There's no THE in the ms or first edition, nor in the 1891 Webster printing (the last from first edition plates) or the 1892 Webster printing (the first resetting of the text). But THE shows up in the 1896 New Library Edition by Harper Brothers, and it hangs around for the 1899 collected edition and is still present in the Harper re-issue of the Hillcrest edition in 1906. I have proofs and the publisher's retained copyright filing papers for many volumes in the 1899 and later editons, but none for HF, so I can't say if the change was authorial, but I'm doubtful. I have not checked the Library Edition reprints printed between 1905 and 1910, or the National Edition. Too busy today. The consensus has always been to leave THE out, but if Twain himself objected at any time between 1896 and his last gasp in 1910, I've seen no record of it. I'm not sure he ever even noticed. I'd vote to leave it out. Would you say THE MOBY DICK, or THE HAMLET, or THE HARRY POTTER? (sorry) Kevin Mac Donnell Austin TX 78730