In Mark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom has already known and admired Huckleberry Finn before he meets him in person. Huck has the freedom that every boy longs for. He doesn't go to school. He never seems to get punished, no matter how much mischief he gets into. He seems to have the perfect life.

One day on his way to school (after his toothache complaint only gets him his tooth pulled), Tom meets Huck for the first time. They end up discussing how to cure warts. Huck is carrying a dead cat, and he tells Tom that he plans to take the animal to the cemetery that very night. According to what Huck has heard, the devil comes to take the souls of wicked people at night, and the dead cat will follow the devil, taking Huck's warts with it. Huck decides he will give it a try.

That night, Tom and Huck go to the cemetery together, and they get a lot more than they bargained for. They don't see the devil at the graveyard, but they do watch in horror as Injun Joe stabs Dr. Robinson as the two of them and Muff Potter are robbing a grave. Tom and Huck decide they can never tell what they have seen because Injun Joe will kill them for sure.

Indeed, the boys' friendship is off to a most interesting start.