AFEWminuteslaterTomwasintheshoalwaterofthebar,wadingtowardtheIllinoisshore.Beforethedepthreachedhismiddlehewashalf-wayover;thecurrentwouldpermitnomorewading,now,sohestruckoutconfidentlytoswimtheremaininghundredyards.Heswamquarteringupstream,butstillwassweptdownwardratherfasterthanhehadexpected.However,hereachedtheshorefinally,anddriftedalongtillhefoundalowplaceanddrewhimselfout.Heputhishandonhisjacketpocket,foundhispieceofbarksafe,andthenstruckthroughthewoods,followingtheshore,withstreaminggarments.Shortlybeforeteno\'clockhecameoutintoanopenplaceoppositethevillage,andsawtheferryboatlyingintheshadowofthetreesandthehighbank.Everythingwasquietundertheblinkingstars.Hecreptdownthebank,watchingwithallhiseyes,slippedintothewater,swamthreeorfourstrokesandclimbedintotheskiffthatdid\"yawl\"dutyattheboat\'sstern.Helaidhimselfdownunderthethwartsandwaited,panting.
Presentlythecrackedbelltappedandavoicegavetheorderto\"castoff.\"Aminuteortwolatertheskiff\'sheadwasstandinghighup,againsttheboat\'sswell,andthevoyagewasbegun.Tomfelthappyinhissuccess,forheknewitwastheboat\'slasttripforthenight.Attheendofalongtwelveorfifteenminutesthewheelsstopped,andTomslippedoverboardandswamashoreinthedusk,landingfiftyyardsdownstream,outofdangerofpossiblestragglers.
Heflewalongunfrequentedalleys,andshortlyfoundhimselfathisaunt\'sbackfence.Heclimbedover,approachedthe\"ell,\"andlookedinatthesitting-roomwindow,foralightwasburningthere.TheresatAuntPolly,Sid,Mary,andJoeHarper\'smother,groupedtogether,talking.Theywerebythebed,andthebedwasbetweenthemandthedoor.Tomwenttothedoorandbegantosoftlyliftthelatch;thenhepressedgentlyandthedooryieldedacrack;hecontinuedpushingcautiously,andquakingeverytimeitcreaked,tillhejudgedhemightsqueezethroughonhisknees;soheputhisheadthroughandbegan,warily.
\"Whatmakesthecandleblowso?\"saidAuntPolly.Tomhurriedup.\"Why,thatdoor\'sopen,Ibelieve.Why,ofcourseitis.Noendofstrangethingsnow.Go\'longandshutit,Sid.\"
Tomdisappearedunderthebedjustintime.Helayand\"breathed\"himselfforatime,andthencrepttowherehecouldalmosttouchhisaunt\'sfoot.