Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer Among the Indians.

Mark Twain & Lee Nelson. 1968/2003. Read by Grover Gardner. 6 tapes. 8.5 hrs. Blackstone Audiobooks. #3185. 0-7861-2580-2. $44.95. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. SA

In 1968 Life magazine published an unfinished novel by Twain titled Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer Among the Indians. Twain had inexplicably ended the story on page 62. Nelson, author of a dozen or so historical novels set in the West in the 1800s, finishes the job Twain began.

Twain's story begins with Huck, Tom, and the ex-slave Jim heading for Indian country because Tom convinced them that Indians were the splendidest creatures on God's earth. The difference between book Indians and real ones soon becomes apparent. The adventurers join a party of pioneers named Mills who are waiting at the Platte River for Peggy Mills' fiance, Brace Johnson. They are joined by a group of Oglala Sioux warriors who murder the Mills and their three sons and kidnap Peggy and her younger sister Flaxie. Brace, the two adventurous boys, and Jim trail the girls. Just as they are about to sneak into the Indian camp for the rescue, Twain drops the tale in the middle of a sentence.

Nelson takes up the pen and the rest of the story is filled with adventure, violent weather, an Army sergeant who rapes young boys, and Huck's growing love for Peggy Mills. Huck narrates as usual, but he's growing up so his naivete is accompanied by unexpected native wit and survival skills. It's an exciting story with the unbeatable narration of Gardner, who gets Huck's twang just right. Gardner handles the dialects with aplomb. Anyone would travel west with this Huck Finn, a brave, decent boy who grows into a generous, caring man. Janet Julian, Grafton, MA