Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894.

Treasure Island Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library | Table of Contents for this or! | | "ll on-line databases # $te%t Center &o'e(a)e | About the electronic version Treasure Island Stevenson, Robert Louis, 1850-1894 Creation of machine-readable version Judy oss Conversion to TE!-conformant mar"u# University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center ca$ %&& "ilobytes -- round u# to the nearest '( This version available from the University of Virginia Library Charlottesville, Va$ htt#)**etext$lib$virginia$edu*modeng*modeng+$bro,se$html Co#yright -..., by the /ector and Visitors of the University of Virginia htt#)**etext$lib$virginia$edu* Commercial use #rohibited0 all usage governed by our Conditions of Use)htt#)**etext$lib$virginia$edu*conditions$html -..' 1ote) This +ignet Classic edition of Treasure Island re#rints the first edition, #ublished in -223 by Cassell 4 Com#any, Limited, London$ About the print version Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson 1e, 5merican Library 1e, 6or" -.7'0 -.2+ignet Classics

1ote) !mages added from another edition) Chicago) /and 8c1ally, -.-'$ !llustrated by 8ilo 9inter$ *ublished+ 188, English fiction0 #rose Revisions to the electronic version 8arch :7 -..7 corrector ;avid +eaman Corrected <=uite< to <=uit<, #age -7, in the #hrase <the ,orld ,ill soon be =uit of a very dirty scoundrel>< Error re#orted by ?erard 8artin) gmartin@,ell$com$ 5lso added illustrations from -.-' edition$ Aebruary -..' corrector (elly Tetterton u#dated header and tags -..% corrector minimal TE! tagging0 s#ell chec"ed0 note that this text includes sea*#irate dialect and that <cani"in< is also s#elled as <canni"in<0 unambiguous line-end hy#henation removed$ etextcenter@virginia.edu$ Commercial use #rohibited0 all usage governed by our Conditions of Use) htt#)**etext$lib$virginia$edu*conditions$html

-vTo +$L$B$, an 5merican gentleman in accordance ,ith ,hose classic taste the follo,ing narrative has been designed, it is no,, in return for numerous delightful hours, and ,ith the "indest ,ishes, dedicated by his affectionate friend, the author$

To the &esitatin) *ur-haser

-vi-

!f sailor tales to sailor tunes, +torm and adventure, heat and cold, !f schooners, islands, and maroons, 5nd buccaneers, and buried gold, 5nd all the old romance, retold Exactly in the ancient ,ay, Can #lease, as me they #leased of old, The ,iser youngsters of today) -- +o be it, and fall on> !f not, !f studious youth no longer crave, Cis ancient a##etites forgot, (ingston, or allantyne the brave, Br Coo#er of the ,ood and ,ave) +o be it, also> 5nd may ! 5nd all my #irates share the grave 9here these and their creations lie>

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*"RT ./$ The .ld 0u--aneer

-$ TCE BL; +E5-;B? 5T TCE 5;8!/5L E1 B9 $ $ -:$ L5C( ;B? 5DDE5/+ 51; ;!+5DDE5/+ $ $ $ $ $ -E 3$ TCE L5C( +DBT $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ :% %$ TCE +E5-CCE+T $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 3& '$ TCE L5+T BA TCE L!1; 851 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 37 7$ TCE C5DT5!1F+ D5DE/+ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %-

*"RT T1. The Sea Coo!

E$ ! ?B TB /!+TBL $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %2 2$ 5T TCE +!?1 BA TCE +D6-?L5++ $ $ $ $ $ $ '% .$ DB9;E/ 51; 5/8+ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ '. -&$ TCE VB65?E $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 7% --$ 9C5T ! CE5/; !1 TCE 5DDLE 5//EL $ $ $ $ E& -:$ CBU1C!L BA 95/ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ E7

*"RT T&R$$ 23 Shore "dventure

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*"RT 4.5R The Sto-!ade

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*"RT 4I6$ 23 Sea "dventure

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*"RT SI7 Ca(tain Silver

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The .ld 0u--aneer

The .ld Sea-do) at the "d'iral 0enbo

-11+GU!/E T/EL591E6, ;r$ Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having as"ed me to ,rite do,n the ,hole #articulars about Treasure !sland, from the beginning to the end, "ee#ing nothing bac" but the bearings of the island, and that only because there is still treasure not yet lifted, ! ta"e u# my #en in the year of grace -EHH and go bac" to the time ,hen my father "e#t the 5dmiral enbo, inn and the bro,n old seaman ,ith the sabre cut first too" u# his lodging under our roof$

8I re'e'ber hi' as if it ere 3esterda3, as he -a'e (loddin) to the inn door8

! remember him as if it ,ere yesterday, as he came #lodding to the inn door, his sea-chest follo,ing behind him in a hand- barro, -- a tall, strong, heavy, nutbro,n man, his tarry #igtail falling over the shoulder of his soiled blue coat, his hands ragged and scarred, ,ith blac", bro"en nails, and the sabre cut across one chee", a dirty, livid ,hite$ ! remember him loo"ing round the cover and -12,histling to himself as he did so, and then brea"ing out in that old sea-song that he sang so often after,ards) <Aifteen men on the dead manFs chest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum>< in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and bro"en at the ca#stan bars$ Then he ra##ed on the door ,ith a bit of stic" li"e a hands#i"e that he carried, and ,hen my father a##eared, called roughly for a glass of rum$ This, ,hen it ,as brought to him, he dran" slo,ly, li"e a connoisseur, lingering on the taste and still loo"ing about him at the cliffs and u# at our signboard$

<This is a handy cove,< says he at length0 <and a #leasant sittyated grog-sho#$ 8uch com#any, mateI< 8y father told him no, very little com#any, the more ,as the #ity$ <9ell, then,< said he, <this is the berth for me$ Cere you, matey,< he cried to the man ,ho trundled the barro,0 <bring u# alongside and hel# u# my chest$ !Fll stay here a bit,< he continued$ <!Fm a #lain man0 rum and bacon and eggs is ,hat ! ,ant, and that head u# there for to ,atch shi#s off$ 9hat you mought call meI 6ou mought call me ca#tain$ Bh, ! see ,hat youFre at -- there<0 and he thre, do,n three or four gold #ieces on the threshold$ <6ou can tell me ,hen !Fve ,or"ed through that,< says he, loo"ing as fierce as a commander$ 5nd indeed bad as his clothes ,ere and coarsely as he s#o"e, he had none of the a##earance of a man ,ho sailed before the mast, but seemed li"e a mate or s"i##er accustomed to be obeyed or to stri"e$ The man ,ho came ,ith the barro, told us the mail had set him do,n the morning before at the /oyal ?eorge, that he had in=uired ,hat inns there ,ere along the coast, and hearing ours ,ell s#o"en of, ! su##ose, and described as lonely, had chosen it from the others for his #lace of residence$ 5nd that ,as all ,e could learn of our guest$ Ce ,as a very silent man by custom$ 5ll day he hung -13round the cove or u#on the cliffs ,ith a brass telesco#e0 all evening he sat in a corner of the #arlour next the fire and dran" rum and ,ater very strong$ 8ostly he ,ould not s#ea" ,hen s#o"en to, only loo" u# sudden and fierce and blo, through his nose li"e a fog-horn0 and ,e and the #eo#le ,ho came about our house soon learned to let him be$ Every day ,hen he came bac" from his stroll he ,ould as" if any seafaring men had gone by along the road$ 5t first ,e thought it ,as the ,ant of com#any of his o,n "ind that made him as" this =uestion, but at last ,e began to see he ,as desirous to avoid them$ 9hen a seaman did #ut u# at the 5dmiral enbo, Jas no, and then some did, ma"ing by the coast road for ristolK he ,ould loo" in at him through the curtained door before he entered the #arlour0 and he ,as al,ays sure to be as silent as a mouse ,hen any such ,as #resent$ Aor me, at least, there ,as no secret about the matter, for ! ,as, in a ,ay, a sharer in his alarms$ Ce had ta"en me aside one day and #romised me a silver four#enny on the first of every month if ! ,ould only "ee# my <,eather-eye o#en for a seafaring man ,ith one leg< and let him "no, the moment he a##eared$ Bften enough ,hen the first of the month came round and ! a##lied to him for my ,age, he ,ould only blo, through his nose at me and stare me do,n, but before the ,ee" ,as out he ,as sure to thin" better of it, bring me my four-#enny #iece, and re#eat his orders to loo" out for <the seafaring man ,ith one leg$<

Co, that #ersonage haunted my dreams, ! need scarcely tell you$ Bn stormy nights, ,hen the ,ind shoo" the four corners of the house and the surf roared along the cove and u# the cliffs, ! ,ould see him in a thousand forms, and ,ith a thousand diabolical ex#ressions$ 1o, the leg ,ould be cut off at the "nee, no, at the hi#0 no, he ,as a monstrous "ind of a creature ,ho had never had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his body$ To see him lea# and run and #ursue me over hedge and ditch ,as the ,orst of nightmares$ 5nd altogether ! #aid -14#retty dear for my monthly four#enny #iece, in the sha#e of these abominable fancies$ ut though ! ,as so terrified by the idea of the seafaring man ,ith one leg, ! ,as far less afraid of the ca#tain himself than anybody else ,ho "ne, him$ There ,ere nights ,hen he too" a deal more rum and ,ater than his head ,ould carry0 and then he ,ould sometimes sit and sing his ,ic"ed, old, ,ild sea-songs, minding nobody0 but sometimes he ,ould call for glasses round and force all the trembling com#any to listen to his stories or bear a chorus to his singing$ Bften ! have heard the house sha"ing ,ith <6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum,< all the neighbours Loining in for dear life, ,ith the fear of death u#on them, and each singing louder than the other to avoid remar"$ Aor in these fits he ,as the most overriding com#anion ever "no,n0 he ,ould sla# his hand on the table for silence all round0 he ,ould fly u# in a #assion of anger at a =uestion, or sometimes because none ,as #ut, and so he Ludged the com#any ,as not follo,ing his story$ 1or ,ould he allo, anyone to leave the inn till he had drun" himself slee#y and reeled off to bed$ Cis stories ,ere ,hat frightened #eo#le ,orst of all$ ;readful stories they ,ere -- about hanging, and ,al"ing the #lan", and storms at sea, and the ;ry Tortugas, and ,ild deeds and #laces on the +#anish 8ain$ y his o,n account he must have lived his life among some of the ,ic"edest men that ?od ever allo,ed u#on the sea, and the language in ,hich he told these stories shoc"ed our #lain country #eo#le almost as much as the crimes that he described$ 8y father ,as al,ays saying the inn ,ould be ruined, for #eo#le ,ould soon cease coming there to be tyranniMed over and #ut do,n, and sent shivering to their beds0 but ! really believe his #resence did us good$ Deo#le ,ere frightened at the time, but on loo"ing bac" they rather li"ed it0 it ,as a fine excitement in a =uiet country life, and there ,as even a #arty of the younger men ,ho #retended to admire him, calling him a <true sea-dog< and a <real old salt< and such li"e names, and -15-

saying there ,as the sort of man that made England terrible at sea$ !n one ,ay, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us, for he "e#t on staying ,ee" after ,ee", and at last month after month, so that all the money had been long exhausted, and still my father never #luc"ed u# the heart to insist on having more$ !f ever he mentioned it, the ca#tain ble, through his nose so loudly that you might say he roared, and stared my #oor father out of the room$ ! have seen him ,ringing his hands after such a rebuff, and ! am sure the annoyance and the terror he lived in must have greatly hastened his early and unha##y death$ 5ll the time he lived ,ith us the ca#tain made no change ,hatever in his dress but to buy some stoc"ings from a ha,"er$ Bne of the coc"s of his hat having fallen do,n, he let it hang from that day forth, though it ,as a great annoyance ,hen it ble,$ ! remember the a##earance of his coat, ,hich he #atched himself u#stairs in his room, and ,hich, before the end, ,as nothing but #atches$ Ce never ,rote or received a letter, and he never s#o"e ,ith any but the neighbours, and ,ith these, for the most #art, only ,hen drun" on rum$ The great sea-chest none of us had ever seen o#en$ Ce ,as only once crossed, and that ,as to,ards the end, ,hen my #oor father ,as far gone in a decline that too" him off$ ;r$ Livesey came late one afternoon to see the #atient, too" a bit of dinner from my mother, and ,ent into the #arlour to smo"e a #i#e until his horse should come do,n from the hamlet, for ,e had no stabling at the old enbo,$ ! follo,ed him in, and ! remember observing the contrast the neat, bright doctor, ,ith his #o,der as ,hite as sno, and his bright, blac" eyes and #leasant manners, made ,ith the coltish country fol", and above all, ,ith that filthy, heavy, bleared scarecro, of a #irate of ours, sitting, far gone in rum, ,ith his arms on the table$ +uddenly he -- the ca#tain, that is -- began to #i#e u# his eternal song)

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<Aifteen men on the dead manFs chest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum> ;rin" and the devil had done for the rest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum><

5t first ! had su##osed <the dead manFs chest< to be that identical big box of his u#stairs in the front room, and the thought had been mingled in my nightmares ,ith that of the one- legged seafaring man$ ut by this time ,e had all long ceased to #ay any #articular notice to the song0 it ,as ne,, that night, to nobody but ;r$ Livesey, and on him ! observed it did not #roduce an agreeable effect, for he loo"ed u# for a moment =uite angrily before he ,ent on ,ith his tal" to old Taylor, the gardener, on a ne, cure for the rheumatics$ !n the meantime, the ca#tain gradually brightened u# at his o,n music, and at last fla##ed his hand u#on the table before him in a ,ay ,e all "ne, to mean silence$ The voices sto##ed at once, all but ;r$ LiveseyFs0 he ,ent on as before s#ea"ing clear and "ind and dra,ing bris"ly at his #i#e bet,een every ,ord or t,o$ The ca#tain glared at him for a ,hile, fla##ed his hand again, glared still harder, and at last bro"e out ,ith a villainous, lo, oath, <+ilence, there, bet,een dec"s>< <9ere you addressing me, sirI< says the doctor0 and ,hen the ruffian had told him, ,ith another oath, that this ,as so, <! have only one thing to say to you, sir,< re#lies the doctor, <that if you "ee# on drin"ing rum, the ,orld ,ill soon be =uit of a very dirty scoundrel>< The old fello,Fs fury ,as a,ful$ Ce s#rang to his feet, dre, and o#ened a sailorFs clas#-"nife, and balancing it o#en on the #alm of his hand, threatened to #in the doctor to the ,all$ The doctor never so much as moved$ Ce s#o"e to him as before, over his shoulder and in the same tone of voice, rather high, so that all the room might hear, but #erfectly calm and steady) <!f you do not #ut that "nife this instant in your #oc"et, ! #romise, u#on my honour, you shall hang at the next assiMes$< -1 Then follo,ed a battle of loo"s bet,een them, but the ca#tain soon "nuc"led under, #ut u# his ,ea#on, and resumed his seat, grumbling li"e a beaten dog$ <5nd no,, sir,< continued the doctor, <since ! no, "no, thereFs such a fello, in my district, you may count !Fll have an eye u#on you day and night$ !Fm not a doctor only0 !Fm a magistrate0 and if ! catch a breath of com#laint against you, if itFs only for a #iece of incivility li"e tonightFs, !Fll ta"e effectual means to have you hunted do,n and routed out of this$ Let that suffice$< +oon after, ;r$ LiveseyFs horse came to the door and he rode a,ay, but the ca#tain held his #eace that evening, and for many evenings to come$

0la-! 9o) "((ears and 9isa((ears

!T ,as not very long after this that there occurred the first of the mysterious events that rid us at last of the ca#tain, though not, as you ,ill see, of his affairs$ !t ,as a bitter cold ,inter, ,ith long, hard frosts and heavy gales0 and it ,as #lain from the first that my #oor father ,as little li"ely to see the s#ring$ Ce san" daily, and my mother and ! had all the inn u#on our hands, and ,ere "e#t busy enough ,ithout #aying much regard to our un#leasant guest$ !t ,as one January morning, very early -- a #inching, frosty morning -- the cove all grey ,ith hoar-frost, the ri##le -1!la##ing softly on the stones, the sun still lo, and only touching the hillto#s and shining far to sea,ard$ The ca#tain had risen earlier than usual and set out do,n the beach, his cutlass s,inging under the broad s"irts of the old blue coat, his brass telesco#e under his arm, his hat tilted bac" u#on his head$ ! remember his breath hanging li"e smo"e in his ,a"e as he strode off, and the last sound ! heard of him as he turned the big roc" ,as a loud snort of indignation, as though his mind ,as still running u#on ;r$ Livesey$ 9ell, mother ,as u#stairs ,ith father and ! ,as laying the brea"fast-table against the ca#tainFs return ,hen the #arlour door o#ened and a man ste##ed in on ,hom ! had never set my eyes before$ Ce ,as a #ale, tallo,y creature, ,anting t,o fingers of the left hand, and though he ,ore a cutlass, he did not loo" much li"e a fighter$ ! had al,ays my eye o#en for seafaring men, ,ith one leg or t,o, and ! remember this one #uMMled me$ Ce ,as not sailorly, and yet he had a smac" of the sea about him too$ ! as"ed him ,hat ,as for his service, and he said he ,ould ta"e rum0 but as ! ,as going out of the room to fetch it, he sat do,n u#on a table and motioned me to dra, near$ ! #aused ,here ! ,as, ,ith my na#"in in my hand$ <Come here, sonny,< says he$ <Come nearer here$< ! too" a ste# nearer$ <!s this here table for my mate illI< he as"ed ,ith a "ind of leer$ ! told him ! did not "no, his mate ill, and this ,as for a #erson ,ho stayed in our house ,hom ,e called the ca#tain$

<9ell,< said he, <my mate ill ,ould be called the ca#tain, as li"e as not$ Ce has a cut on one chee" and a mighty #leasant ,ay ,ith him, #articularly in drin", has my mate ill$ 9eFll #ut it, for argument li"e, that your ca#tain has a cut on one chee" -- and ,eFll #ut it, if you li"e, that that chee"Fs the right one$ 5h, ,ell> ! told you$ 1o,, is my mate ill in this here houseI< -1"! told him he ,as out ,al"ing$ <9hich ,ay, sonnyI 9hich ,ay is he goneI< 5nd ,hen ! had #ointed out the roc" and told him ho, the ca#tain ,as li"ely to return, and ho, soon, and ans,ered a fe, other =uestions, <5h,< said he, <thisFll be as good as drin" to my mate ill$< The ex#ression of his face as he said these ,ords ,as not at all #leasant, and ! had my o,n reasons for thin"ing that the stranger ,as mista"en, even su##osing he meant ,hat he said$ ut it ,as no affair of mine, ! thought0 and besides, it ,as difficult to "no, ,hat to do$ The stranger "e#t hanging about Lust inside the inn door, #eering round the corner li"e a cat ,aiting for a mouse$ Bnce ! ste##ed out myself into the road, but he immediately called me bac", and as ! did not obey =uic" enough for his fancy, a most horrible change came over his tallo,y face, and he ordered me in ,ith an oath that made me Lum#$ 5s soon as ! ,as bac" again he returned to his former manner, half fa,ning, half sneering, #atted me on the shoulder, told me ! ,as a good boy and he had ta"en =uite a fancy to me$ <! have a son of my o,n,< said he, <as li"e you as t,o bloc"s, and heFs all the #ride of my Fart$ ut the great thing for boys is disci#line, sonny -- disci#line$ 1o,, if you had sailed along of ill, you ,ouldnFt have stood there to be s#o"e to t,ice -not you$ That ,as never illFs ,ay, nor the ,ay of sich as sailed ,ith him$ 5nd here, sure enough, is my mate ill, ,ith a s#y- glass under his arm, bless his old Fart, to be sure$ 6ou and meFll Lust go bac" into the #arlour, sonny, and get behind the door, and ,eFll give ill a little sur#rise -- bless his Fart, ! say again$ +o saying, the stranger bac"ed along ,ith me into the #arlour and #ut me behind him in the corner so that ,e ,ere both hidden by the o#en door$ ! ,as very uneasy and alarmed, as you may fancy, and it rather added to my fears to observe that the stranger ,as certainly frightened himself$ Ce cleared the hilt of his cutlass and loosened the blade in the sheath0 and all the time ,e ,ere -2#-

,aiting there he "e#t s,allo,ing as if he felt ,hat ,e used to call a lum# in the throat$ 5t last in strode the ca#tain, slammed the door behind him, ,ithout loo"ing to the right or left, and marched straight across the room to ,here his brea"fast a,aited him$ < ill,< said the stranger in a voice that ! thought he had tried to ma"e bold and big$ The ca#tain s#un round on his heel and fronted us0 all the bro,n had gone out of his face, and even his nose ,as blue0 he had the loo" of a man ,ho sees a ghost, or the evil one, or something ,orse, if anything can be0 and u#on my ,ord, ! felt sorry to see him all in a moment turn so old and sic"$ <Come, ill, you "no, me0 you "no, an old shi#mate, ill, surely,< said the stranger$ The ca#tain made a sort of gas#$ < lac" ;og>< said he$ <5nd ,ho elseI< returned the other, getting more at his ease$ < lac" ;og as ever ,as, come for to see his old shi#mate illy, at the 5dmiral enbo, inn$ 5h, ill, ill, ,e have seen a sight of times, us t,o, since ! lost them t,o talons,< holding u# his mutilated hand$ <1o,, loo" here,< said the ca#tain0 <youFve run me do,n0 here ! am0 ,ell, then, s#ea" u#0 ,hat is itI< <ThatFs you, ill,< returned lac" ;og, <youFre in the right of it, illy$ !Fll have a glass of rum from this dear child here, as !Fve too" such a li"ing to0 and ,eFll sit do,n, if you #lease, and tal" s=uare, li"e old shi#mates$< 9hen ! returned ,ith the rum, they ,ere already seated on either side of the ca#tainFs brea"fast-table -- lac" ;og next to the door and sitting side,ays so as to have one eye on his old shi#mate and one, as ! thought, on his retreat$ Ce bade me go and leave the door ,ide o#en$ <1one of your "eyholes for me, sonny,< he said0 and ! left them together and retired into the bar$ <Aor a long time, though ! certainly did my best to listen, ! could hear nothing but a lo, gattling0 but at -21-

last the voices began to gro, higher, and ! could #ic" u# a ,ord or t,o, mostly oaths, from the ca#tain$ <1o, no, no, no0 and an end of it>< he cried once$ 5nd again, <!f it comes to s,inging, s,ing all, say !$< Then all of a sudden there ,as a tremendous ex#losion of oaths and other noises -- the chair and table ,ent over in a lum#, a clash of steel follo,ed, and then a cry of #ain, and the next instant ! sa, lac" ;og in full flight, and the ca#tain hotly #ursuing, both ,ith dra,n cutlasses, and the former streaming blood from the left shoulder$ Just at the door the ca#tain aimed at the fugitive one last tremendous cut, ,hich ,ould certainly have s#lit him to the chine had it not been interce#ted by our big signboard of 5dmiral enbo,$ 6ou may see the notch on the lo,er side of the frame to this day$ That blo, ,as the last of the battle$ Bnce out u#on the road, lac" ;og, in s#ite of his ,ound, sho,ed a ,onderful clean #air of heels and disa##eared over the edge of the hill in half a minute$ The ca#tain, for his #art, stood staring at the signboard li"e a be,ildered man$ Then he #assed his hand over his eyes several times and at last turned bac" into the house$ <Jim,< says he, <rum<0 and as he s#o"e, he reeled a little, and caught himself ,ith one hand against the ,all$ <5re you hurtI< cried !$ </um,< he re#eated$ <! must get a,ay from here$ /um> /um>< ! ran to fetch it, but ! ,as =uite unsteadied by all that had fallen out, and ! bro"e one glass and fouled the ta#, and ,hile ! ,as still getting in my o,n ,ay, ! heard a loud fall in the #arlour, and running in, beheld the ca#tain lying full length u#on the floor$ 5t the same instant my mother, alarmed by the cries and fighting, came running do,nstairs to hel# me$ et,een us ,e raised his head$ Ce ,as breathing very loud and hard, but his eyes ,ere closed and his face a horrible colour$ <;ear, deary me,< cried my mother, <,hat a disgrace u#on the house> 5nd your #oor father sic">< !n the meantime, ,e had no idea ,hat to do to hel# -22-

the ca#tain, nor any other thought but that he had got his death- hurt in the scuffle ,ith the stranger$ ! got the rum, to be sure, and tried to #ut it do,n his throat, but his teeth ,ere tightly shut and his La,s as strong as iron$ !t ,as a ha##y relief for us ,hen the door o#ened and ;octor Livesey came in, on his visit to my father$ <Bh, doctor,< ,e cried, <,hat shall ,e doI 9here is he ,oundedI< <9oundedI 5 fiddle-stic"Fs end>< said the doctor$ <1o more ,ounded than you or !$ The man has had a stro"e, as ! ,arned him$ 1o,, 8rs$ Ca,"ins, Lust you run u#stairs to your husband and tell him, if #ossible, nothing about it$ Aor my #art, ! must do my best to save this fello,Fs trebly ,orthless life0 Jim, you get me a basin$< 9hen ! got bac" ,ith the basin, the doctor had already ri##ed u# the ca#tainFs sleeve and ex#osed his great sine,y arm$ !t ,as tattooed in several #laces$ <CereFs luc",< <5 fair ,ind,< and < illy ones his fancy,< ,ere very neatly and clearly executed on the forearm0 and u# near the shoulder there ,as a s"etch of a gallo,s and a man hanging from it -- done, as ! thought, ,ith great s#irit$ <Dro#hetic,< said the doctor, touching this #icture ,ith his finger$ <5nd no,, 8aster illy ones, if that be your name, ,eFll have a loo" at the colour of your blood$ Jim,< he said, <are you afraid of bloodI< <1o, sir,< said !$ <9ell, then,< said he, <you hold the basin<0 and ,ith that he too" his lancet and o#ened a vein$ 5 great deal of blood ,as ta"en before the ca#tain o#ened his eyes and loo"ed mistily about him$ Airst he recogniMed the doctor ,ith an unmista"able fro,n0 then his glance fell u#on me, and he loo"ed relieved$ ut suddenly his colour changed, and he tried to raise himself, crying, <9hereFs lac" ;ogI< <There is no lac" ;og here,< said the doctor, <exce#t ,hat you have on your o,n bac"$ 6ou have been drin"ing rum0 you have had a stro"e, #recisely as ! told you0 and ! have Lust, very much against my o,n ,ill, -23dragged you headforemost out of the grave$ 1o,, 8r$ ones -- < <ThatFs not my name,< he interru#ted$

<8uch ! care,< returned the doctor$ <!tFs the name of a buccaneer of my ac=uaintance0 and ! call you by it for the sa"e of shortness, and ,hat ! have to say to you is this0 one glass of rum ,onFt "ill you, but if you ta"e one youFll ta"e another and another, and ! sta"e my ,ig if you donFt brea" off short, youFll die -do you understand thatI -- die, and go to your o,n #lace, li"e the man in the ible$ Come, no,, ma"e an effort$ !Fll hel# you to your bed for once$< et,een us, ,ith much trouble, ,e managed to hoist him u#stairs, and laid him on his bed, ,here his head fell bac" on the #illo, as if he ,ere almost fainting$ <1o,, mind you,< said the doctor, <! clear my conscience -- the name of rum for you is death$< 5nd ,ith that he ,ent off to see my father, ta"ing me ,ith him by the arm$ <This is nothing,< he said as soon as he had closed the door$ <! have dra,n blood enough to "ee# him =uiet a,hile0 he should lie for a ,ee" ,here he is -that is the best thing for him and you0 but another stro"e ,ould settle him$<

-24-

The 0la-! S(ot

5 BUT noon ! sto##ed at the ca#tainFs door ,ith some cooling drin"s and medicines$ Ce ,as lying very much as ,e had left him, only a little higher, and he seemed both ,ea" and excited$ <Jim,< he said, <youFre the only one here thatFs ,orth anything, and you "no, !Fve been al,ays good to you$ 1ever a month but !Fve given you a silver four#enny for yourself$ 5nd no, you see, mate, !Fm #retty lo,, and deserted by all0 and Jim, youFll bring me one noggin of rum, no,, ,onFt you, mateyI< <The doctor -- < ! began$ ut he bro"e in cursing the doctor, in a feeble voice but heartily$ <;octors is all s,abs,< he said0 <and that doctor there, ,hy, ,hat do he "no, about seafaring menI ! been in #laces hot as #itch, and mates dro##ing round ,ith 6ello, Jac", and the blessed land a-heaving li"e the sea ,ith earth=ua"es -- ,hat to the doctor "no, of lands li"e thatI -- and ! lived on rum, ! tell you$ !tFs been meat and drin", and man and ,ife, to me0 and if !Fm not to have my rum no, !Fm a #oor old hul"

on a lee shore, my bloodFll be on you, Jim, and that doctor s,ab<0 and he ran on again for a ,hile ,ith curses$ <Loo", Jim, ho, my fingers fidges,< he continued in the #leading tone$ <! canFt "ee# Fem still, not !$ ! havenFt had a dro# this -25blessed day$ That doctorFs a fool, ! tell you$ !f ! donFt have a drain oF rum, Jim, !Fll have the horrors0 ! seen some on Fem already$ ! seen old Alint in the corner there, behind you0 as #lain as #rint, ! seen him0 and if ! get the horrors, !Fm a man that has lived rough, and !Fll raise Cain$ 6our doctor hisself said one glass ,ouldnFt hurt me$ !Fll give you a golden guinea for a noggin, Jim$< Ce ,as gro,ing more and more excited, and this alarmed me for my father, ,ho ,as very lo, that day and needed =uiet0 besides, ! ,as reassured by the doctorFs ,ords, no, =uoted to me, and rather offended by the offer of a bribe$ <! ,ant none of your money,< said !, <but ,hat you o,e my father$ !Fll get you one glass, and no more$< 9hen ! brought it to him, he seiMed it greedily and dran" it out$ <5ye, aye,< said he, <thatFs some better, sure enough$ 5nd no,, matey, did that doctor say ho, long ! ,as to lie here in this old berthI< <5 ,ee" at least,< said !$ <Thunder>< he cried$ <5 ,ee"> ! canFt do that0 theyFd have the blac" s#ot on me by then$ The lubbers is going about to get the ,ind of me this blessed moment0 lubbers as couldnFt "ee# ,hat they got, and ,ant to nail ,hat is anotherFs$ !s that seamanly behaviour, no,, ! ,ant to "no,I ut !Fm a saving soul$ ! never ,asted good money of mine, nor lost it neither0 and !Fll tric" Fem again$ !Fm not afraid on Fem$ !Fll sha"e out another reef, matey, and daddle Fem again$< 5s he ,as thus s#ea"ing, he had risen from bed ,ith great difficulty, holding to my shoulder ,ith a gri# that almost made me cry out, and moving his legs li"e so much dead ,eight$ Cis ,ords, s#irited as they ,ere in meaning, contrasted sadly ,ith the ,ea"ness of the voice in ,hich they ,ere uttered$ Ce #aused ,hen he had got into a sitting #osition on the edge$ <That doctorFs done me,< he murmured$ <8y ears is singing$ Lay me bac"$< efore ! could do much to hel# him he had fallen bac"

-26again to his former #lace, ,here he lay for a ,hile silent$ <Jim,< he said at length, <you sa, that seafaring man todayI< < lac" ;ogI< ! as"ed$ <5h> lac" ;og,< says he$ <$e%sa bad un0 but thereFs ,orse that #ut him on$ 1o,, if ! canFt get a,ay noho,, and they ti# me the blac" s#ot, mind you, itFs my old sea-chest theyFre after0 you get on a horse -- you can, canFt youI 9ell, then, you get on a horse, and go to -- ,ell, yes, ! ,ill> -- to that eternal doctor s,ab, and tell him to #i#e all hands -- magistrates and sich -- and heFll lay Fem aboard at the 5dmiral enbo, -- all old AlintFs cre,, man and boy, all on Fem thatFs left$ ! ,as first mate, ! ,as, old AlintFs first mate, and !Fm the onFy one as "no,s the #lace$ Ce gave it me at +avannah, ,hen he lay a-dying, li"e as if ! ,as to no,, you see$ ut you ,onFt #each unless they get the blac" s#ot on me, or unless you see that lac" ;og again or a seafaring man ,ith one leg, Jim -- him above all$< < ut ,hat is the blac" s#ot, ca#tainI< ! as"ed$ <ThatFs a summons, mate$ !Fll tell you if they get that$ ut you "ee# your ,eather-eye o#en, Jim, and !Fll share ,ith you e=uals, u#on my honour$< Ce ,andered a little longer, his voice gro,ing ,ea"er0 but soon after ! had given him his medicine, ,hich he too" li"e a child, ,ith the remar", <!f ever a seaman ,anted drugs, itFs me,< he fell at last into a heavy, s,oon-li"e slee#, in ,hich ! left him$ 9hat ! should have done had all gone ,ell ! do not "no,$ Drobably ! should have told the ,hole story to the doctor, for ! ,as in mortal fear lest the ca#tain should re#ent of his confessions and ma"e an end of me$ ut as things fell out, my #oor father died =uite suddenly that evening, ,hich #ut all other matters on one side$ Bur natural distress, the visits of the neighbours, the arranging of the funeral, and all the ,or" of the inn to be carried on in the mean,hile "e#t me so busy that ! had scarcely time to thin" of the ca#tain, far less to be afraid of him$ Ce got do,nstairs next morning, to be sure, and had -2 his meals as usual, though he ate little and had more, ! am afraid, than his usual su##ly of rum, for he hel#ed himself out of the bar, sco,ling and blo,ing through his nose, and no one dared to cross him$ Bn the night before the funeral he ,as as

drun" as ever0 and it ,as shoc"ing, in that house of mourning, to hear him singing a,ay at his ugly old sea-song0 but ,ea" as he ,as, ,e ,ere all in the fear of death for him, and the doctor ,as suddenly ta"en u# ,ith a case many miles a,ay and ,as never near the house after my fatherFs death$ ! have said the ca#tain ,as ,ea", and indeed he seemed rather to gro, ,ea"er than regain his strength$ Ce clambered u# and do,n stairs, and ,ent from the #arlour to the bar and bac" again, and sometimes #ut his nose out of doors to smell the sea, holding on to the ,alls as he ,ent for su##ort and breathing hard and fast li"e a man on a stee# mountain$ Ce never #articularly addressed me, and it is my belief he had as good as forgotten his confidences0 but his tem#er ,as more flighty, and allo,ing for his bodily ,ea"ness, more violent than ever$ Ce had an alarming ,ay no, ,hen he ,as drun" of dra,ing his cutlass and laying it bare before him on the table$ ut ,ith all that, he minded #eo#le less and seemed shut u# in his o,n thoughts and rather ,andering$ Bnce, for instance, to our extreme ,onder, he #i#ed u# to a different air, a "ing of country love-song that he must have learned in his youth before he had begun to follo, the sea$ +o things #assed until, the day after the funeral, and about three oFcloc" of a bitter, foggy, frosty afternoon, ! ,as standing at the door for a moment, full of sad thoughts about my father, ,hen ! sa, someone dra,ing slo,ly near along the road$ Ce ,as #lainly blind, for he ta##ed before him ,ith a stic" and ,ore a great green shade over his eyes and nose0 and he ,as hunched, as if ,ith age or ,ea"ness, and ,ore a huge old tattered sea-cloa" ,ith a hood that made him a##ear #ositively deformed$ ! never sa, in my life a more dreadful-loo"ing figure$ Ce sto##ed a little from the inn, and raising his voice in an odd sing-song, addressed the air in front of -2!him, <9ill any "ind friend inform a #oor blind man, ,ho has lost the #recious sight of his eyes in the gracious defence of his native country, England -- and ?od bless (ing ?eorge> -- ,here or in ,hat #art of this country he may no, beI< <6ou are at the 5dmiral enbo,, lac" Cill Cove, my good man,< said !$ <! hear a voice,< said he, <a young voice$ 9ill you give me your hand, my "ind young friend, and lead me inI< ! held out my hand, and the horrible, soft-s#o"en, eyeless creature gri##ed it in a moment li"e a vise$ ! ,as so much startled that ! struggled to ,ithdra,, but the blind man #ulled me close u# to him ,ith a single action of his arm$

8The blind 'an (ulled 'e -lose u( to hi'8

<1o,, boy,< he said, <ta"e me in to the ca#tain$< <+ir,< said !, <u#on my ,ord ! dare not$< <Bh,< he sneered, <thatFs it> Ta"e me in straight or !Fll brea" your arm$< 5nd he gave it, as he s#o"e, a ,rench that made me cry out$ <+ir,< said !, <it is for yourself ! mean$ The ca#tain is not ,hat he used to be$ Ce sits ,ith a dra,n cutlass$ 5nother gentleman -- < <Come, no,, march,< interru#ted he0 and ! never heard a voice so cruel, and cold, and ugly as that blind manFs$ !t co,ed me more than the #ain, and ! began to obey him at once, ,al"ing straight in at the door and to,ards the #arlour, ,here our sic" old buccaneer ,as sitting, daMed ,ith rum$ The blind man clung close to me, holding me in one iron fist and leaning almost more of his ,eight on me than ! could carry$ <Lead me straight u# to him, and ,hen !Fm in vie,, cry out, FCereFs a friend for you, ill$F !f you donFt, !Fll do this,< and ,ith that he gave me a t,itch that ! thought ,ould have made me faint$ et,een this and that, ! ,as so utterly terrified of the blind beggar that ! forgot my terror of the ca#tain, and as ! o#ened the #arlour door, cried out the ,ords he had ordered in a trembling voice$ The #oor ca#tain raised his eyes, and at one loo" the

-2"rum ,ent out of him and left him staring sober$ The ex#ression of his face ,as not so much of terror as of mortal sic"ness$ Ce made a movement to rise, but ! do not believe he had enough force left in his body$ <1o,, ill, sit ,here you are,< said the beggar$ <!f ! canFt see, ! can hear a finger stirring$ usiness is business$ Cold out your left hand$ oy, ta"e his left hand by the ,rist and bring it near to my right$< 9e both obeyed him to the letter, and ! sa, him #ass something from the hollo, of the hand that held his stic" into the #alm of the ca#tainFs, ,hich closed u#on it instantly$ <5nd no, thatFs done,< said the blind man0 and at the ,ords he suddenly left hold of me, and ,ith incredible accuracy and nimbleness, s"i##ed out of the #arlour and into the road, ,here, as ! still stood motionless, ! could hear his stic" go ta#-ta#- ta##ing into the distance$ !t ,as some time before either ! or the ca#tain seemed to gather our senses, but at length, and about at the same moment, ! released his ,rist, ,hich ! ,as still holding, and he dre, in his hand and loo"ed shar#ly into the #alm$ <Ten oFcloc">< he cried$ <+ix hours$ 9eFll do them yet,< and he s#rang to his feet$ Even as he did so, he reeled, #ut his hand to his throat, stood s,aying for a moment, and then, ,ith a #eculiar sound, fell from his ,hole height face foremost to the floor$ ! ran to him at once, calling to my mother$ ut haste ,as all in vain$ The ca#tain had been struc" dead by thundering a#o#lexy$ !t is a curious thing to understand, for ! had certainly never li"ed the man, though of late ! had begun to #ity him, but as soon as ! sa, that he ,as dead, ! burst into a flood of tears$ !t ,as the second death ! had "no,n, and the sorro, of the first ,as still fresh in my heart$

-3#-

The Sea--hest

! LB+T no time, of course, in telling my mother all that ! "ne,, and #erha#s should have told her long before, and ,e sa, ourselves at once in a difficult and dangerous #osition$ +ome of the manFs money -- if he had any -- ,as certainly due to us, but it ,as not li"ely that our ca#tainFs shi#mates, above all the t,o s#ecimens seen by me, lac" ;og and the blind beggar, ,ould be inclined to give u# their booty in #ayment of the dead manFs debts$ The ca#tainFs order to mount at once and ride for ;octor Livesey ,ould have left my mother alone and un#rotected, ,hich ,as not to be thought of$ !ndeed, it seemed im#ossible for either of us to remain much longer in the house0 the fall of coals in the "itchen grate, the very tic"ing of the cloc", filled us ,ith alarms$ The neighbourhood, to our ears, seemed haunted by a##roaching footste#s0 and ,hat bet,een the dead body of the ca#tain on the #arlour floor and the thought of that detestable blind beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return, there ,ere moments ,hen, as the saying goes, ! Lum#ed in my s"in for terror$ +omething must s#eedily be resolved u#on, and it occurred to us at last to go forth together and see" hel# in the neighbouring hamlet$ 1o sooner said than done$ are-headed as ,e ,ere, ,e ran out at once in the gathering evening and the frosty fog$ -31The hamlet lay not many hundred yards a,ay, though out of vie,, on the other side of the next cove0 and ,hat greatly encouraged me, it ,as in an o##osite direction from that ,hence the blind man had made his a##earance and ,hither he had #resumably returned$ 9e ,ere not many minutes on the road, though ,e sometimes sto##ed to lay hold of each other and hear"en$ ut there ,as no unusual sound -- nothing but the lo, ,ash of the ri##le and the croa"ing of the inmates of the ,ood$ !t ,as already candle-light ,hen ,e reached the hamlet, and ! shall never forget ho, much ! ,as cheered to see the yello, shine in doors and ,indo,s0 but that, as it #roved, ,as the best of the hel# ,e ,ere li"ely to get in that =uarter$ Aor -you ,ould have thought men ,ould have been ashamed of themselves -- no soul ,ould consent to return ,ith us to the 5dmiral enbo,$ The more ,e told of our troubles, the more -- man, ,oman, and child -- they clung to the shelter of their houses$ The name of Ca#tain Alint, though it ,as strange to me, ,as ,ell enough "no,n to some there and carried a great ,eight of terror$ +ome of the men ,ho had been to field-,or" on the far side of the 5dmiral enbo, remembered, besides, to have seen several strangers on the road, and ta"ing them to be smugglers, to have bolted a,ay0 and one at least had seen a little lugger in ,hat ,e called (ittFs Cole$ Aor that matter, anyone ,ho ,as a comrade of the ca#tainFs ,as enough to frighten them to death$ 5nd the short and the long of the matter ,as, that ,hile ,e could get several ,ho ,ere ,illing enough to ride to ;r$ LiveseyFs, ,hich lay in another direction, not one ,ould hel# us to defend the inn$

They say co,ardice is infectious0 but then argument is, on the other hand, a great emboldener0 and so ,hen each had said his say, my mother made them a s#eech$ +he ,ould not, she declared, lose money that belonged to her fatherless boy0 <!f none of the rest of you dare,< she said, <Jim and ! dare$ ac" ,e ,ill go, the ,ay ,e came, and small than"s to you big, hul"ing, chic"en- hearted men$ 9eFll have that chest o#en, if ,e die for it$ 5nd !Fll than" -32you for that bag, 8rs$ Crossley, to bring bac" our la,ful money in$< Bf course ! said ! ,ould go ,ith my mother, and of course they all cried out at our foolhardiness, but even then not a man ,ould go along ,ith us$ 5ll they ,ould do ,as to give me a loaded #istol lest ,e ,ere attac"ed, and to #romise to have horses ready saddled in case ,e ,ere #ursued on our return, ,hile one lad ,as to ride for,ard to the doctorFs in search of armed assistance$ 8y heart ,as beating finely ,hen ,e t,o set forth in the cold night u#on this dangerous venture$ 5 full moon ,as beginning to rise and #eered redly through the u##er edges of the fog, and this increased our haste, for it ,as #lain, before ,e came forth again, that all ,ould be as bright as day, and our de#arture ex#osed to the eyes of any ,atchers$ 9e sli##ed along the hedges, noiseless and s,ift, nor did ,e see or hear anything to increase our terrors, till, to our relief, the door of the 5dmiral enbo, had closed behind us$ ! sli##ed the bolt at once, and ,e stood and #anted for a moment in the dar", alone in the house ,ith the dead ca#tainFs body$ Then my mother got a candle in the bar, and holding each otherFs hands, ,e advanced into the #arlour$ Ce lay as ,e had left him, on his bac", ,ith his eyes o#en and one arm stretched out$ <;ra, do,n the blind, Jim,< ,his#ered my mother0 <they might come and ,atch outside$ 5nd no,,< said she ,hen ! had done so, <,e have to get the "ey off that0 and ,hoFs to touch it, ! should li"e to "no,>< and she gave a "ind of sob as she said the ,ords$ ! ,ent do,n on my "nees at once$ Bn the floor close to his hand there ,as a little round of #a#er, blac"ened on the one side$ ! could not doubt that this ,as the blac& spot and ta"ing it u#, ! found ,ritten on the other side, in a very good, clear hand, this short message) <6ou have till ten tonight$< <Ce had till ten, 8other,< said !0 and Lust as ! said it, our old cloc" began stri"ing$ This sudden noise startled us shoc"ingly0 but the ne,s ,as good, for it ,as only six$

-33<1o,, Jim,< she said, <that "ey$< ! felt in his #oc"ets, one after another$ 5 fe, small coins, a thimble, and some thread and big needles, a #iece of #igtail tobacco bitten a,ay at the end, his gully ,ith the croo"ed handle, a #oc"et com#ass, and a tinder box ,ere all that they contained, and ! began to des#air$ <Derha#s itFs round his nec",< suggested my mother$ Bvercoming a strong re#ugnance, ! tore o#en his shirt at the nec", and there, sure enough, hanging to a bit of tarry string, ,hich ! cut ,ith his o,n gully, ,e found the "ey$ 5t this trium#h ,e ,ere filled ,ith ho#e and hurried u#stairs ,ithout delay to the little room ,here he had sle#t so long and ,here his box had stood since the day of his arrival$ !t ,as li"e any other seamanFs chest on the outside, the initial < < burned on the to# of it ,ith a hot iron, and the corners some,hat smashed and bro"en as by long, rough usage$ <?ive me the "ey,< said my mother0 and though the loc" ,as very stiff, she had turned it and thro,n bac" the lid in a t,in"ling$ 5 strong smell of tobacco and tar rose from the interior, but nothing ,as to be seen on the to# exce#t a suit of very good clothes, carefully brushed and folded$ They had never been ,orn, my mother said$ Under that, the miscellany began -- a =uadrant, a tin cani"in, several stic"s of tobacco, t,o brace of very handsome #istols, a #iece of bar silver, an old +#anish ,atch and some other trin"ets of little value and mostly of foreign ma"e, a #air of com#asses mounted ,ith brass, and five or six curious 9est !ndian shells$ ! have often ,ondered since ,hy he should have carried about these shells ,ith him in his ,andering, guilty, and hunted life$ !n the meantime, ,e had found nothing of any value but the silver and the trin"ets, and neither of these ,ere in our ,ay$ Underneath there ,as an old boatcloa", ,hitened ,ith sea-salt on many a harbour-bar$ 8y mother #ulled it u# ,ith im#atience, and there lay before us, the last things in the chest, a bundle tied u# in oilcloth, and -34-

loo"ing li"e #a#ers, and a canvas bag that gave forth, at a touch, the Lingle of gold$ <!Fll sho, these rogues that !Fm an honest ,oman,< said my mother$ <!Fll have my dues, and not a farthing over$ Cold 8rs$ CrossleyFs bag$< 5nd she began to count over the amount of the ca#tainFs score from the sailorFs bag into the one that ! ,as holding$ !t ,as a long, difficult business, for the coins ,ere of all countries and siMes -doubloons, and louis dFors, and guineas, and #ieces of eight, and ! "no, not ,hat besides, all sha"en together at random$ The guineas, too, ,ere about the scarcest, and it ,as ,ith these only that my mother "ne, ho, to ma"e her count$ 9hen ,e ,ere about half-,ay through, ! suddenly #ut my hand u#on her arm, for ! had heard in the silent frosty air a sound that brought my heart into my mouth -- the ta#-ta##ing of the blind manFs stic" u#on the froMen road$ !t dre, nearer and nearer, ,hile ,e sat holding our breath$ Then it struc" shar# on the inn door, and then ,e could hear the handle being turned and the bolt rattling as the ,retched being tried to enter0 and then there ,as a long time of silence both ,ithin and ,ithout$ 5t last the ta##ing recommenced, and, to our indescribable Loy and gratitude, died slo,ly a,ay again until it ceased to be heard$ <8other,< said !, <ta"e the ,hole and letFs be going,< for ! ,as sure the bolted door must have seemed sus#icious and ,ould bring the ,hole hornetFs nest about our ears, though ho, than"ful ! ,as that ! had bolted it, none could tell ,ho had never met that terrible blind man$ ut my mother, frightened as she ,as, ,ould not consent to ta"e a fraction more than ,as due to her and ,as obstinately un,illing to be content ,ith less$ !t ,as not yet seven, she said, by a long ,ay0 she "ne, her rights and she ,ould have them0 and she ,as still arguing ,ith me ,hen a little lo, ,histle sounded a good ,ay off u#on the hill$ That ,as enough, and more than enough, for both of us$ <!Fll ta"e ,hat ! have,< she said, Lum#ing to her feet$ -35<5nd !Fll ta"e this to s=uare the count,< said !, #ic"ing u# the oils"in #ac"et$ 1ext moment ,e ,ere both gro#ing do,nstairs, leaving the candle by the em#ty chest0 and the next ,e had o#ened the door and ,ere in full retreat$ 9e had not started a moment too soon$ The fog ,as ra#idly dis#ersing0 already the moon shone =uite clear on the high ground on either side0 and it ,as only in the exact

bottom of the dell and round the tavern door that a thin veil still hung unbro"en to conceal the first ste#s of our esca#e$ Aar less than half-,ay to the hamlet, very little beyond the bottom of the hill, ,e must come forth into the moonlight$ 1or ,as this all, for the sound of several footste#s running came already to our ears, and as ,e loo"ed bac" in their direction, a light tossing to and fro and still ra#idly advancing sho,ed that one of the ne,comers carried a lantern$ <8y dear,< said my mother suddenly, <ta"e the money and run on$ ! am going to faint$< This ,as certainly the end for both of us, ! thought$ Co, ! cursed the co,ardice of the neighbours0 ho, ! blamed my #oor mother for her honesty and her greed, for her #ast foolhardiness and #resent ,ea"ness> 9e ,ere Lust at the little bridge, by good fortune0 and ! hel#ed her, tottering as she ,as, to the edge of the ban", ,here, sure enough, she gave a sigh and fell on my shoulder$ ! do not "no, ho, ! found the strength to do it at all, and ! am afraid it ,as roughly done, but ! managed to drag her do,n the ban" and a little ,ay under the arch$ Aarther ! could not move her, for the bridge ,as too lo, to let me do more than cra,l belo, it$ +o there ,e had to stay -- my mother almost entirely ex#osed and both of us ,ithin earshot of the inn$

