The Bound Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Part 5 - Kidnap and Rescue
This story is a work of fiction, all characters and plot lines are fictional. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
The Bound Adventures of Tom Sawyer remains the property of the author. The story or characters may not be reproduced or republished elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the author.
Tom spent the next day in a fever of anticipation. He could scarcely wait for his midnight adventure with Huck. He was frankly sceptical about the possibility of actually observing the 'nekkid ladies', but that was not the point – it would be an adventure, and furthermore one in which he got to tie Huck. At last bedtime arrived and after saying his prayers –in which he made supplication for the discomfiture of Sidney and some fish-hooks – Tom climbed into bed and closed his eyes. After lying still for some hours, he opened them again and was much chagrined to observe that by the clock only ten minutes had passed.
"Darn and blast, aint time the most 'ornery thing!" he observed to himself. He closed his eyes again and immediately fell into a deep sleep. He was awoken by an extraordinary caterwauling, which was followed by the sound of a casement window being flung open, an angry shout and a muffled thud. This was Huck's secret signal – Tom slipped silently from bed, into his waiting clothes and made his escape via the bedroom window onto the roof of the outhouse. Huck was waiting just outside the gate ruefully rubbing a lump on his head.
"Consarn' it Tom," he hissed, "I been hours a'miaowing and a'caterwauling 'til ol'man Thompson threw his boot at my head!"
"Sorry Huck, I must've jus dozed off fer a minute or two. Where is we headin'?"
"I reckon the ol' cave just down from Turner reach 'd be good, Tom. They say that murders bin done in that cave and injuns buried there so's it'll be pow'ful magic."
"It's mighty spooky down thar, Huck, What about ghosts an' all."
"I reckon the dead crows'll keep off the ghosts, Tom."
And so the two adventurers slipped through the silent woods and fields towards their chosen destination. But they were not the only persons abroad that night. A mile or so off, two other persons were also on a nocturnal mission of a more serious nature.
Muff Tonkins swung the heavy sack across his back which produced a loud clanking, jangling noise.
"For G'sakes Muff, will you hush up! Do you wan' us took for thieves?"
Which indeed they were, for Muff and his partner Red Willis had taken advantage of the widow Abraham's absence to rob her house and deprive her of a collection of antique silver. Neither of these gentlemen were specially noted for their intellectual capacity, but they made up for this with a total lack of moral rectitude.
"If'n you think you kin do better then feel free," Muff replied, to a further accompaniment of crashes and tinkles.
"Jus dump it in the blessed boat and well haul off down river and stash it in the old injun cave," said Red.
Meanwhile, Tom and Huck were slithering down the muddy river bank to stand at the entrance to the cave. It was full moon and the river before them brilliantly lit, but clouds were scudding across the sky from time to time pitching the scene into darkness.
"Now you takes care to bind me real tight Tom, when I says the words and you casts them crows into the water I don' intend to find m'self a'hopping and squirming down the beach to be drownded by no nekkid ladies."
Tom enthusiastically obliged, expertly coiling rope around Huck's wrists and shoulders and tightening and cinching till his friend grunted in discomfort. The same treatment was applied to Huck's legs and finally Tom lashed him securely to an old snag that had been washed up on the beach. Finally, they were satisfied that he was utterly immobile and immune to any temptation no matter how nubile. Tom retrieved the sack of crows and held it at arms length while holding his nose with his other hand, Huck cleared his throat ready to utter the incantation he had been rehearsing all day… and…. There was the sound of oars splashing and rowlocks creaking.
"Hush Huck!" hissed Tom. "There's a rowboat a'comin. Keep yo'sel still and quiet 'til it gone." He slipped away into the shadows of the overhung river bank. But to Tom's horror the rowboat did not pass but turned towards the bank and gently ran ashore on the beach. He just had time to see the two men climb from the boat before a cloud passed across the face of the moon and the beach was plunged into darkness.
