狄休老先生家那个一条推（腿）的黑奴么？他开设了一家银行。
他说，谁存进一块钱，满一年可得四块钱。啊，黑奴全去存了。不过他们全没有很多钱，我
是唯一有钱的一个。我坚持要比四块钱更皋（高）一些的利息。我说，不然的话，我自己另
开一家银行。急（结）果呢，那个黑奴自然要阻挡我加进他们这一行，因为据他说，没有那
么多的生意供两家银行干的。他说，我可以存进五块钱，年低（底）他给我三十五块大羊
（洋）。
“我就干了。我还捉摸着不妨把三十五块大羊（洋）麻（马）上就投出去，好叫钱活起
来，有一个黑奴叫鲍勃的，他买了一条平底蚕（船）①。他的主人对这事并不知道。我从他
手里买了这调（条）蚕（船），告诉他，到年底，那三十五块大羊（洋）就是他的了。不
过，就在那一个晚上，有人把蚕（船）给偷走了。第二天，一条腿的黑奴说，他的那家银行
倒闭了。所以我们两个人谁也没有拿到钱。”
“那么，那一毛钱你是怎么用的呢，杰姆？”
“啊，我正打算化（花）掉它呢。可是我做了一个梦。梦里告诉我该把钱给一个叫做巴
鲁姆的黑奴——人家为了叫起来方便，叫他巴鲁姆的驴②。他可是个傻瓜脑袋，你知道吧。
不过，人家说这人生来云（运）气好。我呢，我自己知道生来云（运）气不好。梦里交代
我，该把一毛钱叫巴鲁姆去投放，他会给我赚钱的。好吧，巴鲁姆收下了这个钱。有一回，
他上教堂去，听到传教士说，谁把钱给穷人，就是把钱给了上帝，他会得里（利）一百倍。
巴鲁姆就把那一毛钱给了穷人，等着看急（结）果会如何。”    

　　①诺顿版注：一种运木材的平底船。
②诺顿版注：巴鲁姆（Balum）是杰姆把音念别了。应是巴兰（Balaam）。巴兰的故事
见《旧约·民数记》２２章２１—３４节。巴兰骑的乃仙驴。驴看见了天使挡住去路，且持
刀在手要杀他。这些巴兰自己看不见。仙驴避开天使改道走，却一次次遭到看不见天使的巴
兰鞭打。这里作者故意取笑杰姆纠缠，但也提示了杰姆在下一章中预测到了自己前途的凶
险。

    “那么结果如何呢，杰姆？”
“什么急（结）果也没有。我想尽办法也拿不回这钱，巴鲁姆也无发（法）。以后我要
是看不到底（抵）押品，决不把钱放出去。传教士说什么可以得里（利）一百倍！要是我能
把一毛钱收回来，我就认为是公平交叶（易），云（运）气不错啦。”
“啊，反正那没有什么，杰姆，反正你迟早还是会发财的嘛，杰姆。”
“是啊，——我如今已经发才（财）了。你想吧。我自己这个人，归我自个儿所有。我
值八百块大羊（洋）。我但愿我自个儿有这笔钱。再笃（多）呢，我也不要了。”