-36-

The Last of the 0lind 2an

86 curiosity, in a sense, ,as stronger than my fear, for ! could not remain ,here ! ,as, but cre#t bac" to the ban" again, ,hence, sheltering my head behind a bush of broom, ! might command the road before our door$ ! ,as scarcely in #osition ere my enemies began to arrive, seven or eight of them, running hard, their feet beating out of time along the road and the man ,ith the lantern some #aces in front$ Three men ran together, hand in hand0 and ! made out, even through the mist, that the middle man of this trio ,as the blind beggar$ The next moment his voice sho,ed me that ! ,as right$ <;o,n ,ith the door>< he cried$ <5ye, aye, sir>< ans,ered t,o or three0 and a rush ,as made u#on the 5dmiral enbo,, the lantern-bearer follo,ing0 and then ! could see them #ause, and hear s#eeches #assed in a lo,er "ey, as if they ,ere sur#rised to find the door o#en$

ut the #ause ,as brief, for the blind man again issued his commands$ Cis voice sounded louder and higher, as if he ,ere afire ,ith eagerness and rage$ <!n, in, in>< he shouted, and cursed them for their delay$ Aour or five of them obeyed at once, t,o remaining on the road ,ith the formidable beggar$ There ,as a -3 #ause, then a cry of sur#rise, and then a voice shouting from the house, < illFs dead$< ut the blind man s,ore at them again for their delay$ <+earch him, some of you shir"ing lubbers, and the rest of you aloft and get the chest,< he cried$ ! could hear their feet rattling u# our old stairs, so that the house must have shoo" ,ith it$ Drom#tly after,ards, fresh sounds of astonishment arose0 the ,indo, of the ca#tainFs room ,as thro,n o#en ,ith a slam and a Lingle of bro"en glass, and a man leaned out into the moonlight, head and shoulders, and addressed the blind beggar on the road belo, him$

8*e ,8 he -ried, 8the3:ve been here before us.8

<De,,< he cried, <theyFve been before us$ +omeoneFs turned the chest out alo, and aloft$< <!s it thereI< roared De,$ <The moneyFs there$< The blind man cursed the money$ <AlintFs fist, ! mean,< he cried$ <9e donFt see it here noho,,< returned the man$ <Cere, you belo, there, is it on illI< cried the blind man again$ 5t that another fello,, #robably him ,ho had remained belo, to search the ca#tainFs body, came to the door of the inn$ < illFs been overhauled aFready,< said he0 <nothinF left$< <!tFs these #eo#le of the inn -- itFs that boy$ ! ,ish ! had #ut his eyes out>< cried the blind man, De,$ <There ,ere no time ago -- they had the door bolted ,hen ! tried it$ +catter, lads, and find Fem$< <+ure enough, they left their glim here,< said the fello, from the ,indo,$ <+catter and find Fem> /out the house out>< reiterated De,, stri"ing ,ith his stic" u#on the road$ Then there follo,ed a great to-do through all our old inn, heavy feet #ounding to and fro, furniture thro,n over, doors "ic"ed in, until the very roc"s re-echoed and the men came out again, one after another, on the road and declared that ,e ,ere no,here to be found$ 5nd Lust the same ,histle that had alarmed my mother and -3!myself over the dead ca#tainFs money ,as once more clearly audible through the night, but this time t,ice re#eated$ ! had thought it to be the blind manFs trum#et, so to s#ea", summoning his cre, to the assault, but ! no, found that it ,as a signal from the hillside to,ards the hamlet, and from its effect u#on the buccaneers, a signal to ,arn them of a##roaching danger$

<ThereFs ;ir" again,< said one$ <T,ice> 9eFll have to budge, mates$< < udge, you s"ul">< cried De,$ <;ir" ,as a fool and a co,ard from the first -you ,ouldnFt mind him$ They must be close by0 they canFt be far0 you have your hands on it$ +catter and loo" for them, dogs> Bh, shiver my soul,< he cried, <if ! had eyes>< This a##eal seemed to #roduce some effect, for t,o of the fello,s began to loo" here and there among the lumber, but half- heartedly, ! thought, and ,ith half an eye to their o,n danger all the time, ,hile the rest stood irresolute on the road$ <6ou have your hands on thousands, you fools, and you hang a leg> 6ouFd be as rich as "ings if you could find it, and you "no, itFs here, and you stand there s"ul"ing$ There ,asnFt one of you dared face ill, and ! did it -- a blind man> 5nd !Fm to lose my chance for you> !Fm to be a #oor, cra,ling beggar, s#onging for rum, ,hen ! might be rolling in a coach> !f you had the #luc" of a ,eevil in a biscuit you ,ould catch them still$< <Cang it, De,, ,eFve got the doubloons>< grumbled one$ <They might have hid the blessed thing,< said another$ <Ta"e the ?eorges, De,, and donFt stand here s=ualling$< +=ualling ,as the ,ord for it0 De,Fs anger rose so high at these obLections till at last, his #assion com#letely ta"ing the u##er hand, he struc" at them right and left in his blindness and his stic" sounded heavily on more than one$ These, in their turn, cursed bac" at the blind miscreant, threatened him in horrid terms, and tried in vain to catch the stic" and ,rest it from his gras#$ This =uarrel ,as the saving of us, for ,hile it ,as still -3"raging, another sound came from the to# of the hill on the side of the hamlet -- the tram# of horses gallo#ing$ 5lmost at the same time a #istol-shot, flash and re#ort, came from the hedge side$ 5nd that ,as #lainly the last signal of danger, for the buccaneers turned at once and ran, se#arating in every direction, one sea,ard along the cove, one slant across the hill, and so on, so that in half a minute not a sign of them remained but De,$ Cim they had deserted, ,hether in sheer #anic or out of revenge for his ill ,ords and blo,s ! "no, not0 but there he remained behind, ta##ing u# and do,n the road in a frenMy, and gro#ing and calling for his comrades$ Ainally he too" a ,rong turn and ran a fe, ste#s #ast me, to,ards the

hamlet, crying, <Johnny, lac" ;og, ;ir",< and other names, <you ,onFt leave old De,, mates -- not old De,>< Just then the noise of horses to##ed the rise, and four or five riders came in sight in the moonlight and s,e#t at full gallo# do,n the slo#e$ 5t this De, sa, his error, turned ,ith a scream, and ran straight for the ditch, into ,hich he rolled$ ut he ,as on his feet again in a second and made another dash, no, utterly be,ildered, right under the nearest of the coming horses$ The rider tried to save him, but in vain$ ;o,n ,ent De, ,ith a cry that rang high into the night0 and the four hoofs tram#led and s#urned him and #assed by$ Ce fell on his side, then gently colla#sed u#on his face and moved no more$ ! lea#ed to my feet and hailed the riders$ They ,ere #ulling u#, at any rate, horrified at the accident0 and ! soon sa, ,hat they ,ere$ Bne, tailing out behind the rest, ,as a lad that had gone from the hamlet to ;r$ LiveseyFs0 the rest ,ere revenue officers, ,hom he had met by the ,ay, and ,ith ,hom he had had the intelligence to return at once$ +ome ne,s of the lugger in (ittFs Cole had found its ,ay to +u#ervisor ;ance and set him forth that night in our direction, and to that circumstance my mother and ! o,ed our #reservation from death$ De, ,as dead, stone dead$ 5s for my mother, ,hen -4#,e had carried her u# to the hamlet, a little cold ,ater and salts and that soon brought her bac" again, and she ,as none the ,orse for her terror, though she still continued to de#lore the balance of the money$ !n the meantime the su#ervisor rode on, as fast as he could, to (ittFs Cole0 but his men had to dismount and gro#e do,n the dingle, leading, and sometimes su##orting, their horses, and in continual fear of ambushes0 so it ,as no great matter for sur#rise that ,hen they got do,n to the Cole the lugger ,as already under ,ay, though still close in$ Ce hailed her$ 5 voice re#lied, telling him to "ee# out of the moonlight or he ,ould get some lead in him, and at the same time a bullet ,histled close by his arm$ +oon after, the lugger doubled the #oint and disa##eared$ 8r$ ;ance stood there, as he said, <li"e a fish out of ,ater,< and all he could do ,as to dis#atch a man to -- -to ,arn the cutter$ <5nd that,< said he, <is Lust about as good as nothing$ TheyFve got off clean, and thereFs an end$ <Bnly,< he added, <!Fm glad ! trod on 8aster De,Fs corns,< for by this time he had heard my story$ ! ,ent bac" ,ith him to the 5dmiral enbo,, and you cannot imagine a house in such a state of smash0 the very cloc" had been thro,n do,n by these fello,s in their furious hunt after my mother and myself0 and though nothing had actually

been ta"en a,ay exce#t the ca#tainFs money-bag and a little silver from the till, ! could see at once that ,e ,ere ruined$ 8r$ ;ance could ma"e nothing of the scene$ <They got the money, you sayI 9ell, then, Ca,"ins, ,hat in fortune ,ere they afterI 8ore money, ! su##oseI< <1o, sir0 not money, ! thin",< re#lied !$ <!n fact, sir, ! believe ! have the thing in my breast #oc"et0 and to tell you the truth, ! should li"e to get it #ut in safety$< <To be sure, boy0 =uite right,< said he$ <!Fll ta"e it, if you li"e$< <! thought #erha#s ;r$ Livesey -- < ! began$ <Derfectly right,< he interru#ted very cheerily, <#erfectly right -- a gentleman and a magistrate$ 5nd, no, ! come -41to thin" of it, ! might as ,ell ride round there myself and re#ort to him or s=uire$ 8aster De,Fs dead, ,hen allFs done0 not that ! regret it, but heFs dead, you see, and #eo#le ,ill ma"e it out against an officer of his 8aLestyFs revenue, if ma"e it out they can$ 1o,, !Fll tell you, Ca,"ins, if you li"e, !Fll ta"e you along$< ! than"ed him heartily for the offer, and ,e ,al"ed bac" to the hamlet ,here the horses ,ere$ y the time ! had told mother of my #ur#ose they ,ere all in the saddle$ <;ogger,< said 8r$ ;ance, <you have a good horse0 ta"e u# this lad behind you$< 5s soon as ! ,as mounted, holding on to ;oggerFs belt, the su#ervisor gave the ,ord, and the #arty struc" out at a bouncing trot on the road to ;r$ LiveseyFs house$

The Ca(tain:s *a(er

9E rode hard all the ,ay till ,e dre, u# before ;r$ LiveseyFs door$ The house ,as all dar" to the front$ 8r$ ;ance told me to Lum# do,n and "noc", and ;ogger gave me a stirru# to descend by$ The door ,as o#ened almost at once by the maid$

<!s ;r$ Livesey inI< ! as"ed$ 1o, she said, he had come home in the afternoon but had gone u# to the hall to dine and #ass the evening ,ith the s=uire$ -42<+o there ,e go, boys,< said 8r$ ;ance$ This time, as the distance ,as short, ! did not mount, but ran ,ith ;oggerFs stirru#-leather to the lodge gates and u# the long, leafless, moonlit avenue to ,here the ,hite line of the hall buildings loo"ed on either hand on great old gardens$ Cere 8r$ ;ance dismounted, and ta"ing me along ,ith him, ,as admitted at a ,ord into the house$ The servant led us do,n a matted #assage and sho,ed us at the end into a great library, all lined ,ith boo"cases and busts u#on the to# of them, ,here the s=uire and ;r$ Livesey sat, #i#e in hand, on either side of a bright fire$ ! had never seen the s=uire so near at hand$ Ce ,as a tall man, over six feet high, and broad in #ro#ortion, and he had a bluff, rough-and-ready face, all roughened and reddened and lined in his long travels$ Cis eyebro,s ,ere very blac", and moved readily, and this gave him a loo" of some tem#er, not bad, you ,ould say, but =uic" and high$ <Come in, 8r$ ;ance,< says he, very stately and condescending$ <?ood evening, ;ance,< says the doctor ,ith a nod$ <5nd good evening to you, friend Jim$ 9hat good ,ind brings you hereI< The su#ervisor stood u# straight and stiff and told his story li"e a lesson0 and you should have seen ho, the t,o gentlemen leaned for,ard and loo"ed at each other, and forgot to smo"e in their sur#rise and interest$ 9hen they heard ho, my mother ,ent bac" to the inn, ;r$ Livesey fairly sla##ed his thigh, and the s=uire cried < ravo>< and bro"e his long #i#e against the grate$ Long before it ,as done, 8r$ Trela,ney Jthat, you ,ill remember, ,as the s=uireFs nameK had got u# from his seat and ,as striding about the room, and the doctor, as if to hear the better, had ta"en off his #o,dered ,ig and sat there loo"ing very strange indeed ,ith his o,n close-cro##ed blac" #oll$< 5t last 8r$ ;ance finished the story$ -43-

<8r$ ;ance,< said the s=uire, <you are a very noble fello,$ 5nd as for riding do,n that blac", atrocious miscreant, ! regard it as an act of virtue, sir, li"e stam#ing on a coc"roach$ This lad Ca,"ins is a trum#, ! #erceive$ Ca,"ins, ,ill you ring that bellI 8r$ ;ance must have some ale$< <5nd so, Jim,< said the doctor, <you have the thing that they ,ere after, have youI< <Cere it is, sir,< said !, and gave him the oils"in #ac"et$ The doctor loo"ed it all over, as if his fingers ,ere itching to o#en it0 but instead of doing that, he #ut it =uietly in the #oc"et of his coat$ <+=uire,< said he, <,hen ;ance has had his ale he must, of course, be off on his 8aLestyFs service0 but ! mean to "ee# Jim Ca,"ins here to slee# at my house, and ,ith your #ermission, ! #ro#ose ,e should have u# the cold #ie and let him su#$< <5s you ,ill, Livesey,< said the s=uire0 <Ca,"ins has earned better than cold #ie$< +o a big #igeon #ie ,as brought in and #ut on a sidetable, and ! made a hearty su##er, for ! ,as as hungry as a ha,", ,hile 8r$ ;ance ,as further com#limented and at last dismissed$ <5nd no,, s=uire,< said the doctor$ <5nd no,, Livesey,< said the s=uire in the same breath$ <Bne at a time, one at a time,< laughed ;r$ Livesey$ <6ou have heard of this Alint, ! su##oseI< <Ceard of him>< cried the s=uire$ <Ceard of him, you say> Ce ,as the bloodthirstiest buccaneer that sailed$ lac"beard ,as a child to Alint$ The +#aniards ,ere so #rodigiously afraid of him that, ! tell you, sir, ! ,as sometimes #roud he ,as an Englishman$ !Fve seen his to#-sails ,ith these eyes, off Trinidad, and the co,ardly son of a rum-#uncheon that ! sailed ,ith #ut bac" -- #ut bac", sir, into Dort of +#ain$< <9ell, !Fve heard of him myself, in England,< said the doctor$ < ut the #oint is, had he moneyI< <8oney>< cried the s=uire$ <Cave you heard the storyI

-449hat ,ere these villains after but moneyI 9hat do they care for but moneyI Aor ,hat ,ould they ris" their rascal carcasses but moneyI< <That ,e shall soon "no,,< re#lied the doctor$ < ut you are so confoundedly hot-headed and exclamatory that ! cannot get a ,ord in$ 9hat ! ,ant to "no, is this) +u##osing that ! have here in my #oc"et some clue to ,here Alint buried his treasure, ,ill that treasure amount to muchI< <5mount, sir>< cried the s=uire$ <!t ,ill amount to this) !f ,e have the clue you tal" about, ! fit out a shi# in ristol doc", and ta"e you and Ca,"ins here along, and !Fll have that treasure if ! search a year$< <Very ,ell,< said the doctor$ <1o,, then, if Jim is agreeable, ,eFll o#en the #ac"et<0 and he laid it before him on the table$ The bundle ,as se,n together, and the doctor had to get out his instrument case and cut the stitches ,ith his medical scissors$ !t contained t,o things -- a boo" and a sealed #a#er$ <Airst of all ,eFll try the boo",< observed the doctor$ The s=uire and ! ,ere both #eering over his shoulder as he o#ened it, for ;r$ Livesey had "indly motioned me to come round from the side-table, ,here ! had been eating, to enLoy the s#ort of the search$ Bn the first #age there ,ere only some scra#s of ,riting, such as a man ,ith a #en in his hand might ma"e for idleness or #ractice$ Bne ,as the same as the tattoo mar", < illy ones his fancy<0 then there ,as <8r$ 9$ ones, mate,< <1o more rum,< <Bff Dalm (ey he got itt,< and some other snatches, mostly single ,ords and unintelligible$ ! could not hel# ,ondering ,ho it ,as that had <got itt,< and ,hat <itt< ,as that he got$ 5 "nife in his bac" as li"e as not$ <1ot much instruction there,< said ;r$ Livesey as he #assed on$ The next ten or t,elve #ages ,ere filled ,ith a curious series of entries$ There ,as a date at one end of the line and at the other a sum of money, as in common account-45boo"s, but instead of ex#lanatory ,riting, only a varying number of crosses bet,een the t,o$ Bn the -:th of June, -E%', for instance, a sum of seventy

#ounds had #lainly become due to someone, and there ,as nothing but six crosses to ex#lain the cause$ !n a fe, cases, to be sure, the name of a #lace ,ould be added, as <Bffe Caraccas,< or a mere entry of latitude and longitude, as <7:o -EF :&<, -.o :F %&<$< The record lasted over nearly t,enty years, the amount of the se#arate entries gro,ing larger as time ,ent on, and at the end a grand total had been made out after five or six ,rong additions, and these ,ords a##ended, < ones, his #ile$< <! canFt ma"e head or tail of this,< said ;r$ Livesey$ <The thing is as clear as noonday,< cried the s=uire$ <This is the blac"-hearted houndFs account-boo"$ These crosses stand for the names of shi#s or to,ns that they san" or #lundered$ The sums are the scoundrelFs share, and ,here he feared an ambiguity, you see he added something clearer$ FBffe Caraccas,F no,0 you see, here ,as some unha##y vessel boarded off that coast$ ?od hel# the #oor souls that manned her -- coral long ago$< </ight>< said the doctor$ <+ee ,hat it is to be a traveller$ /ight> 5nd the amounts increase, you see, as he rose in ran"$< There ,as little else in the volume but a fe, bearings of #laces noted in the blan" leaves to,ards the end and a table for reducing Arench, English, and +#anish moneys to a common value$ <Thrifty man>< cried the doctor$ <Ce ,asnFt the one to be cheated$< <5nd no,,< said the s=uire,< for the other$< The #a#er had been sealed in several #laces ,ith a thimble by ,ay of seal0 the very thimble, #erha#s, that ! had found in the ca#tainFs #oc"et$ The doctor o#ened the seals ,ith great care, and there fell out the ma# of an island, ,ith latitude and longitude, soundings, names of hills and bays and inlets, and every #articular that ,ould be needed to bring a shi# to a safe anchorage u#on -46its shores$ !t ,as about nine miles long and five across, sha#ed, you might say, li"e a fat dragon standing u#, and had t,o fine land-loc"ed harbours, and a hill in the centre #art mar"ed <The +#y-glass$< There ,ere several additions of a later date, but above all, three crosses of red in" -- t,o on the north #art of the island, one in the south,est -- and beside this last, in the same red in", and in a small, neat hand, very different from the ca#tainFs tottery characters, these ,ords) < ul" of treasure here$<

Bver on the bac" the same hand had ,ritten this further information) Tall tree, +#y-glass shoulder, bearing a #oint to the 1$ of 1$1$E$ +"eleton !sland E$+$E$ and by E$ Ten feet$ The bar silver is in the north cache0 you can find it by the trend of the east hummoc", ten fathoms south of the blac" crag ,ith the face on it$ The arms are easy found, in the sand-hill, 1$ #oint of north inlet ca#e, bearing E$ and a =uarter 1$ J$A$ That ,as all0 but brief as it ,as, and to me incom#rehensible, it filled the s=uire and ;r$ Livesey ,ith delight$ <Livesey,< said the s=uire, <you ,ill give u# this ,retched #ractice at once$ Tomorro, ! start for ristol$ !n three ,ee"sF time -- three ,ee"s> -- t,o ,ee"s -ten days -- ,eFll have the best shi#, sir, and the choicest cre, in England$ Ca,"ins shall come as cabin-boy$ 6ouFll ma"e a famous cabin-boy, Ca,"ins$ 6ou, Livesey, are shi#Fs doctor0 ! am admiral$ 9eFll ta"e /edruth, Joyce, and Cunter$ 9eFll have favourable ,inds, a =uic" #assage, and not the least difficulty in finding the s#ot, and money to eat, to roll in, to #lay duc" and dra"e ,ith ever after$< <Trela,ney,< said the doctor, <!Fll go ,ith you0 and !Fll go bail for it, so ,ill Jim, and be a credit to the underta"ing$ ThereFs only one man !Fm afraid of$< <5nd ,hoFs thatI< cried the s=uire$ <1ame the dog, sir>< -4 <6ou,< re#lied the doctor0 <for you cannot hold your tongue$ 9e are not the only men ,ho "no, of this #a#er$ These fello,s ,ho attac"ed the inn tonight -bold, des#erate blades, for sure -- and the rest ,ho stayed aboard that lugger, and

more, ! dare say, not far off, are, one and all, through thic" and thin, bound that theyFll get that money$ 9e must none of us go alone till ,e get to sea$ Jim and ! shall stic" together in the mean,hile0 youFll ta"e Joyce and Cunter ,hen you ride to ristol, and from first to last, not one of us must breathe a ,ord of ,hat ,eFve found$< <Livesey,< returned the s=uire, <you are al,ays in the right of it$ !Fll be as silent as the grave$<

-4!-

The Sea--oo!

I ;o to 0ristol
!T ,as longer than the s=uire imagined ere ,e ,ere ready for the sea, and none of our first #lans -- not even ;r$ LiveseyFs, of "ee#ing me beside him -- could be carried out as ,e intended$ The doctor had to go to London for a #hysician to ta"e charge of his #ractice0 the s=uire ,as hard at ,or" at ristol0 and ! lived on at the hall under the charge of old /edruth, the game"ee#er, almost a #risoner, but full of sea-dreams and the most charming antici#ations of strange islands and adventures$ ! brooded by the hour together over the ma#, all the details of ,hich ! ,ell remembered$ +itting by the fire in the house"ee#erFs room, ! a##roached that island in my fancy from every #ossible direction0 ! ex#lored every acre of its surface0 ! climbed a thousand times to that tall hill they call the +#y-glass, and from the to# enLoyed the most ,onderful and changing #ros#ects$ +ometimes -4"the isle ,as thic" ,ith savages, ,ith ,hom ,e fought, sometimes full of dangerous animals that hunted us, but in all my fancies nothing occurred to me so strange and tragic as our actual adventures$ +o the ,ee"s #assed on, till one fine day there came a letter addressed to ;r$ Livesey, ,ith this addition, <To be o#ened, in the case of his absence, by Tom /edruth or young Ca,"ins$< Bbeying this order, ,e found, or rather ! found -- for

the game"ee#er ,as a #oor hand at reading anything but #rint -- the follo,ing im#ortant ne,s) Bld 5nchor !nn, ristol, 8arch -, -E -;ear Livesey -- 5s ! do not "no, ,hether you are at the hall or still in London, ! send this in double to both #laces$ The shi# is bought and fitted$ +he lies at anchor, ready for sea$ 6ou never imagined a s,eeter schooner -- a child might sail her -- t,o hundred tons0 name, $ispaniola$ ! got her through my old friend, landly, ,ho has #roved himself throughout the most sur#rising trum#$ The admirable fello, literally slaved in my interest, and so, ! may say, did everyone in ristol, as soon as they got ,ind of the #ort ,e sailed for -- treasure, ! mean$ </edruth,< said !, interru#ting the letter, <;r$ Livesey ,ill not li"e that$ The s=uire has been tal"ing, after all$< <9ell, ,hoFs a better rightI< gro,led the game"ee#er$ <5 #retty rum go if s=uire ainFt to tal" for ;r$ Livesey, ! should thin"$< 5t that ! gave u# all attem#ts at commentary and read straight on) landly himself found the $ispaniola, and by the most admirable management got her for the merest trifle$ There is a class of men in ristol monstrously #reLudiced against landly$ They go the length of -5#declaring that this honest creature ,ould do anything for money, that the $ispaniola belonged to him, and that he sold it me absurdly high -- the most trans#arent calumnies$ 1one of them dare, ho,ever, to deny the merits of the shi#$ +o far there ,as not a hitch$ The ,or"#eo#le, to be sure -- riggers and ,hat not -- ,ere most annoyingly slo,0 but time cured that$ !t ,as the cre, that troubled me$ ! ,ished a round score of men -- in case of natives, buccaneers, or the odious Arench -- and ! had the ,orry of the deuce itself to find so much as half a doMen, till the most remar"able stro"e of fortune brought me the very man that ! re=uired$

! ,as standing on the doc", ,hen, by the merest accident, ! fell in tal" ,ith him$ ! found he ,as an old sailor, "e#t a #ublic-house, "ne, all the seafaring men in ristol, had lost his health ashore, and ,anted a good berth as coo" to get to sea again$ Ce had hobbled do,n there that morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt$ ! ,as monstrously touched -- so ,ould you have been -- and, out of #ure #ity, ! engaged him on the s#ot to be shi#Fs coo"$ Long John +ilver, he is called, and has lost a leg0 but that ! regarded as a recommendation, since he lost it in his countryFs service, under the immortal Ca,"e$ Ce has no #ension, Livesey$ !magine the abominable age ,e live in> 9ell, sir, ! thought ! had only found a coo", but it ,as a cre, ! had discovered$ et,een +ilver and myself ,e got together in a fe, days a com#any of the toughest old salts imaginable -- not #retty to loo" at, but fello,s, by their faces, of the most indomitable s#irit$ ! declare ,e could fight a frigate$ Long John even got rid of t,o out of the six or seven ! had already engaged$ Ce sho,ed me in a moment that they ,ere Lust the sort of fresh-,ater s,abs ,e had to fear in an adventure of im#ortance$ ! am in the most magnificent health and s#irits, eating li"e a bull, slee#ing li"e a tree, yet ! shall -51not enLoy a moment till ! hear my old tar#aulins tram#ing round the ca#stan$ +ea,ard, ho> Cang the treasure> !tFs the glory of the sea that has turned my head$ +o no,, Livesey, come #ost0 do not lose an hour, if you res#ect me$ Let young Ca,"ins go at once to see his mother, ,ith /edruth for a guard0 and then both come full s#eed to ristol$ John Trela,ney Dostscri#t -- ! did not tell you that landly, ,ho, by the ,ay, is to send a consort after us if ,e donFt turn u# by the end of 5ugust, had found an admirable fello, for sailing master -- a stiff man, ,hich ! regret, but in all other res#ects a treasure$ Long John +ilver unearthed a very com#etent man for a mate, a man named 5rro,$ ! have a boats,ain ,ho #i#es, Livesey0 so things shall go man-oF-,ar fashion on board the good shi# $ispaniola$ ! forgot to tell you that +ilver is a man of substance0 ! "no, of my o,n "no,ledge that he has a ban"erFs account, ,hich has never been overdra,n$ Ce leaves his ,ife to manage the inn0 and as she is a ,oman of colour, a #air of old bachelors li"e you and ! may be excused for guessing that it is the ,ife, =uite as much as the health, that sends him bac" to roving$ J$ T$

D$D$+$ -- Ca,"ins may stay one night ,ith his mother$ J$ T$ 6ou can fancy the excitement into ,hich that letter #ut me$ ! ,as half beside myself ,ith glee0 and if ever ! des#ised a man, it ,as old Tom /edruth, ,ho could do nothing but grumble and lament$ 5ny of the under-game"ee#ers ,ould gladly have changed #laces ,ith him0 but such ,as not the s=uireFs #leasure, and the s=uireFs #leasure ,as li"e la, among them all$ 1obody but old /edruth ,ould have dared so much as even to grumble$ -52The next morning he and ! set out on foot for the 5dmiral enbo,, and there ! found my mother in good health and s#irits$ The ca#tain, ,ho had so long been a cause of so much discomfort, ,as gone ,here the ,ic"ed cease from troubling$ The s=uire had had everything re#aired, and the #ublic rooms and the sign re#ainted, and had added some furniture -- above all a beautiful armchair for mother in the bar$ Ce had found her a boy as an a##rentice also so that she should not ,ant hel# ,hile ! ,as gone$ !t ,as on seeing that boy that ! understood, for the first time, my situation$ ! had thought u# to that moment of the adventures before me, not at all of the home that ! ,as leaving0 and no,, at sight of this clumsy stranger, ,ho ,as to stay here in my #lace beside my mother, ! had my first attac" of tears$ ! am afraid ! led that boy a dogFs life, for as he ,as ne, to the ,or", ! had a hundred o##ortunities of setting him right and #utting him do,n, and ! ,as not slo, to #rofit by them$ The night #assed, and the next day, after dinner, /edruth and ! ,ere afoot again and on the road$ ! said good-bye to 8other and the cove ,here ! had lived since ! ,as born, and the dear old 5dmiral enbo, -- since he ,as re#ainted, no longer =uite so dear$ Bne of my last thoughts ,as of the ca#tain, ,ho had so often strode along the beach ,ith his coc"ed hat, his sabre-cut chee", and his old brass telesco#e$ 1ext moment ,e had turned the corner and my home ,as out of sight$ The mail #ic"ed us u# about dus" at the /oyal ?eorge on the heath$ ! ,as ,edged in bet,een /edruth and a stout old gentleman, and in s#ite of the s,ift motion and the cold night air, ! must have doMed a great deal from the very first, and then sle#t li"e a log u# hill and do,n dale through stage after stage, for ,hen ! ,as a,a"ened at last it ,as by a #unch in the ribs, and ! o#ened my eyes to find that ,e ,ere standing still before a large building in a city street and that the day had already bro"en a long time$ <9here are ,eI< ! as"ed$ < ristol,< said Tom$ <?et do,n$<

8r$ Trela,ney had ta"en u# his residence at an inn far do,n the doc"s to su#erintend the ,or" u#on the schooner$ Thither ,e had no, to ,al", and our ,ay, to my great delight, lay along the =uays and beside the great multitude of shi#s of all siMes and rigs and nations$ !n one sailors ,ere singing at their ,or", in another there ,ere men aloft, high over my head, hanging to threads that seemed no thic"er than a s#iderFs$ Though ! had lived by the shore all my life, ! seemed never to have been near the sea till then$ The smell of tar and salt ,as something ne,$ ! sa, the most ,onderful figureheads, that had all been far over the ocean$ ! sa,, besides, many old sailors, ,ith rings in their ears, and ,his"ers curled in ringlets, and tarry #igtails, and their s,aggering, clumsy sea-,al"0 and if ! had seen as many "ings or archbisho#s ! could not have been more delighted$ 5nd ! ,as going to sea myself, to sea in a schooner, ,ith a #i#ing boats,ain and #ig-tailed singing seamen, to sea, bound for an un"no,n island, and to see" for buried treasure> 9hile ! ,as still in this delightful dream, ,e came suddenly in front of a large inn and met +=uire Trela,ney, all dressed out li"e a sea-officer, in stout blue cloth, coming out of the door ,ith a smile on his face and a ca#ital imitation of a sailorFs ,al"$ <Cere you are,< he cried, <and the doctor came last night from London$ ravo> The shi#Fs com#any com#lete>< <Bh, sir,< cried !, <,hen do ,e sailI< <+ail>< says he$ <9e sail tomorro,><

-54-

"t the Si)n of the S(3-)lass

9CE1 ! had done brea"fasting the s=uire gave me a note addressed to John +ilver, at the sign of the +#y-glass, and told me ! should easily find the #lace by follo,ing the line of the doc"s and "ee#ing a bright loo"out for a little tavern ,ith a large brass telesco#e for sign$ ! set off, overLoyed at this o##ortunity to see some more of the shi#s and seamen, and #ic"ed my ,ay among a great cro,d of #eo#le and carts and bales, for the doc" ,as no, at its busiest, until ! found the tavern in =uestion$

!t ,as a bright enough little #lace of entertainment$ The sign ,as ne,ly #ainted0 the ,indo,s had neat red curtains0 the floor ,as cleanly sanded$ There ,as a street on each side and an o#en door on both, ,hich made the large, lo, room #retty clear to see in, in s#ite of clouds of tobacco smo"e$ The customers ,ere mostly seafaring men, and they tal"ed so loudly that ! hung at the door, almost afraid to enter$ 5s ! ,as ,aiting, a man came out of a side room, and at a glance ! ,as sure he must be Long John$ Cis left leg ,as cut off close by the hi#, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, ,hich he managed ,ith ,onderful dexterity, ho##ing about u#on it li"e a bird$ Ce ,as very tall and strong, ,ith a face as big as a ham --55#lain and #ale, but intelligent and smiling$ !ndeed, he seemed in the most cheerful s#irits, ,histling as he moved about among the tables, ,ith a merry ,ord or a sla# on the shoulder for the more favoured of his guests$ 1o,, to tell you the truth, from the very first mention of Long John in +=uire Trela,neyFs letter ! had ta"en a fear in my mind that he might #rove to be the very one-legged sailor ,hom ! had ,atched for so long at the old enbo,$ ut one loo" at the man before me ,as enough$ ! had seen the ca#tain, and lac" ;og, and the blind man, De,, and ! thought ! "ne, ,hat a buccaneer ,as li"e -- a very different creature, according to me, from this clean and #leasant-tem#ered landlord$ ! #luc"ed u# courage at once, crossed the threshold, and ,al"ed right u# to the man ,here he stood, #ro##ed on his crutch, tal"ing to a customer$ <8r$ +ilver, sirI< ! as"ed, holding out the note$ <6es, my lad,< said he0 <such is my name, to be sure$ 5nd ,ho may you beI< 5nd then as he sa, the s=uireFs letter, he seemed to me to give something almost li"e a start$ <Bh>< said he, =uite loud, and offering his hand$ <! see$ 6ou are our ne, cabinboy0 #leased ! am to see you$< 5nd he too" my hand in his large firm gras#$ Just then one of the customers at the far side rose suddenly and made for the door$ !t ,as close by him, and he ,as out in the street in a moment$ ut his hurry

had attracted my notice, and ! recogniMed him at glance$ !t ,as the tallo,-faced man, ,anting t,o fingers, ,ho had come first to the 5dmiral enbo,$ <Bh,< ! cried, <sto# him> !tFs lac" ;og>< <! donFt care t,o co##ers ,ho he is,< cried +ilver$ < ut he hasnFt #aid his score$ Carry, run and catch him$< Bne of the others ,ho ,as nearest the door lea#ed u# and started in #ursuit$ <!f he ,ere 5dmiral Ca,"e he shall #ay his score,< cried +ilver0 and then, relin=uishing my hand, <9ho did you say he ,asI< he as"ed$ < lac" ,hatI< <;og, sir,< said !$ Cas 8r$ Trela,ney not told you of the buccaneersI Ce ,as one of them$< <+oI< cried +ilver$ <!n my house> en, run and hel# Carry$ Bne of those s,abs, ,as heI 9as that you drin"ing ,ith him, 8organI +te# u# here$< The man ,hom he called 8organ -- an old, grey-haired, mahogany-faced sailor -- came for,ard #retty shee#ishly, rolling his =uid$

8/o , 2or)an,8 said Lon) <ohn ver3 sternl3, 83ou never -la((ed 3our e3es on that 0la-! -- 0la-! 9o) before, did 3ou, no =8

<1o,, 8organ,< said Long John very sternly, <you never cla##ed your eyes on that lac" -- lac" ;og before, did you, no,I<

<1ot !, sir,< said 8organ ,ith a salute$ <6ou didnFt "no, his name, did youI< <1o, sir$< < y the #o,ers, Tom 8organ, itFs as good for you>< exclaimed the landlord$ <!f you had been mixed u# ,ith the li"e of that, you ,ould never have #ut another foot in my house, you may lay to that$ 5nd ,hat ,as he saying to youI< <! donFt rightly "no,, sir,< ans,ered 8organ$ <;o you call that a head on your shoulders, or a blessed dead-eyeI< cried Long John$ <;onFt rightly "no,, donFt you> Derha#s you donFt ha##en to rightly "no, ,ho you ,as s#ea"ing to, #erha#sI Come, no,, ,hat ,as he La,ing -- vFyages, ca#Fns, shi#sI Di#e u#> 9hat ,as itI< <9e ,as a-tal"inF of "eel-hauling,< ans,ered 8organ$ <(eel-hauling, ,as youI 5nd a mighty suitable thing, too, and you may lay to that$ ?et bac" to your #lace for a lubber, Tom$< 5nd then, as 8organ rolled bac" to his seat, +ilver added to me in a confidential ,his#er that ,as very flattering, as ! thought, <CeFs =uite an honest man, Tom 8organ, onFy stu#id$ 5nd no,,< he ran on again, aloud, <letFs see -- lac" ;ogI 1o, ! donFt "no, the name, not !$ 6et ! "ind of thin" !Fve -- yes, !Fve seen the s,ab$ Ce used to come here ,ith a blind beggar, he used$< <That he did, you may be sure,< said !$ <! "ne, that blind man too$ Cis name ,as De,$< <!t ,as>< cried +ilver, no, =uite excited$ <De,> That -5 ,ere his name for certain$ 5h, he loo"ed a shar", he did> !f ,e run do,n this lac" ;og, no,, thereFll be ne,s for Ca#Fn Trela,ney> enFs a good runner0 fe, seamen run better than en$ Ce should run him do,n, hand over hand, by the #o,ers> Ce tal"ed oF "eel-hauling, did heI I%ll "eel-haul him>< 5ll the time he ,as Ler"ing out these #hrases he ,as stum#ing u# and do,n the tavern on his crutch, sla##ing tables ,ith his hand, and giving such a sho, of excitement as ,ould have convinced an Bld ailey Ludge or a o, +treet runner$ 8y sus#icions had been thoroughly rea,a"ened on finding lac" ;og at the +#y-

glass, and ! ,atched the coo" narro,ly$ ut he ,as too dee#, and too ready, and too clever for me, and by the time the t,o men had come bac" out of breath and confessed that they had lost the trac" in a cro,d, and been scolded li"e thieves, ! ,ould have gone bail for the innocence of Long John +ilver$ <+ee here, no,, Ca,"ins,< said he, <hereFs a blessed hard thing on a man li"e me, no,, ainFt itI ThereFs Ca#Fn Trela,ney -- ,hatFs he to thin"I Cere ! have this confounded son of a ;utchman sitting in my o,n house drin"ing of my o,n rum> Cere you comes and tells me of it #lain0 and here ! let him give us all the sli# before my blessed deadlights> 1o,, Ca,"ins, you do me Lustice ,ith the ca#Fn$ 6ouFre a lad, you are, but youFre as smart as #aint$ ! see that ,hen you first come in$ 1o,, here it is) 9hat could ! do, ,ith this old timber ! hobble onI 9hen ! ,as an 5 master mariner !Fd have come u# alongside of him, hand over hand, and broached him to in a brace of old sha"es, ! ,ould0 but no, -- < 5nd then, all of a sudden, he sto##ed, and his La, dro##ed as though he had remembered something$ <The score>< he burst out$ <Three goes oF rum> 9hy, shiver my timbers, if ! hadnFt forgotten my score>< 5nd falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran do,n his chee"s$ ! could not hel# Loining, and ,e laughed together, #eal after #eal, until the tavern rang again$ <9hy, ,hat a #recious old sea-calf ! am>< he said at -5!last, ,i#ing his chee"s$ <6ou and me should get on ,ell, Ca,"ins, for !Fll ta"e my davy ! should be rated shi#Fs boy$ ut come no,, stand by to go about$ This ,onFt do$ ;ooty is dooty, messmates$ !Fll #ut on my old coc"erel hat, and ste# along of you to Ca#Fn Trela,ney, and re#ort this here affair$ Aor mind you, itFs serious, young Ca,"ins0 and neither you nor meFs come out of it ,ith ,hat ! should ma"e so bold as to call credit$ 1or you neither, says you0 not smart -- none of the #air of us smart$ ut dash my buttons> That ,as a good un about my score$< 5nd he began to laugh again, and that so heartily, that though ! did not see the Lo"e as he did, ! ,as again obliged to Loin him in his mirth$ Bn our little ,al" along the =uays, he made himself the most interesting com#anion, telling me about the different shi#s that ,e #assed by, their rig, tonnage, and nationality, ex#laining the ,or" that ,as going for,ard -- ho, one ,as discharging, another ta"ing in cargo, and a third ma"ing ready for sea -- and

every no, and then telling me some little anecdote of shi#s or seamen or re#eating a nautical #hrase till ! had learned it #erfectly$ ! began to see that here ,as one of the best of #ossible shi#mates$ 9hen ,e got to the inn, the s=uire and ;r$ Livesey ,ere seated together, finishing a =uart of ale ,ith a toast in it, before they should go aboard the schooner on a visit of ins#ection$ Long John told the story from first to last, ,ith a great deal of s#irit and the most #erfect truth$ <That ,as ho, it ,ere, no,, ,erenFt it, Ca,"insI< he ,ould say, no, and again, and ! could al,ays bear him entirely out$ The t,o gentlemen regretted that lac" ;og had got a,ay, but ,e all agreed there ,as nothing to be done, and after he had been com#limented, Long John too" u# his crutch and de#arted$ <5ll hands aboard by four this afternoon,< shouted the s=uire after him$ <5ye, aye, sir,< cried the coo", in the #assage$ <9ell, s=uire,< said ;r$ Livesey, <! donFt #ut much -5"faith in your discoveries, as a general thing0 but ! ,ill say this, John +ilver suits me$< <The manFs a #erfect trum#,< declared the s=uire$ <5nd no,,< added the doctor, <Jim may come on board ,ith us, may he notI< <To be sure he may,< says s=uire$ <Ta"e your hat, Ca,"ins, and ,eFll see the shi#$<

*o der and "r's

TCE $ispaniola lay some ,ay out, and ,e ,ent under the figureheads and round the sterns of many other shi#s, and their cables sometimes grated underneath our "eel, and sometimes s,ung above us$ 5t last, ho,ever, ,e got alongside, and ,ere met and saluted as ,e ste##ed aboard by the mate, 8r$ 5rro,, a bro,n old sailor ,ith earrings in his ears and a s=uint$ Ce and the s=uire

,ere very thic" and friendly, but ! soon observed that things ,ere not the same bet,een 8r$ Trela,ney and the ca#tain$ This last ,as a shar#-loo"ing man ,ho seemed angry ,ith everything on board and ,as soon to tell us ,hy, for ,e had hardly got do,n into the cabin ,hen a sailor follo,ed us$ <Ca#tain +mollett, sir, axing to s#ea" ,ith you,< said he$ <! am al,ays at the ca#tainFs orders$ +ho, him in,< said the s=uire$ -6#The ca#tain, ,ho ,as close behind his messenger, entered at once and shut the door behind him$ <9ell, Ca#tain +mollett, ,hat have you to sayI 5ll ,ell, ! ho#e0 all shi#sha#e and sea,orthyI< <9ell, sir,< said the ca#tain, <better s#ea" #lain, ! believe, even at the ris" of offence$ ! donFt li"e this cruise0 ! donFt li"e the men0 and ! donFt li"e my officer$ ThatFs short and s,eet$< <Derha#s, sir, you donFt li"e the shi#I< in=uired the s=uire, very angry, as ! could see$ <! canFt s#ea" as to that, sir, not having seen her tried,< said the ca#tain$ <+he seems a clever craft0 more ! canFt say$< <Dossibly, sir, you may not li"e your em#loyer, eitherI< says the s=uire$ ut here ;r$ Livesey cut in$ <+tay a bit,< said he, <stay a bit$ 1o use of such =uestions as that but to #roduce ill feeling$ The ca#tain has said too much or he has said too little, and !Fm bound to say that ! re=uire an ex#lanation of his ,ords$ 6ou donFt, you say, li"e this cruise$ 1o,, ,hyI< <! ,as engaged, sir, on ,hat ,e call sealed orders, to sail this shi# for that gentleman ,here he should bid me,< said the ca#tain$ <+o far so good$ ut no, ! find that every man before the mast "no,s more than ! do$ ! donFt call that fair, no,, do youI< <1o,< said ;r$ Livesey, <! donFt$<

