CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The Public House

Three nights later, the boys waited until dark and then went to the public house. There wasn't anyone around when they got there. Everything had been closed about an hour earlier. They went around back to where the door for room number two was.

The plan was for Huck to be the guard while Tom went inside to look around. They silently approached the door. Tom turned the handle and, with a little bit of trouble, he managed to open the door. He went in and Huck stayed outside as planned. He waited for Tom for what seemed to be a very long time. He started to fear that something had happened to him. He began to fear that Tom would never come back out. But then the door suddenly opened and Tom ran out without turning around to look at Huck. He just yelled out, "Run! Run as fast as you can!"

So they ran and they didn't stop running until they had arrived at the opposite end of the village, where their usual hiding place, the old empty building, was.

"I was so frightened, Huck! You remember when I tried opening the door, but couldn't. Well, then it was suddenly very easy to open. I didn't know why. I walked in and soon felt something under my foot. I looked down and saw that it was Indian Joe's hand!"

"No way!"

"I'm telling the truth! He was totally drunk and must have been going to open the door when he heard me trying to get in and then I guess he fell asleep while doing it. Lucky for me!"

"So did you see where that box was?"

"What, are you joking? I just turned and ran! I didn't get to see anything, Huck."

"If he's drunk, we should be able to get that box easily, Tom!"

"OK, then you go and get it from his room. I'm not going near there."

Huckleberry thought about it for a moment, but then said, "No way."

"Listen, Huck. Wait until we know that Indian Joe is not in there. Then we can go fast and get that box."

"We'll just wait until he's not in his room. Then we'll go and get the money."

"Sure, I'll watch the room and then let you know when they're gone."

"OK, you know what to do. Come to my window and make a noise like a cat."

(end of section)