Tom! Tom!!! Where are you hiding? Tom!

Tom never answered when he was called, and his aunt was constantly running about looking for him.

Ha ha ha

Ouch.. Ouch... There you are! Where do you think you’re going!?

Tom, you naughty boy, I told you not to eat the jam!

I didn’t…it wasn’t me!

I didn’t…it wasn’t me!

Really? What’s that around your mouth then?

....Errr..

Lying is a sin, Tom! I will have to punish you for this!

Hey! Look behind you!

What! Ha ha! Time to go!

Tom!

Oh well, maybe I should be glad that he could grow up so cheerful and carefree even without his parents….

but I’ll have to make him do some chores as punishment on Saturday…

Hey, out of my way!

No you get out of my way!

My brother will come after you!

Oh yeah? Well, my brother is bigger and meaner than your brother!

Tom didn’t actually have a brother, so he ended up fighting Joe himself

Ow! You…I’ll get you for this!

Oooo…I’m so scared! What are you gonna do?

Oh, you’ll see! Next time!

Ugh…now my clothes are all muddy. My aunt will be furious…

Maybe if I sneak in while she’s asleep…

Slowly…slowly…

She’ll find out anyway, I guess, but better later than sooner…

Tom!!!

Oops!

Don’t forget about your punishment on Saturday!!!

Ugh…she gets me every time…

Oh, no! I can’t paint all of this!!

That Saturday, Tom’s aunt made him paint the fence.

But I can’t…what about the marble competition, and swimming in the stream, and playing war…

I have no time for this fence!

But Tom did not despair for long.

He had a plan to get himself out of the annoying task.

Oh! That’s right. That’s it..

Ha ha ha. La, la, la, la, la.

Hey, Tom! Are you being punished again?

Hmm... Like this.. like that.. Wow...

Tom! Have you gone deaf? Tom!! What are you doing there?

Huh? Oh! I am sorry, I was so deeply absorbed in my work, I didn’t hear you.

Is it that interesting?

It is filled with hidden excitement that you are not ready to appreciate. Ha ha!

That’s not true. Being punished isn’t supposed to be fun.

Punished? I am making art!

Art??

Why, certainly! How many boys do you see out painting fences?

Can you imagine what would happen if anyone could just take a brush and paint a fence?

Only one in a thousand can do it right!

Really? Maybe I can try it too!

You? How do you know you’re ready?

Oh, I just want to try…I think I can do it right…Please let me try!

Yeah…I want to try too!

Very well, but you have to pay.

Ha ha ha. La, la, la.

The other children gave Tom marbles and toys and he let them paint the fence.

The work was done in no time, because everyone wanted to have a try.

Ha ha ha.. I’m a genius. Ha ha ha.

Look, Aunt! I’m done painting the fence! Can I go play now?

What? So fast!? You’re not lying to me again, are you?

No, come and see. It’s all painted.

Well…alright.

It is true. You’ve done an excellent job…. How does he do it? He he!

Oh, what am I going to do with him...

One day, Tom, his friend Huckleberry Finn, and Joe,

who used to be an enemy but had become a friend, all got together.

They came up with a plan to have some adventures.

Let’s be pirates!

Pirates??

They all thought it was a great idea.

Huck lived all alone with no parents or guardians.

Joe was angry with his Mother for unfairly punishing him for stealing some cream.

My Mother doesn’t appreciate me, I need to get away!

I don’t want to get up early in the morning and go to school anymore!

Well, I’ve got no one to run away from, but I just want to play pirates with you!

The three boys made a pact to be pirates together,

and snuck out in the middle of the night to cross the river on a raft.

They found an uninhabited island.

Weee! Woo-hoo! This so much fun!

The boys yelled and rand around as much as they wanted.

The went to bed only when they were tired, woke when they wanted to,

and caught some fish in the river when they felt hungry.

They were having such an amazing time,

that they didn’t even realize that their raft had been carried away by the current!

I wonder what my aunt is doing now….

My Mom must be worrying about me…

Hey, what’s that?

Let’s go and see!

I was a small steamboat that was sailing around the river, firing off cannon balls.

After a while it turned and sailed away from the island.

Oh, I know – they’re looking for someone who has drowned.

The cannon shots will make the body come to the surface!

But who has drowned? Oh…do you think…

They are looking for us!!!

The boys were very excited at the thought that the entire village was looking for them.

They would be heroes now!

Tom and his friends wanted to go back right away, but they couldn’t leave without the raft.

They decided to send Tom ahead to the village as he was the best swimmer.

He swam right to the borders of Illinois and hid in a small boat connected to a steamboat.

He felt just like a real pirate.

When Tom approached the village,

he saw the white fence he had painted with his friends and his heart began to flutter.

I’m home....

Oh, Tommy was such a good boy… he was naughty, but he had a good heart….

I should have believed Joe when said he didn’t eat the cream…

…and now we’ll never see those boys again!

Oh, aunt....

They’re gone now. Let’s have a memorial service at the church on Sunday.

I hope they rest in peace..

Tom hurried back to the island and told his friends all about what he had seen and heard at the village.

We have to go back now! I want my Mom!

I want to go back too. I kind of like the village…

We will, but we must choose the right time!

On Sunday, all the villagers gathered at the local church to mourn for the three lost boys.

Everyone was touched by the tragedy.

These three boys, were naughty but their hearts were pure and good.

Boys are boys, and they just wanted to play.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have gathered here for this sad occasion on this day…

What? Oh!

Oh…What’s going on…?

Oh.. Tom~!!!

Aunt.. Mom!

Joe!!! Oh...

They are alright! It’s a miracle!

Look aunt, I’ve brought Huck back too.

Err.. I, I..

Aw, come here! You are such a brave boy, Huckleberry!

Ugh....

These boys have played a very nasty trick,

but let us welcome and forgive them, as they’re back home, safe and sound!

Of course.

That day, everyone was happy,

and Tom and his friends were surrounded by the love and friendship of the villagers.

Tom knew he would be punished for running away,

..but tonight, he went to bed dreaming of new adventures!