Her words were full of love for her nephew.

After Aunt Polly fell asleep, Tom slipped out from under the bed. He decided not to leave the note for Aunt Polly. He had a better idea. He put the bark back into his pocket and gently kissed his aunt good night.

Tom rowed back to the island at daybreak. His fellow pirates were looking for him. Over breakfast Tom told them about his adventure home. But he kept his latest plan to himself.

Chapter Six
The Funeral

Pretty soon the boys got tired of swimming and playing pirates. Joe and Huck were ready to go home. But they were too ashamed to admit it.

Tom was homesick too. But he tried not to show it. He thought about Becky and Aunt Polly. But he couldn’t go home—not yet.

Tom saw that Joe was sad. He tried to cheer him up.

“Let’s look for buried treasure again,” he said. “I bet we’ll find it this time! How would you feel if we came upon a chest full of gold and silver?”

But Huck and Joe didn’t want to hunt for treasure anymore. Finally Joe said gloomily, “Let’s give it up. I want to go home. It’s so lonesome.”

“Oh, no, Joe, just think of the fishing,” said Tom.

“I don’t care about the fishing. I want to go home.” Joe started to sniffle.

“What a baby,” teased Tom. “You want to see your mother, I bet.”

“I do want to see my mother,” said Joe. “You would too, if you had one.”

“We’ll let the crybaby go home to mommy, won’t we, Huck?” said Tom.

“Y-e-s,” replied Huck sadly.

Joe was angry. “I’ll never speak to you again as long as I live,” he said to Tom.

“Who cares?” said Tom. “Go home and get laughed at. Some pirate you are. Huck and me ain’t crybabies. We’ll stay, won’t we, Huck?”

Tom didn’t really want Joe to leave. But how could he make him stay?

“I want to go too, Tom,” said Huck. “It was getting so lonesome with just the three of us. Now it will be worse. Let’s go too, Tom.”

Huck put his hat on. He was ready to leave.

“Tom, I wish you’d come too,” he said.