Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 9 summary

What happens

1. Jim persuades Huck to move their supplies into a cavern and hide the canoe nearby for safety and protection from rain.
2. They cook and eat at the cavern as a fierce summer storm confirms Jim’s reading of the birds.
3. The river rises for ten or twelve days, flooding low ground and driving animals onto trees and the ridge.
4. They capture part of a lumber raft at night and board a drifting house before dawn on another night.
5. Jim finds a naked man shot in the back, warns Huck away from his face, and covers the body.
6. They gather clothing and tools, then return safely with Jim concealed beneath a quilt.

In this chapter

What to notice

Jim limits Huck’s exposure to the corpse. His warning makes protection central to their encounter with the dead man.

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