Table of Contents

said you believed the door was open.” “As I’m a-sitting here, I did! Didn’t I,
Mary? Go on!” “And then-and then-well I won’t be certain, but it seems like as
if you made Sid go and-and-” “Well? Well? What did I make him do, Tom?
What did I make him do?” “You made him-you-O, you made him shut it.”
“Well for the land’s sake! I never heard the beat of that in all my days! Don’t tell
me there ain’t anything in dreams, any more. Sereny Harper shall know of this
before I’m an hour older. I’d like to see her get around this with her rubbage
‘bout superstition. Go on, Tom!” “O, it’s all getting just as bright as day, now.
Next you said I warn’t bad, only mischeevous and harum-scarum, and not any
more responsible than-than-I think it was a colt, or something.” “And so it was!
Well, goodness gracious! Go on, Tom!” “And then you began to cry.” “So I did.
So I did. Not the first time, neither. And then-” “Then Mrs. Harper she began to
cry, and said Joe was just the same and she wished she hadn’t whipped him for
taking cream when she’d throwed it out her own self-” “Tom! The sperrit was
upon you! You was a-prophecying-that’s what you was doing! Land alive, go
on, Tom!” “Then Sid he said-he said-” “I don’t think I said anything,” said Sid.
“Yes you did, Sid,” said Mary.

“Shut your heads and let Tom go on! What did he say, Tom?” “He said-I think
he said he hoped I was better off where I was gone to, but if I’d been better
sometimes-” “There, d’you hear that! It was his very words!”

“And you shut him up sharp.” “I lay I did! There must a been an angel there.
There was an angel there, somewheres!” “And Mrs. Harper told about Joe
scaring her with a fire-cracker, and you told about Peter and the Pain-killer-”
“Just as true as I live!” “And then there was a whole lot of talk ‘bout dragging
the river for us, and ‘bout having the funeral Sunday, and then you and old Miss
Harper hugged and cried, and she went.” “It happened just so! It happened just
so, as sure as I’m a-sitting in these very tracks. Tom you couldn’t told it more
like, if you’d a seen it! And then what? Go on, Tom?” “Then I thought you
prayed for me-and I could see you and hear every word you said. And you
went to bed, and I was so sorry, that I took and wrote on a piece of sycamore
bark, ‘We ain’t dead-we are only off being pirates,’ and put it on the table by the
candle; and then you looked so good, laying there asleep, that I thought I went
and leaned over and kissed you on the lips.” “Did you, Tom, did you! I just
forgive you everything for that!” And she seized the boy in a crushing embrace
that made him feel like the guiltiest of villains.

“It was very kind, even though it was only a-dream,” Sid soliloquised just
audibly.

“Shut up Sid! A body does just the same in a dream as he’d do if he was awake.
Here’s a big Milum apple I’ve been saving for you Tom, if you was ever found
again-now go ‘long to school. I’m thankful to the good God and Father of us all
I’ve got you back, that’s long-suffering and merciful to them that believe on Him
and keep His word, though goodness knows I’m unworthy of it, but if only the
worthy ones got His blessings and had His hand to help them over the rough
places, there’s few enough would smile here or ever enter into His rest when the