While reading these chapters, early on, I was wondering why the people of the town had automatically decided that Jim was a murder suspect. I mean, Jim is a nice guy, he did his job and was all buddy-buddy with Huck when they were still living with the widow. I guess they're just making a judgement based on his race (dang olden day people). Also - random thought - why was that lady in town so interested in the random little "girl" she was talking to? Are old ladies really that talkative (or am I just being judgmental)? One more question: how come they settled on THREE things to not steal anymore - why is it always three? Huck clearly seems to look up to Tom Sawyer. He wants to be just as cool and just as brave as he believes that Tom is. I find it interesting that Huck looks up to a friend of his (who wants to steal things and kill people) more than he looks up to his father or the widow. I also feel like it would be a bit odd for Huck, a little, white city boy to buddy up with a much older, African American slave. It prides me to think that the boy has at least some level of respect for Jim because they are becoming friends who are co-dependent on each other rather than one being the other's master or care-taker. A small detail that I wasn't particularly fond of was the second Jim.. the robber Jim. The way this book is written is difficult even without two characters having the same name. But I sort of like Huck's little fibs. He's very creative.