Tom Sawyer is known as one of the most beloved characters in American literature , but new research found that Mark Twain based this character on his friend named Tom Sawyer. He admired his firefighting friend so much that he gave the character his name. Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer had many adventures together, gambling in Nevada and drinking in pubs. Tom Sawyer once worked as a volunteer firefighter, policeman and customs officer. Before making his way out West, Tom Sawyer used his strength to save 90 people from a burning ship. Mark Twain was particularly moved by this story because his own brother died in a fire while working on a similar steamboat. The two men became friends immediately after meeting in 1863, with Tom Sawyer traveling to Virginia City, while Mark Twain was working as a reporter there. After one night they returned to San Francisco, Mark Twain told his friend that he would base a character in his yet-unwritten book on him. Tom Sawyer said, "One day he said to me, 'I'm going to put you between the covers of a book, Tom.' 'Go ahead, Sam,' I Said, 'but don't disgrace my name.'" Besides their fondness of drinking, the two men also shared a hobby for storytelling. Tom sawyer believed that it was his anecdotes about his own childhood that inspired Mark Twain to create a book on him. Finally Mark Twain said that the character of Tom sawyer was based on a mix of three real people---John B. Briggs, William Bowen and himself. In spite of this, the historical evidence shows that there might be a fourth, more prominent influencer. Which of the following jobs did NOT Tom Sawyer take up?
A policeman. A firefighter A reporter A customs officer