This is the continuing story of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Their old friend, Jim Watson, a former slave, comes across what appears to be Lyle Newman's body. When some of the townsfolk come across him, they assume that Jim killed him, which he didn't.
So he runs off and goes to Huckleberry, who is now a reporter and asks for his help, who in turn seeks out Tom, who is now a lawyer to defend Jim.
So, they return to their hometown of Hannibal for his trial, and they are not warmly greeted. It seems that Lyle was well respected and their old friend Becky Thatcher's husband.
