The next morning, Tom finds out that Becky and her family have returned to town. He is very excited and forgets about treasure hunting, spending the day playing with her and their classmates. At Becky's request, her mother decides that they will be having the long-awaited picnic the next day, Saturday, and all the children are excited. That night, Tom expects to hear Huck at his window, but he never comes and Tom goes to sleep. In the morning, all the schoolchildren get together at Judge Thatcher's house. They all walk to the ferryboat. Becky's mother tells her to stay the night at the Harper's, since they live closer to the boat landing. However, Tom suggests to Becky that they stay at Widow Douglas' house instead, because she always has ice cream. He tells Becky not to tell her mother, and she agrees to the plan. They don't tell anyone else.
Tom thinks of Huck and wonders if he will come that night. The appeal of Widow Douglas' house wins out. They take the ferryboat a few miles downriver and then get off. The children rush into the woody valley and play until they are all hungry. They all eat well, and then someone suggests they should go to McDougal's cave, nearby, to explore. They take several candles and everyone climbs the hill to the big wooden door to the cave.
The cave is large and full of many passages and rooms. The children enter the first chamber, look around in wonder, and begin to play. Soon, they begin to calm down and walk down the main passage. There are many small passages, but they lead into an endless maze. No one knows all of them. The children begin to sneak down passages they know and scare each other. They play for many hours, until it is almost night. They rush back to the ferryboat.
By the time the boat gets back to St. Petersburg, Huck is already watching Room 2 at the tavern. He has no idea what the boat is for, but forgets about it and goes back to his duty. The town gets quiet as time goes by. It is past eleven when Huck sees two men leaving Room Two with a box, which Huck assumes is the treasure. There is no time to get Tom, so he follows the men through the town and past the quarry. He is so intent on being silent that he loses the men for a minute. He looks around and realizes that he is on the edge of Widow Douglas' land. He hears Injun Joe speak. "'Damn her, maybe she's got company--there's lights, late as it is.'" Chapter 29, pg. 168 Huck realizes that whatever revenge Injun Joe and the mysterious man were talking about is against Widow Douglas. He hears Injun Joe say that the Widow's husband had him horsewhipped once. Douglas is dead, but he plans on slitting Widow Douglas' nostrils and ears. The unknown man is shocked and objects, but Injun Joe threatens to kill him if he backs down.
Huck runs down to the nearest house, the Welshman's. Mr. Jones lets him in, despite Huck's bad reputation, and Huck tells the man and his sons what the two men are up to, without telling them that one is Injun Joe. The men grab guns and go to Widow Douglas'. Huck follows, but runs away when he hears gunfire.
