I arrived at the house. Everything was very quiet and the sun was hot. The workers were in the fields. The air was full of the sound of flies. This sound made the place feel very lonely.
A light wind moved the leaves. This made me feel sad. It sounded like spirits were talking to me. Sometimes this feeling makes a person wish they were dead.
The Phelps family had a small plantation (a very large farm where cotton grows). It looked like many other farms. There was a wooden fence around the yard. There were also some small patches of grass.
I climbed over a stile (a set of steps used to climb over a fence). The main house was made of large logs. There was a kitchen behind the house. I saw a large metal pot for making soap.
Many dogs were sleeping in the sun. I walked toward the kitchen. I heard the sound of a spinning-wheel (a machine used to make wool into thread). It was a very lonely sound.
I did not have a plan. I hoped for good luck. I hoped the right words would come to me. This usually happened to me in the past.
Suddenly, many dogs ran toward me. I stopped and stayed very still. Fifteen dogs stood in a circle around me. They barked and made a loud noise.
A black woman ran out of the kitchen. She held a rolling-pin (a wooden tool used for cooking). She hit the dogs and told them to go away. The dogs ran away quickly.
Then, some of the dogs came back. They wagged their tails and were friendly. A few children followed the woman. They were shy and hid behind her.
A white woman ran from the big house. She was about fifty years old. She was not wearing a hat. She had a small stick in her hand.
The woman was smiling very much. She looked very happy to see me. She asked if it was really me. I said, "Yes, ma'am" because I did not know what to say.
She hugged me very hard. She shook my hands for a long time. There were tears in her eyes. She said I did not look like my mother.
She called her children. She told the children that I was their cousin, Tom. She told them to say hello. The children were shy and hid behind her.
The woman told a servant named Lize to cook breakfast. I told her I already ate on the boat. She led me into the house by my hand.
We sat down in the house. She held both of my hands. She said she waited many years to see me. She expected me two days ago.
She asked why I was late. She asked if the boat got stuck in the river. I did not know the names of the places nearby. I had to think of a new story.
She told me to call her Aunt Sally. I told Aunt Sally that a cylinder-head (a metal part of a boat engine) broke. I said it took a long time to fix it.
Aunt Sally asked if anyone was hurt. I said a black man was killed. She said that was lucky. She said people sometimes get hurt in accidents.
Aunt Sally said Uncle Silas was looking for me. He went to the town an hour ago. She thought I met Uncle Silas on the road.
I said I did not see anyone. I said I left my bags at the wharf (a place where boats stop). I walked around the town first. I did not want to arrive too early.
I was very worried. I needed to know my name. I wanted to talk to the children. I wanted to find out who I was supposed to be.
Aunt Sally wanted to hear about my family. She wanted to know about everyone. I did not know what to tell her. I was in a difficult situation.
Then Aunt Sally saw Uncle Silas coming. She told me to hide behind the bed. She wanted to play a joke on her husband.
I hid behind the bed. Uncle Silas came into the room. He looked very sad and worried. Aunt Sally asked him if the guest arrived.
Uncle Silas said no. Aunt Sally acted very worried. She said the guest must be lost. Uncle Silas said he was very scared that something bad happened.
Then Aunt Sally pointed to the road. Uncle Silas looked out the window. Aunt Sally pulled me out from behind the bed.
Uncle Silas turned around and saw me. He was very surprised. Aunt Sally asked him who I was. He said he did not know.
Aunt Sally laughed and said, "It is Tom Sawyer!" I was very shocked. Now I knew my name. I was happy to be Tom Sawyer!
Uncle Silas shook my hand for a long time. Aunt Sally laughed and cried at the same time. They asked many questions about my family.
I was very happy to know my name. I talked for two hours. I told them many stories about the Sawyer family. I told them more about the broken engine.
I felt comfortable being Tom Sawyer. But then I heard a boat on the river. I thought about the real Tom Sawyer.
What if the real Tom Sawyer arrived now? He would see me. He would tell everyone my real name. I had to stop him.
I told Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas I must go. I said I needed to get my bags from the town. Uncle Silas wanted to go with me.
I told Uncle Silas no. I said I could drive the horse myself. I told him I did not want to give him any trouble.