<1ext,< said the ca#tain, <! learn ,e are going after treasure -- hear it from my o,n hands, mind you$ 1o,, treasure is tic"lish ,or"0 ! donFt li"e treasure voyages on any account, and ! donFt li"e them, above all, ,hen they are secret and ,hen Jbegging your #ardon, 8r$ Trela,neyK the secret has been told to the #arrot$< <+ilverFs #arrotI< as"ed the s=uire$ <!tFs a ,ay of s#ea"ing,< said the ca#tain$ < labbed, ! mean$ !tFs my belief neither of you gentlemen "no, ,hat you are about, but !Fll tell you may ,ay of it -- life or death, and a close run$< <That is all clear, and, ! dare say, true enough,< re#lied -61;r$ Livesey$ <9e ta"e the ris", but ,e are not so ignorant as you believe us$ 1ext, you say you donFt li"e the cre,$ 5re they not good seamenI< <! donFt li"e them, sir,< returned Ca#tain +mollett$ <5nd ! thin" ! should have had the choosing of my o,n hands, if you go to that$< <Derha#s you should,< re#lied the doctor$ <8y friend should, #erha#s, have ta"en you along ,ith him0 but the slight, if there be one, ,as unintentional$ 5nd you donFt li"e 8r$ 5rro,I< <! donFt, sir$ ! believe heFs a good seaman, but heFs too free ,ith the cre, to be a good officer$ 5 mate should "ee# himself to himself -- shouldnFt drin" ,ith the men before the mast>< <;o you mean he drin"sI< cried the s=uire$ <1o, sir,< re#lied the ca#tain, <only that heFs too familiar$< <9ell, no,, and the short and long of it, ca#tainI< as"ed the doctor$ <Tell us ,hat you ,ant$< <9ell, gentlemen, are you determined to go on this cruiseI< <Li"e iron,< ans,ered the s=uire$ <Very good,< said the ca#tain$ <Then, as youFve heard me very #atiently, saying things that ! could not #rove, hear me a fe, ,ords more$ They are #utting the #o,der and the arms in the fore hold$ 1o,, you have a good #lace under the cabin0 ,hy not #ut them thereI -- first #oint$ Then, you are bringing four of your

o,n #eo#le ,ith you, and they tell me some of them are to be berthed for,ard$ 9hy not give them the berths here beside the cabinI -- second #oint$< <5ny moreI< as"ed 8r$ Trela,ney$ <Bne more,< said the ca#tain$ <ThereFs been too much blabbing already$< <Aar too much,< agreed the doctor$ <!Fll tell you ,hat !Fve heard myself,< continued Ca#tain +mollett) <that you have a ma# of an island, that thereFs crosses on the ma# to sho, ,here treasure is, and that the island lies -- < 5nd then he named the latitude and longitude exactly$ <! never told that,< cried the s=uire, <to a soul>< <The hands "no, it, sir,< returned the ca#tain$ <Livesey, that must have been you or Ca,"ins,< cried the s=uire$ <!t doesnFt much matter ,ho it ,as,< re#lied the doctor$ 5nd ! could see that neither he nor the ca#tain #aid much regard to 8r$ Trela,neyFs #rotestations$ 1either did !, to be sure, he ,as so loose a tal"er0 yet in this case ! believe he ,as really right and that nobody had told the situation of the island$ <9ell, gentlemen,< continued the ca#tain, <! donFt "no, ,ho has this ma#0 but ! ma"e it a #oint, it shall be "e#t secret even from me and 8r$ 5rro,$ Bther,ise ! ,ould as" you to let me resign$< <! see,< said the doctor$ <6ou ,ish us to "ee# this matter dar" and to ma"e a garrison of the stern #art of the shi#, manned ,ith my friendFs o,n #eo#le, and #rovided ,ith all the arms and #o,der on board$ !n other ,ords, you fear a mutiny$< <+ir,< said Ca#tain +mollett, <,ith no intention to ta"e offence, ! deny your right to #ut ,ords into my mouth$ 1o ca#tain, sir, ,ould be Lustified in going to sea at all if he had ground enough to say that$ 5s for 8r$ 5rro,, ! believe him thoroughly honest0 some of the men are the same0 all may be for ,hat ! "no,$ ut ! am res#onsible for the shi#Fs safety and the life of every man Jac" aboard of her$ ! see things going, as ! thin", not =uite right$ 5nd ! as" you to ta"e certain #recautions or let me resign my berth$ 5nd thatFs all$< <Ca#tain +mollett,< began the doctor ,ith a smile, <did ever you hear the fable of the mountain and the mouseI 6ouFll excuse me, ! dare say, but you remind me of that fable$ 9hen you came in here, !Fll sta"e my ,ig, you meant more than this$<

<;octor,< said the ca#tain, <you are smart$ 9hen ! came in here ! meant to get discharged$ ! had no thought that 8r$ Trela,ney ,ould hear a ,ord$< <1o more ! ,ould,< cried the s=uire$ <Cad Livesey not been here ! should have seen you to the deuce$ 5s it is, ! have heard you$ ! ,ill do as you desire, but ! thin" the ,orse of you$< <ThatFs as you #lease, sir,< said the ca#tain$ <6ouFll find ! do my duty$< 5nd ,ith that he too" his leave$ <Trela,ney,< said the doctor, <contrary to all my notions, ! believed you have managed to get t,o honest men on board ,ith you -- that man and John +ilver$< <+ilver, if you li"e,< cried the s=uire0 <but as for that intolerable humbug, ! declare ! thin" his conduct unmanly, unsailorly, and do,nright un-English$< <9ell,< says the doctor, <,e shall see$< 9hen ,e came on dec", the men had begun already to ta"e out the arms and #o,der, yo-ho-ing at their ,or", ,hile the ca#tain and 8r$ 5rro, stood by su#erintending$ The ne, arrangement ,as =uite to my li"ing$ The ,hole schooner had been overhauled0 six berths had been made astern out of ,hat had been the after-#art of the main hold0 and this set of cabins ,as only Loined to the galley and forecastle by a s#arred #assage on the #ort side$ !t had been originally meant that the ca#tain, 8r$ 5rro,, Cunter, Joyce, the doctor, and the s=uire ,ere to occu#y these six berths$ 1o, /edruth and ! ,ere to get t,o of them and 8r$ 5rro, and the ca#tain ,ere to slee# on dec" in the com#anion, ,hich had been enlarged on each side till you might almost have called it a round-house$ Very lo, it ,as still, of course0 but there ,as room to s,ing t,o hammoc"s, and even the mate seemed #leased ,ith the arrangement$ Even he, #erha#s, had been doubtful as to the cre,, but that is only guess, for as you shall hear, ,e had not long the benefit of his o#inion$ 9e ,ere all hard at ,or", changing the #o,der and the berths, ,hen the last man or t,o, and Long John along ,ith them, came off in a shore-boat$ The coo" came u# the side li"e a mon"ey for cleverness, -64and as soon as he sa, ,hat ,as doing, <+o ho, mates>< says he$ <9hatFs thisI<

<9eFre a-changing of the #o,der, Jac",< ans,ers one$ <9hy, by the #o,ers,< cried Long John, <if ,e do, ,eFll miss the morning tide>< <8y orders>< said the ca#tain shortly$ <6ou may go belo,, my man$ Cands ,ill ,ant su##er$< <5ye, aye, sir,< ans,ered the coo", and touching his foreloc", he disa##eared at once in the direction of his galley$ <ThatFs a good man, ca#tain,< said the doctor$ <Very li"ely, sir,< re#lied Ca#tain +mollett$ <Easy ,ith that, men -- easy,< he ran on, to the fello,s ,ho ,ere shifting the #o,der0 and then suddenly observing me examining the s,ivel ,e carried amidshi#s, a long brass nine, <Cere you, shi#Fs boy,< he cried, <out oF that> Bff ,ith you to the coo" and get some ,or"$< 5nd then as ! ,as hurrying off ! heard him say, =uite loudly, to the doctor, <!Fll have no favourites on my shi#$< ! assure you ! ,as =uite of the s=uireFs ,ay of thin"ing, and hated the ca#tain dee#ly$

The 6o3a)e
5LL that night ,e ,ere in a great bustle getting things sto,ed in their #lace, and boatfuls of the s=uireFs friends, 8r$ landly and the li"e, coming off to ,ish him a good -65voyage and a safe return$ 9e never had a night at the 5dmiral enbo, ,hen ! had half the ,or"0 and ! ,as dog-tired ,hen, a little before da,n, the boats,ain sounded his #i#e and the cre, began to man the ca#stan-bars$ ! might have been t,ice as ,eary, yet ! ,ould not have left the dec", all ,as so ne, and interesting to me -- the brief commands, the shrill note of the ,histle, the men bustling to their #laces in the glimmer of the shi#Fs lanterns$ <1o,, arbecue, ti# us a stave,< cried one voice$ <The old one,< cried another$

<5ye, aye, mates,< said Long John, ,ho ,as standing by, ,ith his crutch under his arm, and at once bro"e out in the air and ,ords ! "ne, so ,ell) <Aifteen men on the dead manFs chest -- < 5nd then the ,hole cre, bore chorus) -<6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum>< 5nd at the third <Co>< drove the bars before them ,ith a ,ill$ Even at that exciting moment it carried me bac" to the old 5dmiral enbo, in a second, and ! seemed to hear the voice of the ca#tain #i#ing in the chorus$ ut soon the anchor ,as short u#0 soon it ,as hanging dri##ing at the bo,s0 soon the sails began to dra,, and the land and shi##ing to flit by on either side0 and before ! could lie do,n to snatch an hour of slumber the $ispaniola had begun her voyage to the !sle of Treasure$ ! am not going to relate that voyage in detail$ !t ,as fairly #ros#erous$ The shi# #roved to be a good shi#, the cre, ,ere ca#able seamen, and the ca#tain thoroughly understood his business$ ut before ,e came the length of Treasure !sland, t,o or three things had ha##ened ,hich re=uire to be "no,n$ 8r$ 5rro,, first of all, turned out even ,orse than the ca#tain had feared$ Ce had no command among the -66men, and #eo#le did ,hat they #leased ,ith him$ ut that ,as by no means the ,orst of it, for after a day or t,o at sea he began to a##ear on dec" ,ith haMy eye, red chee"s, stuttering tongue, and other mar"s of drun"enness$ Time after time he ,as ordered belo, in disgrace$ +ometimes he fell and cut himself0 sometimes he lay all day long in his little bun" at one side of the com#anion0 sometimes for a day or t,o he ,ould be almost sober and attend to his ,or" at least #assably$ !n the meantime, ,e could never ma"e out ,here he got the drin"$ That ,as the shi#Fs mystery$ 9atch him as ,e #leased, ,e could do nothing to solve it0 and ,hen ,e as"ed him to his face, he ,ould only laugh if he ,ere drun", and if he ,ere sober deny solemnly that he ever tasted anything but ,ater$ Ce ,as not only useless as an officer and a bad influence amongst the men, but it ,as #lain that at this rate he must soon "ill himself outright, so nobody ,as

much sur#rised, nor very sorry, ,hen one dar" night, ,ith a head sea, he disa##eared entirely and ,as seen no more$ <Bverboard>< said the ca#tain$ <9ell, gentlemen, that saves the trouble of #utting him in irons$< ut there ,e ,ere, ,ithout a mate0 and it ,as necessary, of course, to advance one of the men$ The boats,ain, Job 5nderson, ,as the li"eliest man aboard, and though he "e#t his old title, he served in a ,ay as mate$ 8r$ Trela,ney had follo,ed the sea, and his "no,ledge made him very useful, for he often too" a ,atch himself in easy ,eather$ 5nd the coxs,ain, !srael Cands, ,as a careful, ,ily, old, ex#erienced seaman ,ho could be trusted at a #inch ,ith almost anything$ Ce ,as a great confidant of Long John +ilver, and so the mention of his name leads me on to s#ea" of our shi#Fs coo", arbecue, as the men called him$

It as so'ethin) to see hi' )et on ith his -oo!in) li!e so'eone safe ashore.

5board shi# he carried his crutch by a lanyard round his nec", to have both hands as free as #ossible$ !t ,as something to see him ,edge the foot of the crutch against a bul"head, and #ro##ed against it, yielding to every movement of the shi#, get on ,ith his coo"ing li"e someone -6 -

safe ashore$ +till more strange ,as it to see him in the heaviest of ,eather cross the dec"$ Ce had a line or t,o rigged u# to hel# him across the ,idest s#aces -Long JohnFs earrings, they ,ere called0 and he ,ould hand himself from one #lace to another, no, using the crutch, no, trailing it alongside by the lanyard, as =uic"ly as another man could ,al"$ 6et some of the men ,ho had sailed ,ith him before ex#ressed their #ity to see him so reduced$ <CeFs no common man, arbecue,< said the coxs,ain to me$ <Ce had good schooling in his young days and can s#ea" li"e a boo" ,hen so minded0 and brave -- a lionFs nothing alongside of Long John> ! seen him gra##le four and "noc" their heads together -- him unarmed$< 5ll the cre, res#ected and even obeyed him$ Ce had a ,ay of tal"ing to each and doing everybody some #articular service$ To me he ,as un,eariedly "ind, and al,ays glad to see me in the galley, ,hich he "e#t as clean as a ne, #in, the dishes hanging u# burnished and his #arrot in a cage in one corner$ <Come a,ay, Ca,"ins,< he ,ould say0 <come and have a yarn ,ith John$ 1obody more ,elcome than yourself, my son$ +it you do,n and hear the ne,s$ CereFs Ca#Fn Alint -- ! calls my #arrot Ca#Fn Alint, after the famous buccaneer -hereFs Ca#Fn Alint #redicting success to our vFyage$ 9asnFt you, ca#FnI< 5nd the #arrot ,ould say, ,ith great ra#idity, <Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight>< till you ,ondered that it ,as not out of breath, or till John thre, his hand"erchief over the cage$ <1o,, that bird,< he ,ould say, <is, maybe, t,o hundred years old, Ca,"ins -they live forever mostly0 and if anybodyFs seen more ,ic"edness, it must be the devil himself$ +heFs sailed ,ith England, the great Ca#Fn England, the #irate$ +heFs been at 8adagascar, and at 8alabar, and +urinam, and Drovidence, and Dortobello$ +he ,as at the fishing u# of the ,rec"ed #late shi#s$ !tFs there she learned FDieces of eight,F and little ,onder0 three hundred and fifty thousand of Fem, Ca,"ins> +he ,as at the -6!boarding of the viceroy of the !ndies out of ?oa, she ,as0 and to loo" at her you ,ould thin" she ,as a babby$ ut you smelt #o,der -- didnFt you, ca#FnI< <+tand by to go about,< the #arrot ,ould scream$

<5h, sheFs a handsome craft, she is,< the coo" ,ould say, and give her sugar from his #oc"et, and then the bird ,ould #ec" at the bars and s,ear straight on, #assing belief for ,ic"edness$ <There,< John ,ould add, <you canFt touch #itch and not be muc"ed, lad$ CereFs this #oor old innocent bird oF mine s,earing blue fire, and none the ,iser, you may lay to that$ +he ,ould s,ear the same, in a manner of s#ea"ing, before cha#lain$< 5nd John ,ould touch his foreloc" ,ith a solemn ,ay he had that made me thin" he ,as the best of men$ !n the meantime, the s=uire and Ca#tain +mollett ,ere still on #retty distant terms ,ith one another$ The s=uire made no bones about the matter0 he des#ised the ca#tain$ The ca#tain, on his #art, never s#o"e but ,hen he ,as s#o"en to, and then shar# and short and dry, and not a ,ord ,asted$ Ce o,ned, ,hen driven into a corner, that he seemed to have been ,rong about the cre,, that some of them ,ere as bris" as he ,anted to see and all had behaved fairly ,ell$ 5s for the shi#, he had ta"en a do,nright fancy to her$ <+heFll lie a #oint nearer the ,ind than a man has a right to ex#ect of his o,n married ,ife, sir$ ut,< he ,ould add, <all ! say is, ,eFre not home again, and ! donFt li"e the cruise$< The s=uire, at this, ,ould turn a,ay and march u# and do,n the dec", chin in air$ <5 trifle more of that man,< he ,ould say, <and ! shall ex#lode$< 9e had some heavy ,eather, ,hich only #roved the =ualities of the $ispaniola$ Every man on board seemed ,ell content, and they must have been hard to #lease if they had been other,ise, for it is my belief there ,as never a shi#Fs com#any so s#oiled since 1oah #ut to sea$ ;ouble grog ,as going on the least excuse0 there ,as duff on odd days, as, for instance, if the s=uire heard it ,as any manFs birthday, and al,ays a barrel of a##les -6"standing broached in the ,aist for anyone to hel# himself that had a fancy$ <1ever "ne, good come of it yet,< the ca#tain said to ;r$ Livesey$ <+#oil forecastle hands, ma"e devils$ ThatFs my belief$< ut good did come of the a##le barrel, as you shall hear, for if it had not been for that, ,e should have had no note of ,arning and might all have #erished by the hand of treachery$ This ,as ho, it came about$

9e had run u# the trades to get the ,ind of the island ,e ,ere after -- ! am not allo,ed to be more #lain -- and no, ,e ,ere running do,n for it ,ith a bright loo"out day and night$ !t ,as about the last day of our out,ard voyage by the largest com#utation0 some time that night, or at latest before noon of the morro,, ,e should sight the Treasure !sland$ 9e ,ere heading +$+$9$ and had a steady breeMe abeam and a =uiet sea$ The $ispaniola rolled steadily, di##ing her bo,s#rit no, and then ,ith a ,hiff of s#ray$ 5ll ,as dra,ing alo, and aloft0 everyone ,as in the bravest s#irits because ,e ,ere no, so near an end of the first #art of our adventure$ 1o,, Lust after sundo,n, ,hen all my ,or" ,as over and ! ,as on my ,ay to my berth, it occurred to me that ! should li"e an a##le$ ! ran on dec"$ The ,atch ,as all for,ard loo"ing out for the island$ The man at the helm ,as ,atching the luff of the sail and ,histling a,ay gently to himself, and that ,as the only sound exce#ting the s,ish of the sea against the bo,s and around the sides of the shi#$ !n ! got bodily into the a##le barrel, and found there ,as scarce an a##le left0 but sitting do,n there in the dar", ,hat ,ith the sound of the ,aters and the roc"ing movement of the shi#, ! had either fallen aslee# or ,as on the #oint of doing so ,hen a heavy man sat do,n ,ith rather a clash close by$ The barrel shoo" as he leaned his shoulders against it, and ! ,as Lust about to Lum# u# ,hen the man began to s#ea"$ !t ,as +ilverFs voice, and before ! had heard a doMen ,ords, ! ,ould not have - #sho,n myself for all the ,orld, but lay there, trembling and listening, in the extreme of fear and curiosity, for from these doMen ,ords ! understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard de#ended u#on me alone$

1hat I &eard in the "((le 0arrel

<1B, not !,< said +ilver$ <Alint ,as ca#Fn0 ! ,as =uartermaster, along of my timber leg$ The same broadside ! lost my leg, old De, lost his deadlights$ !t ,as a master surgeon, him that am#ytated me -- out of college and all -- Latin by the buc"et, and ,hat not0 but he ,as hanged li"e a dog, and sun-dried li"e the rest, at Corso Castle$ That ,as /obertsF men, that ,as, and comed of changing names to their shi#s -- Ro'al (ortune and so on$ 1o,, ,hat a shi# ,as christened, so let her stay, ! says$ +o it ,as ,ith the )assandra, as brought us all safe home from 8alabar, after England too" the viceroy of the !ndies0 so it ,as ,ith the old *alrus, AlintFs old shi#, as !Fve seen amuc" ,ith the red blood and fit to sin" ,ith gold$<

<5h>< cried another voice, that of the youngest hand on board, and evidently full of admiration$ <Ce ,as the flo,er of the floc", ,as Alint>< <;avis ,as a man too, by all accounts,< said +ilver$ <! never sailed along of him0 first ,ith England, then ,ith Alint, thatFs my story0 and no, here on my o,n account, in a manner of s#ea"ing$ ! laid by nine hundred safe, from England, and t,o thousand after Alint$ That ainFt bad for a man before the mast -- all safe in ban"$ FTainFt earning no,, itFs saving does it, you may lay to that$ 9hereFs all EnglandFs men no,I ! dunno$ 9hereFs AlintFsI 9hy, most on Fem aboard here, and glad to get the duff -- been begging before that, some on Fem$ Bld De,, as had lost his sight, and might have thought shame, s#ends t,elve hundred #ound in a year, li"e a lord in Darliament$ 9here is he no,I 9ell, heFs dead no, and under hatches0 but for t,o year before that, shiver my timbers, the man ,as starving> Ce begged, and he stole, and he cut throats, and starved at that, by the #o,ers>< <9ell, it ainFt much use, after all,< said the young seaman$ <FTainFt much use for fools, you may lay to it -- that, nor nothing,< cried +ilver$ < ut no,, you loo" here) youFre young, you are, but youFre as smart as #aint$ ! see that ,hen ! set my eyes on you, and !Fll tal" to you li"e a man$< 6ou may imagine ho, ! felt ,hen ! heard this abominable old rogue addressing another in the very same ,ords of flattery as he had used to myself$ ! thin", if ! had been able, that ! ,ould have "illed him through the barrel$ 8eantime, he ran on, little su##osing he ,as overheard$ <Cere it is about gentlemen of fortune$ They lives rough, and they ris" s,inging, but they eat and drin" li"e fighting- coc"s, and ,hen a cruise is done, ,hy, itFs hundreds of #ounds instead of hundreds of farthings in their #oc"ets$ 1o,, the most goes for rum and a good fling, and to sea again in their shirts$ ut thatFs not the course ! lay$ ! #uts it all a,ay, some here, some there, and none too much any,heres, by reason of sus#icion$ !Fm fifty, mar" you0 once bac" from this cruise, ! set u# gentleman in earnest$ Time enough too, says you$ 5h, but !Fve lived easy in the meantime, never denied myself oF nothing heart desires, and sle#F soft and ate dainty all my days but ,hen at sea$ 5nd ho, did ! beginI efore the mast, li"e you>< - 2<9ell,< said the other, <but all the other moneyFs gone no,, ainFt itI 6ou darenFt sho, face in ristol after this$< <9hy, ,here might you su##ose it ,asI< as"ed +ilver derisively$

<5t ristol, in ban"s and #laces,< ans,ered his com#anion$ <!t ,ere,< said the coo"0 <it ,ere ,hen ,e ,eighed anchor$ ut my old missis has it all by no,$ 5nd the +#y-glass is sold, lease and good,ill and rigging0 and the old girlFs off to meet me$ ! ,ould tell you ,here, for ! trust you, but itFd ma"e Lealousy among the mates$< <5nd can you trust your missisI< as"ed the other$ <?entlemen of fortune,< returned the coo", <usually trusts little among themselves, and right they are, you may lay to it$ ut ! have a ,ay ,ith me, ! have$ 9hen a mate brings a sli# on his cable -- one as "no,s me, ! mean -- it ,onFt be in the same ,orld ,ith old John$ There ,as some that ,as feared of De,, and some that ,as feared of Alint0 but Alint his o,n self ,as feared of me$ Aeared he ,as, and #roud$ They ,as the roughest cre, afloat, ,as AlintFs0 the devil himself ,ould have been feared to go to sea ,ith them$ 9ell no,, ! tell you, !Fm not a boasting man, and you seen yourself ho, easy ! "ee# com#any, but ,hen ! ,as =uartermaster, la+bs ,asnFt the ,orld for AlintFs old buccaneers$ 5h, you may be sure of yourself in old JohnFs shi#$< <9ell, ! tell you no,,< re#lied the lad, <! didnFt half a =uarter li"e the Lob till ! had this tal" ,ith you, John0 but thereFs my hand on it no,$< <5nd a brave lad you ,ere, and smart too,< ans,ered +ilver, sha"ing hands so heartily that all the barrel shoo", <and a finer figurehead for a gentleman of fortune ! never cla##ed my eyes on$< y this time ! had begun to understand the meaning of their terms$ y a <gentleman of fortune< they #lainly meant neither more nor less than a common #irate, and the little scene that ! had overheard ,as the last act in the corru#tion of one of the honest hands -- #erha#s of the last one left aboard$ ut on this #oint ! ,as soon to be relieved, for +ilver giving a little ,histle, a third man strolled u# and sat do,n by the #arty$ <;ic"Fs s=uare,< said +ilver$ <Bh, ! "no,Fd ;ic" ,as s=uare,< returned the voice of the coxs,ain, !srael Cands$ <CeFs no fool, is ;ic"$< 5nd he turned his =uid and s#at$ < ut loo" here,< he ,ent on, <hereFs ,hat ! ,ant to "no,, arbecue) ho, long are ,e a-going to stand off and on li"e a blessed bumboatI !Fve had aFmost enough oF Ca#Fn +mollett0 heFs haMed me long enough, by thunder> ! ,ant to go into that cabin, ! do$ ! ,ant their #ic"les and ,ines, and that$< <!srael,< said +ilver, <your head ainFt much account, nor ever ,as$ ut youFre able to hear, ! rec"on0 least,ays, your ears is big enough$ 1o,, hereFs ,hat ! say)

youFll berth for,ard, and youFll live hard, and youFll s#ea" soft, and youFll "ee# sober till ! give the ,ord0 and you may lay to that, my son$< <9ell, ! donFt say no, do !I< gro,led the coxs,ain$ <9hat ! say is, ,henI ThatFs ,hat ! say$< <9hen> y the #o,ers>< cried +ilver$ <9ell no,, if you ,ant to "no,, !Fll tell you ,hen$ The last moment ! can manage, and thatFs ,hen$ CereFs a first-rate seaman, Ca#Fn +mollett, sailes the blessed shi# for us$ CereFs this s=uire and doctor ,ith a ma# and such -- ! donFt "no, ,here it is, do !I 1o more do you, says you$ 9ell then, ! mean this s=uire and doctor shall find the stuff, and hel# us to get it aboard, by the #o,ers$ Then ,eFll see$ !f ! ,as sure of you all, sons of double ;utchmen, !Fd have Ca#Fn +mollett navigate us half-,ay bac" again before ! struc"$< <9hy, ,eFre all seamen aboard here, ! should thin",< said the lad ;ic"$ <9eFre all forecastle hands, you mean,< sna##ed +ilver$ <9e can steer a course, but ,hoFs to set oneI ThatFs ,hat all you gentlemen s#lit on, first and last$ !f ! had my ,ay, !Fd have Ca#Fn +mollett ,or" us bac" into the trades at least0 then ,eFd have no blessed miscalculations and a s#oonful of ,ater a day$ ut ! "no, the sort you are$ !Fll finish ,ith Fem at the island, as soonFs the bluntFs on board, and a #ity it is$ ut youFre never ha##y till - 4youFre drun"$ +#lit my sides, !Fve a sic" heart to sail ,ith the li"es of you>< <Easy all, Long John,< cried !srael$ <9hoFs a-crossinF of youI< <9hy, ho, many tall shi#s, thin" ye, no,, have ! seen laid aboardI 5nd ho, many bris" lads drying in the sun at Execution ;oc"I< cried +ilver$ <5nd all for this same hurry and hurry and hurry$ 6ou hear meI ! seen a thing or t,o at sea, ! have$ !f you ,ould onFy lay your course, and a #Fint to ,ind,ard, you ,ould ride in carriages, you ,ould$ ut not you> ! "no, you$ 6ouFll have your mouthful of rum tomorro,, and go hang$< <Everybody "no,ed you ,as a "ind of a cha#ling, John0 but thereFs others as could hand and steer as ,ell as you,< said !srael$ <They li"ed a bit oF fun, they did$ They ,asnFt so high and dry, noho,, but too" their fling, li"e Lolly com#anions every one$<

<+oI< says +ilver$ <9ell, and ,here are they no,I De, ,as that sort, and he died a beggar-man$ Alint ,as, and he died of rum at +avannah$ 5h, they ,as a s,eet cre,, they ,as> BnFy, ,here are theyI< < ut,< as"ed ;ic", <,hen ,e do lay Fem ath,art, ,hat are ,e to do ,ith Fem, anyho,I< <ThereFs the man for me>< cried the coo" admiringly$ <ThatFs ,hat ! call business$ 9ell, ,hat ,ould you thin"I Dut Fem ashore li"e maroonsI That ,ould have been EnglandFs ,ay$ Br cut Fem do,n li"e that much #or"I That ,ould have been AlintFs, or illy onesFs$< < illy ,as the man for that,< said !srael$ <F;ead men donFt bite,F says he$ 9ell, heFs dead no, hisself0 he "no,s the long and short on it no,0 and if ever a rough hand come to #ort, it ,as illy$< </ight you are,< said +ilver0 <rough and ready$ ut mar" you here, !Fm an easy man -- !Fm =uite the gentleman, says you0 but this time itFs serious$ ;ooty is dooty, mates$ ! give my vote -- death$ 9hen !Fm in Darlyment and riding in my coach, ! donFt ,ant none of these sea-la,yers in the cabin a-coming home, unloo"ed for, li"e - 5the devil at #rayers$ 9ait is ,hat ! say0 but ,hen the time comes, ,hy, let her ri#>< <John,< cries the coxs,ain, <youFre a man>< <6ouFll say so, !srael ,hen you see,< said +ilver$ <Bnly one thing ! claim -- ! claim Trela,ney$ !Fll ,ring his calfFs head off his body ,ith these hands, ;ic">< he added, brea"ing off$ <6ou Lust Lum# u#, li"e a s,eet lad, and get me an a##le, to ,et my #i#e li"e$< 6ou may fancy the terror ! ,as in> ! should have lea#ed out and run for it if ! had found the strength, but my limbs and heart ali"e misgave me$ ! heard ;ic" begin to rise, and then someone seemingly sto##ed him, and the voice of Cands exclaimed, <Bh, sto, that> ;onFt you get suc"ing of that bilge, John$ LetFs have a go of the rum$< <;ic",< said +ilver, <! trust you$ !Fve a gauge on the "eg, mind$ ThereFs the "ey0 you fill a #anni"in and bring it u#$<

Terrified as ! ,as, ! could not hel# thin"ing to myself that this must have been ho, 8r$ 5rro, got the strong ,aters that destroyed him$ ;ic" ,as gone but a little ,hile, and during his absence !srael s#o"e straight on in the coo"Fs ear$ !t ,as but a ,ord or t,o that ! could catch, and yet ! gathered some im#ortant ne,s, for besides other scra#s that tended to the same #ur#ose, this ,hole clause ,as audible) <1ot another man of themFll Line$< Cence there ,ere still faithful men on board$ 9hen ;ic" returned, one after another of the trio too" the #anni"in and dran" -one <To luc",< another ,ith a <CereFs to old Alint,< and +ilver himself saying, in a "ind of song, <CereFs to ourselves, and hold your luff, #lenty of #riMes and #lenty of duff$< Just then a sort of brightness fell u#on me in the barrel, and loo"ing u#, ! found the moon had risen and ,as silvering the miMMen-to# and shining ,hite on the luff of the fore-sail0 and almost at the same time the voice of the loo"out shouted, <Land ho><

- 6-

Coun-il of 1ar
TCE/E ,as a great rush of feet across the dec"$ ! could hear #eo#le tumbling u# from the cabin and the forecastle, and sli##ing in an instant outside my barrel, ! dived behind the fore-sail, made a double to,ards the stern, and came out u#on the o#en dec" in time to Loin Cunter and ;r$ Livesey in the rush for the ,eather bo,$ There all hands ,ere already congregated$ 5 belt of fog had lifted almost simultaneously ,ith the a##earance of the moon$ 5,ay to the south-,est of us ,e sa, t,o lo, hills, about a cou#le of miles a#art, and rising behind one of them a third and higher hill, ,hose #ea" ,as still buried in the fog$ 5ll three seemed shar# and conical in figure$ +o much ! sa,, almost in a dream, for ! had not yet recovered from my horrid fear of a minute or t,o before$ 5nd then ! heard the voice of Ca#tain +mollett issuing orders$ The $ispaniola ,as laid a cou#le of #oints nearer the ,ind and no, sailed a course that ,ould Lust clear the island on the east$

<5nd no,, men,< said the ca#tain, ,hen all ,as sheeted home, <has any one of you ever seen that land aheadI< <! have, sir,< said +ilver$ <!Fve ,atered there ,ith a trader ! ,as coo" in$< <The anchorage is on the south, behind an islet, ! fancyI< as"ed the ca#tain$ <6es, sir0 +"eleton !sland they calls it$ !t ,ere a main #lace for #irates once, and a hand ,e had on board "no,ed all their names for it$ That hill to the norFard they calls the Aore-mast Cill0 there are three hills in a ro, running southFard -- fore, main, and miMMen, sir$ ut the main -- thatFs the big un, ,ith the cloud on it -- they usually calls the +#y-glass, by reason of a loo"out they "e#t ,hen they ,as in the anchorage cleaning, for itFs there they cleaned their shi#s, sir, as"ing your #ardon$< <! have a chart here,< says Ca#tain +mollett$ <+ee if thatFs the #lace$< Long JohnFs eyes burned in his head as he too" the chart, but by the fresh loo" of the #a#er ! "ne, he ,as doomed to disa##ointment$ This ,as not the ma# ,e found in illy onesFs chest, but an accurate co#y, com#lete in all things -- names and heights and soundings -- ,ith the single exce#tion of the red crosses and the ,ritten notes$ +har# as must have been his annoyance, +ilver had the strength of mind to hide it$ <6es, sir,< said he, <this is the s#ot, to be sure, and very #rettily dra,ed out$ 9ho might have done that, ! ,onderI The #irates ,ere too ignorant, ! rec"on$ 5ye, here it is) FCa#t$ (iddFs 5nchorageF -- Lust the name my shi#mate called it$ ThereFs a strong current runs along the south, and then a,ay norFard u# the ,est coast$ /ight you ,as, sir,< says he, <to haul your ,ind and "ee# the ,eather of the island$ Least,ays, if such ,as your intention as to enter and careen, and there ainFt no better #lace for that in these ,aters$< <Than" you, my man,< says Ca#tain +mollett$ <!Fll as" you later on to give us a hel#$ 6ou may go$< ! ,as sur#rised at the coolness ,ith ,hich John avo,ed his "no,ledge of the island, and ! o,n ! ,as half-frightened ,hen ! sa, him dra,ing nearer to myself$ Ce did not "no,, to be sure, that ! had overheard his council from the a##le barrel, and yet ! had by this time ta"en such a horror of his cruelty, du#licity, and #o,er - !that ! could scarce conceal a shudder ,hen he laid his hand u#on my arm$

<5h,< says he, <this here is a s,eet s#ot, this island -- a s,eet s#ot for a lad to get ashore on$ 6ouFll bathe, and youFll climb trees, and youFll hunt goats, you ,ill0 and youFll get aloft on them hills li"e a goat yourself$ 9hy, it ma"es me young again$ ! ,as going to forget my timber leg, ! ,as$ !tFs a #leasant thing to be young and have ten toes, and you may lay to that$ 9hen you ,ant to go a bit of ex#loring, you Lust as" old John, and heFll #ut u# a snac" for you to ta"e along$< 5nd cla##ing me in the friendliest ,ay u#on the shoulder, he hobbled off for,ard and ,ent belo,$ Ca#tain +mollett, the s=uire, and ;r$ Livesey ,ere tal"ing together on the =uarter-dec", and anxious as ! ,as to tell them my story, ! durst not interru#t them o#enly$ 9hile ! ,as still casting about in my thoughts to find some #robable excuse, ;r$ Livesey called me to his side$ Ce had left his #i#e belo,, and being a slave to tobacco, had meant that ! should fetch it0 but as soon as ! ,as near enough to s#ea" and not to be overheard, ! bro"e immediately, <;octor, let me s#ea"$ ?et the ca#tain and s=uire do,n to the cabin, and then ma"e some #retence to send for me$ ! have terrible ne,s$< The doctor changed countenance a little, but next moment he ,as master of himself$ <Than" you, Jim,< said he =uite loudly, <that ,as all ! ,anted to "no,,< as if he had as"ed me a =uestion$ 5nd ,ith that he turned on his heel and reLoined the other t,o$ They s#o"e together for a little, and though none of them started, or raised his voice, or so much as ,histled, it ,as #lain enough that ;r$ Livesey had communicated my re=uest, for the next thing that ! heard ,as the ca#tain giving an order to Job 5nderson, and all hands ,ere #i#ed on dec"$ <8y lads,< said Ca#tain +mollett, <!Fve a ,ord to say to you$ This land that ,e have sighted is the #lace ,e have been sailing for$ 8r$ Trela,ney, being a very o#en-handed gentleman, as ,e all "no,, has Lust as"ed me a ,ord or t,o, and as ! ,as able to tell him that every man on board had done his duty, alo, and aloft, as ! never as" to see it done better, ,hy, he and ! and the doctor are going belo, to the cabin to drin" 'our health and luc", and youFll have grog served out for you to drin" our health and luc"$ !Fll tell you ,hat ! thin" of this) ! thin" it handsome$ 5nd if you thin" as ! do, youFll give a good sea-cheer for the gentleman that does it$< The cheer follo,ed -- that ,as a matter of course0 but it rang out so full and hearty that ! confess ! could hardly believe these same men ,ere #lotting for our blood$

<Bne more cheer for Ca#Fn +mollett,< cried Long John ,hen the first had subsided$ 5nd this also ,as given ,ith a ,ill$ Bn the to# of that the three gentlemen ,ent belo,, and not long after, ,ord ,as sent for,ard that Jim Ca,"ins ,as ,anted in the cabin$ ! found them all three seated round the table, a bottle of +#anish ,ine and some raisins before them, and the doctor smo"ing a,ay, ,ith his ,ig on his la#, and that, ! "ne,, ,as a sign that he ,as agitated$ The stern ,indo, ,as o#en, for it ,as a ,arm night, and you could see the moon shining behind on the shi#Fs ,a"e$ <1o,, Ca,"ins,< said the s=uire, <you have something to say$ +#ea" u#$<

I told the hole details of Silver:s -onversation

! did as ! ,as bid, and as short as ! could ma"e it, told the ,hole details of +ilverFs conversation$ 1obody interru#ted me till ! ,as done, nor did any one of the three of them ma"e so much as a movement, but they "e#t their eyes u#on my face from first to last$ <Jim,< said ;r$ Livesey, <ta"e a seat$< 5nd they made me sit do,n at table beside them, #oured me out a glass of ,ine, filled my hands ,ith raisins, and all three, one after the other, and each ,ith a bo,, dran" my good health, and their service to me, for my luc" and courage$

<1o,, ca#tain,< said the s=uire, <you ,ere right, and ! ,as ,rong$ ! o,n myself an ass, and ! a,ait your orders$< -!#<1o more an ass than !, sir,< returned the ca#tain$ <! never heard of a cre, that meant to mutiny but ,hat sho,ed signs before, for any man that had an eye in his head to see the mischief and ta"e ste#s according$ ut this cre,,< he added, <beats me$< <Ca#tain,< said the doctor, <,ith your #ermission, thatFs +ilver$ 5 very remar"able man$< <CeFd loo" remar"ably ,ell from a yard-arm, sir,< returned the ca#tain$ < ut this is tal"0 this donFt lead to anything$ ! see three or four #oints, and ,ith 8r$ Trela,neyFs #ermission, !Fll name them$< <6ou, sir, are the ca#tain$ !t is for you to s#ea",< says 8r$ Trela,ney grandly$ <Airst #oint,< began 8r$ +mollett$ <9e must go on, because ,e canFt turn bac"$ !f ! gave the ,ord to go about, they ,ould rise at once$ +econd #oint, ,e have time before us -- at least until this treasureFs found$ Third #oint, there are faithful hands$ 1o,, sir, itFs got to come to blo,s sooner or later, and ,hat ! #ro#ose is to ta"e time by the foreloc", as the saying is, and come to blo,s some fine day ,hen they least ex#ect it$ 9e can count, ! ta"e it, on your o,n home servants, 8r$ Trela,neyI< <5s u#on myself,< declared the s=uire$ <Three,< rec"oned the ca#tain0 <ourselves ma"e seven, counting Ca,"ins here$ 1o,, about the honest handsI< <8ost li"ely Trela,neyFs o,n men,< said the doctor0 <those he had #ic"ed u# for himself before he lit on +ilver$< <1ay,< re#lied the s=uire$ <Cands ,as one of mine$< <! did thin" ! could have trusted Cands,< added the ca#tain$ <5nd to thin" that theyFre all Englishmen>< bro"e out the s=uire$ <+ir, ! could find it in my heart to blo, the shi# u#$<

<9ell, gentlemen,< said the ca#tain, <the best that ! can say is not much$ 9e must lay to, if you #lease, and "ee# a bright loo"out$ !tFs trying on a man, ! "no,$ !t ,ould be #leasanter to come to blo,s$ ut thereFs no hel# -!1for it till ,e "no, our men$ Lay to, and ,histle for a ,ind, thatFs my vie,$< <Jim here,< said the doctor, <can hel# us more than anyone$ The men are not shy ,ith him, and Jim is a noticing lad$< <Ca,"ins, ! #ut #rodigious faith in you,< added the s=uire$ ! began to feel #retty des#erate at this, for ! felt altogether hel#less0 and yet, by an odd train of circumstances, it ,as indeed through me that safety came$ !n the meantime, tal" as ,e #leased, there ,ere only seven out of the t,enty-six on ,hom ,e "ne, ,e could rely0 and out of these seven one ,as a boy, so that the gro,n men on our side ,ere six to their nineteen$

-!2-

23 Shore "dventure

&o 23 Shore "dventure 0e)an

TCE a##earance of the island ,hen ! came on dec" next morning ,as altogether changed$ 5lthough the breeMe had no, utterly ceased, ,e had made a great deal of ,ay during the night and ,ere no, lying becalmed about half a mile to the south-east of the lo, eastern coast$ ?rey-coloured ,oods covered a large #art of the surface$ This even tint ,as indeed bro"en u# by strea"s of yello, sandbrea" in the lo,er lands, and by many tall trees of the #ine family, out-to##ing the others -- some singly, some in clum#s0 but the general colouring ,as uniform and sad$ The hills ran u# clear above the vegetation in s#ires of na"ed roc"$ 5ll ,ere strangely sha#ed, and the +#y-glass, ,hich ,as by three or four hundred feet the tallest on the island, ,as li"e,ise the strangest in configuration, running u# sheer

from almost every side and then suddenly cut off at the to# li"e a #edestal to #ut a statue on$ The $ispaniola ,as rolling scu##ers under in the ocean s,ell$ The booms ,ere tearing at the bloc"s, the rudder ,as banging to and fro, and the ,hole shi# crea"ing, groaning, and Lum#ing li"e a manufactory$ ! had to cling tight to the bac"stay, and the ,orld turned giddily before my eyes, for though ! ,as a good enough sailor ,hen there ,as ,ay on, this standing still and being rolled about li"e a bottle ,as a thing ! never learned to stand ,ithout a =ualm or so, above all in the morning, on an em#ty stomach$ Derha#s it ,as this -- #erha#s it ,as the loo" of the island, ,ith its grey, melancholy ,oods, and ,ild stone s#ires, and the surf that ,e could both see and hear foaming and thundering on the stee# beach -- at least, although the sun shone bright and hot, and the shore birds ,ere fishing and crying all around us, and you ,ould have thought anyone ,ould have been glad to get to land after being so long at sea, my heart san", as the saying is, into my boots0 and from the first loo" on,ard, ! hated the very thought of Treasure !sland$ 9e had a dreary morningFs ,or" before us, for there ,as no sign of any ,ind, and the boats had to be got out and manned, and the shi# ,ar#ed three or four miles round the corner of the island and u# the narro, #assage to the haven behind +"eleton !sland$ ! volunteered for one of the boats, ,here ! had, of course, no business$ The heat ,as s,eltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their ,or"$ 5nderson ,as in command of my boat, and instead of "ee#ing the cre, in order, he grumbled as loud as the ,orst$ <9ell,< he said ,ith an oath, <itFs not forever$< ! thought this ,as a very bad sign, for u# to that day the men had gone bris"ly and ,illingly about their business0 but the very sight of the island had relaxed the cords of disci#line$ 5ll the ,ay in, Long John stood by the steersman and conned the shi#$ Ce "ne, the #assage li"e the #alm of his hand, and though the man in the chains got every,here more ,ater than ,as do,n in the chart, John never hesitated once$ <ThereFs a strong scour ,ith the ebb,< he said, <and this here #assage has been dug out, in a manner of s#ea"ing, ,ith a s#ade$< 9e brought u# Lust ,here the anchor ,as in the chart, about a third of a mile from each shore, the mainland on one side and +"eleton !sland on the other$ The bottom ,as clean sand$ The #lunge of our anchor sent u# clouds of birds ,heeling and crying over the ,oods, but in less than a minute they ,ere do,n again and all ,as once more silent$

The #lace ,as entirely land-loc"ed, buried in ,oods, the trees coming right do,n to high-,ater mar", the shores mostly flat, and the hillto#s standing round at a distance in a sort of am#hitheatre, one here, one there$ T,o little rivers, or rather t,o s,am#s, em#tied out into this #ond, as you might call it0 and the foliage round that #art of the shore had a "ind of #oisonous brightness$ Arom the shi# ,e could see nothing of the house or stoc"ade, for they ,ere =uite buried among trees0 and if it had not been for the chart on the com#anion, ,e might have been the first that had ever anchored there since the island arose out of the seas$ There ,as not a breath of air moving, nor a sound but that of the surf booming half a mile a,ay along the beaches and against the roc"s outside$ 5 #eculiar stagnant smell hung over the anchorage -- a smell of sodden leaves and rotting tree trun"s$ ! observed the doctor sniffing and sniffing, li"e someone tasting a bad egg$ <! donFt "no, about treasure,< he said, <but !Fll sta"e my ,ig thereFs fever here$< !f the conduct of the men had been alarming in the boat, it became truly threatening ,hen they had come aboard$ They lay about the dec" gro,ling together in tal"$ The slightest order ,as received ,ith a blac" loo" and grudgingly and carelessly obeyed$ Even the honest hands must have caught the infection, for there ,as not one man aboard to mend another$ 8utiny, it ,as #lain, hung over us li"e a thunder-cloud$ 5nd it ,as not only ,e of the cabin #arty ,ho #erceived the danger$ Long John ,as hard at ,or" going from grou# to grou#, s#ending himself in good advice, and as for exam#le no man could have sho,n a better$ Ce fairly outstri##ed himself in ,illingness and civility0 he ,as all smiles to everyone$ !f an order ,ere given, John ,ould be on his crutch in an instant, ,ith the cheeriest <5ye, aye, sir>< in the ,orld0 and ,hen there ,as nothing else to do, he "e#t u# one song after another, as if to conceal the discontent of the rest$ Bf all the gloomy features of that gloomy afternoon, this obvious anxiety on the #art of Long John a##eared the ,orst$ 9e held a council in the cabin$ <+ir,< said the ca#tain, <if ! ris" another order, the ,hole shi#Fll come about our ears by the run$ 6ou see, sir, here it is$ ! get a rough ans,er, do ! notI 9ell, if ! s#ea" bac", #i"es ,ill be going in t,o sha"es0 if ! donFt, +ilver ,ill see thereFs something under that, and the gameFs u#$ 1o,, ,eFve only one man to rely on$< <5nd ,ho is thatI< as"ed the s=uire$ <+ilver, sir,< returned the ca#tain0 <heFs as anxious as you and ! to smother things u#$ This is a tiff0 heFd soon tal" Fem out of it if he had the chance, and ,hat

