The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

By Mark Twain

About the Book

This book has real stories in it.
Some are things that happened to Mark Twain.
Some are things that happened to his friends.
Tom Sawyer is not one real boy.
He is made from three boys Twain knew.

This book is for kids to enjoy.
But grown-ups can enjoy it too.
It can help them remember being young.

Chapter One

"Tom!" called Aunt Polly.

No answer.

"TOM!" she called again.

No answer.

Aunt Polly looked around the room.
She looked over her glasses.
Then she looked under them.
She could not find Tom.

She looked under the bed.
She used a broom to check.
Only the cat was there.

She went to the door.
She looked out at the garden.
No Tom.

She shouted loudly, "Y-o-u-u TOM!"

She heard a small noise behind her.
She spun around.
She grabbed Tom by his shirt.

"I should have checked the closet," she said.
"What were you doing in there?"

"Nothing," said Tom.

"Nothing? Look at your hands!
Look at your mouth!
What is that mess?"

"I don't know, Aunt Polly."

"I know what it is.
It's jam!
I told you to stay out of the jam.
Hand me that switch."
(A switch is a thin stick.)

Aunt Polly lifted the switch.
Tom looked scared.

Then Tom said, "Look behind you, Aunt Polly!"

Aunt Polly turned around fast.
But nothing was there!

Tom ran away quick.
He climbed over the tall fence.
He was gone.

Aunt Polly stood still.
Then she laughed a little.

"That boy tricks me every time," she said.
"I should know better by now.
But he always finds a new trick.
He knows just how to make me laugh.
Then I can't stay mad at him.

I'm not doing my job as his aunt.
I should be stricter.
But he's my sister's boy.
I don't have the heart to be too hard on him.

Every time I let him go, I feel bad.
Every time I punish him, I feel bad too.
He will skip school again today.
Tomorrow, I will make him work.
It's hard to make him work on Saturday.
All the other boys get to play.
But he hates work more than anything.
I must do my duty as his aunt."

Tom did skip school.
He had a very fun time.

He got home just in time for supper.
He helped Jim, another boy, with the wood chores.
Well—Tom mostly talked.
Jim did most of the work.

Tom's brother Sid was already done with his chores.
Sid was a quiet, careful boy.
He never got into trouble.

At supper, Tom ate and snuck some sugar.
Aunt Polly asked him tricky questions.
She thought she was very clever at this.

"Tom," she said, "was it hot at school today?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Very hot?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Didn't you want to go swimming, Tom?"

Tom felt a little scared.
He looked at her face.
But her face did not give anything away.

"No, ma'am," he said. "Not really."

Aunt Polly touched his shirt.
"Well, you're not too warm now," she said.
She was proud she checked without him noticing.
But Tom already understood her plan.

He said quickly, "Some of us poured water on our heads.
Mine is still wet. See?"

Aunt Polly was annoyed.
She had missed that clue.

Then she had a new idea.

"Tom," she said, "did you have to unsew your collar to wet your head?
Unbutton your jacket!"

Tom's worried look went away.
He opened his jacket.
His collar was still sewn shut, just as she'd left it.

"Oh, bother," she said. "Go on, then."