produced by judy boss , john hamm and david widger treasure island by robert louis stevenson treasure island to the hesitating purchaser so be it , and fall on ! and may i and all my pirates share the grave where these and their creations lie ! contents part one the old buccaneer @number@ the old sea-dog at the admiral benbow @number@ @number@ black dog appears and disappears . . . . @number@ @number@ the black spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the sea-chest . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the last of the blind man . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the captain's papers . . . . . . . . . . @number@ part two the sea cook @number@ i go to bristol . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ at the sign of the spy-glass . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ powder and arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the voyage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ what i heard in the apple barrel . . . . @number@ @number@ council of war . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ part three my shore adventure @number@ how my shore adventure began . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the first blow . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the man of the island . . . . . . . . . . @number@ part four the stockade @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : how the ship was abandoned . . . . . . @number@ @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : the jolly-boat's last trip . . . . . . @number@ @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : end of the first day's fighting . . . @number@ @number@ narrative resumed by jim hawkins : the garrison in the stockade . . . . . @number@ @number@ silver's embassy . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ part five my sea adventure @number@ how my sea adventure began . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the ebb-tide runs . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the cruise of the coracle . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ i strike the jolly roger . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ israel hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ " pieces of eight " . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ part six captain silver @number@ in the enemy's camp . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the black spot again . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ on parole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the treasure-hunt flint's pointer . . . @number@ @number@ the treasure-hunt the voice among the trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ the fall of a chieftain . . . . . . . . @number@ @number@ and last . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @number@ treasure island part one the old buccaneer @number@ the old sea-dog at the admiral benbow " fifteen men on the dead man 's chest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! " in the high , old tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and broken at the capstan bars . " this is a handy cove , " says he at length ; " and a pleasant sittyated grog-shop . much company , mate ? " my father told him no , very little company , the more was the pity . " well , then , " said he , " this is the berth for me . here you , matey , " he cried to the man who trundled the barrow ; " bring up alongside and help up my chest . i 'll stay here a bit , " he continued . what you mought call me ? you mought call me captain . oh , i see what you 're at there " ; and he threw down three or four gold pieces on the threshold . " you can tell me when i 've worked through that , " says he , looking as fierce as a commander . and that was all we could learn of our guest . he was a very silent man by custom . every day when he came back from his stroll he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road . how that personage haunted my dreams , i need scarcely tell you . to see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge and ditch was the worst of nightmares . and altogether i paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece , in the shape of these abominable fancies . nor would he allow anyone to leave the inn till he had drunk himself sleepy and reeled off to bed . his stories were what frightened people worst of all . all the time he lived with us the captain made no change whatever in his dress but to buy some stockings from a hawker . the great sea-chest none of us had ever seen open . suddenly he the captain , that is began to pipe up his eternal song : " fifteen men on the dead man 's chest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! drink and the devil had done for the rest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! " the old fellow 's fury was awful . the doctor never so much as moved . let that suffice . " @number@ black dog appears and disappears i had always my eye open for seafaring men , with one leg or two , and i remember this one puzzled me . he was not sailorly , and yet he had a smack of the sea about him too . i paused where i was , with my napkin in my hand . " come here , sonny , " says he . " come nearer here . " i took a step nearer . " is this here table for my mate bill ? " he asked with a kind of leer . " well , " said he , " my mate bill would be called the captain , as like as not . he has a cut on one cheek and a mighty pleasant way with him , particularly in drink , has my mate bill . ah , well ! i told you . now , is my mate bill in this here house ? " i told him he was out walking . " which way , sonny ? which way is he gone ? " but it was no affair of mine , i thought ; and besides , it was difficult to know what to do . the stranger kept hanging about just inside the inn door , peering round the corner like a cat waiting for a mouse . but the great thing for boys is discipline , sonny discipline . now , if you had sailed along of bill , you wouldn't have stood there to be spoke to twice not you . that was never bill 's way , nor the way of sich as sailed with him . " bill , " said the stranger in a voice that i thought he had tried to make bold and big . " come , bill , you know me ; you know an old shipmate , bill , surely , " said the stranger . the captain made a sort of gasp . " black dog ! " said he . " and who else ? " returned the other , getting more at his ease . " black dog as ever was , come for to see his old shipmate billy , at the admiral benbow inn . " that 's you , bill , " returned black dog , " you 're in the right of it , billy . he bade me go and leave the door wide open . " none of your keyholes for me , sonny , " he said ; and i left them together and retired into the bar . " no , no , no , no ; and an end of it ! " he cried once . and again , " if it comes to swinging , swing all , say i . " you may see the notch on the lower side of the frame to this day . that blow was the last of the battle . the captain , for his part , stood staring at the signboard like a bewildered man . then he passed his hand over his eyes several times and at last turned back into the house . " are you hurt ? " cried i . " rum , " he repeated . " i must get away from here . rum ! rum ! " at the same instant my mother , alarmed by the cries and fighting , came running downstairs to help me . between us we raised his head . he was breathing very loud and hard , but his eyes were closed and his face a horrible colour . " dear , deary me , " cried my mother , " what a disgrace upon the house ! and your poor father sick ! " it was a happy relief for us when the door opened and doctor livesey came in , on his visit to my father . " oh , doctor , " we cried , " what shall we do ? where is he wounded ? " " wounded ? a fiddle-stick 's end ! " said the doctor . " no more wounded than you or i . the man has had a stroke , as i warned him . now , mrs. hawkins , just you run upstairs to your husband and tell him , if possible , nothing about it . for my part , i must do my best to save this fellow 's trebly worthless life ; jim , you get me a basin . " when i got back with the basin , the doctor had already ripped up the captain 's sleeve and exposed his great sinewy arm . it was tattooed in several places . " prophetic , " said the doctor , touching this picture with his finger . " and now , master billy bones , if that be your name , we 'll have a look at the colour of your blood . jim , " he said , " are you afraid of blood ? " " no , sir , " said i . a great deal of blood was taken before the captain opened his eyes and looked mistily about him . first he recognized the doctor with an unmistakable frown ; then his glance fell upon me , and he looked relieved . but suddenly his colour changed , and he tried to raise himself , crying , " where 's black dog ? " " there is no black dog here , " said the doctor , " except what you have on your own back . now , mr bones " " that 's not my name , " he interrupted . " much i care , " returned the doctor . come , now , make an effort . i 'll help you to your bed for once . " " now , mind you , " said the doctor , " i clear my conscience the name of rum for you is death . " and with that he went off to see my father , taking me with him by the arm . " this is nothing , " he said as soon as he had closed the door . @number@ the black spot about noon i stopped at the captain 's door with some cooling drinks and medicines . he was lying very much as we had left him , only a little higher , and he seemed both weak and excited . never a month but i 've given you a silver fourpenny for yourself . " the doctor " i began . but he broke in cursing the doctor , in a feeble voice but heartily . " look , jim , how my fingers fidges , " he continued in the pleading tone . " i can't keep ' em still , not i ..y i haven't had a drop this blessed day . that doctor 's a fool , i tell you . if i don't have a drain o ' rum , jim , i 'll have the horrors ; i seen some on ' em already . your doctor hisself said one glass wouldn't hurt me . i 'll give you a golden guinea for a noggin , jim . " " i want none of your money , " said i , " but what you owe my father . i 'll get you one glass , and no more . " when i brought it to him , he seized it greedily and drank it out . " aye , aye , " said he , " that 's some better , sure enough . and now , matey , did that doctor say how long i was to lie here in this old berth ? " " a week at least , " said i . " thunder ! " he cried . " a week ! i can't do that ; they 'd have the black spot on me by then . is that seamanly behaviour , now , i want to know ? but i 'm a saving soul . i never wasted good money of mine , nor lost it neither ; and i 'll trick ' em again . i 'm not afraid on ' em . i 'll shake out another reef , matey , and daddle ' em again . " his words , spirited as they were in meaning , contrasted sadly with the weakness of the voice in which they were uttered . he paused when he had got into a sitting position on the edge . " that doctor 's done me , " he murmured . " my ears is singing . lay me back . " before i could do much to help him he had fallen back again to his former place , where he lay for a while silent . " jim , " he said at length , " you saw that seafaring man today ? " " black dog ? " i asked . " ah ! black dog , " says he . " he's a bad un ; but there 's worse that put him on . i was first mate , i was , old flint 's first mate , and i 'm the on'y one as knows the place . he gave it me at savannah , when he lay a-dying , like as if i was to now , you see . " but what is the black spot , captain ? " i asked . " that 's a summons , mate . i 'll tell you if they get that . but you keep your weather-eye open , jim , and i 'll share with you equals , upon my honour . " what i should have done had all gone well i do not know . but as things fell out , my poor father died quite suddenly that evening , which put all other matters on one side . i have said the captain was weak , and indeed he seemed rather to grow weaker than regain his strength . he had an alarming way now when he was drunk of drawing his cutlass and laying it bare before him on the table . but with all that , he minded people less and seemed shut up in his own thoughts and rather wandering . i never saw in my life a more dreadful-looking figure . " you are at the admiral benbow , black hill cove , my good man , " said i . " i hear a voice , " said he , " a young voice . will you give me your hand , my kind young friend , and lead me in ? " i held out my hand , and the horrible , soft-spoken , eyeless creature gripped it in a moment like a vise . " now , boy , " he said , " take me in to the captain . " " sir , " said i , " upon my word i dare not . " " oh , " he sneered , " that 's it ! take me in straight or i 'll break your arm . " and he gave it , as he spoke , a wrench that made me cry out . " sir , " said i , " it is for yourself i mean . the captain is not what he used to be . he sits with a drawn cutlass . another gentleman " if you don't , i 'll do this , " and with that he gave me a twitch that i thought would have made me faint . the poor captain raised his eyes , and at one look the rum went out of him and left him staring sober . the expression of his face was not so much of terror as of mortal sickness . he made a movement to rise , but i do not believe he had enough force left in his body . " now , bill , sit where you are , " said the beggar . " if i can't see , i can hear a finger stirring . business is business . hold out your left hand . boy , take his left hand by the wrist and bring it near to my right . " " ten o'clock ! " he cried . " six hours . we 'll do them yet , " and he sprang to his feet . i ran to him at once , calling to my mother . but haste was all in vain . the captain had been struck dead by thundering apoplexy . it was the second death i had known , and the sorrow of the first was still fresh in my heart . @number@ the sea-chest something must speedily be resolved upon , and it occurred to us at last to go forth together and seek help in the neighbouring hamlet . no sooner said than done . bare-headed as we were , we ran out at once in the gathering evening and the frosty fog . we were not many minutes on the road , though we sometimes stopped to lay hold of each other and hearken . but there was no unusual sound nothing but the low wash of the ripple and the croaking of the inmates of the wood . for you would have thought men would have been ashamed of themselves no soul would consent to return with us to the admiral benbow . the more we told of our troubles , the more man , woman , and child they clung to the shelter of their houses . for that matter , anyone who was a comrade of the captain 's was enough to frighten them to death . back we will go , the way we came , and small thanks to you big , hulking , chicken-hearted men . we 'll have that chest open , if we die for it . and i 'll thank you for that bag , mrs crossley , to bring back our lawful money in . " my heart was beating finely when we two set forth in the cold night upon this dangerous venture . then my mother got a candle in the bar , and holding each other 's hands , we advanced into the parlour . he lay as we had left him , on his back , with his eyes open and one arm stretched out . " draw down the blind , jim , " whispered my mother ; " they might come and watch outside . i went down on my knees at once . on the floor close to his hand there was a little round of paper , blackened on the one side . " he had till ten , mother , " said i ; and just as i said it , our old clock began striking . this sudden noise startled us shockingly ; but the news was good , for it was only six . " now , jim , " she said , " that key . " i felt in his pockets , one after another . " perhaps it 's round his neck , " suggested my mother . they had never been worn , my mother said . i have often wondered since why he should have carried about these shells with him in his wandering , guilty , and hunted life . underneath there was an old boat-cloak , whitened with sea-salt on many a harbour-bar . " i 'll show these rogues that i 'm an honest woman , " said my mother . " i 'll have my dues , and not a farthing over . hold mrs crossley 's bag . " and she began to count over the amount of the captain 's score from the sailor 's bag into the one that i was holding . the guineas , too , were about the scarcest , and it was with these only that my mother knew how to make her count . it drew nearer and nearer , while we sat holding our breath . at last the tapping recommenced , and , to our indescribable joy and gratitude , died slowly away again until it ceased to be heard . that was enough , and more than enough , for both of us . " i 'll take what i have , " she said , jumping to her feet . " and i 'll take this to square the count , " said i , picking up the oilskin packet . we had not started a moment too soon . far less than half-way to the hamlet , very little beyond the bottom of the hill , we must come forth into the moonlight . " my dear , " said my mother suddenly , " take the money and run on . i am going to faint . " this was certainly the end for both of us , i thought . farther i could not move her , for the bridge was too low to let me do more than crawl below it . so there we had to stay my mother almost entirely exposed and both of us within earshot of the inn . @number@ the last of the blind man the next moment his voice showed me that i was right . " down with the door ! " he cried . but the pause was brief , for the blind man again issued his commands . his voice sounded louder and higher , as if he were afire with eagerness and rage . " in , in , in ! " he shouted , and cursed them for their delay . four or five of them obeyed at once , two remaining on the road with the formidable beggar . there was a pause , then a cry of surprise , and then a voice shouting from the house , " bill 's dead . " but the blind man swore at them again for their delay . " search him , some of you shirking lubbers , and the rest of you aloft and get the chest , " he cried . i could hear their feet rattling up our old stairs , so that the house must have shook with it . " pew , " he cried , " they 've been before us . someone 's turned the chest out alow and aloft . " " is it there ? " roared pew . " the money 's there . " the blind man cursed the money . " flint 's fist , i mean , " he cried . " we don't see it here nohow , " returned the man . " here , you below there , is it on bill ? " cried the blind man again . at that another fellow , probably him who had remained below to search the captain 's body , came to the door of the inn . " bill 's been overhauled a'ready , " said he ; " nothin ' left . " " it 's these people of the inn it's that boy . i wish i had put his eyes out ! " cried the blind man , pew . " there were no time ago they had the door bolted when i tried it . scatter , lads , and find ' em . " " sure enough , they left their glim here , " said the fellow from the window . " scatter and find ' em ! rout the house out ! " reiterated pew , striking with his stick upon the road . " there 's dirk again , " said one . " twice ! we 'll have to budge , mates . " " budge , you skulk ! " cried pew . " dirk was a fool and a coward from the first you wouldn't mind him . they must be close by ; they can't be far ; you have your hands on it . scatter and look for them , dogs ! oh , shiver my soul , " he cried , " if i had eyes ! " " you have your hands on thousands , you fools , and you hang a leg ! you 'd be as rich as kings if you could find it , and you know it 's here , and you stand there skulking . there wasn't one of you dared face bill , and i did it a blind man ! and i 'm to lose my chance for you ! i 'm to be a poor , crawling beggar , sponging for rum , when i might be rolling in a coach ! if you had the pluck of a weevil in a biscuit you would catch them still . " " hang it , pew , we 've got the doubloons ! " grumbled one . " they might have hid the blessed thing , " said another . " take the georges , pew , and don't stand here squalling . " almost at the same time a pistol-shot , flash and report , came from the hedge side . at this pew saw his error , turned with a scream , and ran straight for the ditch , into which he rolled . the rider tried to save him , but in vain . down went pew with a cry that rang high into the night ; and the four hoofs trampled and spurned him and passed by . he fell on his side , then gently collapsed upon his face and moved no more . i leaped to my feet and hailed the riders . they were pulling up , at any rate , horrified at the accident ; and i soon saw what they were . pew was dead , stone dead . he hailed her . soon after , the lugger doubled the point and disappeared . " and that , " said he , " is just about as good as nothing . they 've got off clean , and there 's an end . mr dance could make nothing of the scene . " they got the money , you say ? well , then , hawkins , what in fortune were they after ? more money , i suppose ? " " no , sir ; not money , i think , " replied i . " to be sure , boy ; quite right , " said he . " i 'll take it , if you like . " " i thought perhaps dr livesey " i began . " perfectly right , " he interrupted very cheerily , " perfectly right a gentleman and a magistrate . and , now i come to think of it , i might as well ride round there myself and report to him or squire . now , i 'll tell you , hawkins , if you like , i 'll take you along . " i thanked him heartily for the offer , and we walked back to the hamlet where the horses were . by the time i had told mother of my purpose they were all in the saddle . " dogger , " said mr dance , " you have a good horse ; take up this lad behind you . " @number@ the captain 's papers we rode hard all the way till we drew up before dr livesey 's door . the house was all dark to the front . mr dance told me to jump down and knock , and dogger gave me a stirrup to descend by . the door was opened almost at once by the maid . " is dr livesey in ? " i asked . " so there we go , boys , " said mr dance . here mr dance dismounted , and taking me along with him , was admitted at a word into the house . i had never seen the squire so near at hand . " come in , mr dance , " says he , very stately and condescending . " good evening , dance , " says the doctor with a nod . " and good evening to you , friend jim . what good wind brings you here ? " at last mr dance finished the story . " mr dance , " said the squire , " you are a very noble fellow . this lad hawkins is a trump , i perceive . hawkins , will you ring that bell ? mr dance must have some ale . " " and so , jim , " said the doctor , " you have the thing that they were after , have you ? " " here it is , sir , " said i , and gave him the oilskin packet . " as you will , livesey , " said the squire ; " hawkins has earned better than cold pie . " " and now , squire , " said the doctor . " and now , livesey , " said the squire in the same breath . " one at a time , one at a time , " laughed dr livesey . " you have heard of this flint , i suppose ? " " heard of him ! " cried the squire . " heard of him , you say ! he was the bloodthirstiest buccaneer that sailed . blackbeard was a child to flint . the spaniards were so prodigiously afraid of him that , i tell you , sir , i was sometimes proud he was an englishman . " well , i 've heard of him myself , in england , " said the doctor . " but the point is , had he money ? " " money ! " cried the squire . " have you heard the story ? what were these villains after but money ? what do they care for but money ? for what would they risk their rascal carcasses but money ? " " that we shall soon know , " replied the doctor . " but you are so confoundedly hot-headed and exclamatory that i cannot get a word in . " amount , sir ! " cried the squire . " very well , " said the doctor . " now , then , if jim is agreeable , we 'll open the packet " ; and he laid it before him on the table . the bundle was sewn together , and the doctor had to get out his instrument case and cut the stitches with his medical scissors . it contained two things a book and a sealed paper . " first of all we 'll try the book , " observed the doctor . i could not help wondering who it was that had " got itt , " and what " itt " was that he got . a knife in his back as like as not . " not much instruction there , " said dr livesey as he passed on . the next ten or twelve pages were filled with a curious series of entries . " i can't make head or tail of this , " said dr livesey . " the thing is as clear as noonday , " cried the squire . " this is the black-hearted hound 's account-book . these crosses stand for the names of ships or towns that they sank or plundered . the sums are the scoundrel 's share , and where he feared an ambiguity , you see he added something clearer . ' offe caraccas , ' now ; you see , here was some unhappy vessel boarded off that coast . god help the poor souls that manned her coral long ago . " " right ! " said the doctor . " see what it is to be a traveller . right ! and the amounts increase , you see , as he rose in rank . " " thrifty man ! " cried the doctor . " he wasn't the one to be cheated . " " and now , " said the squire , " for the other . " over on the back the same hand had written this further information : tall tree , spy-glass shoulder , bearing a point to the n of n.n.e. skeleton island e.s.e. and by e . ten feet . the arms are easy found , in the sand-hill , n ..y point of north inlet cape , bearing e. and a quarter n ..y j.f. that was all ; but brief as it was , and to me incomprehensible , it filled the squire and dr livesey with delight . " livesey , " said the squire , " you will give up this wretched practice at once . tomorrow i start for bristol . hawkins shall come as cabin-boy . you 'll make a famous cabin-boy , hawkins . you , livesey , are ship 's doctor ; i am admiral . we 'll take redruth , joyce , and hunter . there 's only one man i 'm afraid of . " " and who 's that ? " cried the squire . " name the dog , sir ! " " you , " replied the doctor ; " for you cannot hold your tongue . we are not the only men who know of this paper . we must none of us go alone till we get to sea . " livesey , " returned the squire , " you are always in the right of it . i 'll be as silent as the grave . " part two the sea-cook @number@ i go to bristol i brooded by the hour together over the map , all the details of which i well remembered . old anchor inn , bristol , @date@ the ship is bought and fitted . she lies at anchor , ready for sea . you never imagined a sweeter schooner a child might sail her two hundred tons ; name , hispaniola . i got her through my old friend , blandly , who has proved himself throughout the most surprising trump . " redruth , " said i , interrupting the letter , " dr livesey will not like that . the squire has been talking , after all . " " well , who 's a better right ? " growled the gamekeeper . " a pretty rum go if squire ain't to talk for dr livesey , i should think . " at that i gave up all attempts at commentary and read straight on : blandly himself found the hispaniola , and by the most admirable management got her for the merest trifle . there is a class of men in bristol monstrously prejudiced against blandly . none of them dare , however , to deny the merits of the ship . so far there was not a hitch . the workpeople , to be sure riggers and what not were most annoyingly slow ; but time cured that . it was the crew that troubled me . i was standing on the dock , when , by the merest accident , i fell in talk with him . he had hobbled down there that morning , he said , to get a smell of the salt . he has no pension , livesey . imagine the abominable age we live in ! well , sir , i thought i had only found a cook , but it was a crew i had discovered . i declare we could fight a frigate . long john even got rid of two out of the six or seven i had already engaged . he showed me in a moment that they were just the sort of fresh-water swabs we had to fear in an adventure of importance . seaward , ho ! hang the treasure ! it 's the glory of the sea that has turned my head . so now , livesey , come post ; do not lose an hour , if you respect me . let young hawkins go at once to see his mother , with redruth for a guard ; and then both come full speed to bristol . john trelawney long john silver unearthed a very competent man for a mate , a man named arrow . i have a boatswain who pipes , livesey ; so things shall go man-o'-war fashion on board the good ship hispaniola . j. t. p.p.s. hawkins may stay one night with his mother . j. t. you can fancy the excitement into which that letter put me . nobody but old redruth would have dared so much as even to grumble . the captain , who had so long been a cause of so much discomfort , was gone where the wicked cease from troubling . he had found her a boy as an apprentice also so that she should not want help while i was gone . it was on seeing that boy that i understood , for the first time , my situation . the night passed , and the next day , after dinner , redruth and i were afoot again and on the road . next moment we had turned the corner and my home was out of sight . the mail picked us up about dusk at the royal george on the heath . " where are we ? " i asked . " bristol , " said tom . " get down . " mr trelawney had taken up his residence at an inn far down the docks to superintend the work upon the schooner . though i had lived by the shore all my life , i seemed never to have been near the sea till then . the smell of tar and salt was something new . i saw the most wonderful figureheads , that had all been far over the ocean . " here you are , " he cried , " and the doctor came last night from london . bravo ! the ship 's company complete ! " " oh , sir , " cried i , " when do we sail ? " " sail ! " says he . " we sail tomorrow ! " @number@ at the sign of the spy-glass it was a bright enough little place of entertainment . the sign was newly painted ; the windows had neat red curtains ; the floor was cleanly sanded . the customers were mostly seafaring men , and they talked so loudly that i hung at the door , almost afraid to enter . he was very tall and strong , with a face as big as a ham plain and pale , but intelligent and smiling . but one look at the man before me was enough . " mr silver , sir ? " i asked , holding out the note . " yes , my lad , " said he ; " such is my name , to be sure . and who may you be ? " and then as he saw the squire 's letter , he seemed to me to give something almost like a start . " oh ! " said he , quite loud , and offering his hand . " i see . you are our new cabin-boy ; pleased i am to see you . " and he took my hand in his large firm grasp . just then one of the customers at the far side rose suddenly and made for the door . it was close by him , and he was out in the street in a moment . but his hurry had attracted my notice , and i recognized him at glance . it was the tallow-faced man , wanting two fingers , who had come first to the admiral benbow . " oh , " i cried , " stop him ! it 's black dog ! " " i don't care two coppers who he is , " cried silver . " but he hasn't paid his score . harry , run and catch him . " one of the others who was nearest the door leaped up and started in pursuit . " black what ? " " dog , sir , " said i . " has mr trelawney not told you of the buccaneers ? he was one of them . " " so ? " cried silver . " in my house ! ben , run and help harry . one of those swabs , was he ? was that you drinking with him , morgan ? step up here . " the man whom he called morgan an old , grey-haired , mahogany-faced sailor came forward pretty sheepishly , rolling his quid . " not i , sir , " said morgan with a salute . " you didn't know his name , did you ? " " no , sir . " " by the powers , tom morgan , it 's as good for you ! " exclaimed the landlord . and what was he saying to you ? " " i don't rightly know , sir , " answered morgan . " do you call that a head on your shoulders , or a blessed dead-eye ? " cried long john . " don't rightly know , don't you ! perhaps you don't happen to rightly know who you was speaking to , perhaps ? come , now , what was he jawing v'yages , cap'ns , ships ? pipe up ! what was it ? " " we was a-talkin ' of keel-hauling , " answered morgan . " keel-hauling , was you ? and a mighty suitable thing , too , and you may lay to that . get back to your place for a lubber , tom . " and now , " he ran on again , aloud , " let's see black dog ? no , i don't know the name , not i ..y yet i kind of think i've yes , i 've seen the swab . he used to come here with a blind beggar , he used . " " that he did , you may be sure , " said i . " i knew that blind man too . his name was pew . " " it was ! " cried silver , now quite excited . " pew ! that were his name for certain . ah , he looked a shark , he did ! if we run down this black dog , now , there 'll be news for cap'n trelawney ! ben 's a good runner ; few seamen run better than ben . he should run him down , hand over hand , by the powers ! he talked o ' keel-hauling , did he ? i'll keel-haul him ! " my suspicions had been thoroughly reawakened on finding black dog at the spy-glass , and i watched the cook narrowly . there 's cap'n trelawney what 's he to think ? here i have this confounded son of a dutchman sitting in my own house drinking of my own rum ! here you comes and tells me of it plain ; and here i let him give us all the slip before my blessed deadlights ! now , hawkins , you do me justice with the cap'n . you 're a lad , you are , but you 're as smart as paint . i see that when you first come in . now , here it is : what could i do , with this old timber i hobble on ? and then , all of a sudden , he stopped , and his jaw dropped as though he had remembered something . " the score ! " he burst out . " three goes o ' rum ! why , shiver my timbers , if i hadn't forgotten my score ! " and falling on a bench , he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks . i could not help joining , and we laughed together , peal after peal , until the tavern rang again . " why , what a precious old sea-calf i am ! " he said at last , wiping his cheeks . " you and me should get on well , hawkins , for i 'll take my davy i should be rated ship 's boy . but come now , stand by to go about . this won't do . dooty is dooty , messmates . i 'll put on my old cockerel hat , and step along of you to cap'n trelawney , and report this here affair . nor you neither , says you ; not smart none of the pair of us smart . but dash my buttons ! that was a good un about my score . " i began to see that here was one of the best of possible shipmates . long john told the story from first to last , with a great deal of spirit and the most perfect truth . " all hands aboard by four this afternoon , " shouted the squire after him . " aye , aye , sir , " cried the cook , in the passage . " the man 's a perfect trump , " declared the squire . " and now , " added the doctor , " jim may come on board with us , may he not ? " " to be sure he may , " says squire . " take your hat , hawkins , and we 'll see the ship . " @number@ powder and arms " captain smollett , sir , axing to speak with you , " said he . " i am always at the captain 's orders . show him in , " said the squire . the captain , who was close behind his messenger , entered at once and shut the door behind him . " well , captain smollett , what have you to say ? all well , i hope ; all shipshape and seaworthy ? " " well , sir , " said the captain , " better speak plain , i believe , even at the risk of offence . i don't like this cruise ; i don't like the men ; and i don't like my officer . that 's short and sweet . " " perhaps , sir , you don't like the ship ? " inquired the squire , very angry , as i could see . " i can't speak as to that , sir , not having seen her tried , " said the captain . " she seems a clever craft ; more i can't say . " " possibly , sir , you may not like your employer , either ? " says the squire . but here dr livesey cut in . " stay a bit , " said he , " stay a bit . no use of such questions as that but to produce ill feeling . you don't , you say , like this cruise . now , why ? " " so far so good . but now i find that every man before the mast knows more than i do . i don't call that fair , now , do you ? " " no , " said dr livesey , " i don't . " " next , " said the captain , " i learn we are going after treasure hear it from my own hands , mind you . " silver 's parrot ? " asked the squire . " it 's a way of speaking , " said the captain . " blabbed , i mean . " that is all clear , and , i dare say , true enough , " replied dr livesey . " we take the risk , but we are not so ignorant as you believe us . next , you say you don't like the crew . are they not good seamen ? " " i don't like them , sir , " returned captain smollett . " and i think i should have had the choosing of my own hands , if you go to that . " " perhaps you should , " replied the doctor . " my friend should , perhaps , have taken you along with him ; but the slight , if there be one , was unintentional . and you don't like mr arrow ? " " i don't , sir . i believe he 's a good seaman , but he 's too free with the crew to be a good officer . a mate should keep himself to himself shouldn't drink with the men before the mast ! " " do you mean he drinks ? " cried the squire . " no , sir , " replied the captain , " only that he 's too familiar . " " well , now , and the short and long of it , captain ? " asked the doctor . " tell us what you want . " " well , gentlemen , are you determined to go on this cruise ? " " like iron , " answered the squire . " very good , " said the captain . " then , as you 've heard me very patiently , saying things that i could not prove , hear me a few words more . they are putting the powder and the arms in the fore hold . now , you have a good place under the cabin ; why not put them there ? first point . then , you are bringing four of your own people with you , and they tell me some of them are to be berthed forward . why not give them the berths here beside the cabin ? second point . " " any more ? " asked mr trelawney . " one more , " said the captain . " there 's been too much blabbing already . " " far too much , " agreed the doctor . " i never told that , " cried the squire , " to a soul ! " " the hands know it , sir , " returned the captain . " livesey , that must have been you or hawkins , " cried the squire . " it doesn't much matter who it was , " replied the doctor . and i could see that neither he nor the captain paid much regard to mr trelawney 's protestations . otherwise i would ask you to let me resign . " " i see , " said the doctor . in other words , you fear a mutiny . " no captain , sir , would be justified in going to sea at all if he had ground enough to say that . but i am responsible for the ship 's safety and the life of every man jack aboard of her . i see things going , as i think , not quite right . and i ask you to take certain precautions or let me resign my berth . and that 's all . " you 'll excuse me , i dare say , but you remind me of that fable . when you came in here , i 'll stake my wig , you meant more than this . " " doctor , " said the captain , " you are smart . when i came in here i meant to get discharged . i had no thought that mr trelawney would hear a word . " " no more i would , " cried the squire . " had livesey not been here i should have seen you to the deuce . as it is , i have heard you . i will do as you desire , but i think the worse of you . " " that 's as you please , sir , " said the captain . " you 'll find i do my duty . " and with that he took his leave . " well , " says the doctor , " we shall see . " the new arrangement was quite to my liking . " what 's this ? " " we 're a-changing of the powder , jack , " answers one . " why , by the powers , " cried long john , " if we do , we 'll miss the morning tide ! " " my orders ! " said the captain shortly . " you may go below , my man . hands will want supper . " " that 's a good man , captain , " said the doctor . " very likely , sir , " replied captain smollett . off with you to the cook and get some work . " i assure you i was quite of the squire 's way of thinking , and hated the captain deeply . @number@ the voyage " now , barbecue , tip us a stave , " cried one voice . " the old one , " cried another . " fifteen men on the dead man 's chest " and then the whole crew bore chorus : " yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! " and at the third " ho ! " drove the bars before them with a will . i am not going to relate that voyage in detail . it was fairly prosperous . the ship proved to be a good ship , the crew were capable seamen , and the captain thoroughly understood his business . but before we came the length of treasure island , two or three things had happened which require to be known . mr arrow , first of all , turned out even worse than the captain had feared . he had no command among the men , and people did what they pleased with him . time after time he was ordered below in disgrace . in the meantime , we could never make out where he got the drink . that was the ship 's mystery . " overboard ! " said the captain . " well , gentlemen , that saves the trouble of putting him in irons . " but there we were , without a mate ; and it was necessary , of course , to advance one of the men . mr trelawney had followed the sea , and his knowledge made him very useful , for he often took a watch himself in easy weather . aboard ship he carried his crutch by a lanyard round his neck , to have both hands as free as possible . still more strange was it to see him in the heaviest of weather cross the deck . yet some of the men who had sailed with him before expressed their pity to see him so reduced . " he 's no common man , barbecue , " said the coxswain to me . i seen him grapple four and knock their heads together him unarmed . " all the crew respected and even obeyed him . he had a way of talking to each and doing everybody some particular service . " come away , hawkins , " he would say ; " come and have a yarn with john . nobody more welcome than yourself , my son . sit you down and hear the news . here 's cap'n flint i calls my parrot cap'n flint , after the famous buccaneer here 's cap'n flint predicting success to our v'yage . wasn't you , cap'n ? " and the parrot would say , with great rapidity , " pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! " till you wondered that it was not out of breath , or till john threw his handkerchief over the cage . she 's sailed with england , the great cap'n england , the pirate . she 's been at madagascar , and at malabar , and surinam , and providence , and portobello . she was at the fishing up of the wrecked plate ships . it 's there she learned ' pieces of eight , ' and little wonder ; three hundred and fifty thousand of ' em , hawkins ! but you smelt powder didn't you , cap'n ? " " stand by to go about , " the parrot would scream . " there , " john would add , " you can't touch pitch and not be mucked , lad . here 's this poor old innocent bird o ' mine swearing blue fire , and none the wiser , you may lay to that . she would swear the same , in a manner of speaking , before chaplain . " and john would touch his forelock with a solemn way he had that made me think he was the best of men . in the meantime , the squire and captain smollett were still on pretty distant terms with one another . the squire made no bones about the matter ; he despised the captain . as for the ship , he had taken a downright fancy to her . " she 'll lie a point nearer the wind than a man has a right to expect of his own married wife , sir . but , " he would add , " all i say is , we 're not home again , and i don't like the cruise . " the squire , at this , would turn away and march up and down the deck , chin in air . " a trifle more of that man , " he would say , " and i shall explode . " we had some heavy weather , which only proved the qualities of the hispaniola . " never knew good come of it yet , " the captain said to dr livesey . " spoil forecastle hands , make devils . that 's my belief . " this was how it came about . we were heading s.s.w. and had a steady breeze abeam and a quiet sea . the hispaniola rolled steadily , dipping her bowsprit now and then with a whiff of spray . i ran on deck . the watch was all forward looking out for the island . the barrel shook as he leaned his shoulders against it , and i was just about to jump up when the man began to speak . @number@ what i heard in the apple barrel " no , not i , " said silver . " flint was cap'n ; i was quartermaster , along of my timber leg . the same broadside i lost my leg , old pew lost his deadlights . that was roberts ' men , that was , and comed of changing names to their ships royal fortune and so on . now , what a ship was christened , so let her stay , i says . " ah ! " cried another voice , that of the youngest hand on board , and evidently full of admiration . " he was the flower of the flock , was flint ! " " davis was a man too , by all accounts , " said silver . i laid by nine hundred safe , from england , and two thousand after flint . that ain't bad for a man before the mast all safe in bank . ' tain't earning now , it 's saving does it , you may lay to that . where 's all england 's men now ? i dunno . where 's flint 's ? why , most on ' em aboard here , and glad to get the duff been begging before that , some on ' em . where is he now ? well , he 's dead now and under hatches ; but for two year before that , shiver my timbers , the man was starving ! he begged , and he stole , and he cut throats , and starved at that , by the powers ! " " well , it ain't much use , after all , " said the young seaman . " ' tain't much use for fools , you may lay to it that , nor nothing , " cried silver . " but now , you look here : you 're young , you are , but you 're as smart as paint . i see that when i set my eyes on you , and i 'll talk to you like a man . " i think , if i had been able , that i would have killed him through the barrel . meantime , he ran on , little supposing he was overheard . " here it is about gentlemen of fortune . now , the most goes for rum and a good fling , and to sea again in their shirts . but that 's not the course i lay . i puts it all away , some here , some there , and none too much anywheres , by reason of suspicion . i 'm fifty , mark you ; once back from this cruise , i set up gentleman in earnest . time enough too , says you . and how did i begin ? before the mast , like you ! " " well , " said the other , " but all the other money 's gone now , ain't it ? you daren't show face in bristol after this . " " why , where might you suppose it was ? " asked silver derisively . " at bristol , in banks and places , " answered his companion . " it were , " said the cook ; " it were when we weighed anchor . but my old missis has it all by now . and the spy-glass is sold , lease and goodwill and rigging ; and the old girl 's off to meet me . i would tell you where , for i trust you , but it 'd make jealousy among the mates . " " and can you trust your missis ? " asked the other . but i have a way with me , i have . feared he was , and proud . they was the roughest crew afloat , was flint 's ; the devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them . ah , you may be sure of yourself in old john 's ship . " by this time i had begun to understand the meaning of their terms . " dick 's square , " said silver . " oh , i know 'd dick was square , " returned the voice of the coxswain , israel hands . " he 's no fool , is dick . " and he turned his quid and spat . i 've had a'most enough o ' cap'n smollett ; he 's hazed me long enough , by thunder ! i want to go into that cabin , i do . i want their pickles and wines , and that . " " israel , " said silver , " your head ain't much account , nor ever was . but you 're able to hear , i reckon ; leastways , your ears is big enough . " well , i don't say no , do i ? " growled the coxswain . " what i say is , when ? that 's what i say . " " when ! by the powers ! " cried silver . " well now , if you want to know , i 'll tell you when . the last moment i can manage , and that 's when . here 's a first-rate seaman , cap'n smollett , sails the blessed ship for us . here 's this squire and doctor with a map and such i don't know where it is , do i ? no more do you , says you . well then , i mean this squire and doctor shall find the stuff , and help us to get it aboard , by the powers . then we 'll see . " why , we 're all seamen aboard here , i should think , " said the lad dick . " we 're all forecastle hands , you mean , " snapped silver . " we can steer a course , but who 's to set one ? that 's what all you gentlemen split on , first and last . but i know the sort you are . i 'll finish with ' em at the island , as soon 's the blunt 's on board , and a pity it is . but you 're never happy till you 're drunk . split my sides , i 've a sick heart to sail with the likes of you ! " " easy all , long john , " cried israel . " who 's a-crossin ' of you ? " " why , how many tall ships , think ye , now , have i seen laid aboard ? and how many brisk lads drying in the sun at execution dock ? " cried silver . " and all for this same hurry and hurry and hurry . you hear me ? i seen a thing or two at sea , i have . if you would on'y lay your course , and a p'int to windward , you would ride in carriages , you would . but not you ! i know you . you 'll have your mouthful of rum tomorrow , and go hang . " " they liked a bit o ' fun , they did . they wasn't so high and dry , nohow , but took their fling , like jolly companions every one . " " so ? " says silver . " well , and where are they now ? pew was that sort , and he died a beggar-man . flint was , and he died of rum at savannah . ah , they was a sweet crew , they was ! on'y , where are they ? " " there 's the man for me ! " cried the cook admiringly . " that 's what i call business . well , what would you think ? put ' em ashore like maroons ? that would have been england 's way . or cut ' em down like that much pork ? that would have been flint 's , or billy bones 's . " " billy was the man for that , " said israel . " ' dead men don't bite , ' says he . " right you are , " said silver ; " rough and ready . but mark you here , i 'm an easy man i 'm quite the gentleman , says you ; but this time it 's serious . dooty is dooty , mates . i give my vote death . wait is what i say ; but when the time comes , why , let her rip ! " " john , " cries the coxswain , " you 're a man ! " " you 'll say so , israel when you see , " said silver . " only one thing i claim i claim trelawney . i 'll wring his calf 's head off his body with these hands , dick ! " he added , breaking off . " you just jump up , like a sweet lad , and get me an apple , to wet my pipe like . " you may fancy the terror i was in ! i should have leaped out and run for it if i had found the strength , but my limbs and heart alike misgave me . don't you get sucking of that bilge , john . let 's have a go of the rum . " " dick , " said silver , " i trust you . i 've a gauge on the keg , mind . there 's the key ; you fill a pannikin and bring it up . " dick was gone but a little while , and during his absence israel spoke straight on in the cook 's ear . hence there were still faithful men on board . @number@ council of war there was a great rush of feet across the deck . there all hands were already congregated . a belt of fog had lifted almost simultaneously with the appearance of the moon . all three seemed sharp and conical in figure . and then i heard the voice of captain smollett issuing orders . the hispaniola was laid a couple of points nearer the wind and now sailed a course that would just clear the island on the east . " i have , sir , " said silver . " i 've watered there with a trader i was cook in . " " the anchorage is on the south , behind an islet , i fancy ? " asked the captain . " yes , sir ; skeleton island they calls it . it were a main place for pirates once , and a hand we had on board knowed all their names for it . " i have a chart here , " says captain smollett . " see if that 's the place . " sharp as must have been his annoyance , silver had the strength of mind to hide it . " yes , sir , " said he , " this is the spot , to be sure , and very prettily drawed out . who might have done that , i wonder ? the pirates were too ignorant , i reckon . aye , here it is : ' capt kidd 's anchorage ' just the name my shipmate called it . there 's a strong current runs along the south , and then away nor'ard up the west coast . right you was , sir , " says he , " to haul your wind and keep the weather of the island . leastways , if such was your intention as to enter and careen , and there ain't no better place for that in these waters . " " thank you , my man , " says captain smollett . " i 'll ask you later on to give us a help . you may go . " why , it makes me young again . i was going to forget my timber leg , i was . it 's a pleasant thing to be young and have ten toes , and you may lay to that . and clapping me in the friendliest way upon the shoulder , he hobbled off forward and went below . while i was still casting about in my thoughts to find some probable excuse , dr livesey called me to his side . get the captain and squire down to the cabin , and then make some pretence to send for me . i have terrible news . " the doctor changed countenance a little , but next moment he was master of himself . and with that he turned on his heel and rejoined the other two . " my lads , " said captain smollett , " i 've a word to say to you . this land that we have sighted is the place we have been sailing for . i 'll tell you what i think of this : i think it handsome . and if you think as i do , you 'll give a good sea-cheer for the gentleman that does it . " " one more cheer for cap'n smollett , " cried long john when the first had subsided . and this also was given with a will . the stern window was open , for it was a warm night , and you could see the moon shining behind on the ship 's wake . " now , hawkins , " said the squire , " you have something to say . speak up . " i did as i was bid , and as short as i could make it , told the whole details of silver 's conversation . " jim , " said dr livesey , " take a seat . " " now , captain , " said the squire , " you were right , and i was wrong . i own myself an ass , and i await your orders . " " no more an ass than i , sir , " returned the captain . but this crew , " he added , " beats me . " " captain , " said the doctor , " with your permission , that 's silver . a very remarkable man . " " he 'd look remarkably well from a yard-arm , sir , " returned the captain . " but this is talk ; this don't lead to anything . i see three or four points , and with mr trelawney 's permission , i 'll name them . " " you , sir , are the captain . it is for you to speak , " says mr trelawney grandly . " first point , " began mr smollett . " we must go on , because we can't turn back . if i gave the word to go about , they would rise at once . second point , we have time before us at least until this treasure 's found . third point , there are faithful hands . we can count , i take it , on your own home servants , mr trelawney ? " " as upon myself , " declared the squire . " three , " reckoned the captain ; " ourselves make seven , counting hawkins here . now , about the honest hands ? " " nay , " replied the squire . " hands was one of mine . " " i did think i could have trusted hands , " added the captain . " and to think that they 're all englishmen ! " broke out the squire . " sir , i could find it in my heart to blow the ship up . " " well , gentlemen , " said the captain , " the best that i can say is not much . we must lay to , if you please , and keep a bright lookout . it 's trying on a man , i know . it would be pleasanter to come to blows . but there 's no help for it till we know our men . lay to , and whistle for a wind , that 's my view . " " jim here , " said the doctor , " can help us more than anyone . the men are not shy with him , and jim is a noticing lad . " " hawkins , i put prodigious faith in you , " added the squire . part three my shore adventure @number@ how my shore adventure began the appearance of the island when i came on deck next morning was altogether changed . grey-coloured woods covered a large part of the surface . the hills ran up clear above the vegetation in spires of naked rock . the hispaniola was rolling scuppers under in the ocean swell . i volunteered for one of the boats , where i had , of course , no business . the heat was sweltering , and the men grumbled fiercely over their work . anderson was in command of my boat , and instead of keeping the crew in order , he grumbled as loud as the worst . " well , " he said with an oath , " it 's not forever . " all the way in , long john stood by the steersman and conned the ship . the bottom was clean sand . a peculiar stagnant smell hung over the anchorage a smell of sodden leaves and rotting tree trunks . i observed the doctor sniffing and sniffing , like someone tasting a bad egg . " i don't know about treasure , " he said , " but i 'll stake my wig there 's fever here . " if the conduct of the men had been alarming in the boat , it became truly threatening when they had come aboard . they lay about the deck growling together in talk . the slightest order was received with a black look and grudgingly and carelessly obeyed . even the honest hands must have caught the infection , for there was not one man aboard to mend another . mutiny , it was plain , hung over us like a thunder-cloud . and it was not only we of the cabin party who perceived the danger . he fairly outstripped himself in willingness and civility ; he was all smiles to everyone . of all the gloomy features of that gloomy afternoon , this obvious anxiety on the part of long john appeared the worst . we held a council in the cabin . " sir , " said the captain , " if i risk another order , the whole ship 'll come about our ears by the run . you see , sir , here it is . i get a rough answer , do i not ? now , we 've only one man to rely on . " " and who is that ? " asked the squire . " silver , sir , " returned the captain ; " he 's as anxious as you and i to smother things up . let's allow the men an afternoon ashore . if they all go , why we 'll fight the ship . if they none of them go , well then , we hold the cabin , and god defend the right . if some go , you mark my words , sir , silver 'll bring ' em aboard again as mild as lambs . " " my lads , " said he , " we 've had a hot day and are all tired and out of sorts . i 'll fire a gun half an hour before sundown . " the captain was too bright to be in the way . had he been on deck , he could no longer so much as have pretended not to understand the situation . it was as plain as day . silver was the captain , and a mighty rebellious crew he had of it . the honest hands and i was soon to see it proved that there were such on board must have been very stupid fellows . it is one thing to be idle and skulk and quite another to take a ship and murder a number of innocent men . at last , however , the party was made up . six fellows were to stay on board , and the remaining thirteen , including silver , began to embark . then it was that there came into my head the first of the mad notions that contributed so much to save our lives . it occurred to me at once to go ashore . no one took notice of me , only the bow oar saying , " is that you , jim ? keep your head down . " " jim , jim ! " i heard him shouting . @number@ the first blow on the far side of the open stood one of the hills , with two quaint , craggy peaks shining vividly in the sun . i now felt for the first time the joy of exploration . the isle was uninhabited ; my shipmates i had left behind , and nothing lived in front of me but dumb brutes and fowls . i turned hither and thither among the trees . little did i suppose that he was a deadly enemy and that the noise was the famous rattle . the marsh was steaming in the strong sun , and the outline of the spy-glass trembled through the haze . i judged at once that some of my shipmates must be drawing near along the borders of the fen . by the sound they must have been talking earnestly , and almost fiercely ; but no distinct word came to my hearing . the sun beat full upon them . if i hadn't took to you like pitch , do you think i 'd have been here a-warning of you ? and will you tell me you 'll let yourself be led away with that kind of a mess of swabs ? not you ! as sure as god sees me , i 'd sooner lose my hand . if i turn agin my dooty " and then all of a sudden he was interrupted by a noise . i had found one of the honest hands well , here , at that same moment , came news of another . tom had leaped at the sound , like a horse at the spur , but silver had not winked an eye . he stood where he was , resting lightly on his crutch , watching his companion like a snake about to spring . " john ! " said the sailor , stretching out his hand . " hands off , if you like , john silver , " said the other . " it 's a black conscience that can make you feared of me . but in heaven 's name , tell me , what was that ? " " that ? oh , i reckon that 'll be alan . " and at this point tom flashed out like a hero . " alan ! " he cried . " then rest his soul for a true seaman ! and as for you , john silver , long you 've been a mate of mine , but you 're mate of mine no more . if i die like a dog , i 'll die in my dooty . you 've killed alan , have you ? kill me too , if you can . but i defies you . " and with that , this brave fellow turned his back directly on the cook and set off walking for the beach . but he was not destined to go far . it struck poor tom , point foremost , and with stunning violence , right between the shoulders in the middle of his back . his hands flew up , he gave a sort of gasp , and fell . whether he were injured much or little , none could ever tell . like enough , to judge from the sound , his back was broken on the spot . but he had no time given him to recover . from my place of ambush , i could hear him pant aloud as he struck the blows . when i came again to myself the monster had pulled himself together , his crutch under his arm , his hat upon his head . i could not tell , of course , the meaning of the signal , but it instantly awoke my fears . more men would be coming . i might be discovered . they had already slain two of the honest people ; after tom and alan , might not i come next ? indeed , could anyone be more entirely lost than i ? when the gun fired , how should i dare to go down to the boats among those fiends , still smoking from their crime ? would not the first of them who saw me wring my neck like a snipe 's ? would not my absence itself be an evidence to them of my alarm , and therefore of my fatal knowledge ? it was all over , i thought . good-bye to the hispaniola ; good-bye to the squire , the doctor , and the captain ! there was nothing left for me but death by starvation or death by the hands of the mutineers . mingled with these were a few scattered pines , some fifty , some nearer seventy , feet high . the air too smelt more freshly than down beside the marsh . and here a fresh alarm brought me to a standstill with a thumping heart . @number@ the man of the island my eyes turned instinctively in that direction , and i saw a figure leap with great rapidity behind the trunk of a pine . what it was , whether bear or man or monkey , i could in no wise tell . it seemed dark and shaggy ; more i knew not . but the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand . i was now , it seemed , cut off upon both sides ; behind me the murderers , before me this lurking nondescript . and immediately i began to prefer the dangers that i knew to those i knew not . instantly the figure reappeared , and making a wide circuit , began to head me off . yet a man it was , i could no longer be in doubt about that . i began to recall what i had heard of cannibals . i was within an ace of calling for help . at that i once more stopped . " who are you ? " i asked . " ben gunn , " he answered , and his voice sounded hoarse and awkward , like a rusty lock . " i 'm poor ben gunn , i am ; and i haven't spoke with a christian these three years . " i could now see that he was a white man like myself and that his features were even pleasing . of all the beggar-men that i had seen or fancied , he was the chief for raggedness . about his waist he wore an old brass-buckled leather belt , which was the one thing solid in his whole accoutrement . " three years ! " i cried . " were you shipwrecked ? " " nay , mate , " said he ; " marooned . " " marooned three years agone , " he continued , " and lived on goats since then , and berries , and oysters . wherever a man is , says i , a man can do for himself . but , mate , my heart is sore for christian diet . you mightn't happen to have a piece of cheese about you , now ? no ? well , many 's the long night i 've dreamed of cheese toasted , mostly and woke up again , and here i were . " " if ever i can get aboard again , " said i , " you shall have cheese by the stone . " but at my last words he perked up into a kind of startled slyness . " if ever you can get aboard again , says you ? " he repeated . " why , now , who 's to hinder you ? " " not you , i know , " was my reply . " and right you was , " he cried . " now you what do you call yourself , mate ? " " jim , " i told him . " jim , jim , " says he , quite pleased apparently . " well , now , jim , i 've lived that rough as you 'd be ashamed to hear of . now , for instance , you wouldn't think i had had a pious mother to look at me ? " he asked . " why , no , not in particular , " i answered . " ah , well , " said he , " but i had remarkable pious . and here 's what it come to , jim , and it begun with chuck-farthen on the blessed grave-stones ! but it were providence that put me here . i 've thought it all out in this here lonely island , and i 'm back on piety . you don't catch me tasting rum so much , but just a thimbleful for luck , of course , the first chance i have . i 'm bound i 'll be good , and i see the way to . and , jim " looking all round him and lowering his voice to a whisper " i 'm rich . " rich ! i says . and i 'll tell you what : i 'll make a man of you , jim . ah , jim , you 'll bless your stars , you will , you was the first that found me ! " " now , jim , you tell me true : that ain't flint 's ship ? " he asked . at this i had a happy inspiration . i began to believe that i had found an ally , and i answered him at once . " not a man with one leg ? " he gasped . " silver ? " i asked . " ah , silver ! " says he . " that were his name . " " he 's the cook , and the ringleader too . " he was still holding me by the wrist , and at that he give it quite a wring . " if you was sent by long john , " he said , " i 'm as good as pork , and i know it . but where was you , do you suppose ? " he heard me with the keenest interest , and when i had done he patted me on the head . " you 're a good lad , jim , " he said ; " and you 're all in a clove hitch , ain't you ? well , you just put your trust in ben gunn ben gunn 's the man to do it . i told him the squire was the most liberal of men . " i am sure he would , " said i . " as it was , all hands were to share . " " and a passage home ? " he added with a look of great shrewdness . " why , " i cried , " the squire 's a gentleman . and besides , if we got rid of the others , we should want you to help work the vessel home . " " ah , " said he , " so you would . " and he seemed very much relieved . " now , i 'll tell you what , " he went on . " so much i 'll tell you , and no more . i were in flint 's ship when he buried the treasure ; he and six along six strong seamen . they was ashore nigh on a week , and us standing off and on in the old walrus . the sun was getting up , and mortal white he looked about the cutwater . but , there he was , you mind , and the six all dead dead and buried . how he done it , not a man aboard us could make out . it was battle , murder , and sudden death , leastways him against six . billy bones was the mate ; long john , he was quartermaster ; and they asked him where the treasure was . that 's what he said . " well , i was in another ship three years back , and we sighted this island . ' boys , ' said i , ' here 's flint 's treasure ; let's land and find it . ' the cap'n was displeased at that , but my messmates were all of a mind and landed . you can stay here and find flint 's money for yourself , ' they says . " well , jim , three years have i been here , and not a bite of christian diet from that day to this . but now , you look here ; look at me . do i look like a man before the mast ? no , says you . nor i weren't , neither , i says . " and with that he winked and pinched me hard . " just you mention them words to your squire , jim , " he went on . " nor he weren't , neither that 's the words . and then you 'll give him a nip , like i do . " and he pinched me again in the most confidential manner . " well , " i said , " i don't understand one word that you 've been saying . but that 's neither here nor there ; for how am i to get on board ? " " ah , " said he , " that 's the hitch , for sure . well , there 's my boat , that i made with my two hands . i keep her under the white rock . if the worst come to the worst , we might try that after dark . hi ! " he broke out . " what 's that ? " " they have begun to fight ! " i cried . " follow me . " " left , left , " says he ; " keep to your left hand , mate jim ! under the trees with you ! theer 's where i killed my first goat . they don't come down here now ; they 're all mastheaded on them mountings for the fear of benjamin gunn . ah ! and there 's the cetemery " cemetery , he must have meant . " you see the mounds ? i come here and prayed , nows and thens , when i thought maybe a sunday would be about doo . so he kept talking as i ran , neither expecting nor receiving any answer . the cannon-shot was followed after a considerable interval by a volley of small arms . part four the stockade @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : how the ship was abandoned it was about half past one three bells in the sea phrase that the two boats went ashore from the hispaniola . the captain , the squire , and i were talking matters over in the cabin . it never occurred to us to doubt jim hawkins , but we were alarmed for his safety . with the men in the temper they were in , it seemed an even chance if we should see the lad again . we ran on deck . one of them was whistling " lillibullero . " waiting was a strain , and it was decided that hunter and i should go ashore with the jolly-boat in quest of information . the gigs had leaned to their right , but hunter and i pulled straight in , in the direction of the stockade upon the chart . i had not gone a hundred yards when i reached the stockade . this was how it was : a spring of clear water rose almost at the top of a knoll . the people in the log-house had them in every way ; they stood quiet in shelter and shot the others like partridges . what particularly took my fancy was the spring . i was thinking this over when there came ringing over the island the cry of a man at the point of death . " jim hawkins is gone , " was my first thought . it 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 work . and so now i made up my mind instantly , and with no time lost returned to the shore and jumped on board the jolly-boat . by good fortune hunter pulled a good oar . we made the water fly , and the boat was soon alongside and i aboard the schooner . i found them all shaken , as was natural . and one of the six forecastle hands was little better . " there 's a man , " says captain smollett , nodding towards him , " new to this work . he came nigh-hand fainting , doctor , when he heard the cry . another touch of the rudder and that man would join us . " i told my plan to the captain , and between us we settled on the details of its accomplishment . we put old redruth in the gallery between the cabin and the forecastle , with three or four loaded muskets and a mattress for protection . " mr hands , " he said , " here are two of us with a brace of pistols each . if any one of you six make a signal of any description , that man 's dead . " " down , dog ! " cries the captain . and the head popped back again ; and we heard no more , for the time , of these six very faint-hearted seamen . by this time , tumbling things in as they came , we had the jolly-boat loaded as much as we dared . joyce and i got out through the stern-port , and we made for shore again as fast as oars could take us . this second trip fairly aroused the watchers along shore . we had soon touched land in the same place as before and set to provision the block house . all three made the first journey , heavily laden , and tossed our stores over the palisade . that we should have risked a second boat load seems more daring than it really was . they had the advantage of numbers , of course , but we had the advantage of arms . the squire was waiting for me at the stern window , all his faintness gone from him . he caught the painter and made it fast , and we fell to loading the boat for our very lives . by this time the tide was beginning to ebb , and the ship was swinging round to her anchor . " now , men , " said he , " do you hear me ? " there was no answer from the forecastle . " it 's to you , abraham gray it 's to you i am speaking . " still no reply . i have my watch here in my hand ; i give you thirty seconds to join me in . " there was a pause . " come , my fine fellow , " continued the captain ; " don't hang so long in stays . i 'm risking my life and the lives of these good gentlemen every second . " " i 'm with you , sir , " said he . and the next moment he and the captain had dropped aboard of us , and we had shoved off and given way . we were clear out of the ship , but not yet ashore in our stockade . @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : the jolly-boat 's last trip this fifth trip was quite different from any of the others . in the first place , the little gallipot of a boat that we were in was gravely overloaded . add to that the powder , pork , and bread-bags . the gunwale was lipping astern . the captain made us trim the boat , and we got her to lie a little more evenly . all the same , we were afraid to breathe . if we let the current have its way we should come ashore beside the gigs , where the pirates might appear at any moment . " i cannot keep her head for the stockade , sir , " said i to the captain . i was steering , while he and redruth , two fresh men , were at the oars . " the tide keeps washing her down . could you pull a little stronger ? " " not without swamping the boat , " said he . " you must bear up , sir , if you please bear up until you see you 're gaining . " " we 'll never get ashore at this rate , " said i . " if it 's the only course that we can lie , sir , we must even lie it , " returned the captain . " we must keep upstream . suddenly the captain spoke up again , and i thought his voice was a little changed . " the gun ! " said he . " i have thought of that , " said i , for i made sure he was thinking of a bombardment of the fort . " they could never get the gun ashore , and if they did , they could never haul it through the woods . " " look astern , doctor , " replied the captain . " israel was flint 's gunner , " said gray hoarsely . at any risk , we put the boat 's head direct for the landing-place . i could hear as well as see that brandy-faced rascal israel hands plumping down a round-shot on the deck . " who 's the best shot ? " asked the captain . " mr trelawney , out and away , " said i . " mr trelawney , will you please pick me off one of these men , sir ? hands , if possible , " said the captain . trelawney was as cool as steel . he looked to the priming of his gun . " now , " cried the captain , " easy with that gun , sir , or you 'll swamp the boat . all hands stand by to trim her when he aims . " " here come the gigs , sir , " said i . " give way , then , " cried the captain . " we mustn't mind if we swamp her now . if we can't get ashore , all 's up . " " they 'll have a hot run , sir , " returned the captain . " jack ashore , you know . it's not them i mind ; it 's the round-shot . carpet bowls ! my lady 's maid couldn't miss . tell us , squire , when you see the match , and we 'll hold water . " the gig was no longer to be feared ; the little point had already concealed it from our eyes . the ebb-tide , which had so cruelly delayed us , was now making reparation and delaying our assailants . the one source of danger was the gun . " if i durst , " said the captain , " i 'd stop and pick off another man . " but it was plain that they meant nothing should delay their shot . " ready ! " cried the squire . " hold ! " cried the captain , quick as an echo . and he and redruth backed with a great heave that sent her stern bodily under water . the report fell in at the same instant of time . this was the first that jim heard , the sound of the squire 's shot not having reached him . the other three took complete headers , and came up again drenched and bubbling . so far there was no great harm . no lives were lost , and we could wade ashore in safety . mine i had snatched from my knees and held over my head , by a sort of instinct . as for the captain , he had carried his over his shoulder by a bandoleer , and like a wise man , lock uppermost . the other three had gone down with the boat . @number@ narrative continued by the doctor : end of the first day 's fighting soon we could hear their footfalls as they ran and the cracking of the branches as they breasted across a bit of thicket . i began to see we should have a brush for it in earnest and looked to my priming . " captain , " said i , " trelawney is the dead shot . give him your gun ; his own is useless . " at the same time , observing gray to be unarmed , i handed him my cutlass . it was plain from every line of his body that our new hand was worth his salt . forty paces farther we came to the edge of the wood and saw the stockade in front of us . after reloading , we walked down the outside of the palisade to see to the fallen enemy . he was stone dead shot through the heart . both the squire and i returned the shot , but as we had nothing to aim at , it is probable we only wasted powder . then we reloaded and turned our attention to poor tom . the captain and gray were already examining him , and i saw with half an eye that all was over . the squire dropped down beside him on his knees and kissed his hand , crying like a child . " be i going , doctor ? " he asked . " tom , my man , " said i , " you 're going home . " " i wish i had had a lick at them with the gun first , " he replied . " tom , " said the squire , " say you forgive me , won't you ? " " would that be respectful like , from me to you , squire ? " was the answer . " howsoever , so be it , amen ! " after a little while of silence , he said he thought somebody might read a prayer . " it 's the custom , sir , " he added apologetically . and not long after , without another word , he passed away . then , climbing on the roof , he had with his own hand bent and run up the colours . this seemed mightily to relieve him . he re-entered the log-house and set about counting up the stores as if nothing else existed . " don't you take on , sir , " he said , shaking the squire 's hand . " all 's well with him ; no fear for a hand that 's been shot down in his duty to captain and owner . it mayn't be good divinity , but it 's a fact . " then he pulled me aside . " dr livesey , " he said , " in how many weeks do you and squire expect the consort ? " " you can calculate for yourself , " i said . " how do you mean ? " i asked . " it 's a pity , sir , we lost that second load . that 's what i mean , " replied the captain . " as for powder and shot , we 'll do . but the rations are short , very short so short , dr livesey , that we 're perhaps as well without that extra mouth . " and he pointed to the dead body under the flag . " oho ! " said the captain . " blaze away ! you 've little enough powder already , my lads . " " captain , " said the squire , " the house is quite invisible from the ship . it must be the flag they are aiming at . would it not be wiser to take it in ? " " strike my colours ! " cried the captain . " no , sir , not i " ; and as soon as he had said the words , i think we all agreed with him . all through the evening they kept thundering away . " there is one good thing about all this , " observed the captain ; " the wood in front of us is likely clear . the ebb has made a good while ; our stores should be uncovered . volunteers to go and bring in pork . " gray and hunter were the first to come forward . well armed , they stole out of the stockade , but it proved a useless mission . the mutineers were bolder than we fancied or they put more trust in israel 's gunnery . the captain sat down to his log , and here is the beginning of the entry : thomas redruth , owner 's servant , landsman , shot by the mutineers ; james hawkins , cabin-boy and at the same time , i was wondering over poor jim hawkins ' fate . a hail on the land side . " somebody hailing us , " said hunter , who was on guard . " doctor ! squire ! captain ! hullo , hunter , is that you ? " came the cries . and i ran to the door in time to see jim hawkins , safe and sound , come climbing over the stockade . @number@ narrative resumed by jim hawkins : the garrison in the stockade as soon as ben gunn saw the colours he came to a halt , stopped me by the arm , and sat down . " now , " said he , " there 's your friends , sure enough . " " far more likely it 's the mutineers , " i answered . " that ! " he cried . no , that 's your friends . ah , he was the man to have a headpiece , was flint ! barring rum , his match were never seen . he were afraid of none , not he ; on'y silver silver was that genteel . " " nay , mate , " returned ben , " not you . you 're a good boy , or i 'm mistook ; but you 're on'y a boy , all told . now , ben gunn is fly . and he pinched me the third time with the same air of cleverness . " and when ben gunn is wanted , you know where to find him , jim . just wheer you found him today . and him that comes is to have a white thing in his hand , and he 's to come alone . oh ! and you 'll say this : ' ben gunn , ' says you , ' has reasons of his own . ' " " well , " said i , " i believe i understand . is that all ? " " and when ? says you , " he added . " why , from about noon observation to about six bells . " " good , " said i , " and now may i go ? " " you won't forget ? " he inquired anxiously . " precious sight , and reasons of his own , says you . reasons of his own ; that 's the mainstay ; as between man and man . well , then " still holding me " i reckon you can go , jim . and , jim , if you was to see silver , you wouldn't go for to sell ben gunn ? wild horses wouldn't draw it from you ? no , says you . and if them pirates camp ashore , jim , what would you say but there 'd be widders in the morning ? " the next moment each of us had taken to his heels in a different direction . for a good hour to come frequent reports shook the island , and balls kept crashing through the woods . i moved from hiding-place to hiding-place , always pursued , or so it seemed to me , by these terrifying missiles . it was the last of the cannonade . i lay for some time watching the bustle which succeeded the attack . men were demolishing something with axes on the beach near the stockade the poor jolly-boat , i afterwards discovered . but there was a sound in their voices which suggested rum . at length i thought i might return towards the stockade . i had soon told my story and began to look about me . the log-house was made of unsquared trunks of pine roof , walls , and floor . the latter stood in several places as much as a foot or a foot and a half above the surface of the sand . all hands were called up before him , and he divided us into watches . the doctor and gray and i for one ; the squire , hunter , and joyce upon the other . " that man smollett , " he said once , " is a better man than i am . and when i say that it means a deal , jim . " another time he came and was silent for a while . then he put his head on one side , and looked at me . " is this ben gunn a man ? " he asked . " i do not know , sir , " said i . " i am not very sure whether he 's sane . " " if there 's any doubt about the matter , he is , " returned the doctor . it doesn't lie in human nature . was it cheese you said he had a fancy for ? " " yes , sir , cheese , " i answered . " well , jim , " says he , " just see the good that comes of being dainty in your food . you 've seen my snuff-box , haven't you ? well , that 's for ben gunn ! " before supper was eaten we buried old tom in the sand and stood round him for a while bare-headed in the breeze . every time we had a crack at them , we were to take it , saving our own lives , with the extremest care . and besides that , we had two able allies rum and the climate . " so , " he added , " if we are not all shot down first they 'll be glad to be packing in the schooner . it 's always a ship , and they can get to buccaneering again , i suppose . " " first ship that ever i lost , " said captain smollett . " flag of truce ! " i heard someone say ; and then , immediately after , with a cry of surprise , " silver himself ! " and at that , up i jumped , and rubbing my eyes , ran to a loophole in the wall . @number@ silver 's embassy it was still quite early , and the coldest morning that i think i ever was abroad in a chill that pierced into the marrow . the sky was bright and cloudless overhead , and the tops of the trees shone rosily in the sun . the chill and the vapour taken together told a poor tale of the island . it was plainly a damp , feverish , unhealthy spot . " keep indoors , men , " said the captain . " ten to one this is a trick . " then he hailed the buccaneer . " who goes ? stand , or we fire . " " flag of truce , " cried silver . the captain was in the porch , keeping himself carefully out of the way of a treacherous shot , should any be intended . he turned and spoke to us , " doctor 's watch on the lookout . dr. livesey take the north side , if you please ; jim , the east ; gray , west . the watch below , all hands to load muskets . lively , men , and careful . " and then he turned again to the mutineers . " and what do you want with your flag of truce ? " he cried . this time it was the other man who replied . " cap'n silver , sir , to come on board and make terms , " he shouted . " cap'n silver ! don't know him . who 's he ? " cried the captain . and we could hear him adding to himself , " cap'n , is it ? my heart , and here's promotion ! " long john answered for himself . " me , sir . these poor lads have chosen me cap'n , after your desertion , sir " laying a particular emphasis upon the word " desertion . " " we 're willing to submit , if we can come to terms , and no bones about it . " my man , " said captain smollett , " i have not the slightest desire to talk to you . if you wish to talk to me , you can come , that 's all . if there 's any treachery , it 'll be on your side , and the lord help you . " " that 's enough , cap'n , " shouted long john cheerily . " a word from you 's enough . i know a gentleman , and you may lay to that . " we could see the man who carried the flag of truce attempting to hold silver back . nor was that wonderful , seeing how cavalier had been the captain 's answer . but silver laughed at him aloud and slapped him on the back as if the idea of alarm had been absurd . he was whistling " come , lasses and lads . " silver had terrible hard work getting up the knoll . " here you are , my man , " said the captain , raising his head . " you had better sit down . " " you ain't a-going to let me inside , cap'n ? " complained long john . " it 's a main cold morning , to be sure , sir , to sit outside upon the sand . " it 's your own doing . a sweet pretty place you have of it here . ah , there 's jim ! the top of the morning to you , jim . doctor , here 's my service . why , there you all are together like a happy family , in a manner of speaking . " " if you have anything to say , my man , better say it , " said the captain . " right you were , cap'n smollett , " replied silver . " dooty is dooty , to be sure . well now , you look here , that was a good lay of yours last night . i don't deny it was a good lay . some of you pretty handy with a handspike-end . but you mark me , cap'n , it won't do twice , by thunder ! we 'll have to do sentry-go and ease off a point or so on the rum . maybe you think we were all a sheet in the wind 's eye . he wasn't dead when i got round to him , not he . " " well ? " says captain smollett as cool as can be . all that silver said was a riddle to him , but you would never have guessed it from his tone . as for me , i began to have an inkling . ben gunn 's last words came back to my mind . " well , here it is , " said silver . " we want that treasure , and we 'll have it that 's our point ! you would just as soon save your lives , i reckon ; and that 's yours . you have a chart , haven't you ? " " that 's as may be , " replied the captain . " oh , well , you have , i know that , " returned long john . " you needn't be so husky with a man ; there ain't a particle of service in that , and you may lay to it . what i mean is , we want your chart . now , i never meant you no harm , myself . " " that won't do with me , my man , " interrupted the captain . and the captain looked at him calmly and proceeded to fill a pipe . " if abe gray " silver broke out . " avast there ! " cried mr smollett . so there 's my mind for you , my man , on that . " this little whiff of temper seemed to cool silver down . he had been growing nettled before , but now he pulled himself together . " like enough , " said he . " i would set no limits to what gentlemen might consider shipshape , or might not , as the case were . and seein ' as how you are about to take a pipe , cap'n , i 'll make so free as do likewise . " it was as good as the play to see them . " now , " resumed silver , " here it is . you give us the chart to get the treasure by , and drop shooting poor seamen and stoving of their heads in while asleep . you do that , and we 'll offer you a choice . now , you 'll own that 's talking . handsomer you couldn't look to get , now you . captain smollett rose from his seat and knocked out the ashes of his pipe in the palm of his left hand . " is that all ? " he asked . " every last word , by thunder ! " answered john . " refuse that , and you 've seen the last of me but musket-balls . " " very good , " said the captain . " now you 'll hear me . if you won't , my name is alexander smollett , i 've flown my sovereign 's colours , and i 'll see you all to davy jones . you can't find the treasure . you can't sail the ship there 's not a man among you fit to sail the ship . you can't fight us gray , there , got away from five of you . your ship 's in irons , master silver ; you 're on a lee shore , and so you 'll find . tramp , my lad . bundle out of this , please , hand over hand , and double quick . " silver 's face was a picture ; his eyes started in his head with wrath . he shook the fire out of his pipe . " give me a hand up ! " he cried . " not i , " returned the captain . " who 'll give me a hand up ? " he roared . not a man among us moved . growling the foulest imprecations , he crawled along the sand till he got hold of the porch and could hoist himself again upon his crutch . then he spat into the spring . " there ! " he cried . " that 's what i think of ye . before an hour 's out , i'll stove in your old block house like a rum puncheon . laugh , by thunder , laugh ! before an hour 's out , ye 'll laugh upon the other side . them that die 'll be the lucky ones . " @number@ the attack it was the first time we had ever seen him angry . " quarters ! " he roared . mr trelawney , i 'm surprised at you , sir . doctor , i thought you had worn the king 's coat ! if that was how you served at fontenoy , sir , you 'd have been better in your berth . " the captain looked on for a while in silence . then he spoke . " my lads , " said he , " i 've given silver a broadside . i pitched it in red-hot on purpose ; and before the hour 's out , as he said , we shall be boarded . i 've no manner of doubt that we can drub them , if you choose . " then he went the rounds and saw , as he said , that all was clear . in the middle , the cutlasses lay ranged . the iron fire-basket was carried bodily out by mr trelawney , and the embers smothered among sand . " hawkins hasn't had his breakfast . hawkins , help yourself , and back to your post to eat it , " continued captain smollett . " lively , now , my lad ; you 'll want it before you 've done . hunter , serve out a round of brandy to all hands . " and while this was going on , the captain completed , in his own mind , the plan of the defence . " doctor , you will take the door , " he resumed . " see , and don't expose yourself ; keep within , and fire through the porch . hunter , take the east side , there . joyce , you stand by the west , my man . if they can get up to it and fire in upon us through our own ports , things would begin to look dirty . hawkins , neither you nor i are much account at the shooting ; we 'll stand by to load and bear a hand . " as the captain had said , the chill was past . soon the sand was baking and the resin melting in the logs of the block house . an hour passed away . " hang them ! " said the captain . " this is as dull as the doldrums . gray , whistle for a wind . " and just at that moment came the first news of the attack . " if you please , sir , " said joyce , " if i see anyone , am i to fire ? " " i told you so ! " cried the captain . " thank you , sir , " returned joyce with the same quiet civility . so some seconds passed , till suddenly joyce whipped up his musket and fired . not a bough waved , not the gleam of a musket-barrel betrayed the presence of our foes . " did you hit your man ? " asked the captain . " no , sir , " replied joyce . " i believe not , sir . " " next best thing to tell the truth , " muttered captain smollett . " load his gun , hawkins . how many should say there were on your side , doctor ? " " i know precisely , " said dr livesey . " three shots were fired on this side . i saw the three flashes two close together one farther to the west . " " three ! " repeated the captain . " and how many on yours , mr trelawney ? " but this was not so easily answered . there had come many from the north seven by the squire 's computation , eight or nine according to gray . from the east and west only a single shot had been fired . but captain smollett made no change in his arrangements . nor had we much time left to us for thought . the boarders swarmed over the fence like monkeys . squire and gray fired again and yet again ; three men fell , one forwards into the enclosure , two back on the outside . several shots were fired , but such was the hurry of the marksmen that not one appears to have taken effect . in a moment , the four pirates had swarmed up the mound and were upon us . the head of job anderson , the boatswain , appeared at the middle loophole . " at ' em , all hands all hands ! " he roared in a voice of thunder . meanwhile a third , running unharmed all around the house , appeared suddenly in the doorway and fell with his cutlass on the doctor . our position was utterly reversed . the log-house was full of smoke , to which we owed our comparative safety . cries and confusion , the flashes and reports of pistol-shots , and one loud groan rang in my ears . " out , lads , out , and fight ' em in the open ! cutlasses ! " cried the captain . i dashed out of the door into the clear sunlight . someone was close behind , i knew not whom . " round the house , lads ! round the house ! " cried the captain ; and even in the hurly-burly , i perceived a change in his voice . mechanically , i obeyed , turned eastwards , and with my cutlass raised , ran round the corner of the house . next moment i was face to face with anderson . he roared aloud , and his hanger went up above his head , flashing in the sunlight . when i had first sallied from the door , the other mutineers had been already swarming up the palisade to make an end of us . and yet , in this breath of time , the fight was over and the victory was ours . gray , following close behind me , had cut down the big boatswain ere he had time to recover from his last blow . a third , as i had seen , the doctor had disposed of at a blow . " fire fire from the house ! " cried the doctor . " and you , lads , back into cover . " the doctor and gray and i ran full speed for shelter . the survivors would soon be back where they had left their muskets , and at any moment the fire might recommence . the house was by this time somewhat cleared of smoke , and we saw at a glance the price we had paid for victory . " the captain 's wounded , " said mr trelawney . " have they run ? " asked mr smollett . " five ! " cried the captain . " come , that 's better . five against three leaves us four to nine . that 's better odds than we had at starting . we were seven to nineteen then , or thought we were , and that 's as bad to bear . " but this was , of course , not known till after by the faithful party . part five my sea adventure @number@ how my sea adventure began there was no return of the mutineers not so much as another shot out of the woods . as for the captain , his wounds were grievous indeed , but not dangerous . no organ was fatally injured . my own accidental cut across the knuckles was a flea-bite . doctor livesey patched it up with plaster and pulled my ears for me into the bargain . " why , in the name of davy jones , " said he , " is dr livesey mad ? " " why no , " says i. " he 's about the last of this crew for that , i take it . " these biscuits , should anything befall me , would keep me , at least , from starving till far on in the next day . as for the scheme i had in my head , it was not a bad one in itself . but i was only a boy , and i had made my mind up . well , as things at last fell out , i found an admirable opportunity . it was already late in the afternoon , although still warm and sunny . i have never seen the sea quiet round treasure island . behind me was the sea , in front the anchorage . the hispaniola , in that unbroken mirror , was exactly portrayed from the truck to the waterline , the jolly roger hanging from her peak . i saw i must lose no time if i were to find the boat that evening . night had almost come when i laid my hand on its rough sides . the thing was extremely small , even for me , and i can hardly imagine that it could have floated with a full-sized man . there was one thwart set as low as possible , a kind of stretcher in the bows , and a double paddle for propulsion . but the great advantage of the coracle it certainly possessed , for it was exceedingly light and portable . this was to slip out under cover of the night , cut the hispaniola adrift , and let her go ashore where she fancied . down i sat to wait for darkness , and made a hearty meal of biscuit . it was a night out of ten thousand for my purpose . the fog had now buried all heaven . as the last rays of daylight dwindled and disappeared , absolute blackness settled down on treasure island . one was the great fire on shore , by which the defeated pirates lay carousing in the swamp . the other , a mere blur of light upon the darkness , indicated the position of the anchored ship . @number@ the ebb-tide runs even ben gunn himself has admitted that she was " queer to handle till you knew her way . " certainly i did not know her way . the hawser was as taut as a bowstring , and the current so strong she pulled upon her anchor . all round the hull , in the blackness , the rippling current bubbled and chattered like a little mountain stream . one cut with my sea-gully and the hispaniola would go humming down the tide . but the light airs which had begun blowing from the south-east and south had hauled round after nightfall into the south-west . then i lay quiet , waiting to sever these last when the strain should be once more lightened by a breath of wind . now , however , when i had nothing else to do , i began to pay more heed . one i recognized for the coxswain 's , israel hands , that had been flint 's gunner in former days . the other was , of course , my friend of the red night-cap . but they were not only tipsy ; it was plain that they were furiously angry . oaths flew like hailstones , and every now and then there came forth such an explosion as i thought was sure to end in blows . on shore , i could see the glow of the great camp-fire burning warmly through the shore-side trees . i had heard it on the voyage more than once and remembered these words : " but one man of her crew alive , what put to sea with seventy-five . " and i thought it was a ditty rather too dolefully appropriate for a company that had met such cruel losses in the morning . but , indeed , from what i saw , all these buccaneers were as callous as the sea they sailed on . the breeze had but little action on the coracle , and i was almost instantly swept against the bows of the hispaniola . at the same time , the schooner began to turn upon her heel , spinning slowly , end for end , across the current . instantly i grasped it . why i should have done so i can hardly say . one glance , however , was sufficient ; and it was only one glance that i durst take from that unsteady skiff . it showed me hands and his companion locked together in deadly wrestle , each with a hand upon the other 's throat . i dropped upon the thwart again , none too soon , for i was near overboard . " fifteen men on the dead man 's chest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! drink and the devil had done for the rest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! " at the same moment , she yawed sharply and seemed to change her course . the speed in the meantime had strangely increased . i opened my eyes at once . all round me were little ripples , combing over with a sharp , bristling sound and slightly phosphorescent . i glanced over my shoulder , and my heart jumped against my ribs . there , right behind me , was the glow of the camp-fire . i lay down flat in the bottom of that wretched skiff and devoutly recommended my spirit to its maker . @number@ the cruise of the coracle it was broad day when i awoke and found myself tossing at the south-west end of treasure island . i was scarce a quarter of a mile to seaward , and it was my first thought to paddle in and land . that notion was soon given over . i have understood since that they were sea lions , and entirely harmless . i felt willing rather to starve at sea than to confront such perils . in the meantime i had a better chance , as i supposed , before me . north of haulbowline head , the land runs in a long way , leaving at low tide a long stretch of yellow sand . there was a great , smooth swell upon the sea . i began after a little to grow very bold and sat up to try my skill at paddling . but even a small change in the disposition of the weight will produce violent changes in the behaviour of a coracle . i began to be horribly frightened , but i kept my head , for all that . no sooner thought upon than done . i was , indeed , close in . i could see the cool green tree-tops swaying together in the breeze , and i felt sure i should make the next promontory without fail . it was high time , for i now began to be tortured with thirst . right in front of me , not half a mile away , i beheld the hispaniola under sail . the hispaniola was under her main-sail and two jibs , and the beautiful white canvas shone in the sun like snow or silver . " clumsy fellows , " said i ; " they must still be drunk as owls . " and i thought how captain smollett would have set them skipping . again and again was this repeated . it became plain to me that nobody was steering . and if so , where were the men ? the current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate . if only i dared to sit up and paddle , i made sure that i could overhaul her . i could not choose but suppose she was deserted . for some time she had been doing the worse thing possible for me standing still . she headed nearly due south , yawing , of course , all the time . each time she fell off , her sails partly filled , and these brought her in a moment right to the wind again . but now , at last , i had my chance . the main-sail hung drooped like a banner . she was stock-still but for the current . for the last little while i had even lost , but now redoubling my efforts , i began once more to overhaul the chase . my first impulse was one of despair , but my second was towards joy . i could see the waves boiling white under her forefoot . immensely tall she looked to me from my low station in the coracle . and then , of a sudden , i began to comprehend . i had scarce time to think scarce time to act and save myself . i was on the summit of one swell when the schooner came stooping over the next . the bowsprit was over my head . i sprang to my feet and leaped , stamping the coracle under water . @number@ i strike the jolly roger not a soul was to be seen . suddenly the hispaniola came right into the wind . the moan , which told of pain and deadly weakness , and the way in which his jaw hung open went right to my heart . but when i remembered the talk i had overheard from the apple barrel , all pity left me . i walked aft until i reached the main-mast . " come aboard , mr hands , " i said ironically . he rolled his eyes round heavily , but he was too far gone to express surprise . all he could do was to utter one word , " brandy . " it was such a scene of confusion as you can hardly fancy . all the lockfast places had been broken open in quest of the chart . the floor was thick with mud where ruffians had sat down to drink or consult after wading in the marshes round their camp . the bulkheads , all painted in clear white and beaded round with gilt , bore a pattern of dirty hands . dozens of empty bottles clinked together in corners to the rolling of the ship . one of the doctor 's medical books lay open on the table , half of the leaves gutted out , i suppose , for pipelights . in the midst of all this the lamp still cast a smoky glow , obscure and brown as umber . certainly , since the mutiny began , not a man of them could ever have been sober . he must have drunk a gill before he took the bottle from his mouth . " aye , " said he , " by thunder , but i wanted some o ' that ! " i had sat down already in my own corner and begun to eat . " much hurt ? " i asked him . he grunted , or rather , i might say , he barked . as for that swab , he 's good and dead , he is , " he added , indicating the man with the red cap . " he warn't no seaman anyhow . and where mought you have come from ? " he looked at me sourly enough but said nothing . better none than these . " and again dodging the boom , i ran to the colour lines , handed down their cursed black flag , and chucked it overboard . " god save the king ! " said i , waving my cap . " and there 's an end to captain silver ! " he watched me keenly and slyly , his chin all the while on his breast . " i reckon , " he said at last , " i reckon , cap'n hawkins , you 'll kind of want to get ashore now . s'pose we talks . " " why , yes , " says i , " with all my heart , mr hands . say on . " and i went back to my meal with a good appetite . well , he's dead now , he is as dead as bilge ; and who 's to sail this ship , i don't see . without i gives you a hint , you ain't that man , as far's i can tell . " i 'll tell you one thing , " says i : " i 'm not going back to captain kidd 's anchorage . i mean to get into north inlet and beach her quietly there . " " to be sure you did , " he cried . " why , i ain't sich an infernal lubber after all . i can see , can't i ? i 've tried my fling , i have , and i 've lost , and it 's you has the wind of me . north inlet ? why , i haven't no ch'ice , not i ! i 'd help you sail her up to execution dock , by thunder ! so i would . " well , as it seemed to me , there was some sense in this . we struck our bargain on the spot . then i lashed the tiller and went below to my own chest , where i got a soft silk handkerchief of my mother 's . the breeze served us admirably . we skimmed before it like a bird , the coast of the island flashing by and the view changing every minute . i was greatly elated with my new command , and pleased with the bright , sunshiny weather and these different prospects of the coast . @number@ israel hands the wind , serving us to a desire , now hauled into the west . we could run so much the easier from the north-east corner of the island to the mouth of the north inlet . " i 'm not strong enough , and i don't like the job ; and there he lies , for me , " said i . " this here 's an unlucky ship , this hispaniola , jim , " he went on , blinking . i never seen sich dirty luck , not i. there was this here o'brien now he 's dead , ain't he ? " you can kill the body , mr hands , but not the spirit ; you must know that already , " i replied . " o'brien there is in another world , and may be watching us . " " ah ! " says he . " well , that 's unfort'nate appears as if killing parties was a waste of time . howsomever , sperrits don't reckon for much , by what i 've seen . i 'll chance it with the sperrits , jim . the whole story was a pretext . he wanted me to leave the deck so much was plain ; but with what purpose i could in no way imagine . " some wine ? " i said . " far better . will you have white or red ? " " all right , " i answered . " i 'll bring you port , mr hands . but i 'll have to dig for it . " this was all that i required to know . while i was thus turning the business over in my mind , i had not been idle with my body . then he lay quiet for a little , and then , pulling out a stick of tobacco , begged me to cut him a quid . ah , jim , jim , i reckon i 've missed stays ! cut me a quid , as 'll likely be the last , lad , for i 'm for my long home , and no mistake . " " why ? " said he . " now , you tell me why . " " why ? " i cried . " you were asking me just now about the dead . for god 's mercy , mr hands , that 's why . " he , for his part , took a great draught of the wine and spoke with the most unusual solemnity . well , now i tell you , i never seen good come o ' goodness yet . him as strikes first is my fancy ; dead men don't bite ; them 's my views amen , so be it . and now , you look here , " he added , suddenly changing his tone , " we 've had about enough of this foolery . the tide 's made good enough by now . you just take my orders , cap'n hawkins , and we 'll sail slap in and be done with it . " scarcely had we passed the heads before the land closed around us . right before us , at the southern end , we saw the wreck of a ship in the last stages of dilapidation . it was a sad sight , but it showed us that the anchorage was calm . " now , " said hands , " look there ; there 's a pet bit for to beach a ship in . " and once beached , " i inquired , " how shall we get her off again ? " come high water , all hands take a pull upon the line , and off she comes as sweet as natur ' . and now , boy , you stand by . we 're near the bit now , and she 's too much way on her . starboard a little so steady starboard larboard a little steady steady ! " and i put the helm hard up , and the hispaniola swung round rapidly and ran stem on for the low , wooded shore . the excitement of these last manoeuvres had somewhat interfered with the watch i had kept hitherto , sharply enough , upon the coxswain . i might have fallen without a struggle for my life had not a sudden disquietude seized upon me and made me turn my head . at the same instant , he threw himself forward and i leapt sideways towards the bows . before he could recover , i was safe out of the corner where he had me trapped , with all the deck to dodge about . the hammer fell , but there followed neither flash nor sound ; the priming was useless with sea-water . i cursed myself for my neglect . why had not i , long before , reprimed and reloaded my only weapons ? then i should not have been as now , a mere fleeing sheep before this butcher . i had no time to try my other pistol , nor indeed much inclination , for i was sure it would be useless . once so caught , and nine or ten inches of the blood-stained dirk would be my last experience on this side of eternity . i placed my palms against the main-mast , which was of a goodish bigness , and waited , every nerve upon the stretch . so near were we , indeed , that my head came against the coxswain 's foot with a crack that made my teeth rattle . blow and all , i was the first afoot again , for hands had got involved with the dead body . then , with a pistol in either hand , i addressed him . " one more step , mr hands , " said i , " and i 'll blow your brains out ! dead men don't bite , you know , " i added with a chuckle . he stopped instantly . at last , with a swallow or two , he spoke , his face still wearing the same expression of extreme perplexity . in order to speak he had to take the dagger from his mouth , but in all else he remained unmoved . " jim , " says he , " i reckon we 're fouled , you and me , and we 'll have to sign articles . @number@ " pieces of eight " hands , who was not so far up , was in consequence nearer to the ship and fell between me and the bulwarks . he rose once to the surface in a lather of foam and blood and then sank again for good . as the water settled , i could see him lying huddled together on the clean , bright sand in the shadow of the vessel 's sides . a fish or two whipped past his body . sometimes , by the quivering of the water , he appeared to move a little , as if he were trying to rise . i was no sooner certain of this than i began to feel sick , faint , and terrified . the hot blood was running over my back and chest . i clung with both hands till my nails ached , and i shut my eyes as if to cover up the peril . oddly enough , that very shudder did the business . these last i broke through with a sudden jerk , and then regained the deck by the starboard shrouds . o'brien , though still quite a young man , was very bald . i was now alone upon the ship ; the tide had just turned . i began to see a danger to the ship . the jibs i speedily doused and brought tumbling to the deck , but the main-sail was a harder matter . i thought this made it still more dangerous ; yet the strain was so heavy that i half feared to meddle . at last i got my knife and cut the halyards . for the rest , the hispaniola must trust to luck , like myself . it began to be chill ; the tide was rapidly fleeting seaward , the schooner settling more and more on her beam-ends . i scrambled forward and looked over . it seemed shallow enough , and holding the cut hawser in both hands for a last security , i let myself drop softly overboard . about the same time , the sun went fairly down and the breeze whistled low in the dusk among the tossing pines . at least , and at last , i was off the sea , nor had i returned thence empty-handed . there lay the schooner , clear at last from buccaneers and ready for our own men to board and get to sea again . i had nothing nearer my fancy than to get home to the stockade and boast of my achievements . so thinking , and in famous spirits , i began to set my face homeward for the block house and my companions . and yet i wondered , in my heart , that he should show himself so careless . suddenly a kind of brightness fell about me . it would have been a poor end of my adventures to get shot down by my own party in mistake . it was red and hot , and now and again it was a little darkened as it were , the embers of a bonfire smouldering . for the life of me i could not think what it might be . at last i came right down upon the borders of the clearing . there was not a soul stirring nor a sound beside the noises of the breeze . i stopped , with much wonder in my heart , and perhaps a little terror also . to make assurance surer , i got upon my hands and knees and crawled , without a sound , towards the corner of the house . as i drew nearer , my heart was suddenly and greatly lightened . the sea-cry of the watch , that beautiful " all 's well , " never fell more reassuringly on my ear . in the meantime , there was no doubt of one thing ; they kept an infamous bad watch . if it had been silver and his lads that were now creeping in on them , not a soul would have seen daybreak . by this time i had got to the door and stood up . all was dark within , so that i could distinguish nothing by the eye . with my arms before me i walked steadily in . my foot struck something yielding it was a sleeper 's leg ; and he turned and groaned , but without awaking . and then , all of a sudden , a shrill voice broke forth out of the darkness : " pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! pieces of eight ! " and so forth , without pause or change , like the clacking of a tiny mill . silver 's green parrot , captain flint ! i had no time left me to recover . " bring a torch , dick , " said silver when my capture was thus assured . and one of the men left the log-house and presently returned with a lighted brand . part six captain silver @number@ in the enemy 's camp the red glare of the torch , lighting up the interior of the block house , showed me the worst of my apprehensions realized . i could only judge that all had perished , and my heart smote me sorely that i had not been there to perish with them . there were six of the buccaneers , all told ; not another man was left alive . five of them were on their feet , flushed and swollen , suddenly called out of the first sleep of drunkenness . the parrot sat , preening her plumage , on long john 's shoulder . he himself , i thought , looked somewhat paler and more stern than i was used to . " so , " said he , " here 's jim hawkins , shiver my timbers ! dropped in , like , eh ? well , come , i take that friendly . " and thereupon he sat down across the brandy cask and began to fill a pipe . you needn't stand up for mr hawkins ; he'll excuse you , you may lay to that . and so , jim " stopping the tobacco " here you were , and quite a pleasant surprise for poor old john . to all this , as may be well supposed , i made no answer . silver took a whiff or two of his pipe with great composure and then ran on again . i always wanted you to jine and take your share , and die a gentleman , and now , my cock , you 've got to . cap'n smollett 's a fine seaman , as i 'll own up to any day , but stiff on discipline . ' dooty is dooty , ' says he , and right he is . just you keep clear of the cap'n . so far so good . i 'm all for argyment ; i never seen good come out o ' threatening . " am i to answer , then ? " i asked with a very tremulous voice . " lad , " said silver , " no one 's a-pressing of you . take your bearings . none of us won't hurry you , mate ; time goes so pleasant in your company , you see . " " wot 's wot ? " repeated one of the buccaneers in a deep growl . " ah , he 'd be a lucky one as knowed that ! " " you 'll perhaps batten down your hatches till you 're spoke to , my friend , " cried silver truculently to this speaker . says he , ' cap'n silver , you 're sold out . ship 's gone . ' well , maybe we 'd been taking a glass , and a song to help it round . i won't say no . leastways , none of us had looked out . we looked out , and by thunder , the old ship was gone ! ' well , ' says the doctor , ' let's bargain . ' as for them , they 've tramped ; i don't know where 's they are . " he drew again quietly at his pipe . ' four , ' says he ; ' four , and one of us wounded . as for that boy , i don't know where he is , confound him , ' says he , ' nor i don't much care . we 're about sick of him . ' these was his words . " is that all ? " i asked . " well , it 's all that you 're to hear , my son , " returned silver . " and now i am to choose ? " " and now you are to choose , and you may lay to that , " said silver . " well , " said i , " i am not such a fool but i know pretty well what i have to look for . let the worst come to the worst , it 's little i care . i 've seen too many die since i fell in with you . kill me , if you please , or spare me . it is for you to choose . kill another and do yourselves no good , or spare me and keep a witness to save you from the gallows . " " it was him that knowed black dog . " " well , and see here , " added the sea-cook . " i 'll put another again to that , by thunder ! for it was this same boy that faked the chart from billy bones . first and last , we 've split upon jim hawkins ! " " then here goes ! " said morgan with an oath . and he sprang up , drawing his knife as if he had been twenty . " avast , there ! " cried silver . " who are you , tom morgan ? maybe you thought you was cap'n here , perhaps . by the powers , but i 'll teach you better ! there 's never a man looked me between the eyes and seen a good day a'terwards , tom morgan , you may lay to that . " morgan paused , but a hoarse murmur rose from the others . " tom 's right , " said one . " i stood hazing long enough from one , " added another . " i 'll be hanged if i 'll be hazed by you , john silver . " " put a name on what you 're at ; you ain't dumb , i reckon . him that wants shall get it . you know the way ; you 're all gentlemen o ' fortune , by your account . well , i 'm ready . not a man stirred ; not a man answered . " that 's your sort , is it ? " he added , returning his pipe to his mouth . " well , you 're a gay lot to look at , anyway . not much worth to fight , you ain't . p'r'aps you can understand king george 's english . i 'm cap'n here by ' lection . i 'm cap'n here because i 'm the best man by a long sea-mile . i like that boy , now ; i never seen a better boy than that . there was a long pause after this . " you seem to have a lot to say , " remarked silver , spitting far into the air . " pipe up and let me hear it , or lay to . " one after another the rest followed his example , each making a salute as he passed , each adding some apology . " according to rules , " said one . " forecastle council , " said morgan . and so with one remark or another all marched out and left silver and me alone with the torch . the sea-cook instantly removed his pipe . they 're going to throw me off . but , you mark , i stand by you through thick and thin . i didn't mean to ; no , not till you spoke up . i was about desperate to lose that much blunt , and be hanged into the bargain . but i see you was the right sort . i says to myself , you stand by hawkins , john , and hawkins 'll stand by you . you 're his last card , and by the living thunder , john , he 's yours ! back to back , says i . you save your witness , and he 'll save your neck ! " i began dimly to understand . " you mean all 's lost ? " i asked . " aye , by gum , i do ! " he answered . " ship gone , neck gone that's the size of it . once i looked into that bay , jim hawkins , and seen no schooner well , i 'm tough , but i gave out . as for that lot and their council , mark me , they 're outright fools and cowards . i 'll save your life if so be as i can from them . but , see here , jim tit for tat you save long john from swinging . " i was bewildered ; it seemed a thing so hopeless he was asking he , the old buccaneer , the ringleader throughout . " what i can do , that i 'll do , " i said . " it 's a bargain ! " cried long john . " you speak up plucky , and by thunder , i 've a chance ! " he hobbled to the torch , where it stood propped among the firewood , and took a fresh light to his pipe . " understand me , jim , " he said , returning . " i 've a head on my shoulders , i have . i 'm on squire's side now . i know you 've got that ship safe somewheres . how you done it , i don't know , but safe it is . i guess hands and o'brien turned soft . i never much believed in neither of them . now you mark me . i ask no questions , nor i won't let others . i know when a game 's up , i do ; and i know a lad that 's staunch . ah , you that 's young you and me might have done a power of good together ! " he drew some cognac from the cask into a tin cannikin . " i need a caulker , for there 's trouble on hand . and talking o ' trouble , why did that doctor give me the chart , jim ? " my face expressed a wonder so unaffected that he saw the needlessness of further questions . " ah , well , he did , though , " said he . " and there 's something under that , no doubt something , surely , under that , jim bad or good . " and he took another swallow of the brandy , shaking his great fair head like a man who looks forward to the worst . @number@ the black spot again silver briefly agreed , and this emissary retired again , leaving us together in the dark . " there 's a breeze coming , jim , " said silver , who had by this time adopted quite a friendly and familiar tone . i turned to the loophole nearest me and looked out . the rest were all somewhat stooping , as though watching the manoeuvres of this last . " well , let ' em come , lad let ' em come , " said silver cheerily . " i 've still a shot in my locker . " the door opened , and the five men , standing huddled together just inside , pushed one of their number forward . " step up , lad , " cried silver . " i won't eat you . hand it over , lubber . i know the rules , i do ; i won't hurt a depytation . " the sea-cook looked at what had been given him . " the black spot ! i thought so , " he observed . " where might you have got the paper ? why , hillo ! look here , now ; this ain't lucky ! you 've gone and cut this out of a bible . what fool 's cut a bible ? " " ah , there ! " said morgan . " there ! wot did i say ? no good 'll come o ' that , i said . " " well , you 've about fixed it now , among you , " continued silver . " you 'll all swing now , i reckon . what soft-headed lubber had a bible ? " " it was dick , " said one . " dick , was it ? then dick can get to prayers , " said silver . " he 's seen his slice of luck , has dick , and you may lay to that . " but here the long man with the yellow eyes struck in . " belay that talk , john silver , " he said . then you can talk . " " thanky , george , " replied the sea-cook . " you always was brisk for business , and has the rules by heart , george , as i 'm pleased to see . well , what is it , anyway ? ah ! ' deposed ' that 's it , is it ? very pretty wrote , to be sure ; like print , i swear . your hand o ' write , george ? why , you was gettin ' quite a leadin ' man in this here crew . you 'll be cap'n next , i shouldn't wonder . just oblige me with that torch again , will you ? this pipe don't draw . " " come , now , " said george , " you don't fool this crew no more . " i thought you said you knowed the rules , " returned silver contemptuously . after that , we 'll see . " " oh , " replied george , " you don't be under no kind of apprehension ; we're all square , we are . first , you 've made a hash of this cruise you 'll be a bold man to say no to that . second , you let the enemy out o ' this here trap for nothing . why did they want out ? i dunno , but it 's pretty plain they wanted it . third , you wouldn't let us go at them upon the march . oh , we see through you , john silver ; you want to play booty , that 's what 's wrong with you . and then , fourth , there 's this here boy . " " is that all ? " asked silver quietly . " enough , too , " retorted george . " we 'll all swing and sun-dry for your bungling . " " well now , look here , i 'll answer these four p'ints ; one after another i 'll answer ' em . i made a hash o ' this cruise , did i ? well , who crossed me ? who forced my hand , as was the lawful cap'n ? who tipped me the black spot the day we landed and began this dance ? but who done it ? why , it was anderson , and hands , and you , george merry ! by the powers ! but this tops the stiffest yarn to nothing . " silver paused , and i could see by the faces of george and his late comrades that these words had not been said in vain . " why , i give you my word , i 'm sick to speak to you . you 've neither sense nor memory , and i leave it to fancy where your mothers was that let you come to sea . sea ! gentlemen o ' fortune ! i reckon tailors is your trade . " " go on , john , " said morgan . " speak up to the others . " " ah , the others ! " returned john . " they 're a nice lot , ain't they ? you say this cruise is bungled . ah ! by gum , if you could understand how bad it 's bungled , you would see ! we 're that near the gibbet that my neck 's stiff with thinking on it . ' who 's that ? ' says one . ' that ! why , that 's john silver . i knowed him well , ' says another . and you can hear the chains a-jangle as you go about and reach for the other buoy . and if you want to know about number four , and that boy , why , shiver my timbers , isn't he a hostage ? are we a-going to waste a hostage ? no , not us ; he might be our last chance , and i shouldn't wonder . kill that boy ? not me , mates ! and number three ? ah , well , there 's a deal to say to number three . and maybe , perhaps , you didn't know there was a consort coming either ? you look there that's why ! " why the doctor had given it to him was more than i could fancy . but if it were inexplicable to me , the appearance of the chart was incredible to the surviving mutineers . they leaped upon it like cats upon a mouse . " yes , " said one , " that 's flint , sure enough . j . f. , and a score below , with a clove hitch to it ; so he done ever . " " mighty pretty , " said george . " but how are we to get away with it , and us no ship . " " one more word of your sauce , and i 'll call you down and fight you . how ? why , how do i know ? you had ought to tell me that you and the rest , that lost me my schooner , with your interference , burn you ! but not you , you can't ; you hain't got the invention of a cockroach . but civil you can speak , and shall , george merry , you may lay to that . " " that 's fair enow , " said the old man morgan . " fair ! i reckon so , " said the sea-cook . " you lost the ship ; i found the treasure . who 's the better man at that ? and now i resign , by thunder ! elect whom you please to be your cap'n now ; i 'm done with it . " " silver ! " they cried . " barbecue forever ! barbecue for cap'n ! " " so that 's the toon , is it ? " cried the cook . " george , i reckon you 'll have to wait another turn , friend ; and lucky for you as i 'm not a revengeful man . but that was never my way . and now , shipmates , this black spot ? ' tain't much good now , is it ? dick 's crossed his luck and spoiled his bible , and that 's about all . " " a bible with a bit cut out ! " returned silver derisively . " not it . it don't bind no more'n a ballad-book . " " don't it , though ? " cried dick with a sort of joy . " well , i reckon that 's worth having too . " " here , jim here 's a cur'osity for you , " said silver , and he tossed me the paper . it was around about the size of a crown piece . that was the end of the night 's business . @number@ on parole " block house , ahoy ! " it cried . " here 's the doctor . " and the doctor it was . although i was glad to hear the sound , yet my gladness was not without admixture . " you , doctor ! top o ' the morning to you , sir ! " cried silver , broad awake and beaming with good nature in a moment . " bright and early , to be sure ; and it 's the early bird , as the saying goes , that gets the rations . george , shake up your timbers , son , and help dr livesey over the ship 's side . all a-doin ' well , your patients was all well and merry . " " we 've quite a surprise for you too , sir , " he continued . " we 've a little stranger here he ! he ! " the very same jim as ever was , " says silver . the doctor stopped outright , although he did not speak , and it was some seconds before he seemed able to move on . let us overhaul these patients of yours . " a moment afterwards he had entered the block house and with one grim nod to me proceeded with his work among the sick . well , george , how goes it ? you 're a pretty colour , certainly ; why , your liver , man , is upside down . did you take that medicine ? did he take that medicine , men ? " " aye , aye , sir , he took it , sure enough , " returned morgan . the rogues looked at each other but swallowed the home-thrust in silence . " dick don't feel well , sir , " said one . " don't he ? " replied the doctor . " well , step up here , dick , and let me see your tongue . no , i should be surprised if he did ! the man 's tongue is fit to frighten the french . another fever . " " ah , there , " said morgan , " that comed of sp'iling bibles . " camp in a bog , would you ? silver , i 'm surprised at you . and now i should wish to have a talk with that boy , please . " and he nodded his head in my direction carelessly . silver struck the barrel with his open hand . " si-lence ! " he roared and looked about him positively like a lion . and i take it i 've found a way as 'll suit all . i readily gave the pledge required . good day to you , sir , and all our dooties to the squire and cap'n smollett . " the explosion of disapproval , which nothing but silver 's black looks had restrained , broke out immediately the doctor had left the house . it seemed to me so obvious , in this case , that i could not imagine how he was to turn their anger . but he was twice the man the rest were , and his last night 's victory had given him a huge preponderance on their minds . " no , by thunder ! " he cried . " slow , lad , slow , " he said . " they might round upon us in a twinkle of an eye if we was seen to hurry . " " why , john , you 're not afraid ? " asked dr livesey . " doctor , i 'm no coward ; no , not i not so much ! " and he snapped his fingers . " if i was i wouldn't say it . but i 'll own up fairly , i 've the shakes upon me for the gallows . you 're a good man and a true ; i never seen a better man ! and you 'll not forget what i done good , not any more than you 'll forget the bad , i know . and i step aside see here and leave you and jim alone . and you 'll put that down for me too , for it 's a long stretch , is that ! " " so , jim , " said the doctor sadly , " here you are . as you have brewed , so shall you drink , my boy . i will own that i here began to weep . " doctor , " i said , " you might spare me . if they come to torture me " " jim , " the doctor interrupted , and his voice was quite changed , " jim , i can't have this . whip over , and we 'll run for it . " " doctor , " said i , " i passed my word . " " i know , i know , " he cried . " we can't help that , jim , now . i 'll take it on my shoulders , holus bolus , blame and shame , my boy ; but stay here , i cannot let you . jump ! one jump , and you 're out , and we 'll run for it like antelopes . " but , doctor , you did not let me finish . at half tide she must be high and dry . " " the ship ! " exclaimed the doctor . rapidly i described to him my adventures , and he heard me out in silence . " there is a kind of fate in this , " he observed when i had done . that would be a poor return , my boy . oh , by jupiter , and talking of ben gunn ! why , this is the mischief in person . silver ! " he cried . " silver ! " why , sir , i do my possible , which that ain't , " said silver . " sir , " said silver , " as between man and man , that 's too much and too little . and yet i done your bidding with my eyes shut and never a word of hope ! but no , this here 's too much . if you won't tell me what you mean plain out , just say so and i 'll leave the helm . " silver 's face was radiant . " you couldn't say more , i 'm sure , sir , not if you was my mother , " he cried . " well , that 's my first concession , " added the doctor . " my second is a piece of advice : keep the boy close beside you , and when you need help , halloo . i 'm off to seek it for you , and that itself will show you if i speak at random . good-bye , jim . " and dr livesey shook hands with me through the stockade , nodded to silver , and set off at a brisk pace into the wood . @number@ the treasure-hunt flint 's pointer jim , that 's one to you . this is the first glint of hope i had since the attack failed , and i owe it you . even silver , eating away , with captain flint upon his shoulder , had not a word of blame for their recklessness . and this the more surprised me , for i thought he had never shown himself so cunning as he did then . " aye , mates , " said he , " it 's lucky you have barbecue to think for you with this here head . i got what i wanted , i did . sure enough , they have the ship . where they have it , i don't know yet ; but once we hit the treasure , we 'll have to jump about and find out . and then , mates , us that has the boats , i reckon , has the upper hand . " " as for hostage , " he continued , " that 's his last talk , i guess , with them he loves so dear . i 've got my piece o ' news , and thanky to him for that ; but it 's over and done . it was no wonder the men were in a good humour now . for my part , i was horribly cast down . should the scheme he had now sketched prove feasible , silver , already doubly a traitor , would not hesitate to adopt it . to complete his strange appearance , captain flint sat perched upon his shoulder and gabbling odds and ends of purposeless sea-talk . for all the world , i was led like a dancing bear . all the stores , i observed , came from our stock , and i could see the truth of silver 's words the night before . as we pulled over , there was some discussion on the chart . they ran , the reader may remember , thus : tall tree , spy-glass shoulder , bearing a point to the n of n.n.e. skeleton island e.s.e. and by e . ten feet . a tall tree was thus the principal mark . the top of the plateau was dotted thickly with pine-trees of varying height . thence , bending to our left , we began to ascend the slope towards the plateau . it was , indeed , a most pleasant portion of the island that we were now approaching . a heavy-scented broom and many flowering shrubs had almost taken the place of grass . the air , besides , was fresh and stirring , and this , under the sheer sunbeams , was a wonderful refreshment to our senses . the party spread itself abroad , in a fan shape , shouting and leaping to and fro . shout after shout came from him , and the others began to run in his direction . indeed , as we found when we also reached the spot , it was something very different . i believe a chill struck for a moment to every heart . " leastways , this is good sea-cloth . " " aye , aye , " said silver ; " like enough ; you wouldn't look to find a bishop here , i reckon . but what sort of a way is that for bones to lie ? ' tain't in natur ' . " indeed , on a second glance , it seemed impossible to fancy that the body was in a natural position . " i 've taken a notion into my old numbskull , " observed silver . " here 's the compass ; there 's the tip-top p'int o ' skeleton island , stickin ' out like a tooth . just take a bearing , will you , along the line of them bones . " it was done . the body pointed straight in the direction of the island , and the compass read duly e.s.e. and by e . " i thought so , " cried the cook ; " this here is a p'inter . right up there is our line for the pole star and the jolly dollars . but , by thunder ! if it don't make me cold inside to think of flint . this is one of his jokes , and no mistake . they 're long bones , and the hair 's been yellow . aye , that would be allardyce . you mind allardyce , tom morgan ? " " speaking of knives , " said another , " why don't we find his'n lying round ? flint warn't the man to pick a seaman 's pocket ; and the birds , i guess , would leave it be . " " by the powers , and that 's true ! " cried silver . it don't look nat'ral to me . " " no , by gum , it don't , " agreed silver ; " not nat'ral , nor not nice , says you . great guns ! messmates , but if flint was living , this would be a hot spot for you and me . six they were , and six are we ; and bones is what they are now . " " i saw him dead with these here deadlights , " said morgan . " billy took me in . there he laid , with penny-pieces on his eyes . " dear heart , but he died bad , did flint ! " ' fifteen men ' were his only song , mates ; and i tell you true , i never rightly liked to hear it since . " come , come , " said silver ; " stow this talk . care killed a cat . fetch ahead for the doubloons . " the terror of the dead buccaneer had fallen on their spirits . @number@ the treasure-hunt the voice among the trees the plateau being somewhat tilted towards the west , this spot on which we had paused commanded a wide prospect on either hand . sheer above us rose the spyglass , here dotted with single pines , there black with precipices . there was no sound but that of the distant breakers , mounting from all round , and the chirp of countless insects in the brush . not a man , not a sail , upon the sea ; the very largeness of the view increased the sense of solitude . silver , as he sat , took certain bearings with his compass . " there are three ' tall trees ' " said he , " about in the right line from skeleton island . ' spy-glass shoulder , ' i take it , means that lower p'int there . it 's child 's play to find the stuff now . i 've half a mind to dine first . " " i don't feel sharp , " growled morgan . " thinkin ' o ' flint i think it were as done me . " " ah , well , my son , you praise your stars he 's dead , " said silver . " he were an ugly devil , " cried a third pirate with a shudder ; " that blue in the face too ! " " that was how the rum took him , " added merry . " blue ! well , i reckon he was blue . that 's a true word . " " fifteen men on the dead man 's chest yo-ho-ho , and a bottle of rum ! " i never have seen men more dreadfully affected than the pirates . " it 's flint , by ! " cried merry . " come , " said silver , struggling with his ashen lips to get the word out ; " this won't do . stand by to go about . his courage had come back as he spoke , and some of the colour to his face along with it . " darby m'graw , " it wailed for that is the word that best describes the sound " darby m'graw ! the buccaneers remained rooted to the ground , their eyes starting from their heads . long after the voice had died away they still stared in silence , dreadfully , before them . " that fixes it ! " gasped one . " let's go . " " they was his last words , " moaned morgan , " his last words above board . " dick had his bible out and was praying volubly . he had been well brought up , had dick , before he came to sea and fell among bad companions . still silver was unconquered . i could hear his teeth rattle in his head , but he had not yet surrendered . " nobody in this here island ever heard of darby , " he muttered ; " not one but us that 's here . " i never was feared of flint in his life , and , by the powers , i 'll face him dead . there 's seven hundred thousand pound not a quarter of a mile from here . but there was no sign of reawakening courage in his followers , rather , indeed , of growing terror at the irreverence of his words . " belay there , john ! " said merry . " don't you cross a sperrit . " and the rest were all too terrified to reply . he , on his part , had pretty well fought his weakness down . " sperrit ? well , maybe , " he said . " but there 's one thing not clear to me . there was an echo . that ain't in natur ' , surely ? " this argument seemed weak enough to me . but you can never tell what will affect the superstitious , and to my wonder , george merry was greatly relieved . " well , that 's so , " he said . " you 've a head upon your shoulders , john , and no mistake . ' bout ship , mates ! this here crew is on a wrong tack , i do believe . it was liker somebody else 's voice now it was liker " " by the powers , ben gunn ! " roared silver . " aye , and so it were , " cried morgan , springing on his knees . " ben gunn it were ! " " it don't make much odds , do it , now ? " asked dick . " ben gunn 's not here in the body any more'n flint . " but the older hands greeted this remark with scorn . " why , nobody minds ben gunn , " cried merry ; " dead or alive , nobody minds him . " it was extraordinary how their spirits had returned and how the natural colour had revived in their faces . he had said the truth : dead or alive , nobody minded ben gunn . " i told you , " said he " i told you you had sp'iled your bible . if it ain't no good to swear by , what do you suppose a sperrit would give for it ? not that ! " and he snapped his big fingers , halting a moment on his crutch . the first of the tall trees was reached , and by the bearings proved the wrong one . so with the second . it was conspicuous far to sea both on the east and west and might have been entered as a sailing mark upon the chart . the thought of the money , as they drew nearer , swallowed up their previous terrors . certainly he took no pains to hide his thoughts , and certainly i read them like print . shaken as i was with these alarms , it was hard for me to keep up with the rapid pace of the treasure-hunters . now and again i stumbled , and it was then that silver plucked so roughly at the rope and launched at me his murderous glances . we were now at the margin of the thicket . " huzza , mates , all together ! " shouted merry ; and the foremost broke into a run . and suddenly , not ten yards further , we beheld them stop . a low cry arose . before us was a great excavation , not very recent , for the sides had fallen in and grass had sprouted on the bottom . in this were the shaft of a pick broken in two and the boards of several packing-cases strewn around . on one of these boards i saw , branded with a hot iron , the name walrus the name of flint 's ship . all was clear to probation . the cache had been found and rifled ; the seven hundred thousand pounds were gone ! @number@ the fall of a chieftain there never was such an overturn in this world . each of these six men was as though he had been struck . but with silver the blow passed almost instantly . " jim , " he whispered , " take that , and stand by for trouble . " and he passed me a double-barrelled pistol . there was no time left for him to answer in . morgan found a piece of gold . he held it up with a perfect spout of oaths . it was a two-guinea piece , and it went from hand to hand among them for a quarter of a minute . " two guineas ! " roared merry , shaking it at silver . " that 's your seven hundred thousand pounds , is it ? you 're the man for bargains , ain't you ? you 're him that never bungled nothing , you wooden-headed lubber ! " " dig away , boys , " said silver with the coolest insolence ; " you 'll find some pig-nuts and i shouldn't wonder . " " pig-nuts ! " repeated merry , in a scream . " mates , do you hear that ? i tell you now , that man there knew it all along . look in the face of him and you 'll see it wrote there . " " ah , merry , " remarked silver , " standing for cap'n again ? you 're a pushing lad , to be sure . " but this time everyone was entirely in merry 's favour . they began to scramble out of the excavation , darting furious glances behind them . one thing i observed , which looked well for us : they all got out upon the opposite side from silver . silver never moved ; he watched them , very upright on his crutch , and looked as cool as ever i saw him . he was brave , and no mistake . at last merry seemed to think a speech might help matters . now , mates " he was raising his arm and his voice , and plainly meant to lead a charge . but just then crack ! crack ! crack ! three musket-shots flashed out of the thicket . at the same moment , the doctor , gray , and ben gunn joined us , with smoking muskets , from among the nutmeg-trees . " forward ! " cried the doctor . " double quick , my lads . we must head ' em off the boats . " and we set off at a great pace , sometimes plunging through the bushes to the chest . i tell you , but silver was anxious to keep up with us . as it was , he was already thirty yards behind us and on the verge of strangling when we reached the brow of the slope . " doctor , " he hailed , " see there ! no hurry ! " sure enough there was no hurry . " thank ye kindly , doctor , " says he . " you came in in about the nick , i guess , for me and hawkins . and so it 's you , ben gunn ! " he added . " well , you 're a nice one , to be sure . " " i 'm ben gunn , i am , " replied the maroon , wriggling like an eel in his embarrassment . " and , " he added , after a long pause , " how do , mr silver ? pretty well , i thank ye , says you . " " ben , ben , " murmured silver , " to think as you 've done me ! " it was a story that profoundly interested silver ; and ben gunn , the half-idiot maroon , was the hero from beginning to end . " ah , " said silver , " it were fortunate for me that i had hawkins here . you would have let old john be cut to bits , and never given it a thought , doctor . " " not a thought , " replied dr livesey cheerily . and by this time we had reached the gigs . this was a run of eight or nine miles . three miles farther , just inside the mouth of north inlet , what should we meet but the hispaniola , cruising by herself ? as it was , there was little amiss beyond the wreck of the main-sail . another anchor was got ready and dropped in a fathom and a half of water . a gentle slope ran up from the beach to the entrance of the cave . at the top , the squire met us . to me he was cordial and kind , saying nothing of my escapade either in the way of blame or praise . at silver 's polite salute he somewhat flushed . " john silver , " he said , " you 're a prodigious villain and imposter a monstrous imposter , sir . i am told i am not to prosecute you . well , then , i will not . but the dead men , sir , hang about your neck like mill-stones . " " thank you kindly , sir , " replied long john , again saluting . " i dare you to thank me ! " cried the squire . " it is a gross dereliction of my duty . stand back . " and thereupon we all entered the cave . it was a large , airy place , with a little spring and a pool of clear water , overhung with ferns . the floor was sand . that was flint 's treasure that we had come so far to seek and that had cost already the lives of seventeen men from the hispaniola . " come in , jim , " said the captain . " you 're a good boy in your line , jim , but i don't think you and me 'll go to sea again . you 're too much of the born favourite for me . is that you , john silver ? what brings you here , man ? " " come back to my dooty , sir , " returned silver . " ah ! " said the captain , and that was all he said . never , i am sure , were people gayer or happier . @number@ and last therefore the work was pushed on briskly . gray and ben gunn came and went with the boat , while the rest during their absences piled treasure on the beach . it was only a snatch that reached our ears , followed by the former silence . " heaven forgive them , " said the doctor ; " 'tis the mutineers ! " " all drunk , sir , " struck in the voice of silver from behind us . indeed , it was remarkable how well he bore these slights and with what unwearying politeness he kept on trying to ingratiate himself with all . accordingly , it was pretty gruffly that the doctor answered him . " drunk or raving , " said he . " right you were , sir , " replied silver ; " and precious little odds which , to you and me . " " ask your pardon , sir , you would be very wrong , " quoth silver . " you would lose your precious life , and you may lay to that . " no , " said the doctor . " you 're the man to keep your word , we know that . " well , that was about the last news we had of the three pirates . only once we heard a gunshot a great way off and supposed them to be hunting . that was about our last doing on the island . the three fellows must have been watching us closer than we thought for , as we soon had proved . the doctor hailed them and told them of the stores we had left , and where they were to find them . silver was gone . but this was not all . the sea-cook had not gone empty-handed . i think we were all pleased to be so cheaply quit of him . five men only of those who had sailed returned with her . with one man of her crew alive , what put to sea with seventy-five . all of us had an ample share of the treasure and used it wisely or foolishly , according to our natures . captain smollett is now retired from the sea . of silver we have heard no more . it is to be hoped so , i suppose , for his chances of comfort in another world are very small . pieces of eight ! " end of project gutenberg 's treasure island , by robert louis stevenson