Different Situations

Huck and Jim have both runaway from their homes for one reason or another. But the difference is that if Huck get caught, people would be shocked but most likely happy (with the exception of his father...maybe). And I would guess that if he did come back, he would be taken away from his dad and into a better home. Where as if Jim was caught, he would be beaten severely and probably put to death. The severity of the punishment ( if there was any for Huck) would have been very different. Even though they were kind of running away for similar reason, Jim was a black slave and Huck was a white boy. Back then, it was okay for black slave to be beaten but if a white person got beaten, it was unacceptable. That was just their way of thinking.