Tom was very unhappy. He was in tro

Tom was very unhappy. He was in trouble and Beckydid not love him. He was going to leave home for ever!Sadly, Tom walked away from St Petersburg. Hemet his friend, Joe Harper. Joe was walking awayfrom the town too.‘Goodbye, Joe,’ said Tom. ‘Nobody loves me! I’m leavinghome.’‘Oh!’ replied Joe. ‘I’m leaving home too. My mother isangry with me.’‘Let’s leave St Petersburg together,’ said Tom.‘Yes,’ said Joe. ‘We’ll be hungry and cold. We’ll die. Theneverybody will be sad.’Tom did not like Joe’s idea. He did not want to die. ‘Let’s bepirates!’ he said. ‘Let’s go to Jackson’s Island and be pirates.’‘What do pirates do?’ asked Joe.‘They fight other pirates!’ replied Tom. ‘They find buriedtreasure under the ground – gold and silver and jewels! Theysink ships to the bottom of the sea!’‘Yes,’ said Joe happily. ‘Let’s be pirates! And let’s ask Huckto come. Huck can be a pirate too.’It was midnight on Tuesday. Tom was two miles from StPetersburg. He was standing next to a small wooden boat
Soon, Huck and Joe arrived.‘I’ve got some cake,’ said Tom. ‘What have you got?’‘I’ve got a piece of meat and some corn,’ said Huck.‘I’ve got a cooking pot and a fishing line,’ said Joe. ‘Comeon, pirates! Let’s get into the boat.’At two o’clock in the morning, the pirates were on Jackson’sIsland. Jackson’s Island was three miles from St Petersburg.It was a long, narrow island in the Mississippi River.There were lots of trees in the middle of the island. There
were sandy beaches round the edge of the island.Nobody lived on Jackson’s Island.The pirates took their things from the boat. Therewas an old sail in the boat. The pirates made a tentwith the old sail.‘This is our camp!’ said Tom.Huck lit a fire. Then they cooked some meat and corn inJoe’s cooking pot. They ate their meal. Then they lay downnext to the fire.‘This is wonderful,’ said Tom. ‘We don’t have to wake early.’‘We don’t have to go to school,’ said Joe.‘What do pirates do?’ asked Huck.‘Oh,’ said Tom. ‘They fight other pirates and they findburied treasure under the ground.’‘They sink ships to the bottom of the sea!’ said Joe.Soon, the pirates were asleep.Tom woke late in the morning. It was very quiet and the sunwas warm.‘Come on!’ he shouted. He took off his clothes and raninto the river. Huck and Joe were soon in the water too. Thepirates swam for a while. Then they went back to their camp.The pirates were happy and very hungry. Huck lit the fireagain. Joe cut some meat into pieces and Tom caught somefish. They cooked the food and they had a big meal.In the afternoon, the pirates sat down near some trees.They talked for a few minutes. But soon they were silent.Tom thought about Aunt Polly. Joe thought about hismother. Huck thought about St Petersburg. They did not sayanything.Suddenly, there was a loud noise.BOOM!The boys ran to the beach. A steamboat was on the riverabout a mile away. The noise was from a big gun on the steamboat. There were lots of people on thesteamboat. Many small boats were on the river too.BOOM!‘Somebody is dead,’ said Tom. ‘Somebody hasdrowned in the river.’‘Yes, that’s right,’ said Huck. ‘They fire the gun over thewater. Then the dead body comes to the top of the water. Iremember! Bill Turner was drowned last year. They fired thegun then!’‘Who has drowned this year?’ asked Joe.Suddenly, Tom knew. ‘It’s us!’ he shouted. ‘We’re drowned!’This was very exciting news. Tom, Huck and Joe werevery pleased. People were looking for the boys’ bodies. Theywere important people now.But in the evening, the boys were sad. They were veryquiet.At last, Joe spoke. ‘Let’s go home,’ he said quietly. ‘It’sboring here.’‘Go home, then!’ said Tom angrily.‘I’m going,’ said Joe.He stood up.‘We’re staying, aren’t we, Huck?’ said Tom.Huck looked at Tom. ‘Oh, Tom,’ he said. ‘I want to go too.I’m bored too. Let’s all go.’‘I won’t go,’ said Tom. ‘You two can go. I’m staying.’Huck and Joe started to walk away.Suddenly, Tom had a wonderful idea. ‘Wait! Wait!’ heshouted. ‘I want to tell you something.’Joe and Huck ran back and Tom told them his idea.Huck and Joe did not go home that evening.The next day, the pirates went swimming again. They caughtsome fish and they climbed some trees. And they looked forburied treasure.In the evening, they had a big meal of fish and meat. Thenthey fell asleep