TREASURE ISLAND.doc

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TREASURE ISLAND

To S.L.O.,

an American gentleman in accordance with whose classic taste

the following narrative has een designed, it is now, in ret!rn for n!mero!s delightf!l ho!rs,

and with the "indest wishes,

dedicated

# his affectionate friend, the a!thor.

TO T$E $ESITATIN% &UR'$ASER

If sailor tales to sailor t!nes,

Storm and advent!re, heat and cold, If schooners, islands, and maroons,

And !ccaneers, and !ried gold, And all the old romance, retold

E(actl# in the ancient wa#,

'an )lease, as me the# )leased of old,

The wiser #o!ngsters of toda#*

++So e it, and fall on If not, If st!dio!s #o!th no longer crave,

$is ancient a))etites forgot,

-ingston, or allant#ne the rave,

Or 'oo)er of the wood and wave* So e it, also And ma# I

And all m# )irates share the grave /here these and their creations lie

'ONTENTS

&ART ONE The Old !ccaneer

0. T$E OLD SEA+DO% AT T$E AD1IRAL ENO/ 00

2. LA'- DO% A&&EARS AND DISA&&EARS . . . . 03 4. T$E LA'- S&OT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

5. T$E SEA+'$EST . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

7. T$E LAST O8 T$E LIND 1AN . . . . . . . 49 9. T$E 'A&TAIN:S &A&ERS . . . . . . . . . . 50

&ART T/O

The Sea 'oo"

3. I %O TO RISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . 5;

;. AT T$E SI%N O8 T$E S&<+%LASS . . . . . . 75 =. &O/DER AND AR1S . . . . . . . . . . . . 7=

06. T$E >O<A%E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95



00. /$AT I $EARD IN T$E A&&LE ARREL . . . . 36

02. 'OUN'IL O8 /AR . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

&ART T$REE

1# Shore Advent!re

04. $O/ 1< S$ORE AD>ENTURE E%AN . . . . . . ;2 05. T$E 8IRST LO/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ;3

07. T$E 1AN O8 T$E ISLAND. . . . . . . . . . =4

&ART 8OUR The Stoc"ade

09. NARRATI>E 'ONTINUED < T$E DO'TOR*

$O/ T$E S$I& /AS AANDONED . . . . . . 066

03. NARRATI>E 'ONTINUED < T$E DO'TOR*

T$E ?OLL<+OAT:S LAST TRI& . . . . . . 067 0;. NARRATI>E 'ONTINUED < T$E DO'TOR*

END O8 T$E 8IRST DA<:S 8I%$TIN% . . . 06= 0=. NARRATI>E RESU1ED < ?I1 $A/-INS*

T$E %ARRISON IN T$E STO'-ADE . . . . . 005 26. SIL>ER:S E1ASS< . . . . . . . . . . . . 026

20. T$E ATTA'- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 027

&ART 8I>E 1# Sea Advent!re

22. $O/ 1< SEA AD>ENTURE E%AN . . . . . . . 042

24. T$E E+TIDE RUNS . . . . . . . . . . . 04;

25. T$E 'RUISE O8 T$E 'ORA'LE . . . . . . . 054

27. I STRI-E T$E ?OLL< RO%ER . . . . . . . . 05; 29. ISRAEL $ANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 074

23. @&IE'ES O8 EI%$T@ . . . . . . . . . . . 090

&ART SI 'a)tain Silver

2;. IN T$E ENE1<:S 'A1& . . . . . . . . . . 09;

2=. T$E LA'- S&OT A%AIN . . . . . . . . . . 039 46. ON &AROLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0;2

40. T$E TREASURE+$UNT++8LINT:S &OINTER . . . 0;= 42. T$E TREASURE+$UNT++T$E >OI'E A1ON%

T$E TREES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0=7

44. T$E 8ALL O8 A '$IE8TAIN . . . . . . . . 260

45. AND LAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

TREASURE ISLAND

&ART ONE

The Old !ccaneer



0

The Old Sea+dog at the Admiral enow

SBUIRE TRELA/NE<, Dr. Livese#, and the rest of these

gentlemen having as"ed me to write down the whole

)artic!lars ao!t Treas!re Island, from the eginningto the end, "ee)ing nothing ac" !t the earings of the

island, and that onl# eca!se there is still treas!re not#et lifted, I ta"e !) m# )en in the #ear of grace 03CC

and go ac" to the time when m# father "e)t the Admiral

enow inn and the rown old seaman with the sare c!t

first too" !) his lodging !nder o!r roof.

I rememer him as if it were #esterda#, as he came)lodding to the inn door, his sea+chest following

ehind him in a hand+arrow++a tall, strong, heav#,n!t+rown man, his tarr# )igtail falling over the

sho!lder of his soiled l!e coat, his hands ragged and

scarred, with lac", ro"en nails, and the sare c!t

across one chee", a dirt#, livid white. I rememer himloo"ing ro!nd the cover and whistling to himself as he

did so, and then rea"ing o!t in that old sea+song thathe sang so often afterwards*

@8ifteen men on the dead man:s chest++

<o+ho+ho, and a ottle of r!m@

in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to haveeen t!ned and ro"en at the ca)stan ars. Then he

ra))ed on the door with a it of stic" li"e a hands)i"ethat he carried, and when m# father a))eared, called

ro!ghl# for a glass of r!m. This, when it was ro!ght

to him, he dran" slowl#, li"e a connoisse!r, lingering

on the taste and still loo"ing ao!t him at the cliffsand !) at o!r signoard.

@This is a hand# cove,@ sa#s he at length @and a

)leasant sitt#ated grog+sho). 1!ch com)an#, mate@

1# father told him no, ver# little com)an#, the morewas the )it#.

@/ell, then,@ said he, @this is the erth for me.$ere #o!, mate#,@ he cried to the man who tr!ndled thearrow @ring !) alongside and hel) !) m# chest. I:ll

sta# here a it,@ he contin!ed. @I:m a )lain man r!m

and acon and eggs is what I want, and that head !)

there for to watch shi)s off. /hat #o! mo!ght call me<o! mo!ght call me ca)tain. Oh, I see what #o!:re at++

there@ and he threw down three or fo!r gold )ieces onthe threshold. @<o! can tell me when I:ve wor"ed

thro!gh that,@ sa#s he, loo"ing as fierce as a



commander.

And indeed ad as his clothes were and coarsel# as hes)o"e, he had none of the a))earance of a man who sailed

efore the mast, !t seemed li"e a mate or s"i))eracc!stomed to e oe#ed or to stri"e. The man who

came with the arrow told !s the mail had set him downthe morning efore at the Ro#al %eorge, that he had

inF!ired what inns there were along the coast, and

hearing o!rs well s)o"en of, I s!))ose, and descried as

lonel#, had chosen it from the others for his )lace ofresidence. And that was all we co!ld learn of o!r g!est.

$e was a ver# silent man # c!stom. All da# he h!ng

ro!nd the cove or !)on the cliffs with a rass

telesco)e all evening he sat in a corner of the

)arlo!r ne(t the fire and dran" r!m and water ver#strong. 1ostl# he wo!ld not s)ea" when s)o"en to, onl#

loo" !) s!dden and fierce and low thro!gh his noseli"e a fog+horn and we and the )eo)le who came ao!t

o!r ho!se soon learned to let him e. Ever# da# whenhe came ac" from his stroll he wo!ld as" if an#

seafaring men had gone # along the road. At first we

tho!ght it was the want of com)an# of his own "ind that

made him as" this F!estion, !t at last we egan to seehe was desiro!s to avoid them. /hen a seaman did )!t

!) at the Admiral enow Gas now and then some did,ma"ing # the coast road for ristolH he wo!ld loo" in

at him thro!gh the c!rtained door efore he entered the

)arlo!r and he was alwa#s s!re to e as silent as a

mo!se when an# s!ch was )resent. 8or me, at least,there was no secret ao!t the matter, for I was, in a

wa#, a sharer in his alarms. $e had ta"en me aside oneda# and )romised me a silver fo!r)enn# on the first of

ever# month if I wo!ld onl# "ee) m# @weather+e#e o)enfor a seafaring man with one leg@ and let him "now the

moment he a))eared. Often eno!gh when the first of the

month came ro!nd and I a))lied to him for m# wage, he

wo!ld onl# low thro!gh his nose at me and stare me down,!t efore the wee" was o!t he was s!re to thin" etter

of it, ring me m# fo!r+)enn# )iece, and re)eat his ordersto loo" o!t for @the seafaring man with one leg.@

$ow that )ersonage ha!nted m# dreams, I need scarcel#

tell #o!. On storm# nights, when the wind shoo" thefo!r corners of the ho!se and the s!rf roared along the

cove and !) the cliffs, I wo!ld see him in a tho!sand

forms, and with a tho!sand diaolical e()ressions. Nowthe leg wo!ld e c!t off at the "nee, now at the hi)now he was a monstro!s "ind of a creat!re who had never

had !t the one leg, and that in the middle of his

od#. To see him lea) and r!n and )!rs!e me over hedge

and ditch was the worst of nightmares. And altogetherI )aid )rett# dear for m# monthl# fo!r)enn# )iece, in

the sha)e of these aominale fancies.

!t tho!gh I was so terrified # the idea of the



seafaring man with one leg, I was far less afraid of

the ca)tain himself than an#od# else who "new him.

There were nights when he too" a deal more r!m andwater than his head wo!ld carr# and then he wo!ld

sometimes sit and sing his wic"ed, old, wild sea+songs,minding nood# !t sometimes he wo!ld call for glasses

ro!nd and force all the tremling com)an# to listen tohis stories or ear a chor!s to his singing. Often I

have heard the ho!se sha"ing with @<o+ho+ho, and a

ottle of r!m,@ all the neigho!rs oining in for dear

life, with the fear of death !)on them, and eachsinging lo!der than the other to avoid remar". 8or in

these fits he was the most overriding com)anion ever"nown he wo!ld sla) his hand on the tale for silence

all ro!nd he wo!ld fl# !) in a )assion of anger at a

F!estion, or sometimes eca!se none was )!t, and so he

!dged the com)an# was not following his stor#. Norwo!ld he allow an#one to leave the inn till he had

dr!n" himself slee)# and reeled off to ed.

$is stories were what frightened )eo)le worst of all.Dreadf!l stories the# were++ao!t hanging, and wal"ing

the )lan", and storms at sea, and the Dr# Tort!gas, and

wild deeds and )laces on the S)anish 1ain. # his own

acco!nt he m!st have lived his life among some of thewic"edest men that %od ever allowed !)on the sea, and

the lang!age in which he told these stories shoc"ed o!r)lain co!ntr# )eo)le almost as m!ch as the crimes that

he descried. 1# father was alwa#s sa#ing the inn

wo!ld e r!ined, for )eo)le wo!ld soon cease coming

there to e t#ranniJed over and )!t down, and sentshivering to their eds !t I reall# elieve his

)resence did !s good. &eo)le were frightened at thetime, !t on loo"ing ac" the# rather li"ed it it was

a fine e(citement in a F!iet co!ntr# life, and therewas even a )art# of the #o!nger men who )retended to

admire him, calling him a @tr!e sea+dog@ and a @real

old salt@ and s!ch li"e names, and sa#ing there was the

sort of man that made England terrile at sea.

In one wa#, indeed, he ade fair to r!in !s, for he "e)ton sta#ing wee" after wee", and at last month after month,

so that all the mone# had een long e(ha!sted, and still

m# father never )l!c"ed !) the heart to insist on having

more. If ever he mentioned it, the ca)tain lew thro!ghhis nose so lo!dl# that #o! might sa# he roared, and stared

m# )oor father o!t of the room. I have seen him wringing

his hands after s!ch a re!ff, and I am s!re the anno#anceand the terror he lived in m!st have greatl# hastened hisearl# and !nha))# death.

All the time he lived with !s the ca)tain made no change

whatever in his dress !t to !# some stoc"ings from ahaw"er. One of the coc"s of his hat having fallen down,

he let it hang from that da# forth, tho!gh it was a greatanno#ance when it lew. I rememer the a))earance of his

coat, which he )atched himself !)stairs in his room, and



which, efore the end, was nothing !t )atches. $e never

wrote or received a letter, and he never s)o"e with an#

!t the neigho!rs, and with these, for the most )art,onl# when dr!n" on r!m. The great sea+chest none of !s

had ever seen o)en.

$e was onl# once crossed, and that was towards the end,when m# )oor father was far gone in a decline that too"

him off. Dr. Livese# came late one afternoon to see

the )atient, too" a it of dinner from m# mother, and

went into the )arlo!r to smo"e a )i)e !ntil his horsesho!ld come down from the hamlet, for we had no

staling at the old enow. I followed him in, and Irememer oserving the contrast the neat, right

doctor, with his )owder as white as snow and his right,

lac" e#es and )leasant manners, made with the coltish

co!ntr# fol", and aove all, with that filth#, heav#,leared scarecrow of a )irate of o!rs, sitting, far gone

in r!m, with his arms on the tale. S!ddenl# he++theca)tain, that is++egan to )i)e !) his eternal song*


<o+ho+ho, and a ottle of r!m

Drin" and the devil had done for the rest++


At first I had s!))osed @the dead man:s chest@ to ethat identical ig o( of his !)stairs in the front

room, and the tho!ght had een mingled in m# nightmares

with that of the one+legged seafaring man. !t # this

time we had all long ceased to )a# an# )artic!larnotice to the song it was new, that night, to nood#

!t Dr. Livese#, and on him I oserved it did not)rod!ce an agreeale effect, for he loo"ed !) for a

moment F!ite angril# efore he went on with his tal" toold Ta#lor, the gardener, on a new c!re for the

rhe!matics. In the meantime, the ca)tain grad!all#

rightened !) at his own m!sic, and at last fla))ed his

hand !)on the tale efore him in a wa# we all "new tomean silence. The voices sto))ed at once, all !t Dr.

Livese#:s he went on as efore s)ea"ing clear and "indand drawing ris"l# at his )i)e etween ever# word or

two. The ca)tain glared at him for a while, fla))ed

his hand again, glared still harder, and at last ro"e

o!t with a villaino!s, low oath, @Silence, there,etween dec"s@

@/ere #o! addressing me, sir@ sa#s the doctor andwhen the r!ffian had told him, with another oath, thatthis was so, @I have onl# one thing to sa# to #o!, sir,@

re)lies the doctor, @that if #o! "ee) on drin"ing r!m,

the world will soon e F!it of a ver# dirt# sco!ndrel@

The old fellow:s f!r# was awf!l. $e s)rang to his

feet, drew and o)ened a sailor:s clas)+"nife, andalancing it o)en on the )alm of his hand, threatened

to )in the doctor to the wall.



The doctor never so m!ch as moved. $e s)o"e to him as

efore, over his sho!lder and in the same tone ofvoice, rather high, so that all the room might hear,

!t )erfectl# calm and stead#* @If #o! do not )!t that"nife this instant in #o!r )oc"et, I )romise, !)on m#

hono!r, #o! shall hang at the ne(t assiJes.@

Then followed a attle of loo"s etween them, !t the

ca)tain soon "n!c"led !nder, )!t !) his wea)on, and

res!med his seat, gr!mling li"e a eaten dog.

@And now, sir,@ contin!ed the doctor, @since I now "nowthere:s s!ch a fellow in m# district, #o! ma# co!nt I:ll

have an e#e !)on #o! da# and night. I:m not a doctor onl#

I:m a magistrate and if I catch a reath of com)laint

against #o!, if it:s onl# for a )iece of incivilit# li"etonight:s, I:ll ta"e effect!al means to have #o! h!nted

down and ro!ted o!t of this. Let that s!ffice.@

Soon after, Dr. Livese#:s horse came to the door and herode awa#, !t the ca)tain held his )eace that evening,

and for man# evenings to come.

2

lac" Dog A))ears and Disa))ears

IT was not ver# long after this that there occ!rred the

first of the m#sterio!s events that rid !s at last ofthe ca)tain, tho!gh not, as #o! will see, of his

affairs. It was a itter cold winter, with long, hardfrosts and heav# gales and it was )lain from the first

that m# )oor father was little li"el# to see the

s)ring. $e san" dail#, and m# mother and I had all the

inn !)on o!r hands, and were "e)t !s# eno!gh witho!t)a#ing m!ch regard to o!r !n)leasant g!est.

It was one ?an!ar# morning, ver# earl#++a )inching,

frost# morning++the cove all gre# with hoar+frost, the

ri))le la))ing softl# on the stones, the s!n still low

and onl# to!ching the hillto)s and shining far toseaward. The ca)tain had risen earlier than !s!al and

set o!t down the each, his c!tlass swinging !nder the

road s"irts of the old l!e coat, his rass telesco)e!nder his arm, his hat tilted ac" !)on his head. Irememer his reath hanging li"e smo"e in his wa"e as

he strode off, and the last so!nd I heard of him as he

t!rned the ig roc" was a lo!d snort of indignation, as

tho!gh his mind was still r!nning !)on Dr. Livese#.

/ell, mother was !)stairs with father and I was la#ingthe rea"fast+tale against the ca)tain:s ret!rn when

the )arlo!r door o)ened and a man ste))ed in on whom I



had never set m# e#es efore. $e was a )ale, tallow#

creat!re, wanting two fingers of the left hand, and

tho!gh he wore a c!tlass, he did not loo" m!ch li"e afighter. I had alwa#s m# e#e o)en for seafaring men,

with one leg or two, and I rememer this one )!JJledme. $e was not sailorl#, and #et he had a smac" of the

sea ao!t him too.

I as"ed him what was for his service, and he said he wo!ld

ta"e r!m !t as I was going o!t of the room to fetch it,

he sat down !)on a tale and motioned me to draw near. I)a!sed where I was, with m# na)"in in m# hand.

@'ome here, sonn#,@ sa#s he. @'ome nearer here.@

I too" a ste) nearer.

@Is this here tale for m# mate ill@ he as"ed with a

"ind of leer.

I told him I did not "now his mate ill, and this was fora )erson who sta#ed in o!r ho!se whom we called the ca)tain.

@/ell,@ said he, @m# mate ill wo!ld e called the

ca)tain, as li"e as not. $e has a c!t on one chee" anda might# )leasant wa# with him, )artic!larl# in drin",

has m# mate ill. /e:ll )!t it, for arg!ment li"e, that#o!r ca)tain has a c!t on one chee"++and we:ll )!t it, if

#o! li"e, that that chee":s the right one. Ah, well I

told #o!. Now, is m# mate ill in this here ho!se@

I told him he was o!t wal"ing.

@/hich wa#, sonn# /hich wa# is he gone@

And when I had )ointed o!t the roc" and told him how

the ca)tain was li"el# to ret!rn, and how soon, and

answered a few other F!estions, @Ah,@ said he, @this:ll

e as good as drin" to m# mate ill.@

The e()ression of his face as he said these words wasnot at all )leasant, and I had m# own reasons for

thin"ing that the stranger was mista"en, even s!))osing

he meant what he said. !t it was no affair of mine, I

tho!ght and esides, it was diffic!lt to "now what todo. The stranger "e)t hanging ao!t !st inside the

inn door, )eering ro!nd the corner li"e a cat waiting

for a mo!se. Once I ste))ed o!t m#self into the road,!t he immediatel# called me ac", and as I did notoe# F!ic" eno!gh for his fanc#, a most horrile change

came over his tallow# face, and he ordered me in with

an oath that made me !m). As soon as I was ac" again

he ret!rned to his former manner, half fawning, halfsneering, )atted me on the sho!lder, told me I was a

good o# and he had ta"en F!ite a fanc# to me. @I havea son of m# own,@ said he, @as li"e #o! as two loc"s,

and he:s all the )ride of m# :art. !t the great thing



for o#s is disci)line, sonn#++disci)line. Now, if #o!

had sailed along of ill, #o! wo!ldn:t have stood there

to e s)o"e to twice++not #o!. That was never ill:swa#, nor the wa# of sich as sailed with him. And here,

s!re eno!gh, is m# mate ill, with a s)#+glass !nderhis arm, less his old :art, to e s!re. <o! and me:ll

!st go ac" into the )arlo!r, sonn#, and get ehindthe door, and we:ll give ill a little s!r)rise++less

his :art, I sa# again.

So sa#ing, the stranger ac"ed along with me into the)arlo!r and )!t me ehind him in the corner so that we

were oth hidden # the o)en door. I was ver# !neas#and alarmed, as #o! ma# fanc#, and it rather added to

m# fears to oserve that the stranger was certainl#

frightened himself. $e cleared the hilt of his c!tlass

and loosened the lade in the sheath and all the timewe were waiting there he "e)t swallowing as if he felt

what we !sed to call a l!m) in the throat.

At last in strode the ca)tain, slammed the door ehind him,witho!t loo"ing to the right or left, and marched straight

across the room to where his rea"fast awaited him.

@ill,@ said the stranger in a voice that I tho!ght hehad tried to ma"e old and ig.

The ca)tain s)!n ro!nd on his heel and fronted !s all

the rown had gone o!t of his face, and even his nose

was l!e he had the loo" of a man who sees a ghost, or

the evil one, or something worse, if an#thing can eand !)on m# word, I felt sorr# to see him all in a

moment t!rn so old and sic".

@'ome, ill, #o! "now me #o! "now an old shi)mate,ill, s!rel#,@ said the stranger.

The ca)tain made a sort of gas).

@lac" Dog@ said he.

@And who else@ ret!rned the other, getting more at his

ease. @lac" Dog as ever was, come for to see his old

shi)mate ill#, at the Admiral enow inn. Ah, ill,

ill, we have seen a sight of times, !s two, since Ilost them two talons,@ holding !) his m!tilated hand.

@Now, loo" here,@ said the ca)tain @#o!:ve r!n medown here I am well, then, s)ea" !) what is it@

@That:s #o!, ill,@ ret!rned lac" Dog, @#o!:re in the

right of it, ill#. I:ll have a glass of r!m from this

dear child here, as I:ve too" s!ch a li"ing to andwe:ll sit down, if #o! )lease, and tal" sF!are, li"e

old shi)mates.@

/hen I ret!rned with the r!m, the# were alread# seated



on either side of the ca)tain:s rea"fast+tale++lac"

Dog ne(t to the door and sitting sidewa#s so as to have

one e#e on his old shi)mate and one, as I tho!ght, onhis retreat.

$e ade me go and leave the door wide o)en. @None of

#o!r "e#holes for me, sonn#,@ he said and I left themtogether and retired into the ar.

@8or a long time, tho!gh I certainl# did m# est to

listen, I co!ld hear nothing !t a low gattling !t atlast the voices egan to grow higher, and I co!ld )ic"

!) a word or two, mostl# oaths, from the ca)tain.

@No, no, no, no and an end of it@ he cried once. And

again, @If it comes to swinging, swing all, sa# I.@

Then all of a s!dden there was a tremendo!s e()losion of

oaths and other noises++the chair and tale went over ina l!m), a clash of steel followed, and then a cr# of )ain,

and the ne(t instant I saw lac" Dog in f!ll flight, andthe ca)tain hotl# )!rs!ing, oth with drawn c!tlasses, and

the former streaming lood from the left sho!lder. ?!st

at the door the ca)tain aimed at the f!gitive one last

tremendo!s c!t, which wo!ld certainl# have s)lit him tothe chine had it not een interce)ted # o!r ig signoard

of Admiral enow. <o! ma# see the notch on the lower sideof the frame to this da#.

That low was the last of the attle. Once o!t !)on

the road, lac" Dog, in s)ite of his wo!nd, showed awonderf!l clean )air of heels and disa))eared over the

edge of the hill in half a min!te. The ca)tain, forhis )art, stood staring at the signoard li"e a

ewildered man. Then he )assed his hand over his e#esseveral times and at last t!rned ac" into the ho!se.

@?im,@ sa#s he, @r!m@ and as he s)o"e, he reeled a little,

and ca!ght himself with one hand against the wall.

@Are #o! h!rt@ cried I.

@R!m,@ he re)eated. @I m!st get awa# from here. R!m R!m@

I ran to fetch it, !t I was F!ite !nsteadied # allthat had fallen o!t, and I ro"e one glass and fo!led

the ta), and while I was still getting in m# own wa#, I

heard a lo!d fall in the )arlo!r, and r!nning in, eheldthe ca)tain l#ing f!ll length !)on the floor. At the sameinstant m# mother, alarmed # the cries and fighting, came

r!nning downstairs to hel) me. etween !s we raised his

head. $e was reathing ver# lo!d and hard, !t his e#es

were closed and his face a horrile colo!r.

@Dear, dear# me,@ cried m# mother, @what a disgrace!)on the ho!se And #o!r )oor father sic"@



In the meantime, we had no idea what to do to hel) the

ca)tain, nor an# other tho!ght !t that he had got his

death+h!rt in the sc!ffle with the stranger. I got ther!m, to e s!re, and tried to )!t it down his throat, !t

his teeth were tightl# sh!t and his aws as strong as iron.It was a ha))# relief for !s when the door o)ened and Doctor

Livese# came in, on his visit to m# father.

@Oh, doctor,@ we cried, @what shall we do /here is he wo!nded@

@/o!nded A fiddle+stic":s end@ said the doctor. @Nomore wo!nded than #o! or I. The man has had a stro"e,

as I warned him. Now, 1rs. $aw"ins, !st #o! r!n!)stairs to #o!r h!sand and tell him, if )ossile,

nothing ao!t it. 8or m# )art, I m!st do m# est to

save this fellow:s trel# worthless life ?im, #o! get

me a asin.@

/hen I got ac" with the asin, the doctor had alread#ri))ed !) the ca)tain:s sleeve and e()osed his great

sinew# arm. It was tattooed in several )laces.@$ere:s l!c",@ @A fair wind,@ and @ill# ones his

fanc#,@ were ver# neatl# and clearl# e(ec!ted on the

forearm and !) near the sho!lder there was a s"etch of

a gallows and a man hanging from it++done, as Itho!ght, with great s)irit.

@&ro)hetic,@ said the doctor, to!ching this )ict!re

with his finger. @And now, 1aster ill# ones, if that

e #o!r name, we:ll have a loo" at the colo!r of #o!r

lood. ?im,@ he said, @are #o! afraid of lood@

@No, sir,@ said I.

@/ell, then,@ said he, @#o! hold the asin@ and withthat he too" his lancet and o)ened a vein.

A great deal of lood was ta"en efore the ca)tain

o)ened his e#es and loo"ed mistil# ao!t him. 8irst herecogniJed the doctor with an !nmista"ale frown then

his glance fell !)on me, and he loo"ed relieved. !ts!ddenl# his colo!r changed, and he tried to raise

himself, cr#ing, @/here:s lac" Dog@

@There is no lac" Dog here,@ said the doctor, @e(ce)twhat #o! have on #o!r own ac". <o! have een drin"ing

r!m #o! have had a stro"e, )recisel# as I told #o!

and I have !st, ver# m!ch against m# own will, dragged#o! headforemost o!t of the grave. Now, 1r. ones++@

@That:s not m# name,@ he interr!)ted.

@1!ch I care,@ ret!rned the doctor. @It:s the name ofa !ccaneer of m# acF!aintance and I call #o! # it

for the sa"e of shortness, and what I have to sa# to#o! is this one glass of r!m won:t "ill #o!, !t if

#o! ta"e one #o!:ll ta"e another and another, and I



sta"e m# wig if #o! don:t rea" off short, #o!:ll die++

do #o! !nderstand that++die, and go to #o!r own )lace,

li"e the man in the ile. 'ome, now, ma"e an effort.I:ll hel) #o! to #o!r ed for once.@

etween !s, with m!ch tro!le, we managed to hoist him

!)stairs, and laid him on his ed, where his head fellac" on the )illow as if he were almost fainting.

@Now, mind #o!,@ said the doctor, @I clear m#

conscience++the name of r!m for #o! is death.@

And with that he went off to see m# father, ta"ing mewith him # the arm.

@This is nothing,@ he said as soon as he had closed the

door. @I have drawn lood eno!gh to "ee) him F!ietawhile he sho!ld lie for a wee" where he is++that is

the est thing for him and #o! !t another stro"ewo!ld settle him.@

4

The lac" S)ot

AOUT noon I sto))ed at the ca)tain:s door with some

cooling drin"s and medicines. $e was l#ing ver# m!ch

as we had left him, onl# a little higher, and he seemed

oth wea" and e(cited.

@?im,@ he said, @#o!:re the onl# one here that:s worthan#thing, and #o! "now I:ve een alwa#s good to #o!.

Never a month !t I:ve given #o! a silver fo!r)enn# for#o!rself. And now #o! see, mate, I:m )rett# low, and

deserted # all and ?im, #o!:ll ring me one noggin of

r!m, now, won:t #o!, mate#@

@The doctor++@ I egan.

!t he ro"e in c!rsing the doctor, in a feele voice

!t heartil#. @Doctors is all swas,@ he said @and

that doctor there, wh#, what do he "now ao!t seafaring

men I een in )laces hot as )itch, and mates dro))ingro!nd with <ellow ?ac", and the lessed land a+heaving

li"e the sea with earthF!a"es++what to the doctor "now

of lands li"e that++and I lived on r!m, I tell #o!.It:s een meat and drin", and man and wife, to me andif I:m not to have m# r!m now I:m a )oor old h!l" on a

lee shore, m# lood:ll e on #o!, ?im, and that doctor

swa@ and he ran on again for a while with c!rses.

@Loo", ?im, how m# fingers fidges,@ he contin!ed in the)leading tone. @I can:t "ee) :em still, not I. I

haven:t had a dro) this lessed da#. That doctor:s afool, I tell #o!. If I don:t have a drain o: r!m, ?im,

I:ll have the horrors I seen some on :em alread#.



I seen old 8lint in the corner there, ehind #o! as

)lain as )rint, I seen him and if I get the horrors,

I:m a man that has lived ro!gh, and I:ll raise 'ain.<o!r doctor hisself said one glass wo!ldn:t h!rt me.

I:ll give #o! a golden g!inea for a noggin, ?im.@

$e was growing more and more e(cited, and this alarmed mefor m# father, who was ver# low that da# and needed F!iet

esides, I was reass!red # the doctor:s words, now F!oted

to me, and rather offended # the offer of a rie.

@I want none of #o!r mone#,@ said I, @!t what #o! owe

m# father. I:ll get #o! one glass, and no more.@

/hen I ro!ght it to him, he seiJed it greedil# and

dran" it o!t.

@A#e, a#e,@ said he, @that:s some etter, s!re eno!gh.

And now, mate#, did that doctor sa# how long I was tolie here in this old erth@

@A wee" at least,@ said I.

@Th!nder@ he cried. @A wee" I can:t do that the#:d

have the lac" s)ot on me # then. The l!ers isgoing ao!t to get the wind of me this lessed moment

l!ers as co!ldn:t "ee) what the# got, and want tonail what is another:s. Is that seamanl# ehavio!r,

now, I want to "now !t I:m a saving so!l. I never

wasted good mone# of mine, nor lost it neither and

I:ll tric" :em again. I:m not afraid on :em. I:llsha"e o!t another reef, mate#, and daddle :em again.@

As he was th!s s)ea"ing, he had risen from ed with

great diffic!lt#, holding to m# sho!lder with a gri)that almost made me cr# o!t, and moving his legs li"e

so m!ch dead weight. $is words, s)irited as the# were

in meaning, contrasted sadl# with the wea"ness of the

voice in which the# were !ttered. $e )a!sed when hehad got into a sitting )osition on the edge.

@That doctor:s done me,@ he m!rm!red. @1# ears is

singing. La# me ac".@

efore I co!ld do m!ch to hel) him he had fallen ac" againto his former )lace, where he la# for a while silent.

@?im,@ he said at length, @#o! saw that seafaring man toda#@

@lac" Dog@ I as"ed.

@Ah lac" Dog,@ sa#s he. @$E:S a ad !n !t there:s

worse that )!t him on. Now, if I can:t get awa# nohow,and the# ti) me the lac" s)ot, mind #o!, it:s m# old

sea+chest the#:re after #o! get on a horse++#o! can,can:t #o! /ell, then, #o! get on a horse, and go to++

well, #es, I will++to that eternal doctor swa, and



tell him to )i)e all hands++magistrates and sich++and

he:ll la# :em aoard at the Admiral enow++all old

8lint:s crew, man and o#, all on :em that:s left. Iwas first mate, I was, old 8lint:s first mate, and I:m

the on:# one as "nows the )lace. $e gave it me atSavannah, when he la# a+d#ing, li"e as if I was to now,

#o! see. !t #o! won:t )each !nless the# get the lac"s)ot on me, or !nless #o! see that lac" Dog again or a

seafaring man with one leg, ?im++him aove all.@

@!t what is the lac" s)ot, ca)tain@ I as"ed.

@That:s a s!mmons, mate. I:ll tell #o! if the# getthat. !t #o! "ee) #o!r weather+e#e o)en, ?im, and

I:ll share with #o! eF!als, !)on m# hono!r.@

$e wandered a little longer, his voice growing wea"er!t soon after I had given him his medicine, which he

too" li"e a child, with the remar", @If ever a seamanwanted dr!gs, it:s me,@ he fell at last into a heav#,

swoon+li"e slee), in which I left him. /hat I sho!ldhave done had all gone well I do not "now. &roal# I

sho!ld have told the whole stor# to the doctor, for I

was in mortal fear lest the ca)tain sho!ld re)ent of

his confessions and ma"e an end of me. !t as thingsfell o!t, m# )oor father died F!ite s!ddenl# that

evening, which )!t all other matters on one side. O!rnat!ral distress, the visits of the neigho!rs, the

arranging of the f!neral, and all the wor" of the inn

to e carried on in the meanwhile "e)t me so !s# that

I had scarcel# time to thin" of the ca)tain, far lessto e afraid of him.

$e got downstairs ne(t morning, to e s!re, and had his

meals as !s!al, tho!gh he ate little and had more, I amafraid, than his !s!al s!))l# of r!m, for he hel)ed

himself o!t of the ar, scowling and lowing thro!gh

his nose, and no one dared to cross him. On the night

efore the f!neral he was as dr!n" as ever and it wasshoc"ing, in that ho!se of mo!rning, to hear him

singing awa# at his !gl# old sea+song !t wea" as hewas, we were all in the fear of death for him, and the

doctor was s!ddenl# ta"en !) with a case man# miles

awa# and was never near the ho!se after m# father:s

death. I have said the ca)tain was wea", and indeed heseemed rather to grow wea"er than regain his strength.

