Chapter 26
Tom and Huck meet once again at the dead tree to get their tools. Huck points out that it is Friday, an unlucky day. He also had a dream about rats the night before, meaning there might be trouble.
Topic Tracking: Superstition 11
Tom suggests they forget digging for the day and play. He tells Huck all about "Robin Hood." They play the game all afternoon. The next day, they go to the haunted house. They explore the downstairs, and then, feeling courageous, go upstairs. They don't find anything. As they get ready to go back downstairs, they hear two men coming to the door of the house. Scared, the boys hide and peek through knot-holes to see who it is. Huck and Tom recognize one man: he is the deaf-mute ("deaf-and-dumb" Chapter 26, pg. 152) Spaniard they've seen in town. The unknown man is talking, saying something is dangerous. To the boys' surprise, the "Deaf-mute" interrupts him, and they recognize the voice. It is Injun Joe!
Tom and Huck are scared to death, but they stay quiet. The men are talking about some "job" that the unknown man believes to be too dangerous. The unknown man seems to be saying that he feels unsafe staying in the old house, and how he would have left the day before, but he couldn't because the boys were playing nearby. Hearing this, Tom and Huck feel very lucky that they didn't try looking in the haunted house on Friday. The two men sleep for a while, and then wake up and discuss the $650 in silver that they have hidden in the house. They decide to leave it buried in the house until they leave town. Tom and Huck cannot believe that they are watching real robbers bury treasure! While finding a good spot to bury it, Injun Joe discovers a box. He uses the boys' pick, which they left downstairs, to dig it out. It contains thousands of dollars in gold, treasure left by another gang. Amazed at their luck, the unknown man tells Injun Joe that he won't need to do the "job" now. Injun Joe tells him the job isn't just robbery, but revenge, but doesn't say against who.
The men are about to bury all their treasure again when Injun Joe starts wondering why there is a pick and shovel in the house. Convinced someone has been there, he decides to hide the money somewhere else--"Number Two--under the cross." Chapter 26, pg. 155 He then starts looking around the house for the owners of the pick and shovel. He is almost up the stairs when the rotten wood breaks and he falls back down to the floor. The unknown man says they should go, and they pack up and leave. Tom and Huck walk home, mad at themselves for leaving the pick and shovel in sight. If they hadn't, they could have taken the treasure once the men were gone. They agree to try and follow Injun Joe if they see him again and find out where "Number Two" is. Suddenly, Tom realizes something awful: what if Injun Joe's revenge was against them? They decide it probably isn't, but Tom is still very scared.
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