Chapter 38 Summary

The boys outdo themselves as they struggle with providing Jim, an escaped slave, with a coat of arms, befitting a prisoner of State. They try out various inscriptions, one of which was "Here a captive heart busted." These inscriptions were so moving that Tom nearly broke down when he was reading them. It was fitting that he would put them on a rock. They chose a huge grindstone, which was very difficult to get in the cabin, but they managed.

Now, they need to turn their attention to providing Jim with rattlesnakes and rats and some spiders to provide the proper atmosphere in which to conduct a major escape. Jim protests against the rattlesnakes so they settle on garter snakes. They also want Jim to water a small plant with his tears but Jim says it's hard for him to cry. So Tom...