$e clamered !) and down stairs, and went from the

)arlo!r to the ar and ac" again, and sometimes )!this nose o!t of doors to smell the sea, holding on tothe walls as he went for s!))ort and reathing hard and

fast li"e a man on a stee) mo!ntain. $e never

)artic!larl# addressed me, and it is m# elief he had

as good as forgotten his confidences !t his tem)erwas more flight#, and allowing for his odil# wea"ness,

more violent than ever. $e had an alarming wa# nowwhen he was dr!n" of drawing his c!tlass and la#ing it

are efore him on the tale. !t with all that, he



minded )eo)le less and seemed sh!t !) in his own

tho!ghts and rather wandering. Once, for instance, to

o!r e(treme wonder, he )i)ed !) to a different air, a"ing of co!ntr# love+song that he m!st have learned in

his #o!th efore he had eg!n to follow the sea.

So things )assed !ntil, the da# after the f!neral, andao!t three o:cloc" of a itter, fogg#, frost#

afternoon, I was standing at the door for a moment,

f!ll of sad tho!ghts ao!t m# father, when I saw

someone drawing slowl# near along the road. $e was)lainl# lind, for he ta))ed efore him with a stic"

and wore a great green shade over his e#es and noseand he was h!nched, as if with age or wea"ness, and wore

a h!ge old tattered sea+cloa" with a hood that made him

a))ear )ositivel# deformed. I never saw in m# life a

more dreadf!l+loo"ing fig!re. $e sto))ed a little fromthe inn, and raising his voice in an odd sing+song,

addressed the air in front of him, @/ill an# "ind friendinform a )oor lind man, who has lost the )recio!s sight

of his e#es in the gracio!s defence of his native co!ntr#,England++and %od less -ing %eorge++where or in what )art

of this co!ntr# he ma# now e@

@<o! are at the Admiral enow, lac" $ill 'ove, m#good man,@ said I.

@I hear a voice,@ said he, @a #o!ng voice. /ill #o! give

me #o!r hand, m# "ind #o!ng friend, and lead me in@

I held o!t m# hand, and the horrile, soft+s)o"en,e#eless creat!re gri))ed it in a moment li"e a vise. I

was so m!ch startled that I str!ggled to withdraw, !tthe lind man )!lled me close !) to him with a single

action of his arm.

@Now, o#,@ he said, @ta"e me in to the ca)tain.@

@Sir,@ said I, @!)on m# word I dare not.@

@Oh,@ he sneered, @that:s it Ta"e me in straight orI:ll rea" #o!r arm.@

And he gave it, as he s)o"e, a wrench that made me cr# o!t.

@Sir,@ said I, @it is for #o!rself I mean. The ca)tain

is not what he !sed to e. $e sits with a drawn

c!tlass. Another gentleman++@

@'ome, now, march,@ interr!)ted he and I never heard a

voice so cr!el, and cold, and !gl# as that lind man:s.

It cowed me more than the )ain, and I egan to oe# him

at once, wal"ing straight in at the door and towardsthe )arlo!r, where o!r sic" old !ccaneer was sitting,

daJed with r!m. The lind man cl!ng close to me,holding me in one iron fist and leaning almost more of

his weight on me than I co!ld carr#. @Lead me straight



!) to him, and when I:m in view, cr# o!t, :$ere:s a

friend for #o!, ill.: If #o! don:t, I:ll do this,@

and with that he gave me a twitch that I tho!ght wo!ldhave made me faint. etween this and that, I was so

!tterl# terrified of the lind eggar that I forgot m#terror of the ca)tain, and as I o)ened the )arlo!r door,

cried o!t the words he had ordered in a tremling voice.

The )oor ca)tain raised his e#es, and at one loo" the

r!m went o!t of him and left him staring soer. The

e()ression of his face was not so m!ch of terror as ofmortal sic"ness. $e made a movement to rise, !t I do

not elieve he had eno!gh force left in his od#.

@Now, ill, sit where #o! are,@ said the eggar. @If I

can:t see, I can hear a finger stirring. !siness is

!siness. $old o!t #o!r left hand. o#, ta"e his lefthand # the wrist and ring it near to m# right.@

/e oth oe#ed him to the letter, and I saw him )ass

something from the hollow of the hand that held hisstic" into the )alm of the ca)tain:s, which closed !)on

it instantl#.

@And now that:s done,@ said the lind man and at the wordshe s!ddenl# left hold of me, and with incredile acc!rac#

and nimleness, s"i))ed o!t of the )arlo!r and into the road,where, as I still stood motionless, I co!ld hear his stic"

go ta)+ta)+ta))ing into the distance.

It was some time efore either I or the ca)tain seemedto gather o!r senses, !t at length, and ao!t at the

same moment, I released his wrist, which I was stillholding, and he drew in his hand and loo"ed shar)l#

into the )alm.

@Ten o:cloc"@ he cried. @Si( ho!rs. /e:ll do them

#et,@ and he s)rang to his feet.

Even as he did so, he reeled, )!t his hand to his

throat, stood swa#ing for a moment, and then, with a)ec!liar so!nd, fell from his whole height face

foremost to the floor.

I ran to him at once, calling to m# mother. !t hastewas all in vain. The ca)tain had een str!c" dead #

th!ndering a)o)le(#. It is a c!rio!s thing to

!nderstand, for I had certainl# never li"ed the man,tho!gh of late I had eg!n to )it# him, !t as soon asI saw that he was dead, I !rst into a flood of tears.

It was the second death I had "nown, and the sorrow of

the first was still fresh in m# heart.

5



The Sea+chest

I LOST no time, of co!rse, in telling m# mother allthat I "new, and )erha)s sho!ld have told her long

efore, and we saw o!rselves at once in a diffic!lt anddangero!s )osition. Some of the man:s mone#++if he had

an#++was certainl# d!e to !s, !t it was not li"el#that o!r ca)tain:s shi)mates, aove all the two

s)ecimens seen # me, lac" Dog and the lind eggar,

wo!ld e inclined to give !) their oot# in )a#ment of

the dead man:s dets. The ca)tain:s order to mo!nt atonce and ride for Doctor Livese# wo!ld have left m#

mother alone and !n)rotected, which was not to etho!ght of. Indeed, it seemed im)ossile for either of

!s to remain m!ch longer in the ho!se the fall of

coals in the "itchen grate, the ver# tic"ing of the

cloc", filled !s with alarms. The neigho!rhood, too!r ears, seemed ha!nted # a))roaching footste)s and

what etween the dead od# of the ca)tain on the)arlo!r floor and the tho!ght of that detestale lind

eggar hovering near at hand and read# to ret!rn, therewere moments when, as the sa#ing goes, I !m)ed in m#

s"in for terror. Something m!st s)eedil# e resolved

!)on, and it occ!rred to !s at last to go forth

together and see" hel) in the neigho!ring hamlet. Nosooner said than done. are+headed as we were, we ran

o!t at once in the gathering evening and the frost# fog.

The hamlet la# not man# h!ndred #ards awa#, tho!gh o!t

of view, on the other side of the ne(t cove and what

greatl# enco!raged me, it was in an o))osite directionfrom that whence the lind man had made his a))earance

and whither he had )res!mal# ret!rned. /e were notman# min!tes on the road, tho!gh we sometimes sto))ed

to la# hold of each other and hear"en. !t there wasno !n!s!al so!nd++nothing !t the low wash of the

ri))le and the croa"ing of the inmates of the wood.

It was alread# candle+light when we reached the hamlet,and I shall never forget how m!ch I was cheered to see

the #ellow shine in doors and windows !t that, as it)roved, was the est of the hel) we were li"el# to get

in that F!arter. 8or++#o! wo!ld have tho!ght men wo!ld

have een ashamed of themselves++no so!l wo!ld consent

to ret!rn with !s to the Admiral enow. The more wetold of o!r tro!les, the more++man, woman, and child++

the# cl!ng to the shelter of their ho!ses. The name of

'a)tain 8lint, tho!gh it was strange to me, was welleno!gh "nown to some there and carried a great weightof terror. Some of the men who had een to field+wor"

on the far side of the Admiral enow rememered,

esides, to have seen several strangers on the road,

and ta"ing them to e sm!gglers, to have olted awa#and one at least had seen a little l!gger in what we

called -itt:s $ole. 8or that matter, an#one who was acomrade of the ca)tain:s was eno!gh to frighten them to

death. And the short and the long of the matter was,



that while we co!ld get several who were willing eno!gh

to ride to Dr. Livese#:s, which la# in another

direction, not one wo!ld hel) !s to defend the inn.

The# sa# cowardice is infectio!s !t then arg!ment is,on the other hand, a great emoldener and so when each

had said his sa#, m# mother made them a s)eech. Shewo!ld not, she declared, lose mone# that elonged to

her fatherless o# @If none of the rest of #o! dare,@

she said, @?im and I dare. ac" we will go, the wa# we

came, and small than"s to #o! ig, h!l"ing, chic"en+hearted men. /e:ll have that chest o)en, if we die for

it. And I:ll than" #o! for that ag, 1rs. 'rossle#, toring ac" o!r lawf!l mone# in.@

Of co!rse I said I wo!ld go with m# mother, and of co!rse

the# all cried o!t at o!r foolhardiness, !t even thennot a man wo!ld go along with !s. All the# wo!ld do was

to give me a loaded )istol lest we were attac"ed, and to)romise to have horses read# saddled in case we were

)!rs!ed on o!r ret!rn, while one lad was to ride forwardto the doctor:s in search of armed assistance.

1# heart was eating finel# when we two set forth in

the cold night !)on this dangero!s vent!re. A f!llmoon was eginning to rise and )eered redl# thro!gh the

!))er edges of the fog, and this increased o!r haste,for it was )lain, efore we came forth again, that all

wo!ld e as right as da#, and o!r de)art!re e()osed to

the e#es of an# watchers. /e sli))ed along the hedges,

noiseless and swift, nor did we see or hear an#thing toincrease o!r terrors, till, to o!r relief, the door of

the Admiral enow had closed ehind !s.

I sli))ed the olt at once, and we stood and )anted fora moment in the dar", alone in the ho!se with the dead

ca)tain:s od#. Then m# mother got a candle in the

ar, and holding each other:s hands, we advanced into

the )arlo!r. $e la# as we had left him, on his ac",with his e#es o)en and one arm stretched o!t.

@Draw down the lind, ?im,@ whis)ered m# mother @the#

might come and watch o!tside. And now,@ said she when

I had done so, @we have to get the "e# off T$AT and

who:s to to!ch it, I sho!ld li"e to "now@ and she gavea "ind of so as she said the words.

I went down on m# "nees at once. On the floor close tohis hand there was a little ro!nd of )a)er, lac"enedon the one side. I co!ld not do!t that this was the

LA'- S&OT and ta"ing it !), I fo!nd written on

the other side, in a ver# good, clear hand, this short

message* @<o! have till ten tonight.@

@$e had till ten, 1other,@ said I and !st as I saidit, o!r old cloc" egan stri"ing. This s!dden noise

startled !s shoc"ingl# !t the news was good, for it



was onl# si(.

@Now, ?im,@ she said, @that "e#.@

I felt in his )oc"ets, one after another. A few small coins,a thimle, and some thread and ig needles, a )iece of )igtail

toacco itten awa# at the end, his g!ll# with the croo"edhandle, a )oc"et com)ass, and a tinder o( were all that the#

contained, and I egan to des)air.

@&erha)s it:s ro!nd his nec",@ s!ggested m# mother.

Overcoming a strong re)!gnance, I tore o)en his shirtat the nec", and there, s!re eno!gh, hanging to a it

of tarr# string, which I c!t with his own g!ll#, we

fo!nd the "e#. At this tri!m)h we were filled with

ho)e and h!rried !)stairs witho!t dela# to the littleroom where he had sle)t so long and where his o( had

stood since the da# of his arrival.

It was li"e an# other seaman:s chest on the o!tside,the initial @@ !rned on the to) of it with a hot

iron, and the corners somewhat smashed and ro"en as #

long, ro!gh !sage.

@%ive me the "e#,@ said m# mother and tho!gh the loc"

was ver# stiff, she had t!rned it and thrown ac" thelid in a twin"ling.

A strong smell of toacco and tar rose from the

interior, !t nothing was to e seen on the to) e(ce)ta s!it of ver# good clothes, caref!ll# r!shed and

folded. The# had never een worn, m# mother said.Under that, the miscellan# egan++a F!adrant, a tin

cani"in, several stic"s of toacco, two race of ver#handsome )istols, a )iece of ar silver, an old S)anish

watch and some other trin"ets of little val!e and

mostl# of foreign ma"e, a )air of com)asses mo!nted

with rass, and five or si( c!rio!s /est Indian shells.I have often wondered since wh# he sho!ld have carried

ao!t these shells with him in his wandering, g!ilt#,and h!nted life.

In the meantime, we had fo!nd nothing of an# val!e !t

the silver and the trin"ets, and neither of these werein o!r wa#. Underneath there was an old oat+cloa",

whitened with sea+salt on man# a haro!r+ar. 1#

mother )!lled it !) with im)atience, and there la#efore !s, the last things in the chest, a !ndle tied!) in oilcloth, and loo"ing li"e )a)ers, and a canvas

ag that gave forth, at a to!ch, the ingle of gold.

@I:ll show these rog!es that I:m an honest woman,@ saidm# mother. @I:ll have m# d!es, and not a farthing

over. $old 1rs. 'rossle#:s ag.@ And she egan toco!nt over the amo!nt of the ca)tain:s score from the

sailor:s ag into the one that I was holding.



It was a long, diffic!lt !siness, for the coins were

of all co!ntries and siJes++do!loons, and lo!is d:ors,and g!ineas, and )ieces of eight, and I "now not what

esides, all sha"en together at random. The g!ineas,too, were ao!t the scarcest, and it was with these

onl# that m# mother "new how to ma"e her co!nt.

/hen we were ao!t half+wa# thro!gh, I s!ddenl# )!t m#

hand !)on her arm, for I had heard in the silent frost#

air a so!nd that ro!ght m# heart into m# mo!th++theta)+ta))ing of the lind man:s stic" !)on the froJen

road. It drew nearer and nearer, while we sat holdingo!r reath. Then it str!c" shar) on the inn door, and

then we co!ld hear the handle eing t!rned and the olt

rattling as the wretched eing tried to enter and then

there was a long time of silence oth within andwitho!t. At last the ta))ing recommenced, and, to o!r

indescriale o# and gratit!de, died slowl# awa# again!ntil it ceased to e heard.

@1other,@ said I, @ta"e the whole and let:s e going,@

for I was s!re the olted door m!st have seemed

s!s)icio!s and wo!ld ring the whole hornet:s nest

ao!t o!r ears, tho!gh how than"f!l I was that I hadolted it, none co!ld tell who had never met that

terrile lind man.

!t m# mother, frightened as she was, wo!ld not consent

to ta"e a fraction more than was d!e to her and was

ostinatel# !nwilling to e content with less. It wasnot #et seven, she said, # a long wa# she "new her

rights and she wo!ld have them and she was stillarg!ing with me when a little low whistle so!nded a

good wa# off !)on the hill. That was eno!gh, and morethan eno!gh, for oth of !s.

@I:ll ta"e what I have,@ she said, !m)ing to her feet.

@And I:ll ta"e this to sF!are the co!nt,@ said I,

)ic"ing !) the oils"in )ac"et.

Ne(t moment we were oth gro)ing downstairs, leaving

the candle # the em)t# chest and the ne(t we had

o)ened the door and were in f!ll retreat. /e had notstarted a moment too soon. The fog was ra)idl#

dis)ersing alread# the moon shone F!ite clear on the

high gro!nd on either side and it was onl# in thee(act ottom of the dell and ro!nd the tavern door thata thin veil still h!ng !nro"en to conceal the first

ste)s of o!r esca)e. 8ar less than half+wa# to the

hamlet, ver# little e#ond the ottom of the hill, we

m!st come forth into the moonlight. Nor was this all,for the so!nd of several footste)s r!nning came alread#

to o!r ears, and as we loo"ed ac" in their direction,a light tossing to and fro and still ra)idl# advancing

showed that one of the newcomers carried a lantern.



@1# dear,@ said m# mother s!ddenl#, @ta"e the mone# and

r!n on. I am going to faint.@

This was certainl# the end for oth of !s, I tho!ght.$ow I c!rsed the cowardice of the neigho!rs how I

lamed m# )oor mother for her honest# and her greed,for her )ast foolhardiness and )resent wea"ness /e

were !st at the little ridge, # good fort!ne and I

hel)ed her, tottering as she was, to the edge of the

an", where, s!re eno!gh, she gave a sigh and fell onm# sho!lder. I do not "now how I fo!nd the strength to

do it at all, and I am afraid it was ro!ghl# done, !tI managed to drag her down the an" and a little wa#

!nder the arch. 8arther I co!ld not move her, for the

ridge was too low to let me do more than crawl elow

it. So there we had to sta#++m# mother almost entirel#e()osed and oth of !s within earshot of the inn.

7

The Last of the lind 1an

1< c!riosit#, in a sense, was stronger than m# fear,

for I co!ld not remain where I was, !t cre)t ac" tothe an" again, whence, sheltering m# head ehind a

!sh of room, I might command the road efore o!r

door. I was scarcel# in )osition ere m# enemies egan

to arrive, seven or eight of them, r!nning hard, theirfeet eating o!t of time along the road and the man

with the lantern some )aces in front. Three men rantogether, hand in hand and I made o!t, even thro!gh

the mist, that the middle man of this trio was thelind eggar. The ne(t moment his voice showed me that

I was right.

@Down with the door@ he cried.

@A#e, a#e, sir@ answered two or three and a r!sh wasmade !)on the Admiral enow, the lantern+earer

following and then I co!ld see them )a!se, and hear

s)eeches )assed in a lower "e#, as if the# were

s!r)rised to find the door o)en. !t the )a!se wasrief, for the lind man again iss!ed his commands.

$is voice so!nded lo!der and higher, as if he were

afire with eagerness and rage.

@In, in, in@ he sho!ted, and c!rsed them for their dela#.

8o!r or five of them oe#ed at once, two remaining on

the road with the formidale eggar. There was a)a!se, then a cr# of s!r)rise, and then a voice

sho!ting from the ho!se, @ill:s dead.@

!t the lind man swore at them again for their dela#.



@Search him, some of #o! shir"ing l!ers, and the rest

of #o! aloft and get the chest,@ he cried.

I co!ld hear their feet rattling !) o!r old stairs, sothat the ho!se m!st have shoo" with it. &rom)tl#

afterwards, fresh so!nds of astonishment arose thewindow of the ca)tain:s room was thrown o)en with a

slam and a ingle of ro"en glass, and a man leaned o!t

into the moonlight, head and sho!lders, and addressed

the lind eggar on the road elow him.

@&ew,@ he cried, @the#:ve een efore !s. Someone:st!rned the chest o!t alow and aloft.@

@Is it there@ roared &ew.

@The mone#:s there.@

The lind man c!rsed the mone#.

@8lint:s fist, I mean,@ he cried.

@/e don:t see it here nohow,@ ret!rned the man.

@$ere, #o! elow there, is it on ill@ cried the lind

man again.

At that another fellow, )roal# him who had remained

elow to search the ca)tain:s od#, came to the door of

the inn. @ill:s een overha!led a:read#,@ said he@nothin: left.@

@It:s these )eo)le of the inn++it:s that o#. I wish I

had )!t his e#es o!t@ cried the lind man, &ew.@There were no time ago++the# had the door olted when

I tried it. Scatter, lads, and find :em.@

@S!re eno!gh, the# left their glim here,@ said thefellow from the window.

@Scatter and find :em Ro!t the ho!se o!t@ reiterated

&ew, stri"ing with his stic" !)on the road.

Then there followed a great to+do thro!gh all o!r oldinn, heav# feet )o!nding to and fro, f!rnit!re thrown

over, doors "ic"ed in, !ntil the ver# roc"s re+echoed

and the men came o!t again, one after another, on theroad and declared that we were nowhere to e fo!nd.And !st the same whistle that had alarmed m# mother

and m#self over the dead ca)tain:s mone# was once more

clearl# a!dile thro!gh the night, !t this time twice

re)eated. I had tho!ght it to e the lind man:s tr!m)et,so to s)ea", s!mmoning his crew to the assa!lt, !t I now

fo!nd that it was a signal from the hillside towards thehamlet, and from its effect !)on the !ccaneers, a signal

to warn them of a))roaching danger.



@There:s Dir" again,@ said one. @Twice /e:ll have to

!dge, mates.@

@!dge, #o! s"!l"@ cried &ew. @Dir" was a fool and acoward from the first++#o! wo!ldn:t mind him. The#

m!st e close # the# can:t e far #o! have #o!rhands on it. Scatter and loo" for them, dogs Oh,

shiver m# so!l,@ he cried, @if I had e#es@

This a))eal seemed to )rod!ce some effect, for two ofthe fellows egan to loo" here and there among the

l!mer, !t half+heartedl#, I tho!ght, and with half ane#e to their own danger all the time, while the rest

stood irresol!te on the road.

@<o! have #o!r hands on tho!sands, #o! fools, and #o!hang a leg <o!:d e as rich as "ings if #o! co!ld

find it, and #o! "now it:s here, and #o! stand theres"!l"ing. There wasn:t one of #o! dared face ill, and

I did it++a lind man And I:m to lose m# chance for #o!I:m to e a )oor, crawling eggar, s)onging for r!m, when

I might e rolling in a coach If #o! had the )l!c" of a

weevil in a isc!it #o! wo!ld catch them still.@

@$ang it, &ew, we:ve got the do!loons@ gr!mled one.

@The# might have hid the lessed thing,@ said another.

@Ta"e the %eorges, &ew, and don:t stand here sF!alling.@

SF!alling was the word for it &ew:s anger rose so highat these oections till at last, his )assion

com)letel# ta"ing the !))er hand, he str!c" at themright and left in his lindness and his stic" so!nded

heavil# on more than one.

These, in their t!rn, c!rsed ac" at the lind

miscreant, threatened him in horrid terms, and tried in

vain to catch the stic" and wrest it from his gras).

This F!arrel was the saving of !s, for while it wasstill raging, another so!nd came from the to) of the

hill on the side of the hamlet++the tram) of horses

gallo)ing. Almost at the same time a )istol+shot,

flash and re)ort, came from the hedge side. And thatwas )lainl# the last signal of danger, for the

!ccaneers t!rned at once and ran, se)arating in ever#

direction, one seaward along the cove, one slant acrossthe hill, and so on, so that in half a min!te not asign of them remained !t &ew. $im the# had deserted,

whether in sheer )anic or o!t of revenge for his ill

words and lows I "now not !t there he remained

ehind, ta))ing !) and down the road in a frenJ#, andgro)ing and calling for his comrades. 8inall# he too"

a wrong t!rn and ran a few ste)s )ast me, towards thehamlet, cr#ing, @?ohnn#, lac" Dog, Dir",@ and other

names, @#o! won:t leave old &ew, mates++not old &ew@



?!st then the noise of horses to))ed the rise, and fo!r

or five riders came in sight in the moonlight and swe)tat f!ll gallo) down the slo)e.

At this &ew saw his error, t!rned with a scream, and

ran straight for the ditch, into which he rolled. !the was on his feet again in a second and made another

dash, now !tterl# ewildered, right !nder the nearest

of the coming horses.

The rider tried to save him, !t in vain. Down went

&ew with a cr# that rang high into the night and thefo!r hoofs tram)led and s)!rned him and )assed #. $e

fell on his side, then gentl# colla)sed !)on his face

and moved no more.

I lea)ed to m# feet and hailed the riders. The# were

)!lling !), at an# rate, horrified at the accident andI soon saw what the# were. One, tailing o!t ehind the

rest, was a lad that had gone from the hamlet to Dr.Livese#:s the rest were reven!e officers, whom he had

met # the wa#, and with whom he had had the

intelligence to ret!rn at once. Some news of the

l!gger in -itt:s $ole had fo!nd its wa# to S!)ervisorDance and set him forth that night in o!r direction,

and to that circ!mstance m# mother and I owed o!r)reservation from death.

&ew was dead, stone dead. As for m# mother, when we

had carried her !) to the hamlet, a little cold waterand salts and that soon ro!ght her ac" again, and she

was none the worse for her terror, tho!gh she stillcontin!ed to de)lore the alance of the mone#. In the

meantime the s!)ervisor rode on, as fast as he co!ld,to -itt:s $ole !t his men had to dismo!nt and gro)e

down the dingle, leading, and sometimes s!))orting,

their horses, and in contin!al fear of am!shes so it

was no great matter for s!r)rise that when the# gotdown to the $ole the l!gger was alread# !nder wa#,

tho!gh still close in. $e hailed her. A voicere)lied, telling him to "ee) o!t of the moonlight or he

wo!ld get some lead in him, and at the same time a

!llet whistled close # his arm. Soon after, the

l!gger do!led the )oint and disa))eared. 1r. Dancestood there, as he said, @li"e a fish o!t of water,@

and all he co!ld do was to dis)atch a man to ++++ to

warn the c!tter. @And that,@ said he, @is !st ao!tas good as nothing. The#:ve got off clean, and there:san end. @Onl#,@ he added, @I:m glad I trod on 1aster

&ew:s corns,@ for # this time he had heard m# stor#.

I went ac" with him to the Admiral enow, and #o!cannot imagine a ho!se in s!ch a state of smash the

ver# cloc" had een thrown down # these fellows intheir f!rio!s h!nt after m# mother and m#self and

tho!gh nothing had act!all# een ta"en awa# e(ce)t the



ca)tain:s mone#+ag and a little silver from the till,

I co!ld see at once that we were r!ined. 1r. Dance

co!ld ma"e nothing of the scene.

@The# got the mone#, #o! sa# /ell, then, $aw"ins, whatin fort!ne were the# after 1ore mone#, I s!))ose@

@No, sir not mone#, I thin",@ re)lied I. @In fact,

sir, I elieve I have the thing in m# reast )oc"et

and to tell #o! the tr!th, I sho!ld li"e to get it )!t

in safet#.@

@To e s!re, o# F!ite right,@ said he. @I:ll ta"eit, if #o! li"e.@

@I tho!ght )erha)s Dr. Livese#++@ I egan.

@&erfectl# right,@ he interr!)ted ver# cheeril#,

@)erfectl# right++a gentleman and a magistrate. And,now I come to thin" of it, I might as well ride ro!nd

there m#self and re)ort to him or sF!ire. 1aster &ew:sdead, when all:s done not that I regret it, !t he:s

dead, #o! see, and )eo)le will ma"e it o!t against an

officer of his 1aest#:s reven!e, if ma"e it o!t the#

can. Now, I:ll tell #o!, $aw"ins, if #o! li"e, I:llta"e #o! along.@

I than"ed him heartil# for the offer, and we wal"ed ac"

to the hamlet where the horses were. # the time I had

told mother of m# )!r)ose the# were all in the saddle.

@Dogger,@ said 1r. Dance, @#o! have a good horse ta"e

!) this lad ehind #o!.@

As soon as I was mo!nted, holding on to Dogger:s elt,the s!)ervisor gave the word, and the )art# str!c" o!t

at a o!ncing trot on the road to Dr. Livese#:s ho!se.

9

The 'a)tain:s &a)ers

/E rode hard all the wa# till we drew !) efore Dr.Livese#:s door. The ho!se was all dar" to the front.

1r. Dance told me to !m) down and "noc", and Doggergave me a stirr!) to descend #. The door was o)enedalmost at once # the maid.

@Is Dr. Livese# in@ I as"ed.

No, she said, he had come home in the afternoon !t had gone

!) to the hall to dine and )ass the evening with the sF!ire.

@So there we go, o#s,@ said 1r. Dance.



This time, as the distance was short, I did not mo!nt,

!t ran with Dogger:s stirr!)+leather to the lodgegates and !) the long, leafless, moonlit aven!e to

where the white line of the hall !ildings loo"ed oneither hand on great old gardens. $ere 1r. Dance

dismo!nted, and ta"ing me along with him, was admittedat a word into the ho!se.

The servant led !s down a matted )assage and showed !s

at the end into a great lirar#, all lined withoo"cases and !sts !)on the to) of them, where the

sF!ire and Dr. Livese# sat, )i)e in hand, on eitherside of a right fire.

I had never seen the sF!ire so near at hand. $e was a

tall man, over si( feet high, and road in )ro)ortion,and he had a l!ff, ro!gh+and+read# face, all ro!ghened

and reddened and lined in his long travels. $ise#erows were ver# lac", and moved readil#, and this

gave him a loo" of some tem)er, not ad, #o! wo!ld sa#,!t F!ic" and high.

@'ome in, 1r. Dance,@ sa#s he, ver# statel# and condescending.

@%ood evening, Dance,@ sa#s the doctor with a nod.

@And good evening to #o!, friend ?im. /hat good windrings #o! here@

The s!)ervisor stood !) straight and stiff and told his

stor# li"e a lesson and #o! sho!ld have seen how thetwo gentlemen leaned forward and loo"ed at each other,

and forgot to smo"e in their s!r)rise and interest./hen the# heard how m# mother went ac" to the inn, Dr.

Livese# fairl# sla))ed his thigh, and the sF!ire cried@ravo@ and ro"e his long )i)e against the grate.

Long efore it was done, 1r. Trelawne# Gthat, #o! will

rememer, was the sF!ire:s nameH had got !) from his

seat and was striding ao!t the room, and the doctor,as if to hear the etter, had ta"en off his )owdered

wig and sat there loo"ing ver# strange indeed with hisown close+cro))ed lac" )oll.@

At last 1r. Dance finished the stor#.

@1r. Dance,@ said the sF!ire, @#o! are a ver# nole

fellow. And as for riding down that lac", atrocio!s

miscreant, I regard it as an act of virt!e, sir, li"estam)ing on a coc"roach. This lad $aw"ins is a tr!m),I )erceive. $aw"ins, will #o! ring that ell 1r.

Dance m!st have some ale.@

@And so, ?im,@ said the doctor, @#o! have the thingthat the# were after, have #o!@

@$ere it is, sir,@ said I, and gave him the oils"in )ac"et.



The doctor loo"ed it all over, as if his fingers were

itching to o)en it !t instead of doing that, he )!t

it F!ietl# in the )oc"et of his coat.

@SF!ire,@ said he, @when Dance has had his ale he m!st,of co!rse, e off on his 1aest#:s service !t I mean

to "ee) ?im $aw"ins here to slee) at m# ho!se, and with#o!r )ermission, I )ro)ose we sho!ld have !) the cold

)ie and let him s!).@

@As #o! will, Livese#,@ said the sF!ire @$aw"ins hasearned etter than cold )ie.@

So a ig )igeon )ie was ro!ght in and )!t on a

sidetale, and I made a heart# s!))er, for I was as

h!ngr# as a haw", while 1r. Dance was f!rther

com)limented and at last dismissed.

@And now, sF!ire,@ said the doctor.

@And now, Livese#,@ said the sF!ire in the same reath.

@One at a time, one at a time,@ la!ghed Dr. Livese#.

@<o! have heard of this 8lint, I s!))ose@

@$eard of him@ cried the sF!ire. @$eard of him, #o!

sa# $e was the loodthirstiest !ccaneer that sailed.lac"eard was a child to 8lint. The S)aniards were so

)rodigio!sl# afraid of him that, I tell #o!, sir, I was

sometimes )ro!d he was an Englishman. I:ve seen his

to)+sails with these e#es, off Trinidad, and thecowardl# son of a r!m+)!ncheon that I sailed with )!t

ac"++)!t ac", sir, into &ort of S)ain.@

@/ell, I:ve heard of him m#self, in England,@ said thedoctor. @!t the )oint is, had he mone#@

@1one#@ cried the sF!ire. @$ave #o! heard the stor#

/hat were these villains after !t mone# /hat do the#care for !t mone# 8or what wo!ld the# ris" their

rascal carcasses !t mone#@

@That we shall soon "now,@ re)lied the doctor. @!t

#o! are so confo!ndedl# hot+headed and e(clamator# that

I cannot get a word in. /hat I want to "now is this*S!))osing that I have here in m# )oc"et some cl!e to

where 8lint !ried his treas!re, will that treas!re

amo!nt to m!ch@

@Amo!nt, sir@ cried the sF!ire. @It will amo!nt to

this* If we have the cl!e #o! tal" ao!t, I fit o!t a

shi) in ristol doc", and ta"e #o! and $aw"ins here

along, and I:ll have that treas!re if I search a #ear.@

@>er# well,@ said the doctor. @Now, then, if ?im isagreeale, we:ll o)en the )ac"et@ and he laid it

efore him on the tale.



The !ndle was sewn together, and the doctor had to get

o!t his instr!ment case and c!t the stitches with hismedical scissors. It contained two things++a oo" and

a sealed )a)er.

@8irst of all we:ll tr# the oo",@ oserved the doctor.

The sF!ire and I were oth )eering over his sho!lder as

he o)ened it, for Dr. Livese# had "indl# motioned me to

come ro!nd from the side+tale, where I had eeneating, to eno# the s)ort of the search. On the first

)age there were onl# some scra)s of writing, s!ch as aman with a )en in his hand might ma"e for idleness or

)ractice. One was the same as the tattoo mar", @ill#

ones his fanc#@ then there was @1r. /. ones, mate,@

@No more r!m,@ @Off &alm -e# he got itt,@ and someother snatches, mostl# single words and !nintelligile.

I co!ld not hel) wondering who it was that had @gotitt,@ and what @itt@ was that he got. A "nife in his

ac" as li"e as not.

@Not m!ch instr!ction there,@ said Dr. Livese# as he

)assed on.

The ne(t ten or twelve )ages were filled with a c!rio!s

series of entries. There was a date at one end of theline and at the other a s!m of mone#, as in common

acco!nt+oo"s, !t instead of e()lanator# writing, onl#

a var#ing n!mer of crosses etween the two. On the

02th of ?!ne, 0357, for instance, a s!m of sevent#)o!nds had )lainl# ecome d!e to someone, and there was

nothing !t si( crosses to e()lain the ca!se. In a fewcases, to e s!re, the name of a )lace wo!ld e added,

as @Offe 'araccas,@ or a mere entr# of latit!de andlongit!de, as @92o 03: 26@, 0=o 2: 56@.@

The record lasted over nearl# twent# #ears, the amo!nt

of the se)arate entries growing larger as time went on,and at the end a grand total had een made o!t after

five or si( wrong additions, and these words a))ended,@ones, his )ile.@

@I can:t ma"e head or tail of this,@ said Dr. Livese#.

@The thing is as clear as noonda#,@ cried the sF!ire.

