(np) HF, the payoff of not being completely d*ckish...

[Michael Bailey]

so near the beginning of HF, Huck and Tom are sneaking around at night
and Huck trips over a root and Jim hears something.

now, Jim's got to do his due diligence, so he makes a token "Who's there"

it's got to be obvious to him that Huck and Tom are sneaking out

Jim's a slave.  But he's cool.  So he figures, let the boys have some
fun, I'll mess with them.

He takes a chance, pretending to fall asleep, just to see what they will do.

They take some of his candles - and leave payment!  and then they hang
his hat on a limb.

So of course Jim, being a yarnsmith himself, as much as Tom or Huck,
spins a great tale about being ridden by witches and it circulates all
over the African-American community, and he shows off the nickel Tom
left as a magic coin.

Now, of course many whites believed all blacks to be stupid and would
take that at face value.

But the real unique thing Jim was celebrating (imho) was that a white
kid took something and actually paid for it, not being completely
d*ckish.  That sets the stage for the rest of the book...although
admittedly Tom first wanted to tie Jim to the tree...and Huck only
demurred because he feared the commotion would reveal his midnight
peregrinations...

but that's the way friendships between estranged parties get built,
slowly, by fits and starts, with some good luck, some fudging, and
some acts of daring...