He began to wish he could see a flash from the lantern--it would frighten him, but it would at least tell him that Tom was alive yet.

It seemed hours since Tom had disappeared.

Surely he must have fainted; maybe he was dead; maybe his heart had burst under terror and excitement.

In his uneasiness Huck found himself drawing closer and closer to the alley; fearing all sorts of dreadful things, and momentarily expecting some catastrophe to happen that would take away his breath.

There was not much to take away, for he seemed only able to inhale it by thimblefuls, and his heart would soon wear itself out, the way it was beating.