"I sha'n't! Why don't you fall yourself? You're getting the worst of

it."

"Why, that ain't anything. I can't fall; that ain't the way it is in

the book. The book says, 'Then with one back-handed stroke he slew poor

Guy of Guisborne.' You're to turn around and let me hit you in the

back."

There was no getting around the authorities, so Joe turned, received

the whack and fell.

Now," said Joe, getting up, "you got to let me kill YOU. That's fair."

Why, I can't do that, it ain't in the book."

Well, it's blamed mean--that's all."

Well, say, Joe, you can be Friar Tuck or Much the miller's son, and

lam me with a quarter-staff; or I'll be the Sheriff of Nottingham and

you be Robin Hood a little while and kill me."

This was satisfactory, and so these adventures were carried out. Then

Tom became Robin Hood again, and was allowed by the treacherous nun to

bleed his strength away through his neglected wound. And at last Joe,

representing a whole tribe of weeping outlaws, dragged him sadly forth,

gave his bow into his feeble hands, and Tom said, "Where this arrow

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer