There--no thanks, as the widow says"--and Tom cuffed Sid's ears and

helped him to the door with several kicks. "Now go and tell auntie if

you dare--and to-morrow you'll catch it!"

Some minutes later the widow's guests were at the supper-table, and a

dozen children were propped up at little side-tables in the same room,

after the fashion of that country and that day. At the proper time Mr.

Jones made his little speech, in which he thanked the widow for the

honor she was doing himself and his sons, but said that there was

another person whose modesty--

And so forth and so on. He sprung his secret about Huck's share in the

adventure in the finest dramatic manner he was master of, but the

surprise it occasioned was largely counterfeit and not as clamorous and

effusive as it might have been under happier circumstances. However,

the widow made a pretty fair show of astonishment, and heaped so many

compliments and so much gratitude upon Huck that he almost forgot the

nearly intolerable discomfort of his new clothes in the entirely

intolerable discomfort of being set up as a target for everybody's gaze

and everybody's laudations.

The widow said she meant to give Huck a home under her roof and have

him educated; and that when she could spare the money she would start

him in business in a modest way. Tom's chance was come. He said:

"Huck don't need it. Huck's rich."

329

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer