Why does Huck make up the story he tells the ferry oat man?

Huck feels bad for leaving the two robbers to sink on the steamship. He soon comes upon a ferryboat at the outset of a little town and greets the watchman. It’s time for Huck, master of deception, to work some magic.

Huck breaks down in tears and pretends that his family is stuck on the steamship and in mortal peril. He hams this up quite a bit, as we’ve seen Huck is prone to do.

The watchman is all, "Great Scott!" He’d loved to help, but he doesn’t know who is going to pay for the trouble it will take to go over and rescue these folks.

Huck pretends that one of the women stuck on the ferry is the niece of the richest man in town.

The watchman takes off. Huck knows he should beat it, too, but he feels like he has to stay and make sure the men are OK first.