Huck Finn and Jim thought about their trip. They wanted to reach Cairo in three nights. Cairo is a town at the bottom of the state of Illinois. The Ohio River joins the Mississippi River there.
Huck Finn and Jim planned to sell the raft (a flat boat made of logs). Then they wanted to get on a steamboat (a large ship moved by steam). They wanted to go to the free states. Then Jim would be a free man and have no more trouble.
On the second night, a thick fog came. It was very hard to see. Huck Finn and Jim wanted to tie the raft to a tow-head (a small island in the river). It is dangerous to move a boat in a fog.
Huck Finn went ahead in a canoe (a small, light boat). Huck Finn had a rope to tie the raft. But there were only small trees on the bank. Huck Finn tied the rope to a small tree.
The current (the movement of the river water) was very strong. The raft moved fast and pulled the tree out of the ground. The raft went away into the fog. Huck Finn could not see the raft anymore.
Huck Finn felt very scared. Huck Finn jumped into the canoe to follow the raft. But Huck Finn was in a hurry and forgot to untie the canoe. Huck Finn was very excited and his hands shook. Finally, Huck Finn untied the rope and started to paddle.
Huck Finn went past the small island. Now Huck Finn was in the thick white fog. Huck Finn did not know which way to go. Huck Finn decided to stop paddling and float with the water.
Huck Finn made a loud noise to call Jim. Huck Finn heard a small shout far away. Huck Finn paddled toward the sound. But the sound moved to the left and then to the right.
The sounds were very confusing. Sometimes the shout was behind Huck Finn. Sometimes the shout was in front of Huck Finn. In a fog, voices do not sound natural.
Huck Finn saw a bank with big trees. The water moved very fast. There were many snags (trees under the water). The water made a loud noise against the snags.
Huck Finn stopped and listened. Huck Finn was very sad. Huck Finn thought that Jim went down the other side of the island. The island was very long and very wide.
Huck Finn floated alone for a long time. It was very lonely in the fog at night. Sometimes Huck Finn saw a small island. Huck Finn heard the water hit the dead trees on the banks.
Huck Finn could not find Jim. Huck Finn thought the raft hit a tree and broke. Huck Finn was very tired. Huck Finn lay down in the canoe and fell asleep.
Huck Finn woke up much later. The stars were bright and the fog was gone. The river was very big. Huck Finn saw many tall trees on both banks.
Huck Finn looked down the river. Huck Finn saw a black spot on the water. Huck Finn paddled fast toward the spot. It was the raft!
Jim sat on the raft with his head down. Jim was asleep. One oar was broken. The raft was dirty with leaves, branches, and mud. The raft had a very difficult time in the fog.
Huck Finn tied the canoe to the raft. Huck Finn lay down near Jim. Then Huck Finn started to wake Jim up. Huck Finn acted like he was on the raft all night.
"Hello, Jim," Huck Finn said. "I was asleep. Why did you not wake me up?"
Jim jumped up. Jim was very happy to see Huck Finn. Jim thought Huck Finn was dead. Jim wanted to touch Huck Finn to be sure he was real.
"Is that you, Huck Finn?" Jim asked. "You are not dead? You did not drown in the river? I am so happy you are back!"
Huck Finn said, "What is the matter, Jim? Are you sick?"
Jim asked, "Why do you talk like that? Did you not go away in the canoe?"
Huck Finn said, "No, I did not go anywhere. Where would I go? I was here with you."
Jim was very confused. Jim asked about the fog and the islands. Huck Finn told Jim that there was no fog. Huck Finn told Jim that they stayed on the raft all night.
Huck Finn said, "You had a dream, Jim. You were dreaming about a fog."
Jim thought for a few minutes. Jim was very tired from his "dream." Jim told Huck Finn the whole story of the fog. He thought the dream was very real.
Jim said the dream was a warning. Jim said the islands were future troubles with mean people. Jim said the clear river was the free states. Jim was happy to be safe again.
Then Huck Finn pointed to the leaves and the broken oar. Huck Finn asked, "But what do these things mean?"
Jim looked at the trash on the raft. Then Jim looked at Huck Finn. Jim realized that Huck Finn told a lie. Jim was not happy now.
Jim said, "I was very sad because you were lost. I cried because you were safe again. But you only wanted to make me look like a fool. You told me a lie."
Jim said, "That trash means people who tell lies to their friends. Those people make their friends feel ashamed."
Jim walked into the small tent on the raft. Jim did not say anything else. Jim felt very hurt.
Huck Finn felt very mean and sorry. Huck Finn waited for fifteen minutes. Then Huck Finn went to Jim and said he was sorry. Huck Finn never played a mean trick on Jim again.