James remains ill for several days after the snakebite, but his fever finally breaks and his appetite slowly returns. Once he is strong enough, James sets traps, and he and Huck catch a rabbit, which feels like a proper meal after living on catfish and berries.

During supper, James tells Huck that he is deeply worried about his family and wants news of their safety. Huck resists going back because everyone believes he is dead, so James proposes a practical solution: Huck should wear the dress taken from the floating house and pass as a girl.

As they prepare the disguise, James helps Huck construct the identity of a white girl named Mary Williams. James judges that Huck might pass at a glance, but also notices that Huck's posture and voice are unconvincing, showing both the risk of the plan and James's clear-eyed understanding of performance.

Though still weak, James helps Huck move the canoe from the cave to the river. The flood has changed the shoreline so much that they can only guess where Huck should land, and James watches Huck paddle away before returning alone to the cave and the fire.

Left by himself, James turns to the paper and ink from the washed-away house, using them for the first time in his life. He carefully writes the alphabet, then writes his own words about being called Jim, not yet having chosen a true name, rejecting the religious lies used to justify slavery, and seeking meaning through writing itself. The chapter closes with James beginning to claim intellectual and spiritual self-definition through language.