Tow Sawyer was upset and disappointed when his friend Becky Thatcher stopped attending school. He departed bored, and all of his joy was evaporated from his life. Tom's aunt Polly was concerned about him because he had abandoned his hoop and cap. She was experimenting with novel health-improvement approaches and patent medicines. On Tom, she tried a variety of medications. Aunt Polly tried a new type of remedy called water treatment on Tom, depending on his condition. Tom was treated as if he were out in the sunlight every morning, and aunt Polly stood behind him in the wooden shed, drowning him in cold water and then rubbing him hard with a towel like a file. Aunt Polly then wrapped him in a wet sheet and covered him with blankets.
Tom felt increasingly frustrated as the treatment failed to work. He became unhappy, sad, and pallid. Aunt Polly attempted a variety of techniques on Tom, including hot baths, shower-baths, and plunges, but none of them worked. To decrease the blisters, she began a new treatment that included adding water to a lean oatmeal diet and blister-plasters. She had a rough idea of his tolerance for things and offered him with all the remedies she could think of every day. Tom was quite agitated, so he made arrangements to release himself and pretended to enjoy the pain reliever. Aunt became annoyed when he began asking for it frequently, and she told him to look after himself and not worry her.
Polly noticed that the number of prescriptions was decreasing, implying that Tom was taking them less frequently, but she couldn't believe the youngster was jeopardizing his health. When Tom was taking his medicine, Aunt's cat stepped closer, making a noise and staring at the spoon of medicine, ready to try it. Tom was telling Peter, the cat, not to ask for medicine unless he really needed it. Peter pretended to be interested. Tom inquired once more, but Peter insisted.
Tom informed Peter that he is prepared to provide the painkiller as requested. If Peter doesn't like it, Tom says that he shouldn't blame anyone else. Tom was conversing with Peter. Peter agreed with Tom's statement. As a result, Tom has poured the painkiller into Peter's mouth. Peter reacted angrily, jumping a few yards into the air, crying, and then circling the room, crashing into furniture, destroying flower pots, and looking perplexed. He then stood on his rear foot and danced with his head over his shoulder, uncontrollably excited. The cat's voice was fully filled with joy. The cat then started crying and ripping everything apart.
Aunt Polly walked into the room as Peter was performing a complete revolution and making a big commotion before jumping out the open window and smashing the remaining flower pots. The old lady was terrified by what was going on, so she adjusted her glasses to see what was going on, and she noticed Tom laughing on the floor. Polly inquired as to what had happened to the cat. Tom responded that he had no idea what had happened to it. Aunt stated that she had never seen Peter respond in that manner before. Tom still claims he has no idea, yet cats do behave in this manner when they are having fun. Aunt was not convinced by Tom's response, but perhaps they are now. Tom said that he believes that cat does react that way, but Aunt asked him again if Tom does that way when he is happy, Tom replied that he does.
Aunt Polly knelt and took the spoon, displaying it to Tom. Tom shrank and bowed his head down, but aunt Polly grabbed him by the ears and smacked him in the head with her thimble.
Tom is being treated by Aunt Polly. Aunt questioned how he could do such a thing to a helpless cat. He expressed sorry for the cat because it lacked an aunt. Aunt Polly posed the question, "What if the cat had nothing to do with his aunt?" If the cat had an aunt, Tom claims, she would have burned him out and cooked his tummy, and the animal would have reacted as a person would.
Aunt Polly's behavior towards the boy caused her anguish. She suddenly felt as if she had done something wrong. What would a young boy have gone through if a cat responded like that after taking the medicine? She melted down a little, felt the anguish, and tears streamed down her face. She put her hand on Tom's head, reassuring him, and said that she was seeking for the best for him. Tom remarked, with smiling eyes, that he knew her aunt was doing her best to offer him the best, but that's exactly what I was trying to do with Peter. It has been beneficial to Peter as well.
Aunt Polly asked him to leave before she lost tolerance with Tom's responses. She tells him that he doesn't have to take any medicines if he tries to be a good boy at least once.
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