@This is the lac"+hearted ho!nd:s acco!nt+oo". These

crosses stand for the names of shi)s or towns that the#san" or )l!ndered. The s!ms are the sco!ndrel:s share,and where he feared an amig!it#, #o! see he added

something clearer. :Offe 'araccas,: now #o! see, here

was some !nha))# vessel oarded off that coast. %od

hel) the )oor so!ls that manned her++coral long ago.@

@Right@ said the doctor. @See what it is to e atraveller. Right And the amo!nts increase, #o! see,

as he rose in ran".@



There was little else in the vol!me !t a few earings

of )laces noted in the lan" leaves towards the end anda tale for red!cing 8rench, English, and S)anish

mone#s to a common val!e.

@Thrift# man@ cried the doctor. @$e wasn:t the one toe cheated.@

@And now,@ said the sF!ire, @for the other.@

The )a)er had een sealed in several )laces with a

thimle # wa# of seal the ver# thimle, )erha)s, thatI had fo!nd in the ca)tain:s )oc"et. The doctor o)ened

the seals with great care, and there fell o!t the ma)

of an island, with latit!de and longit!de, so!ndings,

names of hills and a#s and inlets, and ever#)artic!lar that wo!ld e needed to ring a shi) to a

safe anchorage !)on its shores. It was ao!t ninemiles long and five across, sha)ed, #o! might sa#, li"e

a fat dragon standing !), and had two fine land+loc"edharo!rs, and a hill in the centre )art mar"ed @The

S)#+glass.@ There were several additions of a later

date, !t aove all, three crosses of red in"++two on

the north )art of the island, one in the so!thwest++andeside this last, in the same red in", and in a small,

neat hand, ver# different from the ca)tain:s totter#characters, these words* @!l" of treas!re here.@

Over on the ac" the same hand had written this f!rther

information*

Tall tree, S)#+glass sho!lder, earing a )oint to the N. of N.N.E.

S"eleton Island E.S.E. and # E.

Ten feet.

The ar silver is in the north cache #o! can find

it # the trend of the east h!mmoc", ten fathoms so!th of the lac" crag with the face on it.

The arms are eas# fo!nd, in the sand+hill, N.

)oint of north inlet ca)e, earing E. and a F!arter N.

?.8.

That was all !t rief as it was, and to meincom)rehensile, it filled the sF!ire and Dr. Livese#

with delight.

@Livese#,@ said the sF!ire, @#o! will give !) thiswretched )ractice at once. Tomorrow I start for

ristol. In three wee"s: time++three wee"s++twowee"s++ten da#s++we:ll have the est shi), sir, and the

choicest crew in England. $aw"ins shall come as cain+



o#. <o!:ll ma"e a famo!s cain+o#, $aw"ins. <o!,

Livese#, are shi):s doctor I am admiral. /e:ll ta"e

Redr!th, ?o#ce, and $!nter. /e:ll have favo!ralewinds, a F!ic" )assage, and not the least diffic!lt# in

finding the s)ot, and mone# to eat, to roll in, to )la#d!c" and dra"e with ever after.@

@Trelawne#,@ said the doctor, @I:ll go with #o! and

I:ll go ail for it, so will ?im, and e a credit to

the !nderta"ing. There:s onl# one man I:m afraid of.@

@And who:s that@ cried the sF!ire. @Name the dog, sir@

@<o!,@ re)lied the doctor @for #o! cannot hold #o!r

tong!e. /e are not the onl# men who "now of this

)a)er. These fellows who attac"ed the inn tonight++

old, des)erate lades, for s!re++and the rest whosta#ed aoard that l!gger, and more, I dare sa#, not

far off, are, one and all, thro!gh thic" and thin,o!nd that the#:ll get that mone#. /e m!st none of !s

go alone till we get to sea. ?im and I shall stic"together in the meanwhile #o!:ll ta"e ?o#ce and $!nter

when #o! ride to ristol, and from first to last, not

one of !s m!st reathe a word of what we:ve fo!nd.@

@Livese#,@ ret!rned the sF!ire, @#o! are alwa#s in the

right of it. I:ll e as silent as the grave.@

&ART T/O

The Sea+coo"

3

I %o to ristol

IT was longer than the sF!ire imagined ere we were

read# for the sea, and none of o!r first )lans++not

even Dr. Livese#:s, of "ee)ing me eside him++co!ld ecarried o!t as we intended. The doctor had to go to

London for a )h#sician to ta"e charge of his )ractice

the sF!ire was hard at wor" at ristol and I lived onat the hall !nder the charge of old Redr!th, thegame"ee)er, almost a )risoner, !t f!ll of sea+dreams

and the most charming antici)ations of strange islands

and advent!res. I rooded # the ho!r together over

the ma), all the details of which I well rememered.Sitting # the fire in the ho!se"ee)er:s room, I

a))roached that island in m# fanc# from ever# )ossiledirection I e()lored ever# acre of its s!rface I

climed a tho!sand times to that tall hill the# call



the S)#+glass, and from the to) eno#ed the most

wonderf!l and changing )ros)ects. Sometimes the isle

was thic" with savages, with whom we fo!ght, sometimesf!ll of dangero!s animals that h!nted !s, !t in all m#

fancies nothing occ!rred to me so strange and tragic aso!r act!al advent!res.

So the wee"s )assed on, till one fine da# there came a

letter addressed to Dr. Livese#, with this addition,

@To e o)ened, in the case of his asence, # Tom

Redr!th or #o!ng $aw"ins.@ Oe#ing this order, wefo!nd, or rather I fo!nd++for the game"ee)er was a )oor

hand at reading an#thing !t )rint++the followingim)ortant news*

Old Anchor Inn, ristol, 1arch 0, 03++

Dear Livese#++As I do not "now whether #o!

are at the hall or still in London, I send this in do!le to oth )laces.

The shi) is o!ght and fitted. She lies at anchor, read# for sea. <o! never imagined a

sweeter schooner++a child might sail her++two

h!ndred tons name, $IS&ANIOLA.

I got her thro!gh m# old friend, landl#, who has )roved himself thro!gho!t the most s!r)rising

tr!m). The admirale fellow literall# slaved in m# interest, and so, I ma# sa#, did ever#one in

ristol, as soon as the# got wind of the )ort we

sailed for++treas!re, I mean.

@Redr!th,@ said I, interr!)ting the letter, @Dr.

Livese# will not li"e that. The sF!ire has eental"ing, after all.@

@/ell, who:s a etter right@ growled the game"ee)er.

@A )rett# r!m go if sF!ire ain:t to tal" for Dr.

Livese#, I sho!ld thin".@

At that I gave !) all attem)ts at commentar# and read

straight on*

landl# himself fo!nd the $IS&ANIOLA, and

# the most admirale management got her for the

merest trifle. There is a class of men in ristol monstro!sl# )re!diced against landl#. The# go

the length of declaring that this honest creat!re

wo!ld do an#thing for mone#, that the $IS&ANIOLA elonged to him, and that he sold it me as!rdl# high++the most trans)arent cal!mnies. None of them

dare, however, to den# the merits of the shi).

/o far there was not a hitch. The

wor")eo)le, to e s!re++riggers and what not++were most anno#ingl# slow !t time c!red that. It was

the crew that tro!led me. I wished a ro!nd score of men++in case of

natives, !ccaneers, or the odio!s 8rench++and I



had the worr# of the de!ce itself to find so m!ch

as half a doJen, till the most remar"ale stro"e

of fort!ne ro!ght me the ver# man that I reF!ired.

I was standing on the doc", when, # the merest accident, I fell in tal" with him. I fo!nd

he was an old sailor, "e)t a )!lic+ho!se, "new all the seafaring men in ristol, had lost his

health ashore, and wanted a good erth as coo" to

get to sea again. $e had holed down there that

morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt. I was monstro!sl# to!ched++so wo!ld #o! have

een++and, o!t of )!re )it#, I engaged him on the s)ot to e shi):s coo". Long ?ohn Silver, he is

called, and has lost a leg !t that I regarded as

a recommendation, since he lost it in his

co!ntr#:s service, !nder the immortal $aw"e. $e has no )ension, Livese#. Imagine the aominale

age we live in /ell, sir, I tho!ght I had onl# fo!nd a coo",

!t it was a crew I had discovered. etween Silver and m#self we got together in a few da#s a

com)an# of the to!ghest old salts imaginale++not

)rett# to loo" at, !t fellows, # their faces, of

the most indomitale s)irit. I declare we co!ld fight a frigate.

Long ?ohn even got rid of two o!t of the si( or seven I had alread# engaged. $e showed me in a

moment that the# were !st the sort of fresh+water

swas we had to fear in an advent!re of

im)ortance. I am in the most magnificent health and

s)irits, eating li"e a !ll, slee)ing li"e a tree, #et I shall not eno# a moment till I hear m# old

tar)a!lins tram)ing ro!nd the ca)stan. Seaward, ho $ang the treas!re It:s the glor# of the sea

that has t!rned m# head. So now, Livese#, come

)ost do not lose an ho!r, if #o! res)ect me.

Let #o!ng $aw"ins go at once to see his mother, with Redr!th for a g!ard and then oth

come f!ll s)eed to ristol. ?ohn Trelawne#

&ostscri)t++I did not tell #o! that landl#,

who, # the wa#, is to send a consort after !s if we don:t t!rn !) # the end of A!g!st, had fo!nd

an admirale fellow for sailing master++a stiff

man, which I regret, !t in all other res)ects a treas!re. Long ?ohn Silver !nearthed a ver# com)etent man for a mate, a man named Arrow. I

have a oatswain who )i)es, Livese# so things

shall go man+o:+war fashion on oard the good shi)

$IS&ANIOLA. I forgot to tell #o! that Silver is a man of

s!stance I "now of m# own "nowledge that he has a an"er:s acco!nt, which has never een

overdrawn. $e leaves his wife to manage the inn



and as she is a woman of colo!r, a )air of old

achelors li"e #o! and I ma# e e(c!sed for

g!essing that it is the wife, F!ite as m!ch as the health, that sends him ac" to roving.

?. T.

&.&.S.++$aw"ins ma# sta# one night with his mother.

?. T.

<o! can fanc# the e(citement into which that letter )!tme. I was half eside m#self with glee and if ever I

des)ised a man, it was old Tom Redr!th, who co!ld donothing !t gr!mle and lament. An# of the !nder+

game"ee)ers wo!ld gladl# have changed )laces with him

!t s!ch was not the sF!ire:s )leas!re, and the sF!ire:s

)leas!re was li"e law among them all. Nood# !t oldRedr!th wo!ld have dared so m!ch as even to gr!mle.

The ne(t morning he and I set o!t on foot for the

Admiral enow, and there I fo!nd m# mother in goodhealth and s)irits. The ca)tain, who had so long een

a ca!se of so m!ch discomfort, was gone where the

wic"ed cease from tro!ling. The sF!ire had had

ever#thing re)aired, and the )!lic rooms and the signre)ainted, and had added some f!rnit!re++aove all a

ea!tif!l armchair for mother in the ar. $e had fo!ndher a o# as an a))rentice also so that she sho!ld not

want hel) while I was gone.

It was on seeing that o# that I !nderstood, for thefirst time, m# sit!ation. I had tho!ght !) to that

moment of the advent!res efore me, not at all of thehome that I was leaving and now, at sight of this cl!ms#

stranger, who was to sta# here in m# )lace eside m#mother, I had m# first attac" of tears. I am afraid I

led that o# a dog:s life, for as he was new to the wor",

I had a h!ndred o))ort!nities of setting him right and

)!tting him down, and I was not slow to )rofit # them.

The night )assed, and the ne(t da#, after dinner,Redr!th and I were afoot again and on the road. I said

good+#e to 1other and the cove where I had lived since

I was orn, and the dear old Admiral enow++since he

was re)ainted, no longer F!ite so dear. One of m# lasttho!ghts was of the ca)tain, who had so often strode

along the each with his coc"ed hat, his sare+c!t

chee", and his old rass telesco)e. Ne(t moment we hadt!rned the corner and m# home was o!t of sight.

The mail )ic"ed !s !) ao!t d!s" at the Ro#al %eorge on

the heath. I was wedged in etween Redr!th and a sto!t

old gentleman, and in s)ite of the swift motion and thecold night air, I m!st have doJed a great deal from the

ver# first, and then sle)t li"e a log !) hill and downdale thro!gh stage after stage, for when I was awa"ened

at last it was # a )!nch in the ris, and I o)ened m#



e#es to find that we were standing still efore a large

!ilding in a cit# street and that the da# had alread#

ro"en a long time.

@/here are we@ I as"ed.

@ristol,@ said Tom. @%et down.@

1r. Trelawne# had ta"en !) his residence at an inn far

down the doc"s to s!)erintend the wor" !)on the

schooner. Thither we had now to wal", and o!r wa#, tom# great delight, la# along the F!a#s and eside the

great m!ltit!de of shi)s of all siJes and rigs andnations. In one, sailors were singing at their wor",

in another there were men aloft, high over m# head,

hanging to threads that seemed no thic"er than a

s)ider:s. Tho!gh I had lived # the shore all m# life,I seemed never to have een near the sea till then.

The smell of tar and salt was something new. I saw themost wonderf!l fig!reheads, that had all een far over

the ocean. I saw, esides, man# old sailors, withrings in their ears, and whis"ers c!rled in ringlets,

and tarr# )igtails, and their swaggering, cl!ms# sea+

wal" and if I had seen as man# "ings or archisho)s I

co!ld not have een more delighted.

And I was going to sea m#self, to sea in a schooner, witha )i)ing oatswain and )ig+tailed singing seamen, to sea,

o!nd for an !n"nown island, and to see" for !ried treas!re

/hile I was still in this delightf!l dream, we cames!ddenl# in front of a large inn and met SF!ire

Trelawne#, all dressed o!t li"e a sea+officer, in sto!tl!e cloth, coming o!t of the door with a smile on his

face and a ca)ital imitation of a sailor:s wal".

@$ere #o! are,@ he cried, @and the doctor came last night

from London. ravo The shi):s com)an# com)lete@

@Oh, sir,@ cried I, @when do we sail@

@Sail@ sa#s he. @/e sail tomorrow@

;

At the Sign of the S)#+glass

/$EN I had done rea"fasting the sF!ire gave me a note

addressed to ?ohn Silver, at the sign of the S)#+glass,

and told me I sho!ld easil# find the )lace # following

the line of the doc"s and "ee)ing a right loo"o!t for alittle tavern with a large rass telesco)e for sign. I set

off, overo#ed at this o))ort!nit# to see some more of theshi)s and seamen, and )ic"ed m# wa# among a great crowd of

)eo)le and carts and ales, for the doc" was now at its



!siest, !ntil I fo!nd the tavern in F!estion.

It was a right eno!gh little )lace of entertainment.The sign was newl# )ainted the windows had neat red

c!rtains the floor was cleanl# sanded. There was astreet on each side and an o)en door on oth, which

made the large, low room )rett# clear to see in, ins)ite of clo!ds of toacco smo"e.

The c!stomers were mostl# seafaring men, and the# tal"ed

so lo!dl# that I h!ng at the door, almost afraid to enter.

As I was waiting, a man came o!t of a side room, and ata glance I was s!re he m!st e Long ?ohn. $is left leg

was c!t off close # the hi), and !nder the left

sho!lder he carried a cr!tch, which he managed with

wonderf!l de(terit#, ho))ing ao!t !)on it li"e a ird.$e was ver# tall and strong, with a face as ig as a

ham++)lain and )ale, !t intelligent and smiling.Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerf!l s)irits,

whistling as he moved ao!t among the tales, with amerr# word or a sla) on the sho!lder for the more

favo!red of his g!ests.

Now, to tell #o! the tr!th, from the ver# first mentionof Long ?ohn in SF!ire Trelawne#:s letter I had ta"en a

fear in m# mind that he might )rove to e the ver# one+legged sailor whom I had watched for so long at the old

enow. !t one loo" at the man efore me was eno!gh.

I had seen the ca)tain, and lac" Dog, and the lind

man, &ew, and I tho!ght I "new what a !ccaneer wasli"e++a ver# different creat!re, according to me, from

this clean and )leasant+tem)ered landlord.

I )l!c"ed !) co!rage at once, crossed the threshold,and wal"ed right !) to the man where he stood, )ro))ed

on his cr!tch, tal"ing to a c!stomer.

@1r. Silver, sir@ I as"ed, holding o!t the note.

@<es, m# lad,@ said he @s!ch is m# name, to e s!re. Andwho ma# #o! e@ And then as he saw the sF!ire:s letter,

he seemed to me to give something almost li"e a start.

@Oh@ said he, F!ite lo!d, and offering his hand. @Isee. <o! are o!r new cain+o# )leased I am to see #o!.@

And he too" m# hand in his large firm gras).

?!st then one of the c!stomers at the far side rose

s!ddenl# and made for the door. It was close # him,

and he was o!t in the street in a moment. !t his

h!rr# had attracted m# notice, and I recogniJed him atglance. It was the tallow+faced man, wanting two

fingers, who had come first to the Admiral enow.

@Oh,@ I cried, @sto) him It:s lac" Dog@



@I don:t care two co))ers who he is,@ cried Silver. @!t

he hasn:t )aid his score. $arr#, r!n and catch him.@

One of the others who was nearest the door lea)ed !)and started in )!rs!it.

@If he were Admiral $aw"e he shall )a# his score,@

cried Silver and then, relinF!ishing m# hand, @/ho did

#o! sa# he was@ he as"ed. @lac" what@

@Dog, sir,@ said I. $as 1r. Trelawne# not told #o! of

the !ccaneers $e was one of them.@

@So@ cried Silver. @In m# ho!se en, r!n and hel)

$arr#. One of those swas, was he /as that #o!

drin"ing with him, 1organ Ste) !) here.@

The man whom he called 1organ++an old, gre#+haired,mahogan#+faced sailor++came forward )rett# shee)ishl#,

rolling his F!id.

@Now, 1organ,@ said Long ?ohn ver# sternl#, @#o! never

cla))ed #o!r e#es on that lac"++lac" Dog efore, did

#o!, now@

@Not I, sir,@ said 1organ with a sal!te.

@<o! didn:t "now his name, did #o!@

@No, sir.@

@# the )owers, Tom 1organ, it:s as good for #o!@e(claimed the landlord. @If #o! had een mi(ed !) with

the li"e of that, #o! wo!ld never have )!t another footin m# ho!se, #o! ma# la# to that. And what was he

sa#ing to #o!@

@I don:t rightl# "now, sir,@ answered 1organ.

@Do #o! call that a head on #o!r sho!lders, or a lesseddead+e#e@ cried Long ?ohn. @Don:t rightl# "now, don:t

#o! &erha)s #o! don:t ha))en to rightl# "now who #o! was

s)ea"ing to, )erha)s 'ome, now, what was he awing++v:#ages,

ca):ns, shi)s &i)e !) /hat was it@

@/e was a+tal"in: of "eel+ha!ling,@ answered 1organ.

@-eel+ha!ling, was #o! And a might# s!itale thing,too, and #o! ma# la# to that. %et ac" to #o!r )lace

for a l!er, Tom.@

And then, as 1organ rolled ac" to his seat, Silver addedto me in a confidential whis)er that was ver# flattering,

as I tho!ght, @$e:s F!ite an honest man, Tom 1organ, on:#st!)id. And now,@ he ran on again, alo!d, @let:s see++lac"

Dog No, I don:t "now the name, not I. <et I "ind of thin"



I:ve++#es, I:ve seen the swa. $e !sed to come here with a

lind eggar, he !sed.@

@That he did, #o! ma# e s!re,@ said I. @I "new that

lind man too. $is name was &ew.@

@It was@ cried Silver, now F!ite e(cited. @&ew Thatwere his name for certain. Ah, he loo"ed a shar", he

did If we r!n down this lac" Dog, now, there:ll e

news for 'a):n Trelawne# en:s a good r!nner few

seamen r!n etter than en. $e sho!ld r!n him down,hand over hand, # the )owers $e tal"ed o: "eel+

ha!ling, did he I:LL "eel+ha!l him@

All the time he was er"ing o!t these )hrases he was

st!m)ing !) and down the tavern on his cr!tch, sla))ing

tales with his hand, and giving s!ch a show ofe(citement as wo!ld have convinced an Old aile# !dge

or a ow Street r!nner. 1# s!s)icions had eenthoro!ghl# reawa"ened on finding lac" Dog at the S)#+

glass, and I watched the coo" narrowl#. !t he was toodee), and too read#, and too clever for me, and # the

time the two men had come ac" o!t of reath and

confessed that the# had lost the trac" in a crowd, and

een scolded li"e thieves, I wo!ld have gone ail forthe innocence of Long ?ohn Silver.

@See here, now, $aw"ins,@ said he, @here:s a lessed

hard thing on a man li"e me, now, ain:t it There:s

'a):n Trelawne#++what:s he to thin" $ere I have this

confo!nded son of a D!tchman sitting in m# own ho!sedrin"ing of m# own r!m $ere #o! comes and tells me of

it )lain and here I let him give !s all the sli)efore m# lessed deadlights Now, $aw"ins, #o! do me

!stice with the ca):n. <o!:re a lad, #o! are, !t#o!:re as smart as )aint. I see that when #o! first

come in. Now, here it is* /hat co!ld I do, with this

old timer I hole on /hen I was an A master

mariner I:d have come !) alongside of him, hand overhand, and roached him to in a race of old sha"es, I

wo!ld !t now++@

And then, all of a s!dden, he sto))ed, and his aw

dro))ed as tho!gh he had rememered something.

@The score@ he !rst o!t. @Three goes o: r!m /h#,

shiver m# timers, if I hadn:t forgotten m# score@

And falling on a ench, he la!ghed !ntil the tears ran downhis chee"s. I co!ld not hel) oining, and we la!ghed together,

)eal after )eal, !ntil the tavern rang again.

@/h#, what a )recio!s old sea+calf I am@ he said atlast, wi)ing his chee"s. @<o! and me sho!ld get on

well, $aw"ins, for I:ll ta"e m# dav# I sho!ld e ratedshi):s o#. !t come now, stand # to go ao!t. This

won:t do. Doot# is doot#, messmates. I:ll )!t on m#



old coc"erel hat, and ste) along of #o! to 'a):n

Trelawne#, and re)ort this here affair. 8or mind #o!,

it:s serio!s, #o!ng $aw"ins and neither #o! nor me:scome o!t of it with what I sho!ld ma"e so old as to

call credit. Nor #o! neither, sa#s #o! not smart++none of the )air of !s smart. !t dash m# !ttons

That was a good !n ao!t m# score.@

And he egan to la!gh again, and that so heartil#, that

tho!gh I did not see the o"e as he did, I was again

oliged to oin him in his mirth.

On o!r little wal" along the F!a#s, he made himself themost interesting com)anion, telling me ao!t the

different shi)s that we )assed #, their rig, tonnage,

and nationalit#, e()laining the wor" that was going

forward++how one was discharging, another ta"ing incargo, and a third ma"ing read# for sea++and ever# now

and then telling me some little anecdote of shi)s orseamen or re)eating a na!tical )hrase till I had

learned it )erfectl#. I egan to see that here was oneof the est of )ossile shi)mates.

/hen we got to the inn, the sF!ire and Dr. Livese# were

seated together, finishing a F!art of ale with a toastin it, efore the# sho!ld go aoard the schooner on a

visit of ins)ection.

Long ?ohn told the stor# from first to last, with a

great deal of s)irit and the most )erfect tr!th. @That

was how it were, now, weren:t it, $aw"ins@ he wo!ldsa#, now and again, and I co!ld alwa#s ear him

entirel# o!t.

The two gentlemen regretted that lac" Dog had gotawa#, !t we all agreed there was nothing to e done,

and after he had een com)limented, Long ?ohn too" !)

his cr!tch and de)arted.

@All hands aoard # fo!r this afternoon,@ sho!ted the

sF!ire after him.

@A#e, a#e, sir,@ cried the coo", in the )assage.

@/ell, sF!ire,@ said Dr. Livese#, @I don:t )!t m!chfaith in #o!r discoveries, as a general thing !t I

will sa# this, ?ohn Silver s!its me.@

@The man:s a )erfect tr!m),@ declared the sF!ire.

@And now,@ added the doctor, @?im ma# come on oard

with !s, ma# he not@

@To e s!re he ma#,@ sa#s sF!ire. @Ta"e #o!r hat,

$aw"ins, and we:ll see the shi).@



=

&owder and Arms

T$E $IS&ANIOLA la# some wa# o!t, and we went !nder

the fig!reheads and ro!nd the sterns of man# othershi)s, and their cales sometimes grated !nderneath o!r

"eel, and sometimes sw!ng aove !s. At last, however,

we got alongside, and were met and sal!ted as we

ste))ed aoard # the mate, 1r. Arrow, a rown oldsailor with earrings in his ears and a sF!int. $e and

the sF!ire were ver# thic" and friendl#, !t I soonoserved that things were not the same etween 1r.

Trelawne# and the ca)tain.

This last was a shar)+loo"ing man who seemed angr# withever#thing on oard and was soon to tell !s wh#, for we

had hardl# got down into the cain when a sailorfollowed !s.

@'a)tain Smollett, sir, a(ing to s)ea" with #o!,@ said he.

@I am alwa#s at the ca)tain:s orders. Show him in,@

said the sF!ire.

The ca)tain, who was close ehind his messenger,entered at once and sh!t the door ehind him.

@/ell, 'a)tain Smollett, what have #o! to sa# All

well, I ho)e all shi)sha)e and seaworth#@

@/ell, sir,@ said the ca)tain, @etter s)ea" )lain, Ielieve, even at the ris" of offence. I don:t li"e

this cr!ise I don:t li"e the men and I don:t li"e m#officer. That:s short and sweet.@

@&erha)s, sir, #o! don:t li"e the shi)@ inF!ired the

sF!ire, ver# angr#, as I co!ld see.

@I can:t s)ea" as to that, sir, not having seen hertried,@ said the ca)tain. @She seems a clever craft

more I can:t sa#.@

@&ossil#, sir, #o! ma# not li"e #o!r em)lo#er,either@ sa#s the sF!ire.

!t here Dr. Livese# c!t in.

@Sta# a it,@ said he, @sta# a it. No !se of s!ch

F!estions as that !t to )rod!ce ill feeling. The

ca)tain has said too m!ch or he has said too little, and

I:m o!nd to sa# that I reF!ire an e()lanation of hiswords. <o! don:t, #o! sa#, li"e this cr!ise. Now, wh#@

@I was engaged, sir, on what we call sealed orders, to

sail this shi) for that gentleman where he sho!ld id



me,@ said the ca)tain. @So far so good. !t now I

find that ever# man efore the mast "nows more than I

do. I don:t call that fair, now, do #o!@

@No,@ said Dr. Livese#, @I don:t.@

@Ne(t,@ said the ca)tain, @I learn we are going aftertreas!re++hear it from m# own hands, mind #o!. Now,

treas!re is tic"lish wor" I don:t li"e treas!re vo#ages

on an# acco!nt, and I don:t li"e them, aove all, when

the# are secret and when Gegging #o!r )ardon, 1r.Trelawne#H the secret has een told to the )arrot.@

@Silver:s )arrot@ as"ed the sF!ire.

@It:s a wa# of s)ea"ing,@ said the ca)tain. @laed,

I mean. It:s m# elief neither of #o! gentlemen "nowwhat #o! are ao!t, !t I:ll tell #o! m# wa# of it++

life or death, and a close r!n.@

@That is all clear, and, I dare sa#, tr!e eno!gh,@re)lied Dr. Livese#. @/e ta"e the ris", !t we are not

so ignorant as #o! elieve !s. Ne(t, #o! sa# #o! don:t

li"e the crew. Are the# not good seamen@

@I don:t li"e them, sir,@ ret!rned 'a)tain Smollett.

@And I thin" I sho!ld have had the choosing of m# ownhands, if #o! go to that.@

@&erha)s #o! sho!ld,@ re)lied the doctor. @1# friend

sho!ld, )erha)s, have ta"en #o! along with him !t theslight, if there e one, was !nintentional. And #o!

don:t li"e 1r. Arrow@

@I don:t, sir. I elieve he:s a good seaman, !t he:stoo free with the crew to e a good officer. A mate

sho!ld "ee) himself to himself++sho!ldn:t drin" with

the men efore the mast@

@Do #o! mean he drin"s@ cried the sF!ire.

@No, sir,@ re)lied the ca)tain, @onl# that he:s too familiar.@

@/ell, now, and the short and long of it, ca)tain@

as"ed the doctor. @Tell !s what #o! want.@

@/ell, gentlemen, are #o! determined to go on this cr!ise@

@Li"e iron,@ answered the sF!ire.

@>er# good,@ said the ca)tain. @Then, as #o!:ve heard

me ver# )atientl#, sa#ing things that I co!ld not

)rove, hear me a few words more. The# are )!tting the)owder and the arms in the fore hold. Now, #o! have a

good )lace !nder the cain wh# not )!t them there++first )oint. Then, #o! are ringing fo!r of #o!r own

)eo)le with #o!, and the# tell me some of them are to



e erthed forward. /h# not give them the erths here

eside the cain++second )oint.@

@An# more@ as"ed 1r. Trelawne#.

@One more,@ said the ca)tain. @There:s een too m!ch

laing alread#.@

@8ar too m!ch,@ agreed the doctor.

@I:ll tell #o! what I:ve heard m#self,@ contin!ed'a)tain Smollett* @that #o! have a ma) of an island,

that there:s crosses on the ma) to show where treas!reis, and that the island lies++@ And then he named the

latit!de and longit!de e(actl#.

@I never told that,@ cried the sF!ire, @to a so!l@

@The hands "now it, sir,@ ret!rned the ca)tain.

@Livese#, that m!st have een #o! or $aw"ins,@ criedthe sF!ire.

@It doesn:t m!ch matter who it was,@ re)lied the

doctor. And I co!ld see that neither he nor theca)tain )aid m!ch regard to 1r. Trelawne#:s

)rotestations. Neither did I, to e s!re, he was soloose a tal"er #et in this case I elieve he was

reall# right and that nood# had told the sit!ation of

the island.

@/ell, gentlemen,@ contin!ed the ca)tain, @I don:t "now

who has this ma) !t I ma"e it a )oint, it shall e"e)t secret even from me and 1r. Arrow. Otherwise I

wo!ld as" #o! to let me resign.@

@I see,@ said the doctor. @<o! wish !s to "ee) this

matter dar" and to ma"e a garrison of the stern )art of

the shi), manned with m# friend:s own )eo)le, and)rovided with all the arms and )owder on oard. In

other words, #o! fear a m!tin#.@

@Sir,@ said 'a)tain Smollett, @with no intention to

ta"e offence, I den# #o!r right to )!t words into m#

mo!th. No ca)tain, sir, wo!ld e !stified in going tosea at all if he had gro!nd eno!gh to sa# that. As for

1r. Arrow, I elieve him thoro!ghl# honest some of the

men are the same all ma# e for what I "now. !t I amres)onsile for the shi):s safet# and the life of ever#man ?ac" aoard of her. I see things going, as I

thin", not F!ite right. And I as" #o! to ta"e certain

)reca!tions or let me resign m# erth. And that:s all.@

@'a)tain Smollett,@ egan the doctor with a smile, @did

ever #o! hear the fale of the mo!ntain and the mo!se<o!:ll e(c!se me, I dare sa#, !t #o! remind me of that

fale. /hen #o! came in here, I:ll sta"e m# wig, #o!



meant more than this.@

@Doctor,@ said the ca)tain, @#o! are smart. /hen Icame in here I meant to get discharged. I had no

tho!ght that 1r. Trelawne# wo!ld hear a word.@

@No more I wo!ld,@ cried the sF!ire. @$ad Livese# noteen here I sho!ld have seen #o! to the de!ce. As it

is, I have heard #o!. I will do as #o! desire, !t I

thin" the worse of #o!.@

@That:s as #o! )lease, sir,@ said the ca)tain. @<o!:ll

find I do m# d!t#.@

And with that he too" his leave.

@Trelawne#,@ said the doctor, @contrar# to all m#notions, I elieved #o! have managed to get two honest

men on oard with #o!++that man and ?ohn Silver.@

@Silver, if #o! li"e,@ cried the sF!ire @!t as forthat intolerale h!m!g, I declare I thin" his cond!ct

!nmanl#, !nsailorl#, and downright !n+English.@

@/ell,@ sa#s the doctor, @we shall see.@

/hen we came on dec", the men had eg!n alread# to ta"eo!t the arms and )owder, #o+ho+ing at their wor", while

the ca)tain and 1r. Arrow stood # s!)erintending.

The new arrangement was F!ite to m# li"ing. The wholeschooner had een overha!led si( erths had een made

astern o!t of what had een the after+)art of the mainhold and this set of cains was onl# oined to the

galle# and forecastle # a s)arred )assage on the )ortside. It had een originall# meant that the ca)tain,

1r. Arrow, $!nter, ?o#ce, the doctor, and the sF!ire

were to occ!)# these si( erths. Now Redr!th and I

were to get two of them and 1r. Arrow and the ca)tainwere to slee) on dec" in the com)anion, which had een

enlarged on each side till #o! might almost have calledit a ro!nd+ho!se. >er# low it was still, of co!rse

!t there was room to swing two hammoc"s, and even the

mate seemed )leased with the arrangement. Even he,

)erha)s, had een do!tf!l as to the crew, !t that isonl# g!ess, for as #o! shall hear, we had not long the

enefit of his o)inion.

/e were all hard at wor", changing the )owder and theerths, when the last man or two, and Long ?ohn along

with them, came off in a shore+oat.

The coo" came !) the side li"e a mon"e# for cleverness,and as soon as he saw what was doing, @So ho, mates@

sa#s he. @/hat:s this@

@/e:re a+changing of the )owder, ?ac",@ answers one.



@/h#, # the )owers,@ cried Long ?ohn, @if we do, we:ll

miss the morning tide@

@1# orders@ said the ca)tain shortl#. @<o! ma# goelow, m# man. $ands will want s!))er.@

@A#e, a#e, sir,@ answered the coo", and to!ching his

foreloc", he disa))eared at once in the direction of

his galle#.

@That:s a good man, ca)tain,@ said the doctor.

@>er# li"el#, sir,@ re)lied 'a)tain Smollett. @Eas#

with that, men++eas#,@ he ran on, to the fellows who

were shifting the )owder and then s!ddenl# oserving

me e(amining the swivel we carried amidshi)s, a longrass nine, @$ere #o!, shi):s o#,@ he cried, @o!t o:

that Off with #o! to the coo" and get some wor".@

And then as I was h!rr#ing off I heard him sa#, F!ite lo!dl#,to the doctor, @I:ll have no favo!rites on m# shi).@

I ass!re #o! I was F!ite of the sF!ire:s wa# of

thin"ing, and hated the ca)tain dee)l#.

