One day Tom has a desire to hunt for buried treasure. He encounters Huck Finn, and the two discuss possible places to find treasure, what form the loot might take, and how kings have hundreds of diamonds but only one name. They then set off for the nearest dead-limbed tree, since such trees are typical hiding places for treasure. When they arrive, they discuss what they would do with the treasure. Huck plans to spend it all on pie and soda, and Tom decides that he would get married, an idea that Huck finds absurd.

That afternoon, the boys dig in a number of places around the tree but find nothing. At first, Tom blames a witch, and he then realizes that they are going about it all wrong: they need to find where the shadow of the tree limb falls at midnight. They return that night and dig for a time, again without result. Eventually frustration and fear of the darkened woods make them give up, but they hesitantly agree to try next in the “ha’nted” house, a deserted building nearby