Tom Sawyer had a great secret. This was his scheme (a clever plan) to return home. He wanted to go to his own funeral with Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn. On Saturday evening, the boys moved across the river on a log. They landed five or six miles away from the village.
The boys slept in the woods until the morning. Then they walked through small streets and back lanes. They went into the church and climbed to the upper floor. They finished their sleep on the floor among some old benches. They stayed there until the funeral began.
On Monday morning, Aunt Polly and Mary were very kind to Tom Sawyer. They gave him a good breakfast. Aunt Polly said, "Tom, your joke was very clever. But you were very mean to me. I was very sad for a week. You did not tell me you were alive."
Mary said, "You could tell her, Tom. I think you wanted to tell her." Aunt Polly looked at Tom Sawyer. Her face was hopeful. She asked, "Is that true, Tom? Did you want to tell me?"
Tom Sawyer said, "I do not know. It would ruin the secret." Aunt Polly felt very sad. She said, "I hope you love me. I want you to care about me. It is important to think about other people."
Mary tried to help Tom Sawyer. She said, "Tom is always in a rush. He does not think about things." Aunt Polly sighed. She said, "Sid would think about me. One day, you will be sorry, Tom."
Tom Sawyer said, "I do care for you, Aunt Polly." Aunt Polly replied, "I want to see you act like you care." Tom Sawyer felt bad. He said, "I am sorry. But I had a dream about you."
Aunt Polly said, "A dream is not much. But it is better than nothing. What did you dream?" Tom Sawyer began to tell a story. He told Aunt Polly about the night he visited the house secretly.
Tom Sawyer said, "I dreamt you were sitting by the bed. Sid and Mary were there too." Aunt Polly was surprised. "We were there! What else?" Tom Sawyer said he saw Joe Harper’s mother in the room.
"She was here!" Aunt Polly shouted. Tom Sawyer said, "I dreamt the wind blew the candle. You told Sid to close the door." Aunt Polly was very excited. She said, "I did say that! Go on, Tom!"
Tom Sawyer said, "You said I was not a bad boy. You said I was only a little wild. Then you began to cry." Aunt Polly cried again now. She said, "That is all true! This is a prophecy (a dream or message about things you cannot see)!"
Tom Sawyer told her more details. He talked about his own funeral plans. He told Aunt Polly that he wanted to leave a note on a piece of sycamore bark (the skin of a type of tree). He said he almost kissed her.
Aunt Polly hugged Tom Sawyer very hard. She said, "I forgive you for everything! You are a good boy." Sid heard this and thought Tom Sawyer was lying. But Sid stayed quiet. Aunt Polly gave Tom Sawyer a big apple and sent him to school.
At school, Tom Sawyer was a hero. He walked with a swagger (a way of walking that shows you are proud). All the small boys followed him. The other boys were very jealous (feeling angry because someone else has something good) of him.
Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper told stories about the island. They were very proud of themselves. They even smoked their pipes in front of the other children. This was the highest point of their fame.
Tom Sawyer decided he did not need Becky Thatcher. He wanted to be a famous pirate. Soon, Becky Thatcher arrived at school. Tom Sawyer pretended he did not see her. He began to talk to Amy Lawrence.
Becky Thatcher felt a sharp pain in her heart. She was very unhappy. She tried to act happy. She talked to Mary Austin about a picnic (a party with food outside). She said, "I am going to have a picnic soon."
All the children asked to come to the picnic. But Tom Sawyer did not ask. He continued to talk to Amy Lawrence. Becky Thatcher felt very sad. She went away and cried alone.
At recess, Tom Sawyer continued to talk to Amy Lawrence. He wanted Becky Thatcher to see him. But then he saw Becky Thatcher with Alfred Temple. They were looking at a book together.
Tom Sawyer felt very angry and jealous. He hated Alfred Temple because Alfred was a rich boy. Tom Sawyer left the school and went home. He was too unhappy to stay.
Becky Thatcher was not happy with Alfred Temple. She only used Alfred to make Tom Sawyer jealous. She said, "I hate you! Leave me alone!" She walked away and cried.
Alfred Temple was very angry. He saw Tom Sawyer’s spelling-book (a book used to learn how to write words). He opened the book and poured ink on the pages. He wanted Tom Sawyer to get in trouble.
Becky Thatcher saw Alfred Temple do this through a window. At first, she wanted to tell Tom Sawyer. She wanted to be friends again. But then she remembered Tom Sawyer’s mean behavior.
Becky Thatcher changed her mind. She thought, "I will let the teacher punish Tom Sawyer. I will not tell him about the ink." She decided to hate Tom Sawyer forever.