Tom Sawyer doesn't like school much. Escaping from the schoolhouse, he's off to the woods to catch a wild pig with his friend Huck. Their attempts to sell the pig at the harbor end with a wild disturbance on the steamboat.

Tom is dismayed when Aunt Polly tells him he must spend his Saturday whitewashing the fence. Too long to paint in one day, Tom convinces his friends of the joys of the job, and soon has all the help he needs.

Tom goes to the harbor to meet his cousin Mary, and sees Becky Thacher for the first time. Her family moves into St. Petersburg, and Tom falls in love.

Tom tries to arouse Becky's interest at Sunday School, but is ignored. That night Old Sam shows him a special charm to make wishes come true.

Tom arrives at school late and finds that Becky is in his class. He finally manages to become friends with her, and promises to visit - forgetting another promise he has made to Huck.

Huck is offended that Tom forgot his promise. The next few days Tom works with Huck, telling Becky he is busy helping his sick aunt. Becky discovers his lie but her anger is replaced with surprise when she sees Huck's newly built tree house.

Tom just can't get along with his new classmate Alfred, and challenges him to a fighting match. On the way home, the boat they are aboard sinks and Tom rescues Alfred, who can't swim at all - winning Becky's praise.

A large steamship comes to St Petersburg. Tom and Huck steal aboard for a trip. Next day, Tom boasts about their adventure, fascinating his classmates.

Aunt Polly falls sick and is struck with an idea. She calls Tom to her bedside, pretending to be dying. Aunt Polly tells Tom she cannot go to heaven unless he promises to be a good boy but Tom refuses to promise, because he doesn't want his aunt to die.

The villagers do not like drunken Muff and Indian Joe. Tom and Huck rescue Muff and he, in return, tells them about a treasure buried near St Petersburg. The boys decide they will find the treasure, and Indian Joe joins Muff in his search.

Mr. Dobbins, the schoolteacher, doesn't trust Tom, but all Tom's classmates like him. Younger brother Sid saves Tom from punishment at school. Later, Tom and Huck decide to conduct their treasure hunt at night, to avoid Indian Joe.

Tom gives Becky an engagement kiss. But with a slip of the tongue, he tells her that he had once been engaged to Amy. Becky is furious, and Tom becomes so discouraged he ends his treasure hunt.

After Becky ignores Tom for five days, he decides to run away from home to be a pirate. During the night he sails to Jackson Island on a raft, along with Huck and Ben.

Tom, Huck and Ben enjoy their adventure on the island while everyone in the village worries about their disappearance. A rainstorm washes away their raft, and it is found by a villager broken to pieces.

The villagers believe the boys have drowned in the river. Though they play all day on the island, Ben misses his home. Tom returns secretly for news of the village and sees Aunt Polly praying for his safety.

Ben and Huck miss the village, so Tom proposes that they return on the very day of their funeral. No other village children, Tom decides, have ever become the center of so much attention.

After the funeral Tom is a hero at school, and everyone wants to hear his story. Charlie inks Tom's schoolbook out of jealousy, and Tom is punished. Becky saw what happened and feels guilty that she did not tell the truth.

Becky accidentally tears a page of Mr. Dobbins' precious book on medical science, and Tom takes the blame. Becky makes up with him.

Frog leaping matches are popular with the school students, and Tom trains his frog to be a great leaper. Charlie doesn't want to hand over his championship, so he stuffs Tom's frog with pebbles.

Tom and Huck discover that Mr. Dobbins wears a wig. On the last day of school, when the teacher whips every student, even girls, for sleeping during class, Tom hits on a capital idea for revenge.

Sid comes down with the mumps just as summer vacation starts. Tom doesn't want to get sick and spoil his holiday. Just then two men come to town with Water of Life, guaranteed to cure every disease.

Tom distributes handbills in return for the medicine. It sells like hotcakes, then the two men disappear. The medicine turns out to be a sham. Tom doesn't get the mumps, but he makes many trips to the outhouse.

Tom goes fishing with Huck and Becky. They catch a big one, but only after Becky jumps in to lend a hand.

Becky's great aunt has no children of her own, and decides to adopt Huck. Tom makes him take a bath, dresses him up, and takes him to Becky's house. Huck doesn't like anything that binds, including a tie, and declines the offer.

Alfred hones his swimming skills in order to show up Tom. At his birthday party he challenges Tom to a swimming race and wins. Tom then challenges Alfred to a contest to see who can stay under the water the longest.

The village children are bored; nothing exciting ever happens there. Then a theatrical troupe arrives and announces a play for the children. Among them is a young actress Lissette, and Huck falls in love.

Tom promises to take Huck to the play. To earn the money he works for his aunt, moving furniture to a friend's ranch quite a distance away. When a wheel comes off the cart, Tom is almost defeated - but manages to run home just in time for the play.

Lizette is treated severely in the tragedy. Huck, unaware that it's a drama, jumps onto the stage to save her. Tom stirs up the other children to help Huck and Lizette, and the play becomes a fiasco. Lizette rather likes Huck, and promises to visit.

Huck prepares a delicious meal for Lizette's next visit. Suddenly two of the troupers desert, and the group must leave, unable to continue the show. Lizette tells Tom she will be back someday to see Huck.

Tom discovers a dead body up the river - it appears to be Huck's father! After the funeral, Huck's father appears alive; come to take his son. Huck doesn't want to go, and hides.

On the anniversary of Huck's mother's death, he wants to light a candle in her memory. Though he knows Aunt Polly won't allow it, Tom promises to bring Huck her silver candlestick. Then, with the help of Mary and Sid, he tricks his Aunt.

When Tom and Huck find a small gold lump in the river, the news spreads quickly and all the villagers rush to the river to search for gold. Even Aunt Polly tries to join them, but Mary calls a halt.

Morris, Jim's friend, runs away from his master. He wants to go north where slaves can be free. Tom makes a raft and helps him leave the village.

Mary begins working for Dr. Mitchell, training to be a nurse. A balloon descends in the village, and the people panic, thinking it is a monster. Tom, who knows what it is, lends a hand to Arthur the pilot.

Arthur meets Mary at Dr. Mitchell's office, and she invites him to dinner. Tom is fascinated by his stories of balloon flight and is determined to have a ride.

Arthur and Mary fall in love. He decides to fly the balloon with the children's help before the army comes to recover it. But the sheriff suspects he is a devil and intervenes. The children are disappointed, but Tom won't give up his dream of flight.

Tom attempts an early morning balloon flight with Huck. Arthur jumps on just as the balloon takes off, and they enjoy the view from the sky. Soon the army arrives and Arthur leaves the village, with a promise to return to Mary.

On their way to a haunted house in the middle of the night, Tom and Huck witness a murder. Indian Joe kills Dr. Robinson, then lays the blame on Muff Potter. Tom and Huck exchange a promise to keep their secret, because they fear Indian Joe.

Muff is arrested for the murder, just as Indian Joe planned. Tom and Huck sympathize with Muff and send in food and cigarettes, but keep their silence. Tom is plagued by nightmares.

Tom and Huck suffer from their guilty consciences and decide to tell the truth. Indian Joe comes to the trial with confidence, but his plan is foiled by Tom's testimony. Joe takes flight and Muff is declared not guilty. Tom is again the children's hero.

The sheriff calls in a detective from St. Louis to find Indian Joe, but to everyone's disappointment he is unsuccessful. He is sure, however, that Joe will seek revenge. The detective follows Tom continually, hoping eventually to arrest Indian Joe.

Aunt Polly asks Tom to visit Aunt Sally in Arkansas and deliver important papers. Glad to go as Becky is also traveling to St. Louis, and the trip will keep him away from Indian Joe. To the surprise of Tom and Becky, Huck steals aboard the steamship.

Tom and Huck reach Aunt Sally's ranch safely and hand over the papers. Tom introduces Huck as his brother Sid. While out riding, they spy a white horse.

Tom and Huck have a grand time on the ranch. When the ranch hands decide to catch the white horse named Lightning, the boys go along. The horse is finally captured, but Tom feels they have injured Lightning's pride.

Bennie discovers that Huck is not Tom's brother, but offers to keep their secret in return for help. The ranchers try to tame Lightning, but the Indians say they should release the horse. Out of love for Lightning, Bennie releases it with Tom and Huck.

Tom sneaks out to go to the haunted house with Huck. There they learn that Indian Joe has come back to the village in disguise. By chance, Joe and his friend find a box of gold coins. Tom informs the sheriff, but is not believed.

All the children go on a picnic except Sid, who has a cold, and Huck. Tom and Becky get lost while exploring a cave. Trying to find the way out, Tom sees Indian Joe coming in. Huck discovers Joe's friend, killed.

A search party forms to find Tom and Becky. Indian Joe comes upon Tom and scares him, but does no harm. Pursued by the sheriff, Joe falls into a gorge and meets his end. Tom, to his surprise, feels sorry for Joe. Later, Tom and Huck find gold coins.