Aunt Polly kissed Tom Sawyer. Her kiss made Tom feel very happy. He was not sad anymore. He walked to school and he saw Becky Thatcher on Meadow Lane.
Tom felt good, so he ran to Becky. He said, “I was very mean today, Becky. I am so sorry. I will never do that again. Please be my friend.”
Becky stopped and looked at Tom. She looked very angry. She said, “I do not want to talk to you, Mr. Thomas Sawyer. I will never speak to you again.”
Becky walked away. Tom was very surprised. He did not know what to say. Then, Tom became very angry. He went into the schoolyard.
Tom wished Becky was a boy. He wanted to hit her. He saw Becky again and said something mean. Becky said something mean back to Tom.
Becky was very angry. She wanted the teacher to punish Tom. Tom’s spelling-book was ruined with ink. Becky knew that Alfred Temple had done it, but she did not tell Tom.
Mr. Dobbins was the schoolmaster. He was a middle-aged man. Mr. Dobbins wanted to be a doctor, but he was poor. So, he worked as a teacher in the village.
Mr. Dobbins had a secret book in his desk. He always kept the desk locked. Every student wanted to see the book. No one knew what was inside the book.
Becky walked past the teacher’s desk. She saw the key in the lock. She looked around the room. Becky was alone. She took the book out of the desk.
The book was called Anatomy. Becky opened the book. She saw a picture of a human body with no clothes.
Suddenly, a shadow fell on the page. Tom was at the door. Becky was scared. She tried to close the book quickly. She tore the page in the middle.
Becky put the book back in the desk. She locked the desk and started to cry. She was very upset and ashamed.
Becky said, “Tom, you are mean! You came in quietly to spy on me!” Tom said, “I did not know you were looking at anything secret.”
Becky said, “You will tell the teacher. I will get a whipping. I was never hit in school before!”
Becky was very angry. She ran out of the school. Tom stood still. He thought girls were very strange and weak.
Tom thought, “A whipping is nothing. But Becky is a girl. The teacher will ask who tore the book. She will look scared and the teacher will know.”
School began. Tom looked at Becky. Her face made Tom feel sad. He did not want to feel sorry for her, but he did.
Then, the teacher found the ink on Tom’s book. Tom said he did not do it. But Mr. Dobbins did not believe Tom. Mr. Dobbins gave Tom a whipping.
Becky watched the punishment. She did not tell the teacher about Alfred Temple. She was afraid Tom would tell the teacher about the torn book.
An hour passed. The room was very quiet. Mr. Dobbins sat at his desk. He opened the desk and took out his secret book. Tom and Becky watched him.
Becky looked like a scared animal. Tom wanted to help her. He thought, “I must do something now!”
Tom wanted to grab the book and run. But he was too slow. Mr. Dobbins opened the book. He saw the torn page.
Mr. Dobbins was very angry. He looked at all the students. Everyone was quiet and afraid. Mr. Dobbins said, “Who tore this book?”
No one spoke. Mr. Dobbins asked the students one by one. Benjamin Rogers said, “No.” Joseph Harper said, “No.”
Then the teacher asked some of the girls. Amy Lawrence said, “No.” Gracie Miller said, “No.” Susan Harper said, “No.”
Finally, the teacher looked at Becky. Her face was white with fear. Mr. Dobbins asked, “Rebecca Thatcher, did you tear this book?”
Tom had an idea. He stood up quickly and shouted, “I did it!”
The students were very surprised. Tom went to the front of the room. He looked at Becky. Her eyes were full of love and thanks.
Mr. Dobbins gave Tom a very hard whipping. He also told Tom to stay after school for two hours. Tom did not care.
Tom knew Becky would wait for him outside. That night, Tom went to bed happy. Becky had told him the truth about the ink.
Becky’s last words were in his head. She said, “Tom, how could you be so noble!”