06

The >o#age

ALL that night we were in a great !stle getting thingsstowed in their )lace, and oatf!ls of the sF!ire:s

friends, 1r. landl# and the li"e, coming off to wishhim a good vo#age and a safe ret!rn. /e never had a

night at the Admiral enow when I had half the wor"

and I was dog+tired when, a little efore dawn, the

oatswain so!nded his )i)e and the crew egan to manthe ca)stan+ars. I might have een twice as wear#,

#et I wo!ld not have left the dec", all was so new andinteresting to me++the rief commands, the shrill note

of the whistle, the men !stling to their )laces in the

glimmer of the shi):s lanterns.

@Now, arec!e, ti) !s a stave,@ cried one voice.

@The old one,@ cried another.

@A#e, a#e, mates,@ said Long ?ohn, who was standing #,

with his cr!tch !nder his arm, and at once ro"e o!t in

the air and words I "new so well*

@8ifteen men on the dead man:s chest++@

And then the whole crew ore chor!s*++



@<o+ho+ho, and a ottle of r!m@

And at the third @$o@ drove the ars efore them witha will.

Even at that e(citing moment it carried me ac" to the old

Admiral enow in a second, and I seemed to hear the voiceof the ca)tain )i)ing in the chor!s. !t soon the anchor

was short !) soon it was hanging dri))ing at the ows

soon the sails egan to draw, and the land and shi))ing

to flit # on either side and efore I co!ld lie down tosnatch an ho!r of sl!mer the $IS&ANIOLA had eg!n her

vo#age to the Isle of Treas!re.

I am not going to relate that vo#age in detail. It was

fairl# )ros)ero!s. The shi) )roved to e a good shi),

the crew were ca)ale seamen, and the ca)tainthoro!ghl# !nderstood his !siness. !t efore we came

the length of Treas!re Island, two or three things hadha))ened which reF!ire to e "nown.

1r. Arrow, first of all, t!rned o!t even worse than the

ca)tain had feared. $e had no command among the men,

and )eo)le did what the# )leased with him. !t that

was # no means the worst of it, for after a da# or twoat sea he egan to a))ear on dec" with haJ# e#e, red

chee"s, st!ttering tong!e, and other mar"s ofdr!n"enness. Time after time he was ordered elow in

disgrace. Sometimes he fell and c!t himself sometimes

he la# all da# long in his little !n" at one side of

the com)anion sometimes for a da# or two he wo!ld ealmost soer and attend to his wor" at least )assal#.

In the meantime, we co!ld never ma"e o!t where he got

the drin". That was the shi):s m#ster#. /atch him aswe )leased, we co!ld do nothing to solve it and when

we as"ed him to his face, he wo!ld onl# la!gh if he

were dr!n", and if he were soer den# solemnl# that he

ever tasted an#thing !t water.

$e was not onl# !seless as an officer and a adinfl!ence amongst the men, !t it was )lain that at this

rate he m!st soon "ill himself o!tright, so nood# was

m!ch s!r)rised, nor ver# sorr#, when one dar" night, with

a head sea, he disa))eared entirel# and was seen no more.

@Overoard@ said the ca)tain. @/ell, gentlemen, that

saves the tro!le of )!tting him in irons.@

!t there we were, witho!t a mate and it was

necessar#, of co!rse, to advance one of the men. The

oatswain, ?o Anderson, was the li"eliest man aoard,

and tho!gh he "e)t his old title, he served in a wa# asmate. 1r. Trelawne# had followed the sea, and his

"nowledge made him ver# !sef!l, for he often too" a watchhimself in eas# weather. And the co(swain, Israel $ands,

was a caref!l, wil#, old, e()erienced seaman who co!ld e



tr!sted at a )inch with almost an#thing.

$e was a great confidant of Long ?ohn Silver, and sothe mention of his name leads me on to s)ea" of o!r

shi):s coo", arec!e, as the men called him.

Aoard shi) he carried his cr!tch # a lan#ard ro!ndhis nec", to have oth hands as free as )ossile. It

was something to see him wedge the foot of the cr!tch

against a !l"head, and )ro))ed against it, #ielding to

ever# movement of the shi), get on with his coo"ingli"e someone safe ashore. Still more strange was it to

see him in the heaviest of weather cross the dec". $ehad a line or two rigged !) to hel) him across the

widest s)aces++Long ?ohn:s earrings, the# were called

and he wo!ld hand himself from one )lace to another,

now !sing the cr!tch, now trailing it alongside # thelan#ard, as F!ic"l# as another man co!ld wal". <et

some of the men who had sailed with him eforee()ressed their )it# to see him so red!ced.

@$e:s no common man, arec!e,@ said the co(swain to

me. @$e had good schooling in his #o!ng da#s and can

s)ea" li"e a oo" when so minded and rave++a lion:s

nothing alongside of Long ?ohn I seen him gra))lefo!r and "noc" their heads together++him !narmed.@

All the crew res)ected and even oe#ed him. $e had a

wa# of tal"ing to each and doing ever#od# some

)artic!lar service. To me he was !nweariedl# "ind, and

alwa#s glad to see me in the galle#, which he "e)t asclean as a new )in, the dishes hanging !) !rnished and

his )arrot in a cage in one corner.

@'ome awa#, $aw"ins,@ he wo!ld sa# @come and have a#arn with ?ohn. Nood# more welcome than #o!rself, m#

son. Sit #o! down and hear the news. $ere:s 'a):n

8lint++I calls m# )arrot 'a):n 8lint, after the famo!s

!ccaneer++here:s 'a):n 8lint )redicting s!ccess to o!rv:#age. /asn:t #o!, ca):n@

And the )arrot wo!ld sa#, with great ra)idit#, @&ieces

of eight &ieces of eight &ieces of eight@ till #o!

wondered that it was not o!t of reath, or till ?ohn

threw his hand"erchief over the cage.

@Now, that ird,@ he wo!ld sa#, @is, ma#e, two h!ndred

#ears old, $aw"ins++the# live forever mostl# and ifan#od#:s seen more wic"edness, it m!st e the devilhimself. She:s sailed with England, the great 'a):n

England, the )irate. She:s een at 1adagascar, and at

1alaar, and S!rinam, and &rovidence, and &ortoello.

She was at the fishing !) of the wrec"ed )late shi)s.It:s there she learned :&ieces of eight,: and little

wonder three h!ndred and fift# tho!sand of :em,$aw"ins She was at the oarding of the vicero# of the

Indies o!t of %oa, she was and to loo" at her #o!



wo!ld thin" she was a a#. !t #o! smelt )owder++

didn:t #o!, ca):n@

@Stand # to go ao!t,@ the )arrot wo!ld scream.

@Ah, she:s a handsome craft, she is,@ the coo" wo!ld sa#,

and give her s!gar from his )oc"et, and then the irdwo!ld )ec" at the ars and swear straight on, )assing

elief for wic"edness. @There,@ ?ohn wo!ld add, @#o!

can:t to!ch )itch and not e m!c"ed, lad. $ere:s this

)oor old innocent ird o: mine swearing l!e fire, andnone the wiser, #o! ma# la# to that. She wo!ld swear the

same, in a manner of s)ea"ing, efore cha)lain.@ And ?ohnwo!ld to!ch his foreloc" with a solemn wa# he had that made

me thin" he was the est of men.

In the meantime, the sF!ire and 'a)tain Smollett werestill on )rett# distant terms with one another. The

sF!ire made no ones ao!t the matter he des)ised theca)tain. The ca)tain, on his )art, never s)o"e !t when

he was s)o"en to, and then shar) and short and dr#, andnot a word wasted. $e owned, when driven into a corner,

that he seemed to have een wrong ao!t the crew, that

some of them were as ris" as he wanted to see and all

had ehaved fairl# well. As for the shi), he had ta"ena downright fanc# to her. @She:ll lie a )oint nearer

the wind than a man has a right to e()ect of his ownmarried wife, sir. !t,@ he wo!ld add, @all I sa# is,

we:re not home again, and I don:t li"e the cr!ise.@

The sF!ire, at this, wo!ld t!rn awa# and march !) anddown the dec", chin in air.

@A trifle more of that man,@ he wo!ld sa#, @and I

shall e()lode.@

/e had some heav# weather, which onl# )roved the

F!alities of the $IS&ANIOLA. Ever# man on oard

seemed well content, and the# m!st have een hard to)lease if the# had een otherwise, for it is m# elief

there was never a shi):s com)an# so s)oiled since Noah)!t to sea. Do!le grog was going on the least e(c!se

there was d!ff on odd da#s, as, for instance, if the

sF!ire heard it was an# man:s irthda#, and alwa#s a

arrel of a))les standing roached in the waist foran#one to hel) himself that had a fanc#.

@Never "new good come of it #et,@ the ca)tain said toDr. Livese#. @S)oil forecastle hands, ma"e devils.That:s m# elief.@

!t good did come of the a))le arrel, as #o! shall

hear, for if it had not een for that, we sho!ld havehad no note of warning and might all have )erished #

the hand of treacher#.

This was how it came ao!t.



/e had r!n !) the trades to get the wind of the island

we were after++I am not allowed to e more )lain++andnow we were r!nning down for it with a right loo"o!t

da# and night. It was ao!t the last da# of o!ro!tward vo#age # the largest com)!tation some time

that night, or at latest efore noon of the morrow, wesho!ld sight the Treas!re Island. /e were heading

S.S./. and had a stead# reeJe aeam and a F!iet sea.

The $IS&ANIOLA rolled steadil#, di))ing her

ows)rit now and then with a whiff of s)ra#. All wasdrawing alow and aloft ever#one was in the ravest

s)irits eca!se we were now so near an end of the first)art of o!r advent!re.

Now, !st after s!ndown, when all m# wor" was over and

I was on m# wa# to m# erth, it occ!rred to me that Isho!ld li"e an a))le. I ran on dec". The watch was

all forward loo"ing o!t for the island. The man at thehelm was watching the l!ff of the sail and whistling

awa# gentl# to himself, and that was the onl# so!nde(ce)ting the swish of the sea against the ows and

aro!nd the sides of the shi).

In I got odil# into the a))le arrel, and fo!nd therewas scarce an a))le left !t sitting down there in the

dar", what with the so!nd of the waters and the roc"ingmovement of the shi), I had either fallen aslee) or was

on the )oint of doing so when a heav# man sat down with

rather a clash close #. The arrel shoo" as he leaned

his sho!lders against it, and I was !st ao!t to !m)!) when the man egan to s)ea". It was Silver:s voice,

and efore I had heard a doJen words, I wo!ld not haveshown m#self for all the world, !t la# there, tremling

and listening, in the e(treme of fear and c!riosit#, forfrom these doJen words I !nderstood that the lives of all

the honest men aoard de)ended !)on me alone.

00

/hat I $eard in the A))le arrel

@NO, not I,@ said Silver. @8lint was ca):n I wasF!artermaster, along of m# timer leg. The same

roadside I lost m# leg, old &ew lost his deadlights.

It was a master s!rgeon, him that am)#tated me++o!t ofcollege and all++Latin # the !c"et, and what not !the was hanged li"e a dog, and s!n+dried li"e the rest,

at 'orso 'astle. That was Roerts: men, that was, and

comed of changing names to their shi)s++RO<AL

8ORTUNE and so on. Now, what a shi) was christened,so let her sta#, I sa#s. So it was with the 'ASSANDRA,

as ro!ght !s all safe home from 1alaar,after England too" the vicero# of the Indies so it was

with the old /ALRUS, 8lint:s old shi), as I:ve seen



am!c" with the red lood and fit to sin" with gold.@

@Ah@ cried another voice, that of the #o!ngest hand onoard, and evidentl# f!ll of admiration. @$e was the

flower of the floc", was 8lint@

@Davis was a man too, # all acco!nts,@ said Silver.@I never sailed along of him first with England, then

with 8lint, that:s m# stor# and now here on m# own

acco!nt, in a manner of s)ea"ing. I laid # nine

h!ndred safe, from England, and two tho!sand after8lint. That ain:t ad for a man efore the mast++all

safe in an". :Tain:t earning now, it:s saving doesit, #o! ma# la# to that. /here:s all England:s men

now I d!nno. /here:s 8lint:s /h#, most on :em

aoard here, and glad to get the d!ff++een egging

efore that, some on :em. Old &ew, as had lost hissight, and might have tho!ght shame, s)ends twelve

h!ndred )o!nd in a #ear, li"e a lord in &arliament./here is he now /ell, he:s dead now and !nder hatches

!t for two #ear efore that, shiver m# timers, theman was starving $e egged, and he stole, and he c!t

throats, and starved at that, # the )owers@

@/ell, it ain:t m!ch !se, after all,@ said the#o!ng seaman.

@:Tain:t m!ch !se for fools, #o! ma# la# to it++that,

nor nothing,@ cried Silver. @!t now, #o! loo" here*

#o!:re #o!ng, #o! are, !t #o!:re as smart as )aint. I

see that when I set m# e#es on #o!, and I:ll tal" to#o! li"e a man.@

<o! ma# imagine how I felt when I heard this aominale old

rog!e addressing another in the ver# same words of flatter#as he had !sed to m#self. I thin", if I had een ale, that

I wo!ld have "illed him thro!gh the arrel. 1eantime, he ran

on, little s!))osing he was overheard.

@$ere it is ao!t gentlemen of fort!ne. The# lives

ro!gh, and the# ris" swinging, !t the# eat and drin"li"e fighting+coc"s, and when a cr!ise is done, wh#,

it:s h!ndreds of )o!nds instead of h!ndreds of

farthings in their )oc"ets. Now, the most goes for r!m

and a good fling, and to sea again in their shirts.!t that:s not the co!rse I la#. I )!ts it all awa#,

some here, some there, and none too m!ch an#wheres, #

reason of s!s)icion. I:m fift#, mar" #o! once ac"from this cr!ise, I set !) gentleman in earnest. Timeeno!gh too, sa#s #o!. Ah, !t I:ve lived eas# in the

meantime, never denied m#self o: nothing heart desires,

and sle): soft and ate daint# all m# da#s !t when at

sea. And how did I egin efore the mast, li"e #o!@

@/ell,@ said the other, @!t all the other mone#:s gone now,ain:t it <o! daren:t show face in ristol after this.@



@/h#, where might #o! s!))ose it was@ as"ed Silver derisivel#.

@At ristol, in an"s and )laces,@ answered his com)anion.

@It were,@ said the coo" @it were when we weighed anchor.!t m# old missis has it all # now. And the S)#+glass is

sold, lease and goodwill and rigging and the old girl:s offto meet me. I wo!ld tell #o! where, for I tr!st #o!, !t

it:d ma"e ealo!s# among the mates.@

@And can #o! tr!st #o!r missis@ as"ed the other.

@%entlemen of fort!ne,@ ret!rned the coo", @!s!all#tr!sts little among themselves, and right the# are, #o! ma#

la# to it. !t I have a wa# with me, I have. /hen a mate

rings a sli) on his cale++one as "nows me, I mean++it

won:t e in the same world with old ?ohn. There was somethat was feared of &ew, and some that was feared of 8lint

!t 8lint his own self was feared of me. 8eared he was, and)ro!d. The# was the ro!ghest crew afloat, was 8lint:s the

devil himself wo!ld have een feared to go to sea with them./ell now, I tell #o!, I:m not a oasting man, and #o! seen

#o!rself how eas# I "ee) com)an#, !t when I was F!artermaster,

LA1S wasn:t the word for 8lint:s old !ccaneers. Ah, #o! ma#

e s!re of #o!rself in old ?ohn:s shi).@

@/ell, I tell #o! now,@ re)lied the lad, @I didn:t halfa F!arter li"e the o till I had this tal" with #o!,

?ohn !t there:s m# hand on it now.@

@And a rave lad #o! were, and smart too,@ answeredSilver, sha"ing hands so heartil# that all the arrel

shoo", @and a finer fig!rehead for a gentleman offort!ne I never cla))ed m# e#es on.@

# this time I had eg!n to !nderstand the meaning of

their terms. # a @gentleman of fort!ne@ the# )lainl#

meant neither more nor less than a common )irate, and

the little scene that I had overheard was the last actin the corr!)tion of one of the honest hands++)erha)s of

the last one left aoard. !t on this )oint I was soonto e relieved, for Silver giving a little whistle, a

third man strolled !) and sat down # the )art#.

@Dic":s sF!are,@ said Silver.

@Oh, I "now:d Dic" was sF!are,@ ret!rned the voice of the

co(swain, Israel $ands. @$e:s no fool, is Dic".@ And het!rned his F!id and s)at. @!t loo" here,@ he went on,@here:s what I want to "now, arec!e* how long are we

a+going to stand off and on li"e a lessed !moat I:ve

had a:most eno!gh o: 'a):n Smollett he:s haJed me long

eno!gh, # th!nder I want to go into that cain, I do.I want their )ic"les and wines, and that.@

@Israel,@ said Silver, @#o!r head ain:t m!ch acco!nt,

nor ever was. !t #o!:re ale to hear, I rec"on



leastwa#s, #o!r ears is ig eno!gh. Now, here:s what I

sa#* #o!:ll erth forward, and #o!:ll live hard, and

#o!:ll s)ea" soft, and #o!:ll "ee) soer till I givethe word and #o! ma# la# to that, m# son.@

@/ell, I don:t sa# no, do I@ growled the co(swain.

@/hat I sa# is, when That:s what I sa#.@

@/hen # the )owers@ cried Silver. @/ell now, if

#o! want to "now, I:ll tell #o! when. The last moment

I can manage, and that:s when. $ere:s a first+rateseaman, 'a):n Smollett, sails the lessed shi) for !s.

$ere:s this sF!ire and doctor with a ma) and s!ch++Idon:t "now where it is, do I No more do #o!, sa#s

#o!. /ell then, I mean this sF!ire and doctor shall

find the st!ff, and hel) !s to get it aoard, # the

)owers. Then we:ll see. If I was s!re of #o! all,sons of do!le D!tchmen, I:d have 'a):n Smollett

navigate !s half+wa# ac" again efore I str!c".@

@/h#, we:re all seamen aoard here, I sho!ld thin",@said the lad Dic".

@/e:re all forecastle hands, #o! mean,@ sna))ed Silver. @/e

can steer a co!rse, !t who:s to set one That:s what all #o!gentlemen s)lit on, first and last. If I had m# wa#, I:d have

'a):n Smollett wor" !s ac" into the trades at least then we:dhave no lessed miscalc!lations and a s)oonf!l of water a da#.

!t I "now the sort #o! are. I:ll finish with :em at the

island, as soon:s the l!nt:s on oard, and a )it# it is. !t

#o!:re never ha))# till #o!:re dr!n". S)lit m# sides, I:ve asic" heart to sail with the li"es of #o!@

@Eas# all, Long ?ohn,@ cried Israel. @/ho:s a+crossin:

of #o!@

@/h#, how man# tall shi)s, thin" #e, now, have I seen

laid aoard And how man# ris" lads dr#ing in the s!n

at E(ec!tion Doc"@ cried Silver. @And all for thissame h!rr# and h!rr# and h!rr#. <o! hear me I seen a

thing or two at sea, I have. If #o! wo!ld on:# la##o!r co!rse, and a ):int to windward, #o! wo!ld ride in

carriages, #o! wo!ld. !t not #o! I "now #o!. <o!:ll

have #o!r mo!thf!l of r!m tomorrow, and go hang.@

@Ever#od# "nowed #o! was a "ind of a cha)ling, ?ohn

!t there:s others as co!ld hand and steer as well as

#o!,@ said Israel. @The# li"ed a it o: f!n, the# did.The# wasn:t so high and dr#, nohow, !t too" theirfling, li"e oll# com)anions ever# one.@

@So@ sa#s Silver. @/ell, and where are the# now &ew

was that sort, and he died a eggar+man. 8lint was,and he died of r!m at Savannah. Ah, the# was a sweet

crew, the# was On:#, where are the#@

@!t,@ as"ed Dic", @when we do la# :em athwart, what



are we to do with :em, an#how@

@There:s the man for me@ cried the coo" admiringl#.@That:s what I call !siness. /ell, what wo!ld #o!

thin" &!t :em ashore li"e maroons That wo!ld haveeen England:s wa#. Or c!t :em down li"e that m!ch

)or" That wo!ld have een 8lint:s, or ill# ones:s.@

@ill# was the man for that,@ said Israel. @:Dead men

don:t ite,: sa#s he. /ell, he:s dead now hisself he

"nows the long and short on it now and if ever a ro!ghhand come to )ort, it was ill#.@

@Right #o! are,@ said Silver @ro!gh and read#. !t

mar" #o! here, I:m an eas# man++I:m F!ite the

gentleman, sa#s #o! !t this time it:s serio!s. Doot#

is doot#, mates. I give m# vote++death. /hen I:m in&arl#ment and riding in m# coach, I don:t want none of

these sea+law#ers in the cain a+coming home, !nloo"edfor, li"e the devil at )ra#ers. /ait is what I sa#

!t when the time comes, wh#, let her ri)@

@?ohn,@ cries the co(swain, @#o!:re a man@

@<o!:ll sa# so, Israel when #o! see,@ said Silver.@Onl# one thing I claim++I claim Trelawne#. I:ll wring

his calf:s head off his od# with these hands, Dic"@he added, rea"ing off. @<o! !st !m) !), li"e a

sweet lad, and get me an a))le, to wet m# )i)e li"e.@

<o! ma# fanc# the terror I was in I sho!ld havelea)ed o!t and r!n for it if I had fo!nd the strength,

!t m# lims and heart ali"e misgave me. I heard Dic"egin to rise, and then someone seemingl# sto))ed him,

and the voice of $ands e(claimed, @Oh, stow thatDon:t #o! get s!c"ing of that ilge, ?ohn. Let:s have

a go of the r!m.@

@Dic",@ said Silver, @I tr!st #o!. I:ve a ga!ge on the"eg, mind. There:s the "e# #o! fill a )anni"in and

ring it !).@

Terrified as I was, I co!ld not hel) thin"ing to m#self

that this m!st have een how 1r. Arrow got the strong

waters that destro#ed him.

Dic" was gone !t a little while, and d!ring his

asence Israel s)o"e straight on in the coo":s ear. Itwas !t a word or two that I co!ld catch, and #et Igathered some im)ortant news, for esides other scra)s

that tended to the same )!r)ose, this whole cla!se was

a!dile* @Not another man of them:ll ine.@ $ence

there were still faithf!l men on oard.

/hen Dic" ret!rned, one after another of the trio too"the )anni"in and dran"++one @To l!c",@ another with a

@$ere:s to old 8lint,@ and Silver himself sa#ing, in a



"ind of song, @$ere:s to o!rselves, and hold #o!r l!ff,

)lent# of )riJes and )lent# of d!ff.@

?!st then a sort of rightness fell !)on me in the

arrel, and loo"ing !), I fo!nd the moon had risen andwas silvering the miJJen+to) and shining white on the

l!ff of the fore+sail and almost at the same time thevoice of the loo"o!t sho!ted, @Land ho@

02

'o!ncil of /ar

T$ERE was a great r!sh of feet across the dec". I

co!ld hear )eo)le t!mling !) from the cain and theforecastle, and sli))ing in an instant o!tside m#

arrel, I dived ehind the fore+sail, made a do!letowards the stern, and came o!t !)on the o)en dec" in

time to oin $!nter and Dr. Livese# in the r!sh for theweather ow.

There all hands were alread# congregated. A elt of

fog had lifted almost sim!ltaneo!sl# with thea))earance of the moon. Awa# to the so!th+west of !s

we saw two low hills, ao!t a co!)le of miles a)art,and rising ehind one of them a third and higher hill,

whose )ea" was still !ried in the fog. All three

seemed shar) and conical in fig!re.

So m!ch I saw, almost in a dream, for I had not #et

recovered from m# horrid fear of a min!te or twoefore. And then I heard the voice of 'a)tain Smollett

iss!ing orders. The $IS&ANIOLA was laid a co!)leof )oints nearer the wind and now sailed a co!rse that

wo!ld !st clear the island on the east.

@And now, men,@ said the ca)tain, when all was sheetedhome, @has an# one of #o! ever seen that land ahead@

@I have, sir,@ said Silver. @I:ve watered there with a

trader I was coo" in.@

@The anchorage is on the so!th, ehind an islet, Ifanc#@ as"ed the ca)tain.

@<es, sir S"eleton Island the# calls it. It were amain )lace for )irates once, and a hand we had on oard"nowed all their names for it. That hill to the

nor:ard the# calls the 8ore+mast $ill there are three

hills in a row r!nning so!th:ard++fore, main, and

miJJen, sir. !t the main++that:s the ig !n, with theclo!d on it++the# !s!all# calls the S)#+glass, #

reason of a loo"o!t the# "e)t when the# was in theanchorage cleaning, for it:s there the# cleaned their

shi)s, sir, as"ing #o!r )ardon.@



@I have a chart here,@ sa#s 'a)tain Smollett. @See if

that:s the )lace.@

Long ?ohn:s e#es !rned in his head as he too" thechart, !t # the fresh loo" of the )a)er I "new he was

doomed to disa))ointment. This was not the ma) wefo!nd in ill# ones:s chest, !t an acc!rate co)#,

com)lete in all things++names and heights and

so!ndings++with the single e(ce)tion of the red crosses

and the written notes. Shar) as m!st have een hisanno#ance, Silver had the strength of mind to hide it.

@<es, sir,@ said he, @this is the s)ot, to e s!re, and

ver# )rettil# drawed o!t. /ho might have done that, I

wonder The )irates were too ignorant, I rec"on. A#e,

here it is* :'a)t. -idd:s Anchorage:++!st the name m#shi)mate called it. There:s a strong c!rrent r!ns

along the so!th, and then awa# nor:ard !) the westcoast. Right #o! was, sir,@ sa#s he, @to ha!l #o!r

wind and "ee) the weather of the island. Leastwa#s, ifs!ch was #o!r intention as to enter and careen, and

there ain:t no etter )lace for that in these waters.@

@Than" #o!, m# man,@ sa#s 'a)tain Smollett. @I:ll as"#o! later on to give !s a hel). <o! ma# go.@

I was s!r)rised at the coolness with which ?ohn avowed

his "nowledge of the island, and I own I was half+

frightened when I saw him drawing nearer to m#self. $e

did not "now, to e s!re, that I had overheard hisco!ncil from the a))le arrel, and #et I had # this

time ta"en s!ch a horror of his cr!elt#, d!)licit#, and)ower that I co!ld scarce conceal a sh!dder when he

laid his hand !)on m# arm.

@Ah,@ sa#s he, @this here is a sweet s)ot, this island++

a sweet s)ot for a lad to get ashore on. <o!:ll athe,

and #o!:ll clim trees, and #o!:ll h!nt goats, #o! willand #o!:ll get aloft on them hills li"e a goat #o!rself.

/h#, it ma"es me #o!ng again. I was going to forget m#timer leg, I was. It:s a )leasant thing to e #o!ng and

have ten toes, and #o! ma# la# to that. /hen #o! want to

go a it of e()loring, #o! !st as" old ?ohn, and he:ll

)!t !) a snac" for #o! to ta"e along.@

And cla))ing me in the friendliest wa# !)on the

sho!lder, he holed off forward and went elow.

'a)tain Smollett, the sF!ire, and Dr. Livese# were

tal"ing together on the F!arter+dec", and an(io!s as I

was to tell them m# stor#, I d!rst not interr!)t them

o)enl#. /hile I was still casting ao!t in m# tho!ghtsto find some )roale e(c!se, Dr. Livese# called me to

his side. $e had left his )i)e elow, and eing a slaveto toacco, had meant that I sho!ld fetch it !t as soon

as I was near eno!gh to s)ea" and not to e overheard, I



ro"e immediatel#, @Doctor, let me s)ea". %et the ca)tain

and sF!ire down to the cain, and then ma"e some )retence

to send for me. I have terrile news.@

The doctor changed co!ntenance a little, !t ne(tmoment he was master of himself.

@Than" #o!, ?im,@ said he F!ite lo!dl#, @that was all I

wanted to "now,@ as if he had as"ed me a F!estion.

And with that he t!rned on his heel and reoined theother two. The# s)o"e together for a little, and

tho!gh none of them started, or raised his voice, or som!ch as whistled, it was )lain eno!gh that Dr. Livese#

had comm!nicated m# reF!est, for the ne(t thing that I

heard was the ca)tain giving an order to ?o Anderson,

and all hands were )i)ed on dec".

@1# lads,@ said 'a)tain Smollett, @I:ve a word to sa#to #o!. This land that we have sighted is the )lace we

have een sailing for. 1r. Trelawne#, eing a ver#o)en+handed gentleman, as we all "now, has !st as"ed

me a word or two, and as I was ale to tell him that

ever# man on oard had done his d!t#, alow and aloft,

as I never as" to see it done etter, wh#, he and I andthe doctor are going elow to the cain to drin" <OUR

health and l!c", and #o!:ll have grog served o!tfor #o! to drin" OUR health and l!c". I:ll tell

#o! what I thin" of this* I thin" it handsome. And if

#o! thin" as I do, #o!:ll give a good sea+cheer for the

gentleman that does it.@

The cheer followed++that was a matter of co!rse !t itrang o!t so f!ll and heart# that I confess I co!ld hardl#

elieve these same men were )lotting for o!r lood.

@One more cheer for 'a):n Smollett,@ cried Long ?ohn

when the first had s!sided.

And this also was given with a will.

On the to) of that the three gentlemen went elow, and

not long after, word was sent forward that ?im $aw"ins

was wanted in the cain.

I fo!nd them all three seated ro!nd the tale, a ottle

of S)anish wine and some raisins efore them, and the

doctor smo"ing awa#, with his wig on his la), and that,I "new, was a sign that he was agitated. The sternwindow was o)en, for it was a warm night, and #o! co!ld

see the moon shining ehind on the shi):s wa"e.

@Now, $aw"ins,@ said the sF!ire, @#o! have something tosa#. S)ea" !).@

I did as I was id, and as short as I co!ld ma"e it,

told the whole details of Silver:s conversation.



Nood# interr!)ted me till I was done, nor did an# one

of the three of them ma"e so m!ch as a movement, !t

the# "e)t their e#es !)on m# face from first to last.

@?im,@ said Dr. Livese#, @ta"e a seat.@

And the# made me sit down at tale eside them, )o!redme o!t a glass of wine, filled m# hands with raisins,

and all three, one after the other, and each with a

ow, dran" m# good health, and their service to me, for

m# l!c" and co!rage.

@Now, ca)tain,@ said the sF!ire, @#o! were right, and Iwas wrong. I own m#self an ass, and I await #o!r orders.@

@No more an ass than I, sir,@ ret!rned the ca)tain. @I

never heard of a crew that meant to m!tin# !t whatshowed signs efore, for an# man that had an e#e in his

head to see the mischief and ta"e ste)s according. !tthis crew,@ he added, @eats me.@

@'a)tain,@ said the doctor, @with #o!r )ermission,

that:s Silver. A ver# remar"ale man.@

@$e:d loo" remar"al# well from a #ard+arm, sir,@ret!rned the ca)tain. @!t this is tal" this don:t

lead to an#thing. I see three or fo!r )oints, and with1r. Trelawne#:s )ermission, I:ll name them.@

@<o!, sir, are the ca)tain. It is for #o! to s)ea",@

sa#s 1r. Trelawne# grandl#.

@8irst )oint,@ egan 1r. Smollett. @/e m!st go on,eca!se we can:t t!rn ac". If I gave the word to go

ao!t, the# wo!ld rise at once. Second )oint, we havetime efore !s++at least !ntil this treas!re:s fo!nd.

Third )oint, there are faithf!l hands. Now, sir, it:s

got to come to lows sooner or later, and what I

)ro)ose is to ta"e time # the foreloc", as the sa#ingis, and come to lows some fine da# when the# least

e()ect it. /e can co!nt, I ta"e it, on #o!r own homeservants, 1r. Trelawne#@

@As !)on m#self,@ declared the sF!ire.

@Three,@ rec"oned the ca)tain @o!rselves ma"e seven,

co!nting $aw"ins here. Now, ao!t the honest hands@

@1ost li"el# Trelawne#:s own men,@ said the doctor @thosehe had )ic"ed !) for himself efore he lit on Silver.@

@Na#,@ re)lied the sF!ire. @$ands was one of mine.@

@I did thin" I co!ld have tr!sted $ands,@ added the ca)tain.

@And to thin" that the#:re all Englishmen@ ro"e o!t

the sF!ire. @Sir, I co!ld find it in m# heart to low



the shi) !).@

@/ell, gentlemen,@ said the ca)tain, @the est that Ican sa# is not m!ch. /e m!st la# to, if #o! )lease,

and "ee) a right loo"o!t. It:s tr#ing on a man, I"now. It wo!ld e )leasanter to come to lows. !t

there:s no hel) for it till we "now o!r men. La# to,and whistle for a wind, that:s m# view.@

@?im here,@ said the doctor, @can hel) !s more than

an#one. The men are not sh# with him, and ?im is anoticing lad.@

@$aw"ins, I )!t )rodigio!s faith in #o!,@ added the sF!ire.

I egan to feel )rett# des)erate at this, for I felt

altogether hel)less and #et, # an odd train ofcirc!mstances, it was indeed thro!gh me that safet# came.

In the meantime, tal" as we )leased, there were onl#seven o!t of the twent#+si( on whom we "new we co!ld

rel# and o!t of these seven one was a o#, so that thegrown men on o!r side were si( to their nineteen.

&ART T$REE

1# Shore Advent!re

04

$ow 1# Shore Advent!re egan

T$E a))earance of the island when I came on dec" ne(t

morning was altogether changed. Altho!gh the reeJehad now !tterl# ceased, we had made a great deal of wa#

d!ring the night and were now l#ing ecalmed ao!t halfa mile to the so!th+east of the low eastern coast.

%re#+colo!red woods covered a large )art of the

s!rface. This even tint was indeed ro"en !) #

strea"s of #ellow sand+rea" in the lower lands, and #man# tall trees of the )ine famil#, o!t+to))ing the

others++some singl#, some in cl!m)s !t the general

colo!ring was !niform and sad. The hills ran !) clearaove the vegetation in s)ires of na"ed roc". All werestrangel# sha)ed, and the S)#+glass, which was # three

or fo!r h!ndred feet the tallest on the island, was

li"ewise the strangest in config!ration, r!nning !)

sheer from almost ever# side and then s!ddenl# c!t offat the to) li"e a )edestal to )!t a stat!e on.

