Tom tells Aunt Polly the whitewashing is done, and asks to go play. Once Aunt Polly sees that the work is done (although she doesn't know how it got done), she is so happy she gives him an apple and lets him out to play. As he leaves he sees Sid, who is still unpunished for telling on him the day before. Tom grabs clods of dirt and throws several at Sid, then jumps the fence and runs away to meet other boys in the village square, where they all engage in military-style conflict.
