The King and the Duke got onto the raft (a flat boat made of wood). The King grabbed Huckleberry Finn by the neck. He shook Huckleberry Finn very hard. The King asked if Huckleberry Finn tried to escape. Huckleberry Finn said no. He called the King "Your Majesty." This is a title for a king.
Huckleberry Finn told a story to the King. He said the man holding him was very kind. The man told Huckleberry Finn to run away. The man said the crowd would hang Huckleberry Finn. So, Huckleberry Finn ran to the canoe. He told Jim to hurry because he was afraid. Huckleberry Finn told the King he was happy to see him. Jim said this story was true.
The King did not believe Huckleberry Finn. He wanted to drown the boy. But the Duke told the King to stop. The Duke called the King an idiot. The Duke asked if the King looked for Huckleberry Finn. The King said nothing. The King began to say bad things about the town.
The Duke told the King to be quiet. He said the King was not smart. But the Duke liked one lie. The King lied about the blue arrow tattoo (a permanent picture on the skin). This lie saved them. If the King did not lie, they would go to prison (a building for criminals). The crowd would hang them with a rope.
The King and the Duke thought about the gold. They were surprised because the gold was in the coffin. Before, they thought the slaves (people who are owned by others) stole it. Huckleberry Finn felt nervous when they talked about the slaves. The King and the Duke began to argue. The Duke asked the King a question. He asked if the King knew who hid the money.
The King said the Duke hid the money. The Duke said the King was a liar. The Duke grabbed the King’s throat. The King could not breathe. The Duke said the King wanted to keep the money for himself. The King asked the Duke to tell the truth. The Duke said he did not hide the money.
The Duke was very angry. He told the King to confess. The King said he did not hide the gold. But the King admitted he wanted to steal it. The Duke shook the King again. Finally, the King said he hid the money. He lied to stop the fight.
Huckleberry Finn felt much better now. The Duke let the King go. The Duke was angry because the King blamed the slaves. The Duke said they lost almost all their money in that town. The King went into the wigwam (a small tent on the raft). He began to drink from a bottle.
The Duke also began to drink. Soon, the two men were friends again. They became very drunk. They fell asleep in each other's arms. Huckleberry Finn was happy. The King and the Duke were not angry with him now. Huckleberry Finn and Jim talked for a long time. Huckleberry Finn told Jim everything.