The $IS&ANIOLA was rolling sc!))ers !nder in the

ocean swell. The ooms were tearing at the loc"s, the



r!dder was anging to and fro, and the whole shi)

crea"ing, groaning, and !m)ing li"e a man!factor#. I

had to cling tight to the ac"sta#, and the worldt!rned giddil# efore m# e#es, for tho!gh I was a good

eno!gh sailor when there was wa# on, this standingstill and eing rolled ao!t li"e a ottle was a thing

I never learned to stand witho!t a F!alm or so, aoveall in the morning, on an em)t# stomach.

&erha)s it was this++)erha)s it was the loo" of the

island, with its gre#, melanchol# woods, and wild stones)ires, and the s!rf that we co!ld oth see and hear

foaming and th!ndering on the stee) each++at least,altho!gh the s!n shone right and hot, and the shore

irds were fishing and cr#ing all aro!nd !s, and #o!

wo!ld have tho!ght an#one wo!ld have een glad to get

to land after eing so long at sea, m# heart san", asthe sa#ing is, into m# oots and from the first loo"

onward, I hated the ver# tho!ght of Treas!re Island.

/e had a drear# morning:s wor" efore !s, for there wasno sign of an# wind, and the oats had to e got o!t

and manned, and the shi) war)ed three or fo!r miles

ro!nd the corner of the island and !) the narrow

)assage to the haven ehind S"eleton Island. Ivol!nteered for one of the oats, where I had, of

co!rse, no !siness. The heat was sweltering, and themen gr!mled fiercel# over their wor". Anderson was in

command of m# oat, and instead of "ee)ing the crew in

order, he gr!mled as lo!d as the worst.

@/ell,@ he said with an oath, @it:s not forever.@

I tho!ght this was a ver# ad sign, for !) to that da#

the men had gone ris"l# and willingl# ao!t their!siness !t the ver# sight of the island had rela(ed

the cords of disci)line.

All the wa# in, Long ?ohn stood # the steersman andconned the shi). $e "new the )assage li"e the )alm of

his hand, and tho!gh the man in the chains gotever#where more water than was down in the chart, ?ohn

never hesitated once.

@There:s a strong sco!r with the e,@ he said, @andthis here )assage has een d!g o!t, in a manner of

s)ea"ing, with a s)ade.@

/e ro!ght !) !st where the anchor was in the chart,ao!t a third of a mile from each shore, the mainland

on one side and S"eleton Island on the other. The

ottom was clean sand. The )l!nge of o!r anchor sent

!) clo!ds of irds wheeling and cr#ing over the woods,!t in less than a min!te the# were down again and all

was once more silent.

The )lace was entirel# land+loc"ed, !ried in woods,



the trees coming right down to high+water mar", the

shores mostl# flat, and the hillto)s standing ro!nd at

a distance in a sort of am)hitheatre, one here, onethere. Two little rivers, or rather two swam)s,

em)tied o!t into this )ond, as #o! might call it andthe foliage ro!nd that )art of the shore had a "ind of

)oisono!s rightness. 8rom the shi) we co!ld seenothing of the ho!se or stoc"ade, for the# were F!ite

!ried among trees and if it had not een for the

chart on the com)anion, we might have een the first

that had ever anchored there since the island arose o!tof the seas.

There was not a reath of air moving, nor a so!nd !t that

of the s!rf ooming half a mile awa# along the eaches and

against the roc"s o!tside. A )ec!liar stagnant smell h!ng

over the anchorage++a smell of sodden leaves and rottingtree tr!n"s. I oserved the doctor sniffing and sniffing,

li"e someone tasting a ad egg.

@I don:t "now ao!t treas!re,@ he said, @!t I:ll sta"em# wig there:s fever here.@

If the cond!ct of the men had een alarming in the

oat, it ecame tr!l# threatening when the# had comeaoard. The# la# ao!t the dec" growling together in

tal". The slightest order was received with a lac"loo" and gr!dgingl# and carelessl# oe#ed. Even the

honest hands m!st have ca!ght the infection, for there

was not one man aoard to mend another. 1!tin#, it was

)lain, h!ng over !s li"e a th!nder+clo!d.

And it was not onl# we of the cain )art# who )erceivedthe danger. Long ?ohn was hard at wor" going from

gro!) to gro!), s)ending himself in good advice, and asfor e(am)le no man co!ld have shown a etter. $e

fairl# o!tstri))ed himself in willingness and civilit#

he was all smiles to ever#one. If an order were given,

?ohn wo!ld e on his cr!tch in an instant, with thecheeriest @A#e, a#e, sir@ in the world and when there

was nothing else to do, he "e)t !) one song afteranother, as if to conceal the discontent of the rest.

Of all the gloom# feat!res of that gloom# afternoon, this

ovio!s an(iet# on the )art of Long ?ohn a))eared the worst.

/e held a co!ncil in the cain.

@Sir,@ said the ca)tain, @if I ris" another order, thewhole shi):ll come ao!t o!r ears # the r!n. <o! see,

sir, here it is. I get a ro!gh answer, do I not /ell,

if I s)ea" ac", )i"es will e going in two sha"es if I

don:t, Silver will see there:s something !nder that, andthe game:s !). Now, we:ve onl# one man to rel# on.@

@And who is that@ as"ed the sF!ire.



@Silver, sir,@ ret!rned the ca)tain @he:s as an(io!s

as #o! and I to smother things !). This is a tiff

he:d soon tal" :em o!t of it if he had the chance, andwhat I )ro)ose to do is to give him the chance. Let:s

allow the men an afternoon ashore. If the# all go, wh#we:ll fight the shi). If the# none of them go, well

then, we hold the cain, and %od defend the right. Ifsome go, #o! mar" m# words, sir, Silver:ll ring :em

aoard again as mild as lams.@

It was so decided loaded )istols were served o!t to allthe s!re men $!nter, ?o#ce, and Redr!th were ta"en into

o!r confidence and received the news with less s!r)riseand a etter s)irit than we had loo"ed for, and then the

ca)tain went on dec" and addressed the crew.

@1# lads,@ said he, @we:ve had a hot da# and are alltired and o!t of sorts. A t!rn ashore:ll h!rt nood#++

the oats are still in the water #o! can ta"e the gigs,and as man# as )lease ma# go ashore for the afternoon.

I:ll fire a g!n half an ho!r efore s!ndown.@

I elieve the sill# fellows m!st have tho!ght the#

wo!ld rea" their shins over treas!re as soon as the#

were landed, for the# all came o!t of their s!l"s in amoment and gave a cheer that started the echo in a far+

awa# hill and sent the irds once more fl#ing andsF!alling ro!nd the anchorage.

The ca)tain was too right to e in the wa#. $e

whi))ed o!t of sight in a moment, leaving Silver toarrange the )art#, and I fanc# it was as well he did

so. $ad he een on dec", he co!ld no longer so m!ch ashave )retended not to !nderstand the sit!ation. It was

as )lain as da#. Silver was the ca)tain, and a might#reellio!s crew he had of it. The honest hands++and I

was soon to see it )roved that there were s!ch on

oard++m!st have een ver# st!)id fellows. Or rather,

I s!))ose the tr!th was this, that all hands weredisaffected # the e(am)le of the ringleaders++onl#

some more, some less and a few, eing good fellows inthe main, co!ld neither e led nor driven an# f!rther.

It is one thing to e idle and s"!l" and F!ite another

to ta"e a shi) and m!rder a n!mer of innocent men.

At last, however, the )art# was made !). Si( fellows

were to sta# on oard, and the remaining thirteen,

incl!ding Silver, egan to emar".

Then it was that there came into m# head the first of

the mad notions that contri!ted so m!ch to save o!r

lives. If si( men were left # Silver, it was )lain

o!r )art# co!ld not ta"e and fight the shi) and sinceonl# si( were left, it was eF!all# )lain that the cain

)art# had no )resent need of m# assistance. It occ!rredto me at once to go ashore. In a iff# I had sli))ed over

the side and c!rled !) in the fore+sheets of the nearest



oat, and almost at the same moment she shoved off.

No one too" notice of me, onl# the ow oar sa#ing, @Isthat #o!, ?im -ee) #o!r head down.@ !t Silver, from

the other oat, loo"ed shar)l# over and called o!t to"now if that were me and from that moment I egan to

regret what I had done.

The crews raced for the each, !t the oat I was in,

having some start and eing at once the lighter and the

etter manned, shot far ahead of her consort, and theow had str!c" among the shore+side trees and I had

ca!ght a ranch and sw!ng m#self o!t and )l!nged intothe nearest thic"et while Silver and the rest were

still a h!ndred #ards ehind.

@?im, ?im@ I heard him sho!ting.

!t #o! ma# s!))ose I )aid no heed !m)ing, d!c"ing,and rea"ing thro!gh, I ran straight efore m# nose

till I co!ld r!n no longer.

05

The 8irst low

I /AS so )leased at having given the sli) to Long ?ohn

that I egan to eno# m#self and loo" aro!nd me with

some interest on the strange land that I was in.

I had crossed a marsh# tract f!ll of willows,!lr!shes, and odd, o!tlandish, swam)# trees and I had

now come o!t !)on the s"irts of an o)en )iece of!nd!lating, sand# co!ntr#, ao!t a mile long, dotted

with a few )ines and a great n!mer of contorted trees,

not !nli"e the oa" in growth, !t )ale in the foliage,

li"e willows. On the far side of the o)en stood one ofthe hills, with two F!aint, cragg# )ea"s shining

vividl# in the s!n.

I now felt for the first time the o# of e()loration.

The isle was !ninhaited m# shi)mates I had left

ehind, and nothing lived in front of me !t d!mr!tes and fowls. I t!rned hither and thither among

the trees. $ere and there were flowering )lants,

!n"nown to me here and there I saw sna"es, and oneraised his head from a ledge of roc" and hissed at mewith a noise not !nli"e the s)inning of a to). Little

did I s!))ose that he was a deadl# enem# and that the

noise was the famo!s rattle.

Then I came to a long thic"et of these oa"li"e trees++

live, or evergreen, oa"s, I heard afterwards the#sho!ld e called++which grew low along the sand li"e

ramles, the o!ghs c!rio!sl# twisted, the foliage



com)act, li"e thatch. The thic"et stretched down from

the to) of one of the sand# "nolls, s)reading and

growing taller as it went, !ntil it reached the marginof the road, reed# fen, thro!gh which the nearest of

the little rivers soa"ed its wa# into the anchorage.The marsh was steaming in the strong s!n, and the

o!tline of the S)#+glass tremled thro!gh the haJe.

All at once there egan to go a sort of !stle among

the !lr!shes a wild d!c" flew !) with a F!ac",

another followed, and soon over the whole s!rface ofthe marsh a great clo!d of irds h!ng screaming and

circling in the air. I !dged at once that some of m#shi)mates m!st e drawing near along the orders of the

fen. Nor was I deceived, for soon I heard the ver#

distant and low tones of a h!man voice, which, as I

contin!ed to give ear, grew steadil# lo!der and nearer.

This )!t me in a great fear, and I crawled !nder coverof the nearest live+oa" and sF!atted there, hear"ening,

as silent as a mo!se.

Another voice answered, and then the first voice, which

I now recogniJed to e Silver:s, once more too" !) the

stor# and ran on for a long while in a stream, onl# nowand again interr!)ted # the other. # the so!nd the#

m!st have een tal"ing earnestl#, and almost fiercel#!t no distinct word came to m# hearing.

At last the s)ea"ers seemed to have )a!sed and )erha)s

to have sat down, for not onl# did the# cease to drawan# nearer, !t the irds themselves egan to grow more

F!iet and to settle again to their )laces in the swam).

And now I egan to feel that I was neglecting m# !siness,that since I had een so foolhard# as to come ashore with

these des)eradoes, the least I co!ld do was to overhear

them at their co!ncils, and that m# )lain and ovio!s d!t#

was to draw as close as I co!ld manage, !nder the favo!raleam!sh of the cro!ching trees.

I co!ld tell the direction of the s)ea"ers )rett#

e(actl#, not onl# # the so!nd of their voices !t #

the ehavio!r of the few irds that still h!ng in alarm

aove the heads of the intr!ders.

'rawling on all fo!rs, I made steadil# !t slowl#

towards them, till at last, raising m# head to ana)ert!re among the leaves, I co!ld see clear down intoa little green dell eside the marsh, and closel# set

ao!t with trees, where Long ?ohn Silver and another of

the crew stood face to face in conversation.

The s!n eat f!ll !)on them. Silver had thrown his hat

eside him on the gro!nd, and his great, smooth, londface, all shining with heat, was lifted to the other

man:s in a "ind of a))eal.



@1ate,@ he was sa#ing, @it:s eca!se I thin"s gold d!st

of #o!++gold d!st, and #o! ma# la# to that If Ihadn:t too" to #o! li"e )itch, do #o! thin" I:d have

een here a+warning of #o! All:s !)++#o! can:t ma"enor mend it:s to save #o!r nec" that I:m a+s)ea"ing,

and if one of the wild !ns "new it, where:d I e, Tom++now, tell me, where:d I e@

@Silver,@ said the other man++and I oserved he was not

onl# red in the face, !t s)o"e as hoarse as a crow, andhis voice shoo" too, li"e a ta!t ro)e++@Silver,@ sa#s he,

@#o!:re old, and #o!:re honest, or has the name for itand #o!:ve mone# too, which lots of )oor sailors hasn:t

and #o!:re rave, or I:m mistoo". And will #o! tell me

#o!:ll let #o!rself e led awa# with that "ind of a mess

of swas Not #o! As s!re as %od sees me, I:d soonerlose m# hand. If I t!rn agin m# doot#++@

And then all of a s!dden he was interr!)ted # a noise.

I had fo!nd one of the honest hands++well, here, atthat same moment, came news of another. 8ar awa# o!t

in the marsh there arose, all of a s!dden, a so!nd li"e

the cr# of anger, then another on the ac" of it and

then one horrid, long+drawn scream. The roc"s of theS)#+glass re+echoed it a score of times the whole

troo) of marsh+irds rose again, dar"ening heaven, witha sim!ltaneo!s whirr and long after that death #ell

was still ringing in m# rain, silence had re+

estalished its em)ire, and onl# the r!stle of the

redescending irds and the oom of the distant s!rgesdist!red the lang!or of the afternoon.

Tom had lea)ed at the so!nd, li"e a horse at the s)!r,

!t Silver had not win"ed an e#e. $e stood where hewas, resting lightl# on his cr!tch, watching his

com)anion li"e a sna"e ao!t to s)ring.

@?ohn@ said the sailor, stretching o!t his hand.

@$ands off@ cried Silver, lea)ing ac" a #ard, as it seemedto me, with the s)eed and sec!rit# of a trained g#mnast.

@$ands off, if #o! li"e, ?ohn Silver,@ said the other.

@It:s a lac" conscience that can ma"e #o! feared ofme. !t in heaven:s name, tell me, what was that@

@That@ ret!rned Silver, smiling awa#, !t warier thanever, his e#e a mere )in+)oint in his ig face, !tgleaming li"e a cr!m of glass. @That@ Oh, I rec"on

that:ll e Alan.@

And at this )oint Tom flashed o!t li"e a hero.

@Alan@ he cried. @Then rest his so!l for a tr!e seamanAnd as for #o!, ?ohn Silver, long #o!:ve een a mate of

mine, !t #o!:re mate of mine no more. If I die li"e a



dog, I:ll die in m# doot#. <o!:ve "illed Alan, have #o!

-ill me too, if #o! can. !t I defies #o!.@

And with that, this rave fellow t!rned his ac"

directl# on the coo" and set off wal"ing for the each.!t he was not destined to go far. /ith a cr# ?ohn

seiJed the ranch of a tree, whi))ed the cr!tch o!t ofhis arm)it, and sent that !nco!th missile h!rtling

thro!gh the air. It str!c" )oor Tom, )oint foremost,

and with st!nning violence, right etween the sho!lders

in the middle of his ac". $is hands flew !), he gavea sort of gas), and fell.

/hether he were in!red m!ch or little, none co!ld ever

tell. Li"e eno!gh, to !dge from the so!nd, his ac"

was ro"en on the s)ot. !t he had no time given him

to recover. Silver, agile as a mon"e# even witho!t legor cr!tch, was on the to) of him ne(t moment and had

twice !ried his "nife !) to the hilt in thatdefenceless od#. 8rom m# )lace of am!sh, I co!ld

hear him )ant alo!d as he str!c" the lows.

I do not "now what it rightl# is to faint, !t I do "now

that for the ne(t little while the whole world swam awa#

from efore me in a whirling mist Silver and the irds,and the tall S)#+glass hillto), going ro!nd and ro!nd and

to)s#+t!rv# efore m# e#es, and all manner of ells ringingand distant voices sho!ting in m# ear.

/hen I came again to m#self the monster had )!lled

himself together, his cr!tch !nder his arm, his hat!)on his head. ?!st efore him Tom la# motionless !)on

the sward !t the m!rderer minded him not a whit,cleansing his lood+stained "nife the while !)on a wis)

of grass. Ever#thing else was !nchanged, the s!n stillshining mercilessl# on the steaming marsh and the tall

)innacle of the mo!ntain, and I co!ld scarce )ers!ade

m#self that m!rder had een act!all# done and a h!man

life cr!ell# c!t short a moment since efore m# e#es.

!t now ?ohn )!t his hand into his )oc"et, ro!ght o!ta whistle, and lew !)on it several mod!lated lasts

that rang far across the heated air. I co!ld not tell,

of co!rse, the meaning of the signal, !t it instantl#

awo"e m# fears. 1ore men wo!ld e coming. I might ediscovered. The# had alread# slain two of the honest

)eo)le after Tom and Alan, might not I come ne(t

Instantl# I egan to e(tricate m#self and crawl ac"again, with what s)eed and silence I co!ld manage, to

the more o)en )ortion of the wood. As I did so, I

co!ld hear hails coming and going etween the old

!ccaneer and his comrades, and this so!nd of dangerlent me wings. As soon as I was clear of the thic"et,

I ran as I never ran efore, scarce minding thedirection of m# flight, so long as it led me from the

m!rderers and as I ran, fear grew and grew !)on me



!ntil it t!rned into a "ind of frenJ#.

Indeed, co!ld an#one e more entirel# lost than I/hen the g!n fired, how sho!ld I dare to go down to the

oats among those fiends, still smo"ing from their crime/o!ld not the first of them who saw me wring m# nec" li"e

a sni)e:s /o!ld not m# asence itself e an evidenceto them of m# alarm, and therefore of m# fatal "nowledge

It was all over, I tho!ght. %ood+#e to the $IS&ANIOLA

good+#e to the sF!ire, the doctor, and the ca)tain

There was nothing left for me !t death # starvationor death # the hands of the m!tineers.

All this while, as I sa#, I was still r!nning, and

witho!t ta"ing an# notice, I had drawn near to the foot

of the little hill with the two )ea"s and had got into

a )art of the island where the live+oa"s grew morewidel# a)art and seemed more li"e forest trees in their

earing and dimensions. 1ingled with these were a fewscattered )ines, some fift#, some nearer sevent#, feet

high. The air too smelt more freshl# than down esidethe marsh.

And here a fresh alarm ro!ght me to a standstill with

a th!m)ing heart.

07

The 1an of the Island

8RO1 the side of the hill, which was here stee) andston#, a s)o!t of gravel was dislodged and fell

rattling and o!nding thro!gh the trees. 1# e#est!rned instinctivel# in that direction, and I saw a

fig!re lea) with great ra)idit# ehind the tr!n" of a

)ine. /hat it was, whether ear or man or mon"e#, I

co!ld in no wise tell. It seemed dar" and shagg# moreI "new not. !t the terror of this new a))arition

ro!ght me to a stand.

I was now, it seemed, c!t off !)on oth sides ehind

me the m!rderers, efore me this l!r"ing nondescri)t.

And immediatel# I egan to )refer the dangers that I"new to those I "new not. Silver himself a))eared less

terrile in contrast with this creat!re of the woods,

and I t!rned on m# heel, and loo"ing shar)l# ehind meover m# sho!lder, egan to retrace m# ste)s in thedirection of the oats.

Instantl# the fig!re rea))eared, and ma"ing a wide

circ!it, egan to head me off. I was tired, at an#rate !t had I een as fresh as when I rose, I co!ld

see it was in vain for me to contend in s)eed with s!chan adversar#. 8rom tr!n" to tr!n" the creat!re flitted

li"e a deer, r!nning manli"e on two legs, !t !nli"e



an# man that I had ever seen, stoo)ing almost do!le as

it ran. <et a man it was, I co!ld no longer e in

do!t ao!t that.

I egan to recall what I had heard of cannials. I waswithin an ace of calling for hel). !t the mere fact

that he was a man, however wild, had somewhat reass!redme, and m# fear of Silver egan to revive in )ro)ortion.

I stood still, therefore, and cast ao!t for some method

of esca)e and as I was so thin"ing, the recollection of

m# )istol flashed into m# mind. As soon as I rememeredI was not defenceless, co!rage glowed again in m# heart

and I set m# face resol!tel# for this man of the islandand wal"ed ris"l# towards him.

$e was concealed # this time ehind another tree

tr!n" !t he m!st have een watching me closel#, foras soon as I egan to move in his direction he

rea))eared and too" a ste) to meet me. Then hehesitated, drew ac", came forward again, and at last,

to m# wonder and conf!sion, threw himself on his "neesand held o!t his clas)ed hands in s!))lication.

At that I once more sto))ed.

@/ho are #o!@ I as"ed.

@en %!nn,@ he answered, and his voice so!nded hoarse and

aw"ward, li"e a r!st# loc". @I:m )oor en %!nn, I am and

I haven:t s)o"e with a 'hristian these three #ears.@

I co!ld now see that he was a white man li"e m#self and

that his feat!res were even )leasing. $is s"in,wherever it was e()osed, was !rnt # the s!n even his

li)s were lac", and his fair e#es loo"ed F!itestartling in so dar" a face. Of all the eggar+men

that I had seen or fancied, he was the chief for

raggedness. $e was clothed with tatters of old shi):s

canvas and old sea+cloth, and this e(traordinar#)atchwor" was all held together # a s#stem of the most

vario!s and incongr!o!s fastenings, rass !ttons, itsof stic", and loo)s of tarr# gas"in. Ao!t his waist

he wore an old rass+!c"led leather elt, which was

the one thing solid in his whole acco!trement.

@Three #ears@ I cried. @/ere #o! shi)wrec"ed@

@Na#, mate,@ said he @marooned.@

I had heard the word, and I "new it stood for a

horrile "ind of )!nishment common eno!gh among the

!ccaneers, in which the offender is )!t ashore with a

little )owder and shot and left ehind on some desolateand distant island.

@1arooned three #ears agone,@ he contin!ed, @and lived

on goats since then, and erries, and o#sters. /herever



a man is, sa#s I, a man can do for himself. !t, mate,

m# heart is sore for 'hristian diet. <o! mightn:t ha))en

to have a )iece of cheese ao!t #o!, now No /ell,man#:s the long night I:ve dreamed of cheese++toasted,

mostl#++and wo"e !) again, and here I were.@

@If ever I can get aoard again,@ said I, @#o! shallhave cheese # the stone.@

All this time he had een feeling the st!ff of m#

ac"et, smoothing m# hands, loo"ing at m# oots, andgenerall#, in the intervals of his s)eech, showing a

childish )leas!re in the )resence of a fellow creat!re.!t at m# last words he )er"ed !) into a "ind of

startled sl#ness.

@If ever #o! can get aoard again, sa#s #o!@ here)eated. @/h#, now, who:s to hinder #o!@

@Not #o!, I "now,@ was m# re)l#.

@And right #o! was,@ he cried. @Now #o!++what do #o!

call #o!rself, mate@

@?im,@ I told him.

@?im, ?im,@ sa#s he, F!ite )leased a))arentl#. @/ell,now, ?im, I:ve lived that ro!gh as #o!:d e ashamed to

hear of. Now, for instance, #o! wo!ldn:t thin" I had

had a )io!s mother++to loo" at me@ he as"ed.

@/h#, no, not in )artic!lar,@ I answered.

@Ah, well,@ said he, @!t I had++remar"ale )io!s. And

I was a civil, )io!s o#, and co!ld rattle off m#catechism that fast, as #o! co!ldn:t tell one word from

another. And here:s what it come to, ?im, and it eg!n

with ch!c"+farthen on the lessed grave+stones That:s

what it eg!n with, !t it went f!rther:n that and som# mother told me, and )redic"ed the whole, she did, the

)io!s woman !t it were &rovidence that )!t me here.I:ve tho!ght it all o!t in this here lonel# island, and

I:m ac" on )iet#. <o! don:t catch me tasting r!m so

m!ch, !t !st a thimlef!l for l!c", of co!rse, the

first chance I have. I:m o!nd I:ll e good, and I seethe wa# to. And, ?im@++loo"ing all ro!nd him and lowering

his voice to a whis)er++@I:m rich.@

I now felt s!re that the )oor fellow had gone craJ# inhis solit!de, and I s!))ose I m!st have shown the

feeling in m# face, for he re)eated the statement

hotl#* @Rich Rich I sa#s. And I:ll tell #o! what*

I:ll ma"e a man of #o!, ?im. Ah, ?im, #o!:ll less#o!r stars, #o! will, #o! was the first that fo!nd me@

And at this there came s!ddenl# a lowering shadow over

his face, and he tightened his gras) !)on m# hand and



raised a forefinger threateningl# efore m# e#es.

@Now, ?im, #o! tell me tr!e* that ain:t 8lint:s shi)@he as"ed.

At this I had a ha))# ins)iration. I egan to elieve

that I had fo!nd an all#, and I answered him at once.

@It:s not 8lint:s shi), and 8lint is dead !t I:ll

tell #o! tr!e, as #o! as" me++there are some of 8lint:s

hands aoard worse l!c" for the rest of !s.@

@Not a man++with one++leg@ he gas)ed.

@Silver@ I as"ed.

@Ah, Silver@ sa#s he. @That were his name.@

@$e:s the coo", and the ringleader too.@

$e was still holding me # the wrist, and at that hegive it F!ite a wring.

@If #o! was sent # Long ?ohn,@ he said, @I:m as good as

)or", and I "now it. !t where was #o!, do #o! s!))ose@

I had made m# mind !) in a moment, and # wa# of answertold him the whole stor# of o!r vo#age and the

)redicament in which we fo!nd o!rselves. $e heard me

with the "eenest interest, and when I had done he

)atted me on the head.

@<o!:re a good lad, ?im,@ he said @and #o!:re all in aclove hitch, ain:t #o! /ell, #o! !st )!t #o!r tr!st

in en %!nn++en %!nn:s the man to do it. /o!ld #o!thin" it li"el#, now, that #o!r sF!ire wo!ld )rove a

lieral+minded one in case of hel)++him eing in a

clove hitch, as #o! remar"@

I told him the sF!ire was the most lieral of men.

@A#e, !t #o! see,@ ret!rned en %!nn, @I didn:t mean

giving me a gate to "ee), and a s!it of liver# clothes,

and s!ch that:s not m# mar", ?im. /hat I mean is,

wo!ld he e li"el# to come down to the toon of, sa# onetho!sand )o!nds o!t of mone# that:s as good as a man:s

own alread#@

@I am s!re he wo!ld,@ said I. @As it was, all handswere to share.@

@AND a )assage home@ he added with a loo" of great

shrewdness.

@/h#,@ I cried, @the sF!ire:s a gentleman. Andesides, if we got rid of the others, we sho!ld want

#o! to hel) wor" the vessel home.@



@Ah,@ said he, @so #o! wo!ld.@ And he seemed ver# m!ch

relieved.

@Now, I:ll tell #o! what,@ he went on. @So m!ch I:lltell #o!, and no more. I were in 8lint:s shi) when he

!ried the treas!re he and si( along++si( strongseamen. The# was ashore nigh on a wee", and !s

standing off and on in the old /ALRUS. One fine

da# !) went the signal, and here come 8lint # himself

in a little oat, and his head done !) in a l!e scarf.The s!n was getting !), and mortal white he loo"ed

ao!t the c!twater. !t, there he was, #o! mind, andthe si( all dead++dead and !ried. $ow he done it, not

a man aoard !s co!ld ma"e o!t. It was attle, m!rder,

and s!dden death, leastwa#s++him against si(. ill#

ones was the mate Long ?ohn, he was F!artermasterand the# as"ed him where the treas!re was. :Ah,: sa#s

he, :#o! can go ashore, if #o! li"e, and sta#,: hesa#s :!t as for the shi), she:ll eat !) for more, #

th!nder: That:s what he said.

@/ell, I was in another shi) three #ears ac", and we

sighted this island. :o#s,: said I, :here:s 8lint:s

treas!re let:s land and find it.: The ca):n wasdis)leased at that, !t m# messmates were all of a mind

and landed. Twelve da#s the# loo"ed for it, and ever#da# the# had the worse word for me, !ntil one fine

morning all hands went aoard. :As for #o!, enamin

%!nn,: sa#s the#, :here:s a m!s"et,: the# sa#s, :and a

s)ade, and )ic"+a(e. <o! can sta# here and find8lint:s mone# for #o!rself,: the# sa#s.

@/ell, ?im, three #ears have I een here, and not a ite

of 'hristian diet from that da# to this. !t now, #o!loo" here loo" at me. Do I loo" li"e a man efore the

mast No, sa#s #o!. Nor I weren:t, neither, I sa#s.@

And with that he win"ed and )inched me hard.

@?!st #o! mention them words to #o!r sF!ire, ?im,@ he wenton. @Nor he weren:t, neither++that:s the words. Three

#ears he were the man of this island, light and dar", fair

and rain and sometimes he wo!ld ma#e thin" !)on a )ra#er

Gsa#s #o!H, and sometimes he wo!ld ma#e thin" of his oldmother, so e as she:s alive G#o!:ll sa#H !t the most

)art of %!nn:s time Gthis is what #o!:ll sa#H++the most

)art of his time was too" !) with another matter. Andthen #o!:ll give him a ni), li"e I do.@

And he )inched me again in the most confidential manner.

@Then,@ he contin!ed, @then #o!:ll !), and #o!:ll sa#this* %!nn is a good man G#o!:ll sa#H, and he )!ts a

)recio!s sight more confidence++a )recio!s sight, mindthat++in a gen:leman orn than in these gen:leman of

fort!ne, having een one hisself.@



@/ell,@ I said, @I don:t !nderstand one word that

#o!:ve een sa#ing. !t that:s neither here nor therefor how am I to get on oard@

@Ah,@ said he, @that:s the hitch, for s!re. /ell,

there:s m# oat, that I made with m# two hands. I "ee)her !nder the white roc". If the worst come to the

worst, we might tr# that after dar". $i@ he ro"e

o!t. @/hat:s that@

8or !st then, altho!gh the s!n had still an ho!r or

two to r!n, all the echoes of the island awo"e andellowed to the th!nder of a cannon.

@The# have eg!n to fight@ I cried. @8ollow me.@

And I egan to r!n towards the anchorage, m# terrors

all forgotten, while close at m# side the marooned manin his goats"ins trotted easil# and lightl#.

@Left, left,@ sa#s he @"ee) to #o!r left hand, mate

?im Under the trees with #o! Theer:s where I "illed

m# first goat. The# don:t come down here now the#:re

all mastheaded on them mo!ntings for the fear ofenamin %!nn. Ah And there:s the cetemer#@++

cemeter#, he m!st have meant. @<o! see the mo!nds Icome here and )ra#ed, nows and thens, when I tho!ght

ma#e a S!nda# wo!ld e ao!t doo. It weren:t F!ite a

cha)el, !t it seemed more solemn li"e and then, sa#s

#o!, en %!nn was short+handed++no cha)ling, nor som!ch as a ile and a flag, #o! sa#s.@

So he "e)t tal"ing as I ran, neither e()ecting nor

receiving an# answer.

The cannon+shot was followed after a considerale

interval # a volle# of small arms.

Another )a!se, and then, not a F!arter of a mile in

front of me, I eheld the Union ?ac" fl!tter in the airaove a wood.

&ART 8OUR

The Stoc"ade

09

Narrative 'ontin!ed # the Doctor* $ow the

Shi) /as Aandoned



IT was ao!t half )ast one++three ells in the sea

)hrase++that the two oats went ashore from the$IS&ANIOLA. The ca)tain, the sF!ire, and I were

tal"ing matters over in the cain. $ad there een areath of wind, we sho!ld have fallen on the si(

m!tineers who were left aoard with !s, sli))ed o!rcale, and awa# to sea. !t the wind was wanting and

to com)lete o!r hel)lessness, down came $!nter with the

news that ?im $aw"ins had sli))ed into a oat and was

gone ashore with the rest.

It never occ!rred to !s to do!t ?im $aw"ins, !t wewere alarmed for his safet#. /ith the men in the

tem)er the# were in, it seemed an even chance if we

sho!ld see the lad again. /e ran on dec". The )itch

was !ling in the seams the nast# stench of the)lace t!rned me sic" if ever a man smelt fever and

d#senter#, it was in that aominale anchorage. Thesi( sco!ndrels were sitting gr!mling !nder a sail in

the forecastle ashore we co!ld see the gigs made fastand a man sitting in each, hard # where the river r!ns

in. One of them was whistling @Lilli!llero.@

/aiting was a strain, and it was decided that $!nterand I sho!ld go ashore with the oll#+oat in F!est

of information.

The gigs had leaned to their right, !t $!nter and I

)!lled straight in, in the direction of the stoc"ade

!)on the chart. The two who were left g!arding theiroats seemed in a !stle at o!r a))earance @Lilli!llero@

sto))ed off, and I co!ld see the )air disc!ssing whatthe# o!ght to do. $ad the# gone and told Silver, all

might have t!rned o!t differentl# !t the# had theirorders, I s!))ose, and decided to sit F!ietl# where

the# were and har" ac" again to @Lilli!llero.@

There was a slight end in the coast, and I steered soas to )!t it etween !s even efore we landed we had

th!s lost sight of the gigs. I !m)ed o!t and came asnear r!nning as I d!rst, with a ig sil" hand"erchief

!nder m# hat for coolness: sa"e and a race of )istols

read# )rimed for safet#.

I had not gone a h!ndred #ards when I reached the stoc"ade.