! #ro#ose to do is to give him the chance$ LetFs allo, the men an afternoon ashore$ !f they all go, ,hy ,eFll fight the shi#$ !f they none of them go, ,ell then, ,e hold the cabin, and ?od defend the right$ !f some go, you mar" my ,ords, sir, +ilverFll bring Fem aboard again as mild as lambs$< !t ,as so decided0 loaded #istols ,ere served out to all the sure men0 Cunter, Joyce, and /edruth ,ere ta"en into our confidence and received the ne,s ,ith less sur#rise and a better s#irit than ,e had loo"ed for, and then the ca#tain ,ent on dec" and addressed the cre,$ <8y lads,< said he, <,eFve had a hot day and are all tired and out of sorts$ 5 turn ashoreFll hurt nobody -- the boats are still in the ,ater0 you can ta"e the gigs, and as -!6many as #lease may go ashore for the afternoon$ !Fll fire a gun half an hour before sundo,n$< ! believe the silly fello,s must have thought they ,ould brea" their shins over treasure as soon as they ,ere landed, for they all came out of their sul"s in a moment and gave a cheer that started the echo in a far-a,ay hill and sent the birds once more flying and s=ualling round the anchorage$ The ca#tain ,as too bright to be in the ,ay$ Ce ,hi##ed out of sight in a moment, leaving +ilver to arrange the #arty, and ! fancy it ,as as ,ell he did so$ Cad he been on dec", he could no longer so much as have #retended not to understand the situation$ !t ,as as #lain as day$ +ilver ,as the ca#tain, and a mighty rebellious cre, he had of it$ The honest hands -- and ! ,as soon to see it #roved that there ,ere such on board -- must have been very stu#id fello,s$ Br rather, ! su##ose the truth ,as this, that all hands ,ere disaffected by the exam#le of the ringleaders -- only some more, some less0 and a fe,, being good fello,s in the main, could neither be led nor driven any further$ !t is one thing to be idle and s"ul" and =uite another to ta"e a shi# and murder a number of innocent men$ 5t last, ho,ever, the #arty ,as made u#$ +ix fello,s ,ere to stay on board, and the remaining thirteen, including +ilver, began to embar"$ Then it ,as that there came into my head the first of the mad notions that contributed so much to save our lives$ !f six men ,ere left by +ilver, it ,as #lain our #arty could not ta"e and fight the shi#0 and since only six ,ere left, it ,as e=ually #lain that the cabin #arty had no #resent need of my assistance$ !t occurred to me at once to go ashore$ !n a Liffy ! had sli##ed over the side and

curled u# in the fore-sheets of the nearest boat, and almost at the same moment she shoved off$ 1o one too" notice of me, only the bo, oar saying, <!s that you, JimI (ee# your head do,n$< ut +ilver, from the other boat, loo"ed shar#ly over and called out to "no, if that ,ere me0 and from that moment ! began to regret ,hat ! had done$ The cre,s raced for the beach, but the boat ! ,as in, having some start and being at once the lighter and the better manned, shot far ahead of her consort, and the bo, had struc" among the shore-side trees and ! had caught a branch and s,ung myself out and #lunged into the nearest thic"et ,hile +ilver and the rest ,ere still a hundred yards behind$ <Jim, Jim>< ! heard him shouting$ ut you may su##ose ! #aid no heed0 Lum#ing, duc"ing, and brea"ing through, ! ran straight before my nose till ! could run no longer$

The 4irst 0lo

! 95+ so #leased at having given the sli# to Long John that ! began to enLoy myself and loo" around me ,ith some interest on the strange land that ! ,as in$ ! had crossed a marshy tract full of ,illo,s, bulrushes, and odd, outlandish, s,am#y trees0 and ! had no, come out u#on the s"irts of an o#en #iece of undulating, sandy country, about a mile long, dotted ,ith a fe, #ines and a great number of contorted trees, not unli"e the oa" in gro,th, but #ale in the foliage, li"e ,illo,s$ Bn the far side of the o#en stood one of the hills, ,ith t,o =uaint, craggy #ea"s shining vividly in the sun$ -!!! no, felt for the first time the Loy of ex#loration$ The isle ,as uninhabited0 my shi#mates ! had left behind, and nothing lived in front of me but dumb brutes and fo,ls$ ! turned hither and thither among the trees$ Cere and there ,ere flo,ering #lants, un"no,n to me0 here and there ! sa, sna"es, and one raised his head from a ledge of roc" and hissed at me ,ith a noise not unli"e the s#inning of a to#$ Little did ! su##ose that he ,as a deadly enemy and that the noise ,as the famous rattle$

Then ! came to a long thic"et of these oa"li"e trees -- live, or evergreen, oa"s, ! heard after,ards they should be called -- ,hich gre, lo, along the sand li"e brambles, the boughs curiously t,isted, the foliage com#act, li"e thatch$ The thic"et stretched do,n from the to# of one of the sandy "nolls, s#reading and gro,ing taller as it ,ent, until it reached the margin of the broad, reedy fen, through ,hich the nearest of the little rivers soa"ed its ,ay into the anchorage$ The marsh ,as steaming in the strong sun, and the outline of the +#y-glass trembled through the haMe$ 5ll at once there began to go a sort of bustle among the bulrushes0 a ,ild duc" fle, u# ,ith a =uac", another follo,ed, and soon over the ,hole surface of the marsh a great cloud of birds hung screaming and circling in the air$ ! Ludged at once that some of my shi#mates must be dra,ing near along the borders of the fen$ 1or ,as ! deceived, for soon ! heard the very distant and lo, tones of a human voice, ,hich, as ! continued to give ear, gre, steadily louder and nearer$ This #ut me in a great fear, and ! cra,led under cover of the nearest live-oa" and s=uatted there, hear"ening, as silent as a mouse$ 5nother voice ans,ered, and then the first voice, ,hich ! no, recogniMed to be +ilverFs, once more too" u# the story and ran on for a long ,hile in a stream, only no, and again interru#ted by the other$ y the sound they must have been tal"ing earnestly, and almost fiercely0 but no distinct ,ord came to my hearing$ 5t last the s#ea"ers seemed to have #aused and #erha#s -!"to have sat do,n, for not only did they cease to dra, any nearer, but the birds themselves began to gro, more =uiet and to settle again to their #laces in the s,am#$ 5nd no, ! began to feel that ! ,as neglecting my business, that since ! had been so foolhardy as to come ashore ,ith these des#eradoes, the least ! could do ,as to overhear them at their councils, and that my #lain and obvious duty ,as to dra, as close as ! could manage, under the favourable ambush of the crouching trees$ ! could tell the direction of the s#ea"ers #retty exactly, not only by the sound of their voices but by the behaviour of the fe, birds that still hung in alarm above the heads of the intruders$ Cra,ling on all fours, ! made steadily but slo,ly to,ards them, till at last, raising my head to an a#erture among the leaves, ! could see clear do,n into a

little green dell beside the marsh, and closely set about ,ith trees, ,here Long John +ilver and another of the cre, stood face to face in conversation$ The sun beat full u#on them$ +ilver had thro,n his hat beside him on the ground, and his great, smooth, blond face, all shining ,ith heat, ,as lifted to the other manFs in a "ind of a##eal$ <8ate,< he ,as saying, <itFs because ! thin"s gold dust of you -- gold dust, and you may lay to that> !f ! hadnFt too" to you li"e #itch, do you thin" !Fd have been here a-,arning of youI 5llFs u# -- you canFt ma"e nor mend0 itFs to save your nec" that !Fm a-s#ea"ing, and if one of the ,ild uns "ne, it, ,hereFd ! be, Tom -- no,, tell me, ,hereFd ! beI< <+ilver,< said the other man -- and ! observed he ,as not only red in the face, but s#o"e as hoarse as a cro,, and his voice shoo" too, li"e a taut ro#e -- <+ilver,< says he, <youFre old, and youFre honest, or has the name for it0 and youFve money too, ,hich lots of #oor sailors hasnFt0 and youFre brave, or !Fm mistoo"$ 5nd ,ill you tell me youFll let yourself be led a,ay ,ith that "ind of a mess of s,absI 1ot you> 5s sure as ?od sees me, !Fd sooner lose my hand$ !f ! turn agin my dooty -- < -"#5nd then all of a sudden he ,as interru#ted by a noise$ ! had found one of the honest hands -- ,ell, here, at that same moment, came ne,s of another$ Aar a,ay out in the marsh there arose, all of a sudden, a sound li"e the cry of anger, then another on the bac" of it0 and then one horrid, long-dra,n scream$ The roc"s of the +#y-glass re-echoed it a score of times0 the ,hole troo# of marsh-birds rose again, dar"ening heaven, ,ith a simultaneous ,hirr0 and long after that death yell ,as still ringing in my brain, silence had re-established its em#ire, and only the rustle of the redescending birds and the boom of the distant surges disturbed the languor of the afternoon$ Tom had lea#ed at the sound, li"e a horse at the s#ur, but +ilver had not ,in"ed an eye$ Ce stood ,here he ,as, resting lightly on his crutch, ,atching his com#anion li"e a sna"e about to s#ring$ <John>< said the sailor, stretching out his hand$ <Cands off>< cried +ilver, lea#ing bac" a yard, as it seemed to me, ,ith the s#eed and security of a trained gymnast$ <Cands off, if you li"e, John +ilver,< said the other$ <!tFs a blac" conscience that can ma"e you feared of me$ ut in heavenFs name, tell me, ,hat ,as thatI<

<ThatI< returned +ilver, smiling a,ay, but ,arier than ever, his eye a mere #in#oint in his big face, but gleaming li"e a crumb of glass$ <ThatI< Bh, ! rec"on thatFll be 5lan$< 5nd at this #oint Tom flashed out li"e a hero$ <5lan>< he cried$ <Then rest his soul for a true seaman> 5nd as for you, John +ilver, long youFve been a mate of mine, but youFre mate of mine no more$ !f ! die li"e a dog, !Fll die in my dooty$ 6ouFve "illed 5lan, have youI (ill me too, if you can$ ut ! defies you$< 5nd ,ith that, this brave fello, turned his bac" directly on the coo" and set off ,al"ing for the beach$ ut he ,as not destined to go far$ 9ith a cry John seiMed the branch of a tree, ,hi##ed the crutch out of his arm#it, and sent that uncouth missile hurtling through the air$ !t struc" #oor Tom, #oint foremost, and ,ith stunning violence, right bet,een the shoulders in the middle of his bac"$ Cis hands fle, u#, he gave a sort of gas#, and fell$ 9hether he ,ere inLured much or little, none could ever tell$ Li"e enough, to Ludge from the sound, his bac" ,as bro"en on the s#ot$ ut he had no time given him to recover$ +ilver, agile as a mon"ey even ,ithout leg or crutch, ,as on the to# of him next moment and had t,ice buried his "nife u# to the hilt in that defenceless body$ Arom my #lace of ambush, ! could hear him #ant aloud as he struc" the blo,s$ ! do not "no, ,hat it rightly is to faint, but ! do "no, that for the next little ,hile the ,hole ,orld s,am a,ay from before me in a ,hirling mist0 +ilver and the birds, and the tall +#y-glass hillto#, going round and round and to#sy-turvy before my eyes, and all manner of bells ringing and distant voices shouting in my ear$ 9hen ! came again to myself the monster had #ulled himself together, his crutch under his arm, his hat u#on his head$ Just before him Tom lay motionless u#on the s,ard0 but the murderer minded him not a ,hit, cleansing his bloodstained "nife the ,hile u#on a ,is# of grass$ Everything else ,as unchanged, the sun still shining mercilessly on the steaming marsh and the tall #innacle of the mountain, and ! could scarce #ersuade myself that murder had been actually done and a human life cruelly cut short a moment since before my eyes$ ut no, John #ut his hand into his #oc"et, brought out a ,histle, and ble, u#on it several modulated blasts that rang far across the heated air$ ! could not tell, of course, the meaning of the signal, but it instantly a,o"e my fears$ 8ore men ,ould be coming$ ! might be discovered$ They had already slain t,o of the honest #eo#le0 after Tom and 5lan, might not ! come nextI

!nstantly ! began to extricate myself and cra,l bac" again, ,ith ,hat s#eed and silence ! could manage, to the more o#en #ortion of the ,ood$ 5s ! did so, ! could hear hails coming and going bet,een the old buccaneer and his comrades, and this sound of danger lent me ,ings$ 5s soon as ! ,as clear of the thic"et, ! ran as ! never -"2ran before, scarce minding the direction of my flight, so long as it led me from the murderers0 and as ! ran, fear gre, and gre, u#on me until it turned into a "ind of frenMy$ !ndeed, could anyone be more entirely lost than !I 9hen the gun fired, ho, should ! dare to go do,n to the boats among those fiends, still smo"ing from their crimeI 9ould not the first of them ,ho sa, me ,ring my nec" li"e a sni#eFsI 9ould not my absence itself be an evidence to them of my alarm, and therefore of my fatal "no,ledgeI !t ,as all over, ! thought$ ?ood-bye to the $ispaniola0 good-bye to the s=uire, the doctor, and the ca#tain> There ,as nothing left for me but death by starvation or death by the hands of the mutineers$ 5ll this ,hile, as ! say, ! ,as still running, and ,ithout ta"ing any notice, ! had dra,n near to the foot of the little hill ,ith the t,o #ea"s and had got into a #art of the island ,here the live-oa"s gre, more ,idely a#art and seemed more li"e forest trees in their bearing and dimensions$ 8ingled ,ith these ,ere a fe, scattered #ines, some fifty, some nearer seventy, feet high$ The air too smelt more freshly than do,n beside the marsh$ 5nd here a fresh alarm brought me to a standstill ,ith a thum#ing heart$

-"3-

The 2an of the Island

A/B8 the side of the hill, ,hich ,as here stee# and stony, a s#out of gravel ,as dislodged and fell rattling and bounding through the trees$ 8y eyes turned instinctively in that direction, and ! sa, a figure lea# ,ith great ra#idity behind the trun" of a #ine$ 9hat it ,as, ,hether bear or man or mon"ey, ! could in no

,ise tell$ !t seemed dar" and shaggy0 more ! "ne, not$ ut the terror of this ne, a##arition brought me to a stand$ ! ,as no,, it seemed, cut off u#on both sides0 behind me the murderers, before me this lur"ing nondescri#t$ 5nd immediately ! began to #refer the dangers that ! "ne, to those ! "ne, not$ +ilver himself a##eared less terrible in contrast ,ith this creature of the ,oods, and ! turned on my heel, and loo"ing shar#ly behind me over my shoulder, began to retrace my ste#s in the direction of the boats$ !nstantly the figure rea##eared, and ma"ing a ,ide circuit, began to head me off$ ! ,as tired, at any rate0 but had ! been as fresh as ,hen ! rose, ! could see it ,as in vain for me to contend in s#eed ,ith such an adversary$ Arom trun" to trun" the creature flitted li"e a deer, running manli"e on t,o legs, but unli"e any man that ! had ever seen, stoo#ing almost double as it ran$ 6et a man it ,as, ! could no longer be in doubt about that$ -"4! began to recall ,hat ! had heard of cannibals$ ! ,as ,ithin an ace of calling for hel#$ ut the mere fact that he ,as a man, ho,ever ,ild, had some,hat reassured me, and my fear of +ilver began to revive in #ro#ortion$ ! stood still, therefore, and cast about for some method of esca#e0 and as ! ,as so thin"ing, the recollection of my #istol flashed into my mind$ 5s soon as ! remembered ! ,as not defenceless, courage glo,ed again in my heart and ! set my face resolutely for this man of the island and ,al"ed bris"ly to,ards him$ Ce ,as concealed by this time behind another tree trun"0 but he must have been ,atching me closely, for as soon as ! began to move in his direction he rea##eared and too" a ste# to meet me$ Then he hesitated, dre, bac", came for,ard again, and at last, to my ,onder and confusion, thre, himself on his "nees and held out his clas#ed hands in su##lication$ 5t that ! once more sto##ed$ <9ho are youI< ! as"ed$ < en ?unn,< he ans,ered, and his voice sounded hoarse and a,",ard, li"e a rusty loc"$ <!Fm #oor en ?unn, ! am0 and ! havenFt s#o"e ,ith a Christian these three years$< ! could no, see that he ,as a ,hite man li"e myself and that his features ,ere even #leasing$ Cis s"in, ,herever it ,as ex#osed, ,as burnt by the sun0 even his li#s ,ere blac", and his fair eyes loo"ed =uite startling in so dar" a face$ Bf all the beggar-men that ! had seen or fancied, he ,as the chief for raggedness$ Ce ,as

clothed ,ith tatters of old shi#Fs canvas and old sea-cloth, and this extraordinary #atch,or" ,as all held together by a system of the most various and incongruous fastenings, brass buttons, bits of stic", and loo#s of tarry gas"in$ 5bout his ,aist he ,ore an old brass-buc"led leather belt, ,hich ,as the one thing solid in his ,hole accoutrement$ <Three years>< ! cried$ <9ere you shi#,rec"edI< <1ay, mate,< said he0 <marooned$< ! had heard the ,ord, and ! "ne, it stood for a horrible -"5"ind of #unishment common enough among the buccaneers, in ,hich the offender is #ut ashore ,ith a little #o,der and shot and left behind on some desolate and distant island$ <8arooned three years agone,< he continued, <and lived on goats since then, and berries, and oysters$ 9herever a man is, says !, a man can do for himself$ ut, mate, my heart is sore for Christian diet$ 6ou mightnFt ha##en to have a #iece of cheese about you, no,I 1oI 9ell, manyFs the long night !Fve dreamed of cheese -- toasted, mostly -- and ,o"e u# again, and here ! ,ere$< <!f ever ! can get aboard again,< said !, <you shall have cheese by the stone$< 5ll this time he had been feeling the stuff of my Lac"et, smoothing my hands, loo"ing at my boots, and generally, in the intervals of his s#eech, sho,ing a childish #leasure in the #resence of a fello, creature$ ut at my last ,ords he #er"ed u# into a "ind of startled slyness$ <!f ever you can get aboard again, says youI< he re#eated$ <9hy, no,, ,hoFs to hinder youI< <1ot you, ! "no,,< ,as my re#ly$ <5nd right you ,as,< he cried$ <1o, you -- ,hat do you call yourself, mateI< <Jim,< ! told him$ <Jim, Jim,< says he, =uite #leased a##arently$ <9ell, no,, Jim, !Fve lived that rough as youFd be ashamed to hear of$ 1o,, for instance, you ,ouldnFt thin" ! had had a #ious mother -- to loo" at meI< he as"ed$

<9hy, no, not in #articular,< ! ans,ered$ <5h, ,ell,< said he, <but ! had -- remar"able #ious$ 5nd ! ,as a civil, #ious boy, and could rattle off my catechism that fast, as you couldnFt tell one ,ord from another$ 5nd hereFs ,hat it come to, Jim, and it begun ,ith chuc"-farthen on the blessed grave-stones> ThatFs ,hat it begun ,ith, but it ,ent furtherFn that0 and so my mother told me, and #redic"ed the ,hole, she did, the #ious ,oman> ut it ,ere Drovidence that #ut me here$ !Fve thought it all out in this here lonely island, and !Fm bac" on #iety$ 6ou donFt catch me tasting rum so much, but Lust a thimbleful -"6for luc", of course, the first chance ! have$ !Fm bound !Fll be good, and ! see the ,ay to$ 5nd, Jim< -- loo"ing all round him and lo,ering his voice to a ,his#er -<!Fm rich$<

8"nd, <i'8 -- loo!in) all round hi' and lo erin) his voi-e to a his(er -- 8I:' ri-h.8

! no, felt sure that the #oor fello, had gone craMy in his solitude, and ! su##ose ! must have sho,n the feeling in my face, for he re#eated the statement hotly) </ich> /ich> ! says$ 5nd !Fll tell you ,hat) !Fll ma"e a man of you, Jim$ 5h, Jim, youFll bless your stars, you ,ill, you ,as the first that found me><

5nd at this there came suddenly a lo,ering shado, over his face, and he tightened his gras# u#on my hand and raised a forefinger threateningly before my eyes$ <1o,, Jim, you tell me true) that ainFt AlintFs shi#I< he as"ed$ 5t this ! had a ha##y ins#iration$ ! began to believe that ! had found an ally, and ! ans,ered him at once$ <!tFs not AlintFs shi#, and Alint is dead0 but !Fll tell you true, as you as" me -there are some of AlintFs hands aboard0 ,orse luc" for the rest of us$< <1ot a man -- ,ith one -- legI< he gas#ed$ <+ilverI< ! as"ed$ <5h, +ilver>< says he$ <That ,ere his name$< <CeFs the coo", and the ringleader too$< Ce ,as still holding me by the ,rist, and at that he give it =uite a ,ring$ <!f you ,as sent by Long John,< he said, <!Fm as good as #or", and ! "no, it$ ut ,here ,as you, do you su##oseI< ! had made my mind u# in a moment, and by ,ay of ans,er told him the ,hole story of our voyage and the #redicament in ,hich ,e found ourselves$ Ce heard me ,ith the "eenest interest, and ,hen ! had done he #atted me on the head$ <6ouFre a good lad, Jim,< he said0 <and youFre all in a clove hitch, ainFt youI 9ell, you Lust #ut your trust in en ?unn -- en ?unnFs the man to do it$ 9ould you thin" it li"ely, no,, that your s=uire ,ould #rove a liberal- minded one in case of hel# -- him being in a clove hitch, as you remar"I< ! told him the s=uire ,as the most liberal of men$ <5ye, but you see,< returned en ?unn, <! didnFt mean giving me a gate to "ee#, and a suit of livery clothes, and such0 thatFs not my mar", Jim$ 9hat ! mean is, ,ould he be li"ely to come do,n to the toon of, say one thousand #ounds out of money thatFs as good as a manFs o,n alreadyI< <! am sure he ,ould,< said !$ <5s it ,as, all hands ,ere to share$< <And a #assage homeI< he added ,ith a loo" of great shre,dness$

<9hy,< ! cried, <the s=uireFs a gentleman$ 5nd besides, if ,e got rid of the others, ,e should ,ant you to hel# ,or" the vessel home$< <5h,< said he, <so you ,ould$< 5nd he seemed very much relieved$ <1o,, !Fll tell you ,hat,< he ,ent on$ <+o much !Fll tell you, and no more$ ! ,ere in AlintFs shi# ,hen he buried the treasure0 he and six along -- six strong seamen$ They ,as ashore nigh on a ,ee", and us standing off and on in the old *alrus$ Bne fine day u# ,ent the signal, and here come Alint by himself in a little boat, and his head done u# in a blue scarf$ The sun ,as getting u#, and mortal ,hite he loo"ed about the cut,ater$ ut, there he ,as, you mind, and the six all dead -dead and buried$ Co, he done it, not a man aboard us could ma"e out$ !t ,as battle, murder, and sudden death, least,ays -- him against six$ illy ones ,as the mate0 Long John, he ,as =uartermaster0 and they as"ed him ,here the treasure ,as$ F5h,F says he, Fyou can go ashore, if you li"e, and stay,F he says0 Fbut as for the shi#, sheFll beat u# for more, by thunder>F ThatFs ,hat he said$ <9ell, ! ,as in another shi# three years bac", and ,e sighted this island$ F oys,F said !, FhereFs AlintFs treasure0 letFs land and find it$F The ca#Fn ,as dis#leased at that, but my messmates ,ere all of a mind and landed$ T,elve days they loo"ed for it, and every day they had the ,orse -"!,ord for me, until one fine morning all hands ,ent aboard$ F5s for you, enLamin ?unn,F says they, FhereFs a mus"et,F they says, Fand a s#ade, and #ic"-axe$ 6ou can stay here and find AlintFs money for yourself,F they says$ <9ell, Jim, three years have ! been here, and not a bite of Christian diet from that day to this$ ut no,, you loo" here0 loo" at me$ ;o ! loo" li"e a man before the mastI 1o, says you$ 1or ! ,erenFt, neither, ! says$< 5nd ,ith that he ,in"ed and #inched me hard$ <Just you mention them ,ords to your s=uire, Jim,< he ,ent on$ <1or he ,erenFt, neither -- thatFs the ,ords$ Three years he ,ere the man of this island, light and dar", fair and rain0 and sometimes he ,ould maybe thin" u#on a #rayer Jsays youK, and sometimes he ,ould maybe thin" of his old mother, so be as sheFs alive JyouFll sayK0 but the most #art of ?unnFs time Jthis is ,hat youFll sayK -- the most #art of his time ,as too" u# ,ith another matter$ 5nd then youFll give him a ni#, li"e ! do$< 5nd he #inched me again in the most confidential manner$

<Then,< he continued, <then youFll u#, and youFll say this) ?unn is a good man JyouFll sayK, and he #uts a #recious sight more confidence -- a #recious sight, mind that -- in a genFleman born than in these genFleman of fortune, having been one hisself$< <9ell,< ! said, <! donFt understand one ,ord that youFve been saying$ ut thatFs neither here nor there0 for ho, am ! to get on boardI< <5h,< said he, <thatFs the hitch, for sure$ 9ell, thereFs my boat, that ! made ,ith my t,o hands$ ! "ee# her under the ,hite roc"$ !f the ,orst come to the ,orst, ,e might try that after dar"$ Ci>< he bro"e out$ <9hatFs thatI< Aor Lust then, although the sun had still an hour or t,o to run, all the echoes of the island a,o"e and bello,ed to the thunder of a cannon$ <They have begun to fight>< ! cried$ <Aollo, me$< 5nd ! began to run to,ards the anchorage, my terrors -""all forgotten, ,hile close at my side the marooned man in his goats"ins trotted easily and lightly$ <Left, left,< says he0 <"ee# to your left hand, mate Jim> Under the trees ,ith you> TheerFs ,here ! "illed my first goat$ They donFt come do,n here no,0 theyFre all mastheaded on them mountings for the fear of enLamin ?unn$ 5h> 5nd thereFs the cetemery< -- cemetery, he must have meant$ <6ou see the moundsI ! come here and #rayed, no,s and thens, ,hen ! thought maybe a +unday ,ould be about doo$ !t ,erenFt =uite a cha#el, but it seemed more solemn li"e0 and then, says you, en ?unn ,as short- handed -- no cha#ling, nor so much as a ible and a flag, you says$< +o he "e#t tal"ing as ! ran, neither ex#ecting nor receiving any ans,er$ The cannon-shot ,as follo,ed after a considerable interval by a volley of small arms$ 5nother #ause, and then, not a =uarter of a mile in front of me, ! beheld the Union Jac" flutter in the air above a ,ood$

-1##-

The Sto-!ade

/arrative Continued b3 the 9o-tor+ &o the Shi( 1as "bandoned

!T ,as about half #ast one -- three bells in the sea #hrase -- that the t,o boats ,ent ashore from the $ispaniola$ The ca#tain, the s=uire, and ! ,ere tal"ing matters over in the cabin$ Cad there been a breath of ,ind, ,e should have fallen on the six mutineers ,ho ,ere left aboard ,ith us, sli##ed our cable, and a,ay to sea$ ut the ,ind ,as ,anting0 and to com#lete our hel#lessness, do,n came Cunter ,ith the ne,s that Jim Ca,"ins had sli##ed into a boat and ,as gone ashore ,ith the rest$ !t never occurred to us to doubt Jim Ca,"ins, but ,e ,ere alarmed for his safety$ 9ith the men in the tem#er they ,ere in, it seemed an even chance if ,e should see the lad again$ 9e ran on dec"$ The #itch ,as bubbling in the seams0 the nasty stench of the #lace turned me sic"0 if ever a man smelt fever and dysentery, it ,as in that abominable anchorage$ The six scoundrels ,ere sitting grumbling under a sail in the forecastle0 ashore ,e could see the gigs made fast and a man sitting in each, hard by ,here the river runs in$ Bne of them ,as ,histling <Lillibullero$< 9aiting ,as a strain, and it ,as decided that Cunter and ! should go ashore ,ith the Lolly-boat in =uest of information$ The gigs had leaned to their right, but Cunter and ! #ulled straight in, in the direction of the stoc"ade u#on the chart$ The t,o ,ho ,ere left guarding their boats seemed in a bustle at our a##earance0 <Lillibullero< sto##ed off, and ! could see the #air discussing ,hat they ought to do$ Cad they gone and told +ilver, all might have turned out differently0 but they had their orders, ! su##ose, and decided to sit =uietly ,here they ,ere and har" bac" again to <Lillibullero$< There ,as a slight bend in the coast, and ! steered so as to #ut it bet,een us0 even before ,e landed ,e had thus lost sight of the gigs$ ! Lum#ed out and came as near running as ! durst, ,ith a big sil" hand"erchief under my hat for coolnessF sa"e and a brace of #istols ready #rimed for safety$ ! had not gone a hundred yards ,hen ! reached the stoc"ade$

This ,as ho, it ,as) a s#ring of clear ,ater rose almost at the to# of a "noll$ 9ell, on the "noll, and enclosing the s#ring, they had cla##ed a stout log-house fit to hold t,o score of #eo#le on a #inch and loo#holed for mus"etry on either side$ 5ll round this they had cleared a ,ide s#ace, and then the thing ,as com#leted by a #aling six feet high, ,ithout door or o#ening, too strong to #ull do,n ,ithout time and labour and too o#en to shelter the besiegers$ The #eo#le in the log-house had them in every ,ay0 they stood =uiet in shelter and shot the others li"e #artridges$ 5ll they ,anted ,as a good ,atch and food, for short of a com#lete sur#rise, they might have held the #lace against a regiment$ 9hat #articularly too" my fancy ,as the s#ring$ Aor though ,e had a good enough #lace of it in the cabin -1#2of the $ispaniola, ,ith #lenty of arms and ammunition, and things to eat, and excellent ,ines, there had been one thing overloo"ed -- ,e had no ,ater$ ! ,as thin"ing this over ,hen there came ringing over the island the cry of a man at the #oint of death$ ! ,as not ne, to violent death -- ! have served his /oyal Cighness the ;u"e of Cumberland, and got a ,ound myself at Aontenoy -- but ! "no, my #ulse ,ent dot and carry one$ <Jim Ca,"ins is gone,< ,as my first thought$ !t is something to have been an old soldier, but more still to have been a doctor$ There is no time to dilly-dally in our ,or"$ 5nd so no, ! made u# my mind instantly, and ,ith no time lost returned to the shore and Lum#ed on board the Lolly-boat$ by good fortune Cunter #ulled a good oar$ 9e made the ,ater fly, and the boat ,as soon alongside and ! aboard the schooner$ ! found them all sha"en, as ,as natural$ The s=uire ,as sitting do,n, as ,hite as a sheet, thin"ing of the harm he had led us to, the good soul> 5nd one of the six forecastle hands ,as little better$ <ThereFs a man,< says Ca#tain +mollett, nodding to,ards him, <ne, to this ,or"$ Ce came nigh-hand fainting, doctor, ,hen he heard the cry$ 5nother touch of the rudder and that man ,ould Loin us$< ! told my #lan to the ca#tain, and bet,een us ,e settled on the details of its accom#lishment$ 9e #ut old /edruth in the gallery bet,een the cabin and the forecastle, ,ith three or four loaded mus"ets and a mattress for #rotection$ Cunter brought the boat round under the stern-#ort, and Joyce and ! set to ,or" loading her ,ith

#o,der tins, mus"ets, bags of biscuits, "egs of #or", a cas" of cognac, and my invaluable medicine chest$ !n the meantime, the s=uire and the ca#tain stayed on dec", and the latter hailed the coxs,ain, ,ho ,as the #rinci#al man aboard$ <8r$ Cands,< he said, <here are t,o of us ,ith a brace of #istols each$ !f any one of you six ma"e a signal of any descri#tion, that manFs dead$< They ,ere a good deal ta"en abac", and after a little consultation one and all tumbled do,n the fore com#anion, thin"ing no doubt to ta"e us on the rear$ ut ,hen they sa, /edruth ,aiting for them in the s#arred galley, they ,ent about shi# at once, and a head #o##ed out again on dec"$ <;o,n, dog>< cries the ca#tain$ 5nd the head #o##ed bac" again0 and ,e heard no more, for the time, of these six very faint-hearted seamen$ y this time, tumbling things in as they came, ,e had the Lolly-boat loaded as much as ,e dared$ Joyce and ! got out through the stern-#ort, and ,e made for shore again as fast as oars could ta"e us$ This second tri# fairly aroused the ,atchers along shore$ <Lillibullero< ,as dro##ed again0 and Lust before ,e lost sight of them behind the little #oint, one of them ,hi##ed ashore and disa##eared$ ! had half a mind to change my #lan and destroy their boats, but ! feared that +ilver and the others might be close at hand, and all might very ,ell be lost by trying for too much$ 9e had soon touched land in the same #lace as before and set to #rovision the bloc" house$ 5ll three made the first Lourney, heavily laden, and tossed our stores over the #alisade$ Then, leaving Joyce to guard them -- one man, to be sure, but ,ith half a doMen mus"ets -- Cunter and ! returned to the Lolly-boat and loaded ourselves once more$ +o ,e #roceeded ,ithout #ausing to ta"e breath, till the ,hole cargo ,as besto,ed, ,hen the t,o servants too" u# their #osition in the bloc" house, and !, ,ith all my #o,er, sculled bac" to the $ispaniola$ That ,e should have ris"ed a second boat load seems more daring than it really ,as$ They had the advantage of numbers, of course, but ,e had the advantage of arms$ 1ot one of the men ashore had a mus"et, and before they could get ,ithin range for #istol shooting, ,e flattered ourselves ,e should be able to give a good account of a half-doMen at least$ The s=uire ,as ,aiting for me at the stern ,indo,, all his faintness gone from him$ Ce caught the #ainter

-1#4and made it fast, and ,e fell to loading the boat for our very lives$ Dor", #o,der, and biscuit ,as the cargo, ,ith only a mus"et and a cutlass a#iece for the s=uire and me and /edruth and the ca#tain$ The rest of the arms and #o,der ,e dro##ed overboard in t,o fathoms and a half of ,ater, so that ,e could see the bright steel shining far belo, us in the sun, on the clean, sandy bottom$ y this time the tide ,as beginning to ebb, and the shi# ,as s,inging round to her anchor$ Voices ,ere heard faintly halloaing in the direction of the t,o gigs0 and though this reassured us for Joyce and Cunter, ,ho ,ere ,ell to the east,ard, it ,arned our #arty to be off$ /edruth retreated from his #lace in the gallery and dro##ed into the boat, ,hich ,e then brought round to the shi#Fs counter, to be handier for Ca#tain +mollett$ <1o,, men,< said he, <do you hear meI< There ,as no ans,er from the forecastle$ <!tFs to you, 5braham ?ray -- itFs to you ! am s#ea"ing$< +till no re#ly$ <?ray,< resumed 8r$ +mollett, a little louder, <! am leaving this shi#, and ! order you to follo, your ca#tain$ ! "no, you are a good man at bottom, and ! dare say not one of the lot of youFs as bad as he ma"es out$ ! have my ,atch here in my hand0 ! give you thirty seconds to Loin me in$< There ,as a #ause$ <Come, my fine fello,,< continued the ca#tain0 <donFt hang so long in stays$ !Fm ris"ing my life and the lives of these good gentlemen every second$< There ,as a sudden scuffle, a sound of blo,s, and out burst 5braham ?ray ,ith a "nife cut on the side of the chee", and came running to the ca#tain li"e a dog to the ,histle$ <!Fm ,ith you, sir,< said he$ 5nd the next moment he and the ca#tain had dro##ed aboard of us, and ,e had shoved off and given ,ay$ 9e ,ere clear out of the shi#, but not yet ashore in our stoc"ade$

-1#5-

/arrative Continued b3 the 9o-tor+ The <oll3-boat:s Last Tri(

TC!+ fifth tri# ,as =uite different from any of the others$ !n the first #lace, the little galli#ot of a boat that ,e ,ere in ,as gravely overloaded$ Aive gro,n men, and three of them -- Trela,ney, /edruth, and the ca#tain -- over six feet high, ,as already more than she ,as meant to carry$ 5dd to that the #o,der, #or", and bread-bags$ The gun,ale ,as li##ing astern$ +everal times ,e shi##ed a little ,ater, and my breeches and the tails of my coat ,ere all soa"ing ,et before ,e had gone a hundred yards$ The ca#tain made us trim the boat, and ,e got her to lie a little more evenly$ 5ll the same, ,e ,ere afraid to breathe$ !n the second #lace, the ebb ,as no, ma"ing -- a strong ri##ling current running ,est,ard through the basin, and then southFard and sea,ard do,n the straits by ,hich ,e had entered in the morning$ Even the ri##les ,ere a danger to our overloaded craft, but the ,orst of it ,as that ,e ,ere s,e#t out of our true course and a,ay from our #ro#er landing-#lace behind the #oint$ !f ,e let the current have its ,ay ,e should come ashore beside the gigs, ,here the #irates might a##ear at any moment$ <! cannot "ee# her head for the stoc"ade, sir,< said ! to the ca#tain$ ! ,as steering, ,hile he and /edruth, -1#6t,o fresh men, ,ere at the oars$ <The tide "ee#s ,ashing her do,n$ Could you #ull a little strongerI< <1ot ,ithout s,am#ing the boat,< said he$ <6ou must bear u#, sir, if you #lease -- bear u# until you see youFre gaining$< ! tried and found by ex#eriment that the tide "e#t s,ee#ing us ,est,ard until ! had laid her head due east, or Lust about right angles to the ,ay ,e ought to go$ <9eFll never get ashore at this rate,< said !$

<!f itFs the only course that ,e can lie, sir, ,e must even lie it,< returned the ca#tain$ <9e must "ee# u#stream$ 6ou see, sir,< he ,ent on, <if once ,e dro##ed to lee,ard of the landing- #lace, itFs hard to say ,here ,e should get ashore, besides the chance of being boarded by the gigs0 ,hereas, the ,ay ,e go the current must slac"en, and then ,e can dodge bac" along the shore$< <The currentFs less aFready, sir,< said the man ?ray, ,ho ,as sitting in the foresheets0 <you can ease her off a bit$< <Than" you, my man,< said !, =uite as if nothing had ha##ened, for ,e had all =uietly made u# our minds to treat him li"e one of ourselves$ +uddenly the ca#tain s#o"e u# again, and ! thought his voice ,as a little changed$ <The gun>< said he$ <! have thought of that,< said !, for ! made sure he ,as thin"ing of a bombardment of the fort$ <They could never get the gun ashore, and if they did, they could never haul it through the ,oods$< <Loo" astern, doctor,< re#lied the ca#tain$ 9e had entirely forgotten the long nine0 and there, to our horror, ,ere the five rogues busy about her, getting off her Lac"et, as they called the stout tar#aulin cover under ,hich she sailed$ 1ot only that, but it flashed into my mind at the same moment that the round-shot and the #o,der for the gun had been left behind, and a stro"e ,ith an axe ,ould #ut it all into the #ossession of the evil ones abroad$ <!srael ,as AlintFs gunner,< said ?ray hoarsely$ -1# 5t any ris", ,e #ut the boatFs head direct for the landing- #lace$ y this time ,e had got so far out of the run of the current that ,e "e#t steerage ,ay even at our necessarily gentle rate of ro,ing, and ! could "ee# her steady for the goal$ ut the ,orst of it ,as that ,ith the course ! no, held ,e turned our broadside instead of our stern to the $ispaniola and offered a target li"e a barn door$ ! could hear as ,ell as see that brandy-faced rascal !srael Cands #lum#ing do,n a round-shot on the dec"$ <9hoFs the best shotI< as"ed the ca#tain$

<8r$ Trela,ney, out and a,ay,< said !$ <8r$ Trela,ney, ,ill you #lease #ic" me off one of these men, sirI Cands, if #ossible,< said the ca#tain$ Trela,ney ,as as cool as steel$ Ce loo"ed to the #riming of his gun$ <1o,,< cried the ca#tain, <easy ,ith that gun, sir, or youFll s,am# the boat$ 5ll hands stand by to trim her ,hen he aims$< The s=uire raised his gun, the ro,ing ceased, and ,e leaned over to the other side to "ee# the balance, and all ,as so nicely contrived that ,e did not shi# a dro#$ They had the gun, by this time, sle,ed round u#on the s,ivel, and Cands, ,ho ,as at the muMMle ,ith the rammer, ,as in conse=uence the most ex#osed$ Co,ever, ,e had no luc", for Lust as Trela,ney fired, do,n he stoo#ed, the ball ,histled over him, and it ,as one of the other four ,ho fell$ The cry he gave ,as echoed not only by his com#anions on board but by a great number of voices from the shore, and loo"ing in that direction ! sa, the other #irates troo#ing out from among the trees and tumbling into their #laces in the boats$ <Cere come the gigs, sir,< said !$ <?ive ,ay, then,< cried the ca#tain$ <9e mustnFt mind if ,e s,am# her no,$ !f ,e canFt get ashore, allFs u#$< <Bnly one of the gigs is being manned, sir,< ! added0 <the cre, of the other most li"ely going round by shore to cut us off$< -1#!<TheyFll have a hot run, sir,< returned the ca#tain$ <Jac" ashore, you "no,$ !tFs not them ! mind0 itFs the round-shot$ Car#et bo,ls> 8y ladyFs maid couldnFt miss$ Tell us, s=uire, ,hen you see the match, and ,eFll hold ,ater$< !n the mean,hile ,e had been ma"ing head,ay at a good #ace for a boat so overloaded, and ,e had shi##ed but little ,ater in the #rocess$ 9e ,ere no, close in0 thirty or forty stro"es and ,e should beach her, for the ebb had already disclosed a narro, belt of sand belo, the clustering trees$ The gig ,as no longer to be feared0 the little #oint had already concealed it from our eyes$ The ebb-tide,

,hich had so cruelly delayed us, ,as no, ma"ing re#aration and delaying our assailants$ The one source of danger ,as the gun$ <!f ! durst,< said the ca#tain, <!Fd sto# and #ic" off another man$< ut it ,as #lain that they meant nothing should delay their shot$ They had never so much as loo"ed at their fallen comrade, though he ,as not dead, and ! could see him trying to cra,l a,ay$ </eady>< cried the s=uire$ <Cold>< cried the ca#tain, =uic" as an echo$ 5nd he and /edruth bac"ed ,ith a great heave that sent her stern bodily under ,ater$ The re#ort fell in at the same instant of time$ This ,as the first that Jim heard, the sound of the s=uireFs shot not having reached him$ 9here the ball #assed, not one of us #recisely "ne,, but ! fancy it must have been over our heads and that the ,ind of it may have contributed to our disaster$ 5t any rate, the boat san" by the stern, =uite gently, in three feet of ,ater, leaving the ca#tain and myself, facing each other, on our feet$ The other three too" com#lete headers, and came u# again drenched and bubbling$ +o far there ,as no great harm$ 1o lives ,ere lost, and ,e could ,ade ashore in safety$ ut there ,ere all our stores at the bottom, and to ma"e things ,orse, only t,o guns out of five remained in a state for service$ 8ine ! had snatched from my "nees and held over my head, by a sort of instinct$ 5s for the ca#tain, he had carried his over his shoulder by a bandoleer, and li"e a ,ise man, loc" u##ermost$ The other three had gone do,n ,ith the boat$ To add to our concern, ,e heard voices already dra,ing near us in the ,oods along shore, and ,e had not only the danger of being cut off from the stoc"ade in our half-cri##led state but the fear before us ,hether, if Cunter and Joyce ,ere attac"ed by half a doMen, they ,ould have the sense and conduct to stand firm$ Cunter ,as steady, that ,e "ne,0 Joyce ,as a doubtful case -- a #leasant, #olite man for a valet and to brush oneFs clothes, but not entirely fitted for a man of ,ar$ 9ith all this in our minds, ,e ,aded ashore as fast as ,e could, leaving behind us the #oor Lolly-boat and a good half of all our #o,der and #rovisions$

/arrative Continued b3 the 9o-tor+ $nd of the 4irst 9a3:s 4i)htin)

9E made our best s#eed across the stri# of ,ood that no, divided us from the stoc"ade, and at every ste# ,e too" the voices of the buccaneers rang nearer$

+oon ,e could hear their footfalls as they ran and the crac"ing of the branches as they breasted across a bit of thic"et$ ! began to see ,e should have a brush for it in earnest and loo"ed to my #riming$ <Ca#tain,< said !, <Trela,ney is the dead shot$ ?ive him your gun0 his o,n is useless$< The exchanged guns, and Trela,ney, silent and cool as he had been since the beginning of the bustle, hung a moment on his heel to see that all ,as fit for service$ 5t the same time, observing ?ray to be unarmed, ! handed him my cutlass$ !t did all our hearts good to see him s#it in his hand, "nit his bro,s, and ma"e the blade sing through the air$ !t ,as #lain from every line of his body that our ne, hand ,as ,orth his salt$ Aorty #aces farther ,e came to the edge of the ,ood and sa, the stoc"ade in front of us$ 9e struc" the enclosure about the middle of the south side, and almost at the same time, seven mutineers -- Job 5nderson, the boats,ain, at their head -a##eared in full cry at the south,estern corner$ They #aused as if ta"en abac", and before they recovered, not only the s=uire and !, but Cunter and Joyce from the bloc" house, had time to fire$ The four shots came in rather a scattering volley, but they did the business) one of the enemy actually fell, and the rest, ,ithout hesitation, turned and #lunged into the trees$ 5fter reloading, ,e ,al"ed do,n the outside of the #alisade to see to the fallen enemy$ Ce ,as stone dead -- shot through the heart$ 9e began to reLoice over our good success ,hen Lust at that moment a #istol crac"ed in the bush, a ball ,histled close #ast my ear, and #oor Tom /edruth stumbled and fell his length on the ground$ oth the s=uire and ! returned the shot, but as ,e had nothing to aim at, it is #robable ,e only ,asted #o,der$ Then ,e reloaded and turned our attention to #oor Tom$ The ca#tain and ?ray ,ere already examining him, and ! sa, ,ith half an eye that all ,as over$ ! believe the readiness of our return volley had scattered the mutineers once more, for ,e ,ere suffered ,ithout further molestation to get the #oor old game"ee#er hoisted over the stoc"ade and carried, groaning and bleeding, into the log-house$ -111-

Door old fello,, he had not uttered one ,ord of sur#rise, com#laint, fear, or even ac=uiescence from the very beginning of our troubles till no,, ,hen ,e had laid him do,n in the log-house to die$ Ce had lain li"e a TroLan behind his mattress in the gallery0 he had follo,ed every order silently, doggedly, and ,ell0 he ,as the oldest of our #arty by a score of years0 and no,, sullen, old, serviceable servant, it ,as he that ,as to die$ The s=uire dro##ed do,n beside him on his "nees and "issed his hand, crying li"e a child$ < e ! going, doctorI< he as"ed$ <Tom, my man,< said !, <youFre going home$< <! ,ish ! had had a lic" at them ,ith the gun first,< he re#lied$ <Tom,< said the s=uire, <say you forgive me, ,onFt youI< <9ould that be res#ectful li"e, from me to you, s=uireI< ,as the ans,er$ <Co,soever, so be it, amen>< 5fter a little ,hile of silence, he said he thought somebody might read a #rayer$ <!tFs the custom, sir,< he added a#ologetically$ 5nd not long after, ,ithout another ,ord, he #assed a,ay$ !n the meantime the ca#tain, ,hom ! had observed to be ,onderfully s,ollen about the chest and #oc"ets, had turned out a great many various stores -- the ritish colours, a ible, a coil of stoutish ro#e, #en, in", the log-boo", and #ounds of tobacco$ Ce had found a longish fir-tree lying felled and trimmed in the enclosure, and ,ith the hel# of Cunter he had set it u# at the corner of the loghouse ,here the trun"s crossed and made an angle$ Then, climbing on the roof, he had ,ith his o,n hand bent and run u# the colours$ This seemed mightily to relieve him$ Ce re-entered the log- house and set about counting u# the stores as if nothing else existed$ ut he had an eye on TomFs #assage for all that, and as soon as all ,as over, came for,ard ,ith another flag and reverently s#read it on the body$ <;onFt you ta"e on, sir,< he said, sha"ing the s=uireFs hand$ <5llFs ,ell ,ith him0 no fear for a hand thatFs been -112-

shot do,n in his duty to ca#tain and o,ner$ !t maynFt be good divinity, but itFs a fact$< Then he #ulled me aside$ <;r$ Livesey,< he said, <in ho, many ,ee"s do you and s=uire ex#ect the consortI< ! told him it ,as a =uestion not of ,ee"s but of months, that if ,e ,ere not bac" by the end of 5ugust landly ,as to send to find us, but neither sooner nor later$ <6ou can calculate for yourself,< ! said$ <9hy, yes,< returned the ca#tain, scratching his head0 <and ma"ing a large allo,ance, sir, for all the gifts of Drovidence, ! should say ,e ,ere #retty close hauled$< <Co, do you meanI< ! as"ed$ <!tFs a #ity, sir, ,e lost that second load$ ThatFs ,hat ! mean,< re#lied the ca#tain$ <5s for #o,der and shot, ,eFll do$ ut the rations are short, very short -so short, ;r$ Livesey, that ,eFre #erha#s as ,ell ,ithout that extra mouth$< 5nd he #ointed to the dead body under the flag$ Just then, ,ith a roar and a ,histle, a round-shot #assed high above the roof of the log-house and #lum#ed far beyond us in the ,ood$ <Bho>< said the ca#tain$ < laMe a,ay> 6ouFve little enough #o,der already, my lads$< 5t the second trial, the aim ,as better, and the ball descended inside the stoc"ade, scattering a cloud of sand but doing no further damage$ <Ca#tain,< said the s=uire, <the house is =uite invisible from the shi#$ !t must be the flag they are aiming at$ 9ould it not be ,iser to ta"e it inI< <+tri"e my colours>< cried the ca#tain$ <1o, sir, not !<0 and as soon as he had said the ,ords, ! thin" ,e all agreed ,ith him$ Aor it ,as not only a #iece of stout, seamanly, good feeling0 it ,as good #olicy besides and sho,ed our enemies that ,e des#ised their cannonade$ 5ll through the evening they "e#t thundering a,ay$ all after ball fle, over or fell short or "ic"ed u# the sand in the enclosure, but they had to fire so high that the shot fell dead and buried itself in the soft sand$ 9e had no ricochet to fear, and though one #o##ed in through the roof of the log- house and out again

through the floor, ,e soon got used to that sort of horse-#lay and minded it no more than cric"et$ <There is one good thing about all this,< observed the ca#tain0 <the ,ood in front of us is li"ely clear$ The ebb has made a good ,hile0 our stores should be uncovered$ Volunteers to go and bring in #or"$ ?ray and hunter ,ere the first to come for,ard$ 9ell armed, they stole out of the stoc"ade, but it #roved a useless mission$ The mutineers ,ere bolder than ,e fancied or they #ut more trust in !sraelFs gunnery$ Aor four or five of them ,ere busy carrying off our stores and ,ading out ,ith them to one of the gigs that lay close by, #ulling an oar or so to hold her steady against the current$ +ilver ,as in the stern-sheets in command0 and every man of them ,as no, #rovided ,ith a mus"et from some secret magaMine of their o,n$ The ca#tain sat do,n to his log, and here is the beginning of the entry) 5lexander +mollett, master0 ;avid Livesey, shi#Fs doctor0 5braham ?ray, car#enterFs mate0 John Trela,ney, o,ner0 John Cunter and /ichard Joyce, o,nerFs servants, landsmen -- being all that is left faithful of the shi#Fs com#any -,ith stores for ten days at short rations, came ashore this day and fle, ritish colours on the log-house in Treasure !sland$ Thomas /edruth, o,nerFs servant, landsman, shot by the mutineers0 James Ca,"ins, cabin-boy -5nd at the same time, ! ,as ,ondering over #oor Jim Ca,"insF fate$ 5 hail on the land side$ <+omebody hailing us,< said Cunter, ,ho ,as on guard$ <;octor> +=uire> Ca#tain> Cullo, Cunter, is that youI< came the cries$ -1145nd ! ran to the door in time to see Jim Ca,"ins, safe and sound, come climbing over the stoc"ade$

/arrative Resu'ed b3 <i' &a !ins+ The ;arrison in the Sto-!ade

5+ soon as en ?unn sa, the colours he came to a halt, sto##ed me by the arm, and sat do,n$

<1o,,< said he, <thereFs your friends, sure enough$< <Aar more li"ely itFs the mutineers,< ! ans,ered$ <That>< he cried$ <9hy, in a #lace li"e this, ,here nobody #uts in but genFlemen of fortune, +ilver ,ould fly the Jolly /oger, you donFt ma"e no doubt of that$ 1o, thatFs your friends$ ThereFs been blo,s too, and ! rec"on your friends has had the best of it0 and here they are ashore in the old stoc"ade, as ,as made years and years ago by Alint$ 5h, he ,as the man to have a head#iece, ,as Alint> arring rum, his match ,ere never seen$ Ce ,ere afraid of none, not he0 onFy +ilver -+ilver ,as that genteel$< <9ell,< said !, <that may be so, and so be it0 all the more reason that ! should hurry on and Loin my friends$< <1ay, mate,< returned en, <not you$ 6ouFre a good boy, or !Fm mistoo"0 but youFre onFy a boy, all told$ 1o,, en ?unn is fly$ /um ,ouldnFt bring me there, ,here youFre going -- not rum ,ouldnFt, till ! see your born genFleman and gets it on his ,ord of honour$ 5nd you ,onFt forget my ,ords0 F5 #recious sight JthatFs ,hat youFll sayK, a #recious sight more confidenceF -- and then ni#s him$ 5nd he #inched me the third time ,ith the same air of cleverness$ <5nd ,hen en ?unn is ,anted, you "no, ,here to find him, Jim$ Just ,heer you found him today$ 5nd him that comes is to have a ,hite thing in his hand, and heFs to come alone$ Bh> 5nd youFll say this) F en ?unn,F says you, Fhas reasons of his o,n$F< <9ell,< said !, <! believe ! understand$ 6ou have something to #ro#ose, and you ,ish to see the s=uire or the doctor, and youFre to be found ,here ! found you$ !s that allI< <5nd ,henI says you,< he added$ <9hy, from about noon observation to about six bells$< <?ood,< said !, <and no, may ! goI< <6ou ,onFt forgetI< he in=uired anxiously$ <Drecious sight, and reasons of his o,n, says you$ /easons of his o,n0 thatFs the mainstay0 as bet,een man and man$ 9ell, then< -- still holding me -- <! rec"on you can go, Jim$ 5nd, Jim, if you ,as to see +ilver, you ,ouldnFt go for to sell en ?unnI 9ild horses ,ouldnFt dra, it from youI 1o, says you$ 5nd if them #irates cam# ashore, Jim, ,hat ,ould you say but thereFd be ,idders in the morningI<

Cere he ,as interru#ted by a loud re#ort, and a cannonball came tearing through the trees and #itched in the sand not a hundred yards from ,here ,e t,o ,ere tal"ing$ The next moment each of us had ta"en to his heels in a different direction$ Aor a good hour to come fre=uent re#orts shoo" the island, and balls "e#t crashing through the ,oods$ ! moved from hiding- #lace to hiding-#lace, al,ays #ursued, or so it seemed to me, by these terrifying missiles$ ut to,ards the end of the bombardment, though still ! durst not venture in the direction of the stoc"ade, ,here the balls fell oftenest, ! had begun, in a manner, to #luc" u# my heart again, and after a long detour to the east, cre#t do,n among the shore-side trees$ The sun had Lust set, the sea breeMe ,as rustling and tumbling in the ,oods and ruffling the grey surface of the -116anchorage0 the tide, too, ,as far out, and great tracts of sand lay uncovered0 the air, after the heat of the day, chilled me through my Lac"et$ The $ispaniola still lay ,here she had anchored0 but, sure enough, there ,as the Jolly /oger -- the blac" flag of #iracy -- flying from her #ea"$ Even as ! loo"ed, there came another red flash and another re#ort that sent the echoes clattering, and one more round-shot ,histled through the air$ !t ,as the last of the cannonade$ ! lay for some time ,atching the bustle ,hich succeeded the attac"$ 8en ,ere demolishing something ,ith axes on the beach near the stoc"ade -- the #oor Lollyboat, ! after,ards discovered$ 5,ay, near the mouth of the river, a great fire ,as glo,ing among the trees, and bet,een that #oint and the shi# one of the gigs "e#t coming and going, the men, ,hom ! had seen so gloomy, shouting at the oars li"e children$ ut there ,as a sound in their voices ,hich suggested rum$ 5t length ! thought ! might return to,ards the stoc"ade$ ! ,as #retty far do,n on the lo,, sandy s#it that encloses the anchorage to the east, and is Loined at half,ater to +"eleton !sland0 and no,, as ! rose to my feet, ! sa,, some distance further do,n the s#it and rising from among lo, bushes, an isolated roc", #retty high, and #eculiarly ,hite in colour$ !t occurred to me that this might be the ,hite roc" of ,hich en ?unn had s#o"en and that some day or other a boat might be ,anted and ! should "no, ,here to loo" for one$ Then ! s"irted among the ,oods until ! had regained the rear, or shore,ard side, of the stoc"ade, and ,as soon ,armly ,elcomed by the faithful #arty$

! had soon told my story and began to loo" about me$ The log-house ,as made of uns=uared trun"s of #ine -- roof, ,alls, and floor$ The latter stood in several #laces as much as a foot or a foot and a half above the surface of the sand$ There ,as a #orch at the door, and under this #orch the little s#ring ,elled u# into an artificial basin of a rather odd "ind -- no other than a great shi#Fs "ettle of iron, ,ith the bottom "noc"ed out, and sun" <to her bearings,< as the ca#tain said, among the sand$ Little had been left besides the frame,or" of the house, but in one corner there ,as a stone slab laid do,n by ,ay of hearth and an old rusty iron bas"et to contain the fire$ The slo#es of the "noll and all the inside of the stoc"ade had been cleared of timber to build the house, and ,e could see by the stum#s ,hat a find and lofty grove had been destroyed$ 8ost of the soil had been ,ashed a,ay or buried in drift after the removal of the trees0 only ,here the streamlet ran do,n from the "ettle a thic" bed of moss and some ferns and little cree#ing bushes ,ere still green among the sand$ Very close around the stoc"ade -- too close for defence, they said -- the ,ood still flourished high and dense, all of fir on the land side, but to,ards the sea ,ith a large admixture of live-oa"s$ The cold evening breeMe, of ,hich ! have s#o"en, ,histled through every chin" of the rude building and s#rin"led the floor ,ith a continual rain of fine sand$ There ,as sand in our eyes, sand in our teeth, sand in our su##ers, sand dancing in the s#ring at the bottom of the "ettle, for all the ,orld li"e #orridge beginning to boil$ Bur chimney ,as a s=uare hole in the roof0 it ,as but a little #art of the smo"e that found its ,ay out, and the rest eddied about the house and "e#t us coughing and #i#ing the eye$ 5dd to this that ?ray, the ne, man, had his face tied u# in a bandage for a cut he had got in brea"ing a,ay from the mutineers and that #oor old Tom /edruth, still unburied, lay along the ,all, stiff and star", under the Union Jac"$ !f ,e had been allo,ed to sit idle, ,e should all have fallen in the blues, but Ca#tain +mollett ,as never the man for that$ 5ll hands ,ere called u# before him, and he divided us into ,atches$ The doctor and ?ray and ! for one0 the s=uire, Cunter, and Joyce u#on the other$ Tired though ,e all ,ere, t,o ,ere sent out for fire,ood0 t,o more ,ere set to dig a grave for /edruth0 the doctor ,as named coo"0 ! ,as #ut sentry at the door0 and the ca#tain himself ,ent from one to another, "ee#ing u# our s#irits and lending a hand ,herever it ,as ,anted$ Arom time to time the doctor came to the door for a little air and to rest his eyes, ,hich ,ere almost smo"ed out of his head, and ,henever he did so, he had a ,ord for me$

<That man +mollett,< he said once, <is a better man than ! am$ 5nd ,hen ! say that it means a deal, Jim$< 5nother time he came and ,as silent for a ,hile$ Then he #ut his head on one side, and loo"ed at me$ <!s this en ?unn a manI< he as"ed$ <! do not "no,, sir,< said !$ <! am not very sure ,hether heFs sane$< <!f thereFs any doubt about the matter, he is,< returned the doctor$ <5 man ,ho has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, canFt ex#ect to a##ear as sane as you or me$ !t doesnFt lie in human nature$ 9as it cheese you said he had a fancy forI< <6es, sir, cheese,< ! ans,ered$ <9ell, Jim,< says he, <Lust see the good that comes of being dainty in your food$ 6ouFve seen my snuff-box, havenFt youI 5nd you never sa, me ta"e snuff, the reason being that in my snuff- box ! carry a #iece of Darmesan cheese -- a cheese made in !taly, very nutritious$ 9ell, thatFs for en ?unn>< efore su##er ,as eaten ,e buried old Tom in the sand and stood round him for a ,hile bare-headed in the breeMe$ 5 good deal of fire,ood had been got in, but not enough for the ca#tainFs fancy, and he shoo" his head over it and told us ,e <must get bac" to this tomorro, rather livelier$< Then, ,hen ,e had eaten our #or" and each had a good stiff glass of brandy grog, the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss our #ros#ects$ !t a##ears they ,ere at their ,itsF end ,hat to do, the stores being so lo, that ,e must have been starved into surrender long before hel# came$ ut our best ho#e, it ,as decided, ,as to "ill off the buccaneers until they either hauled do,n their flag or ran a,ay ,ith the $ispaniola$ Arom nineteen they ,ere already reduced to fifteen, t,o others ,ere ,ounded, and one at least -- the man shot beside the gun -- severely ,ounded, if he ,ere not dead$ Every time ,e had a crac" at them, ,e ,ere to ta"e it, saving our o,n lives, ,ith the extremest care$ 5nd besides that, ,e had t,o able allies -- rum and the climate$ 5s for the first, though ,e ,ere about half a mile a,ay, ,e could hear them roaring and singing late into the night0 and as for the second, the doctor sta"ed his ,ig that, cam#ed ,here they ,ere in the marsh and un#rovided ,ith remedies, the half of them ,ould be on their bac"s before a ,ee"$ <+o,< he added, <if ,e are not all shot do,n first theyFll be glad to be #ac"ing in the schooner$ !tFs al,ays a shi#, and they can get to buccaneering again, ! su##ose$<

<Airst shi# that ever ! lost,< said Ca#tain +mollett$ ! ,as dead tired, as you may fancy0 and ,hen ! got to slee#, ,hich ,as not till after a great deal of tossing, ! sle#t li"e a log of ,ood$ The rest had long been u# and had already brea"fasted and increased the #ile of fire,ood by about half as much again ,hen ! ,as ,a"ened by a bustle and the sound of voices$ <Alag of truce>< ! heard someone say0 and then, immediately after, ,ith a cry of sur#rise, <+ilver himself>< 5nd at that, u# ! Lum#ed, and rubbing my eyes, ran to a loo#hole in the ,all$

Silver:s $'bass3
+U/E enough, there ,ere t,o men Lust outside the stoc"ade, one of them ,aving a ,hite cloth, the other, no less a #erson than +ilver himself, standing #lacidly by$ !t ,as still =uite early, and the coldest morning that ! thin" ! ever ,as abroad in -- a chill that #ierced into the marro,$ The s"y ,as bright and cloudless overhead, and the to#s of the trees shone rosily in the sun$ ut ,here +ilver stood ,ith his lieutenant, all ,as still in shado,, and they ,aded "nee-dee# in a lo, ,hite va#our that had cra,led during the night out of the morass$ The chill and the va#our ta"en together told a #oor tale of the island$ it ,as #lainly a dam#, feverish, unhealthy s#ot$ <(ee# indoors, men,< said the ca#tain$ <Ten to one this is a tric"$< Then he hailed the buccaneer$ <9ho goesI +tand, or ,e fire$< <Alag of truce,< cried +ilver$ The ca#tain ,as in the #orch, "ee#ing himself carefully out of the ,ay of a treacherous shot, should any be intended$ Ce turned and s#o"e to us, <;octorFs ,atch on the loo"out$ ;r$ Livesey ta"e the north side, if you #lease0 Jim, the east0 ?ray, ,est$ The ,atch belo,, all hands to load mus"ets$ Lively, men, and careful$ -121-

5nd then he turned again to the mutineers$ <5nd ,hat do you ,ant ,ith your flag of truceI< he cried$ This time it ,as the other man ,ho re#lied$ <Ca#Fn +ilver, sir, to come on board and ma"e terms,< he shouted$ <Ca#Fn +ilver> ;onFt "no, him$ 9hoFs heI< cried the ca#tain$ 5nd ,e could hear him adding to himself, <Ca#Fn, is itI 8y heart, and hereFs #romotion>< Long John ans,ered for himself$ <8e, sir$ These #oor lads have chosen me ca#Fn, after your desertion, sir< -- laying a #articular em#hasis u#on the ,ord <desertion$< <9eFre ,illing to submit, if ,e can come to terms, and no bones about it$ 5ll ! as" is your ,ord, Ca#Fn +mollett, to let me safe and sound out of this here stoc"ade, and one minute to get out oF shot before a gun is fired$< <8y man,< said Ca#tain +mollett, <! have not the slightest desire to tal" to you$ !f you ,ish to tal" to me, you can come, thatFs all$ !f thereFs any treachery, itFll be on your side, and the Lord hel# you$< <ThatFs enough, ca#Fn,< shouted Long John cheerily$ <5 ,ord from youFs enough$ ! "no, a gentleman, and you may lay to that$< 9e could see the man ,ho carried the flag of truce attem#ting to hold +ilver bac"$ 1or ,as that ,onderful, seeing ho, cavalier had been the ca#tainFs ans,er$ ut +ilver laughed at him aloud and sla##ed him on the bac" as if the idea of alarn had been absurd$ Then he advanced to the stoc"ade, thre, over his crutch, got a leg u#, and ,ith great vigour and s"ill succeeded in surmounting the fence and dro##ing safely to the other side$ ! ,ill confess that ! ,as far too much ta"en u# ,ith ,hat ,as going on to be of the slightest use as sentry0 indeed, ! had already deserted my eastern loo#hole and cre#t u# behind the ca#tain, ,ho had no, seated himself on the threshold, ,ith his elbo,s on his "nees, his head in his hands, and his eyes fixed on the ,ater as it bubbled out of the old iron "ettle in the sand$ Ce ,as ,histling <Come, Lasses and Lads$< +ilver had terrible hard ,or" getting u# the "noll$ 9hat ,ith the stee#ness of the incline, the thic" tree stum#s, and the soft sand, he and his crutch ,ere as hel#less as a shi# in stays$ ut he stuc" to it li"e a man in silence, and at last arrived before the ca#tain, ,hom he saluted in the handsomest style$ Ce ,as tric"ed out in his best0 an immense blue coat, thic" ,ith brass buttons, hung as lo, as to his "nees, and a fine laced hat ,as set on the bac" of his head$

<Cere you are, my man,< said the ca#tain, raising his head$ <6ou had better sit do,n$< <6ou ainFt a-going to let me inside, ca#FnI< com#lained Long John$ <!tFs a main cold morning, to be sure, sir, to sit outside u#on the sand$< <9hy, +ilver,< said the ca#tain, <if you had #leased to be an honest man, you might have been sitting in your galley$ !tFs your o,n doing$ 6ouFre either my shi#Fs coo" -- and then you ,ere treated handsome -- or Ca#Fn +ilver, a common mutineer and #irate, and then you can go hang>< <9ell, ,ell, ca#Fn,< returned the sea-coo", sitting do,n as he ,as bidden on the sand, <youFll have to give me a hand u# again, thatFs all$ 5 s,eet #retty #lace you have of it here$ 5h, thereFs Jim> The to# of the morning to you, Jim$ ;octor, hereFs my service$ 9hy, there you all are together li"e a ha##y family, in a manner of s#ea"ing$< <!f you have anything to say, my man, better say it,< said the ca#tain$ </ight you ,ere, Ca#Fn +mollett,< re#lied +ilver$ <;ooty is dooty, to be sure$ 9ell no,, you loo" here, that ,as a good lay of yours last night$ ! donFt deny it ,as a good lay$ +ome of you #retty handy ,ith a hands#i"e-end$ 5nd !Fll not deny neither but ,hat some of my #eo#le ,as shoo" -- maybe all ,as shoo"0 maybe ! ,as shoo" myself0 maybe thatFs ,hy !Fm here for terms$ ut you mar" me, ca#Fn, it ,onFt do t,ice, by thunder> 9eFll have to do sentry-go and ease off a #oint or so on the rum$ 8aybe you thin" ,e ,ere all a sheet in the ,indFs eye$ ut !Fll tell you ! ,as sober0 ! ,as onFy dog tired0 and if !Fd a,o"e a second sooner, !Fd Fa caught you at the act, ! ,ould$ Ce ,asnFt dead ,hen ! got round to him, not he$< <9ellI< says Ca#tain +mollett as cool as can be$ 5ll that +ilver said ,as a riddle to him, but you ,ould never have guessed it from his tone$ 5s for me, ! began to have an in"ling$ en ?unnFs last ,ords came bac" to my mind$ ! began to su##ose that he had #aid the buccaneers a visit ,hile they all lay drun" together round their fire, and ! rec"oned u# ,ith glee that ,e had only fourteen enemies to deal ,ith$ <9ell, here it is,< said +ilver$ <9e ,ant that treasure, and ,eFll have it -- thatFs our #oint> 6ou ,ould Lust as soon save your lives, ! rec"on0 and thatFs yours$ 6ou have a chart, havenFt youI< <ThatFs as may be,< re#lied the ca#tain$ <Bh, ,ell, you have, ! "no, that,< returned Long John$ <6ou neednFt be so hus"y ,ith a man0 there ainFt a #article of service in that, and you may lay to it$ 9hat ! mean is, ,e ,ant your chart$ 1o,, ! never meant you no harm, myself$<

<That ,onFt do ,ith me, my man,< interru#ted the ca#tain$ <9e "no, exactly ,hat you meant to do, and ,e donFt care, for no,, you see, you canFt do it$< 5nd the ca#tain loo"ed at him calmly and #roceeded to fill a #i#e$ <!f 5be ?ray -- < +ilver bro"e out$ <5vast there>< cried 8r$ +mollett$ <?ray told me nothing, and ! as"ed him nothing0 and ,hatFs more, ! ,ould see you and him and this ,hole island blo,n clean out of the ,ater into blaMes first$ +o thereFs my mind for you, my man, on that$< This little ,hiff of tem#er seemed to cool +ilver do,n$ Ce had been gro,ing nettled before, but no, he #ulled himself together$ <Li"e enough,< said he$ <! ,ould set no limits to ,hat gentlemen might consider shi#sha#e, or might not, as the case ,ere$ 5nd seeinF as ho, you are about to ta"e a #i#e, ca#Fn, !Fll ma"e so free as do li"e,ise$< 5nd he filled a #i#e and lighted it0 and the t,o men sat silently smo"ing for =uite a ,hile, no, loo"ing each other in the face, no, sto##ing their tobacco, no, leaning for,ard to s#it$ !t ,as as good as the #lay to see them$ <1o,,< resumed +ilver, <here it is$ 6ou give us the chart to get the treasure by, and dro# shooting #oor seamen and stoving of their heads in ,hile aslee#$ 6ou do that, and ,eFll offer you a choice$ Either you come aboard along of us, once the treasure shi##ed, and then !Fll give you my affy-davy, u#on my ,ord of honour, to cla# you some,here safe ashore$ Br if that ainFt to your fancy, some of my hands being rough and having old scores on account of haMing, then you can stay here, you can$ 9eFll divide stores ,ith you, man for man0 and !Fll give my affy-davy, as before to s#ea" the first shi# ! sight, and send Fem here to #ic" you u#$ 1o,, youFll o,n thatFs tal"ing$ Candsomer you couldnFt loo" to get, no, you$ 5nd ! ho#e< -raising his voice -- <that all hands in this here bloc" house ,ill overhaul my ,ords, for ,hat is s#o"e to one is s#o"e to all$< Ca#tain +mollett rose from his seat and "noc"ed out the ashes of his #i#e in the #alm of his left hand$ <!s that allI< he as"ed$ <Every last ,ord, by thunder>< ans,ered John$ </efuse that, and youFve seen the last of me but mus"et-balls$< <Very good,< said the ca#tain$ <1o, youFll hear me$ !f youFll come u# one by one, unarmed, !Fll engage to cla# you all in irons and ta"e you home to a fair trial in England$ !f you ,onFt, my name is 5lexander +mollett, !Fve flo,n my

sovereignFs colours, and !Fll see you all to ;avy Jones$ 6ou canFt find the treasure$ 6ou canFt sail the shi# -- thereFs not a man among you fit to sail the shi#$ 6ou canFt fight us -- ?ray, there, got a,ay from five of you$ 6our shi#Fs in irons, 8aster +ilver0 youFre on a lee shore, and so youFll find$ ! stand here and tell you so0 and theyFre the last good ,ords youFll get from me, for in the name of heaven, !Fll #ut a bullet in your bac" ,hen next ! meet you$ Tram#, my lad$ undle out of this, #lease, hand over hand, and double =uic"$< +ilverFs face ,as a #icture0 his eyes started in his head ,ith ,rath$ Ce shoo" the fire out of his #i#e$ <?ive me a hand u#>< he cried$ <1ot !,< returned the ca#tain$ <9hoFll give me a hand u#I< he roared$ 1ot a man among us moved$ ?ro,ling the foulest im#recations, he cra,led along the sand till he got hold of the #orch and could hoist himself again u#on his crutch$ Then he s#at into the s#ring$ <There>< he cried$ <ThatFs ,hat ! thin" of ye$ efore an hourFs out, !Fll stove in your old bloc" house li"e a rum #uncheon$ Laugh, by thunder, laugh> efore an hourFs out, yeFll laugh u#on the other side$ Them that dieFll be the luc"y ones$< 5nd ,ith a dreadful oath he stumbled off, #loughed do,n the sand, ,as hel#ed across the stoc"ade, after four or five failures, by the man ,ith the flag of truce, and disa##eared in an instant after,ards among the trees$

The "tta-!
5+ soon as +ilver disa##eared, the ca#tain, ,ho had been closely ,atching him, turned to,ards the interior of the house and found not a man of us at his #ost but ?ray$ !t ,as the first time ,e had ever seen him angry$ <Guarters>< he roared$ 5nd then, as ,e all slun" bac" to our #laces, <?ray,< he said, <!Fll #ut your name in the log0 youFve stood by your duty li"e a seaman$ 8r$ Trela,ney, -126-

!Fm sur#rised at you, sir$ ;octor, ! thought you had ,orn the "ingFs coat> !f that ,as ho, you served at Aontenoy, sir, youFd have been better in your berth$< The doctorFs ,atch ,ere all bac" at their loo#holes, the rest ,ere busy loading the s#are mus"ets, and everyone ,ith a red face, you may be certain, and a flea in his ear, as the saying is$ The ca#tain loo"ed on for a ,hile in silence$ Then he s#o"e$ <8y lads,< said he, <!Fve given +ilver a broadside$ ! #itched it in red-hot on #ur#ose0 and before the hourFs out, as he said, ,e shall be boarded$ 9eFre outnumbered, ! neednFt tell you that, but ,e fight in shelter0 and a minute ago ! should have said ,e fought ,ith disci#line$ !Fve no manner of doubt that ,e can drub them, if you choose$< Then he ,ent the rounds and sa,, as he said, that all ,as clear$ Bn the t,o short sides of the house, east and ,est, there ,ere only t,o loo#holes0 on the south side ,here the #orch ,as, t,o again0 and on the north side, five$ There ,as a round score of mus"ets for the seven of us0 the fire,ood had been built into four #iles -- tables, you might say -- one about the middle of each side, and on each of these tables some ammunition and four loaded mus"ets ,ere laid ready to the hand of the defenders$ !n the middle, the cutlasses lay ranged$ <Toss out the fire,< said the ca#tain0 <the chill is #ast, and ,e mustnFt have smo"e in our eyes$< The iron fire-bas"et ,as carried bodily out by 8r$ Trela,ney, and the embers smothered among sand$ <Ca,"ins hasnFt had his brea"fast$ Ca,"ins, hel# yourself, and bac" to your #ost to eat it,< continued Ca#tain +mollett$ <Lively, no,, my lad0 youFll ,ant it before youFve done$ Cunter, serve out a round of brandy to all hands$< 5nd ,hile this ,as going on, the ca#tain com#leted, in his o,n mind, the #lan of the defence$ <;octor, you ,ill ta"e the door,< he resumed$ <+ee, and donFt ex#ose yourself0 "ee# ,ithin, and fire through the -12 #orch$ Cunter, ta"e the east side, there$ Joyce, you stand by the ,est, my man$

8r$ Trela,ney, you are the best shot -- you and ?ray ,ill ta"e this long north side, ,ith the five loo#holes0 itFs there the danger is$ !f they can get u# to it and fire in u#on us through our o,n #orts, things ,ould begin to loo" dirty$ Ca,"ins, neither you nor ! are much account at the shooting0 ,eFll stand by to load and bear a hand$< 5s the ca#tain had said, the chill ,as #ast$ 5s soon as the sun had climbed above our girdle of trees, it fell ,ith all its force u#on the clearing and dran" u# the va#ours at a draught$ +oon the sane ,as ba"ing and the resin melting in the logs of the bloc" house$ Jac"ets and coats ,ere flung aside, shirts thro,n o#en at the nec" and rolled u# to the shoulders0 and ,e stood there, each at his #ost, in a fever of heat and anxiety$ 5n hour #assed a,ay$ <Cang them>< said the ca#tain$ <This is as dull as the doldrums$ ?ray, ,histle for a ,ind$< 5nd Lust at that moment came the first ne,s of the attac"$ <!f you #lease, sir,< said Joyce, <if ! see anyone, am ! to fireI< <! told you so>< cried the ca#tain$ <Than" you, sir,< returned Joyce ,ith the same =uiet civility$ 1othing follo,ed for a time, but the remar" had set us all on the alert, straining ears and eyes -- the mus"eteers ,ith their #ieces balanced in their hands, the ca#tain out in the middle of the bloc" house ,ith his mouth very tight and a fro,n on his face$ +o some seconds #assed, till suddenly Joyce ,hi##ed u# his mus"et and fired$ The re#ort had scarcely died a,ay ere it ,as re#eated and re#eated from ,ithout in a scattering volley, shot behind shot, li"e a string of geese, from every side of the enclosure$ +everal bullets struc" the log-house, but not one entered0 and as the smo"e cleared a,ay and vanished, the stoc"ade and the ,oods around it loo"ed as =uiet and em#ty as before$ 1ot a bough -12!,aved, not the gleam of a mus"et-barrel betrayed the #resence of our foes$ <;id you hit your manI< as"ed the ca#tain$

<1o, sir,< re#lied Joyce$ <! believe not, sir$< <1ext best thing to tell the truth,< muttered Ca#tain +mollett$ <Load his gun, Ca,"ins$ Co, many should say there ,ere on your side, doctorI< <! "no, #recisely,< said ;r$ Livesey$ <Three shots ,ere fired on this side$ ! sa, the three flashes -- t,o close together -- one farther to the ,est$< <Three>< re#eated the ca#tain$ <5nd ho, many on yours, 8r$ Trela,neyI< ut this ,as not so easily ans,ered$ There had come many from the north -seven by the s=uireFs com#utation, eight or nine according to ?ray$ Arom the east and ,est only a single shot had been fired$ !t ,as #lain, therefore, that the attac" ,ould be develo#ed from the north and that on the other three sides ,e ,ere only to be annoyed by a sho, of hostilities$ ut Ca#tain +mollett made no change in his arrangements$ !f the mutineers succeeded in crossing the stoc"ade, he argued, they ,ould ta"e #ossession of any un#rotected loo#hole and shoot us do,n li"e rats in our o,n stronghold$ 1or had ,e much time left to us for thought$ +uddenly, ,ith a loud huMMa, a little cloud of #irates lea#ed from the ,oods on the north side and ran straight on the stoc"ade$ 5t the same moment, the fire ,as once more o#ened from the ,oods, and a rifle ball sang through the door,ay and "noc"ed the doctorFs mus"et into bits$ The boarders s,armed over the fence li"e mon"eys$ +=uire and ?ray fired again and yet again0 three men fell, one for,ards into the enclosure, t,o bac" on the outside$ ut of these, one ,as evidently more frightened than hurt, for he ,as on his feet again in a crac" and instantly disa##eared among the trees$ T,o had bit the dust, one had fled, four had made good their footing inside our defences, ,hile from the shelter of the ,oods seven or eight men, each evidently su##lied ,ith several mus"ets, "e#t u# a hot though useless fire on the log-house$ The four ,ho had boarded made straight before them for the building, shouting as they ran, and the men among the trees shouted bac" to encourage them$ +everal shots ,ere fired, but such ,as the hurry of the mar"smen that not one a##ears to have ta"en effect$ !n a moment, the four #irates had s,armed u# the mound and ,ere u#on us$ The head of Job 5nderson, the boats,ain, a##eared at the middle loo#hole$ <5t Fem, all hands -- all hands>< he roared in a voice of thunder$ 5t the same moment, another #irate gras#ed CunterFs mus"et by the muMMle, ,renched it from his hands, #luc"ed it through the loo#hole, and ,ith one

stunning blo,, laid the #oor fello, senseless on the floor$ 8ean,hile a third, running unharmed all around the house, a##eared suddenly in the door,ay and fell ,ith his cutlass on the doctor$ Bur #osition ,as utterly reversed$ 5 moment since ,e ,ere firing, under cover, at an ex#osed enemy0 no, it ,as ,e ,ho lay uncovered and could not return a blo,$ The log-house ,as full of smo"e, to ,hich ,e o,ed our com#arative safety$ Cries and confusion, the flashes and re#orts of #istol-shots, and one loud groan rang in my ears$ <But, lads, out, and fight Fem in the o#en> Cutlasses>< cried the ca#tain$ ! snatched a cutlass from the #ile, and someone, at the same time snatching another, gave me a cut across the "nuc"les ,hich ! hardly felt$ ! dashed out of the door into the clear sunlight$ +omeone ,as close behind, ! "ne, not ,hom$ /ight in front, the doctor ,as #ursuing his assailant do,n the hill, and Lust as my eyes fell u#on him, beat do,n his guard and sent him s#ra,ling on his bac" ,ith a great slash across the face$ </ound the house, lads> /ound the house>< cried the -13#ca#tain0 and even in the hurly-burly, ! #erceived a change in his voice$ 8echanically, ! obeyed, turned east,ards, and ,ith my cutlass raised, ran round the corner of the house$ 1ext moment ! ,as face to face ,ith 5nderson$ Ce roared aloud, and his hanger ,ent u# above his head, flashing in the sunlight$ ! had not time to be afraid, but as the blo, still hung im#ending, lea#ed in a trice u#on one side, and missing my foot in the soft sand, rolled headlong do,n the slo#e$ 9hen ! had first sallied from the door, the other mutineers had been already s,arming u# the #alisade to ma"e an end of us$ Bne man, in a red night-ca#, ,ith his cutlass in his mouth, had even got u#on the to# and thro,n a leg across$ 9ell, so short had been the interval that ,hen ! found my feet again all ,as in the same #osture, the fello, ,ith the red night-ca# still half- ,ay over, another still Lust sho,ing his head above the to# of the stoc"ade$ 5nd yet, in this breath of time, the fight ,as over and the victory ,as ours$ ?ray, follo,ing close behind me, had cut do,n the big boats,ain ere he had time to recover from his last blo,$ 5nother had been shot at a loo#hole in the

very act of firing into the house and no, lay in agony, the #istol still smo"ing in his hand$ 5 third, as ! had seen, the doctor had dis#osed of at a blo,$ Bf the four ,ho had scaled the #alisade, one only remained unaccounted for, and he, having left his cutlass on the field, ,as no, clambering out again ,ith the fear of death u#on him$ <Aire -- fire from the house>< cried the doctor$ <5nd you, lads, bac" into cover$< ut his ,ords ,ere unheeded, no shot ,as fired, and the last boarder made good his esca#e and disa##eared ,ith the rest into the ,ood$ !n three seconds nothing remained of the attac"ing #arty but the five ,ho had fallen, four on the inside and one on the outside of the #alisade$ The doctor and ?ray and ! ran full s#eed for shelter$ The survivors ,ould soon be bac" ,here they had left -131their mus"ets, and at any moment the fire might recommence$ The house ,as by this time some,hat cleared of smo"e, and ,e sa, at a glance the #rice ,e had #aid for victory$ Cunter lay beside his loo#hole, stunned0 Joyce by his, shot through the head, never to move again0 ,hile right in the centre, the s=uire ,as su##orting the ca#tain, one as #ale as the other$ <The ca#tainFs ,ounded,< said 8r$ Trela,ney$ <Cave they runI< as"ed 8r$ +mollett$ <5ll that could, you may be bound,< returned the doctor0 <but thereFs five of them ,ill never run again$< <Aive>< cried the ca#tain$ <Come, thatFs better$ Aive against three leaves us four to nine$ ThatFs better odds than ,e had at starting$ 9e ,ere seven to nineteen then, or thought ,e ,ere, and thatFs as bad to bear$< 1ote) The mutineers ,ere soon only eight in number, for the man shot by 8r$ Trela,ney on board the schooner died that same evening of his ,ound$ ut this ,as, of course, not "no,n till after by the faithful #arty$ -132-

23 Sea "dventure

&o 23 Sea "dventure 0e)an

TCE/E ,as no return of the mutineers -- not so much as another shot out of the ,oods$ They had <got their rations for that day,< as the ca#tain #ut it, and ,e had the #lace to ourselves and a =uiet time to overhaul the ,ounded and get dinner$ +=uire and ! coo"ed outside in s#ite of the danger, and even outside ,e could hardly tell ,hat ,e ,ere at, for horror of the loud groans that reached us from the doctorFs #atients$ But of the eight men ,ho had fallen in the action, only three still breathed -that one of the #irates ,ho had been shot at the loo#hole, Cunter, and Ca#tain +mollettF and of these, the first t,o ,ere as good as dead0 the mutineer indeed died under the doctorFs "nife, and Cunter, do ,hat ,e could, never recovered consciousness in this ,orld$ Ce lingered all day, breathing loudly li"e the old buccaneer at home in his a#o#lectic fit, but the bones of his chest had been crushed by the blo, and his s"ull fractured in falling, and some time in the follo,ing night, ,ithout sign or sound, he ,ent to his 8a"er$ 5s for the ca#tain, his ,ounds ,ere grievous indeed, but not dangerous$ 1o organ ,as fatally inLured$ 5ndersonFs ball -- for it ,as Job that shot him first -had bro"en his shoulder-blade and touched the lung, not badly0 the second had only torn and dis#laced some muscles in the calf$ Ce ,as sure to recover, the doctor said, but in the meantime, and for ,ee"s to come, he must not ,al" nor move his arm, nor so much as s#ea" ,hen he could hel# it$ 8y o,n accidental cut across the "nuc"les ,as a flea-bite$ ;octor Livesey #atched it u# ,ith #laster and #ulled my ears for me into the bargain$ 5fter dinner the s=uire and the doctor sat by the ca#tainFs side a,hile in consultation0 and ,hen they had tal"ed to their heartsF content, it being then a little #ast noon, the doctor too" u# his hat and #istols, girt on a cutlass, #ut the chart in his #oc"et, and ,ith a mus"et over his shoulder crossed the #alisade on the north side and set off bris"ly through the trees$ ?ray and ! ,ere sitting together at the far end of the bloc" house, to be out of earshot of our officers consulting0 and ?ray too" his #i#e out of his mouth and fairly forgot to #ut it bac" again, so thunder-struc" he ,as at this occurrence$ <9hy, in the name of ;avy Jones,< said he, <is ;r$ Livesey madI<

<9hy no,< says !$ <CeFs about the last of this cre, for that, ! ta"e it$< <9ell, shi#mate,< said ?ray, <mad he may not be0 but if he%s not, you mar" my ,ords, I am$< <! ta"e it,< re#lied !, <the doctor has his idea0 and if ! am right, heFs going no, to see en ?unn$< ! ,as right, as a##eared later0 but in the meantime, the house being stifling hot and the little #atch of sand inside the #alisade ablaMe ,ith midday sun, ! began to get another thought into my head, ,hich ,as not by any means so right$ 9hat ! began to do ,as to envy the doctor ,al"ing in the cool shado, of the ,oods ,ith the birds about him and the #leasant smell of the #ines, ,hile ! sat grilling, ,ith my clothes stuc" to the hot resin, and so much blood about me and so many #oor dead bodies lying all around that ! too" a disgust of the #lace that ,as almost as strong as fear$ 5ll the time ! ,as ,ashing out the bloc" house, and then ,ashin u# the things from dinner, this disgust and envy "e#t gro,ing stronger and stronger, till at last, being near a bread- bag, and no one then observing me, ! too" the first ste# to,ards my esca#ade and filled both #oc"ets of my coat ,ith biscuit$ ! ,as a fool, if you li"e, and certainly ! ,as going to do a foolish, over-bold act0 but ! ,as determined to do it ,ith all the #recautions in my #o,er$ These biscuits, should anything befall me, ,ould "ee# me, at least, from starving till far on in the next day$ The next thing ! laid hold of ,as a brace of #istols, and as ! already had a #o,der-horn and bullets, ! felt myself ,ell su##lied ,ith arms$ 5s for the scheme ! had in my head, it ,as not a bad one in itself$ ! ,as to go do,n the sandy s#it that divides the anchorage on the east from the o#en sea, find the ,hite roc" ! had observed last evening, and ascertain ,hether it ,as there or not that en ?unn had hidden his boat, a thing =uite ,orth doing, as ! still believe$ ut as ! ,as certain ! should not be allo,ed to leave the enclosure, my only #lan ,as to ta"e Arench leave and sli# out ,hen nobody ,as ,atching, and that ,as so bad a ,ay of doing it as made the thing itself ,rong$ ut ! ,as only a boy, and ! had made my mind u#$ 9ell, as things at last fell out, ! found an admirable o##ortunity$ The s=uire and ?ray ,ere busy hel#ing the ca#tain ,ith his bandages, the coast ,as clear, ! made a bolt for it over the stoc"ade and into the thic"est of the trees, and before my absence ,as observed ! ,as out of cry of my com#anions$ This ,as my second folly, far ,orse than the first, as

-135! left but t,o sound men to guard the house0 but li"e the first, it ,as a hel# to,ards saving all of us$ ! too" my ,ay straight for the east coast of the island, for ! ,as determined to go do,n the sea side of the s#it to avoid all chance of observation from the anchorage$ !t ,as already late in the afternoon, although still ,arm and sunny$ 5s ! continued to thread the tall ,oods, ! could hear from far before me not only the continuous thunder of the surf, but a certain tossing of foliage and grinding of boughs ,hich sho,ed me the sea breeMe had set in higher than usual$ +oon cool draughts of air began to reach me, and a fe, ste#s farther ! came forth into the o#en borders of the grove, and sa, the sea lying blue and sunny to the horiMon and the surf tumbling and tossing its foam along the beach$ ! have never seen the sea =uiet round Treasure !sland$ The sun might blaMe overhead, the air be ,ithout a breath, the surface smooth and blue, but still these great rollers ,ould be running along all the external coast, thundering and thundering by day and night0 and ! scarce believe there is one s#ot in the island ,here a man ,ould be out of earshot of their noise$ ! ,al"ed along beside the surf ,ith great enLoyment, till, thin"ing ! ,as no, got far enough to the south, ! too" the cover of some thic" bushes and cre#t ,arily u# to the ridge of the s#it$ ehind me ,as the sea, in front the anchorage$ The sea breeMe, as though it had the sooner blo,n itself out by its unusual violence, ,as already at an end0 it had been succeeded by light, variable airs from the south and south-east, carrying great ban"s of fog0 and the anchorage, under lee of +"eleton !sland, lay still and leaden as ,hen first ,e entered it$ The $ispaniola, in that unbro"en mirror, ,as exactly #ortrayed from the truc" to the ,aterline, the Jolly /oger hanging from her #ea"$ 5longside lay one of the gigs, +ilver in the stern-sheets -- him ! could al,ays recogniMe -- ,hile a cou#le of men ,ere leaning over the stern bul,ar"s, one of them ,ith a red ca# -- the very rogue that ! had seen some hours before stride-legs u#on the #alisade$ 5##arently they ,ere tal"ing and laughing, though at that distance -- u#,ards of a mile -- ! could, of course, hear no ,ord of ,hat ,as said$ 5ll at once there began the most horrid, unearthly screaming, ,hich at first startled me badly, though ! had soon remembered the voice of Ca#tain Alint and even thought ! could ma"e out the bird by her bright #lumage as she sat #erched u#on her masterFs ,rist$

+oon after, the Lolly-boat shoved off and #ulled for shore, and the man ,ith the red ca# and his comrade ,ent belo, by the cabin com#anion$ Just about the same time, the sun had gone do,n behind the +#y-glass, and as the fog ,as collecting ra#idly, it began to gro, dar" in earnest$ ! sa, ! must lose no time if ! ,ere to find the boat that evening$ The ,hite roc", visible enough above the brush, ,as still some eighth of a mile further do,n the s#it, and it too" me a goodish ,hile to get u# ,ith it, cra,ling, often on all fours, among the scrub$ 1ight had almost come ,hen ! laid my hand on its rough sides$ /ight belo, it there ,as an exceedingly small hollo, of green turf, hidden by ban"s and a thic" under,ood about "nee-dee#, that gre, there very #lentifully0 and in the centre of the dell, sure enough, a little tent of goats"ins, li"e ,hat the gi#sies carry about ,ith them in England$ ! dro##ed into the hollo,, lifted the side of the tent, and there ,as en ?unnFs boat -- home-made if ever anything ,as home- made0 a rude, lo#-sided frame,or" of tough ,ood, and stretched u#on that a covering of goat-s"in, ,ith the hair inside$ The thing ,as extremely small, even for me, and ! can hardly imagine that it could have floated ,ith a full-siMed man$ There ,as one th,art set as lo, as #ossible, a "ind of stretcher in the bo,s, and a double #addle for #ro#ulsion$ ! had not then seen a coracle, such as the ancient ritons made, but ! have seen one since, and ! can give you no fairer idea of en ?unnFs boat than by saying it ,as li"e the first and the ,orst coracle ever made by man$ ut the great advantage of the coracle it certainly #ossessed, for it ,as exceedingly light and #ortable$ 9ell, no, that ! had found the boat, you ,ould have thought ! had had enough of truantry for once, but in the meantime ! had ta"en another notion and become so obstinately fond of it that ! ,ould have carried it out, ! believe, in the teeth of Ca#tain +mollett himself$ This ,as to sli# out under cover of the night, cut the $ispaniola adrift, and let her go ashore ,here she fancied$ ! had =uite made u# my mind that the mutineers, after their re#ulse of the morning, had nothing nearer their hearts than to u# anchor and a,ay to sea0 this, ! thought, it ,ould be a fine thing to #revent, and no, that ! had seen ho, they left their ,atchmen un#rovided ,ith a boat, ! thought it might be done ,ith little ris"$ ;o,n ! sat to ,ait for dar"ness, and made a hearty meal of biscuit$ !t ,as a night out of ten thousand for my #ur#ose$ The fog had no, buried all heaven$ 5s the last rays of daylight d,indled and disa##eared, absolute blac"ness settled do,n on Treasure !sland$ 5nd ,hen, at last, ! shouldered the coracle and gro#ed my ,ay stumblingly out of the hollo, ,here ! had su##ed, there ,ere but t,o #oints visible on the ,hole anchorage$

Bne ,as the great fire on shore, by ,hich the defeated #irates lay carousing in the s,am#$ The other, a mere blur of light u#on the dar"ness, indicated the #osition of the anchored shi#$ +he had s,ung round to the ebb -- her bo, ,as no, to,ards me -- the only lights on board ,ere in the cabin, and ,hat ! sa, ,as merely a reflection on the fog of the strong rays that flo,ed from the stern ,indo,$ The ebb had already run some time, and ! had to ,ade through a long belt of s,am#y sand, ,here ! san" several times above the an"le, before ! came to the edge of the retreating ,ater, and ,ading a little ,ay in, ,ith some strength and dexterity, set my coracle, "eel do,n,ards, on the surface$

The $bb-tide Runs

TCE coracle -- as ! had am#le reason to "no, before ! ,as done ,ith her -- ,as a very safe boat for a #erson of my height and ,eight, both buoyant and clever in a sea-,ay0 but she ,as the most cross-grained, lo#-sided craft to manage$ ;o as you #leased, she al,ays made more lee,ay than anything else, and turning round and round ,as the manoeuvre she ,as best at$ Even en ?unn himself has admitted that she ,as <=ueer to handle till you "ne, her ,ay$< Certainly ! did not "no, her ,ay$ +he turned in every direction but the one ! ,as bound to go0 the most #art of the time ,e ,ere broadside on, and ! am very sure ! never should have made the shi# at all but for the tide$ y good fortune, #addle as ! #leased, the tide ,as still s,ee#ing me do,n0 and there lay the $ispaniola right in the fair,ay, hardly to be missed$ Airst she loomed before me li"e a blot of something yet blac"er than dar"ness, then her s#ars and hull began to ta"e sha#e, and the next moment, as it seemed Jfor, the farther ! ,ent, the bris"er gre, the current of the ebbK, ! ,as alongside of her ha,ser and had laid hold$ The ha,ser ,as as taut as a bo,string, and the current so strong she #ulled u#on her anchor$ 5ll round the hull, in the blac"ness, the ri##ling current bubbled and chattered li"e a little mountain stream$ Bne cut ,ith my sea-gully and the $ispaniola ,ould go humming do,n the tide$ +o far so good, but it next occurred to my recollection that a taut ha,ser, suddenly cut, is a thing as dangerous as a "ic"ing horse$ Ten to one, if ! ,ere so foolhardy as to cut the $ispaniola from her anchor, ! and the coracle ,ould be "noc"ed clean out of the ,ater$ This brought me to a full sto#, and if fortune had not again #articularly favoured me, ! should have had to abandon my design$ ut the light airs ,hich had begun

blo,ing from the south-east and south had hauled round after nightfall into the south-,est$ Just ,hile ! ,as meditating, a #uff came, caught the $ispaniola, and forced her u# into the current0 and to my great Loy, ! felt the ha,ser slac"en in my gras#, and the hand by ,hich ! held it di# for a second under ,ater$ 9ith that ! made my mind u#, too" out my gully, o#ened it ,ith my teeth, and cut one strand after another, till the vessel s,ung only by t,o$ Then ! lay =uiet, ,aiting to sever these last ,hen the strain should be once more lightened by a breath of ,ind$ 5ll this time ! had heard the sound of loud voices from the cabin, but to say truth, my mind had been so entirely ta"en u# ,ith other thoughts that ! had scarcely given ear$ 1o,, ho,ever, ,hen ! had nothing else to do, ! began to #ay more heed$ Bne ! recogniMed for the coxs,ainFs, !srael Cands, that had been AlintFs gunner in former days$ The other ,as, of course, my friend of the red night-ca#$ oth men ,ere #lainly the ,orse of drin", and they ,ere still drin"ing, for even ,hile ! ,as listening, one of them, ,ith a drun"en cry, o#ened the stern ,indo, and thre, out something, ,hich ! divined to be an em#ty bottle$ ut they ,ere not only ti#sy0 it ,as #lain that they ,ere furiously angry$ Baths fle, li"e hailstones, and every no, and then there came forth such an ex#losion as ! thought ,as sure to end in blo,s$ ut each time the =uarrel #assed off and -14#the voices grumbled lo,er for a ,hile, until the next crisis came and in its turn #assed a,ay ,ithout result$ Bn shore, ! could see the glo, of the great cam#-fire burning ,armly through the shore-side trees$ +omeone ,as singing, a dull, old, droning sailorFs song, ,ith a droo# and a =uaver at the end of every verse, and seemingly no end to it at all but the #atience of the singer$ ! had heard it on the voyage more than once and remembered these ,ords)

< ut one man of her cre, alive, 9hat #ut to sea ,ith seventy-five$< 5nd ! thought it ,as a ditty rather too dolefully a##ro#riate for a com#any that had met such cruel losses in the morning$ ut, indeed, from ,hat ! sa,, all these buccaneers ,ere as callous as the sea they sailed on$

5t last the breeMe came0 the schooner sidled and dre, nearer in the dar"0 ! felt the ha,ser slac"en once more, and ,ith a good, tough effort, cut the last fibres through$ The breeMe had but little action on the coracle, and ! ,as almost instantly s,e#t against the bo,s of the $ispaniola$ 5t the same time, the schooner began to turn u#on her heel, s#inning slo,ly, end for end, across the current$ ! ,rought li"e a fiend, for ! ex#ected every moment to be s,am#ed0 and since ! found ! could not #ush the coracle directly off, ! no, shoved straight astern$ 5t length ! ,as clear of my dangerous neighbour, and Lust as ! gave the last im#ulsion, my hands came across a light cord that ,as trailing overboard across the stern bul,ar"s$ !nstantly ! gras#ed it$ 9hy ! should have done so ! can hardly say$ !t ,as at first mere instinct, but once ! had it in my hands and found it fast, curiosity began to get the u##er hand, and ! determined ! should have one loo" through the cabin ,indo,$ ! #ulled in hand over hand on the cord, and ,hen ! Ludged myself near enough, rose at infinite ris" to about -141half my height and thus commanded the roof and a slice of the interior of the cabin$ y this time the schooner and her little consort ,ere gliding #retty s,iftly through the ,ater0 indeed, ,e had already fetched u# level ,ith the cam#-fire$ The shi# ,as tal"ing, as sailors say, loudly, treading the innumerable ri##les ,ith an incessant ,eltering s#lash0 and until ! got my eye above the ,indo,-sill ! could not com#rehend ,hy the ,atchmen had ta"en no alarm$ Bne glance, ho,ever, ,as sufficient0 and it ,as only one glance that ! durst ta"e from that unsteady s"iff$ !t sho,ed me Cands and his com#anion loc"ed together in deadly ,restle, each ,ith a hand u#on the otherFs throat$

.ne )lan-e sho ed 'e &ands and his -o'(anion lo-!ed to)ether in deadl3 restle.

! dro##ed u#on the th,art again, none too soon, for ! ,as near overboard$ ! could see nothing for the moment but these t,o furious, encrimsoned faces s,aying together under the smo"y lam#, and ! shut my eyes to let them gro, once more familiar ,ith the dar"ness$ The endless ballad had come to an end at last, and the ,hole diminished com#any about the cam#-fire had bro"en into the chorus ! had heard so often)

<Aifteen men on the dead manFs chest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum> ;rin" and the devil had done for the rest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum>< ! ,as Lust thin"ing ho, busy drin" and the devil ,ere at that very moment in the cabin of the $ispaniola, ,hen ! ,as sur#rised by a sudden lurch of the coracle$ 5t the same moment, she ya,ed shar#ly and seemed to change her course$ The s#eed in the meantime had strangely increased$ ! o#ened my eyes at once$ 5ll round me ,ere little ri##les, combing over ,ith a shar#, bristling sound and slightly #hos#horescent$ The $ispaniola herself, a fe, yards in ,hose ,a"e ! ,as still being ,hirled along, seemed to stagger in her

course, and ! sa, her s#ars toss a little against the blac"ness of the night0 nay, as ! loo"ed longer, ! made sure she also ,as ,heeling to the south,ard$ ! glanced over my shoulder, and my heart Lum#ed against my ribs$ There, right behind me, ,as the glo, of the cam#-fire$ The current had turned at right angles, s,ee#ing round along ,ith it the tall schooner and the little dancing coracle0 ever =uic"ening, ever bubbling higher, ever muttering louder, it ,ent s#inning through the narro,s for the o#en sea$ +uddenly the schooner in front of me gave a violent ya,, turning, #erha#s, through t,enty degrees0 and almost at the same moment one shout follo,ed another from on board0 ! could hear feet #ounding on the com#anion ladder and ! "ne, that the t,o drun"ards had at last been interru#ted in their =uarrel and a,a"ened to a sense of their disaster$ ! lay do,n flat in the bottom of that ,retched s"iff and devoutly recommended my s#irit to its 8a"er$ 5t the end of the straits, ! made sure ,e must fall into some bar of raging brea"ers, ,here all my troubles ,ould be ended s#eedily0 and though ! could, #erha#s, bear to die, ! could not bear to loo" u#on my fate as it a##roached$ +o ! must have lain for hours, continually beaten to and fro u#on the billo,s, no, and again ,etted ,ith flying s#rays, and never ceasing to ex#ect death at the next #lunge$ ?radually ,eariness gre, u#on me0 a numbness, an occasional stu#or, fell u#on my mind even in the midst of my terrors, until slee# at last su#ervened and in my sea-tossed coracle ! lay and dreamed of home and the old 5dmiral enbo,$

The Cruise of the Cora-le

!T ,as broad day ,hen ! a,o"e and found myself tossing at the south-,est end of Treasure !sland$ The sun ,as u# but ,as still hid from me behind the great bul" of the +#y-glass, ,hich on this side descended almost to the sea in formidable cliffs$ Caulbo,line Cead and 8iMMen-mast Cill ,ere at my elbo,, the hill bare and dar", the head bound ,ith cliffs forty or fifty feet high and fringed ,ith great masses of fallen roc"$ ! ,as scarce a =uarter of a mile to sea,ard, and it ,as my first thought to #addle in and land$ That notion ,as soon given over$ 5mong the fallen roc"s the brea"ers s#outed and bello,ed0 loud reverberations, heavy s#rays flying and falling, succeeded one another from second to second0 and ! sa, myself, if ! ventured nearer, dashed to

death u#on the rough shore or s#ending my strength in vain to scale the beetling crags$ 1or ,as that all, for cra,ling together on flat tables of roc" or letting themselves dro# into the sea ,ith loud re#orts ! beheld huge slimy monsters -soft snails, as it ,ere, of incredible bigness -- t,o or three score of them together, ma"ing the roc"s to echo ,ith their bar"ings$ ! have understood since that they ,ere sea lions, and entirely harmless$ ut the loo" of them, added to the difficulty of the shore and the high running of the surf, ,as -144more than enough to disgust me of that landing-#lace$ ! felt ,illing rather to starve at sea than to confront such #erils$ !n the meantime ! had a better chance, as ! su##osed, before me$ 1orth of Caulbo,line Cead, the land runs in a long ,ay, leaving at lo, tide a long stretch of yello, sand$ To the north of that, again, there comes another ca#e -- Ca#e of the 9oods, as it ,as mar"ed u#on the chart -- buried in tall green #ines, ,hich descended to the margin of the sea$ ! remembered ,hat +ilver had said about the current that sets north,ard along the ,hole ,est coast of Treasure !sland, and seeing from my #osition that ! ,as already under its influence, ! #referred to leave Caulbo,line Cead behind me and reserve my strength for an attem#t to land u#on the "indlier-loo"ing Ca#e of the 9oods$ There ,as a great, smooth s,ell u#on the sea$ The ,ind blo,ing steady and gentle from the south, there ,as no contrariety bet,een that and the current, and the billo,s rose and fell unbro"en$ Cad it been other,ise, ! must long ago have #erished0 but as it ,as, it is sur#rising ho, easily and securely my little and light boat could ride$ Bften, as ! still lay at the bottom and "e#t no more than an eye above the gun,ale, ! ,ould see a big blue summit heaving close above me0 yet the coracle ,ould but bounce a little, dance as if on s#rings, and subside on the other side into the trough as lightly as a bird$ ! began after a little to gro, very bold and sat u# to try my s"ill at #addling$ ut even a small change in the dis#osition of the ,eight ,ill #roduce violent changes in the behaviour of a coracle$ 5nd ! had hardly moved before the boat, giving u# at once her gentle dancing movement, ran straight do,n a slo#e of ,ater so stee#

that it made me giddy, and struc" her nose, ,ith a s#out of s#ray, dee# into the side of the next ,ave$ ! ,as drenched and terrified, and fell instantly bac" into my old #osition, ,hereu#on the coracle seemed to -145find her head again and led me as softly as before among the billo,s$ !t ,as #lain she ,as not to be interfered ,ith, and at that rate, since ! could in no ,ay influence her course, ,hat ho#e had ! left of reaching landI ! began to be horribly frightened, but ! "e#t my head, for all that$ Airst, moving ,ith all care, ! gradually baled out the coracle ,ith my sea-ca#0 then, getting my eye once more above the gun,ale, ! set myself to study ho, it ,as she managed to sli# so =uietly through the rollers$ ! found each ,ave, instead of the big, smooth glossy mountain it loo"s from shore or from a vesselFs dec", ,as for all the ,orld li"e any range of hills on dry land, full of #ea"s and smooth #laces and valleys$ The coracle, left to herself, turning from side to side, threaded, so to s#ea", her ,ay through these lo,er #arts and avoided the stee# slo#es and higher, to##ling summits of the ,ave$ <9ell, no,,< thought ! to myself, <it is #lain ! must lie ,here ! am and not disturb the balance0 but it is #lain also that ! can #ut the #addle over the side and from time to time, in smooth #laces, give her a shove or t,o to,ards land$< 1o sooner thought u#on than done$ There ! lay on my elbo,s in the most trying attitude, and every no, and again gave a ,ea" stro"e or t,o to turn her head to shore$ !t ,as very tiring and slo, ,or", yet ! did visibly gain ground0 and as ,e dre, near the Ca#e of the 9oods, though ! sa, ! must infallibly miss that #oint, ! had still made some hundred yards of easting$ ! ,as, indeed, close in$ ! could see the cool green tree-to#s s,aying together in the breeMe, and ! felt sure ! should ma"e the next #romontory ,ithout fail$ !t ,as high time, for ! no, began to be tortured ,ith thirst$ The glo, of the sun from above, its thousandfold reflection from the ,aves, the sea-,ater that fell and dried u#on me, ca"ing my very li#s ,ith salt, combined to ma"e my throat burn and my brain ache$ The sight of the trees so near at hand had almost made me sic" ,ith longing, but the current had soon carried me #ast the #oint, and as the next reach of sea o#ened out, ! beheld a sight that changed the nature of my thoughts$

/ight in front of me, not half a mile a,ay, ! beheld the $ispaniola under sail$ ! made sure, of course, that ! should be ta"en0 but ! ,as so distressed for ,ant of ,ater that ! scarce "ne, ,hether to be glad or sorry at the thought, and long before ! had come to a conclusion, sur#rise had ta"en entire #ossession of my mind and ! could do nothing but stare and ,onder$ The $ispaniola ,as under her main-sail and t,o Libs, and the beautiful ,hite canvas shone in the sun li"e sno, or silver$ 9hen ! first sighted her, all her sails ,ere dra,ing0 she ,as lying a course about north-,est, and ! #resumed the men on board ,ere going round the island on their ,ay bac" to the anchorage$ Dresently she began to fetch more and more to the ,est,ard, so that ! thought they had sighted me and ,ere going about in chase$ 5t last, ho,ever, she fell right into the ,indFs eye, ,as ta"en dead abac", and stood there a,hile hel#less, ,ith her sails shivering$ <Clumsy fello,s,< said !0 <they must still be drun" as o,ls$< 5nd ! thought ho, Ca#tain +mollett ,ould have set them s"i##ing$ 8ean,hile the schooner gradually fell off and filled again u#on another tac", sailed s,iftly for a minute or so, and brought u# once more dead in the ,indFs eye$ 5gain and again ,as this re#eated$ To and fro, u# and do,n, north, south, east, and ,est, the $ispaniola sailed by s,oo#s and dashes, and at each re#etition ended as she had begun, ,ith idly fla##ing canvas$ !t became #lain to me that nobody ,as steering$ 5nd if so, ,here ,ere the menI Either they ,ere dead drun" or had deserted her, ! thought, and #erha#s if ! could get on board ! might return the vessel to her ca#tain$ The current ,as bearing coracle and schooner south,ard at an e=ual rate$ 5s for the latterFs sailing, it ,as so ,ild and intermittent, and she hung each time so long in irons, that she certainly gained nothing, if she did not even lose$ !f only ! dared to sit u# and #addle, ! made sure that ! could overhaul her$ The scheme had an air of adventure that ins#ired me, and the thought of the ,ater brea"er beside the fore com#anion doubled my gro,ing courage$ U# ! got, ,as ,elcomed almost instantly by another cloud of s#ray, but this time stuc" to my #ur#ose and set myself, ,ith all my strength and caution, to #addle after the unsteered $ispaniola$ Bnce ! shi##ed a sea so heavy that ! had to sto# and bail, ,ith my heart fluttering li"e a bird, but gradually ! got into the ,ay of the thing and guided my coracle among the ,aves, ,ith only no, and then a blo, u#on her bo,s and a dash of foam in my face$ ! ,as no, gaining ra#idly on the schooner0 ! could see the brass glisten on the tiller as it banged about, and still no soul a##eared u#on her dec"s$ ! could not choose but su##ose she ,as deserted$ !f not, the men ,ere lying drun" belo,, ,here ! might batten them do,n, #erha#s, and do ,hat ! chose ,ith the shi#$

Aor some time she had been doing the ,orse thing #ossible for me -- standing still$ +he headed nearly due south, ya,ing, of course, all the time$ Each time she fell off, her sails #artly filled, and these brought her in a moment right to the ,ind again$ ! have said this ,as the ,orst thing #ossible for me, for hel#less as she loo"ed in this situation, ,ith the canvas crac"ing li"e cannon and the bloc"s trundling and banging on the dec", she still continued to run a,ay from me, not only ,ith the s#eed of the current, but by the ,hole amount of her lee,ay, ,hich ,as naturally great$ ut no,, at last, ! had my chance$ The breeMe fell for some seconds, very lo,, and the current gradually turning her, the $ispaniola revolved slo,ly round her centre and at last #resented me her stern, ,ith the cabin ,indo, still ga#ing o#en and the lam# over the table still burning on into the day$ The main-sail hung droo#ed li"e a banner$ +he ,as stoc"-still but for the current$ Aor the last little ,hile ! had even lost, but no, re-14!doubling my efforts, ! began once more to overhaul the chase$ ! ,as not a hundred yards from her ,hen the ,ind came again in a cla#0 she filled on the #ort tac" and ,as off again, stoo#ing and s"imming li"e a s,allo,$ 8y first im#ulse ,as one of des#air, but my second ,as to,ards Loy$ /ound she came, till she ,as broadside on to me -- round still till she had covered a half and then t,o thirds and then three =uarters of the distance that se#arated us$ ! could see the ,aves boiling ,hite under her forefoot$ !mmensely tall she loo"ed to me from my lo, station in the coracle$ 5nd then, of a sudden, ! began to com#rehend$ ! had scarce time to thin" -scarce time to act and save myself$ ! ,as on the summit of one s,ell ,hen the schooner came stoo#ing over the next$ The bo,s#rit ,as over my head$ ! s#rang to my feet and lea#ed, stam#ing the coracle under ,ater$ 9ith one hand ! caught the Lib-boom, ,hile my foot ,as lodged bet,een the stay and the brace0 and as ! still clung there #anting, a dull blo, told me that the schooner had charged do,n u#on and struc" the coracle and that ! ,as left ,ithout retreat on the $ispaniola$

I Stri!e the <oll3 Ro)er

! C5; scarce gained a #osition on the bo,s#rit ,hen the flying Lib fla##ed and filled u#on the other tac", ,ith a

-14"re#ort li"e a gun$ The schooner trembled to her "eel under the reverse, but next moment, the other sails still dra,ing, the Lib fla##ed bac" again and hung idle$ This had nearly tossed me off into the sea0 and no, ! lost no time, cra,led bac" along the bo,s#rit, and tumbled head foremost on the dec"$ ! ,as on the lee side of the forecastle, and the main-sail, ,hich ,as still dra,ing, concealed from me a certain #ortion of the after-dec"$ 1ot a soul ,as to be seen$ The #lan"s, ,hich had not been s,abbed since the mutiny, bore the #rint of many feet, and an em#ty bottle, bro"en by the nec", tumbled to and fro li"e a live thing in the scu##ers$ +uddenly the $ispaniola came right into the ,ind$ The Libs behind me crac"ed aloud, the rudder slammed to, the ,hole shi# gave a sic"ening heave and shudder, and at the same moment the main-boom s,ung inboard, the sheet groaning in the bloc"s, and sho,ed me the lee after-dec"$ There ,ere the t,o ,atchmen, sure enough) red-ca# on his bac", as stiff as a hands#i"e, ,ith his arms stretched out li"e those of a crucifix and his teeth sho,ing through his o#en li#s0 !srael Cands #ro##ed against the bul,ar"s, his chin on his chest, his hands lying o#en before him on the dec", his face as ,hite, under its tan, as a tallo, candle$ Aor a ,hile the shi# "e#t buc"ing and sidling li"e a vicious horse, the sails filling, no, on one tac", no, on another, and the boom s,inging to and fro till the mast groaned aloud under the strain$ 1o, and again too there ,ould come a cloud of light s#rays over the bul,ar" and a heavy blo, of the shi#Fs bo,s against the s,ell0 so much heavier ,eather ,as made of it by this great rigged shi# than by my home-made, lo#-sided coracle, no, gone to the bottom of the sea$ 5t every Lum# of the schooner, red-ca# sli##ed to and fro, but -- ,hat ,as ghastly to behold -- neither his attitude nor his fixed teeth-disclosing grin ,as any,ay disturbed by this rough usage$ 5t every Lum# too, Cands a##eared still more to sin" into himself and settle do,n u#on the dec", his feet sliding ever the farther out, and the ,hole body canting to,ards the stern, so that his face became, little by little, hid from me0 and at last ! could see nothing beyond his ear and the frayed ringlet of one ,his"er$ 5t the same time, ! observed, around both of them, s#lashes of dar" blood u#on the #lan"s and began to feel sure that they had "illed each other in their drun"en ,rath$

9hile ! ,as thus loo"ing and ,ondering, in a calm moment, ,hen the shi# ,as still, !srael Cands turned #artly round and ,ith a lo, moan ,rithed himself bac" to the #osition in ,hich ! had seen him first$ The moan, ,hich told of #ain and deadly ,ea"ness, and the ,ay in ,hich his La, hung o#en ,ent right to my heart$ ut ,hen ! remembered the tal" ! had overheard from the a##le barrel, all #ity left me$ ! ,al"ed aft until ! reached the main-mast$ <Come aboard, 8r$ Cands,< ! said ironically$ Ce rolled his eyes round heavily, but he ,as too far gone to ex#ress sur#rise$ 5ll he could do ,as to utter one ,ord, < randy$< !t occurred to me there ,as no time to lose, and dodging the boom as it once more lurched across the dec", ! sli##ed aft and do,n the com#anion stairs into the cabin$ !t ,as such a scene of confusion as you can hardly fancy$ 5ll the loc"fast #laces had been bro"en o#en in =uest of the chart$ The floor ,as thic" ,ith mud ,here ruffians had sat do,n to drin" or consult after ,ading in the marshes round their cam#$ The bul"heads, all #ainted in clear ,hite and beaded round ,ith gilt, bore a #attern of dirty hands$ ;oMens of em#ty bottles clin"ed together in corners to the rolling of the shi#$ Bne of the doctorFs medical boo"s lay o#en on the table, half of the leaves gutted out, ! su##ose, for #i#elights$ !n the midst of all this the lam# still cast a smo"y glo,, obscure and bro,n as umber$ ! ,ent into the cellar0 all the barrels ,ere gone, and of the bottles a most sur#rising number had been drun" out -151and thro,n a,ay$ Certainly, since the mutiny began, not a man of them could ever have been sober$ Aoraging about, ! found a bottle ,ith some brandy left, for Cands0 and for myself ! routed out some biscuit, some #ic"led fruits, a great bunch of raisins, and a #iece of cheese$ 9ith these ! came on dec", #ut do,n my o,n stoc" behind the rudder head and ,ell out of the coxs,ainFs reach, ,ent for,ard to the ,aterbrea"er, and had a good dee# drin" of ,ater, and then, and not till then, gave Cands the brandy$ Ce must have drun" a gill before he too" the bottle from his mouth$

<5ye,< said he, <by thunder, but ! ,anted some oF that>< ! had sat do,n already in my o,n corner and begun to eat$ <8uch hurtI< ! as"ed him$ Ce grunted, or rather, ! might say, he bar"ed$ <!f that doctor ,as aboard,< he said, <!Fd be right enough in a cou#le of turns, but ! donFt have no manner of luc", you see, and thatFs ,hatFs the matter ,ith me$ 5s for that s,ab, heFs good and dead, he is,< he added, indicating the man ,ith the red ca#$ <Ce ,arnFt no seaman anyho,$ 5nd ,here mought you have come fromI< <9ell,< said !, <!Fve come aboard to ta"e #ossession of this shi#, 8r$ Cands0 and youFll #lease regard me as your ca#tain until further notice$< Ce loo"ed at me sourly enough but said nothing$ +ome of the colour had come bac" into his chee"s, though he still loo"ed very sic" and still continued to sli# out and settle do,n as the shi# banged about$ < y the by,< ! continued, <! canFt have these colours, 8r$ Cands0 and by your leave, !Fll stri"e Fem$ etter none than these$< 5nd again dodging the boom, ! ran to the colour lines, handed do,n their cursed blac" flag, and chuc"ed it overboard$ <?od save the "ing>< said !, ,aving my ca#$ <5nd thereFs an end to Ca#tain +ilver>< Ce ,atched me "eenly and slyly, his chin all the ,hile on his breast$ <! rec"on,< he said at last, <! rec"on, Ca#Fn Ca,"ins, youFll "ind of ,ant to get ashore no,$ +F#ose ,e tal"s$< <9hy, yes,< says !, <,ith all my heart, 8r$ Cands$ +ay on$< 5nd ! ,ent bac" to my meal ,ith a good a##etite$ <This man,< he began, nodding feebly at the cor#se < -- BF rien ,ere his name, a ran" !relander -- this man and me got the canvas on her, meaning for to sail her bac"$ 9ell, he%s dead no,, he is -- as dead as bilge0 and ,hoFs to sail this shi#, ! donFt see$ 9ithout ! gives you a hint, you ainFt that man, as farFs ! can tell$ 1o,, loo" here, you gives me food and drin" and a old scarf or an"echer to tie my ,ound u#, you do, and !Fll tell you ho, to tail her, and thatFs about s=uare all round, ! ta"e it$<

<!Fll tell you one thing,< says !) <!Fm not going bac" to Ca#tain (iddFs anchorage$ ! mean to get into 1orth !nlet and beach her =uietly there$< <To be sure you did,< he cried$ <9hy, ! ainFt sich an infernal lubber after all$ ! can see, canFt !I !Fve tried my fling, ! have, and !Fve lost, and itFs you has the ,ind of me$ 1orth !nletI 9hy, ! havenFt no chFice, not !> !Fd hel# you sail her u# to Execution ;oc", by thunder> +o ! ,ould$< 9ell, as it seemed to me, there ,as some sense in this$ 9e struc" our bargain on the s#ot$ !n three minutes ! had the $ispaniola sailing easily before the ,ind along the coast of Treasure !sland, ,ith good ho#es of turning the northern #oint ere noon and beating do,n again as far as 1orth !nlet before high ,ater, ,hen ,e might beach her safely and ,ait till the subsiding tide #ermitted us to land$ Then ! lashed the tiller and ,ent belo, to my o,n chest, ,here ! got a soft sil" hand"erchief of my motherFs$ 9ith this, and ,ith my aid, Cands bound u# the great bleeding stab he had received in the thigh, and after he had eaten a little and had a s,allo, or t,o more of the brandy, he began to #ic" u# visibly, sat straighter u#, s#o"e louder and clearer, and loo"ed in every ,ay another man$ The breeMe served us admirably$ 9e s"immed before it li"e a bird, the coast of the island flashing by and the vie, changing every minute$ +oon ,e ,ere #ast the high lands and bo,ling beside lo,, sandy country, s#arsely dotted ,ith d,arf #ines, and soon ,e ,ere beyond that again and had turned the corner of the roc"y hill that ends the island on the north$ ! ,as greatly elated ,ith my ne, command, and #leased ,ith the bright, sunshiny ,eather and these different #ros#ects of the coast$ ! had no, #lenty of ,ater and good things to eat, and my conscience, ,hich had smitten me hard for my desertion, ,as =uieted by the great con=uest ! had made$ ! should, ! thin", have had nothing left me to desire but for the eyes of the coxs,ain as they follo,ed me derisively about the dec" and the odd smile that a##eared continually on his face$ !t ,as a smile that had in it something both of #ain and ,ea"ness -- a haggard old manFs smile0 but there ,as, besides that, a grain of derision, a shado, of treachery, in his ex#ression as he craftily ,atched, and ,atched, and ,atched me at my ,or"$

Israel &ands
TCE ,ind, serving us to a desire, no, hauled into the ,est$ 9e could run so much the easier from the north-154-

east corner of the island to the mouth of the 1orth !nlet$ Bnly, as ,e had no #o,er to anchor and dared not beach her till the tide had flo,ed a good deal farther, time hung on our hands$ The coxs,ain told me ho, to lay the shi# to0 after a good many trials ! succeeded, and ,e both sat in silence over another meal$ <Ca#Fn,< said he at length ,ith that same uncomfortable smile, <hereFs my old shi#mate, BF rien0 sF#ose you ,as to heave him overboard$ ! ainFt #articFlar as a rule, and ! donFt ta"e no blame for settling his hash, but ! donFt rec"on him ornamental no,, do youI< <!Fm not strong enough, and ! donFt li"e the Lob0 and there he lies, for me,< said !$ <This hereFs an unluc"y shi#, this $ispaniola, Jim,< he ,ent on, blin"ing$ <ThereFs a #o,er of men been "illed in this $ispaniola -- a sight oF #oor seamen dead and gone since you and me too" shi# to ristol$ ! never seen sich dirty luc", not !$ There ,as this here BF rien no, -- heFs dead, ainFt heI 9ell no,, !Fm no scholar, and youFre a lad as can read and figure, and to #ut it straight, do you ta"e it as a dead man is dead for good, or do he come alive againI< <6ou can "ill the body, 8r$ Cands, but not the s#irit0 you must "no, that already,< ! re#lied$ <BF rien there is in another ,orld, and may be ,atching us$< <5h>< says he$ <9ell, thatFs unfortFnate -- a##ears as if "illing #arties ,as a ,aste of time$ Co,somever, s#errits donFt rec"on for much, by ,hat !Fve seen$ !Fll chance it ,ith the s#errits, Jim$ 5nd no,, youFve s#o"e u# free, and !Fll ta"e it "ind if youFd ste# do,n into that there cabin and get me a -- ,ell, a -- shiver my timbers> ! canFt hit the name on Ft0 ,ell, you get me a bottle of ,ine, Jim -- this here brandyFs too strong for my head$< 1o,, the coxs,ainFs hesitation seemed to be unnatural, and as for the notion of his #referring ,ine to brandy, ! entirely disbelieved it$ The ,hole story ,as a #retext$ Ce ,anted me to leave the dec" -- so much ,as #lain0 but ,ith ,hat #ur#ose ! could in no ,ay imagine$ Cis eyes never met mine0 they "e#t ,andering to and fro, u# and do,n, no, ,ith a loo" to the s"y, no, ,ith a flitting glance u#on the dead BF rien$ 5ll the time he "e#t smiling and #utting his tongue out in the most guilty, embarrassed manner, so that a child could have told that he ,as bent on some dece#tion$ ! ,as #rom#t ,ith my ans,er, ho,ever, for ! sa, ,here my advantage lay and that ,ith a fello, so densely stu#id ! could easily conceal my sus#icions to the end$ <+ome ,ineI< ! said$ <Aar better$ 9ill you have ,hite or redI< <9ell, ! rec"on itFs about the blessed same to me, shi#mate,< he re#lied0 <so itFs strong, and #lenty of it, ,hatFs the oddsI<

<5ll right,< ! ans,ered$ <!Fll bring you #ort, 8r$ Cands$ ut !Fll have to dig for it$< 9ith that ! scuttled do,n the com#anion ,ith all the noise ! could, sli##ed off my shoes, ran =uietly along the s#arred gallery, mounted the forecastle ladder, and #o##ed my head out of the fore com#anion$ ! "ne, he ,ould not ex#ect to see me there, yet ! too" every #recaution #ossible, and certainly the ,orst of my sus#icions #roved too true$ Ce had risen from his #osition to his hands and "nees, and though his leg obviously hurt him #retty shar#ly ,hen he moved -- for ! could hear him stifle a groan -- yet it ,as at a good, rattling rate that he trailed himself across the dec"$ !n half a minute he had reached the #ort scu##ers and #ic"ed, out of a coil of ro#e, a long "nife, or rather a short dir", discoloured to the hilt ,ith blood$ Ce loo"ed u#on it for a moment, thrusting forth his under La,, tried the #oint u#on his hand, and then, hastily concealing it in the bosom of his Lac"et, trundled bac" again into his old #lace against the bul,ar"$ This ,as all that ! re=uired to "no,$ !srael could move about, he ,as no, armed, and if he had been at so much trouble to get rid of me, it ,as #lain that ! ,as meant to be the victim$ 9hat he ,ould do after,ards -- ,hether he ,ould try to cra,l right across the island from 1orth !nlet to the cam# among the s,am#s or ,hether he ,ould fire Long Tom, trusting that his o,n comrades might come first to hel# him -- ,as, of course, more than ! could say$ 6et ! felt sure that ! could trust him in one #oint, since in that our interests Lum#ed together, and that ,as in the dis#osition of the schooner$ 9e both desired to have her stranded safe enough, in a sheltered #lace, and so that, ,hen the time came, she could be got off again ,ith as little labour and danger as might be0 and until that ,as done ! considered that my life ,ould certainly be s#ared$ 9hile ! ,as thus turning the business over in my mind, ! had not been idle ,ith my body$ ! had stolen bac" to the cabin, sli##ed once more into my shoes, and laid my hand at random on a bottle of ,ine, and no,, ,ith this for an excuse, ! made my rea##earance on the dec"$ Cands lay as ! had left him, all fallen together in a bundle and ,ith his eyelids lo,ered as though he ,ere too ,ea" to bear the light$ Ce loo"ed u#, ho,ever, at my coming, "noc"ed the nec" off the bottle li"e a man ,ho had done the same thing often, and too" a good s,ig, ,ith his favourite toast of <CereFs luc">< Then he lay =uiet for a little, and then, #ulling out a stic" of tobacco, begged me to cut him a =uid$ <Cut me a Lun" oF that,< says he, <for ! havenFt no "nife and hardly strength enough, so be as ! had$ 5h, Jim, Jim, ! rec"on !Fve missed stays> Cut me a =uid, asFll li"ely be the last, lad, for !Fm for my long home, and no mista"e$<

<9ell,< said !, <!Fll cut you some tobacco, but if ! ,as you and thought myself so badly, ! ,ould go to my #rayers li"e a Christian man$< <9hyI< said he$ <1o,, you tell me ,hy$< <9hyI< ! cried$ <6ou ,ere as"ing me Lust no, about the dead$ 6ouFve bro"en your trust0 youFve lived in sin and lies and blood0 thereFs a man you "illed lying at your feet this moment, and you as" me ,hy> Aor ?odFs mercy, 8r$ Cands, thatFs ,hy$< ! s#o"e ,ith a little heat, thin"ing of the bloody dir" he had hidden in his #oc"et and designed, in his ill -15 thoughts, to end me ,ith$ Ce, for his #art, too" a great draught of the ,ine and s#o"e ,ith the most unusual solemnity$ <Aor thirty years,< he said, <!Fve sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and ,orse, fair ,eather and foul, #rovisions running out, "nives going, and ,hat not$ 9ell, no, ! tell you, ! never seen good come oF goodness yet$ Cim as stri"es first is my fancy0 dead men donFt bite0 themFs my vie,s -- amen, so be it$ 5nd no,, you loo" here,< he added, suddenly changing his tone, <,eFve had about enough of this foolery$ The tideFs made good enough by no,$ 6ou Lust ta"e my orders, Ca#Fn Ca,"ins, and ,eFll sail sla# in and be done ,ith it$< 5ll told, ,e had scarce t,o miles to run0 but the navigation ,as delicate, the entrance to this northern anchorage ,as not only narro, and shoal, but lay east and ,est, so that the schooner must be nicely handled to be got in$ ! thin" ! ,as a good, #rom#t subaltern, and ! am very sure that Cands ,as an excellent #ilot, for ,e ,ent about and about and dodged in, shaving the ban"s, ,ith a certainty and a neatness that ,ere a #leasure to behold$ +carcely had ,e #assed the heads before the land closed around us$ The shores of 1orth !nlet ,ere as thic"ly ,ooded as those of the southern anchorage, but the s#ace ,as longer and narro,er and more li"e, ,hat in truth it ,as, the estuary of a river$ /ight before us, at the southern end, ,e sa, the ,rec" of a shi# in the last stages of dila#idation$ !t had been a great vessel of three masts but had lain so long ex#osed to the inLuries of the ,eather that it ,as hung about ,ith great ,ebs of dri##ing sea,eed, and on the dec" of it shore bushes had ta"en root and no, flourished thic" ,ith flo,ers$ !t ,as a sad sight, but it sho,ed us that the anchorage ,as calm$

<1o,,< said Cands, <loo" there0 thereFs a #et bit for to beach a shi# in$ Aine flat sand, never a catFs #a,, trees all around of it, and flo,ers a-blo,ing li"e a garding on that old shi#$< <5nd once beached,< ! in=uired, <ho, shall ,e get her off againI< -15!<9hy, so,< he re#lied) <you ta"e a line ashore there on the other side at lo, ,ater, ta"e a turn about one of them big #ines0 bring it bac", ta"e a turn around the ca#stan, and lie to for the tide$ Come high ,ater, all hands ta"e a #ull u#on the line, and off she comes as s,eet as naturF$ 5nd no,, boy, you stand by$ 9eFre near the bit no,, and sheFs too much ,ay on her$ +tarboard a little -- so -- steady -- starboard -- larboard a little -- steady -- steady>< +o he issued his commands, ,hich ! breathlessly obeyed, till, all of a sudden, he cried, <1o,, my hearty, luff>< 5nd ! #ut the helm hard u#, and the $ispaniola s,ung round ra#idly and ran stem on for the lo,, ,ooded shore$ The excitement of these last manoeuvres had some,hat interfered ,ith the ,atch ! had "e#t hitherto, shar#ly enough, u#on the coxs,ain$ Even then ! ,as still so much interested, ,aiting for the shi# to touch, that ! had =uite forgot the #eril that hung over my head and stood craning over the starboard bul,ar"s and ,atching the ri##les s#reading ,ide before the bo,s$ ! might have fallen ,ithout a struggle for my life had not a sudden dis=uietude seiMed u#on me and made me turn my head$ Derha#s ! had heard a crea" or seen his shado, moving ,ith the tail of my eye0 #erha#s it ,as an instinct li"e a catFs0 but, sure enough, ,hen ! loo"ed round, there ,as Cands, already half- ,ay to,ards me, ,ith the dir" in his right hand$ 9e must both have cried out aloud ,hen our eyes met, but ,hile mine ,as the shrill cry of terror, his ,as a roar of fury li"e a charging bullyFs$ 5t the same instant, he thre, himself for,ard and ! lea#t side,ays to,ards the bo,s$ 5s ! did so, ! let go of the tiller, ,hich s#rang shar# to lee,ard, and ! thin" this saved my life, for it struc" Cands across the chest and sto##ed him, for the moment, dead$ efore he could recover, ! ,as safe out of the corner ,here he had me tra##ed, ,ith all the dec" to dodge about$ Just for,ard of the main-mast ! sto##ed, dre, a #istol from my #oc"et, too" a cool aim, though he had already turned and ,as once more coming directly after me, and dre, the trigger$ The hammer fell, but there follo,ed neither flash nor sound0 the #riming ,as useless ,ith sea-,ater$ ! cursed myself for my neglect$ 9hy had not !, long before, re#rimed and reloaded my only ,ea#onsI Then ! should not have been as no,, a mere fleeing shee# before this butcher$

9ounded as he ,as, it ,as ,onderful ho, fast he could move, his griMMled hair tumbling over his face, and his face itself as red as a red ensign ,ith his haste and fury$ ! had no time to try my other #istol, nor indeed much inclination, for ! ,as sure it ,ould be useless$ Bne thing ! sa, #lainly) ! must not sim#ly retreat before him, or he ,ould s#eedily hold me boxed into the bo,s, as a moment since he had so nearly boxed me in the stern$ Bnce so caught, and nine or ten inches of the blood-stained dir" ,ould be my last ex#erience on this side of eternity$ ! #laced my #alms against the main-mast, ,hich ,as of a goodish bigness, and ,aited, every nerve u#on the stretch$ +eeing that ! meant to dodge, he also #aused0 and a moment or t,o #assed in feints on his #art and corres#onding movements u#on mine$ !t ,as such a game as ! had often #layed at home about the roc"s of lac" Cill Cove, but never before, you may be sure, ,ith such a ,ildly beating heart as no,$ +till, as ! say, it ,as a boyFs game, and ! thought ! could hold my o,n at it against an elderly seaman ,ith a ,ounded thigh$ !ndeed my courage had begun to rise so high that ! allo,ed myself a fe, darting thoughts on ,hat ,ould be the end of the affair, and ,hile ! sa, certainly that ! could s#in it out for long, ! sa, no ho#e of any ultimate esca#e$ 9ell, ,hile things stood thus, suddenly the $ispaniola struc", staggered, ground for an instant in the sand, and then, s,ift as a blo,, canted over to the #ort side till the dec" stood at an angle of forty-five degrees and about a #uncheon of ,ater s#lashed into the scu##er holes and lay, in a #ool, bet,een the dec" and bul,ar"$ -16#9e ,ere both of us ca#siMed in a second, and both of us rolled, almost together, into the scu##ers, the dead red-ca#, ,ith his arms still s#read out, tumbling stiffly after us$ +o near ,ere ,e, indeed, that my head came against the coxs,ainFs foot ,ith a crac" that made my teeth rattle$ lo, and all, ! ,as the first afoot again, for Cands had got involved ,ith the dead body$ The sudden canting of the shi# had made the dec" no #lace for running on0 ! had to find some ne, ,ay of esca#e, and that u#on the instant, for my foe ,as almost touching me$ Guic" as thought, ! s#rang into the miMMen shrouds, rattled u# hand over hand, and did not dra, a breath till ! ,as seated on the cross- trees$

>ui-! as thou)ht, I s(ran) into the 'i??en shrouds

! had been saved by being #rom#t0 the dir" had struc" not half a foot belo, me as ! #ursued my u#,ard flight0 and there stood !srael Cands ,ith his mouth o#en and his face u#turned to mine, a #erfect statue of sur#rise and disa##ointment$ 1o, that ! had a moment to myself, ! lost no time in changing the #riming of my #istol, and then, having one ready for service, and to ma"e assurance doubly sure, ! #roceeded to dra, the load of the other and recharge it afresh from the beginning$ 8y ne, em#loyment struc" Cands all of a hea#0 he began to see the dice going against him, and after an obvious hesitation, he also hauled himself heavily into the shrouds, and ,ith the dir" in his teeth, began slo,ly and #ainfully to mount$ !t cost him no end of time and groans to haul his ,ounded leg behind him, and ! had =uietly finished my arrangements before he ,as much more than a third of the ,ay u#$ Then, ,ith a #istol in either hand, ! addressed him$ <Bne more ste#, 8r$ Cands,< said !, <and !Fll blo, your brains out> ;ead men donFt bite, you "no,,< ! added ,ith a chuc"le$ Ce sto##ed instantly$ ! could see by the ,or"ing of his face that he ,as trying to thin", and the #rocess ,as so slo, and laborious that, in my ne,-found security, ! laughed aloud$ 5t last, ,ith a s,allo, or t,o, he s#o"e, his face still ,earing the same ex#ression of extreme #er#lexity$ !n order to s#ea" he had to ta"e the dagger from his mouth, but in all else he remained unmoved$

<Jim,< says he, <! rec"on ,eFre fouled, you and me, and ,eFll have to sign articles$ !Fd have had you but for that there lurch, but ! donFt have no luc", not !0 and ! rec"on !Fll have to stri"e, ,hich comes hard, you see, for a master mariner to a shi#Fs youn"er li"e you, Jim$< ! ,as drin"ing in his ,ords and smiling a,ay, as conceited as a coc" u#on a ,all, ,hen, all in a breath, bac" ,ent his right hand over his shoulder$ +omething sang li"e an arro, through the air0 ! felt a blo, and then a shar# #ang, and there ! ,as #inned by the shoulder to the mast$ !n the horrid #ain and sur#rise of the moment -- ! scarce can say it ,as by my o,n volition, and ! am sure it ,as ,ithout a conscious aim -- both my #istols ,ent off, and both esca#ed out of my hands$ They did not fall alone0 ,ith a cho"ed cry, the coxs,ain loosed his gras# u#on the shrouds and #lunged head first into the ,ater$

*ie-es of $i)ht
B9!1? to the cant of the vessel, the masts hung far out over the ,ater, and from my #erch on the cross-trees ! had nothing belo, me but the surface of the bay$ Cands, ,ho ,as not so far u#, ,as in conse=uence nearer to the shi# and fell bet,een me and the bul,ar"s$ Ce rose once to the surface in a lather of foam and blood and then san" again for good$ 5s the ,ater settled, ! could see him lying huddled together on the clean, bright sand in the shado, of the vesselFs sides$ 5 fish or t,o ,hi##ed #ast his body$ +ometimes, by the =uivering of the ,ater, he a##eared to move a little, as if he ,ere trying to rise$ ut he ,as dead enough, for all that, being both shot and dro,ned, and ,as food for fish in the very #lace ,here he had designed my slaughter$ ! ,as no sooner certain of this than ! began to feel sic", faint, and terrified$ The hot blood ,as running over my bac" and chest$ The dir", ,here it had #inned my shoulder to the mast, seemed to burn li"e a hot iron0 yet it ,as not so much these real sufferings that distressed me, for these, it seemed to me, ! could bear ,ithout a murmur0 it ,as the horror ! had u#on my mind of falling from the cross-trees into that still green ,ater, beside the body of the coxs,ain$ ! clung ,ith both hands till my nails ached, and ! shut my eyes as if to cover u# the #eril$ ?radually my mind came bac" again, my #ulses =uieted do,n to a more natural time, and ! ,as once more in #ossession of myself$ !t ,as my first thought to #luc" forth the dir", but either it stuc" too hard or my nerve failed me, and ! desisted ,ith a violent shudder$ Bddly enough, that very shudder did the business$ The "nife, in fact, had come the nearest in the ,orld to missing me altogether0 it held me by a mere #inch of s"in, and this the shudder tore a,ay$ The blood ran do,n the faster, to be sure, but ! ,as my o,n master again and only tac"ed to the mast by my coat and shirt$

These last ! bro"e through ,ith a sudden Ler", and then regained the dec" by the starboard shrouds$ Aor nothing in the ,orld ,ould ! have again ventured, sha"en as ! ,as, u#on the overhanging #ort shrouds from ,hich !srael had so lately fallen$ ! ,ent belo, and did ,hat ! could for my ,ound0 it #ained me a good deal and still bled freely, but it ,as -163neither dee# nor dangerous, nor did it greatly gall me ,hen ! used my arm$ Then ! loo"ed around me, and as the shi# ,as no,, in a sense, my o,n, ! began to thin" of clearing it from its last #assenger -- the dead man, BF rien$ Ce had #itched, as ! have said, against the bul,ar"s, ,here he lay li"e some horrible, ungainly sort of #u##et, life-siMe, indeed, but ho, different from lifeFs colour or lifeFs comeliness> !n that #osition ! could easily have my ,ay ,ith him, and as the habit of tragical adventures had ,orn off almost all my terror for the dead, ! too" him by the ,aist as if he had been a sac" of bran and ,ith one good heave, tumbled him overboard$ Ce ,ent in ,ith a sounding #lunge0 the red ca# came off and remained floating on the surface0 and as soon as the s#lash subsided, ! could see him and !srael lying side by side, both ,avering ,ith the tremulous movement of the ,ater$ BF rien, though still =uite a young man, ,as very bald$ There he lay, ,ith that bald head across the "nees of the man ,ho had "illed him and the =uic" fishes steering to and fro over both$ ! ,as no, alone u#on the shi#0 the tide had Lust turned$ The sun ,as ,ithin so fe, degrees of setting that already the shado, of the #ines u#on the ,estern shore began to reach right across the anchorage and fall in #atterns on the dec"$ The evening breeMe had s#rung u#, and though it ,as ,ell ,arded off by the hill ,ith the t,o #ea"s u#on the east, the cordage had begun to sing a little softly to itself and the idle sails to rattle to and fro$ ! began to see a danger to the shi#$ The Libs ! s#eedily doused and brought tumbling to the dec", but the main-sail ,as a harder matter$ Bf course, ,hen the schooner canted over, the boom had s,ung out-board, and the ca# of it and a foot or t,o of sail hung even under ,ater$ ! thought this made it still more dangerous0 yet the strain ,as so heavy that ! half feared to meddle$ 5t last ! got my "nife and cut the halyards$ The #ea" dro##ed instantly, a great belly of loose canvas floated broad u#on the ,ater, and since, #ull as ! li"ed, ! could not budge the -164-

do,nhall, that ,as the extent of ,hat ! could accom#lish$ Aor the rest, the $ispaniola must trust to luc", li"e myself$ y this time the ,hole anchorage had fallen into shado, -- the last rays, ! remember, falling through a glade of the ,ood and shining bright as Le,els on the flo,ery mantle of the ,rec"$ !t began to be chill0 the tide ,as ra#idly fleeting sea,ard, the schooner settling more and more on her beam-ends$ ! scrambled for,ard and loo"ed over$ !t seemed shallo, enough, and holding the cut ha,ser in both hands for a last security, ! let myself dro# softly overboard$ The ,ater scarcely reached my ,aist0 the sand ,as firm and covered ,ith ri##le mar"s, and ! ,aded ashore in great s#irits, leaving the $ispaniola on her side, ,ith her main-sail trailing ,ide u#on the surface of the bay$ 5bout the same time, the sun ,ent fairly do,n and the breeMe ,histled lo, in the dus" among the tossing #ines$ 5t least, and at last, ! ,as off the sea, nor had ! returned thence em#ty-handed$ There lay the schooner, clear at last from buccaneers and ready for our o,n men to board and get to sea again$ ! had nothing nearer my fancy than to get home to the stoc"ade and boast of my achievements$ Dossibly ! might be blamed a bit for my truantry, but the reca#ture of the $ispaniola ,as a clenching ans,er, and ! ho#ed that even Ca#tain +mollett ,ould confess ! had not lost my time$ +o thin"ing, and in famous s#irits, ! began to set my face home,ard for the bloc" house and my com#anions$ ! remembered that the most easterly of the rivers ,hich drain into Ca#tain (iddFs anchorage ran from the t,o-#ea"ed hill u#on my left, and ! bent my course in that direction that ! might #ass the stream ,hile it ,as small$ The ,ood ,as #retty o#en, and "ee#ing along the lo,er s#urs, ! had soon turned the corner of that hill, and not long after ,aded to the mid-calf across the ,atercourse$ This brought me near to ,here ! had encountered en ?unn, the maroon0 and ! ,al"ed more circums#ectly, "ee#ing an eye on every side$ The dus" had come nigh hand com#letely, and as ! o#ened out the cleft bet,een the t,o #ea"s, ! became a,are of a ,avering glo, against the s"y, ,here, as ! Ludged, the man of the island ,as coo"ing his su##er before a roaring fire$ 5nd yet ! ,ondered, in my heart, that he should sho, himself so careless$ Aor if ! could see this radiance, might it not reach the eyes of +ilver himself ,here he cam#ed u#on the shore among the marshesI ?radually the night fell blac"er0 it ,as all ! could do to guide myself even roughly to,ards my destination0 the double hill behind me and the +#y-glass on my right hand loomed faint and fainter0 the stars ,ere fe, and #ale0 and in the

lo, ground ,here ! ,andered ! "e#t tri##ing among bushes and rolling into sandy #its$ +uddenly a "ind of brightness fell about me$ ! loo"ed u#0 a #ale glimmer of moonbeams had alighted on the summit of the +#y- glass, and soon after ! sa, something broad and silvery moving lo, do,n behind the trees, and "ne, the moon had risen$ 9ith this to hel# me, ! #assed ra#idly over ,hat remained to me of my Lourney, and sometimes ,al"ing, sometimes running, im#atiently dre, near to the stoc"ade$ 6et, as ! began to thread the grove that lies before it, ! ,as not so thoughtless but that ! slac"ed my #ace and ,ent a trifle ,arily$ !t ,ould have been a #oor end of my adventures to get shot do,n by my o,n #arty in mista"e$ The moon ,as climbing higher and higher, its light began to fall here and there in masses through the more o#en districts of the ,ood, and right in front of me a glo, of a different colour a##eared among the trees$ !t ,as red and hot, and no, and again it ,as a little dar"ened -- as it ,ere, the embers of a bonfire smouldering$ Aor the life of me ! could not thin" ,hat it might be$ 5t last ! came right do,n u#on the borders of the clearing$ The ,estern end ,as already stee#ed in moon-shine0 the rest, and the bloc" house itself, still lay in a blac" shado, che=uered ,ith long silvery strea"s of light$ Bn the other side of the house an immense fire had burned itself into clear embers and shed a steady, red reverberation, contrasted strongly ,ith the mello, #aleness of the moon$ There ,as not a soul stirring nor a sound beside the noises of the breeMe$ ! sto##ed, ,ith much ,onder in my heart, and #erha#s a little terror also$ !t had not been our ,ay to build great fires0 ,e ,ere, indeed, by the ca#tainFs orders, some,hat niggardly of fire,ood, and ! began to fear that something had gone ,rong ,hile ! ,as absent$ ! stole round by the eastern end, "ee#ing close in shado,, and at a convenient #lace, ,here the dar"ness ,as thic"est, crossed the #alisade$ To ma"e assurance surer, ! got u#on my hands and "nees and cra,led, ,ithout a sound, to,ards the corner of the house$ 5s ! dre, nearer, my heart ,as suddenly and greatly lightened$ !t is not a #leasant noise in itself, and ! have often com#lained of it at other times, but Lust then it ,as li"e music to hear my friends snoring together so loud and #eaceful in their slee#$ The sea-cry of the ,atch, that beautiful <5llFs ,ell,< never fell more reassuringly on my ear$ !n the meantime, there ,as no doubt of one thing0 they "e#t an infamous bad ,atch$ !f it had been +ilver and his lads that ,ere no, cree#ing in on them, not a

soul ,ould have seen daybrea"$ That ,as ,hat it ,as, thought !, to have the ca#tain ,ounded0 and again ! blamed myself shar#ly for leaving them in that danger ,ith so fe, to mount guard$ y this time ! had got to the door and stood u#$ 5ll ,as dar" ,ithin, so that ! could distinguish nothing by the eye$ 5s for sounds, there ,as the steady drone of the snorers and a small occasional noise, a flic"ering or #ec"ing that ! could in no ,ay account for$ 9ith my arms before me ! ,al"ed steadily in$ ! should lie do,n in my o,n #lace J! thought ,ith a silent chuc"leK and enLoy their faces ,hen they found me in the morning$ -16 8y foot struc" something yielding -- it ,as a slee#erFs leg0 and he turned and groaned, but ,ithout a,a"ing$ 5nd then, all of a sudden, a shrill voice bro"e forth out of the dar"ness) <Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight> and so forth, ,ithout #ause or change, li"e the clac"ing of a tiny mill$ +ilverFs green #arrot, Ca#tain Alint> !t ,as she ,hom ! had heard #ec"ing at a #iece of bar"0 it ,as she, "ee#ing better ,atch than any human being, ,ho thus announced my arrival ,ith her ,earisome refrain$ ! had no time left me to recover$ 5t the shar#, cli##ing tone of the #arrot, the slee#ers a,o"e and s#rang u#0 and ,ith a mighty oath, the voice of +ilver cried, <9ho goesI< ! turned to run, struc" violently against one #erson, recoiled, and ran full into the arms of a second, ,ho for his #art closed u#on and held me tight$ < ring a torch, ;ic",< said +ilver ,hen my ca#ture ,as thus assured$ 5nd one of the men left the log-house and #resently returned ,ith a lighted brand$

-16!-

Ca(tain Silver

In the $ne'3:s Ca'(

TCE red glare of the torch, lighting u# the interior of the bloc" house, sho,ed me the ,orst of my a##rehensions realiMed$ The #irates ,ere in #ossession of the house and stores) there ,as the cas" of cognac, there ,ere the #or" and bread, as before, and ,hat tenfold increased my horror, not a sign of any #risoner$ ! could only Ludge that all had #erished, and my heart smote me sorely that ! had not been there to #erish ,ith them$ There ,ere six of the buccaneers, all told0 not another man ,as left alive$ Aive of them ,ere on their feet, flushed and s,ollen, suddenly called out of the first slee# of drun"enness$ The sixth had only risen u#on his elbo,0 he ,as deadly #ale, and the blood-stained bandage round his head told that he had recently been ,ounded, and still more recently dressed$ ! remembered the man ,ho had been shot and had run bac" among the ,oods in the great attac", and doubted not that this ,as he$ -16"The #arrot sat, #reening her #lumage, on Long JohnFs shoulder$ Ce himself, ! thought, loo"ed some,hat #aler and more stern than ! ,as used to$ Ce still ,ore the fine broadcloth suit in ,hich he had fulfilled his mission, but it ,as bitterly the ,orse for ,ear, daubed ,ith clay and torn ,ith the shar# briers of the ,ood$ <+o,< said he, <hereFs Jim Ca,"ins, shiver my timbers> ;ro##ed in, li"e, ehI 9ell, come, ! ta"e that friendly$< 5nd thereu#on he sat do,n across the brandy cas" and began to fill a #i#e$ <?ive me a loan of the lin", ;ic",< said he0 and then, ,hen he had a good light, <ThatFll do, lad,< he added0 <stic" the glim in the ,ood hea#0 and you, gentlemen, bring yourselves to> 6ou neednFt stand u# for 8r$ Ca,"ins0 he%ll excuse you, you may lay to that$ 5nd so, Jim< -- sto##ing the tobacco -- <here you ,ere, and =uite a #leasant sur#rise for #oor old John$ ! see you ,ere smart ,hen first ! set my eyes on you, but this here gets a,ay from me clean, it do$<

To all this, as may be ,ell su##osed, ! made no ans,er$ They had set me ,ith my bac" against the ,all, and ! stood there, loo"ing +ilver in the face, #luc"ily enough, ! ho#e, to all out,ard a##earance, but ,ith blac" des#air in my heart$ +ilver too" a ,hiff or t,o of his #i#e ,ith great com#osure and then ran on again$ <1o,, you see, Jim, so be as you are here,< says he, <!Fll give you a #iece of my mind$ !Fve al,ays li"ed you, ! have, for a lad of s#irit, and the #icter of my o,n self ,hen ! ,as young and handsome$ ! al,ays ,anted you to Line and ta"e your share, and die a gentleman, and no,, my coc", youFve got to$ Ca#Fn +mollettFs a fine seaman, as !Fll o,n u# to any day, but stiff on disci#line$ F;ooty is dooty,F says he, and right he is$ Just you "ee# clear of the ca#Fn$ The doctor himself is gone dead again you -- Fungrateful scam#F ,as ,hat he said0 and the short and the long of the ,hole story is about here) you canFt go bac" to your o,n lot, for they ,onFt have you0 and -1 #,ithout you start a third shi#Fs com#any all by yourself, ,hich might be lonely, youFll have to Line ,ith Ca#Fn +ilver$< +o far so good$ 8y friends, then, ,ere still alive, and though ! #artly believed the truth of +ilverFs statement, that the cabin #arty ,ere incensed at me for my desertion, ! ,as more relieved than distressed by ,hat ! heard$ <! donFt say nothing as to your being in our hands,< continued +ilver, <though there you are, and you may lay to it$ !Fm all for argyment0 ! never seen good come out oF threatening$ !f you li"e the service, ,ell, youFll Line0 and if you donFt, Jim, ,hy, youFre free to ans,er no -- free and ,elcome, shi#mate0 and if fairer can be said by mortal seaman, shiver my sides>< <5m ! to ans,er, thenI< ! as"ed ,ith a very tremulous voice$ Through all this sneering tal", ! ,as made to feel the threat of death that overhung me, and my chee"s burned and my heart beat #ainfully in my breast$ <Lad,< said +ilver, <no oneFs a-#ressing of you$ Ta"e your bearings$ 1one of us ,onFt hurry you, mate0 time goes so #leasant in your com#any, you see$< <9ell,< says !, gro,ing a bit bolder, <if !Fm to choose, ! declare ! have a right to "no, ,hatFs ,hat, and ,hy youFre here, and ,here my friends are$< <9otFs ,otI< re#eated one of the buccaneers in a dee# gro,l$ <5h, heFd be a luc"y one as "no,ed that><

<6ouFll #erha#s batten do,n your hatches till youFre s#o"e to, my friend,< cried +ilver truculently to this s#ea"er$ 5nd then, in his first gracious tones, he re#lied to me, <6esterday morning, 8r$ Ca,"ins,< said he, <in the dog-,atch, do,n came ;octor Livesey ,ith a flag of truce$ +ays he, FCa#Fn +ilver, youFre sold out$ +hi#Fs gone$F 9ell, maybe ,eFd been ta"ing a glass, and a song to hel# it round$ ! ,onFt say no$ Least,ays, none of us had loo"ed out$ 9e loo"ed out, and by thunder, the old shi# ,as gone> ! never seen a #ac" oF fools loo" fishier0 and you may lay to that, if ! tells you that loo"ed the fishiest$ F9ell,F says the doctor, FletFs bargain$F 9e bargained, him and !, and here ,e are) stores, brandy, bloc" house, the -1 1fire,ood you ,as thoughtful enough to cut, and in a manner of s#ea"ing, the ,hole blessed boat, from cross-trees to "elson$ 5s for them, theyFve tram#ed0 ! donFt "no, ,hereFs they are$< Ce dre, again =uietly at his #i#e$ <5nd lest you should ta"e it into that head of yours,< he ,ent on, <that you ,as included in the treaty, hereFs the last ,ord that ,as said) FCo, many are you,F says !, Fto leaveIF FAour,F says he0 Ffour, and one of us ,ounded$ 5s for that boy, ! donFt "no, ,here he is, confound him,F says he, Fnor ! donFt much care$ 9eFre about sic" of him$F These ,as his ,ords$ <!s that allI< ! as"ed$ <9ell, itFs all that youFre to hear, my son,< returned +ilver$ <5nd no, ! am to chooseI< <5nd no, you are to choose, and you may lay to that,< said +ilver$ <9ell,< said !, <! am not such a fool but ! "no, #retty ,ell ,hat ! have to loo" for$ Let the ,orst come to the ,orst, itFs little ! care$ !Fve seen too many die since ! fell in ,ith you$ ut thereFs a thing or t,o ! have to tell you,< ! said, and by this time ! ,as =uite excited0 <and the first is this) here you are, in a bad ,ay -- shi# lost, treasure lost, men lost, your ,hole business gone to ,rec"0 and if you ,ant to "no, ,ho did it -- it ,as !> ! ,as in the a##le barrel the night ,e sighted land, and ! heard you, John, and you, ;ic" Johnson, and Cands, ,ho is no, at the bottom of the sea, and told every ,ord you said before the hour ,as out$ 5nd as for the schooner, it ,as ! ,ho cut her cable, and it ,as ! that "illed the men you had aboard of her, and it ,as ! ,ho brought her ,here youFll never see her more, not one of you$ The laughFs on my side0 !Fve had the to# of this business from the

first0 ! no more fear you than ! fear a fly$ (ill me, if you #lease, or s#are me$ ut one thing !Fll say, and no more0 if you s#are me, bygones are bygones, and ,hen you fello,s are in court for #iracy, !Fll save you all ! can$ !t is for you to choose$ (ill another and do yourselves -1 2no good, or s#are me and "ee# a ,itness to save you from the gallo,s$< ! sto##ed, for, ! tell you, ! ,as out of breath, and to my ,onder, not a man of them moved, but all sat staring at me li"e as many shee#$ 5nd ,hile they ,ere still staring, ! bro"e out again, <5nd no,, 8r$ +ilver,< ! said, <! believe youFre the best man here, and if things go to the ,orst, !Fll ta"e it "ind of you to let the doctor "no, the ,ay ! too" it$< <!Fll bear it in mind,< said +ilver ,ith an accent so curious that ! could not, for the life of me, decide ,hether he ,ere laughing at my re=uest or had been favourably affected by my courage$ <!Fll #ut one to that,< cried the old mahogany-faced seaman -- 8organ by name -- ,hom ! had seen in Long JohnFs #ublic- house u#on the =uays of ristol$ <!t ,as him that "no,ed lac" ;og$< <9ell, and see here,< added the sea-coo"$ <!Fll #ut another again to that, by thunder> Aor it ,as this same boy that fa"ed the chart from illy ones$ Airst and last, ,eFve s#lit u#on Jim Ca,"ins>< <Then here goes>< said 8organ ,ith an oath$ 5nd he s#rang u#, dra,ing his "nife as if he had been t,enty$ <5vast, there>< cried +ilver$ <9ho are you, Tom 8organI 8aybe you thought you ,as ca#Fn here, #erha#s$ y the #o,ers, but !Fll teach you better> Cross me, and youFll go ,here many a good manFs gone before you, first and last, these thirty year bac" -- some to the yard-arm, shiver my timbers, and some by the board, and all to feed the fishes$ ThereFs never a man loo"ed me bet,een the eyes and seen a good day aFter,ards, Tom 8organ, you may lay to that$< 8organ #aused, but a hoarse murmur rose from the others$ <TomFs right,< said one$ <! stood haMing long enough from one,< added another$ <!Fll be hanged if !Fll be haMed by you, John +ilver$<

<;id any of you gentlemen ,ant to have it out ,ith -1 3+eI< roared +ilver, bending far for,ard from his #osition on the "eg, ,ith his #i#e still glo,ing in his right hand$ <Dut a name on ,hat youFre at0 you ainFt dumb, ! rec"on$ Cim that ,ants shall get it$ Cave ! lived this many years, and a son of a rum #uncheon coc" his hat ath,art my ha,se at the latter end of itI 6ou "no, the ,ay0 youFre all gentlemen oF fortune, by your account$ 9ell, !Fm ready$ Ta"e a cutlass, him that dares, and !Fll see the colour of his inside, crutch and all, before that #i#eFs em#ty$< 1ot a man stirred0 not a man ans,ered$ <ThatFs your sort, is itI< he added, returning his #i#e to his mouth$ <9ell, youFre a gay lot to loo" at, any,ay$ 1ot much ,orth to fight, you ainFt$ DFrFa#s you can understand (ing ?eorgeFs English$ !Fm ca#Fn here by Flection$ !Fm ca#Fn here because !Fm the best man by a long sea-mile$ 6ou ,onFt fight, as gentlemen oF fortune should0 then, by thunder, youFll obey, and you may lay to it> ! li"e that boy, no,0 ! never seen a better boy than that$ CeFs more a man than any #air of rats of you in this here house, and ,hat ! say is this) let me see him thatFll lay a hand on him -- thatFs ,hat ! say, and you may lay to it$< There ,as a long #ause after this$ ! stood straight u# against the ,all, my heart still going li"e a sledge-hammer, but ,ith a ray of ho#e no, shining in my bosom$ +ilver leant bac" against the ,all, his arms crossed, his #i#e in the corner of his mouth, as calm as though he had been in church0 yet his eye "e#t ,andering furtively, and he "e#t the tail of it on his unruly follo,ers$ They, on their #art, dre, gradually together to,ards the far end of the bloc" house, and the lo, hiss of their ,his#ering sounded in my ear continuously, li"e a stream$ Bne after another, they ,ould loo" u#, and the red light of the torch ,ould fall for a second on their nervous faces0 but it ,as not to,ards me, it ,as to,ards +ilver that they turned their eyes$ <6ou seem to have a lot to say,< remar"ed +ilver, s#itting far into the air$ <Di#e u# and let me hear it, or lay to$< -1 4<5x your #ardon, sir,< returned one of the men0 <youFre #retty free ,ith some of the rules0 maybe youFll "indly "ee# an eye u#on the rest$ This cre,Fs dissatisfied0 this cre, donFt vally bullying a marlin-s#i"e0 this cre, has its rights li"e other

cre,s, !Fll ma"e so free as that0 and by your o,n rules, ! ta"e it ,e can tal" together$ ! ax your #ardon, sir, ac"no,ledging you for to be ca#ting at this #resent0 but ! claim my right, and ste#s outside for a council$< 5nd ,ith an elaborate sea-salute, this fello,, a long, ill- loo"ing, yello,-eyed man of five and thirty, ste##ed coolly to,ards the door and disa##eared out of the house$ Bne after another the rest follo,ed his exam#le, each ma"ing a salute as he #assed, each adding some a#ology$ <5ccording to rules,< said one$ <Aorecastle council,< said 8organ$ 5nd so ,ith one remar" or another all marched out and left +ilver and me alone ,ith the torch$ The sea-coo" instantly removed his #i#e$ <1o,, loo" you here, Jim Ca,"ins,< he said in a steady ,his#er that ,as no more than audible, <youFre ,ithin half a #lan" of death, and ,hatFs a long sight ,orse, of torture$ TheyFre going to thro, me off$ ut, you mar", ! stand by you through thic" and thin$ ! didnFt mean to0 no, not till you s#o"e u#$ ! ,as about des#erate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged into the bargain$ ut ! see you ,as the right sort$ ! says to myself, you stand by Ca,"ins, John, and Ca,"insFll stand by you$ 6ouFre his last card, and by the living thunder, John, heFs yours> ac" to bac", says !$ 6ou save your ,itness, and heFll save your nec">< ! began dimly to understand$ <6ou mean allFs lostI< ! as"ed$ <5ye, by gum, ! do>< he ans,ered$ <+hi# gone, nec" gone -- thatFs the siMe of it$ Bnce ! loo"ed into that bay, Jim Ca,"ins, and seen no schooner -- ,ell, !Fm tough, but ! gave out$ 5s for that lot and their council, mar" me, theyFre outright fools and co,ards$ !Fll save your life -- if so be as ! can -- from them$ ut, see here, Jim -- tit for tat -- you save Long John from s,inging$< -1 5! ,as be,ildered0 it seemed a thing so ho#eless he ,as as"ing -- he, the old buccaneer, the ringleader throughout$ <9hat ! can do, that !Fll do,< ! said$ <!tFs a bargain>< cried Long John$ <6ou s#ea" u# #luc"y, and by thunder, !Fve a chance>< Ce hobbled to the torch, ,here it stood #ro##ed among the fire,ood, and too" a fresh light to his #i#e$

<Understand me, Jim,< he said, returning$ <!Fve a head on my shoulders, ! have$ !Fm on s=uireFs side no,$ ! "no, youFve got that shi# safe some,heres$ Co, you done it, ! donFt "no,, but safe it is$ ! guess Cands and BF rien turned soft$ ! never much believed in neither of the+$ 1o, you mar" me$ ! as" no =uestions, nor ! ,onFt let others$ ! "no, ,hen a gameFs u#, ! do0 and ! "no, a lad thatFs staunch$ 5h, you thatFs young -- you and me might have done a #o,er of good together>< Ce dre, some cognac from the cas" into a tin canni"in$ <9ill you taste, messmateI< he as"ed0 and ,hen ! had refused) <9ell, !Fll ta"e a drain myself, Jim,< said he$ <! need a caul"er, for thereFs trouble on hand$ 5nd tal"ing oF trouble, ,hy did that doctor give me the chart, JimI< 8y face ex#ressed a ,onder so unaffected that he sa, the needlessness of further =uestions$ <5h, ,ell, he did, though,< said he$ <5nd thereFs something under that, no doubt -- something, surely, under that, Jim -- bad or good$< 5nd he too" another s,allo, of the brandy, sha"ing his great fair head li"e a man ,ho loo"s for,ard to the ,orst$

-1 6-

The 0la-! S(ot ")ain

TCE council of buccaneers had lasted some time, ,hen one of them re-entered the house, and ,ith a re#etition of the same salute, ,hich had in my eyes an ironical air, begged for a momentFs loan of the torch$ +ilver briefly agreed, and this emissary retired again, leaving us together in the dar"$ <ThereFs a breeMe coming, Jim,< said +ilver, ,ho had by this time ado#ted =uite a friendly and familiar tone$ ! turned to the loo#hole nearest me and loo"ed out$ The embers of the great fire had so far burned themselves out and no, glo,ed so lo, and dus"ily that ! understood ,hy these cons#irators desired a torch$ 5bout half-,ay do,n the slo#e to the stoc"ade, they ,ere collected in a grou#0 one held the light, another ,as on his "nees in their midst, and ! sa, the blade of an o#en "nife shine in his hand ,ith varying colours in the moon and torchlight$ The rest ,ere all some,hat

stoo#ing, as though ,atching the manoeuvres of this last$ ! could Lust ma"e out that he had a boo" as ,ell as a "nife in his hand, and ,as still ,ondering ho, anything so incongruous had come in their #ossession ,hen the "neeling figure rose once more to his feet and the ,hole #arty began to move together to,ards the house$ <Cere they come,< said !0 and ! returned to my former -1 -

#osition, for it seemed beneath my dignity that they should find me ,atching them$ <9ell, let Fem come, lad -- let Fem come,< said +ilver cheerily$ <!Fve still a shot in my loc"er$< The door o#ened, and the five men, standing huddled together Lust inside, #ushed one of their number for,ard$ !n any other circumstances it ,ould have been comical to see his slo, advance, hesitating as he set do,n each foot, but holding his closed right hand in front of him$ <+te# u#, lad,< cried +ilver$ <! ,onFt eat you$ Cand it over, lubber$ ! "no, the rules, ! do0 ! ,onFt hurt a de#ytation$< Thus encouraged, the buccaneer ste##ed forth more bris"ly, and having #assed something to +ilver, from hand to hand, sli##ed yet more smartly bac" again to his com#anions$ The sea-coo" loo"ed at ,hat had been given him$ <The blac" s#ot> ! thought so,< he observed$ <9here might you have got the #a#erI 9hy, hillo> Loo" here, no,0 this ainFt luc"y> 6ouFve gone and cut this out of a ible$ 9hat foolFs cut a ibleI< <5h, there>< said 8organ$ <There> 9ot did ! sayI 1o goodFll come oF that, ! said$< <9ell, youFve about fixed it no,, among you,< continued +ilver$ <6ouFll all s,ing no,, ! rec"on$ 9hat soft-headed lubber had a ibleI< <!t ,as ;ic",< said one$ <;ic", ,as itI Then ;ic" can get to #rayers,< said +ilver$ <CeFs seen his slice of luc", has ;ic", and you may lay to that$<

ut here the long man ,ith the yello, eyes struc" in$ < elay that tal", John +ilver,< he said$ <This cre, has ti##ed you the blac" s#ot in full council, as in dooty bound0 Lust you turn it over, as in dooty bound, and see ,hatFs ,rote there$ Then you can tal"$< <Than"y, ?eorge,< re#lied the sea-coo"$ <6ou al,ays ,as bris" for business, and has the rules by heart, ?eorge, as !Fm #leased to see$ 9ell, ,hat is it, any,ayI 5h> F;e#osedF -- thatFs it, is itI Very #retty ,rote, to be sure0 li"e #rint, ! s,ear$ 6our hand oF ,rite, ?eorgeI 9hy, you ,as gettinF =uite a leadinF man in this here cre,$ 6ouFll be ca#Fn next, ! shouldnFt ,onder$ Just oblige me ,ith that torch again, ,ill youI This #i#e donFt dra,$< <Come, no,,< said ?eorge, <you donFt fool this cre, no more$ 6ouFre a funny man, by your account0 but youFre over no,, and youFll maybe ste# do,n off that barrel and hel# vote$< <! thought you said you "no,ed the rules,< returned +ilver contem#tuously$ <Least,ays, if you donFt, ! do0 and ! ,ait here -- and !Fm still your ca#Fn, mind -till you outs ,ith your grievances and ! re#ly0 in the meantime, your blac" s#ot ainFt ,orth a biscuit$ 5fter that, ,eFll see$< <Bh,< re#lied ?eorge, <you donFt be under no "ind of a##rehension0 ,e%re all s=uare, ,e are$ Airst, youFve made a hash of this cruise -- youFll be a bold man to say no to that$ +econd, you let the enemy out oF this here tra# for nothing$ 9hy did they ,ant outI ! dunno, but itFs #retty #lain they ,anted it$ Third, you ,ouldnFt let us go at them u#on the march$ Bh, ,e see through you, John +ilver0 you ,ant to #lay booty, thatFs ,hatFs ,rong ,ith you$ 5nd then, fourth, thereFs this here boy$< <!s that allI< as"ed +ilver =uietly$ <Enough, too,< retorted ?eorge$ <9eFll all s,ing and sun- dry for your bungling$< <9ell no,, loo" here, !Fll ans,er these four #Fints0 one after another !Fll ans,er Fem$ ! made a hash oF this cruise, did !I 9ell no,, you all "no, ,hat ! ,anted, and you all "no, if that had been done that ,eFd Fa been aboard the $ispaniola this night as ever ,as, every man of us alive, and fit, and full of good #lum-duff, and the treasure in the hold of her, by thunder> 9ell, ,ho crossed meI 9ho forced my hand, as ,as the la,ful ca#FnI 9ho ti##ed me the blac" s#ot the day ,e landed and began this danceI 5h, itFs a fine dance -- !Fm ,ith you there -- and loo"s mighty li"e a horn#i#e in a ro#eFs end at Execution ;oc" by London to,n, it does$ ut ,ho done itI 9hy, it ,as 5nderson, and Cands, and you, ?eorge 8erry> 5nd youFre the last above board of that same meddling cre,0 and you

have the ;avy JonesFs insolence to u# and stand for ca#Fn over me -- you, that san" the lot of us> y the #o,ers> ut this to#s the stiffest yarn to nothing$< +ilver #aused, and ! could see by the faces of ?eorge and his late comrades that these ,ords had not been said in vain$ <ThatFs for number one,< cried the accused, ,i#ing the s,eat from his bro,, for he had been tal"ing ,ith a vehemence that shoo" the house$ <9hy, ! give you my ,ord, !Fm sic" to s#ea" to you$ 6ouFve neither sense nor memory, and ! leave it to fancy ,here your mothers ,as that let you come to sea$ +ea> ?entlemen oF fortune> ! rec"on tailors is your trade$< <?o on, John,< said 8organ$ <+#ea" u# to the others$< <5h, the others>< returned John$ <TheyFre a nice lot, ainFt theyI 6ou say this cruise is bungled$ 5h> y gum, if you could understand ho, bad itFs bungled, you ,ould see> 9eFre that near the gibbet that my nec"Fs stiff ,ith thin"ing on it$ 6ouFve seen Fem, maybe, hanged in chains, birds about Fem, seamen #Finting Fem out as they go do,n ,ith the tide$ F9hoFs thatIF says one$ FThat> 9hy, thatFs John +ilver$ ! "no,ed him ,ell,F says another$ 5nd you can hear the chains a-Langle as you go about and reach for the other buoy$ 1o,, thatFs about ,here ,e are, every motherFs son of us, than"s to him, and Cands, and 5nderson, and other ruination fools of you$ 5nd if you ,ant to "no, about number four, and that boy, ,hy, shiver my timbers, isnFt he a hostageI 5re ,e a-going to ,aste a hostageI 1o, not us0 he might be our last chance, and ! shouldnFt ,onder$ (ill that boyI 1ot me, mates> 5nd number threeI 5h, ,ell, thereFs a deal to say to number three$ 8aybe you donFt count it nothing to have a real college doctor to see you every day -you, John, ,ith your head bro"e -- or you, ?eorge 8erry, that had the ague sha"es u#on you not six hours agone, and has your eyes the colour of lemon #eel to this same moment on the cloc"I 5nd maybe, #erha#s, you didnFt "no, there ,as a consort coming eitherI ut there is, and not so -1!#long till then0 and ,eFll see ,hoFll be glad to have a hostage ,hen it comes to that$ 5nd as for number t,o, and ,hy ! made a bargain -- ,ell, you came cra,ling on your "nees to me to ma"e it -- on your "nees you came, you ,as that do,nhearted -- and youFd have starved too if ! hadnFt -- but thatFs a trifle> 6ou loo" there -thatFs ,hy>< 5nd he cast do,n u#on the floor a #a#er that ! instantly recogniMed -- none other than the chart on yello, #a#er, ,ith the three red crosses, that ! had found in the oilcloth at the bottom of the ca#tainFs chest$ 9hy the doctor had given it to him ,as more than ! could fancy$

ut if it ,ere inex#licable to me, the a##earance of the chart ,as incredible to the surviving mutineers$ They lea#ed u#on it li"e cats u#on a mouse$ !t ,ent from hand to hand, one tearing it from another0 and by the oaths and the cries and the childish laughter ,ith ,hich they accom#anied their examination, you ,ould have thought, not only they ,ere fingering the very gold, but ,ere at sea ,ith it, besides, in safety$ <6es,< said one, <thatFs Alint, sure enough$ J$ A$, and a score belo,, ,ith a clove hitch to it0 so he done ever$< <8ighty #retty,< said ?eorge$ < ut ho, are ,e to get a,ay ,ith it, and us no shi#$< +ilver suddenly s#rang u#, and su##orting himself ,ith a hand against the ,all) <1o, ! give you ,arning, ?eorge,< he cried$ <Bne more ,ord of your sauce, and !Fll call you do,n and fight you$ Co,I 9hy, ho, do ! "no,I 6ou had ought to tell me that -- you and the rest, that lost me my schooner, ,ith your interference, burn you> ut not you, you canFt0 you hainFt got the invention of a coc"roach$ ut civil you can s#ea", and shall, ?eorge 8erry, you may lay to that$< <ThatFs fair eno,,< said the old man 8organ$ <Aair> ! rec"on so,< said the sea-coo"$ <6ou lost the shi#0 ! found the treasure$ 9hoFs the better man at thatI 5nd no, ! resign, by thunder> Elect ,hom you #lease to be your ca#Fn no,0 !Fm done ,ith it$< <+ilver>< they cried$ < arbecue forever> arbecue for ca#Fn>< -1!1<+o thatFs the toon, is itI< cried the coo"$ <?eorge, ! rec"on youFll have to ,ait another turn, friend0 and luc"y for you as !Fm not a revengeful man$ ut that ,as never my ,ay$ 5nd no,, shi#mates, this blac" s#otI FTainFt much good no,, is itI ;ic"Fs crossed his luc" and s#oiled his ible, and thatFs about all$< <!tFll do to "iss the boo" on still, ,onFt itI< gro,led ;ic", ,ho ,as evidently uneasy at the curse he had brought u#on himself$ <5 ible ,ith a bit cut out>< returned +ilver derisively$ <1ot it$ !t donFt bind no moreFn a ballad-boo"$< <;onFt it, thoughI< cried ;ic" ,ith a sort of Loy$ <9ell, ! rec"on thatFs ,orth having too$<

<Cere, Jim -- hereFs a curFosity for you,< said +ilver, and he tossed me the #a#er$ !t ,as around about the siMe of a cro,n #iece$ Bne side ,as blan", for it had been the last leaf0 the other contained a verse or t,o of /evelation -- these ,ords among the rest, ,hich struc" shar#ly home u#on my mind) <9ithout are dogs and murderers$< The #rinted side had been blac"ened ,ith ,ood ash, ,hich already began to come off and soil my fingers0 on the blan" side had been ,ritten ,ith the same material the one ,ord <;e##osed$< ! have that curiosity beside me at this moment, but not a trace of ,riting no, remains beyond a single scratch, such as a man might ma"e ,ith his thumb-nail$ That ,as the end of the nightFs business$ +oon after, ,ith a drin" all round, ,e lay do,n to slee#, and the outside of +ilverFs vengeance ,as to #ut ?eorge 8erry u# for sentinel and threaten him ,ith death if he should #rove unfaithful$ !t ,as long ere ! could close an eye, and heaven "no,s ! had matter enough for thought in the man ,hom ! had slain that afternoon, in my o,n most #erilous #osition, and above all, in the remar"able game that ! sa, +ilver no, engaged u#on -- "ee#ing the mutineers together ,ith one hand and gras#ing ,ith the other after every means, #ossible and im#ossible, to ma"e his #eace and save his miserable life$ Ce himself sle#t #eacefully and snored -1!2aloud, yet my heart ,as sore for him, ,ic"ed as he ,as, to thin" on the dar" #erils that environed and the shameful gibbet that a,aited him$

.n *arole
! 95+ ,a"ened -- indeed, ,e ,ere all ,a"ened, for ! could see even the sentinel sha"e himself together from ,here he had fallen against the door-#ost -by a clear, hearty voice hailing us from the margin of the ,ood) < loc" house, ahoy>< it cried$ <CereFs the doctor$< 5nd the doctor it ,as$ 5lthough ! ,as glad to hear the sound, yet my gladness ,as not ,ithout admixture$ ! remembered ,ith confusion my insubordinate and stealthy conduct, and ,hen ! sa, ,here it had brought me -- among ,hat com#anions and surrounded by ,hat dangers -- ! felt ashamed to loo" him in the face$

Ce must have risen in the dar", for the day had hardly come0 and ,hen ! ran to a loo#hole and loo"ed out, ! sa, him standing, li"e +ilver once before, u# to the mid-leg in cree#ing va#our$ <6ou, doctor> To# oF the morning to you, sir>< cried +ilver, broad a,a"e and beaming ,ith good nature in a moment$ < right and early, to be sure0 and itFs the early bird, as the saying goes, that gets the rations$ ?eorge, sha"e u# your timbers, son, and hel# ;r$ Livesey over the shi#Fs side$ 5ll a-doinF ,ell, your #atients ,as -- all ,ell and merry$< +o he #attered on, standing on the hillto# ,ith his crutch under his elbo, and one hand u#on the side of the log-house -- =uite the old John in voice, manner, and ex#ression$ <9eFve =uite a sur#rise for you too, sir,< he continued$ <9eFve a little stranger here -- he> he> 5 noo boarder and lodger, sir, and loo"ing fit and taut as a fiddle0 sle#F li"e a su#ercargo, he did, right alongside of John -- stem to stem ,e ,as, all night$< ;r$ Livesey ,as by this time across the stoc"ade and #retty near the coo", and ! could hear the alteration in his voice as he said, <1ot JimI< <The very same Jim as ever ,as,< says +ilver$ The doctor sto##ed outright, although he did not s#ea", and it ,as some seconds before he seemed able to move on$ <9ell, ,ell,< he said at last, <duty first and #leasure after,ards, as you might have said yourself, +ilver$ Let us overhaul these #atients of yours$< 5 moment after,ards he had entered the bloc" house and ,ith one grim nod to me #roceeded ,ith his ,or" among the sic"$ Ce seemed under no a##rehension, though he must have "no,n that his life, among these treacherous demons, de#ended on a hair0 and he rattled on to his #atients as if he ,ere #aying an ordinary #rofessional visit in a =uiet English family$ Cis manner, ! su##ose, reacted on the men, for they behaved to him as if nothing had occurred, as if he ,ere still shi#Fs doctor and they still faithful hands before the mast$ <6ouFre doing ,ell, my friend,< he said to the fello, ,ith the bandaged head, <and if ever any #erson had a close shave, it ,as you0 your head must be as hard as iron$ 9ell, ?eorge, ho, goes itI 6ouFre a #retty colour, certainly0 ,hy, your liver, man, is u#side do,n$ ;id you ta"e that medicineI ;id he ta"e that medicine, menI< <5ye, aye, sir, he too" it, sure enough,< returned 8organ$

-1!4< ecause, you see, since ! am mutineersF doctor, or #rison doctor as ! #refer to call it,< says ;octor Livesey in his #leasantest ,ay, <! ma"e it a #oint of honour not to lose a man for (ing ?eorge J?od bless him>K and the gallo,s$< The rogues loo"ed at each other but s,allo,ed the home- thrust in silence$ <;ic" donFt feel ,ell, sir,< said one$ <;onFt heI< re#lied the doctor$ <9ell, ste# u# here, ;ic", and let me see your tongue$ 1o, ! should be sur#rised if he did> The manFs tongue is fit to frighten the Arench$ 5nother fever$< <5h, there,< said 8organ, <that comed of s#Filing ibles$< <That comes -- as you call it -- of being arrant asses,< retorted the doctor, <and not having sense enough to "no, honest air from #oison, and the dry land from a vile, #estiferous slough$ ! thin" it most #robable -- though of course itFs only an o#inion -- that youFll all have the deuce to #ay before you get that malaria out of your systems$ Cam# in a bog, ,ould youI +ilver, !Fm sur#rised at you$ 6ouFre less of a fool than many, ta"e you all round0 but you donFt a##ear to me to have the rudiments of a notion of the rules of health$ <9ell,< he added after he had dosed them round and they had ta"en his #rescri#tions, ,ith really laughable humility, more li"e charity schoolchildren than blood-guilty mutineers and #irates -- <,ell, thatFs done for today$ 5nd no, ! should ,ish to have a tal" ,ith that boy, #lease$< 5nd he nodded his head in my direction carelessly$ ?eorge 8erry ,as at the door, s#itting and s#luttering over some bad-tasted medicine0 but at the first ,ord of the doctorFs #ro#osal he s,ung round ,ith a dee# flush and cried <1o>< and s,ore$ +ilver struc" the barrel ,ith his o#en hand$ <+i-lence>< he roared and loo"ed about him #ositively li"e a lion$ <;octor,< he ,ent on in his usual tones, <! ,as a-thin"ing of that, "no,ing as ho, you had a fancy for the boy$ 9eFre all humbly grateful for your "indness, and as you see, #uts faith in you and ta"es the drugs do,n li"e that much grog$ 5nd ! ta"e it !Fve found a ,ay asFll suit all$ Ca,"ins, ,ill you give me your ,ord of honour as a young gentleman -- for a young gentleman you are, although #oor born -- your ,ord of honour not to sli# your cableI<

! readily gave the #ledge re=uired$ <Then, doctor,< said +ilver, <you Lust ste# outside oF that stoc"ade, and once youFre there !Fll bring the boy do,n on the inside, and ! rec"on you can yarn through the s#ars$ ?ood day to you, sir, and all our dooties to the s=uire and Ca#Fn +mollett$< The ex#losion of disa##roval, ,hich nothing but +ilverFs blac" loo"s had restrained, bro"e out immediately the doctor had left the house$ +ilver ,as roundly accused of #laying double -- of trying to ma"e a se#arate #eace for himself, of sacrificing the interests of his accom#lices and victims, and, in one ,ord, of the identical, exact thing that he ,as doing$ !t seemed to me so obvious, in this case, that ! could not imagine ho, he ,as to turn their anger$ ut he ,as t,ice the man the rest ,ere, and his last nightFs victory had given him a huge #re#onderance on their minds$ Ce called them all the fools and dolts you can imagine, said it ,as necessary ! should tal" to the doctor, fluttered the chart in their faces, as"ed them if they could afford to brea" the treaty the very day they ,ere bound a- treasure-hunting$ <1o, by thunder>< he cried$ <!tFs us must brea" the treaty ,hen the time comes0 and till then !Fll gammon that doctor, if ! have to ile his boots ,ith brandy$< 5nd then he bade them get the fire lit, and stal"ed out u#on his crutch, ,ith his hand on my shoulder, leaving them in a disarray, and silenced by his volubility rather than convinced$ <+lo,, lad, slo,,< he said$ <They might round u#on us in a t,in"le of an eye of ,e ,as seen to hurry$< Very deliberately, then, did ,e advance across the sand to ,here the doctor a,aited us on the other side of the -1!6stoc"ade, and as soon as ,e ,ere ,ithin easy s#ea"ing distance +ilver sto##ed$ <6ouFll ma"e a note of this here also, doctor,< says he, <and the boyFll tell you ho, ! saved his life, and ,ere de#osed for it too, and you may lay to that$ ;octor, ,hen a manFs steering as near the ,ind as me -- #laying chuc"-farthing ,ith the last breath in his body, li"e -- you ,ouldnFt thin" it too much, mayha#, to give him one good ,ordI 6ouFll #lease bear in mind itFs not my life only no, -- itFs that boyFs into the bargain0 and youFll s#ea" me fair, doctor, and give me a bit oF ho#e to go on, for the sa"e of mercy$<

+ilver ,as a changed man once he ,as out there and had his bac" to his friends and the bloc" house0 his chee"s seemed to have fallen in, his voice trembled0 never ,as a soul more dead in earnest$ <9hy, John, youFre not afraidI< as"ed ;r$ Livesey$ <;octor, !Fm no co,ard0 no, not ! -- not so much>< and he sna##ed his fingers$ <!f ! ,as ! ,ouldnFt say it$ ut !Fll o,n u# fairly, !Fve the sha"es u#on me for the gallo,s$ 6ouFre a good man and a true0 ! never seen a better man> 5nd youFll not forget ,hat ! done good, not any more than youFll forget the bad, ! "no,$ 5nd ! ste# aside -- see here -- and leave you and Jim alone$ 5nd youFll #ut that do,n for me too, for itFs a long stretch, is that>< +o saying, he ste##ed bac" a little ,ay, till he ,as out of earshot, and there sat do,n u#on a tree-stum# and began to ,histle, s#inning round no, and again u#on his seat so as to command a sight, sometimes of me and the doctor and sometimes of his unruly ruffians as they ,ent to and fro in the sand bet,een the fire -- ,hich they ,ere busy re"indling -- and the house, from ,hich they brought forth #or" and bread to ma"e the brea"fast$ <+o, Jim,< said the doctor sadly, <here you are$ 5s you have bre,ed, so shall you drin", my boy$ Ceaven "no,s, ! cannot find it in my heart to blame you, but this much ! ,ill say, be it "ind or un"ind) ,hen Ca#tain +mollett ,as ,ell, you dared not have gone off0 and ,hen he ,as ill and couldnFt hel# it, by ?eorge, it ,as do,nright co,ardly>< ! ,ill o,n that ! here began to ,ee#$ <;octor,< ! said, <you might s#are me$ ! have blamed myself enough0 my lifeFs forfeit any,ay, and ! should have been dead by no, if +ilver hadnFt stood for me0 and doctor, believe this, ! can die -- and ! dare say ! deserve it -- but ,hat ! fear is torture$ !f they come to torture me -- < <Jim,< the doctor interru#ted, and his voice ,as =uite changed, <Jim, ! canFt have this$ 9hi# over, and ,eFll run for it$< <;octor,< said !, <! #assed my ,ord$< <! "no,, ! "no,,< he cried$ <9e canFt hel# that, Jim, no,$ !Fll ta"e it on my shoulders, holus bolus, blame and shame, my boy0 but stay here, ! cannot let you$ Jum#> Bne Lum#, and youFre out, and ,eFll run for it li"e antelo#es$< <1o,< ! re#lied0 <you "no, right ,ell you ,ouldnFt do the thing yourself -neither you nor s=uire nor ca#tain0 and no more ,ill !$ +ilver trusted me0 ! #assed my ,ord, and bac" ! go$ ut, doctor, you did not let me finish$ !f they come to torture me, ! might let sli# a ,ord of ,here the shi# is, for ! got the shi#, #art by luc" and #art by ris"ing, and she lies in 1orth !nlet, on the southern beach, and Lust belo, high ,ater$ 5t half tide she must be high and dry$<

<The shi#>< exclaimed the doctor$ /a#idly ! described to him my adventures, and he heard me out in silence$ <There is a "ind of fate in this,< he observed ,hen ! had done$ <Every ste#, itFs you that saves our lives0 and do you su##ose by any chance that ,e are going to let you lose yoursI That ,ould be a #oor return, my boy$ 6ou found out the #lot0 you found en ?unn -- the best deed that ever you did, or ,ill do, though you live to ninety$ Bh, by Ju#iter, and tal"ing of en ?unn> 9hy, this is the mischief in #erson$ +ilver>< he cried$ <+ilver> !Fll give you a #iece of advice,< he continued as the coo" -1!!dre, near again0 <donFt you be in any great hurry after that treasure$< <9hy, sir, ! do my #ossible, ,hich that ainFt,< said +ilver$ <! can only, as"ing your #ardon, save my life and the boyFs by see"ing for that treasure0 and you may lay to that$< <9ell, +ilver,< re#lied the doctor, <if that is so, !Fll go one ste# further) loo" out for s=ualls ,hen you find it$< <+ir,< said +ilver, <as bet,een man and man, thatFs too much and too little$ 9hat youFre after, ,hy you left the bloc" house, ,hy you given me that there chart, ! donFt "no,, no,, do !I 5nd yet ! done your bidding ,ith my eyes shut and never a ,ord of ho#e> ut no, this hereFs too much$ !f you ,onFt tell me ,hat you mean #lain out, Lust say so and !Fll leave the helm$< <1o,< said the doctor musingly0 <!Fve no right to say more0 itFs not my secret, you see, +ilver, or, ! give you my ,ord, !Fd tell it you$ ut !Fll go as far ,ith you as ! dare go, and a ste# beyond, for !Fll have my ,ig sorted by the ca#tain or !Fm mista"en> 5nd first, !Fll give you a bit of ho#e0 +ilver, if ,e both get alive out of this ,olf-tra#, !Fll do my best to save you, short of #erLury$< +ilverFs face ,as radiant$ <6ou couldnFt say more, !Fm sure, sir, not if you ,as my mother,< he cried$ <9ell, thatFs my first concession,< added the doctor$ <8y second is a #iece of advice) "ee# the boy close beside you, and ,hen you need hel#, halloo$ !Fm off to see" it for you, and that itself ,ill sho, you if ! s#ea" at random$ ?ood-bye, Jim$< 5nd ;r$ Livesey shoo" hands ,ith me through the stoc"ade, nodded to +ilver, and set off at a bris" #ace into the ,ood$

-1!"-

The Treasure-hunt -- 4lint:s *ointer

<J!8,< said +ilver ,hen ,e ,ere alone, <if ! saved your life, you saved mine0 and !Fll not forget it$ ! seen the doctor ,aving you to run for it -- ,ith the tail of my eye, ! did0 and ! seen you say no, as #lain as hearing$ Jim, thatFs one to you$ This is the first glint of ho#e ! had since the attac" failed, and ! o,e it you$ 5nd no,, Jim, ,eFre to go in for this here treasure-hunting, ,ith sealed orders too, and ! donFt li"e it0 and you and me must stic" close, bac" to bac" li"e, and ,eFll save our nec"s in s#ite oF fate and fortune$< Just then a man hailed us from the fire that brea"fast ,as ready, and ,e ,ere soon seated here and there about the sand over biscuit and fried Lun"$ They had lit a fire fit to roast an ox, and it ,as no, gro,n so hot that they could only a##roach it from the ,ind,ard, and even there not ,ithout #recaution$ !n the same ,asteful s#irit, they had coo"ed, ! su##ose, three times more than ,e could eat0 and one of them, ,ith an em#ty laugh, thre, ,hat ,as left into the fire, ,hich blaMed and roared again over this unusual fuel$ ! never in my life sa, men so careless of the morro,0 hand to mouth is the only ,ord that can describe their ,ay of doing0 and ,hat ,ith ,asted food and slee#ing sentries, though they ,ere bold enough for a brush and be done ,ith it, ! could see their entire unfitness for anything li"e a #rolonged cam#aign$ Even +ilver, eating a,ay, ,ith Ca#tain Alint u#on his shoulder, had not a ,ord of blame for their rec"lessness$ 5nd this the more sur#rised me, for ! thought he had never sho,n himself so cunning as he did then$ <5ye, mates,< said he, <itFs luc"y you have arbecue to thin" for you ,ith this here head$ ! got ,hat ! ,anted, ! did$ +ure enough, they have the shi#$ 9here they have it, ! donFt "no, yet0 but once ,e hit the treasure, ,eFll have to Lum# about and find out$ 5nd then, mates, us that has the boats, ! rec"on, has the u##er hand$< Thus he "e#t running on, ,ith his mouth full of the hot bacon0 thus he restored their ho#e and confidence, and, ! more than sus#ect, re#aired his o,n at the same time$ <5s for hostage,< he continued, <thatFs his last tal", ! guess, ,ith them he loves so dear$ !Fve got my #iece oF ne,s, and than"y to him for that0 but itFs over and done$ !Fll ta"e him in a line ,hen ,e go treasure-hunting, for ,eFll "ee# him li"e

so much gold, in case of accidents, you mar", and in the meantime$ Bnce ,e got the shi# and treasure both and off to sea li"e Lolly com#anions, ,hy then ,eFll tal" 8r$ Ca,"ins over, ,e ,ill, and ,eFll give him his share, to be sure, for all his "indness$< !t ,as no ,onder the men ,ere in a good humour no,$ Aor my #art, ! ,as horribly cast do,n$ +hould the scheme he had no, s"etched #rove feasible, +ilver, already doubly a traitor, ,ould not hesitate to ado#t it$ Ce had still a foot in either cam#, and there ,as no doubt he ,ould #refer ,ealth and freedom ,ith the #irates to a bare esca#e from hanging, ,hich ,as the best he had to ho#e on our side$ 1ay, and even if things so fell out that he ,as forced to "ee# his faith ,ith ;r$ Livesey, even then ,hat danger lay before us> 9hat a moment that ,ould be ,hen the sus#icions of his follo,ers turned to certainty and he and ! should have to fight for dear life -- he a cri##le and ! a boy -- against five strong and active seamen> -1"15dd to this double a##rehension the mystery that still hung over the behaviour of my friends, their unex#lained desertion of the stoc"ade, their inex#licable cession of the chart, or harder still to understand, the doctorFs last ,arning to +ilver, <Loo" out for s=ualls ,hen you find it,< and you ,ill readily believe ho, little taste ! found in my brea"fast and ,ith ho, uneasy a heart ! set forth behind my ca#tors on the =uest for treasure$ 9e made a curious figure, had anyone been there to see us -- all in soiled sailor clothes and all but me armed to the teeth$ +ilver had t,o guns slung about him -one before and one behind -- besides the great cutlass at his ,aist and a #istol in each #oc"et of his s=uare-tailed coat$ To com#lete his strange a##earance, Ca#tain Alint sat #erched u#on his shoulder and gabbling odds and ends of #ur#oseless sea-tal"$ ! had a line about my ,aist and follo,ed obediently after the sea-coo", ,ho held the loose end of the ro#e, no, in his free hand, no, bet,een his #o,erful teeth$ Aor all the ,orld, ! ,as led li"e a dancing bear$ The other men ,ere variously burthened, some carrying #ic"s and shovels -- for that had been the very first necessary they brought ashore from the $ispaniola -others laden ,ith #or", bread, and brandy for the midday meal$ 5ll the stores, ! observed, came from our stoc", and ! could see the truth of +ilverFs ,ords the night before$ Cad he not struc" a bargain ,ith the doctor, he and his mutineers, deserted by the shi#, must have been driven to subsist on clear ,ater and the #roceeds of their hunting$ 9ater ,ould have been little to their taste0 a sailor is

not usually a good shot0 and besides all that, ,hen they ,ere so short of eatables, it ,as not li"ely they ,ould be very flush of #o,der$ 9ell, thus e=ui##ed, ,e all set out -- even the fello, ,ith the bro"en head, ,ho should certainly have "e#t in shado, -- and straggled, one after another, to the beach, ,here the t,o gigs a,aited us$ Even these bore trace of the drun"en folly of the #irates, one in a bro"en th,art, and both in their muddy and unbailed condition$ oth ,ere to be carried along ,ith us for the sa"e of safety0 and so, ,ith our numbers divided bet,een them, ,e set forth u#on the bosom of the anchorage$ 5s ,e #ulled over, there ,as some discussion on the chart$ The red cross ,as, of course, far too large to be a guide0 and the terms of the note on the bac", as you ,ill hear, admitted of some ambiguity$ They ran, the reader may remember, thus) Tall tree, +#y-glass shoulder, bearing a #oint to the 1$ of 1$1$E$ +"eleton !sland E$+$E$ and by E$ Ten feet$ 5 tall tree ,as thus the #rinci#al mar"$ 1o,, right before us the anchorage ,as bounded by a #lateau from t,o to three hundred feet high, adLoining on the north the slo#ing southern shoulder of the +#y-glass and rising again to,ards the south into the rough, cliffy eminence called the 8iMMen-mast Cill$ The to# of the #lateau ,as dotted thic"ly ,ith #ine-trees of varying height$ Every here and there, one of a different s#ecies rose forty or fifty feet clear above its neighbours, and ,hich of these ,as the #articular <tall tree< of Ca#tain Alint could only be decided on the s#ot, and by the readings of the com#ass$ 6et, although that ,as the case, every man on board the boats had #ic"ed a favourite of his o,n ere ,e ,ere half-,ay over, Long John alone shrugging his shoulders and bidding them ,ait till they ,ere there$ 9e #ulled easily, by +ilverFs directions, not to ,eary the hands #rematurely, and after =uite a long #assage, landed at the mouth of the second river -- that ,hich runs do,n a ,oody cleft of the +#y-glass$ Thence, bending to our left, ,e began to ascend the slo#e to,ards the #lateau$ 5t the first outset, heavy, miry ground and a matted, marish vegetation greatly delayed our #rogress0 but by little and little the hill began to stee#en and become stony under foot, and the ,ood to change its character and to gro, in a more o#en order$ !t ,as, indeed, a most #leasant #ortion of the island that ,e ,ere no, a##roaching$ 5 heavy-scented broom and many flo,ering shrubs had almost ta"en the #lace of grass$ Thic"ets of green nutmeg-trees ,ere dotted here and there ,ith the red columns and the broad shado, of the #ines0 and the first mingled their s#ice ,ith the aroma of the others$ The air, besides, ,as fresh and stirring, and this, under the sheer sunbeams, ,as a ,onderful refreshment to our senses$

The #arty s#read itself abroad, in a fan sha#e, shouting and lea#ing to and fro$ 5bout the centre, and a good ,ay behind the rest, +ilver and ! follo,ed -- ! tethered by my ro#e, he #loughing, ,ith dee# #ants, among the sliding gravel$ Arom time to time, indeed, ! had to lend him a hand, or he must have missed his footing and fallen bac",ard do,n the hill$ 9e had thus #roceeded for about half a mile and ,ere a##roaching the bro, of the #lateau ,hen the man u#on the farthest left began to cry aloud, as if in terror$ +hout after shout came from him, and the others began to run in his direction$ <Ce canFt Fa found the treasure,< said old 8organ, hurrying #ast us from the right, <for thatFs clean a-to#$< !ndeed, as ,e found ,hen ,e also reached the s#ot, it ,as something very different$ 5t the foot of a #retty big #ine and involved in a green cree#er, ,hich had even #artly lifted some of the smaller bones, a human s"eleton lay, ,ith a fe, shreds of clothing, on the ground$ ! believe a chill struc" for a moment to every heart$ <Ce ,as a seaman,< said ?eorge 8erry, ,ho, bolder than the rest, had gone u# close and ,as examining the rags of clothing$ <Least,ays, this is good sea-cloth$< <5ye, aye,< said +ilver0 <li"e enough0 you ,ouldnFt loo" to find a bisho# here, ! rec"on$ ut ,hat sort of a ,ay is that for bones to lieI FTainFt in naturF$< !ndeed, on a second glance, it seemed im#ossible to fancy that the body ,as in a natural #osition$ ut for some disarray Jthe ,or", #erha#s, of the birds that had fed u#on him or of the slo,-gro,ing cree#er that had gradually envelo#ed his remainsK the man lay #erfectly straight -- his feet #ointing in one direction, his hands, raised above his head li"e a diverFs, #ointing directly in the o##osite$ <!Fve ta"en a notion into my old numbs"ull,< observed +ilver$ <CereFs the com#ass0 thereFs the ti#-to# #Fint oF +"eleton !sland, stic"inF out li"e a tooth$ Just ta"e a bearing, ,ill you, along the line of them bones$< !t ,as done$ The body #ointed straight in the direction of the island, and the com#ass read duly E$+$E$ and by E$ <! thought so,< cried the coo"0 <this here is a #Finter$ /ight u# there is our line for the Dole +tar and the Lolly dollars$ ut, by thunder> !f it donFt ma"e me cold inside to thin" of Alint$ This is one of his Lo"es, and no mista"e$ Cim and these six ,as alone here0 he "illed Fem, every man0 and this one he hauled here and laid do,n by com#ass, shiver my timbers> TheyFre long bones, and the hairFs been yello,$ 5ye, that ,ould be 5llardyce$ 6ou mind 5llardyce, Tom 8organI<

<5ye, aye,< returned 8organ0 <! mind him0 he o,ed me money, he did, and too" my "nife ashore ,ith him$< <+#ea"ing of "nives,< said another, <,hy donFt ,e find hisFn lying roundI Alint ,arnFt the man to #ic" a seamanFs #oc"et0 and the birds, ! guess, ,ould leave it be$< < y the #o,ers, and thatFs true>< cried +ilver$ <There ainFt a thing left here,< said 8erry, still feeling round among the bones0 <not a co##er doit nor a baccy box$ !t donFt loo" natFral to me$< <1o, by gum, it donFt,< agreed +ilver0 <not natFral, nor not nice, says you$ ?reat guns> 8essmates, but if Alint ,as living, this ,ould be a hot s#ot for you and me$ +ix they ,ere, and six are ,e0 and bones is ,hat they are no,$< <! sa, him dead ,ith these here deadlights,< said 8organ$ < illy too" me in$ There he laid, ,ith #enny-#ieces on his eyes$< <;ead -- aye, sure enough heFs dead and gone belo,,< said the fello, ,ith the bandage0 <but if ever s#errit ,al"ed, it ,ould be AlintFs$ ;ear heart, but he died bad, did Alint>< -1"5<5ye, that he did,< observed another0 <no, he raged, and no, he hollered for the rum, and no, he sang$ FAifteen 8enF ,ere his only song, mates0 and ! tell you true, ! never rightly li"ed to hear it since$ !t ,as main hot, and the ,indy ,as o#en, and ! hear that old song cominF out as clear as clear -- and the death- haul on the man already$< <Come, come,< said +ilver0 <sto, this tal"$ CeFs dead, and he donFt ,al", that ! "no,0 least,ays, he ,onFt ,al" by day, and you may lay to that$ Care "illed a cat$ Aetch ahead for the doubloons$< 9e started, certainly0 but in s#ite of the hot sun and the staring daylight, the #irates no longer ran se#arate and shouting through the ,ood, but "e#t side by side and s#o"e ,ith bated breath$ The terror of the dead buccaneer had fallen on their s#irits$

The Treasure-hunt -- The 6oi-e "'on) the Trees

D5/TL6 from the dam#ing influence of this alarm, #artly to rest +ilver and the sic" fol", the ,hole #arty sat do,n as soon as they had gained the bro, of the ascent$ The #lateau being some,hat tilted to,ards the ,est, this s#ot on ,hich ,e had #aused commanded a ,ide #ros#ect on either hand$ efore us, over the tree-to#s, ,e beheld the Ca#e of the 9oods fringed ,ith surf0 behind, ,e not only loo"ed do,n u#on the anchorage and +"eleton !sland, but sa, -- clear across the s#it and the eastern -1"6lo,lands -- a great field of o#en sea u#on the east$ +heer above us rose the +#yglass, here dotted ,ith single #ines, there blac" ,ith #reci#ices$ There ,as no sound but that of the distant brea"ers, mounting from all round, and the chir# of countless insects in the brush$ 1ot a man, not a sail, u#on the sea0 the very largeness of the vie, increased the sense of solitude$ +ilver, as he sat, too" certain bearings ,ith his com#ass$ <There are three Ftall treesF< said he, <about in the right line from +"eleton !sland$ F+#y-glass shoulder,F ! ta"e it, means that lo,er #Fint there$ !tFs childFs #lay to find the stuff no,$ !Fve half a mind to dine first$< <! donFt feel shar#,< gro,led 8organ$ <Thin"inF oF Alint -- ! thin" it ,ere -- as done me$< <5h, ,ell, my son, you #raise your stars heFs dead,< said +ilver$ <Ce ,ere an ugly devil,< cried a third #irate ,ith a shudder0 <that blue in the face too>< <That ,as ho, the rum too" him,< added 8erry$ < lue> 9ell, ! rec"on he ,as blue$ ThatFs a true ,ord$< Ever since they had found the s"eleton and got u#on this train of thought, they had s#o"en lo,er and lo,er, and they had almost got to ,his#ering by no,, so that the sound of their tal" hardly interru#ted the silence of the ,ood$ 5ll of a sudden, out of the middle of the trees in front of us, a thin, high, trembling voice struc" u# the ,ell-"no,n air and ,ords)

<Aifteen men on the dead manFs chest -6o-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum>< ! never have seen men more dreadfully affected than the #irates$ The colour ,ent from their six faces li"e enchantment0 some lea#ed to their feet, some cla,ed hold of others0 8organ grovelled on the ground$ <!tFs Alint, by -- ->< cried 8erry$ The song had sto##ed as suddenly as it began -- bro"en off, you ,ould have said, in the middle of a note, as though someone had laid his hand u#on the singerFs mouth$ Coming through the clear, sunny atmos#here among the green tree-to#s, ! thought it had sounded airily and s,eetly0 and the effect on my com#anions ,as the stranger$ <Come,< said +ilver, struggling ,ith his ashen li#s to get the ,ord out0 <this ,onFt do$ +tand by to go about$ This is a rum start, and ! canFt name the voice, but itFs someone s"ylar"ing -- someone thatFs flesh and blood, and you may lay to that$< Cis courage had come bac" as he s#o"e, and some of the colour to his face along ,ith it$ 5lready the others had begun to lend an ear to this encouragement and ,ere coming a little to themselves, ,hen the same voice bro"e out again -not this time singing, but in a faint distant hail that echoed yet fainter among the clefts of the +#y-glass$ <;arby 8F?ra,,< it ,ailed -- for that is the ,ord that best describes the sound -<;arby 8F?ra,> ;arby 8F?ra,>< again and again and again0 and then rising a little higher, and ,ith an oath that ! leave out) <Aetch aft the rum, ;arby>< The buccaneers remained rooted to the ground, their eyes starting from their heads$ Long after the voice had died a,ay they still stared in silence, dreadfully, before them$ <That fixes it>< gas#ed one$ <LetFs go$< <They ,as his last ,ords,< moaned 8organ, <his last ,ords above board$< ;ic" had his ible out and ,as #raying volubly$ Ce had been ,ell brought u#, had ;ic", before he came to sea and fell among bad com#anions$ +till +ilver ,as uncon=uered$ ! could hear his teeth rattle in his head, but he had not yet surrendered$ <1obody in this here island ever heard of ;arby,< he muttered0 <not one but us thatFs here$< 5nd then, ma"ing a great effort) <+hi#mates,< he cried, <!Fm here to

get that stuff, and !Fll not be beat by man or devil$ ! never ,as feared of Alint in his life, and, by the #o,ers, !Fll face him dead$ ThereFs seven hundred thousand #ound not a =uarter of a mile from here$ 9hen did ever a gentleman oF fortune sho, his stern to that much dollars for a booMy old seaman ,ith a blue mug -- and him dead tooI< ut there ,as no sign of rea,a"ening courage in his follo,ers, rather, indeed, of gro,ing terror at the irreverence of his ,ords$ < elay there, John>< said 8erry$ <;onFt you cross a s#errit$< 5nd the rest ,ere all too terrified to re#ly$ They ,ould have run a,ay severally had they dared0 but fear "e#t them together, and "e#t them close by John, as if his daring hel#ed them$ Ce, on his #art, had #retty ,ell fought his ,ea"ness do,n$ <+#erritI 9ell, maybe,< he said$ < ut thereFs one thing not clear to me$ There ,as an echo$ 1o,, no man ever seen a s#errit ,ith a shado,0 ,ell then, ,hatFs he doing ,ith an echo to him, ! should li"e to "no,I That ainFt in naturF, surelyI< This argument seemed ,ea" enough to me$ ut you can never tell ,hat ,ill affect the su#erstitious, and to my ,onder, ?eorge 8erry ,as greatly relieved$ <9ell, thatFs so,< he said$ <6ouFve a head u#on your shoulders, John, and no mista"e$ F out shi#, mates> This here cre, is on a ,rong tac", ! do believe$ 5nd come to thin" on it, it ,as li"e AlintFs voice, ! grant you, but not Lust so cleara,ay li"e it, after all$ !t ,as li"er somebody elseFs voice no, -- it ,as li"er -- < < y the #o,ers, en ?unn>< roared +ilver$ <5ye, and so it ,ere,< cried 8organ, s#ringing on his "nees$ < en ?unn it ,ere>< <!t donFt ma"e much odds, do it, no,I< as"ed ;ic"$ < en ?unnFs not here in the body any moreFn Alint$< ut the older hands greeted this remar" ,ith scorn$ <9hy, nobody minds en ?unn,< cried 8erry0 <dead or alive, nobody minds him$< !t ,as extraordinary ho, their s#irits had returned and ho, the natural colour had revived in their faces$ +oon they ,ere chatting together, ,ith intervals of listening0 and not long after, hearing no further sound, they shouldered the tools and set forth again, 8erry ,al"ing first ,ith +ilverFs com#ass to "ee# them on the right line ,ith +"eleton !sland$ Ce had said the truth) dead or alive, nobody minded en ?unn$

;ic" alone still held his ible, and loo"ed around him as he ,ent, ,ith fearful glances0 but he found no sym#athy, and +ilver even Lo"ed him on his #recautions$ <! told you,< said he -- <! told you you had s#Filed your ible$ !f it ainFt no good to s,ear by, ,hat do you su##ose a s#errit ,ould give for itI 1ot that>< and he sna##ed his big fingers, halting a moment on his crutch$ ut ;ic" ,as not to be comforted0 indeed, it ,as soon #lain to me that the lad ,as falling sic"0 hastened by heat, exhaustion, and the shoc" of his alarm, the fever, #redicted by ;r$ Livesey, ,as evidently gro,ing s,iftly higher$ !t ,as fine o#en ,al"ing here, u#on the summit0 our ,ay lay a little do,nhill, for, as ! have said, the #lateau tilted to,ards the ,est$ The #ines, great and small, gre, ,ide a#art0 and even bet,een the clum#s of nutmeg and aMalea, ,ide o#en s#aces ba"ed in the hot sunshine$ +tri"ing, as ,e did, #retty near north-,est across the island, ,e dre,, on the one hand, ever nearer under the shoulders of the +#y-glass, and on the other, loo"ed ever ,ider over that ,estern bay ,here ! had once tossed and trembled in the oracle$ The first of the tall trees ,as reached, and by the bearings #roved the ,rong one$ +o ,ith the second$ The third rose nearly t,o hundred feet into the air above a clum# of under,ood -- a giant of a vegetable, ,ith a red column as big as a cottage, and a ,ide shado, around in ,hich a com#any could have manoeuvred$ it ,as cons#icuous far to sea both on the east and ,est and might have been entered as a sailing mar" u#on the chart$ ut it ,as not its siMe that no, im#ressed my com#anions0 it ,as the "no,ledge that seven hundred thousand #ounds in gold lay some,here buried belo, its s#reading shado,$ The thought of the money, as they dre, nearer, s,allo,ed u# their #revious terrors$ Their eyes burned in their heads0 their feet gre, s#eedier and -2##lighter0 their ,hole soul ,as found u# in that fortune, that ,hole lifetime of extravagance and #leasure, that lay ,aiting there for each of them$ +ilver hobbled, grunting, on his crutch0 his nostrils stood out and =uivered0 he cursed li"e a madman ,hen the flies settled on his hot and shiny countenance0 he #luc"ed furiously at the line that held me to him and from time to time turned his eyes u#on me ,ith a deadly loo"$ Certainly he too" no #ains to hide his thoughts, and certainly ! read them li"e #rint$ !n the immediate nearness of the gold, all else had been forgotten) his #romise and the doctorFs ,arning ,ere both things of the #ast, and ! could not doubt that he ho#ed to seiMe u#on the treasure, find and

board the $ispaniola under cover of night, cut every honest throat about that island, and sail a,ay as he had at first intended, laden ,ith crimes and riches$ +ha"en as ! ,as ,ith these alarms, it ,as hard for me to "ee# u# ,ith the ra#id #ace of the treasure-hunters$ 1o, and again ! stumbled, and it ,as then that +ilver #luc"ed so roughly at the ro#e and launched at me his murderous glances$ ;ic", ,ho had dro##ed behind us and no, brought u# the rear, ,as babbling to himself both #rayers and curses as his fever "e#t rising$ This also added to my ,retchedness, and to cro,n all, ! ,as haunted by the thought of the tragedy that had once been acted on that #lateau, ,hen that ungodly buccaneer ,ith the blue face -- he ,ho died at +avannah, singing and shouting for drin" -- had there, ,ith his o,n hand, cut do,n his six accom#lices$ This grove that ,as no, so #eaceful must then have rung ,ith cries, ! thought0 and even ,ith the thought ! could believe ! heard it ringing still$ 9e ,ere no, at the margin of the thic"et$ <CuMMa, mates, all together>< shouted 8erry0 and the foremost bro"e into a run$ 5nd suddenly, not ten yards further, ,e beheld them sto#$ 5 lo, cry arose$ +ilver doubled his #ace, digging a,ay ,ith the foot of his crutch li"e one #ossessed0 and next moment he and ! had come also to a dead halt$ efore us ,as a great excavation, not very recent, for -2#1the sides had fallen in and grass had s#routed on the bottom$ !n this ,ere the shaft of a #ic" bro"en in t,o and the boards of several #ac"ing-cases stre,n around$ Bn one of these boards ! sa,, branded ,ith a hot iron, the name *alrus -- the name of AlintFs shi#$ 5ll ,as clear to #robation$ The cache had been found and rifled0 the seven hundred thousand #ounds ,ere gone>

The 4all of a Chieftain

TCE/E never ,as such an overturn in this ,orld$ Each of these six men ,as as though he had been struc"$ ut ,ith +ilver the blo, #assed almost instantly$ Every thought of his soul had been set full-stretch, li"e a racer, on that money0 ,ell, he ,as brought u#, in a single second, dead0 and he "e#t his head, found his

tem#er, and changed his #lan before the others had had time to realiMe the disa##ointment$ <Jim,< he ,his#ered, <ta"e that, and stand by for trouble$< 5nd he #assed me a double-barrelled #istol$ 5t the same time, he began =uietly moving north,ard, and in a fe, ste#s had #ut the hollo, bet,een us t,o and the other five$ Then he loo"ed at me and nodded, as much as to say, <Cere is a narro, corner,< as, indeed, ! thought it ,as$ Cis loo"s ,ere not =uite friendly, and ! ,as so revolted at these constant changes that ! could -2#2not forbear ,his#ering, <+o youFve changed sides again$< There ,as no time left for him to ans,er in$ The buccaneers, ,ith oaths and cries, began to lea#, one after another, into the #it and to dig ,ith their fingers, thro,ing the boards aside as they did so$ 8organ found a #iece of gold$ Ce held it u# ,ith a #erfect s#out of oaths$ !t ,as a t,o-guinea #iece, and it ,ent from hand to hand among them for a =uarter of a minute$ <T,o guineas>< roared 8erry, sha"ing it at +ilver$ <ThatFs your seven hundred thousand #ounds, is itI 6ouFre the man for bargains, ainFt youI 6ouFre him that never bungled nothing, you ,ooden-headed lubber>< <;ig a,ay, boys,< said +ilver ,ith the coolest insolence0 <youFll find some #ignuts and ! shouldnFt ,onder$< <Dig-nuts>< re#eated 8erry, in a scream$ <8ates, do you hear thatI ! tell you no,, that man there "ne, it all along$ Loo" in the face of him and youFll see it ,rote there$< <5h, 8erry,< remar"ed +ilver, <standing for ca#Fn againI 6ouFre a #ushing lad, to be sure$< ut this time everyone ,as entirely in 8erryFs favour$ They began to scramble out of the excavation, darting furious glances behind them$ Bne thing ! observed, ,hich loo"ed ,ell for us) they all got out u#on the o##osite side from +ilver$ 9ell, there ,e stood, t,o on one side, five on the other, the #it bet,een us, and nobody scre,ed u# high enough to offer the first blo,$ +ilver never moved0 he

,atched them, very u#right on his crutch, and loo"ed as cool as ever ! sa, him$ Ce ,as brave, and no mista"e$ 5t last 8erry seemed to thin" a s#eech might hel# matters$ <8ates,< says he, <thereFs t,o of them alone there0 oneFs the old cri##le that brought us all here and blundered us do,n to this0 the otherFs that cub that ! mean to have the heart of$ 1o,, mates -- < Ce ,as raising his arm and his voice, and #lainly meant to lead a charge$ ut Lust then -- crac"> crac"> crac"> -- three mus"et-shots flashed out of the thic"et$ 8erry tumbled head foremost into the excavation0 the man ,ith the bandage s#un round li"e a teetotum and fell all his length u#on his side, ,here he lay dead, but still t,itching0 and the other three turned and ran for it ,ith all their might$ efore you could ,in", Long John had fired t,o barrels of a #istol into the struggling 8erry, and as the man rolled u# his eyes at him in the last agony, <?eorge,< said he, <! rec"on ! settled you$< 5t the same moment, the doctor, ?ray, and en ?unn Loined us, ,ith smo"ing mus"ets, from among the nutmeg-trees$ <Aor,ard>< cried the doctor$ <;ouble =uic", my lads$ 9e must head Fem off the boats$< 5nd ,e set off at a great #ace, sometimes #lunging through the bushes to the chest$ ! tell you, but +ilver ,as anxious to "ee# u# ,ith us$ The ,or" that man ,ent through, lea#ing on his crutch till the muscles of his chest ,ere fit to burst, ,as ,or" no sound man ever e=ualled0 and so thin"s the doctor$ 5s it ,as, he ,as already thirty yards behind us and on the verge of strangling ,hen ,e reached the bro, of the slo#e$ <;octor,< he hailed, <see there> 1o hurry>< +ure enough there ,as no hurry$ !n a more o#en #art of the #lateau, ,e could see the three survivors still running in the same direction as they had started, right for 8iMMen-mast Cill$ 9e ,ere already bet,een them and the boats0 and so ,e four sat do,n to breathe, ,hile Long John, mo##ing his face, came slo,ly u# ,ith us$ <Than" ye "indly, doctor,< says he$ <6ou came in in about the nic", ! guess, for me and Ca,"ins$ 5nd so itFs you, en ?unn>< he added$ <9ell, youFre a nice one, to be sure$<

<!Fm en ?unn, ! am,< re#lied the maroon, ,riggling li"e an eel in his embarrassment$ <5nd,< he added, after a long #ause, <ho, do, 8r$ +ilverI Dretty ,ell, ! than" ye, says you$< -2#4< en, en,< murmured +ilver, <to thin" as youFve done me>< The doctor sent bac" ?ray for one of the #ic"-axes deserted, in their flight, by the mutineers, and then as ,e #roceeded leisurely do,nhill to ,here the boats ,ere lying, related in a fe, ,ords ,hat had ta"en #lace$ !t ,as a story that #rofoundly interested +ilver0 and en ?unn, the half-idiot maroon, ,as the hero from beginning to end$ en, in his long, lonely ,anderings about the island, had found the s"eleton -- it ,as he that had rifled it0 he had found the treasure0 he had dug it u# Jit ,as the haft of his #ic"-axe that lay bro"en in the excavationK0 he had carried it on his bac", in many ,eary Lourneys, from the foot of the tall #ine to a cave he had on the t,o-#ointed hill at the north-east angle of the island, and there it had lain stored in safety since t,o months before the arrival of the $ispaniola$ 9hen the doctor had ,ormed this secret from him on the afternoon of the attac", and ,hen next morning he sa, the anchorage deserted, he had gone to +ilver, given him the chart, ,hich ,as no, useless -- given him the stores, for en ?unnFs cave ,as ,ell su##lied ,ith goatsF meat salted by himself -- given anything and everything to get a chance of moving in safety from the stoc"ade to the t,o-#ointed hill, there to be clear of malaria and "ee# a guard u#on the money$ <5s for you, Jim,< he said, <it ,ent against my heart, but ! did ,hat ! thought best for those ,ho had stood by their duty0 and if you ,ere not one of these, ,hose fault ,as itI< That morning, finding that ! ,as to be involved in the horrid disa##ointment he had #re#ared for the mutineers, he had run all the ,ay to the cave, and leaving the s=uire to guard the ca#tain, had ta"en ?ray and the maroon and started, ma"ing the diagonal across the island to be at hand beside the #ine$ +oon, ho,ever, he sa, that our #arty had the start of him0 and en ?unn, being fleet of foot, had been dis#atched in front to do his best -2#5-

alone$ Then it had occurred to him to ,or" u#on the su#erstitions of his former shi#mates, and he ,as so far successful that ?ray and the doctor had come u# and ,ere already ambushed before the arrival of the treasure-hunters$ <5h,< said +ilver, <it ,ere fortunate for me that ! had Ca,"ins here$ 6ou ,ould have let old John be cut to bits, and never given it a thought, doctor$< <1ot a thought,< re#lied ;r$ Livesey cheerily$ 5nd by this time ,e had reached the gigs$ The doctor, ,ith the #ic"-axe, demolished one of them, and then ,e all got aboard the other and set out to go round by sea for 1orth !nlet$ This ,as a run of eight or nine miles$ +ilver, though he ,as almost "illed already ,ith fatigue, ,as set to an oar, li"e the rest of us, and ,e ,ere soon s"imming s,iftly over a smooth sea$ +oon ,e #assed out of the straits and doubled the south- east corner of the island, round ,hich, four days ago, ,e had to,ed the $ispaniola$ 5s ,e #assed the t,o-#ointed hill, ,e could see the blac" mouth of en ?unnFs cave and a figure standing by it, leaning on a mus"et$ !t ,as the s=uire, and ,e ,aved a hand"erchief and gave him three cheers, in ,hich the voice of +ilver Loined as heartily as any$ Three miles farther, Lust inside the mouth of 1orth !nlet, ,hat should ,e meet but the $ispaniola, cruising by herselfI The last flood had lifted her, and had there been much ,ind or a strong tide current, as in the southern anchorage, ,e should never have found her more, or found her stranded beyond hel#$ 5s it ,as, there ,as little amiss beyond the ,rec" of the main-sail$ 5nother anchor ,as got ready and dro##ed in a fathom and a half of ,ater$ 9e all #ulled round again to /um Cove, the nearest #oint for en ?unnFs treasure-house0 and then ?ray, single- handed, returned ,ith the gig to the $ispaniola, ,here he ,as to #ass the night on guard$ 5 gentle slo#e ran u# from the beach to the entrance of the cave$ 5t the to#, the s=uire met us$ To me he ,as cordial and "ind, saying nothing of my esca#ade either in the ,ay of blame or #raise$ 5t +ilverFs #olite salute he some,hat flushed$ <John +ilver,< he said, <youFre a #rodigious villain and im#oster -- a monstrous im#oster, sir$ ! am told ! am not to #rosecute you$ 9ell, then, ! ,ill not$ ut the dead men, sir, hang about your nec" li"e mill-stones$< <Than" you "indly, sir,< re#lied Long John, again saluting$ <! dare you to than" me>< cried the s=uire$ <!t is a gross dereliction of my duty$ +tand bac"$<

5nd thereu#on ,e all entered the cave$ !t ,as a large, airy #lace, ,ith a little s#ring and a #ool of clear ,ater, overhung ,ith ferns$ The floor ,as sand$ efore a big fire lay Ca#tain +mollett0 and in a far corner, only dus"ily flic"ered over by the blaMe, ! beheld great hea#s of coin and =uadrilaterals built of bars of gold$ That ,as AlintFs treasure that ,e had come so far to see" and that had cost already the lives of seventeen men from the $ispaniola$ Co, many it had cost in the amassing, ,hat blood and sorro,, ,hat good shi#s scuttled on the dee#, ,hat brave men ,al"ing the #lan" blindfold, ,hat shot of cannon, ,hat shame and lies and cruelty, #erha#s no man alive could tell$ 6et there ,ere still three u#on that island -- +ilver, and old 8organ, and en ?unn -- ,ho had each ta"en his share in these crimes, as each had ho#ed in vain to share in the re,ard$ <Come in, Jim,< said the ca#tain$ <6ouFre a good boy in your line, Jim, but ! donFt thin" you and meFll go to sea again$ 6ouFre too much of the born favourite for me$ !s that you, John +ilverI 9hat brings you here, manI< <Come bac" to my dooty, sir,< returned +ilver$ <5h>< said the ca#tain, and that ,as all he said$ 9hat a su##er ! had of it that night, ,ith all my friends around me0 and ,hat a meal it ,as, ,ith en ?unnFs salted goat and some delicacies and a bottle of old ,ine from the $ispaniola$ 1ever, ! am sure, ,ere #eo#le gayer or ha##ier$ 5nd there ,as +ilver, sitting bac" almost out of the firelight, but eating heartily, #rom#t to s#ring for,ard ,hen anything ,as ,anted, even Loining =uietly in our laughter -- the same bland, #olite, obse=uious seaman of the voyage out$

"nd Last
TCE next morning ,e fell early to ,or", for the trans#ortation of this great mass of gold near a mile by land to the beach, and thence three miles by boat to the $ispaniola, ,as a considerable tas" for so small a number of ,or"men$ The three fello,s still abroad u#on the island did not greatly trouble us0 a single sentry on the shoulder of the hill ,as sufficient to ensure us against any sudden onslaught, and ,e thought, besides, they had had more than enough of fighting$ Therefore the ,or" ,as #ushed on bris"ly$ ?ray and en ?unn came and ,ent ,ith the boat, ,hile the rest during their absences #iled treasure on the beach$ T,o of the bars, slung in a ro#eFs end, made a good load for a gro,n man -- one that he ,as glad to ,al" slo,ly ,ith$ Aor my #art, as ! ,as not much use at carrying, ! ,as "e#t busy all day in the cave #ac"ing the minted money into bread-bags$

!t ,as a strange collection, li"e illy onesFs hoard for the diversity of coinage, but so much larger and so much more varied that ! thin" ! never had more #leasure than in sorting them$ English, Arench, +#anish, Dortuguese, ?eorges, and Louises, doubloons and double guineas and moidores and se=uins, the #ictures of all the "ings of Euro#e for the last hundred years, strange Briental #ieces stam#ed ,ith ,hat loo"ed li"e ,is#s of string or bits of s#iderFs ,eb, round #ieces and s=uare #ieces, and #ieces bored through the middle, as if to ,ear them round your nec" -- nearly every variety of money in the ,orld must, ! thin", have found a #lace in that collection0 and for number, ! am sure they ,ere li"e autumn leaves, so that my bac" ached ,ith stoo#ing and my fingers ,ith sorting them out$ ;ay after day this ,or" ,ent on0 by every evening a fortune had been sto,ed aboard, but there ,as another fortune ,aiting for the morro,0 and all this time ,e heard nothing of the three surviving mutineers$ 5t last -- ! thin" it ,as on the third night -- the doctor and ! ,ere strolling on the shoulder of the hill ,here it overloo"s the lo,lands of the isle, ,hen, from out the thic" dar"ness belo,, the ,ind brought us a noise bet,een shrie"ing and singing$ !t ,as only a snatch that reached our ears, follo,ed by the former silence$ <Ceaven forgive them,< said the doctor0 <Ftis the mutineers>< <5ll drun", sir,< struc" in the voice of +ilver from behind us$ +ilver, ! should say, ,as allo,ed his entire liberty, and in s#ite of daily rebuffs, seemed to regard himself once more as =uite a #rivileged and friendly de#endent$ !ndeed, it ,as remar"able ho, ,ell he bore these slights and ,ith ,hat un,earying #oliteness he "e#t on trying to ingratiate himself ,ith all$ 6et, ! thin", none treated him better than a dog, unless it ,as en ?unn, ,ho ,as still terribly afraid of his old =uartermaster, or myself, ,ho had really something to than" him for0 although for that matter, ! su##ose, ! had reason to thin" even ,orse of him than anybody else, for ! had seen him meditating a fresh treachery u#on the #lateau$ 5ccordingly, it ,as #retty gruffly that the doctor ans,ered him$ <;run" or raving,< said he$ </ight you ,ere, sir,< re#lied +ilver0 <and #recious little odds ,hich, to you and me$< <! su##ose you ,ould hardly as" me to call you a humane man,< returned the doctor ,ith a sneer, <and so my feelings may sur#rise you, 8aster +ilver$ ut if ! ,ere sure they ,ere raving -- as ! am morally certain one, at least, of them is do,n ,ith fever -- ! should leave this cam#, and at ,hatever ris" to my o,n carcass, ta"e them the assistance of my s"ill$<

<5s" your #ardon, sir, you ,ould be very ,rong,< =uoth +ilver$ <6ou ,ould lose your #recious life, and you may lay to that$ !Fm on your side no,, hand and glove0 and ! shouldnFt ,ish for to see the #arty ,ea"ened, let alone yourself, seeing as ! "no, ,hat ! o,es you$ ut these men do,n there, they couldnFt "ee# their ,ord -- no, not su##osing they ,ished to0 and ,hatFs more, they couldnFt believe as you could$< <1o,< said the doctor$ <6ouFre the man to "ee# your ,ord, ,e "no, that$< 9ell, that ,as about the last ne,s ,e had of the three #irates$ Bnly once ,e heard a gunshot a great ,ay off and su##osed them to be hunting$ 5 council ,as held, and it ,as decided that ,e must desert them on the island -- to the huge glee, ! must say, of en ?unn, and ,ith the strong a##roval of ?ray$ 9e left a good stoc" of #o,er and shot, the bul" of the salt goat, a fe, medicines, and some other necessaries, tools, clothing, a s#are sail, a fathom or t,o of ro#e, and by the #articular desire of the doctor, a handsome #resent of tobacco$ That ,as about our last doing on the island$ efore that, ,e had got the treasure sto,ed and had shi##ed enough ,ater and the remainder of the goat meat in case of any distress0 and at last, one fine morning, ,e ,eighed anchor, ,hich ,as about all that ,e could manage, and stood out of 1orth !nlet, the same colours flying that the ca#tain had flo,n and fought under at the #alisade$ The three fello,s must have been ,atching us closer than ,e thought for, as ,e soon had #roved$ Aor coming -21#through the narro,s, ,e had to lie very near the southern #oint, and there ,e sa, all three of them "neeling together on a s#it of sand, ,ith their arms raised in su##lication$ !t ,ent to all our hearts, ! thin", to leave them in that ,retched state0 but ,e could not ris" another mutiny0 and to ta"e them home for the gibbet ,ould have been a cruel sort of "indness$ The doctor hailed them and told them of the stores ,e had left, and ,here they ,ere to find them$ ut they continued to call us by name and a##eal to us, for ?odFs sa"e, to be merciful and not leave them to die in such a #lace$ 5t last, seeing the shi# still bore on her course and ,as no, s,iftly dra,ing out of earshot, one of them -- ! "no, not ,hich it ,as -- lea#t to his feet ,ith a hoarse cry, ,hi##ed his mus"et to his shoulder, and sent a shot ,histling over +ilverFs head and through the main-sail$ 5fter that, ,e "e#t under cover of the bul,ar"s, and ,hen next ! loo"ed out they had disa##eared from the s#it, and the s#it itself had almost melted out of

sight in the gro,ing distance$ That ,as, at least, the end of that0 and before noon, to my inex#ressible Loy, the highest roc" of Treasure !sland had sun" into the blue round of sea$ 9e ,ere so short of men that everyone on board had to bear a hand -- only the ca#tain lying on a mattress in the stern and giving his orders, for though greatly recovered he ,as still in ,ant of =uiet$ 9e laid her head for the nearest #ort in +#anish 5merica, for ,e could not ris" the voyage home ,ithout fresh hands0 and as it ,as, ,hat ,ith baffling ,inds and a cou#le of fresh gales, ,e ,ere all ,orn out before ,e reached it$ !t ,as Lust at sundo,n ,hen ,e cast anchor in a most beautiful land-loc"ed gulf, and ,ere immediately surrounded by shore boats full of 1egroes and 8exican !ndians and half-bloods selling fruits and vegetables and offering to dive for bits of money$ The sight of so many good-humoured faces Jes#ecially the blac"sK, the taste of the tro#ical fruits, and above all the lights that began to shine in the to,n made a most charming contrast to our dar" and bloody soLourn on the island0 and the -211doctor and the s=uire, ta"ing me along ,ith them, ,ent ashore to #ass the early #art of the night$ Cere they met the ca#tain of an English man-of-,ar, fell in tal" ,ith him, ,ent on board his shi#, and, in short, had so agreeable a time that day ,as brea"ing ,hen ,e came alongside the $ispaniola$ en ?unn ,as on dec" alone, and as soon as ,e came on board he began, ,ith ,onderful contortions, to ma"e us a confession$ +ilver ,as gone$ The maroon had connived at his esca#e in a shore boat some hours ago, and he no, assured us he had only done so to #reserve our lives, ,hich ,ould certainly have been forfeit if <that man ,ith the one leg had stayed aboard$< ut this ,as not all$ The sea-coo" had not gone em#ty-handed$ Ce had cut through a bul"head unobserved and had removed one of the sac"s of coin, ,orth #erha#s three or four hundred guineas, to hel# him on his further ,anderings$ ! thin" ,e ,ere all #leased to be so chea#ly =uit of him$ 9ell, to ma"e a long story short, ,e got a fe, hands on board, made a good cruise home, and the $ispaniola reached ristol Lust as 8r$ landly ,as beginning to thin" of fitting out her consort$ Aive men only of those ,ho had sailed returned ,ith her$ <;rin" and the devil had done for the rest,< ,ith a vengeance, although, to be sure, ,e ,ere not =uite in so bad a case as that other shi# they sang about)

9ith one man of her cre, alive, 9hat #ut to sea ,ith seventy-five$ 5ll of us had an am#le share of the treasure and used it ,isely or foolishly, according to our natures$ Ca#tain +mollett is no, retired from the sea$ ?ray not only saved his money, but being suddenly smit ,ith the desire to rise, also studied his #rofession, and he is no, mate and #art o,ner of a fine full- rigged shi#, married besides, and the father of a family$ 5s for en ?unn, he got a thousand -212#ounds, ,hich he s#ent or lost in three ,ee"s, or to be more exact, in nineteen days, for he ,as bac" begging on the t,entieth$ Then he ,as given a lodge to "ee#, exactly as he had feared u#on the island0 and he still lives, a great favourite, though something of a butt, ,ith the country boys, and a notable singer in church on +undays and saintsF days$ Bf +ilver ,e have heard no more$ That formidable seafaring man ,ith one leg has at last gone clean out of my life0 but ! dare say he met his old 1egress, and #erha#s still lives in comfort ,ith her and Ca#tain Alint$ !t is to be ho#ed so, ! su##ose, for his chances of comfort in another ,orld are very small$ The bar silver and the arms still lie, for all that ! "no,, ,here Alint buried them0 and certainly they shall lie there for me$ Bxen and ,ain-ro#es ,ould not bring me bac" again to that accursed island0 and the ,orst dreams that ever ! have are ,hen ! hear the surf booming about its coasts or start u#right in bed ,ith the shar# voice of Ca#tain Alint still ringing in my ears) <Dieces of eight> Dieces of eight><