Tom sneaks back to his house in St. Petersburg and overhears Aunt Polly making plans for his funeral. Aunt Polly commiserates with Mrs. Harper (Joe’s mother), both agreeing that the boys were “mischievous el giddy el and harum-scarum” but they never meant any real harm. Both women regret that the last things the boys heard from them were reprimands. Although tempted to dash out and reveal himself (the theatrical nature of such a revelation appeals to him), Tom restrains himself. Instead of leaving the note as he planned, Tom leaves with the note still in his pocket and returns to the island where he, Joe, and Huck continue their adventures. Eventually, Joe Harper becomes homesick and, despite Tom’s ridicule, he starts home. Huck, who has no home, also desires to return to his customary haunts. After all else fails, Tom reveals to them his secret plans, and the other boys decide to remain.
That night, the boys are awakened by an approaching, driving storm. They take shelter under the inland tent until the tent blows away. Then they huddle together under an oak tree. After the fierceness of the storm abates, they return to their camp and find it destroyed. They realize that could have been killed had they remained in their camp.
