Chapter3-page_26-32

Chapter 3 The Three Pirates

Tom could not forget about the night in the graveyard for several weeks.

He couldn't sleep at nights.

He had bad dreams and often saw engine Joe's face and the knife.

He could not talk to anyone about muff potter and engine Joe.

He felt very sorry for muff potter and visited him in prison every day.

One day Tom met with Huck outside the village.

They talked about the night in the graveyard.

Poor muff potter is in prison.

But they must put engine Joe in prison, not potter, Tom said.

Yes, engine Joe is a killer, but nobody knows this, said Huck.

Only we know it.

Remember, we must not tell this to anyone.

I'm afraid of engine Joe.

He is very dangerous.

He will kill us if we say anything.

Huck agreed and said, I'm afraid of him too.

We must not talk to anyone about him and about that night.

After some time, Tom stopped thinking about engine Joe and muff potter.

But he had a new problem.

Becky Thatcher was very ill and Tom was very worried about her.

What am I going to do if she dies, he thought to himself?

Becky couldn't come to school for a long time, and Tom missed her very much.

For many days, he hopelessly waited for her at the school gate.

He was very depressed.

Life became difficult and too boring for him without Becky.

He did not want to go to school because Becky was not there.

One morning, he skipped school and walked to the riverside.

He sat there for a long time.

While he was thinking about his life and his future, he met Joe Harper.

Joe's eyes were filled with anger.

I'm going to leave this village, Tom told Joe.

I am so sad.

Nobody loves me.

I want to go to distant countries.

Perhaps I will never see you again.

So farewell now, Joe.

Don't forget me.

I feel the same way as you do, Tom, said Joe sadly.

My mother kicked me out of the house this morning.

She was very angry at me, but I didn't do anything wrong.

I think she doesn't love me.

She doesn't want me in the house.

The two boys began to walk together.

They decided to become brothers and not to leave each other.

Suddenly, Tom had a great idea.

Let's become pirates.

Let's go to an island and live there, he cried out.

That sounds wonderful, Joe said.

What about Jackson's island?

No one lives there.

Jackson's island was in the middle of the river and three miles south of the village.

It was a narrow island in the widest part of the Mississippi.

It was covered with tall green trees.

Yes, that's a good place for pirates.

Huck can come with us too, said Tom.

Afterwards, the boys went back to the village.

They didn't tell their plan to anyone.

They asked Huckleberry Finn to join them, and he agreed.

The three of them planned to meet at a certain place by the river that night.

Tom told each boy to bring some food and supplies from their homes.

The boys met at midnight and got on an empty river boat on the shore.

All the crew were sleeping in their homes in the village.

Tom became the captain and they sailed to the island.

They felt free and happy.

When they reached the island, they made a big fire, and they placed their supplies under a big tree.

Tom had some meat with him.

They cooked some of it over the fire and had dinner.

Then they went to sleep.

Tom woke up early the next morning.

He woke the other boys up.

They made a fire again.

Then they found some clean water to drink.

They ate some bread and apples for breakfast.

Later, they walked in the water and caught a lot of fish.

They cooked some of the fish for lunch.

They felt free and were very happy.

Tom gave each of them a pirate name.

He named himself the Black Pirate.

He named Huck, the red -handed, and Joe, the destroyer of the seas.

They joyfully played pirate games.

The three pirates wandered around the island and enjoyed seeing different kinds of small animals and birds.

In the afternoon, they went to the shore.

Their boat was not there anymore.

The wind was carrying it away.

They didn't worry about it because they didn't want to go back.

They lay down under the tree and talked.

But slowly, the quietness of the island made them sad.

They felt lonely and depressed.

They began to miss their village.

Each boy was staring at the river.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of gunfire.

It was coming from a river boat.

The big river boat was crowded with the village people.

And there were many small boats around it.

They were very crowded, too.

The boys heard the sound of gunfire again several times.

