"Why, I never see anything like it. What did make him act so?"

"Deed I don't know, Aunt Polly; cats always act so when they're having

a good time."

They do, do they?" There was something in the tone that made Tom

apprehensive.

Yes'm. That is, I believe they do."

You DO?"

Yes'm."

The old lady was bending down, Tom watching, with interest emphasized

by anxiety. Too late he divined her "drift." The handle of the telltale

teaspoon was visible under the bed-valance. Aunt Polly took it, held it

up. Tom winced, and dropped his eyes. Aunt Polly raised him by the

usual handle--his ear--and cracked his head soundly with her thimble.

Now, sir, what did you want to treat that poor dumb beast so, for?"

I done it out of pity for him--because he hadn't any aunt."

Hadn't any aunt!--you numskull. What has that got to do with it?"

128

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer