In many of his writings, Mark Twain makes rambling deviations from the main narrative to tell a story that may not seem to have much to do with the central plot. One such example in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn occurs in chapter 21 and chapter 22.

In Chapter, 21, Huck witnesses the shooting of the town drunk, Boggs, by Colonel Sherburn. Most people are either mildly annoyed or amused by Boggs' antics. However, Sherburn has had enough of Boggs and shoots him dead.

In the next chapter, an angry mob of townspeople shows up at Colonel Sherburn's house seeking justice for Boggs. Sherburn calls them all cowards and the demoralized mob disperses.

This incident can be considered a rambling as it has nothing to do with the overall plot of the story. Huck's journey is not affected one way or the other by the story of Colonel Sherburn and Boggs. After this story within a story wraps up, Mark Twain returns the reader to Huck's journey, picking up right where it left off.

It is not entirely clear why Mark Twain included this episode in the story. However, this deviation from the main storyline does allow the author to make a point that may have been on his mind. Colonel Sherburn's speech to the mob calls out the cowardice of people who would do violent deeds as part of a group. He calls them pitiful for daring to do something as part of a group that they would be afraid to do on their own. This story was written at a time of widespread mob violence in much of the South. Perhaps Mark Twain makes this rambling deviation for the purpose of highlighting the hypocrisy of mob justice.