This was how it was* a s)ring of clear water rosealmost at the to) of a "noll. /ell, on the "noll, andenclosing the s)ring, the# had cla))ed a sto!t log+

ho!se fit to hold two score of )eo)le on a )inch and

loo)holed for m!s"etr# on either side. All ro!nd this

the# had cleared a wide s)ace, and then the thing wascom)leted # a )aling si( feet high, witho!t door or

o)ening, too strong to )!ll down witho!t time andlao!r and too o)en to shelter the esiegers. The

)eo)le in the log+ho!se had them in ever# wa# the#



stood F!iet in shelter and shot the others li"e

)artridges. All the# wanted was a good watch and food

for, short of a com)lete s!r)rise, the# might have heldthe )lace against a regiment.

/hat )artic!larl# too" m# fanc# was the s)ring. 8or

tho!gh we had a good eno!gh )lace of it in the cain ofthe $IS&ANIOLA, with )lent# of arms and amm!nition,

and things to eat, and e(cellent wines, there had een

one thing overloo"ed++we had no water. I was thin"ing

this over when there came ringing over the island thecr# of a man at the )oint of death. I was not new to

violent death++I have served his Ro#al $ighness theD!"e of '!merland, and got a wo!nd m#self at 8onteno#++

!t I "now m# )!lse went dot and carr# one. @?im

$aw"ins is gone,@ was m# first tho!ght.

It is something to have een an old soldier, !t more

still to have een a doctor. There is no time todill#+dall# in o!r wor". And so now I made !) m# mind

instantl#, and with no time lost ret!rned to the shoreand !m)ed on oard the oll#+oat.

# good fort!ne $!nter )!lled a good oar. /e made the

water fl#, and the oat was soon alongside and I aoardthe schooner.

I fo!nd them all sha"en, as was nat!ral. The sF!ire

was sitting down, as white as a sheet, thin"ing of the

harm he had led !s to, the good so!l And one of the

si( forecastle hands was little etter.

@There:s a man,@ sa#s 'a)tain Smollett, nodding towardshim, @new to this wor". $e came nigh+hand fainting,

doctor, when he heard the cr#. Another to!ch of ther!dder and that man wo!ld oin !s.@

I told m# )lan to the ca)tain, and etween !s we

settled on the details of its accom)lishment.

/e )!t old Redr!th in the galler# etween the cain andthe forecastle, with three or fo!r loaded m!s"ets and a

mattress for )rotection. $!nter ro!ght the oat ro!nd

!nder the stern+)ort, and ?o#ce and I set to wor"

loading her with )owder tins, m!s"ets, ags ofisc!its, "egs of )or", a cas" of cognac, and m#

inval!ale medicine chest.

In the meantime, the sF!ire and the ca)tain sta#ed ondec", and the latter hailed the co(swain, who was the

)rinci)al man aoard.

@1r. $ands,@ he said, @here are two of !s with a raceof )istols each. If an# one of #o! si( ma"e a signal

of an# descri)tion, that man:s dead.@

The# were a good deal ta"en aac", and after a little



cons!ltation one and all t!mled down the fore

com)anion, thin"ing no do!t to ta"e !s on the rear.

!t when the# saw Redr!th waiting for them in thes)arred galle#, the# went ao!t shi) at once, and a

head )o))ed o!t again on dec".

@Down, dog@ cries the ca)tain.

And the head )o))ed ac" again and we heard no more,

for the time, of these si( ver# faint+hearted seamen.

# this time, t!mling things in as the# came, we had

the oll#+oat loaded as m!ch as we dared. ?o#ce and Igot o!t thro!gh the stern+)ort, and we made for shore

again as fast as oars co!ld ta"e !s.

This second tri) fairl# aro!sed the watchers alongshore. @Lilli!llero@ was dro))ed again and !st

efore we lost sight of them ehind the little )oint,one of them whi))ed ashore and disa))eared. I had half

a mind to change m# )lan and destro# their oats, !t Ifeared that Silver and the others might e close at hand,

and all might ver# well e lost # tr#ing for too m!ch.

/e had soon to!ched land in the same )lace as efore andset to )rovision the loc" ho!se. All three made the

first o!rne#, heavil# laden, and tossed o!r stores overthe )alisade. Then, leaving ?o#ce to g!ard them++one man,

to e s!re, !t with half a doJen m!s"ets++ $!nter and I

ret!rned to the oll#+oat and loaded o!rselves once more.

So we )roceeded witho!t )a!sing to ta"e reath, till thewhole cargo was estowed, when the two servants too" !)

their )osition in the loc" ho!se, and I, with all m# )ower,sc!lled ac" to the $IS&ANIOLA.

That we sho!ld have ris"ed a second oat load seems

more daring than it reall# was. The# had the advantage

of n!mers, of co!rse, !t we had the advantage of

arms. Not one of the men ashore had a m!s"et, andefore the# co!ld get within range for )istol shooting,

we flattered o!rselves we sho!ld e ale to give a goodacco!nt of a half+doJen at least.

The sF!ire was waiting for me at the stern window, all

his faintness gone from him. $e ca!ght the )ainter andmade it fast, and we fell to loading the oat for o!r

ver# lives. &or", )owder, and isc!it was the cargo,

with onl# a m!s"et and a c!tlass a)iece for the sF!ireand me and Redr!th and the ca)tain. The rest of thearms and )owder we dro))ed overoard in two fathoms and a

half of water, so that we co!ld see the right steel shining

far elow !s in the s!n, on the clean, sand# ottom.

# this time the tide was eginning to e, and the

shi) was swinging ro!nd to her anchor. >oices wereheard faintl# halloaing in the direction of the two

gigs and tho!gh this reass!red !s for ?o#ce and



$!nter, who were well to the eastward, it warned o!r

)art# to e off.

Redr!th retreated from his )lace in the galler# and

dro))ed into the oat, which we then ro!ght ro!nd tothe shi):s co!nter, to e handier for 'a)tain Smollett.

@Now, men,@ said he, @do #o! hear me@

There was no answer from the forecastle.

@It:s to #o!, Araham %ra#++it:s to #o! I am s)ea"ing.@

Still no re)l#.

@%ra#,@ res!med 1r. Smollett, a little lo!der, @I am

leaving this shi), and I order #o! to follow #o!rca)tain. I "now #o! are a good man at ottom, and I

dare sa# not one of the lot of #o!:s as ad as he ma"eso!t. I have m# watch here in m# hand I give #o!

thirt# seconds to oin me in.@

There was a )a!se.

@'ome, m# fine fellow,@ contin!ed the ca)tain @don:thang so long in sta#s. I:m ris"ing m# life and the

lives of these good gentlemen ever# second.@

There was a s!dden sc!ffle, a so!nd of lows, and o!t !rst

Araham %ra# with a "nife c!t on the side of the chee", and

came r!nning to the ca)tain li"e a dog to the whistle.

@I:m with #o!, sir,@ said he.

And the ne(t moment he and the ca)tain had dro))edaoard of !s, and we had shoved off and given wa#.

/e were clear o!t of the shi), !t not #et ashore in

o!r stoc"ade.

03

Narrative 'ontin!ed # the Doctor* The ?oll#+oat:s Last Tri)

T$IS fifth tri) was F!ite different from an# of theothers. In the first )lace, the little galli)ot of aoat that we were in was gravel# overloaded. 8ive

grown men, and three of them++Trelawne#, Redr!th, and

the ca)tain++over si( feet high, was alread# more than

she was meant to carr#. Add to that the )owder, )or",and read+ags. The g!nwale was li))ing astern.

Several times we shi))ed a little water, and m#reeches and the tails of m# coat were all soa"ing wet

efore we had gone a h!ndred #ards.



The ca)tain made !s trim the oat, and we got her

to lie a little more evenl#. All the same, we wereafraid to reathe.

In the second )lace, the e was now ma"ing++a strong

ri))ling c!rrent r!nning westward thro!gh the asin,and then so!th:ard and seaward down the straits #

which we had entered in the morning. Even the ri))les

were a danger to o!r overloaded craft, !t the worst of

it was that we were swe)t o!t of o!r tr!e co!rse andawa# from o!r )ro)er landing+)lace ehind the )oint.

If we let the c!rrent have its wa# we sho!ld comeashore eside the gigs, where the )irates might a))ear

at an# moment.

@I cannot "ee) her head for the stoc"ade, sir,@ said Ito the ca)tain. I was steering, while he and Redr!th,

two fresh men, were at the oars. @The tide "ee)swashing her down. 'o!ld #o! )!ll a little stronger@

@Not witho!t swam)ing the oat,@ said he. @<o! m!st

ear !), sir, if #o! )lease++ear !) !ntil #o! see

#o!:re gaining.@

I tried and fo!nd # e()eriment that the tide "e)t swee)ing

!s westward !ntil I had laid her head d!e east, or !stao!t right angles to the wa# we o!ght to go.

@/e:ll never get ashore at this rate,@ said I.

@If it:s the onl# co!rse that we can lie, sir, we m!st

even lie it,@ ret!rned the ca)tain. @/e m!st "ee)!)stream. <o! see, sir,@ he went on, @if once we dro))ed

to leeward of the landing+)lace, it:s hard to sa# where wesho!ld get ashore, esides the chance of eing oarded #

the gigs whereas, the wa# we go the c!rrent m!st slac"en,

and then we can dodge ac" along the shore.@

@The c!rrent:s less a:read#, sir,@ said the man %ra#,

who was sitting in the fore+sheets @#o! can ease heroff a it.@

@Than" #o!, m# man,@ said I, F!ite as if nothing had

ha))ened, for we had all F!ietl# made !) o!r minds totreat him li"e one of o!rselves.

S!ddenl# the ca)tain s)o"e !) again, and I tho!ght hisvoice was a little changed.

@The g!n@ said he.

@I have tho!ght of that,@ said I, for I made s!re hewas thin"ing of a omardment of the fort. @The# co!ld

never get the g!n ashore, and if the# did, the# co!ldnever ha!l it thro!gh the woods.@



@Loo" astern, doctor,@ re)lied the ca)tain.

/e had entirel# forgotten the long nine and there, too!r horror, were the five rog!es !s# ao!t her,

getting off her ac"et, as the# called the sto!ttar)a!lin cover !nder which she sailed. Not onl# that,

!t it flashed into m# mind at the same moment that thero!nd+shot and the )owder for the g!n had een left

ehind, and a stro"e with an a(e wo!ld )!t it all into

the )ossession of the evil ones aroad.

@Israel was 8lint:s g!nner,@ said %ra# hoarsel#.

At an# ris", we )!t the oat:s head direct for the

landing+)lace. # this time we had got so far o!t of

the r!n of the c!rrent that we "e)t steerage wa# even

at o!r necessaril# gentle rate of rowing, and I co!ld"ee) her stead# for the goal. !t the worst of it was

that with the co!rse I now held we t!rned o!r roadsideinstead of o!r stern to the $IS&ANIOLA and offered

a target li"e a arn door.

I co!ld hear as well as see that rand#+faced rascal

Israel $ands )l!m)ing down a ro!nd+shot on the dec".

@/ho:s the est shot@ as"ed the ca)tain.

@1r. Trelawne#, o!t and awa#,@ said I.

@1r. Trelawne#, will #o! )lease )ic" me off one of

these men, sir $ands, if )ossile,@ said the ca)tain.

Trelawne# was as cool as steel. $e loo"ed to the)riming of his g!n.

@Now,@ cried the ca)tain, @eas# with that g!n, sir, or

#o!:ll swam) the oat. All hands stand # to trim her

when he aims.@

The sF!ire raised his g!n, the rowing ceased, and we leaned

over to the other side to "ee) the alance, and all was sonicel# contrived that we did not shi) a dro).

The# had the g!n, # this time, slewed ro!nd !)on the

swivel, and $ands, who was at the m!JJle with therammer, was in conseF!ence the most e()osed. $owever,

we had no l!c", for !st as Trelawne# fired, down he

stoo)ed, the all whistled over him, and it was one ofthe other fo!r who fell.

The cr# he gave was echoed not onl# # his com)anions

on oard !t # a great n!mer of voices from the

shore, and loo"ing in that direction I saw the other)irates troo)ing o!t from among the trees and t!mling

into their )laces in the oats.

@$ere come the gigs, sir,@ said I.



@%ive wa#, then,@ cried the ca)tain. @/e m!stn:t mind

if we swam) her now. If we can:t get ashore, all:s !).@

@Onl# one of the gigs is eing manned, sir,@ I added@the crew of the other most li"el# going ro!nd # shore

to c!t !s off.@

@The#:ll have a hot r!n, sir,@ ret!rned the ca)tain.

@?ac" ashore, #o! "now. It:s not them I mind it:s the

ro!nd+shot. 'ar)et owls 1# lad#:s maid co!ldn:tmiss. Tell !s, sF!ire, when #o! see the match, and

we:ll hold water.@

In the meanwhile we had een ma"ing headwa# at a good

)ace for a oat so overloaded, and we had shi))ed !t

little water in the )rocess. /e were now close inthirt# or fort# stro"es and we sho!ld each her, for

the e had alread# disclosed a narrow elt of sandelow the cl!stering trees. The gig was no longer to

e feared the little )oint had alread# concealed itfrom o!r e#es. The e+tide, which had so cr!ell#

dela#ed !s, was now ma"ing re)aration and dela#ing o!r

assailants. The one so!rce of danger was the g!n.

@If I d!rst,@ said the ca)tain, @I:d sto) and )ic"

off another man.@

!t it was )lain that the# meant nothing sho!ld dela#

their shot. The# had never so m!ch as loo"ed at their

fallen comrade, tho!gh he was not dead, and I co!ld seehim tr#ing to crawl awa#.

@Read#@ cried the sF!ire.

@$old@ cried the ca)tain, F!ic" as an echo.

And he and Redr!th ac"ed with a great heave that sent

her stern odil# !nder water. The re)ort fell in at thesame instant of time. This was the first that ?im heard,

the so!nd of the sF!ire:s shot not having reached him./here the all )assed, not one of !s )recisel# "new, !t

I fanc# it m!st have een over o!r heads and that the wind

of it ma# have contri!ted to o!r disaster.

At an# rate, the oat san" # the stern, F!ite gentl#, in

three feet of water, leaving the ca)tain and m#self, facing

each other, on o!r feet. The other three too" com)leteheaders, and came !) again drenched and !ling.

So far there was no great harm. No lives were lost,

and we co!ld wade ashore in safet#. !t there were all

o!r stores at the ottom, and to ma"e things worse,onl# two g!ns o!t of five remained in a state for

service. 1ine I had snatched from m# "nees and heldover m# head, # a sort of instinct. As for the

ca)tain, he had carried his over his sho!lder # a



andoleer, and li"e a wise man, loc" !))ermost. The

other three had gone down with the oat.

To add to o!r concern, we heard voices alread# drawing

near !s in the woods along shore, and we had not onl#the danger of eing c!t off from the stoc"ade in o!r

half+cri))led state !t the fear efore !s whether, if$!nter and ?o#ce were attac"ed # half a doJen, the#

wo!ld have the sense and cond!ct to stand firm. $!nter

was stead#, that we "new ?o#ce was a do!tf!l case++a

)leasant, )olite man for a valet and to r!sh one:sclothes, !t not entirel# fitted for a man of war.

/ith all this in o!r minds, we waded ashore as fast as

we co!ld, leaving ehind !s the )oor oll#+oat and a

good half of all o!r )owder and )rovisions.

0;

Narrative 'ontin!ed # the Doctor* End of the

8irst Da#:s 8ighting

/E made o!r est s)eed across the stri) of wood thatnow divided !s from the stoc"ade, and at ever# ste) we

too" the voices of the !ccaneers rang nearer. Soon weco!ld hear their footfalls as the# ran and the crac"ing

of the ranches as the# reasted across a it of thic"et.

I egan to see we sho!ld have a r!sh for it in earnestand loo"ed to m# )riming.

@'a)tain,@ said I, @Trelawne# is the dead shot. %ive

him #o!r g!n his own is !seless.@

The# e(changed g!ns, and Trelawne#, silent and cool as

he had een since the eginning of the !stle, h!ng a

moment on his heel to see that all was fit for service.At the same time, oserving %ra# to e !narmed, I

handed him m# c!tlass. It did all o!r hearts good tosee him s)it in his hand, "nit his rows, and ma"e the

lade sing thro!gh the air. It was )lain from ever#

line of his od# that o!r new hand was worth his salt.

8ort# )aces farther we came to the edge of the wood and

saw the stoc"ade in front of !s. /e str!c" the

enclos!re ao!t the middle of the so!th side, andalmost at the same time, seven m!tineers++?o Anderson,the oatswain, at their head++a))eared in f!ll cr# at

the so!thwestern corner.

The# )a!sed as if ta"en aac", and efore the# recovered,not onl# the sF!ire and I, !t $!nter and ?o#ce from the

loc" ho!se, had time to fire. The fo!r shots came inrather a scattering volle#, !t the# did the !siness*

one of the enem# act!all# fell, and the rest, witho!t



hesitation, t!rned and )l!nged into the trees.

After reloading, we wal"ed down the o!tside of the)alisade to see to the fallen enem#. $e was stone

dead++shot thro!gh the heart.

/e egan to reoice over o!r good s!ccess when !st atthat moment a )istol crac"ed in the !sh, a all

whistled close )ast m# ear, and )oor Tom Redr!th

st!mled and fell his length on the gro!nd. oth the

sF!ire and I ret!rned the shot, !t as we had nothingto aim at, it is )roale we onl# wasted )owder. Then

we reloaded and t!rned o!r attention to )oor Tom.

The ca)tain and %ra# were alread# e(amining him, and I

saw with half an e#e that all was over.

I elieve the readiness of o!r ret!rn volle# had

scattered the m!tineers once more, for we were s!fferedwitho!t f!rther molestation to get the )oor old

game"ee)er hoisted over the stoc"ade and carried,groaning and leeding, into the log+ho!se.

&oor old fellow, he had not !ttered one word of s!r)rise,

com)laint, fear, or even acF!iescence from the ver#eginning of o!r tro!les till now, when we had laid him

down in the log+ho!se to die. $e had lain li"e a Troanehind his mattress in the galler# he had followed ever#

order silentl#, doggedl#, and well he was the oldest of

o!r )art# # a score of #ears and now, s!llen, old,

serviceale servant, it was he that was to die.

The sF!ire dro))ed down eside him on his "nees and"issed his hand, cr#ing li"e a child.

@e I going, doctor@ he as"ed.

@Tom, m# man,@ said I, @#o!:re going home.@

@I wish I had had a lic" at them with the g!n first,@

he re)lied.

@Tom,@ said the sF!ire, @sa# #o! forgive me, won:t #o!@

@/o!ld that e res)ectf!l li"e, from me to #o!,sF!ire@ was the answer. @$owsoever, so e it, amen@

After a little while of silence, he said he tho!ghtsomeod# might read a )ra#er. @It:s the c!stom, sir,@he added a)ologeticall#. And not long after, witho!t

another word, he )assed awa#.

In the meantime the ca)tain, whom I had oserved to ewonderf!ll# swollen ao!t the chest and )oc"ets, had

t!rned o!t a great man# vario!s stores++the ritishcolo!rs, a ile, a coil of sto!tish ro)e, )en, in",

the log+oo", and )o!nds of toacco. $e had fo!nd a



longish fir+tree l#ing felled and trimmed in the

enclos!re, and with the hel) of $!nter he had set it !)

at the corner of the log+ho!se where the tr!n"s crossedand made an angle. Then, climing on the roof, he had

with his own hand ent and r!n !) the colo!rs.

This seemed mightil# to relieve him. $e re+entered thelog+ho!se and set ao!t co!nting !) the stores as if

nothing else e(isted. !t he had an e#e on Tom:s )assage

for all that, and as soon as all was over, came forward

with another flag and reverentl# s)read it on the od#.

@Don:t #o! ta"e on, sir,@ he said, sha"ing the sF!ire:shand. @All:s well with him no fear for a hand that:s

een shot down in his d!t# to ca)tain and owner. It

ma#n:t e good divinit#, !t it:s a fact.@

Then he )!lled me aside.

@Dr. Livese#,@ he said, @in how man# wee"s do #o! and

sF!ire e()ect the consort@

I told him it was a F!estion not of wee"s !t of

months, that if we were not ac" # the end of A!g!st

landl# was to send to find !s, !t neither sooner norlater. @<o! can calc!late for #o!rself,@ I said.

@/h#, #es,@ ret!rned the ca)tain, scratching his head

@and ma"ing a large allowance, sir, for all the gifts

of &rovidence, I sho!ld sa# we were )rett# close ha!led.@

@$ow do #o! mean@ I as"ed.

@It:s a )it#, sir, we lost that second load. That:s

what I mean,@ re)lied the ca)tain. @As for )owder andshot, we:ll do. !t the rations are short, ver# short++

so short, Dr. Livese#, that we:re )erha)s as well

witho!t that e(tra mo!th.@

And he )ointed to the dead od# !nder the flag.

?!st then, with a roar and a whistle, a ro!nd+shot

)assed high aove the roof of the log+ho!se and )l!m)ed

far e#ond !s in the wood.

@Oho@ said the ca)tain. @laJe awa# <o!:ve little

eno!gh )owder alread#, m# lads.@

At the second trial, the aim was etter, and the alldescended inside the stoc"ade, scattering a clo!d of

sand !t doing no f!rther damage.

@'a)tain,@ said the sF!ire, @the ho!se is F!iteinvisile from the shi). It m!st e the flag the# are

aiming at. /o!ld it not e wiser to ta"e it in@

@Stri"e m# colo!rs@ cried the ca)tain. @No, sir, not I@



and as soon as he had said the words, I thin" we all agreed

with him. 8or it was not onl# a )iece of sto!t, seamanl#,

good feeling it was good )olic# esides and showed o!renemies that we des)ised their cannonade.

All thro!gh the evening the# "e)t th!ndering awa#.

all after all flew over or fell short or "ic"ed !)the sand in the enclos!re, !t the# had to fire so high

that the shot fell dead and !ried itself in the soft

sand. /e had no ricochet to fear, and tho!gh one

)o))ed in thro!gh the roof of the log+ho!se and o!tagain thro!gh the floor, we soon got !sed to that sort

of horse+)la# and minded it no more than cric"et.

@There is one good thing ao!t all this,@ oserved the

ca)tain @the wood in front of !s is li"el# clear. The

e has made a good while o!r stores sho!ld e!ncovered. >ol!nteers to go and ring in )or".

%ra# and h!nter were the first to come forward. /ell

armed, the# stole o!t of the stoc"ade, !t it )roved a!seless mission. The m!tineers were older than we

fancied or the# )!t more tr!st in Israel:s g!nner#.

8or fo!r or five of them were !s# carr#ing off o!r

stores and wading o!t with them to one of the gigs thatla# close #, )!lling an oar or so to hold her stead#

against the c!rrent. Silver was in the stern+sheets incommand and ever# man of them was now )rovided with a

m!s"et from some secret magaJine of their own.

The ca)tain sat down to his log, and here is theeginning of the entr#*

Ale(ander Smollett, master David Livese#, shi):s

doctor Araham %ra#, car)enter:s mate ?ohn Trelawne#, owner ?ohn $!nter and Richard ?o#ce,

owner:s servants, landsmen++eing all that is left

faithf!l of the shi):s com)an#++with stores for ten

da#s at short rations, came ashore this da# and flew ritish colo!rs on the log+ho!se in Treas!re Island.

Thomas Redr!th, owner:s servant, landsman, shot # the m!tineers ?ames $aw"ins, cain+o#++

And at the same time, I was wondering over )oor ?im

$aw"ins: fate.

A hail on the land side.

@Someod# hailing !s,@ said $!nter, who was on g!ard.

@Doctor SF!ire 'a)tain $!llo, $!nter, is that

#o!@ came the cries.

And I ran to the door in time to see ?im $aw"ins, safe

and so!nd, come climing over the stoc"ade.



0=

Narrative Res!med # ?im $aw"ins* The %arrison

in the Stoc"ade

AS soon as en %!nn saw the colo!rs he came to a halt,sto))ed me # the arm, and sat down.

@Now,@ said he, @there:s #o!r friends, s!re eno!gh.@

@8ar more li"el# it:s the m!tineers,@ I answered.

@That@ he cried. @/h#, in a )lace li"e this, where

nood# )!ts in !t gen:lemen of fort!ne, Silver wo!ld

fl# the ?oll# Roger, #o! don:t ma"e no do!t of that.

No, that:s #o!r friends. There:s een lows too, and Irec"on #o!r friends has had the est of it and here

the# are ashore in the old stoc"ade, as was made #earsand #ears ago # 8lint. Ah, he was the man to have a

head)iece, was 8lint arring r!m, his match werenever seen. $e were afraid of none, not he on:#

Silver++Silver was that genteel.@

@/ell,@ said I, @that ma# e so, and so e it all themore reason that I sho!ld h!rr# on and oin m# friends.@

@Na#, mate,@ ret!rned en, @not #o!. <o!:re a good

o#, or I:m mistoo" !t #o!:re on:# a o#, all told.

Now, en %!nn is fl#. R!m wo!ldn:t ring me there,

where #o!:re going++not r!m wo!ldn:t, till I see #o!rorn gen:leman and gets it on his word of hono!r. And

#o! won:t forget m# words :A )recio!s sight Gthat:swhat #o!:ll sa#H, a )recio!s sight more confidence:++

and then ni)s him.

And he )inched me the third time with the same air

of cleverness.

@And when en %!nn is wanted, #o! "now where to find

him, ?im. ?!st wheer #o! fo!nd him toda#. And himthat comes is to have a white thing in his hand, and

he:s to come alone. Oh And #o!:ll sa# this* :en

%!nn,: sa#s #o!, :has reasons of his own.:@

@/ell,@ said I, @I elieve I !nderstand. <o! have

something to )ro)ose, and #o! wish to see the sF!ire or

the doctor, and #o!:re to e fo!nd where I fo!nd #o!.Is that all@

@And when sa#s #o!,@ he added. @/h#, from ao!t noon

oservation to ao!t si( ells.@

@%ood,@ said I, @and now ma# I go@

@<o! won:t forget@ he inF!ired an(io!sl#. @&recio!s

sight, and reasons of his own, sa#s #o!. Reasons of



his own that:s the mainsta# as etween man and man.

/ell, then@++still holding me++@I rec"on #o! can go,

?im. And, ?im, if #o! was to see Silver, #o! wo!ldn:tgo for to sell en %!nn /ild horses wo!ldn:t draw it

from #o! No, sa#s #o!. And if them )irates cam)ashore, ?im, what wo!ld #o! sa# !t there:d e widders

in the morning@

$ere he was interr!)ted # a lo!d re)ort, and a

cannonall came tearing thro!gh the trees and )itched

in the sand not a h!ndred #ards from where we two weretal"ing. The ne(t moment each of !s had ta"en to his

heels in a different direction.

8or a good ho!r to come freF!ent re)orts shoo" the

island, and alls "e)t crashing thro!gh the woods. I

moved from hiding+)lace to hiding+)lace, alwa#s)!rs!ed, or so it seemed to me, # these terrif#ing

missiles. !t towards the end of the omardment,tho!gh still I d!rst not vent!re in the direction of

the stoc"ade, where the alls fell oftenest, I hadeg!n, in a manner, to )l!c" !) m# heart again, and

after a long deto!r to the east, cre)t down among the

shore+side trees.

The s!n had !st set, the sea reeJe was r!stling and

t!mling in the woods and r!ffling the gre# s!rface ofthe anchorage the tide, too, was far o!t, and great

tracts of sand la# !ncovered the air, after the heat

of the da#, chilled me thro!gh m# ac"et.

The $IS&ANIOLA still la# where she had anchored !t, s!re

eno!gh, there was the ?oll# Roger++the lac" flag of )irac#++fl#ing from her )ea". Even as I loo"ed, there came another

red flash and another re)ort that sent the echoes clattering,and one more ro!nd+shot whistled thro!gh the air. It was the

last of the cannonade.

I la# for some time watching the !stle which s!cceededthe attac". 1en were demolishing something with a(es

on the each near the stoc"ade++the )oor oll#+oat, Iafterwards discovered. Awa#, near the mo!th of the

river, a great fire was glowing among the trees, and

etween that )oint and the shi) one of the gigs "e)t

coming and going, the men, whom I had seen so gloom#,sho!ting at the oars li"e children. !t there was a

so!nd in their voices which s!ggested r!m.

At length I tho!ght I might ret!rn towards thestoc"ade. I was )rett# far down on the low, sand# s)it

that encloses the anchorage to the east, and is oined

at half+water to S"eleton Island and now, as I rose to

m# feet, I saw, some distance f!rther down the s)it andrising from among low !shes, an isolated roc", )rett#

high, and )ec!liarl# white in colo!r. It occ!rred tome that this might e the white roc" of which en %!nn

had s)o"en and that some da# or other a oat might e



wanted and I sho!ld "now where to loo" for one.

Then I s"irted among the woods !ntil I had regained therear, or shoreward side, of the stoc"ade, and was soon

warml# welcomed # the faithf!l )art#.

I had soon told m# stor# and egan to loo" ao!t me.The log+ho!se was made of !nsF!ared tr!n"s of )ine++

roof, walls, and floor. The latter stood in several

)laces as m!ch as a foot or a foot and a half aove the

s!rface of the sand. There was a )orch at the door,and !nder this )orch the little s)ring welled !) into

an artificial asin of a rather odd "ind++no other thana great shi):s "ettle of iron, with the ottom "noc"ed

o!t, and s!n" @to her earings,@ as the ca)tain said,

among the sand.

Little had een left esides the framewor" of the

ho!se, !t in one corner there was a stone sla laiddown # wa# of hearth and an old r!st# iron as"et to

contain the fire.

The slo)es of the "noll and all the inside of the

stoc"ade had een cleared of timer to !ild the ho!se,

and we co!ld see # the st!m)s what a fine and loft#grove had een destro#ed. 1ost of the soil had een

washed awa# or !ried in drift after the removal of thetrees onl# where the streamlet ran down from the

"ettle a thic" ed of moss and some ferns and little

cree)ing !shes were still green among the sand. >er#

close aro!nd the stoc"ade++too close for defence, the#said++the wood still flo!rished high and dense, all of

fir on the land side, !t towards the sea with a largeadmi(t!re of live+oa"s.

The cold evening reeJe, of which I have s)o"en,

whistled thro!gh ever# chin" of the r!de !ilding and

s)rin"led the floor with a contin!al rain of fine sand.

There was sand in o!r e#es, sand in o!r teeth, sand ino!r s!))ers, sand dancing in the s)ring at the ottom

of the "ettle, for all the world li"e )orridgeeginning to oil. O!r chimne# was a sF!are hole in

the roof it was !t a little )art of the smo"e that

fo!nd its wa# o!t, and the rest eddied ao!t the ho!se

and "e)t !s co!ghing and )i)ing the e#e.

Add to this that %ra#, the new man, had his face tied

!) in a andage for a c!t he had got in rea"ing awa#from the m!tineers and that )oor old Tom Redr!th, still!n!ried, la# along the wall, stiff and star", !nder

the Union ?ac".

If we had een allowed to sit idle, we sho!ld all havefallen in the l!es, !t 'a)tain Smollett was never the

man for that. All hands were called !) efore him, andhe divided !s into watches. The doctor and %ra# and I

for one the sF!ire, $!nter, and ?o#ce !)on the other.



Tired tho!gh we all were, two were sent o!t for

firewood two more were set to dig a grave for Redr!th

the doctor was named coo" I was )!t sentr# at the doorand the ca)tain himself went from one to another, "ee)ing

!) o!r s)irits and lending a hand wherever it was wanted.

8rom time to time the doctor came to the door for a littleair and to rest his e#es, which were almost smo"ed o!t of

his head, and whenever he did so, he had a word for me.

@That man Smollett,@ he said once, @is a etter manthan I am. And when I sa# that it means a deal, ?im.@

Another time he came and was silent for a while. Then

he )!t his head on one side, and loo"ed at me.

@Is this en %!nn a man@ he as"ed.

@I do not "now, sir,@ said I. @I am not ver# s!rewhether he:s sane.@

@If there:s an# do!t ao!t the matter, he is,@ ret!rned

the doctor. @A man who has een three #ears iting his

nails on a desert island, ?im, can:t e()ect to a))ear as

sane as #o! or me. It doesn:t lie in h!man nat!re. /asit cheese #o! said he had a fanc# for@

@<es, sir, cheese,@ I answered.

@/ell, ?im,@ sa#s he, @!st see the good that comes of

eing daint# in #o!r food. <o!:ve seen m# sn!ff+o(,haven:t #o! And #o! never saw me ta"e sn!ff, the

reason eing that in m# sn!ff+o( I carr# a )iece of&armesan cheese++a cheese made in Ital#, ver#

n!tritio!s. /ell, that:s for en %!nn@

efore s!))er was eaten we !ried old Tom in the sand

and stood ro!nd him for a while are+headed in the

reeJe. A good deal of firewood had een got in, !tnot eno!gh for the ca)tain:s fanc#, and he shoo" his

head over it and told !s we @m!st get ac" to thistomorrow rather livelier.@ Then, when we had eaten o!r

)or" and each had a good stiff glass of rand# grog,

the three chiefs got together in a corner to disc!ss

o!r )ros)ects.

It a))ears the# were at their wits: end what to do, the

stores eing so low that we m!st have een starved intos!rrender long efore hel) came. !t o!r est ho)e, itwas decided, was to "ill off the !ccaneers !ntil the#

either ha!led down their flag or ran awa# with the

$IS&ANIOLA. 8rom nineteen the# were alread# red!ced

to fifteen, two others were wo!nded, and one at least++the man shot eside the g!n++severel# wo!nded, if he

were not dead. Ever# time we had a crac" at them, wewere to ta"e it, saving o!r own lives, with the

e(tremest care. And esides that, we had two ale



allies++r!m and the climate.

As for the first, tho!gh we were ao!t half a mileawa#, we co!ld hear them roaring and singing late into

the night and as for the second, the doctor sta"ed hiswig that, cam)ed where the# were in the marsh and

!n)rovided with remedies, the half of them wo!ld e ontheir ac"s efore a wee".

@So,@ he added, @if we are not all shot down first the#:ll

e glad to e )ac"ing in the schooner. It:s alwa#s a shi),and the# can get to !ccaneering again, I s!))ose.@

@8irst shi) that ever I lost,@ said 'a)tain Smollett.

I was dead tired, as #o! ma# fanc# and when I got to

slee), which was not till after a great deal oftossing, I sle)t li"e a log of wood.

The rest had long een !) and had alread# rea"fasted and

increased the )ile of firewood # ao!t half as m!ch againwhen I was wa"ened # a !stle and the so!nd of voices.

@8lag of tr!ce@ I heard someone sa# and then, immediatel#

after, with a cr# of s!r)rise, @Silver himself@

And at that, !) I !m)ed, and r!ing m# e#es, ran to aloo)hole in the wall.

26

Silver:s Emass#

SURE eno!gh, there were two men !st o!tside the stoc"ade,

one of them waving a white cloth, the other, no less a

)erson than Silver himself, standing )lacidl# #.

It was still F!ite earl#, and the coldest morning that

I thin" I ever was aroad in++a chill that )ierced intothe marrow. The s"# was right and clo!dless overhead,

and the to)s of the trees shone rosil# in the s!n. !t

where Silver stood with his lie!tenant, all was still

in shadow, and the# waded "nee+dee) in a low whiteva)o!r that had crawled d!ring the night o!t of the

morass. The chill and the va)o!r ta"en together told a

)oor tale of the island. It was )lainl# a dam),feverish, !nhealth# s)ot.

@-ee) indoors, men,@ said the ca)tain. @Ten to one

this is a tric".@

Then he hailed the !ccaneer.

@/ho goes Stand, or we fire.@



@8lag of tr!ce,@ cried Silver.

The ca)tain was in the )orch, "ee)ing himself caref!ll#o!t of the wa# of a treachero!s shot, sho!ld an# e

intended. $e t!rned and s)o"e to !s, @Doctor:s watchon the loo"o!t. Dr. Livese# ta"e the north side, if

#o! )lease ?im, the east %ra#, west. The watch elow,all hands to load m!s"ets. Livel#, men, and caref!l.@

And then he t!rned again to the m!tineers.

@And what do #o! want with #o!r flag of tr!ce@ he cried.

This time it was the other man who re)lied.

@'a):n Silver, sir, to come on oard and ma"e terms,@

he sho!ted.

@'a):n Silver Don:t "now him. /ho:s he@ cried theca)tain. And we co!ld hear him adding to himself,

@'a):n, is it 1# heart, and here:s )romotion@

Long ?ohn answered for himself. @1e, sir. These )oor

lads have chosen me ca):n, after #o!r desertion, sir@++

la#ing a )artic!lar em)hasis !)on the word @desertion.@@/e:re willing to s!mit, if we can come to terms, and

no ones ao!t it. All I as" is #o!r word, 'a):nSmollett, to let me safe and so!nd o!t of this here

stoc"ade, and one min!te to get o!t o: shot efore a

g!n is fired.@

@1# man,@ said 'a)tain Smollett, @I have not the slightest

desire to tal" to #o!. If #o! wish to tal" to me, #o! cancome, that:s all. If there:s an# treacher#, it:ll e on

#o!r side, and the Lord hel) #o!.@

@That:s eno!gh, ca):n,@ sho!ted Long ?ohn cheeril#. @A

word from #o!:s eno!gh. I "now a gentleman, and #o!

ma# la# to that.@

/e co!ld see the man who carried the flag of tr!ceattem)ting to hold Silver ac". Nor was that

wonderf!l, seeing how cavalier had een the ca)tain:s

answer. !t Silver la!ghed at him alo!d and sla))ed

him on the ac" as if the idea of alarm had eenas!rd. Then he advanced to the stoc"ade, threw over

his cr!tch, got a leg !), and with great vigo!r and

s"ill s!cceeded in s!rmo!nting the fence and dro))ingsafel# to the other side.

I will confess that I was far too m!ch ta"en !) with

what was going on to e of the slightest !se as sentr#

indeed, I had alread# deserted m# eastern loo)hole andcre)t !) ehind the ca)tain, who had now seated himself

on the threshold, with his elows on his "nees, hishead in his hands, and his e#es fi(ed on the water as

it !led o!t of the old iron "ettle in the sand. $e



was whistling @'ome, Lasses and Lads.@

Silver had terrile hard wor" getting !) the "noll./hat with the stee)ness of the incline, the thic" tree

st!m)s, and the soft sand, he and his cr!tch were ashel)less as a shi) in sta#s. !t he st!c" to it li"e a

man in silence, and at last arrived efore the ca)tain,whom he sal!ted in the handsomest st#le. $e was

tric"ed o!t in his est an immense l!e coat, thic"

with rass !ttons, h!ng as low as to his "nees, and a

fine laced hat was set on the ac" of his head.

@$ere #o! are, m# man,@ said the ca)tain, raising hishead. @<o! had etter sit down.@

@<o! ain:t a+going to let me inside, ca):n@ com)lained

Long ?ohn. @It:s a main cold morning, to e s!re, sir,to sit o!tside !)on the sand.@

@/h#, Silver,@ said the ca)tain, @if #o! had )leased to

e an honest man, #o! might have een sitting in #o!rgalle#. It:s #o!r own doing. <o!:re either m# shi):s

coo"++and then #o! were treated handsome++or 'a):n Silver,

a common m!tineer and )irate, and then #o! can go hang@

@/ell, well, ca):n,@ ret!rned the sea+coo", sitting

down as he was idden on the sand, @#o!:ll have to giveme a hand !) again, that:s all. A sweet )rett# )lace

#o! have of it here. Ah, there:s ?im The to) of the

morning to #o!, ?im. Doctor, here:s m# service. /h#,

there #o! all are together li"e a ha))# famil#, in amanner of s)ea"ing.@

@If #o! have an#thing to sa#, m# man, etter sa# it,@

said the ca)tain.

@Right #o! were, 'a):n Smollett,@ re)lied Silver.

@Doot# is doot#, to e s!re. /ell now, #o! loo" here,

that was a good la# of #o!rs last night. I don:t den#it was a good la#. Some of #o! )rett# hand# with a

hands)i"e+end. And I:ll not den# neither !t what someof m# )eo)le was shoo"++ma#e all was shoo" ma#e I

was shoo" m#self ma#e that:s wh# I:m here for terms.

!t #o! mar" me, ca):n, it won:t do twice, # th!nder

/e:ll have to do sentr#+go and ease off a )oint or soon the r!m. 1a#e #o! thin" we were all a sheet in the

wind:s e#e. !t I:ll tell #o! I was soer I was on:#

dog tired and if I:d awo"e a second sooner, I:d :aca!ght #o! at the act, I wo!ld. $e wasn:t dead when Igot ro!nd to him, not he.@

@/ell@ sa#s 'a)tain Smollett as cool as can e.

All that Silver said was a riddle to him, !t #o! wo!ld

never have g!essed it from his tone. As for me, Iegan to have an in"ling. en %!nn:s last words came

ac" to m# mind. I egan to s!))ose that he had )aid





first shi) I sight, and send :em here to )ic" #o! !).

Now, #o!:ll own that:s tal"ing. $andsomer #o! co!ldn:t

loo" to get, now #o!. And I ho)e@++raising his voice++@that all hands in this here loc" ho!se will overha!l

m# words, for what is s)o"e to one is s)o"e to all.@

'a)tain Smollett rose from his seat and "noc"ed o!t theashes of his )i)e in the )alm of his left hand.

@Is that all@ he as"ed.

@Ever# last word, # th!nder@ answered ?ohn. @Ref!se

that, and #o!:ve seen the last of me !t m!s"et+alls.@

@>er# good,@ said the ca)tain. @Now #o!:ll hear me.

If #o!:ll come !) one # one, !narmed, I:ll engage to

cla) #o! all in irons and ta"e #o! home to a fair trialin England. If #o! won:t, m# name is Ale(ander

Smollett, I:ve flown m# sovereign:s colo!rs, and I:llsee #o! all to Dav# ?ones. <o! can:t find the

treas!re. <o! can:t sail the shi)++there:s not a manamong #o! fit to sail the shi). <o! can:t fight !s++

%ra#, there, got awa# from five of #o!. <o!r shi):s in

irons, 1aster Silver #o!:re on a lee shore, and so

#o!:ll find. I stand here and tell #o! so and the#:rethe last good words #o!:ll get from me, for in the name

of heaven, I:ll )!t a !llet in #o!r ac" when ne(t Imeet #o!. Tram), m# lad. !ndle o!t of this, )lease,

hand over hand, and do!le F!ic".@

Silver:s face was a )ict!re his e#es started in hishead with wrath. $e shoo" the fire o!t of his )i)e.

@%ive me a hand !)@ he cried.

@Not I,@ ret!rned the ca)tain.

@/ho:ll give me a hand !)@ he roared.

Not a man among !s moved. %rowling the fo!lest

im)recations, he crawled along the sand till he gothold of the )orch and co!ld hoist himself again !)on

his cr!tch. Then he s)at into the s)ring.

@There@ he cried. @That:s what I thin" of #e. eforean ho!r:s o!t, I:ll stove in #o!r old loc" ho!se li"e

a r!m )!ncheon. La!gh, # th!nder, la!gh efore an

ho!r:s o!t, #e:ll la!gh !)on the other side. Them thatdie:ll e the l!c"# ones.@

And with a dreadf!l oath he st!mled off, )lo!ghed down

the sand, was hel)ed across the stoc"ade, after fo!r or

five fail!res, # the man with the flag of tr!ce, anddisa))eared in an instant afterwards among the trees.



20

The Attac"

AS soon as Silver disa))eared, the ca)tain, who hadeen closel# watching him, t!rned towards the interior

of the ho!se and fo!nd not a man of !s at his )ost !t%ra#. It was the first time we had ever seen him angr#.

@B!arters@ he roared. And then, as we all sl!n" ac"

to o!r )laces, @%ra#,@ he said, @I:ll )!t #o!r name inthe log #o!:ve stood # #o!r d!t# li"e a seaman. 1r.

Trelawne#, I:m s!r)rised at #o!, sir. Doctor, I tho!ght#o! had worn the "ing:s coat If that was how #o! served

at 8onteno#, sir, #o!:d have een etter in #o!r erth.@

The doctor:s watch were all ac" at their loo)holes,the rest were !s# loading the s)are m!s"ets, and

ever#one with a red face, #o! ma# e certain, and aflea in his ear, as the sa#ing is.

The ca)tain loo"ed on for a while in silence. Then

he s)o"e.

@1# lads,@ said he, @I:ve given Silver a roadside. I)itched it in red+hot on )!r)ose and efore the ho!r:s

o!t, as he said, we shall e oarded. /e:reo!tn!mered, I needn:t tell #o! that, !t we fight in

shelter and a min!te ago I sho!ld have said we fo!ght

with disci)line. I:ve no manner of do!t that we can

dr! them, if #o! choose.@

Then he went the ro!nds and saw, as he said, that allwas clear.

On the two short sides of the ho!se, east and west,

there were onl# two loo)holes on the so!th side where

the )orch was, two again and on the north side, five.

There was a ro!nd score of m!s"ets for the seven of !sthe firewood had een !ilt into fo!r )iles++tales,

#o! might sa#++one ao!t the middle of each side, andon each of these tales some amm!nition and fo!r loaded

m!s"ets were laid read# to the hand of the defenders.

In the middle, the c!tlasses la# ranged.

@Toss o!t the fire,@ said the ca)tain @the chill is

)ast, and we m!stn:t have smo"e in o!r e#es.@

The iron fire+as"et was carried odil# o!t # 1r.Trelawne#, and the emers smothered among sand.

@$aw"ins hasn:t had his rea"fast. $aw"ins, hel)

#o!rself, and ac" to #o!r )ost to eat it,@ contin!ed'a)tain Smollett. @Livel#, now, m# lad #o!:ll want it

efore #o!:ve done. $!nter, serve o!t a ro!nd ofrand# to all hands.@



And while this was going on, the ca)tain com)leted, in

his own mind, the )lan of the defence.

@Doctor, #o! will ta"e the door,@ he res!med. @See,

and don:t e()ose #o!rself "ee) within, and firethro!gh the )orch. $!nter, ta"e the east side, there.

?o#ce, #o! stand # the west, m# man. 1r. Trelawne#,#o! are the est shot++#o! and %ra# will ta"e this long

north side, with the five loo)holes it:s there the

danger is. If the# can get !) to it and fire in !)on

!s thro!gh o!r own )orts, things wo!ld egin to loo"dirt#. $aw"ins, neither #o! nor I are m!ch acco!nt at

the shooting we:ll stand # to load and ear a hand.@

As the ca)tain had said, the chill was )ast. As soon as

the s!n had climed aove o!r girdle of trees, it fell

with all its force !)on the clearing and dran" !) theva)o!rs at a dra!ght. Soon the sane was a"ing and the

resin melting in the logs of the loc" ho!se. ?ac"etsand coats were fl!ng aside, shirts thrown o)en at the

nec" and rolled !) to the sho!lders and we stood there,each at his )ost, in a fever of heat and an(iet#.

An ho!r )assed awa#.

@$ang them@ said the ca)tain. @This is as d!ll as the

doldr!ms. %ra#, whistle for a wind.@

And !st at that moment came the first news of the attac".

@If #o! )lease, sir,@ said ?o#ce, @if I see an#one, amI to fire@

@I told #o! so@ cried the ca)tain.

@Than" #o!, sir,@ ret!rned ?o#ce with the same F!iet civilit#.

Nothing followed for a time, !t the remar" had set !s

all on the alert, straining ears and e#es++them!s"eteers with their )ieces alanced in their hands,

the ca)tain o!t in the middle of the loc" ho!se withhis mo!th ver# tight and a frown on his face.

So some seconds )assed, till s!ddenl# ?o#ce whi))ed !)

his m!s"et and fired. The re)ort had scarcel# diedawa# ere it was re)eated and re)eated from witho!t in a

scattering volle#, shot ehind shot, li"e a string of

geese, from ever# side of the enclos!re. Several!llets str!c" the log+ho!se, !t not one entered andas the smo"e cleared awa# and vanished, the stoc"ade

and the woods aro!nd it loo"ed as F!iet and em)t# as

efore. Not a o!gh waved, not the gleam of a m!s"et+

arrel etra#ed the )resence of o!r foes.

@Did #o! hit #o!r man@ as"ed the ca)tain.

@No, sir,@ re)lied ?o#ce. @I elieve not, sir.@



@Ne(t est thing to tell the tr!th,@ m!ttered 'a)tain

Smollett. @Load his g!n, $aw"ins. $ow man# sho!ld sa#there were on #o!r side, doctor@

@I "now )recisel#,@ said Dr. Livese#. @Three shots

were fired on this side. I saw the three flashes++twoclose together++one farther to the west.@

@Three@ re)eated the ca)tain. @And how man# on #o!rs,

1r. Trelawne#@

!t this was not so easil# answered. There had comeman# from the north++seven # the sF!ire:s com)!tation,

eight or nine according to %ra#. 8rom the east and

west onl# a single shot had een fired. It was )lain,

therefore, that the attac" wo!ld e develo)ed from thenorth and that on the other three sides we were onl# to

e anno#ed # a show of hostilities. !t 'a)tainSmollett made no change in his arrangements. If the

m!tineers s!cceeded in crossing the stoc"ade, he arg!ed,the# wo!ld ta"e )ossession of an# !n)rotected loo)hole

and shoot !s down li"e rats in o!r own stronghold.

Nor had we m!ch time left to !s for tho!ght. S!ddenl#,with a lo!d h!JJa, a little clo!d of )irates lea)ed from

the woods on the north side and ran straight on the stoc"ade.At the same moment, the fire was once more o)ened from the

woods, and a rifle all sang thro!gh the doorwa# and "noc"ed

the doctor:s m!s"et into its.

The oarders swarmed over the fence li"e mon"e#s.

SF!ire and %ra# fired again and #et again three menfell, one forwards into the enclos!re, two ac" on the

o!tside. !t of these, one was evidentl# morefrightened than h!rt, for he was on his feet again in a

crac" and instantl# disa))eared among the trees.

Two had it the d!st, one had fled, fo!r had made goodtheir footing inside o!r defences, while from the

shelter of the woods seven or eight men, each evidentl#s!))lied with several m!s"ets, "e)t !) a hot tho!gh

!seless fire on the log+ho!se.

The fo!r who had oarded made straight efore them forthe !ilding, sho!ting as the# ran, and the men among

the trees sho!ted ac" to enco!rage them. Several shots

were fired, !t s!ch was the h!rr# of the mar"smen thatnot one a))ears to have ta"en effect. In a moment, thefo!r )irates had swarmed !) the mo!nd and were !)on !s.

The head of ?o Anderson, the oatswain, a))eared at

the middle loo)hole.

@At :em, all hands++all hands@ he roared in a voiceof th!nder.



At the same moment, another )irate gras)ed $!nter:s

m!s"et # the m!JJle, wrenched it from his hands,

)l!c"ed it thro!gh the loo)hole, and with one st!nninglow, laid the )oor fellow senseless on the floor.

1eanwhile a third, r!nning !nharmed all aro!nd theho!se, a))eared s!ddenl# in the doorwa# and fell with

his c!tlass on the doctor.

O!r )osition was !tterl# reversed. A moment since we

were firing, !nder cover, at an e()osed enem# now it

was we who la# !ncovered and co!ld not ret!rn a low.

The log+ho!se was f!ll of smo"e, to which we owed o!rcom)arative safet#. 'ries and conf!sion, the flashes

and re)orts of )istol+shots, and one lo!d groan rang

in m# ears.

@O!t, lads, o!t, and fight :em in the o)en

'!tlasses@ cried the ca)tain.

I snatched a c!tlass from the )ile, and someone, at thesame time snatching another, gave me a c!t across the

"n!c"les which I hardl# felt. I dashed o!t of the door

into the clear s!nlight. Someone was close ehind, I

"new not whom. Right in front, the doctor was )!rs!inghis assailant down the hill, and !st as m# e#es fell

!)on him, eat down his g!ard and sent him s)rawling onhis ac" with a great slash across the face.

@Ro!nd the ho!se, lads Ro!nd the ho!se@ cried the

ca)tain and even in the h!rl#+!rl#, I )erceived achange in his voice.

1echanicall#, I oe#ed, t!rned eastwards, and with m#

c!tlass raised, ran ro!nd the corner of the ho!se.Ne(t moment I was face to face with Anderson. $e

roared alo!d, and his hanger went !) aove his head,

flashing in the s!nlight. I had not time to e afraid,

!t as the low still h!ng im)ending, lea)ed in a trice!)on one side, and missing m# foot in the soft sand,

rolled headlong down the slo)e.

/hen I had first sallied from the door, the other

m!tineers had een alread# swarming !) the )alisade to

ma"e an end of !s. One man, in a red night+ca), withhis c!tlass in his mo!th, had even got !)on the to) and

thrown a leg across. /ell, so short had een the

interval that when I fo!nd m# feet again all was in thesame )ost!re, the fellow with the red night+ca) stillhalf+wa# over, another still !st showing his head

aove the to) of the stoc"ade. And #et, in this reath

of time, the fight was over and the victor# was o!rs.

%ra#, following close ehind me, had c!t down the ig

oatswain ere he had time to recover from his lastlow. Another had een shot at a loo)hole in the ver#

act of firing into the ho!se and now la# in agon#, the



)istol still smo"ing in his hand. A third, as I had

seen, the doctor had dis)osed of at a low. Of the

fo!r who had scaled the )alisade, one onl# remained!nacco!nted for, and he, having left his c!tlass on the

field, was now clamering o!t again with the fear ofdeath !)on him.

@8ire++fire from the ho!se@ cried the doctor. @And

#o!, lads, ac" into cover.@

!t his words were !nheeded, no shot was fired, and thelast oarder made good his esca)e and disa))eared with

the rest into the wood. In three seconds nothingremained of the attac"ing )art# !t the five who had

fallen, fo!r on the inside and one on the o!tside of

the )alisade.

The doctor and %ra# and I ran f!ll s)eed for shelter.

The s!rvivors wo!ld soon e ac" where the# had lefttheir m!s"ets, and at an# moment the fire might recommence.

The ho!se was # this time somewhat cleared of smo"e,

and we saw at a glance the )rice we had )aid for

victor#. $!nter la# eside his loo)hole, st!nned

?o#ce # his, shot thro!gh the head, never to moveagain while right in the centre, the sF!ire was

s!))orting the ca)tain, one as )ale as the other.

@The ca)tain:s wo!nded,@ said 1r. Trelawne#.

@$ave the# r!n@ as"ed 1r. Smollett.

@All that co!ld, #o! ma# e o!nd,@ ret!rned the doctor@!t there:s five of them will never r!n again.@

@8ive@ cried the ca)tain. @'ome, that:s etter. 8ive

against three leaves !s fo!r to nine. That:s etter

odds than we had at starting. /e were seven to nineteen

then, or tho!ght we were, and that:s as ad to ear.@K

KThe m!tineers were soon onl# eight in n!mer, for theman shot # 1r. Trelawne# on oard the schooner died

that same evening of his wo!nd. !t this was, of

co!rse, not "nown till after # the faithf!l )art#.

&ART 8I>E

1# Sea Advent!re

22



$ow 1# Sea Advent!re egan

T$ERE was no ret!rn of the m!tineers++not so m!ch asanother shot o!t of the woods. The# had @got their

rations for that da#,@ as the ca)tain )!t it, and wehad the )lace to o!rselves and a F!iet time to overha!l

the wo!nded and get dinner. SF!ire and I coo"edo!tside in s)ite of the danger, and even o!tside we

co!ld hardl# tell what we were at, for horror of the

lo!d groans that reached !s from the doctor:s )atients.

O!t of the eight men who had fallen in the action, onl#

three still reathed++that one of the )irates who hadeen shot at the loo)hole, $!nter, and 'a)tain

Smollett and of these, the first two were as good as

dead the m!tineer indeed died !nder the doctor:s

"nife, and $!nter, do what we co!ld, never recoveredconscio!sness in this world. $e lingered all da#,

reathing lo!dl# li"e the old !ccaneer at home in hisa)o)lectic fit, !t the ones of his chest had een

cr!shed # the low and his s"!ll fract!red in falling,and some time in the following night, witho!t sign or

so!nd, he went to his 1a"er.

As for the ca)tain, his wo!nds were grievo!s indeed,!t not dangero!s. No organ was fatall# in!red.

Anderson:s all++for it was ?o that shot him first++had ro"en his sho!lder+lade and to!ched the l!ng, not

adl# the second had onl# torn and dis)laced some

m!scles in the calf. $e was s!re to recover, the

doctor said, !t in the meantime, and for wee"s tocome, he m!st not wal" nor move his arm, nor so m!ch as

s)ea" when he co!ld hel) it.

1# own accidental c!t across the "n!c"les was a flea+ite. Doctor Livese# )atched it !) with )laster and

)!lled m# ears for me into the argain.

After dinner the sF!ire and the doctor sat # theca)tain:s side awhile in cons!ltation and when the#

had tal"ed to their hearts: content, it eing then alittle )ast noon, the doctor too" !) his hat and )istols,

girt on a c!tlass, )!t the chart in his )oc"et, and with

a m!s"et over his sho!lder crossed the )alisade on the

north side and set off ris"l# thro!gh the trees.

%ra# and I were sitting together at the far end of the

loc" ho!se, to e o!t of earshot of o!r officerscons!lting and %ra# too" his )i)e o!t of his mo!th andfairl# forgot to )!t it ac" again, so th!nder+str!c"

he was at this occ!rrence.

@/h#, in the name of Dav# ?ones,@ said he, @is Dr.Livese# mad@

@/h# no,@ sa#s I. @$e:s ao!t the last of this crew

for that, I ta"e it.@



@/ell, shi)mate,@ said %ra#, @mad he ma# not e !t if

$E:S not, #o! mar" m# words, I am.@

@I ta"e it,@ re)lied I, @the doctor has his idea andif I am right, he:s going now to see en %!nn.@

I was right, as a))eared later !t in the meantime,

the ho!se eing stifling hot and the little )atch of

sand inside the )alisade alaJe with midda# s!n, I

egan to get another tho!ght into m# head, which wasnot # an# means so right. /hat I egan to do was to

env# the doctor wal"ing in the cool shadow of the woodswith the irds ao!t him and the )leasant smell of the

)ines, while I sat grilling, with m# clothes st!c" to

the hot resin, and so m!ch lood ao!t me and so man#

)oor dead odies l#ing all aro!nd that I too" a disg!stof the )lace that was almost as strong as fear.

All the time I was washing o!t the loc" ho!se, and

then washing !) the things from dinner, this disg!stand env# "e)t growing stronger and stronger, till at

last, eing near a read+ag, and no one then oserving

me, I too" the first ste) towards m# esca)ade and

filled oth )oc"ets of m# coat with isc!it.

I was a fool, if #o! li"e, and certainl# I was going todo a foolish, over+old act !t I was determined to do

it with all the )reca!tions in m# )ower. These

isc!its, sho!ld an#thing efall me, wo!ld "ee) me, at

least, from starving till far on in the ne(t da#.

The ne(t thing I laid hold of was a race of )istols,and as I alread# had a )owder+horn and !llets, I felt

m#self well s!))lied with arms.

As for the scheme I had in m# head, it was not a ad

one in itself. I was to go down the sand# s)it that

divides the anchorage on the east from the o)en sea,find the white roc" I had oserved last evening, and

ascertain whether it was there or not that en %!nn hadhidden his oat, a thing F!ite worth doing, as I still

elieve. !t as I was certain I sho!ld not e allowed

to leave the enclos!re, m# onl# )lan was to ta"e 8rench

leave and sli) o!t when nood# was watching, and thatwas so ad a wa# of doing it as made the thing itself

wrong. !t I was onl# a o#, and I had made m# mind !).

/ell, as things at last fell o!t, I fo!nd an admiraleo))ort!nit#. The sF!ire and %ra# were !s# hel)ing the

ca)tain with his andages, the coast was clear, I made

a olt for it over the stoc"ade and into the thic"est

of the trees, and efore m# asence was oserved I waso!t of cr# of m# com)anions.

This was m# second foll#, far worse than the first, as

I left !t two so!nd men to g!ard the ho!se !t li"e



the first, it was a hel) towards saving all of !s.

I too" m# wa# straight for the east coast of theisland, for I was determined to go down the sea side of

the s)it to avoid all chance of oservation from theanchorage. It was alread# late in the afternoon,

altho!gh still warm and s!nn#. As I contin!ed tothread the tall woods, I co!ld hear from far efore me

not onl# the contin!o!s th!nder of the s!rf, !t a

certain tossing of foliage and grinding of o!ghs which

showed me the sea reeJe had set in higher than !s!al.Soon cool dra!ghts of air egan to reach me, and a few

ste)s farther I came forth into the o)en orders of thegrove, and saw the sea l#ing l!e and s!nn# to the

horiJon and the s!rf t!mling and tossing its foam

along the each.

I have never seen the sea F!iet ro!nd Treas!re Island.

The s!n might laJe overhead, the air e witho!t areath, the s!rface smooth and l!e, !t still these

great rollers wo!ld e r!nning along all the e(ternalcoast, th!ndering and th!ndering # da# and night and

I scarce elieve there is one s)ot in the island where

a man wo!ld e o!t of earshot of their noise.

I wal"ed along eside the s!rf with great eno#ment,

till, thin"ing I was now got far eno!gh to the so!th, Itoo" the cover of some thic" !shes and cre)t waril# !)

to the ridge of the s)it.

ehind me was the sea, in front the anchorage. The seareeJe, as tho!gh it had the sooner lown itself o!t #

its !n!s!al violence, was alread# at an end it hadeen s!cceeded # light, variale airs from the so!th and

so!th+east, carr#ing great an"s of fog and the anchorage,!nder lee of S"eleton Island, la# still and leaden as when

first we entered it. The $IS&ANIOLA, in that !nro"en

mirror, was e(actl# )ortra#ed from the tr!c" to the

waterline, the ?oll# Roger hanging from her )ea".

Alongside la# one of the gigs, Silver in the stern+sheets++him I co!ld alwa#s recogniJe++while a co!)le of

men were leaning over the stern !lwar"s, one of them

with a red ca)++the ver# rog!e that I had seen some

ho!rs efore stride+legs !)on the )alisade. A))arentl#the# were tal"ing and la!ghing, tho!gh at that

distance++!)wards of a mile++I co!ld, of co!rse, hear

no word of what was said. All at once there egan themost horrid, !nearthl# screaming, which at firststartled me adl#, tho!gh I had soon rememered the

voice of 'a)tain 8lint and even tho!ght I co!ld ma"e

o!t the ird # her right )l!mage as she sat )erched

!)on her master:s wrist.

Soon after, the oll#+oat shoved off and )!lled forshore, and the man with the red ca) and his comrade

went elow # the cain com)anion.



?!st ao!t the same time, the s!n had gone down ehind

the S)#+glass, and as the fog was collecting ra)idl#,it egan to grow dar" in earnest. I saw I m!st lose no

time if I were to find the oat that evening.

The white roc", visile eno!gh aove the r!sh, wasstill some eighth of a mile f!rther down the s)it, and

it too" me a goodish while to get !) with it, crawling,

often on all fo!rs, among the scr!. Night had almost

come when I laid m# hand on its ro!gh sides. Rightelow it there was an e(ceedingl# small hollow of green

t!rf, hidden # an"s and a thic" !nderwood ao!t "nee+dee), that grew there ver# )lentif!ll# and in the centre

of the dell, s!re eno!gh, a little tent of goat+ s"ins,

li"e what the gi)sies carr# ao!t with them in England.

I dro))ed into the hollow, lifted the side of the tent,

and there was en %!nn:s oat++home+made if everan#thing was home+made a r!de, lo)+sided framewor" of

to!gh wood, and stretched !)on that a covering of goat+s"in, with the hair inside. The thing was e(tremel#

small, even for me, and I can hardl# imagine that it

co!ld have floated with a f!ll+siJed man. There was

one thwart set as low as )ossile, a "ind of stretcherin the ows, and a do!le )addle for )ro)!lsion.

I had not then seen a coracle, s!ch as the ancient ritons

made, !t I have seen one since, and I can give #o! no

fairer idea of en %!nn:s oat than # sa#ing it was li"e

the first and the worst coracle ever made # man. !t thegreat advantage of the coracle it certainl# )ossessed, for

it was e(ceedingl# light and )ortale.

/ell, now that I had fo!nd the oat, #o! wo!ld havetho!ght I had had eno!gh of tr!antr# for once, !t in

the meantime I had ta"en another notion and ecome so

ostinatel# fond of it that I wo!ld have carried it

o!t, I elieve, in the teeth of 'a)tain Smolletthimself. This was to sli) o!t !nder cover of the

night, c!t the $IS&ANIOLA adrift, and let her goashore where she fancied. I had F!ite made !) m# mind

that the m!tineers, after their re)!lse of the morning,

had nothing nearer their hearts than to !) anchor and

awa# to sea this, I tho!ght, it wo!ld e a fine thingto )revent, and now that I had seen how the# left their

watchmen !n)rovided with a oat, I tho!ght it might e

done with little ris".

Down I sat to wait for dar"ness, and made a heart# meal

of isc!it. It was a night o!t of ten tho!sand for m#

)!r)ose. The fog had now !ried all heaven. As the

last ra#s of da#light dwindled and disa))eared, asol!telac"ness settled down on Treas!re Island. And when,

at last, I sho!ldered the coracle and gro)ed m# wa#st!mlingl# o!t of the hollow where I had s!))ed, there

were !t two )oints visile on the whole anchorage.



One was the great fire on shore, # which the defeated

)irates la# caro!sing in the swam). The other, a merel!r of light !)on the dar"ness, indicated the )osition

of the anchored shi). She had sw!ng ro!nd to the e++her ow was now towards me++the onl# lights on oard

were in the cain, and what I saw was merel# areflection on the fog of the strong ra#s that flowed

from the stern window.

The e had alread# r!n some time, and I had to wadethro!gh a long elt of swam)# sand, where I san"

several times aove the an"le, efore I came to theedge of the retreating water, and wading a little wa#

in, with some strength and de(terit#, set m# coracle,

"eel downwards, on the s!rface.

24

The E+tide R!ns

T$E coracle++as I had am)le reason to "now efore I was

done with her++was a ver# safe oat for a )erson of m#height and weight, oth !o#ant and clever in a sea+

wa# !t she was the most cross+grained, lo)+sidedcraft to manage. Do as #o! )leased, she alwa#s made

more leewa# than an#thing else, and t!rning ro!nd and

ro!nd was the manoe!vre she was est at. Even en %!nn

himself has admitted that she was @F!eer to handle till#o! "new her wa#.@

'ertainl# I did not "now her wa#. She t!rned in ever#

direction !t the one I was o!nd to go the most )artof the time we were roadside on, and I am ver# s!re I

never sho!ld have made the shi) at all !t for the

tide. # good fort!ne, )addle as I )leased, the tide

was still swee)ing me down and there la# the$IS&ANIOLA right in the fairwa#, hardl# to e missed.

8irst she loomed efore me li"e a lot of something #et

lac"er than dar"ness, then her s)ars and h!ll egan to

ta"e sha)e, and the ne(t moment, as it seemed Gfor, the

farther I went, the ris"er grew the c!rrent of theeH, I was alongside of her hawser and had laid hold.

The hawser was as ta!t as a owstring, and the c!rrentso strong she )!lled !)on her anchor. All ro!nd theh!ll, in the lac"ness, the ri))ling c!rrent !led

and chattered li"e a little mo!ntain stream. One c!t

with m# sea+g!ll# and the $IS&ANIOLA wo!ld go

h!mming down the tide.

So far so good, !t it ne(t occ!rred to m# recollectionthat a ta!t hawser, s!ddenl# c!t, is a thing as dangero!s

as a "ic"ing horse. Ten to one, if I were so foolhard#



as to c!t the $IS&ANIOLA from her anchor, I and the coracle

wo!ld e "noc"ed clean o!t of the water.

This ro!ght me to a f!ll sto), and if fort!ne had not

again )artic!larl# favo!red me, I sho!ld have had toaandon m# design. !t the light airs which had eg!n

lowing from the so!th+east and so!th had ha!led ro!ndafter nightfall into the so!th+west. ?!st while I was

meditating, a )!ff came, ca!ght the $IS&ANIOLA, and

forced her !) into the c!rrent and to m# great o#, I

felt the hawser slac"en in m# gras), and the hand #which I held it di) for a second !nder water.

/ith that I made m# mind !), too" o!t m# g!ll#, o)ened

it with m# teeth, and c!t one strand after another,

till the vessel sw!ng onl# # two. Then I la# F!iet,

waiting to sever these last when the strain sho!ld eonce more lightened # a reath of wind.

