CHAPTER XLI

Huck rouses an elderly doctor with a cover story about a hunting accident on Spanish Island, claiming his “brother” was shot in the leg. The doctor, wary of Huck’s small canoe, decides to go alone after Huck gives directions to the raft, intending to keep the matter quiet.

Worried the treatment could take days, Huck resolves to rejoin if needed, but falls asleep in a lumber pile. By daylight, the doctor is still gone, and Huck rushes out—only to run into Uncle Silas. Huck lies that he and “Sid” chased the runaway and slept onshore. They check the post office for Sid, find nothing, and Uncle Silas takes Huck home.

At the Phelps place, a crowd of farmers and wives loudly dissect Jim’s escape, the mysterious grindstone, tools, rag ladder, and thefts, insisting many helpers must have aided him. Aunt Sally nearly exposes that she locked the boys in, then falters when she notices Huck. Later, Huck explains that he and Sid climbed down the lightning rod to see the commotion and were slightly hurt.

Aunt Sally forgives the boys’ recklessness but grows anxious when Sid doesn’t return. She refuses to let Huck search; Uncle Silas goes instead and comes back late with no news. Huck goes to bed, and Aunt Sally tenderly tends him, fretting that Sid may be lost or dead.

Conscience-stricken by her kindness, Huck promises not to slip out. Twice he sneaks to the front and sees Aunt Sally keeping vigil by a candle, eyes fixed on the road. At dawn, she has dozed off at the window, still waiting, while Huck remains torn with guilt and worry for Tom.