Monday, after offering many excuses for not going to school, he is finally forced to go. On the way, he meets Huckleberry Finn, the son of the town drunk. Huck never goes to school and is the envy of all the boys because of his complete freedom. Huck arranges for Tom to meet him that night so they can bury a dead cat in the cemetery. At school, Tom is punished for being late and is required to sit in the "girls' section." This pleases him because the only empty seat is next to Becky Thatcher. At lunch, he meets her, and they pledge their troth to each other.
At midnight, Huck arrives, and they go to the cemetery where they come upon Dr. Robinson, Injun Joe, and Muff Potter who are digging up a recently buried corpse. There is an argument, Muff is knocked unconscious, and Injun Joe murders the doctor and places the murder weapon next to Muff. The horrified boys flee and take a blood oath never to reveal what they have seen. The next day, the town is in an uproar (school is dismissed), and Injun Joe identifies Muff Potter as the murderer. Tom is fearful that Injun Joe will discover that he was a witness.
Tom, his friend Joe Harper, and Huck Finn decide to become pirates. The three boys find a raft and establish camp on Jackson's Island, where they enjoy a carefree life of fishing, swimming, smoking, and exploring and playing. When a steamboat filled with most of the important townspeople passes by firing cannons over the water, the boys realize that they are presumed to be drowned. Tom sneaks home at night in order to leave Aunt Polly a reassuring note that they are all right, but he changes his mind when he overhears that church services are planned for the "deceased boys" if they are not found by Sunday. The funeral services are secretly attended by the boys, and all rejoice when the dead boys casually stroll down the aisle.
