Table of Contents

away from us, Tom? It’s on her land.” “She take it away! Maybe she’d like to try
it once. Whoever finds one of these hid treasures, it belongs to him. It don’t
make any difference whose land it’s on.” That was satisfactory. The work went
on. By and by Huck said:“Blame it, we must be in the wrong place again. What
do you think?” “It is mighty curious Huck. I don’t understand it. Sometimes
witches interfere. I reckon maybe that’s what’s the trouble now.” “Shucks,
witches ain’t got no power in the daytime.” “Well, that’s so. I didn’t think of
that. Oh, I know what the matter is! What a blamed lot of fools we are! You got
to find out where the shadow of the limb falls at midnight, and that’s where you
dig!” “Then consound it, we’ve fooled away all this work for nothing. Now hang
it all, we got to come back in the night. It’s an awful long way. Can you get out?”
“I bet I will. We’ve got to do it to-night, too, because if somebody sees these
holes they’ll know in a minute what’s here and they’ll go for it.”

“Well, I’ll come around and meow to night.” “All right. Let’s hide the tools in
the bushes.” The boys were there that night, about the appointed time. They sat
in the shadow waiting. It was a lonely place, and an hour made solemn by old
traditions.

Spirits whispered in the rustling leaves, ghosts lurked in the murky nooks, the
deep baying of a hound floated up out of the distance, an owl answered with his
sepulchral note. The boys were subdued by these solemnities, and talked little.
By and by they judged that twelve had come; they marked where the shadow
fell, and began to dig. Their hopes commenced to rise. Their interest grew
stronger, and their industry kept pace with it. The hole deepened and still
deepened, but every time their hearts jumped to hear the pick strike upon
something, they only suffered a new disappointment. It was only a stone or a
chunk. At last Tom said:“It ain’t any use, Huck, we’re wrong again.” “Well but
we can’t be wrong. We spotted the shadder to a dot.” “I know it, but then there’s
another thing.” “What’s that?” “Why we only guessed at the time. Like enough
it was too late or too early.” Huck dropped his shovel.

“That’s it,” said he. “That’s the very trouble. We got to give this one up. We can’t
ever tell the right time, and besides this kind of thing’s too awful, here this time
of night with witches and ghosts a-fluttering around so. I feel as if something’s
behind me all the time; and I’m afeard to turn around, becuz maybe there’s
others in front a-waiting for a chance. I been creeping all over, ever since I got
here.” “Well, I’ve been pretty much so, too, Huck. They most always put in a
dead man when they bury a treasure under a tree, to look out for it.” “Lordy!”
“Yes, they do. I’ve always heard that.” “Tom I don’t like to fool around much
where there’s dead people. A body’s bound to get into trouble with ‘em, sure.”
“I don’t like to stir ‘em up, either, Huck. S’pose this one here was to stick his
skull out and say something!” “Don’t, Tom! It’s awful.” “Well it just is. Huck, I
don’t feel comfortable a bit.” “Say, Tom, let’s give this place up, and try
somewheres else.” “All right, I reckon we better.” “What’ll it be?” Tom
considered a while; and then said“The ha’nted house. That’s it!”