It was coming from the river boat.

I think someone drowned in the river, said Huck.

They are looking for the dead body.

They shoot cannon when someone drowns.

And the loud sound of gunfire brings the body up to the surface of the water.

Oh, I know, Tom cried out.

They are looking for our dead bodies.

This is wonderful.

It means we are important.

I am sure the villagers are very sad because they think we are dead.

The boys were pleased about this.

Soon, it became quite dark.

The river boat and the small boats all returned to the village.

Then the boys sat in front of their fire and watched the flames without talking.

Tom and Joe were thinking about home and their families.

Suddenly, Joe decided to go back to the village.

Tom and Huck laughed at him and then stopped him.

Afterwards, Joe and Huck fell asleep.

Tom stayed awake.

He sat by the fire for a long time and sadly thought about his aunt.

Suddenly, he went to the shore and walked into the water.

There the water was very shallow.

He walked to the river boat.

It was boarding.

A small boat was tied to the back of it.

He pulled himself onto the small boat.

He was going home.

Soon the river boat began to sail toward the village.

When the river boat was near the village, Tom jumped into the water and swam to the shore of the village.

Then he ran to his home.

The light in the living room was on.

He looked inside through the window.

He didn't want anyone to see him.

Aunt Polly, Sid, and Mary were sitting together with Joe's mother.

There were tears in Aunt Polly's eyes.

Tom kneeled down under the open window and listened to them.

He wanted to know their feelings.

He was a good boy, but he was adventurous.

Aunt Polly was saying.

My Joe was not a bad boy either.

I was often angry at him, but I loved him.

I can never see him again.

Said Mrs. Harper and began to cry out loud.

Tom stayed there for ten or fifteen minutes and continued to listen to the two women.

Afterwards, he ran back to the shore and got into the water again.

He swam to the river boat.

He quietly got into the small boat at the back of it.

He untied its rope and rode to the island.

Now it was early in the morning.

When he reached the island, he walked to their camping spot.

Joe and Huck were awake and were talking about Tom.

He will come back soon.

I am sure.

Huck was saying to Joe.

At that moment, Joe saw Tom coming towards them.

There he is, he shouted happily.

I went to the village and listened secretly to my aunt and your mother, explained Tom.

They are very sad and crying for us.

I feel very sorry for them.

Everyone thinks we are dead.

They found our small boat in the river.

On Sunday, people will pray for us at the church.

There will be a funeral for us.

That night there was a storm and heavy rain.

The boys were very frightened.

They hid under the trees.

In the morning, when the sun came out, Joe and Huck wanted to go back to the village.

Tom tried to make them stay.

He said, oh boys, wait until Sunday.

I have a great idea.

Then he told them his plan.

The plan made the two boys happy and excited again.

On Sunday morning, everyone in the village was sadly walking to the church.

The boys were talking about their games and adventures with Tom and Joe.

Becky Thatcher was very sad too.

Tears were rolling down her face while she was walking.

I loved Tom so much, but I never told him.

I will never see him again, she thought to herself.

All the people gathered inside the church.

They sat quietly.

They all stood up when Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and the harpers entered the church.

Then everyone prayed for the three dead boys.

Next, the priest began to say good things about the boys.

There were tears in everyone's eyes.

Suddenly, the church door opened and the priest stopped talking.

Everyone looked toward the door.

They were shocked as Tom and Joe entered.

Huck was behind them.

Aunt Polly and Mrs. Harper ran towards the boys.

They hugged them.

They were crying and laughing at the same time.

Huck stood alone and then started to move away.

This is a very happy moment for us, said the priest loudly.

We must all sing and celebrate the return of these three good boys.

Then everyone began to sing cheerfully.

Tom became very happy and proud.

People love us.

We are good boys, he thought to himself.

The next day at school, Tom felt like a hero.

All the boys wanted to talk to him about his adventure on the island.

Tom told them all about their happy and free days as pirates.