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intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody’s gaze and
everybody’s laudations.

The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have him
educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start him in
business in a modest way. Tom’s chance was come. He said: “Huck don’t need
it. Huck’s rich!” Nothing but a heavy strain upon the good manners of the
company kept back the due and proper complimentary laugh at this pleasant
joke. But the silence was a little awkward. Tom broke it“Huck’s got money.
Maybe you don’t believe it, but he’s got lots of it. O, you needn’t smile-I reckon
I can show you. You just wait a minute.” Tom ran out of doors. The company
looked at each other with a perplexed interest-and inquiringly at Huck, who
was tongue-tied.

“Sid, what ails Tom?” said Aunt Polly. “He-well, there ain’t ever any making of
that boy out. I never-” Tom entered, struggling with the weight of his sacks, and
Aunt Polly did not finish her sentence. Tom poured the mass of yellow coin
upon the table and said“There-what did I tell you? Half of it’s Huck’s and half
of it’s mine!” The spectacle took the general breath away. All gazed, nobody
spoke for a moment. Then there was a unanimous call for an explanation. Tom
said he could furnish it, and he did. The tale was long, but brim full of interest.
There was scarcely an interruption from anyone to break the charm of its flow.
When he had finished, Mr. Jones said“I thought I had fixed up a little surprise
for this occasion, but it don’t amount to anything now. This one makes it sing
mighty small, I’m willing to allow.” The money was counted. The sum
amounted to a little over twelve thousand dollars. It was more than any one
present had ever seen at one time before, though several persons were there who
were worth considerably more than that in property.