get up no better plan than what I had. Then I says:

“How do you come to be here, Jim, and how’d you get here?”

He looked pretty uneasy, and didn’t say nothing for a minute. Then he says:

“Maybe I better not tell.”

“Why, Jim?”

“Well, dey’s reasons.

But you wouldn’ tell on me ef I ’uz to tell you, would you, Huck?”

“Blamed if I would, Jim.”

“Well, I b’lieve you, Huck. I — I run off.”

“Jim!”

“But mind, you said you wouldn’ tell — you know you said you wouldn’ tell, Huck.”