2любых вопроса на по тексту tom lay upon a sofa with an eager audience about him and told the story of the wonderful adventure, putting in many striking additions; and closed with a description of how he left bccky and went on an exploring expedition; how he followed two avenues as far as his kite-line would reach; how he followed a third to the fullest stretch of the kite-line, and was about to turn back when he glimpsed a far-off speck that looked like daylight; dropped the line and fumbled toward it, pushed his head and shoulders through a small hole, and saw the mississippi rolling by! and if it had only happened to be night he would not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that passage any more! he told how he went back for becky and broke the good news and she told him not to bother her with such stuff, for she was tired, and knew she was going to die, and wanted to. he described how he laboured with her and convinced her; and how she almost died for joy when she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight; how he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out; how they sat there and cried for gladness; how some men came along in a skiff1 and tom hailed them and told them their situation; how the men didn't believe the wild tale at first, "because," said they, "you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in" — then took them aboard, rowed to a house, gave them supper, made them rest till two or three hours after dark, and then brought them home. before sunrise, judge thatchcr and the handful of searchers with him were tracked out, in the cave, by the twine clews2 they had strung behind them, and informed of the great news. three days and nights of hard work and hunger in the cave were not to be shaken off at once, as tom and becky soon discovered. they were ill all of wednesday and thursday, and seemed to grow more and more tired all the time. tom got about, a little, on thursday, was down-town friday, and nearly as whole as ever saturday; but becky did not leave her room until sunday, and then she looked as if she had passed through a wasting illness. tom learned of huck's sickness and went to see him on friday, but could not be admitted to the bedroom; neither could he on saturday or sunday. he was admitted daily after that, but was warned to keep quiet about his adventure. the widow douglas stayed by to see that he obeyed. at home tom learned of the cardiff hill event; also that the man's body had eventually been found in the river near the ferry-landing3; he had drowned while trying to escape, perhaps. about a fortnight4 after tom's rescue from the cave, he started off to visit huck, who had grown strong enough, now, to hear exciting talk, and tom had some that would interest him, he thought. judge thatcher's house was on tom's way, and he stopped to see becky. the judge and some friends got tom talking, and someone asked him ironically if he wouldn't like to go to the cave again. tom said he thought he wouldn't mind it. the judge said: "well, there are others just like you, tom, i've not the least doubt. but we have taken care of that. nobody will get lost in that cave any more." "why? " "because i had its big door covered with iron two weeks ago, and triple-locked - and i've got the keys." tom turned as white as a sheet. "what's the matter, boy! here, run, somebody! fetch a glass of water! " the water was brought and thrown into tom's face. "ah, now you're all right. what was the matter with you, tom? " "oh, judge, injun joe's in the cave! "