Chapter7-page_65-70

Chapter 7 The Rich Heroes

By Tuesday, the villagers began to lose hope of finding Tom and Becky.

But Mr. Thatcher and a few men were still searching the cave on Tuesday evening.

Everyone thought the two children were dead.

They were mourning for them.

Mrs. Thatcher and Aunt Polly were both very ill.

And all the village children were very sad.

At about midnight that day, the village bells began to ring suddenly.

People came out of their homes and ran to the village square.

Some men were shouting, they are here, they are alive.

Everyone was surprised.

Tom and Becky were in an open carriage on the way to Becky's house.

People gathered around the carriage and cheered loudly.

No one went to bed after that.

Everyone went to the Thatcher's house to see Tom and Becky.

Both Aunt Polly and Mrs. Thatcher were very happy.

Mrs. Thatcher sent a messenger to the cave to give her husband the good news.

Tom lay on a sofa and told the crowd about his adventure.

He added some exciting things to it.

After staying in the cave tired and hungry for three days,

both Tom and Becky stayed in bed for two days and rested.

On Friday, Tom went to Mrs. Douglas's house to see Huck.

Huck was feeling much better and stronger.

Mrs. Douglas did not leave the boys alone,

so Tom couldn't tell Huck that he saw engine Joe in the cave.

And Tom couldn't tell Huck about his adventure with Becky in the cave.

On his way back, Tom heard that engine Joe's ugly partner drowned in the river

while he was trying to escape.

Two weeks later, Tom visited Becky at her home.

Becky's father was also at home and he talked with them.

Well, Tom, will you go inside the cave again?

He asked during their conversation.

I think I will, sir, answered Tom.

I thought so, and other boys will want to go there too.

So, my men covered the door at the mouth of the cave with iron bars.

No one can go inside again.

Tom's face turned white, he said.

Oh, judge, but engine Joe is in the cave.

The news about engine Joe spread around the village very quickly.

Soon after that, Judge Thatcher, Tom, and a dozen men were on the way

to McDougall's cave.

They wanted to catch engine Joe.

The men broke the bars on the cave door.

As soon as the door was broken, they saw engine Joe's dead body lying right next to it.

His knife was on the ground too.

It was broken in half.

Tom looked at the body with relief.

He felt safe at last.

The villagers buried engine Joe near the mouth of the cave, and there was a funeral for him.

All the people in the village and people from other villages went to the funeral.

Everyone was happy that engine Joe was dead and gone from their lives.

The morning after the funeral, Tom told Huck all about the picnic,

his adventure in the cave with Becky, and about engine Joe.

Huck listened with great interest, then he said.

Now we can never find a box with the gold coins.

You're wrong, said Tom.

The box is definitely in the cave.

We must go there and get it.

Now I know an easier and shorter way to the cave.

We will go in a boat.

We will enter through the opening near the river.

I told you that Becky and I got out through the opening.

We need to take some food and water and a knife with us.

And I will bring two big bags and a long kite string.

At noon, the two boys set out in a friend's boat.

When they reached the right spot on the shore, they got off the small boat and walked toward some trees.

They found the big opening behind them and climbed inside through it.

They lived their candles and walked down the long tunnel.

Tom pointed at a rock.

I saw engine Joe right behind that rock, he said.

Look, there is a cross sign on it.

Engine Joe's secret place is under that rock.

He probably buried the box there.

I think he drew the cross with the candle smoke.

The boys began to dig the earth under the rock with their knife, and they saw a big hole.

They went down the hole into a small room.

There were burnt out candles, empty bottles, fish bones, and other leftovers lying around

the room.

Huck pointed at the old mattress on the ground.

Engine Joe slept in eight here too, he said.

Tom didn't seem to hear him and shouted,

Hey, that's the box right there.

I can't believe this.

We have found the treasure.

cried out Huck.

There were two guns in the room too.

Huck said, Let's come here again and get those guns.

We may need them.

Then the boys lifted the heavy box together.

It was too heavy to carry.

So they opened the box and put the coins into the two bags.

Let's leave.

I am very hungry.

Let's go to the boat and eat, Tom said happily.

Can we get the guns now?

Huck asked.

No, not now, but they are definitely our guns now.

We will come and get them when we need them.

They must stay here now.

Then they got out of the cave through the same hole and went to the boat.

They rode back to the village.

On the way, Tom said, Let's hide these bags near Mrs. Douglas's house on the hill.

I know a good place to hide them.

When they got off the boat, they went to the top of the hill.

There were lights on Mrs. Douglas's windows.

She was giving a party, and the house was crowded.

The harpers, the Thatcher's, Aunt Polly, Sid, and Mary were there too.

Sid saw Tom and Huck from the window.

They are here, and they have two big bags.

He shouted to the others in the room.

Then he ran out and pulled the boys inside.

Huck and Tom were shocked.

They couldn't speak.

Everyone was looking at them and smiling.

Finally, Mrs. Douglas came forward and began to speak.

She was very excited, and her eyes were full of joy.

I have a surprise for you, Huck, she said.

You will be my son and live with me.

You will have a normal life, like the other boys.

You will go to school and attend church.

I will buy new clothes for you.

I will give you pocket money every day.

Huck was not quite happy to hear this, so Tom said.

He doesn't need your money, Mrs. Douglas.

Huck is rich now.

He is richer than all of you here.

Everyone looked at Huck.

Tom went on.

Wait, I will show you something.

Then he went out with Huck, and they brought the two bags.

Tom told everyone about Engine Joe and the metal box.

He opened the bags and together with Huck, he put the gold coins on the table.

They counted them.

There were about $12 ,000 worth of gold.

Tom said, Huck and I will share this money.

That's $6 ,000 for each of us.

With so much money, Huck can live in a good place and go to school.

He can buy nice clothes and have good food.

Mrs. Douglas, Aunt Polly and all the others were so happy now.

Tom and Huck were the richest people in the village.

They had enough money to go to school and to college.

Mrs. Douglas put Huck's money in a bank for him to go to college in the future.

Aunt Polly asked Judge Thatcher to do the same thing for Tom.

Mr. Thatcher liked Tom very much and expected him to be a successful man in the future.

Mrs. Douglas adopted Huck and looked after him.

At first, Huck felt very unhappy in her house, but soon he enjoyed having a normal life.

Tom and Huck continued to have adventures together, and the villagers continued to talk about them and admire them.

Both Aunt Polly and Mrs. Douglas were proud of their boys.