"For G'sake strike a light!" There was a scrape and a flash and then the men's faces were illuminated by the dim light of a candle lantern. Muff Tonkins and Red Willis, thought Tom, for they were familiar, if unwelcome faces around town. There was a clanking sound as the men dragged something out of the bottom of the boat and they set off up the beach towards the mouth of the cave.
They had not travelled three steps before the moon emerged from behind the cloud flooding the beach with a brilliant light. There, still lashed to the snag lay Huck, transfixed as by a spotlight. The men gaped disbelievingly at the bound boy.
"What in tarnation! It's Finn's boy! But in hells name what is he doing down here all trussed up like a thanksgivin' turkey?"
"It's gotta be they towns boys! They always playing injun games and such! I'll wager there's another of em somewhere's hiding out. Yo' search out the others an I'll stash the loot in the cave."
Red stomped off to the cave dragging the clanking sack behind him. Muff kicked the helpless Huck hard in the ribs.
"Yo' tell me where the others are hid and I promise I'll slit your throat quick and clean... elsewise..." Huck gritted his teeth but said nothing. After delivering another kick, Muff stalked off and began to poke around in the bushes bordering the beach. Tom lay in his hiding place, his heart was pounding so loud he was sure Muff could hear it, his legs were trembling uncontrollably. As Muff moved closer, Tom was sure he must be discovered at any second. Just at that moment, Red emerged from the cave.
"Found any of the lil' varmints?"
"Not a sniff, they must've made off when they heard the boat a'coming. What'll we do with this one?", prodding Huck with his boot, "He knows us, and he gonna tell on us for sure!"
"Oh no sir! I won tell n'body sirs, I swears on the grave of me dear pappy, I swears …"
"Shuddup!" said Muff, silencing Huck with a backhand swipe across the mouth. "We got to git him away from here or the deputies men'll be swarming all over our stash. We'll take him down river aways an' hide him in that ol' broken down boathouse til we think how best to deal with him."
A kerchief was stuffed into Huck's mouth and a length of cord bound around his head to force it in so he could utter no sound. He was unlashed from the snag but his wrists and legs were left bound. The two men together carried him down the beach, dumped him unceremoniously in the rowboat and clambered in after him.
Tom was in a perfect panic as he ran for the town. He tried to think what he should do for the best. He thought about telling his aunt or the other townsfolk but knew that they would think it was just some new prank he had dreamed up. Besides, they weren't over fond of Huck and perhaps would not care much about saving him. There was only one person he could absolutely rely on, so he ran for Joe's house.
Tom threw a handful of gravel at Joe's bedroom window. There was no response. In agony of impatience, he scooped another handful and threw again. Mercifully, this time the window opened and a sleepy-eyed Joe poked his head out.
"Oh Joe, Merciful G'd you gotta come quick! Something terrible has happn'd to Huck! We gotta save him! Please come quick!
Joe heard the desperation in Tom's voice and didn't waste time asking questions. In less than two minutes he was dressed and down the roof. The boys ran hard for the river, with Tom panting out the story as they ran. Presently, they came to the strip of woodland that lined the bank above the ruined boathouse. They stopped to recover their breath and debate their course of action.
"Oh Tom, what if they has done for him already?"
With hearts pounding, the two boys crept stealthily down through the woods, every rustle and cracking twig brought a surge of panic but they pressed on. Presently, a little way up from the boathouse they spied a small fire and crouched over the fire were the figures of Red and Muff. With infinite caution they skirted widely around the fire and approached the broken down old building. The roof had long since collapsed and much of the wall lay gaping open. On the floor, illuminated by a patch of moonlight, lay the still form of Huck.
He was still tightly bound with Tom's rope work and the cruel gag was still thrust into his mouth, but he lay so still that the boys thought that he must be dead. But then he stirred feebly and groaned a little. As they crept forward, Huck spied them and began to shake his head. They motioned him to remain silent. Tom felt for his knife to cut the ropes but froze as he heard a distinctive click from behind him. He turned to see Muff holding a cocked revolver to Joe's head with his other hand pressed tightly over the boy's mouth to smother any sound.
"Nosy little brats aint yer!" he said.
© Copyright Cinched 2009
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