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had told them at first, they wouldn’t have started away. He made a plausible
excuse; but his real reason had been the fear that not even the secret would keep
them with him any very great length of time, and so he had meant to hold it in
reserve as a last seduction.

The lads came gaily back and went at their sports again with a will, chattering
all the time about Tom’s stupendous plan and admiring the genius of it. After a
dainty egg and fish dinner, Tom said he wanted to learn to smoke, now. Joe
caught at the idea and said he would like to try, too. So Huck made pipes and
filled them. These novices had never smoked anything before but cigars made of
grape-vine and they “bit” the tongue and were not considered manly, anyway.
Now they stretched themselves out on their elbows and began to puff, charily,
and with slender confidence. The smoke had an unpleasant taste, and they
gagged a little, but Tom said: “Why it’s just as easy! If I’d a knowed this was all,
I’d a learnt long ago.” “So would I,” said Joe. “It’s just nothing.” “Why many a
time I’ve looked at people smoking, and thought well I wish I could do that; but
I never thought I could,” said Tom.

“That’s just the way with me, hain’t it Huck? You’ve heard me talk just that way-
haven’t you Huck? I’ll leave it to Huck if I haven’t.” “Yes-heaps of times,” said
Huck.

“Well I have too,” said Tom; “O, hundreds of times. Once down there by the
slaughter-house. Don’t you remember, Huck? Bob Tanner was there, and Johnny
Miller, and Jeff Thatcher, when I said it. Don’t you remember Huck, ‘bout me
saying that?” “Yes, that’s so,” said Huck. “That was the day after I lost a white
alley. No, ‘twas the day before.” “There-I told you so,” said Tom. “Huck
recollects it.” “I bleeve I could smoke this pipe all day,” said Joe. “I don’t feel
sick.” “Neither do I,” said Tom. “I could smoke it all day. But I bet you Jeff
Thatcher couldn’t.”

“Jeff Thatcher! Why he’d keel over just with two draws. Just let him try it once.
He’d see!” “I bet he would. And Johnny Miller-I wish I could see Johnny Miller
tackle it once.” “O, don’t I” said Joe, “Why I bet you Johnny Miller couldn’t any
more do this than nothing. Just one little snifter would fetch him.” “’Deed it
would, Joe. Say-I wish the boys could see us now.” “So do I.” “Say-boys, don’t
say anything about it, and some time when they’re around, I’ll come up to you
and say ‘Joe, got a pipe? I want a smoke.’ And you’ll say, kind of careless like, as
if it warn’t anything, you’ll say, ‘Yes, I got my old pipe, and another one, but my
tobacker ain’t very good.’ I’ll say, ‘O, that’s all right, if it’s strong enough.’ And
then you’ll out with the pipes, and we’ll light up just as ca’m, and then just see
‘em look!” “By jings that’ll be gay, Tom! I wish it was now!” “So do I! And when
we tell ‘em we learned when we was off pirating, won’t they wish they’d been
along?” “O, I reckon not! I’ll just bet they will!” So the talk ran on. But presently
it began to flag a trifle, and grow disjointed.

The silences widened; the expectoration marvelously increased. Every pore
inside the boys’ cheeks became a spouting fountain; they could scarcely bail out
the cellars under their tongues fast enough to prevent an inundation; little