Summary Chapter 40

The boys have fun after breakfast fishing. When they return, the family is anxious. The boys are sent to bed. Tom sends Huck to the cellar to get butter. Aunt Sally catches him when he comes back up. She sends him to the setting room, determined to find out what he was up to.

There are fifteen farmers there with guns, all there in anticipation for the Indian attack Tom had told about in his anonymous letter. Huck feels queasy. He realizes Tom has overdone things. He starts sweating as Aunt Sally questions him. The butter hidden in his cap starts to melt. She thinks he has brain fever. However, when she pulls the hat off, she sees the bread and butter. She is relieved and sends him to bed.

Tom is pleased about the men being assembled. He gives the signal he wrote in the letter as they are escaping. The men come running after them. The boys and Jim escape out the hole. The men pursue them and shoot. The dogs are released. The boys let them catch up.

They make it to the raft. Tom is pleased that he got shot in the calf. Jim sends Huck to fetch a doctor. Tom is angry about that. He then tells Huck to at least kidnap the doctor.