The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete, Chapter 10 summary

What happens

1. Tom and Huckleberry escape to the tannery and decide that speaking about Injun Joe puts their lives at risk.
2. They write an oath on a shingle, sign with blood, and bury it beside the wall.
3. A stray dog's howling terrifies them until they discover that it faces the sleeping Muff Potter rather than themselves.
4. Tom slips home near dawn without realizing that Sid is awake.
5. His aunt’s tears make Tom beg forgiveness, and he receives a whipping at school alongside Joe Harper for missing classes.
6. At his desk, Tom unwraps a package containing his brass andiron knob, which overwhelms him with fresh sorrow.

In this chapter

What to notice

Tom treats the oath as absolute. Fear of revenge combines with belief in the oath’s deadly consequences to keep the boys silent.

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