She wished she had never said such terrible things to him. Being mad was silly. Now she would never see Tom again.

Aunt Polly was sitting with Mrs. Harper at the front of the church. Both women were dressed in black.

The service started with a prayer. A hymn was sung, and then the minister spoke. He said that Tom, Joe, and even Huck were fine boys. He told a few stories about their good deeds.

By the time the minister finished speaking, there wasn’t a dry eye in the church. Some wept quietly. Others broke down sobbing. Even the minister cried in the pulpit.

Just then the church door creaked open. The three dead boys marched down the aisle!

Tom was in the lead, followed by Joe and Huck. They had been hiding in the balcony, waiting for just the right moment to surprise everyone.

Aunt Polly and Mrs. Harper shouted with joy. They smothered Tom and Joe with kisses. Then Aunt Polly grabbed Huck and smothered him with kisses too!

The minister announced a hymn of thanksgiving. Everyone was so glad the boys were alive. Their singing nearly took the church roof off! It was a homecoming fit for a pirate.

Chapter Seven
Tom’s Dream

The next morning Aunt Polly’s kisses stopped. Now she was mad!

“You made me suffer for nearly a week,” Aunt Polly scolded Tom at the breakfast table. “You came over to go to your own funeral. Why didn’t you come to tell me you were all right?”

“It would have spoiled everything,” explained Tom. “A true pirate wouldn’t do that.”

“Who cares about pirates?” replied Aunt Polly. “Don’t you love me? Even if you only thought about telling me, that would show me you love me.”

“Now, Auntie, you know I care for you,” said Tom. “Anyway, I dreamed about you. That’s something, isn’t it?”

“Oh?” replied Aunt Polly. “What did you dream?”

“I dreamed you were sitting at this table.”

“Well, so I was,” replied Aunt Polly.

“Joe Harper’s mother was here too,” continued Tom.

“Why, she was here!” Aunt Polly exclaimed. “Did you dream any more? Try to remember.”

Tom pressed his fingers to his forehead. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

“I’ve got it!” he said finally. “A wind blew the candle … and you got up to close the door.”

“Go on, Tom, go on!”

“It’s all coming back to me now!” said Tom excitedly. “You said I wasn’t bad.