Chapter IV
Huck's father appears and reclaims him, later kidnapping him to an isolated cabin across the river.
5 argumentative units
- 01The Widow Douglas cares for Huck
The Widow Douglas takes Huck in and provides him with food, shelter, and a new set of clothes, establishing her role as a caregiver.
- 02Huck gives his fortune to Judge Thatcher
Frightened by pap's boot-heel cross in the snow, Huck races to Judge Thatcher and arranges to sell all his property for a dollar, hoping to keep his father from claiming the money legally.
- 03Huck's father unexpectedly reappears
Pap Finn suddenly returns to town, having learned about the wealth Huck obtained from the treasure, and makes a claim on his son.
- 04Pap wins legal right to Huck
Pap drunkenly confronts Judge Thatcher, then sues for custody. A new judge sides with pap's parental claim, ruling courts should not separate families, leaving Huck in his father's power.
- 05Superstition and the hair-ball oracle
A spilled salt-cellar brings bad luck; Huck consults Jim's magical hair-ball to learn his father's intentions. Jim's fortune foreshadows future troubles, culminating in pap's sudden appearance in Huck's room.