Huckleberry Finn started for the town in a wagon. When Huckleberry Finn was half-way there, he saw another wagon. It was Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn stopped and waited for him.
Tom Sawyer looked at Huckleberry Finn and opened his mouth wide. Tom Sawyer looked very afraid. He thought Huckleberry Finn was a ghost (the spirit of a dead person). Tom Sawyer asked why Huckleberry Finn came back to scare him.
Huckleberry Finn told Tom Sawyer that he was not dead. Tom Sawyer was not sure. He asked if Huckleberry Finn was a real person. Huckleberry Finn told Tom Sawyer to touch him.
Tom Sawyer touched Huckleberry Finn and felt that he was real. Tom Sawyer was very happy to see Huckleberry Finn again. He wanted to hear about Huckleberry Finn’s big adventure. But Huckleberry Finn told Tom Sawyer to wait.
Huckleberry Finn told Tom Sawyer about his problem at the Phelps house. Tom Sawyer thought for a few minutes. Then Tom Sawyer had a plan. He told Huckleberry Finn to take his trunk (a large, heavy box used for carrying clothes).
Tom Sawyer told Huckleberry Finn to go back to the house. Tom Sawyer said he would come to the house later. He would pretend to be a stranger. Huckleberry Finn agreed to the plan.
Then Huckleberry Finn told Tom Sawyer a secret. Huckleberry Finn said he wanted to help Jim. He wanted to steal Jim away from slavery. Huckleberry Finn thought Tom Sawyer would be angry.
But Tom Sawyer said he would help Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry Finn was very surprised. Huckleberry Finn did not think Tom Sawyer would help a runaway slave. But Huckleberry Finn was happy.
Huckleberry Finn drove back to the house very quickly. Uncle Silas was at the door. Uncle Silas was surprised because the horse moved so fast. Uncle Silas was a very kind man and a preacher (a person who gives a talk in a church).
After thirty minutes, Tom Sawyer arrived in his wagon. Aunt Sally saw him through the window. Aunt Sally told her son, Jimmy, to prepare another plate for dinner. Everyone went to the front door to see the stranger.
Tom Sawyer wore his best clothes. Tom Sawyer acted very important. He walked toward the house slowly. Tom Sawyer lifted his hat and spoke to Uncle Silas.
Tom Sawyer asked for a man named Mr. Archibald Nichols. Uncle Silas said that Mr. Nichols lived three miles away. Uncle Silas invited Tom Sawyer to stay for dinner. Tom Sawyer said he did not want to cause trouble.
Aunt Sally told Tom Sawyer to stay. She said the road was long and dusty. Tom Sawyer thanked Aunt Sally. Tom Sawyer said his name was William Thompson and he was from Ohio.
At the table, Tom Sawyer told many stories about his home. Suddenly, Tom Sawyer leaned over and kissed Aunt Sally. Aunt Sally was very angry. She jumped up and wiped her mouth.
Aunt Sally asked why Tom Sawyer kissed her. Tom Sawyer acted very humble. Tom Sawyer said he thought Aunt Sally would like the kiss. Aunt Sally said he was a fool.
Tom Sawyer looked at Uncle Silas. Tom Sawyer asked if Uncle Silas thought Aunt Sally would like the kiss. Then Tom Sawyer looked at Huckleberry Finn. Tom Sawyer asked Huckleberry Finn a question.
Tom Sawyer asked if Huckleberry Finn thought Aunt Sally would be happy to see Sid Sawyer. Aunt Sally was very surprised. Sid Sawyer was Tom Sawyer's brother. She realized the stranger was family.
Aunt Sally was very happy now. She hugged and kissed Tom Sawyer many times. Tom Sawyer explained that he wanted to surprise Aunt Sally. He came with Tom Sawyer to visit.
They had a big dinner with a lot of food. Everyone talked all afternoon. At supper, one of the boys asked about a show in town. Uncle Silas said there was no show.
Uncle Silas said the men in the show were bad. These men were the King and the Duke. The townspeople were very angry at them. Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer went to bed after supper.
But Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer climbed out of the window. They went to the town at night. Huckleberry Finn wanted to warn the King and the Duke. He did not want the men to get into trouble.
On the road, Tom Sawyer told Huckleberry Finn about the news in their old home. When they reached the town, they saw a loud crowd of people. The people carried torches and made a lot of noise.
Huckleberry Finn saw the King and the Duke. The people put tar (a black, sticky substance) and feathers on the two men. The men did not look like humans anymore. They looked like big birds.
Huckleberry Finn felt very sick and sad. He was sorry for the men. Huckleberry Finn saw that people could be very cruel to each other. He and Tom Sawyer were too late to help.
Huckleberry Finn went back home. Huckleberry Finn felt guilty even though he did nothing wrong. Huckleberry Finn thought that a person's conscience (the part of the mind that tells you if an action is right or wrong) has no sense. It makes a person feel bad for no reason.