Table of Contents

When they reached the haunted house there was something so weird and grisly
about the dead silence that reigned there under the baking sun, and something
so depressing about the loneliness and desolation of the place, that they were
afraid, for a moment, to venture in. Then they crept to the door and took a
trembling peep. They saw a weed grown, floorless room, unplastered, an ancient
fireplace, vacant windows, a ruinous staircase; and here, there, and everywhere,
hung ragged and abandoned cobwebs. They presently entered, softly, with
quickened pulses; talking in whispers, ears alert to catch the slightest sound, and
muscles tense and ready for instant retreat.

In a little while familiarity modified their fears and they gave the place a critical
and interested examination, rather admiring their own boldness, and wondering
at it, too. Next they wanted to look upstairs. This was something like cutting off
retreat, but they got to daring each other, and of course there could be but one
result-they threw their tools into a corner and made the ascent. Up there were
the same signs of decay. In one corner they found a closet that promised
mystery, but the promise was a fraud-there was nothing in it. Their courage was
up now and well in hand. They were about to go down and begin work
when“Sh!” said Tom.

“What is it?” whispered Huck, blanching with fright.
“Sh!....... There!...... Hear it?” “Yes!..... O, my! Let’s run!” “Keep still! Don’t you
budge! They’re coming right toward the door.” The boys stretched themselves
upon the floor with their eyes to knot holes in the planking, and lay waiting, in a
misery of fear.

“They’ve stopped...... No-coming...... Here they are. Don’t whisper another
word, Huck. My goodness, I wish I was out of this!”

Two men entered. Each boy said to himself. “There’s the old deaf and dumb
Spaniard that’s been about town once or twice lately-never saw t’other man
before.” “T’other” was a ragged, unkempt creature, with nothing very pleasant
in his face. The Spaniard was wrapped in a serape; he had bushy white
whiskers; long white hair flowed from under his sombrero, and he wore green
goggles. When they came in, “t’other” was talking in a low voice; they sat down
on the ground, facing the door, with their backs to the wall, and the speaker
continued his remarks. His manner became less guarded and his words more
distinct as he proceeded: “No,” said he, “I’ve thought it all over, and I don’t like
it. It’s dangerous.” “Dangerous!” grunted the “deaf and dumb” Spaniard,- to the
vast surprise of the boys. “Milksop!” This voice made the boys gasp and quake.
It was Injun Joe’s! There was silence for some time. Then Joe said: “What’s any
more dangerous than that job up yonder-but nothing’s come of it.” “That’s
different. Away up the river so, and not another house about. ‘Twon’t ever be
known that we tried, anyway, long as we didn’t succeed.” “Well, what’s more
dangerous than coming here in the day time?- anybody would suspicion us that
saw us.”

“I know that. But there warn’t any other place as handy after that fool of a job. I
want to quit this shanty. I wanted to yesterday, only it warn’t any use trying to