The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 30

Early the next morning, Huck knocks on the Welshman's door again, and this time the old man welcomes him graciously, with no mention of his reputation. Huck has never felt welcome anywhere before, and cannot believe his ears. The man offers him breakfast and tells Huck what happened: they snuck up on the men, but the Welshman started to sneeze, and shooting began. They chased the two villains, but could not catch them, so they woke the police up and got men together to hunt for them. The Welshman asks Huck what the men look like, and Huck describes the Spaniard to them, without telling him that it's Injun Joe. Huck is scared and begs the Welshman not to tell anyone that he told, and the man becomes curious. He asks Huck why he was following the men, and Huck invents a story. In the middle, however, he slips and says that the Spaniard spoke. The old man catches it and promises to keep his secret if he tells the truth, so Huck breaks down and tells him that the Spaniard is Injun Joe. Mr. Jones tells him they found a bundle that Injun Joe dropped, but it was just burglar's tools. Huck gets excited at this, and Mr. Jones is suspicious.

Huck is angry that he almost let the truth about the treasure slip. He is happy to know, however, that it hasn't been found. The Widow Douglas and many other people come to the Welshman's house to thank him and hear the story, and Huck hides. The Welshman tells the Widow that she owes someone else more than him, but that he can't say who.

At church, Becky's mother asks Mrs. Harper where Becky is. Mrs. Harper tells her that Becky didn't stay with her. Aunt Polly walks up and asks where Tom is, assuming he is at the Harper's as well. The ladies get very concerned about the missing children. They realize that no one remembers Tom or Becky getting on the ferry. Fearing that they are lost in the cave, Mrs. Thatcher faints and Aunt Polly begins to cry. The townsfolk send a 200-man search party to the cave. The village is very upset. By the next morning, they still haven't found Tom or Becky.

The Welshman, who was one of the search party, returns home exhausted. Huck is still in bed and very sick with fever. The Widow Douglas is caring for him. The search party finds "Becky & Tom" written on a wall in one passage, and a piece of Becky's ribbon. Three days go by and there is no word. Liquor is accidentally discovered at the Temperance Tavern, and it is closed down. Huck stays in bed, sick. He asks the Widow if anything has been found at the tavern, and she tells him about the liquor. Not knowing that Tom is lost, he asks if Tom found it. She hushes him, saying he is too sick to talk, and begins to cry. Huck is glad that the treasure hasn't been found yet, but is confused that the Widow would cry. He falls asleep, and the Widow prays that Tom will be found.

Topic Tracking: Religion 8