pariah any person despised or rejected by others; outcast. In reality, Huck Finn does not fit this description, but is so viewed by the members of the town. To the other boys, he is the romantic outcast, someone to be envied.
spunk-water This could be a variation of “skunk-water,” a rank smelling stagnant water found often in rotten vegetation and in tree stumps.
witches and witch detecting Twain is making fun of the many ways by which a person can theoretically determine whether or not a person is a witch.
hove heaved or threw.
ferule a flat stick or ruler used for punishing children.
slathers a large amount. Tom wants to be a clown in the circus because a clown earn “slathers of money.”
zephyr a soft, gentle breeze.
caitiff a mean, evil, or cowardly person.
