At church that morning, Mrs. Thatcher discovers that Becky is missing. Shortly after that, Aunt Polly discovers that Tom is also missing. The people realize that they are still in the cave. Two hundred men are gathered, and they immediately go to the cave to begin the search. On Monday, the many men return, and Huck is found sick with a high fever. The Widow Douglas comes to care for him. When Huck hears a discussion about the Temperance Tavern break-in, he jumps up from his fever and asks if anything had been found. He is told that only whiskey had been found. When he asks about Tom Sawyer, they keep Tom's disappearance from him.
The search for Tom and Becky continues for three days. They find a hair-ribbon and the children' names lettered on the wall--proof that they are still in the cave. Despair settles in when the men no longer have either hope or energy to keep looking.
