Plot

In a small Missouri town in the 1840s, teenage Tom Sawyer and his best friend Huckleberry Finn witness a murder, run away to become pirates and return home in time for their own funeral.

Teenage Tom Sawyer slips away from his stern Aunt Polly and meets Huckleberry Finn, who's got a dead cat and hopes to use it in a secret ceremony to cure warts. The boys plan to meet at the graveyard that night. Tom catches sight of Becky Thatcher, the new girl in town, skipping rope with her friends. Tom flirts with Becky and she throws him a flower. In the cemetery, Tom and Huck accidentally witness the murder of Doc Robinson by the vicious Injun Joe, who blames the killing on town drunkard Muff Potter. Fearing Injun Joe's vengeance, Tom and Huck vow never to tell what they saw. Tom is haunted by bad dreams. The next day at school, Becky clumsily tears a page in the teacher's biology book, but Tom takes the blame and gets eight whippings for his trouble. Becky and Tom get "engaged," although the romance is brief because Tom lets it slip that he and Amy Lawrence used to be engaged, which infuriates Becky. Bitter, Tom seeks out Huck and Joe Harper ("the neighborhood tag-along") and they sail off to Jackson's Island to become pirates. After three days of pirating, Tom sneaks back to the mainland and spies on Aunt Polly, who is certain he's dead. Tom returns to the island shortly before a violent storm strikes. The following morning, Tom, Huck and Joe realize the whole town thinks they drowned in the river. The boys return home on Sunday, in time to witness their own funeral. Wealthy, well-meaning Widder Douglas tries to take charge of Huck, who resists her invitation to stay in her house. Muff Potter goes on trial and Tom, no longer able to keep his secret, tells the court what really happened. Injun Joe dives out a window of the courtroom, eluding the authorities. Tom begs Becky for a second chance; she kisses him and agrees. Everyone heads to McDougal's Cave for a picnic. Tom and Becky explore by themselves, only to run into Injun Joe, who has been hiding in the cave. During a chase, Injun Joe falls off a cliff, allowing Tom and Becky to escape. The town rejoices as Tom and Becky return home safely.