Tom and Huck Page #4

- What about Muff Potter?

- We tried. It didn't work out.

But the trial's tomorrow, Huck.

But, Huck--

Look! I don't leave places

'cause I want to.

I leave 'cause sooner or later

they're gonna find me and run me out.

I'm sick and tired of it, Tom.

I'm gonna beat 'em to the punch this time.

I thought we was friends, Huck.

You thought wrong.

I ain't got no friends.

I ain't got time for 'em.

But if I did have one,

I'd want him to be like you.

Hah!

[ Gasps ]

[ Coughs ]

You lose something?

It-- It ain't mine.

Don't you lie to me, boy!

You know, that is my marble.

Reason I didn't recognize it...

is I lost it two, three months ago

in a graveyard.

Now...

fetch me the knife.

I said, fetch!

Give it to me.

You'd like to stick

that thing in me, wouldn't ya?

You'd like to gut me good,

wouldn't ya, boy?

Well, here's your chance.

Go ahead.

I dare you.

You didn't kill me, boy.

Big mistake!

'Cause if you tell anybody

what you know...

I sure as hell

am gonna kill you!

[ Hammering, Men Chatting ]

- Hey, Muff.

- Hi, Tom.

How you feelin'?

Not so good.

They treatin' you okay?

It's an awful thing

that's happened, Tom...

and now

I gotta swing for it.

- [ Hammering Continues ]

- [ Man ] Give her a try.

Maybe not.

I'm innocent.

I didn't do it.

I swear!

I done a lot of crazy,

drunk things in my time.

- But I never killed anyone.

You gotta believe me.

- I do, Muff.

- You do?

- Yep, I do, Muff.

How come?

Well, I know you, Muff.

I mean, sure when you get drunk,

you're awful disgusting...

and you smell too.

But I know

you wouldn't hurt a fly.

Oh... Muff, Muff,

please don't cry. Please.

You been mighty good

to me, Tom.

Better than anybody else in this town,

and I'm not gonna forget it.

I swear I'm not.

Let me shake your hand, Tom.

You'll have to come through the bars.

Mine's too big.

Little hands.

But I know they'd help Muff Potter a power

iffen they could.

[ Aunt Polly ]

Tom?

Tom? Tom.!

Why, Tom, it's not bedtime

for another hour.

Are you feeling all right?

You don't have a fever.

What's ailing you?

Aunt Polly...

what if you

swore an oath...

promising not

to tell somethin'...

but the something you promised not to tell

needs tellin'?

Hmm.

I guess you can't break

the oath.

- You'd drop dead and rot.

- Not good.

And on top of that,

someone will cut your neck with a knife.

Not good at all!

But if you don't tell,

somethin' worse will happen...

to someone

who doesn't deserve it.

Tom, for as long as I can remember,

you have been nothing but trouble to me.

Most of the time

you are selfish and irresponsible.

But you're a good boy.

You've got a good heart.

And I believe you'll know

the right thing to do.

And you'll do it.

Just follow your heart.

[ Sighs ]

Muff s a goner.

And you're sure...

beyond any shadow

of a doubt...

that this

is the implement...

upon which a transaction

resulting in purchase...

between yourself

and the accused, as vendee...

took place?

I, uh-- Could you repeat

the question, please?

[ Gallery Laughing ]

[ Lawyer ]

You're sure this is the knife...

-you sold?

- Sure, I'm sure!

- Last winter.

- Aha!

Last winter.

And, um,

is the beneficiary...

of the aforementioned transaction

present here today?

If you're askin'me about Muff Potter,

I can tell you that he--

Could you, please...

point out the owner

of this knife?

[ Chuckling ]

Are you blind? He's sittin' right there.

[ Lawyer ]

Say the name, please.

Potter! Potter!

Muff Potter!

[ Witness ]

Everyone knows it's Muff Potter.

Muff Potter!

Thanking you.

That will be all.

Take the witness.

No questions.

[ Gallery Muttering ]

So I went

on up to the cemetery.

I like to sit up there

and watch the stars.

Anyway, I saw Muff drunk.

Real drunk

and in a rage.

And he lifted the knife,

and he stuck it in the doc.

[ Gallery Murmuring ]

Over and over and over.

'Bout four times

he stuck 'im...

'til he was dead.

[ Lawyer ]

Take the witness.

- No questions.

- Mr. Aycock...

I would be obliged if you would at least

pretend to defend Mr. Potter.

[ Loud Chatting ]

- [ Gavel Banging ]

- Order.!

There will be order

in this courtroom!

You may step down.

[ Lawyer ]

Thanking you, Your Honor.

By the oaths...

of honest citizens...

whose simple word

is above suspicion...

we have fastened this crime,

this awful crime...

beyond all possibility

of question...

upon the unhappy prisoner.

Muff Potter is guilty of the murder

of Dr.Jonas Robinson.!

We rest our case... here.

- [ Man ] Well said.

- [ Woman ] That's a gift.

[ Gavel Banging ]

Counsel for the defense.

Do you have a defense?

- Indeed we do, Your Honor.!

- Good.

The defense calls to the stand

Mr. Thomas Sawyer.

Wha-- Whatcha doin'?

Thomas Sawyer,

do you solemnly swear to tell the truth...

the whole truth and nothin' but the truth,

so help you God?

[ Tom ]

I, uh--

- I, uh--

- [Judge ] Tom.

Do you swear

to tell the truth?

- It would certainly be the first time.

- Stop it!

I do.

Then have a seat, son.

Mr. Sawyer, where were you

on the twenty-eighth of this month

at the hour of midnight?

I was in the graveyard, sir.

- [ Murmuring ]

- What were you doing there?

Tryin' to get rid

of warts, sir.

[ Laughing ]

Were you close to the grave that

Muff Potter was digging up?

[ Panting ]

I-- I--

I--

This is a waste

of time.

Thomas Sawyer wouldn't know

the truth if it kicked him in the teeth.

The boy's an outright liar!

I was there!

I saw the murder!

Doc Robinson wasn't stabbed four times.

He was stabbed three times.

He is right!

And I ain't told that to a soul!

It wasn't Muff.

Muff even tried to stop it.

But Injun Joe

took Muff s knife...

and stabbed the doc.

[ Sighs ]

It was Injun Joe.

Tom!

- [ Gallery Screaming ]

- Stop right there!

[ Man ]

Go get him.! Let's go.!

[Judge ] Tom--

Don'tjust stand there. Go after him.!

All right, all right.

[ Laughing, Crying ]

- All right. He's fine.

- Tom, are you all right?

- He's fine. Sit down. Sit down.

- Oh, my darling!

- Good job. Yes, sir.

- [ Woman ] He's a brave boy.

[ Door Creaking ]

Hey,Joe!

- Gonna do some diggin' without me?

- No,Joe. I was, uh--

I was just gettin' these tools together in case

you come back. Oh, am I glad to see ya!

I don't think

you're glad to see me.

I think you was gonna go

to number two under the cross...

and get the treasure

for yourself!.

[ Yells ]

I wouldn't cheat ya!

That's right.

You wouldn't cheat me 'cause you're

smart enough to know if you ever did--

[ Groans ]

I just might have

to kill you.

[ Aunt Polly ] Injun Joe's far, far away

from here. Believe me, Tom.

And Mary's taking

the flowers as usual.

I'll need you and Sid to carry the jam.

Tom, mind you don't eat any on the way there.

- I ain't goin'.

- You're not going to the picnic?

- Shut your head, Sid.

- Tom, now I know you're scared and rightly so.

But right now you're a glittering hero,

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