"I--well, I don't know. 'Twould 'a' spoiled everything."

"Tom, I hoped you loved me that much," said Aunt Polly, with a grieved

tone that discomforted the boy. "It would have been something if you'd

cared enough to THINK of it, even if you didn't DO it."

"Now, auntie, that ain't any harm," pleaded Mary; "it's only Tom's

giddy way--he is always in such a rush that he never thinks of

anything."

"More's the pity. Sid would have thought. And Sid would have come and

DONE it, too. Tom, you'll look back, some day, when it's too late, and

wish you'd cared a little more for me when it would have cost you so

little."

Now, auntie, you know I do care for you," said Tom.

I'd know it better if you acted more like it."

I wish now I'd thought," said Tom, with a repentant tone; "but I

dreamt about you, anyway. That's something, ain't it?"

"It ain't much--a cat does that much--but it's better than nothing.

What did you dream?"

Why, Wednesday night I dreamt that you was sitting over there by the

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer