Résumé : Tom is one of the "bad" boys of his home town, St Petersburg, Missouri. Reckless, lazy, maddeningly inquisitive, he is poor scholar and a menace to his Aunt Polly. His schemes for avoidinf work, school and punishment are quite sublime. In his own world, however, the world of rivers, forests, caves and islands, he is in his element ; even something of a hero.