Chapter 18
Tom's secret had been that they'd go to their own funeral. They left Jackson's Island early Sunday morning and slept in the gallery of the church.
The next morning, Aunt Polly tells Tom she wishes he could have come over to let her know he was okay. She says Tom doesn't care for her. Tom says he does care for her, and then tells the story of him sneaking into the house earlier that week as if it was a dream. Aunt Polly and Mary are amazed. He even tells her that he dreamed he left her a note saying that they were off being pirates (the note he actually took back). Aunt Polly is overjoyed that Tom dreamed all this. She goes to tell Mrs. Harper about Tom's dream. Sid, however, knows that Tom is lying.
Topic Tracking: Imagination 8
On the way to school, Tom is treated as a hero. Small boys love him and boys his own age are jealous. At school, he and Joe become "stuck-up" and tell everyone about their great adventures, exaggerating to make them sound more interesting.
Topic Tracking: Imagination 9
Tom decides that he doesn't need Becky's love with his newfound glory. When she gets to school he ignores her, even though she tries to catch his attention. Instead, he goes to talk to Amy Lawrence, and Becky becomes jealous. She begins telling people near Tom about the picnic she's having during vacation, hoping Tom will listen. Everyone begs for invitations to the picnic. Tom, however, just leads Amy away. Becky continues talking until she can sneak away to cry. At recess, she ignores Tom and flirts with another boy, Alfred Temple, the fancy boy Tom beat up some time before. Tom sees this and gets very jealous. He angrily imagines beating Alfred again. He goes home at noon, unable to cope with his jealousy.
Becky realizes Tom is not going to return anytime soon and rejects Alfred. Alfred, humiliated, realizes that Becky was using him and pours ink in Tom's spelling book. Becky swears to hate Tom forever.
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