All this time I had heard the so!nd of lo!d voices from

the cain, !t to sa# tr!th, m# mind had een soentirel# ta"en !) with other tho!ghts that I had

scarcel# given ear. Now, however, when I had nothing

else to do, I egan to )a# more heed.

One I recogniJed for the co(swain:s, Israel $ands, that

had een 8lint:s g!nner in former da#s. The other was,of co!rse, m# friend of the red night+ca). oth men

were )lainl# the worse of drin", and the# were still

drin"ing, for even while I was listening, one of them,

with a dr!n"en cr#, o)ened the stern window and threwo!t something, which I divined to e an em)t# ottle.

!t the# were not onl# ti)s# it was )lain that the#were f!rio!sl# angr#. Oaths flew li"e hailstones, and

ever# now and then there came forth s!ch an e()losionas I tho!ght was s!re to end in lows. !t each time

the F!arrel )assed off and the voices gr!mled lower

for a while, !ntil the ne(t crisis came and in its t!rn

)assed awa# witho!t res!lt.

On shore, I co!ld see the glow of the great cam)+fire!rning warml# thro!gh the shore+side trees. Someone

was singing, a d!ll, old, droning sailor:s song, with a

droo) and a F!aver at the end of ever# verse, and

seemingl# no end to it at all !t the )atience of thesinger. I had heard it on the vo#age more than once

and rememered these words*

@!t one man of her crew alive, /hat )!t to sea with sevent#+five.@

And I tho!ght it was a ditt# rather too dolef!ll#

a))ro)riate for a com)an# that had met s!ch cr!ellosses in the morning. !t, indeed, from what I saw,

all these !ccaneers were as callo!s as the sea the#sailed on.



At last the reeJe came the schooner sidled and drew

nearer in the dar" I felt the hawser slac"en once

more, and with a good, to!gh effort, c!t the lastfires thro!gh.

The reeJe had !t little action on the coracle, and I

was almost instantl# swe)t against the ows of the$IS&ANIOLA. At the same time, the schooner egan to

t!rn !)on her heel, s)inning slowl#, end for end,

across the c!rrent.

I wro!ght li"e a fiend, for I e()ected ever# moment to

e swam)ed and since I fo!nd I co!ld not )!sh thecoracle directl# off, I now shoved straight astern. At

length I was clear of m# dangero!s neigho!r, and !st

as I gave the last im)!lsion, m# hands came across a

light cord that was trailing overoard across the stern!lwar"s. Instantl# I gras)ed it.

/h# I sho!ld have done so I can hardl# sa#. It was at

first mere instinct, !t once I had it in m# hands andfo!nd it fast, c!riosit# egan to get the !))er hand,

and I determined I sho!ld have one loo" thro!gh the

cain window.

I )!lled in hand over hand on the cord, and when I

!dged m#self near eno!gh, rose at infinite ris" toao!t half m# height and th!s commanded the roof and a

slice of the interior of the cain.

# this time the schooner and her little consort weregliding )rett# swiftl# thro!gh the water indeed, we had

alread# fetched !) level with the cam)+fire. The shi) wastal"ing, as sailors sa#, lo!dl#, treading the inn!merale

ri))les with an incessant weltering s)lash and !ntil I gotm# e#e aove the window+sill I co!ld not com)rehend wh# the

watchmen had ta"en no alarm. One glance, however, was s!fficient

and it was onl# one glance that I d!rst ta"e from that !nstead#

s"iff. It showed me $ands and his com)anion loc"ed together indeadl# wrestle, each with a hand !)on the other:s throat.

I dro))ed !)on the thwart again, none too soon, for I

was near overoard. I co!ld see nothing for the moment

!t these two f!rio!s, encrimsoned faces swa#ing

together !nder the smo"# lam), and I sh!t m# e#es tolet them grow once more familiar with the dar"ness.

The endless allad had come to an end at last, and thewhole diminished com)an# ao!t the cam)+fire had ro"eninto the chor!s I had heard so often*


<o+ho+ho, and a ottle of r!m Drin" and the devil had done for the rest++


I was !st thin"ing how !s# drin" and the devil were



at that ver# moment in the cain of the $IS&ANIOLA,

when I was s!r)rised # a s!dden l!rch of the coracle.

At the same moment, she #awed shar)l# and seemed tochange her co!rse. The s)eed in the meantime had

strangel# increased.

I o)ened m# e#es at once. All ro!nd me were littleri))les, coming over with a shar), ristling so!nd and

slightl# )hos)horescent. The $IS&ANIOLA herself, a

few #ards in whose wa"e I was still eing whirled

along, seemed to stagger in her co!rse, and I saw hers)ars toss a little against the lac"ness of the night

na#, as I loo"ed longer, I made s!re she also waswheeling to the so!thward.

I glanced over m# sho!lder, and m# heart !m)ed against

m# ris. There, right ehind me, was the glow of thecam)+fire. The c!rrent had t!rned at right angles,

swee)ing ro!nd along with it the tall schooner and thelittle dancing coracle ever F!ic"ening, ever !ling

higher, ever m!ttering lo!der, it went s)inning thro!ghthe narrows for the o)en sea.

S!ddenl# the schooner in front of me gave a violent

#aw, t!rning, )erha)s, thro!gh twent# degrees andalmost at the same moment one sho!t followed another

from on oard I co!ld hear feet )o!nding on thecom)anion ladder and I "new that the two dr!n"ards had

at last een interr!)ted in their F!arrel and awa"ened

to a sense of their disaster.

I la# down flat in the ottom of that wretched s"iff and

devo!tl# recommended m# s)irit to its 1a"er. At the endof the straits, I made s!re we m!st fall into some ar

of raging rea"ers, where all m# tro!les wo!ld e endeds)eedil# and tho!gh I co!ld, )erha)s, ear to die, I co!ld

not ear to loo" !)on m# fate as it a))roached.

So I m!st have lain for ho!rs, contin!all# eaten toand fro !)on the illows, now and again wetted with

fl#ing s)ra#s, and never ceasing to e()ect death at thene(t )l!nge. %rad!all# weariness grew !)on me a

n!mness, an occasional st!)or, fell !)on m# mind even

in the midst of m# terrors, !ntil slee) at last

s!)ervened and in m# sea+tossed coracle I la# anddreamed of home and the old Admiral enow.

25

The 'r!ise of the 'oracle

IT was road da# when I awo"e and fo!nd m#self tossing

at the so!th+west end of Treas!re Island. The s!n was!) !t was still hid from me ehind the great !l" of

the S)#+glass, which on this side descended almost to



the sea in formidale cliffs.

$a!lowline $ead and 1iJJen+mast $ill were at m# elow,the hill are and dar", the head o!nd with cliffs fort#

or fift# feet high and fringed with great masses of fallenroc". I was scarce a F!arter of a mile to seaward, and it

was m# first tho!ght to )addle in and land.

That notion was soon given over. Among the fallen

roc"s the rea"ers s)o!ted and ellowed lo!d

revererations, heav# s)ra#s fl#ing and falling,s!cceeded one another from second to second and I saw

m#self, if I vent!red nearer, dashed to death !)on thero!gh shore or s)ending m# strength in vain to scale

the eetling crags.

Nor was that all, for crawling together on flat tales ofroc" or letting themselves dro) into the sea with lo!d

re)orts I eheld h!ge slim# monsters++soft snails, as itwere, of incredile igness++two or three score of them

together, ma"ing the roc"s to echo with their ar"ings.

I have !nderstood since that the# were sea lions, and

entirel# harmless. !t the loo" of them, added to the

diffic!lt# of the shore and the high r!nning of thes!rf, was more than eno!gh to disg!st me of that

landing+)lace. I felt willing rather to starve at seathan to confront s!ch )erils.

In the meantime I had a etter chance, as I s!))osed,

efore me. North of $a!lowline $ead, the land r!ns ina long wa#, leaving at low tide a long stretch of

#ellow sand. To the north of that, again, there comesanother ca)e++'a)e of the /oods, as it was mar"ed !)on

the chart++!ried in tall green )ines, which descendedto the margin of the sea.

I rememered what Silver had said ao!t the c!rrent that

sets northward along the whole west coast of Treas!reIsland, and seeing from m# )osition that I was alread#

!nder its infl!ence, I )referred to leave $a!lowline$ead ehind me and reserve m# strength for an attem)t to

land !)on the "indlier+loo"ing 'a)e of the /oods.

There was a great, smooth swell !)on the sea. The windlowing stead# and gentle from the so!th, there was no

contrariet# etween that and the c!rrent, and the

illows rose and fell !nro"en.

$ad it een otherwise, I m!st long ago have )erished

!t as it was, it is s!r)rising how easil# and sec!rel#

m# little and light oat co!ld ride. Often, as I still

la# at the ottom and "e)t no more than an e#e aovethe g!nwale, I wo!ld see a ig l!e s!mmit heaving

close aove me #et the coracle wo!ld !t o!nce alittle, dance as if on s)rings, and s!side on the

other side into the tro!gh as lightl# as a ird.



I egan after a little to grow ver# old and sat !) to

tr# m# s"ill at )addling. !t even a small change inthe dis)osition of the weight will )rod!ce violent changes

in the ehavio!r of a coracle. And I had hardl# movedefore the oat, giving !) at once her gentle dancing

movement, ran straight down a slo)e of water so stee)that it made me gidd#, and str!c" her nose, with a s)o!t

of s)ra#, dee) into the side of the ne(t wave.

I was drenched and terrified, and fell instantl# ac"into m# old )osition, where!)on the coracle seemed to

find her head again and led me as softl# as eforeamong the illows. It was )lain she was not to e

interfered with, and at that rate, since I co!ld in no

wa# infl!ence her co!rse, what ho)e had I left of

reaching land

I egan to e horril# frightened, !t I "e)t m# head, forall that. 8irst, moving with all care, I grad!all# aled

o!t the coracle with m# sea+ca) then, getting m# e#e oncemore aove the g!nwale, I set m#self to st!d# how it was

she managed to sli) so F!ietl# thro!gh the rollers.

I fo!nd each wave, instead of the ig, smooth gloss#mo!ntain it loo"s from shore or from a vessel:s dec",

was for all the world li"e an# range of hills on dr#land, f!ll of )ea"s and smooth )laces and valle#s. The

coracle, left to herself, t!rning from side to side,

threaded, so to s)ea", her wa# thro!gh these lower

)arts and avoided the stee) slo)es and higher, to))lings!mmits of the wave.

@/ell, now,@ tho!ght I to m#self, @it is )lain I m!st

lie where I am and not dist!r the alance !t it is)lain also that I can )!t the )addle over the side and

from time to time, in smooth )laces, give her a shove

or two towards land.@ No sooner tho!ght !)on than

done. There I la# on m# elows in the most tr#ingattit!de, and ever# now and again gave a wea" stro"e or

two to t!rn her head to shore.

It was ver# tiring and slow wor", #et I did visil#

gain gro!nd and as we drew near the 'a)e of the /oods,

tho!gh I saw I m!st infallil# miss that )oint, I hadstill made some h!ndred #ards of easting. I was,

indeed, close in. I co!ld see the cool green tree+to)s

swa#ing together in the reeJe, and I felt s!re Isho!ld ma"e the ne(t )romontor# witho!t fail.

It was high time, for I now egan to e tort!red with

thirst. The glow of the s!n from aove, its

tho!sandfold reflection from the waves, the sea+waterthat fell and dried !)on me, ca"ing m# ver# li)s with

salt, comined to ma"e m# throat !rn and m# rainache. The sight of the trees so near at hand had

almost made me sic" with longing, !t the c!rrent had



soon carried me )ast the )oint, and as the ne(t reach

of sea o)ened o!t, I eheld a sight that changed the

nat!re of m# tho!ghts.

Right in front of me, not half a mile awa#, I eheldthe $IS&ANIOLA !nder sail. I made s!re, of co!rse,

that I sho!ld e ta"en !t I was so distressed forwant of water that I scarce "new whether to e glad or

sorr# at the tho!ght, and long efore I had come to a

concl!sion, s!r)rise had ta"en entire )ossession of m#

mind and I co!ld do nothing !t stare and wonder.

The $IS&ANIOLA was !nder her main+sail and twois, and the ea!tif!l white canvas shone in the s!n

li"e snow or silver. /hen I first sighted her, all her

sails were drawing she was l#ing a co!rse ao!t north+

west, and I )res!med the men on oard were going ro!ndthe island on their wa# ac" to the anchorage.

&resentl# she egan to fetch more and more to thewestward, so that I tho!ght the# had sighted me and

were going ao!t in chase. At last, however, she fellright into the wind:s e#e, was ta"en dead aac", and

stood there awhile hel)less, with her sails shivering.

@'l!ms# fellows,@ said I @the# m!st still e dr!n" asowls.@ And I tho!ght how 'a)tain Smollett wo!ld have

set them s"i))ing.

1eanwhile the schooner grad!all# fell off and filled

again !)on another tac", sailed swiftl# for a min!te or

so, and ro!ght !) once more dead in the wind:s e#e.Again and again was this re)eated. To and fro, !) and

down, north, so!th, east, and west, the $IS&ANIOLAsailed # swoo)s and dashes, and at each re)etition

ended as she had eg!n, with idl# fla))ing canvas. Itecame )lain to me that nood# was steering. And if

so, where were the men Either the# were dead dr!n" or

had deserted her, I tho!ght, and )erha)s if I co!ld get

on oard I might ret!rn the vessel to her ca)tain.

The c!rrent was earing coracle and schooner so!thwardat an eF!al rate. As for the latter:s sailing, it was

so wild and intermittent, and she h!ng each time so

long in irons, that she certainl# gained nothing, if

she did not even lose. If onl# I dared to sit !) and)addle, I made s!re that I co!ld overha!l her. The

scheme had an air of advent!re that ins)ired me, and

the tho!ght of the water rea"er eside the forecom)anion do!led m# growing co!rage.

U) I got, was welcomed almost instantl# # another

clo!d of s)ra#, !t this time st!c" to m# )!r)ose and

set m#self, with all m# strength and ca!tion, to )addleafter the !nsteered $IS&ANIOLA. Once I shi))ed a

sea so heav# that I had to sto) and ail, with m# heartfl!ttering li"e a ird, !t grad!all# I got into the

wa# of the thing and g!ided m# coracle among the waves,



with onl# now and then a low !)on her ows and a dash

of foam in m# face.

I was now gaining ra)idl# on the schooner I co!ld see

the rass glisten on the tiller as it anged ao!t, andstill no so!l a))eared !)on her dec"s. I co!ld not

choose !t s!))ose she was deserted. If not, the menwere l#ing dr!n" elow, where I might atten them down,

)erha)s, and do what I chose with the shi).

8or some time she had een doing the worse thing)ossile for me++standing still. She headed nearl# d!e

so!th, #awing, of co!rse, all the time. Each time shefell off, her sails )artl# filled, and these ro!ght

her in a moment right to the wind again. I have said

this was the worst thing )ossile for me, for hel)less

as she loo"ed in this sit!ation, with the canvas crac"ingli"e cannon and the loc"s tr!ndling and anging on the

dec", she still contin!ed to r!n awa# from me, not onl#with the s)eed of the c!rrent, !t # the whole amo!nt

of her leewa#, which was nat!rall# great.

!t now, at last, I had m# chance. The reeJe fell for

some seconds, ver# low, and the c!rrent grad!all#

t!rning her, the $IS&ANIOLA revolved slowl# ro!ndher centre and at last )resented me her stern, with the

cain window still ga)ing o)en and the lam) over thetale still !rning on into the da#. The main+sail

h!ng droo)ed li"e a anner. She was stoc"+still !t

for the c!rrent.

8or the last little while I had even lost, !t now

redo!ling m# efforts, I egan once more to overha!lthe chase.

I was not a h!ndred #ards from her when the wind came

again in a cla) she filled on the )ort tac" and was

off again, stoo)ing and s"imming li"e a swallow.

1# first im)!lse was one of des)air, !t m# second was

towards o#. Ro!nd she came, till she was roadside onto me++ro!nd still till she had covered a half and then

two thirds and then three F!arters of the distance that

se)arated !s. I co!ld see the waves oiling white

!nder her forefoot. Immensel# tall she loo"ed to mefrom m# low station in the coracle.

And then, of a s!dden, I egan to com)rehend. I hadscarce time to thin"++scarce time to act and savem#self. I was on the s!mmit of one swell when the

schooner came stoo)ing over the ne(t. The ows)rit was

over m# head. I s)rang to m# feet and lea)ed, stam)ing

the coracle !nder water. /ith one hand I ca!ght thei+oom, while m# foot was lodged etween the sta# and

the race and as I still cl!ng there )anting, a d!lllow told me that the schooner had charged down !)on

and str!c" the coracle and that I was left witho!t



retreat on the $IS&ANIOLA.

27

I Stri"e the ?oll# Roger

I $AD scarce gained a )osition on the ows)rit when the

fl#ing i fla))ed and filled !)on the other tac", with

a re)ort li"e a g!n. The schooner tremled to her "eel!nder the reverse, !t ne(t moment, the other sails still

drawing, the i fla))ed ac" again and h!ng idle.

This had nearl# tossed me off into the sea and now I

lost no time, crawled ac" along the ows)rit, and

t!mled head foremost on the dec".

I was on the lee side of the forecastle, and the main+sail, which was still drawing, concealed from me a

certain )ortion of the after+dec". Not a so!l was toe seen. The )lan"s, which had not een swaed since

the m!tin#, ore the )rint of man# feet, and an em)t#

ottle, ro"en # the nec", t!mled to and fro li"e a

live thing in the sc!))ers.

S!ddenl# the $IS&ANIOLA came right into the wind. Theis ehind me crac"ed alo!d, the r!dder slammed to, the

whole shi) gave a sic"ening heave and sh!dder, and at the

same moment the main+oom sw!ng inoard, the sheet groaning

in the loc"s, and showed me the lee after+dec".

There were the two watchmen, s!re eno!gh* red+ca) onhis ac", as stiff as a hands)i"e, with his arms

stretched o!t li"e those of a cr!cifi( and his teethshowing thro!gh his o)en li)s Israel $ands )ro))ed

against the !lwar"s, his chin on his chest, his hands

l#ing o)en efore him on the dec", his face as white,

!nder its tan, as a tallow candle.

8or a while the shi) "e)t !c"ing and sidling li"e avicio!s horse, the sails filling, now on one tac", now

on another, and the oom swinging to and fro till the

mast groaned alo!d !nder the strain. Now and again too

there wo!ld come a clo!d of light s)ra#s over the!lwar" and a heav# low of the shi):s ows against the

swell so m!ch heavier weather was made of it # this

great rigged shi) than # m# home+made, lo)+sidedcoracle, now gone to the ottom of the sea.

At ever# !m) of the schooner, red+ca) sli))ed to and

fro, !t++what was ghastl# to ehold++neither his

attit!de nor his fi(ed teeth+disclosing grin was an#wa#dist!red # this ro!gh !sage. At ever# !m) too,

$ands a))eared still more to sin" into himself andsettle down !)on the dec", his feet sliding ever the

farther o!t, and the whole od# canting towards the



stern, so that his face ecame, little # little, hid

from me and at last I co!ld see nothing e#ond his ear

and the fra#ed ringlet of one whis"er.

At the same time, I oserved, aro!nd oth of them,s)lashes of dar" lood !)on the )lan"s and egan to

feel s!re that the# had "illed each other in theirdr!n"en wrath.

/hile I was th!s loo"ing and wondering, in a calm

moment, when the shi) was still, Israel $ands t!rned)artl# ro!nd and with a low moan writhed himself ac"

to the )osition in which I had seen him first. Themoan, which told of )ain and deadl# wea"ness, and the

wa# in which his aw h!ng o)en went right to m# heart.

!t when I rememered the tal" I had overheard from the

a))le arrel, all )it# left me.

I wal"ed aft !ntil I reached the main+mast.

@'ome aoard, 1r. $ands,@ I said ironicall#.

$e rolled his e#es ro!nd heavil#, !t he was too far

gone to e()ress s!r)rise. All he co!ld do was to !tter

one word, @rand#.@

It occ!rred to me there was no time to lose, and dodgingthe oom as it once more l!rched across the dec", I

sli))ed aft and down the com)anion stairs into the cain.

It was s!ch a scene of conf!sion as #o! can hardl#fanc#. All the loc"fast )laces had een ro"en o)en in

F!est of the chart. The floor was thic" with m!d wherer!ffians had sat down to drin" or cons!lt after wading

in the marshes ro!nd their cam). The !l"heads, all)ainted in clear white and eaded ro!nd with gilt, ore

a )attern of dirt# hands. DoJens of em)t# ottles

clin"ed together in corners to the rolling of the shi).

One of the doctor:s medical oo"s la# o)en on thetale, half of the leaves g!tted o!t, I s!))ose, for

)i)elights. In the midst of all this the lam) stillcast a smo"# glow, osc!re and rown as !mer.

I went into the cellar all the arrels were gone, and

of the ottles a most s!r)rising n!mer had een dr!n"o!t and thrown awa#. 'ertainl#, since the m!tin#

egan, not a man of them co!ld ever have een soer.

8oraging ao!t, I fo!nd a ottle with some rand# left,for $ands and for m#self I ro!ted o!t some isc!it,

some )ic"led fr!its, a great !nch of raisins, and a

)iece of cheese. /ith these I came on dec", )!t down

m# own stoc" ehind the r!dder head and well o!t of theco(swain:s reach, went forward to the water+rea"er,

and had a good dee) drin" of water, and then, and nottill then, gave $ands the rand#.



$e m!st have dr!n" a gill efore he too" the ottle

from his mo!th.

@A#e,@ said he, @# th!nder, !t I wanted some o: that@

I had sat down alread# in m# own corner and eg!n to eat.

@1!ch h!rt@ I as"ed him.

$e gr!nted, or rather, I might sa#, he ar"ed.

@If that doctor was aoard,@ he said, @I:d e right

eno!gh in a co!)le of t!rns, !t I don:t have no mannerof l!c", #o! see, and that:s what:s the matter with me.

As for that swa, he:s good and dead, he is,@ he added,

indicating the man with the red ca). @$e warn:t no

seaman an#how. And where mo!ght #o! have come from@

@/ell,@ said I, @I:ve come aoard to ta"e )ossession ofthis shi), 1r. $ands and #o!:ll )lease regard me as

#o!r ca)tain !ntil f!rther notice.@

$e loo"ed at me so!rl# eno!gh !t said nothing. Some

of the colo!r had come ac" into his chee"s, tho!gh he

still loo"ed ver# sic" and still contin!ed to sli) o!tand settle down as the shi) anged ao!t.

@# the #,@ I contin!ed, @I can:t have these colo!rs,

1r. $ands and # #o!r leave, I:ll stri"e :em. etter

none than these.@

And again dodging the oom, I ran to the colo!r lines, handed

down their c!rsed lac" flag, and ch!c"ed it overoard.

@%od save the "ing@ said I, waving m# ca). @Andthere:s an end to 'a)tain Silver@

$e watched me "eenl# and sl#l#, his chin all the while

on his reast.

@I rec"on,@ he said at last, @I rec"on, 'a):n $aw"ins,#o!:ll "ind of want to get ashore now. S:)ose we tal"s.@

@/h#, #es,@ sa#s I, @with all m# heart, 1r. $ands. Sa#

on.@ And I went ac" to m# meal with a good a))etite.

@This man,@ he egan, nodding feel# at the cor)se @++

O:rien were his name, a ran" Irelander++this man andme got the canvas on her, meaning for to sail her ac"./ell, $E:S dead now, he is++as dead as ilge and

who:s to sail this shi), I don:t see. /itho!t I gives

#o! a hint, #o! ain:t that man, as far:s I can tell.

Now, loo" here, #o! gives me food and drin" and a oldscarf or an"echer to tie m# wo!nd !), #o! do, and I:ll

tell #o! how to tail her, and that:s ao!t sF!are allro!nd, I ta"e it.@



@I:ll tell #o! one thing,@ sa#s I* @I:m not going ac"

to 'a)tain -idd:s anchorage. I mean to get into North

Inlet and each her F!ietl# there.@

@To e s!re #o! did,@ he cried. @/h#, I ain:t sich aninfernal l!er after all. I can see, can:t I I:ve

tried m# fling, I have, and I:ve lost, and it:s #o! hasthe wind of me. North Inlet /h#, I haven:t no

ch:ice, not I I:d hel) #o! sail her !) to E(ec!tion

Doc", # th!nder So I wo!ld.@

/ell, as it seemed to me, there was some sense in this.

/e str!c" o!r argain on the s)ot. In three min!tes Ihad the $IS&ANIOLA sailing easil# efore the wind

along the coast of Treas!re Island, with good ho)es of

t!rning the northern )oint ere noon and eating down

again as far as North Inlet efore high water, when wemight each her safel# and wait till the s!siding tide

)ermitted !s to land.

Then I lashed the tiller and went elow to m# ownchest, where I got a soft sil" hand"erchief of m#

mother:s. /ith this, and with m# aid, $ands o!nd !)

the great leeding sta he had received in the thigh,

and after he had eaten a little and had a swallow ortwo more of the rand#, he egan to )ic" !) visil#,

sat straighter !), s)o"e lo!der and clearer, and loo"edin ever# wa# another man.

The reeJe served !s admiral#. /e s"immed efore it

li"e a ird, the coast of the island flashing # andthe view changing ever# min!te. Soon we were )ast the

high lands and owling eside low, sand# co!ntr#,s)arsel# dotted with dwarf )ines, and soon we were

e#ond that again and had t!rned the corner of theroc"# hill that ends the island on the north.

I was greatl# elated with m# new command, and )leased

with the right, s!nshin# weather and these different)ros)ects of the coast. I had now )lent# of water and

good things to eat, and m# conscience, which hadsmitten me hard for m# desertion, was F!ieted # the

great conF!est I had made. I sho!ld, I thin", have had

nothing left me to desire !t for the e#es of the

co(swain as the# followed me derisivel# ao!t the dec"and the odd smile that a))eared contin!all# on his

face. It was a smile that had in it something oth of

)ain and wea"ness++a haggard old man:s smile !t therewas, esides that, a grain of derision, a shadow oftreacher#, in his e()ression as he craftil# watched,

and watched, and watched me at m# wor".

29

Israel $ands



T$E wind, serving !s to a desire, now ha!led into the west.

/e co!ld r!n so m!ch the easier from the north+east cornerof the island to the mo!th of the North Inlet. Onl#, as

we had no )ower to anchor and dared not each her till thetide had flowed a good deal farther, time h!ng on o!r hands.

The co(swain told me how to la# the shi) to after a goodman# trials I s!cceeded, and we oth sat in silence over

another meal.

@'a):n,@ said he at length with that same !ncomfortalesmile, @here:s m# old shi)mate, O:rien s:)ose #o! was

to heave him overoard. I ain:t )artic:lar as a r!le,and I don:t ta"e no lame for settling his hash, !t I

don:t rec"on him ornamental now, do #o!@

@I:m not strong eno!gh, and I don:t li"e the o andthere he lies, for me,@ said I.

@This here:s an !nl!c"# shi), this $IS&ANIOLA,

?im,@ he went on, lin"ing. @There:s a )ower of meneen "illed in this $IS&ANIOLA++a sight o: )oor

seamen dead and gone since #o! and me too" shi) to

ristol. I never seen sich dirt# l!c", not I. There

was this here O:rien now++he:s dead, ain:t he /ellnow, I:m no scholar, and #o!:re a lad as can read and

fig!re, and to )!t it straight, do #o! ta"e it as adead man is dead for good, or do he come alive again@

@<o! can "ill the od#, 1r. $ands, !t not the s)irit

#o! m!st "now that alread#,@ I re)lied. @O:rien thereis in another world, and ma# e watching !s.@

@Ah@ sa#s he. @/ell, that:s !nfort:nate++a))ears as

if "illing )arties was a waste of time. $owsomever,s)errits don:t rec"on for m!ch, # what I:ve seen.

I:ll chance it with the s)errits, ?im. And now, #o!:ve

s)o"e !) free, and I:ll ta"e it "ind if #o!:d ste) down

into that there cain and get me a++well, a++shiver m#timers I can:t hit the name on :t well, #o! get me

a ottle of wine, ?im++this here rand#:s too strongfor m# head.@

Now, the co(swain:s hesitation seemed to e !nnat!ral,

and as for the notion of his )referring wine to rand#,I entirel# diselieved it. The whole stor# was a

)rete(t. $e wanted me to leave the dec"++so m!ch was

)lain !t with what )!r)ose I co!ld in no wa# imagine.$is e#es never met mine the# "e)t wandering to andfro, !) and down, now with a loo" to the s"#, now with

a flitting glance !)on the dead O:rien. All the time

he "e)t smiling and )!tting his tong!e o!t in the most

g!ilt#, emarrassed manner, so that a child co!ld havetold that he was ent on some dece)tion. I was )rom)t

with m# answer, however, for I saw where m# advantagela# and that with a fellow so densel# st!)id I co!ld

easil# conceal m# s!s)icions to the end.



@Some wine@ I said. @8ar etter. /ill #o! have

white or red@

@/ell, I rec"on it:s ao!t the lessed same to me,shi)mate,@ he re)lied @so it:s strong, and )lent# of

it, what:s the odds@

@All right,@ I answered. @I:ll ring #o! )ort, 1r.

$ands. !t I:ll have to dig for it.@

/ith that I sc!ttled down the com)anion with all the

noise I co!ld, sli))ed off m# shoes, ran F!ietl# alongthe s)arred galler#, mo!nted the forecastle ladder, and

)o))ed m# head o!t of the fore com)anion. I "new he

wo!ld not e()ect to see me there, #et I too" ever#

)reca!tion )ossile, and certainl# the worst of m#s!s)icions )roved too tr!e.

$e had risen from his )osition to his hands and "nees,

and tho!gh his leg ovio!sl# h!rt him )rett# shar)l#when he moved++for I co!ld hear him stifle a groan++#et

it was at a good, rattling rate that he trailed himself

across the dec". In half a min!te he had reached the

)ort sc!))ers and )ic"ed, o!t of a coil of ro)e, a long"nife, or rather a short dir", discolo!red to the hilt

with lood. $e loo"ed !)on it for a moment, thr!stingforth his !nder aw, tried the )oint !)on his hand, and

then, hastil# concealing it in the osom of his ac"et,

tr!ndled ac" again into his old )lace against the !lwar".

This was all that I reF!ired to "now. Israel co!ld

move ao!t, he was now armed, and if he had een at som!ch tro!le to get rid of me, it was )lain that I was

meant to e the victim. /hat he wo!ld do afterwards++whether he wo!ld tr# to crawl right across the island

from North Inlet to the cam) among the swam)s or

whether he wo!ld fire Long Tom, tr!sting that his own

comrades might come first to hel) him++was, of co!rse,more than I co!ld sa#.

<et I felt s!re that I co!ld tr!st him in one )oint,

since in that o!r interests !m)ed together, and that

was in the dis)osition of the schooner. /e oth

desired to have her stranded safe eno!gh, in asheltered )lace, and so that, when the time came, she

co!ld e got off again with as little lao!r and danger

as might e and !ntil that was done I considered thatm# life wo!ld certainl# e s)ared.

/hile I was th!s t!rning the !siness over in m# mind,

I had not een idle with m# od#. I had stolen ac" to

the cain, sli))ed once more into m# shoes, and laid m#hand at random on a ottle of wine, and now, with this

for an e(c!se, I made m# rea))earance on the dec".

$ands la# as I had left him, all fallen together in a





tr!th it was, the est!ar# of a river. Right efore !s,

at the so!thern end, we saw the wrec" of a shi) in the

last stages of dila)idation. It had een a greatvessel of three masts !t had lain so long e()osed to

the in!ries of the weather that it was h!ng ao!t withgreat wes of dri))ing seaweed, and on the dec" of it

shore !shes had ta"en root and now flo!rished thic"with flowers. It was a sad sight, !t it showed !s

that the anchorage was calm.

@Now,@ said $ands, @loo" there there:s a )et it forto each a shi) in. 8ine flat sand, never a cat:s )aw,

trees all aro!nd of it, and flowers a+lowing li"e agarding on that old shi).@

@And once eached,@ I inF!ired, @how shall we get her

off again@

@/h#, so,@ he re)lied* @#o! ta"e a line ashore there onthe other side at low water, ta"e a t!rn ao!t one of

them ig )ines ring it ac", ta"e a t!rn aro!nd theca)stan, and lie to for the tide. 'ome high water, all

hands ta"e a )!ll !)on the line, and off she comes as

sweet as nat!r:. And now, o#, #o! stand #. /e:re

near the it now, and she:s too m!ch wa# on her.Staroard a little++so++stead#++staroard++laroard a

little++stead#++stead#@

So he iss!ed his commands, which I reathlessl# oe#ed,

till, all of a s!dden, he cried, @Now, m# heart#,

l!ff@ And I )!t the helm hard !), and the$IS&ANIOLA sw!ng ro!nd ra)idl# and ran stem on for the

low, wooded shore.

The e(citement of these last manoe!vres had somewhatinterfered with the watch I had "e)t hitherto, shar)l#

eno!gh, !)on the co(swain. Even then I was still so

m!ch interested, waiting for the shi) to to!ch, that I

had F!ite forgot the )eril that h!ng over m# head andstood craning over the staroard !lwar"s and watching

the ri))les s)reading wide efore the ows. I mighthave fallen witho!t a str!ggle for m# life had not a

s!dden disF!iet!de seiJed !)on me and made me t!rn m#

head. &erha)s I had heard a crea" or seen his shadow

moving with the tail of m# e#e )erha)s it was aninstinct li"e a cat:s !t, s!re eno!gh, when I loo"ed

ro!nd, there was $ands, alread# half+wa# towards me,

with the dir" in his right hand.

/e m!st oth have cried o!t alo!d when o!r e#es met,

!t while mine was the shrill cr# of terror, his was a

roar of f!r# li"e a charging !ll#:s. At the same

instant, he threw himself forward and I lea)t sidewa#stowards the ows. As I did so, I let go of the tiller,

which s)rang shar) to leeward, and I thin" this savedm# life, for it str!c" $ands across the chest and

sto))ed him, for the moment, dead.



efore he co!ld recover, I was safe o!t of the corner

where he had me tra))ed, with all the dec" to dodgeao!t. ?!st forward of the main+mast I sto))ed, drew a

)istol from m# )oc"et, too" a cool aim, tho!gh he hadalread# t!rned and was once more coming directl# after

me, and drew the trigger. The hammer fell, !t therefollowed neither flash nor so!nd the )riming was

!seless with sea+water. I c!rsed m#self for m#

neglect. /h# had not I, long efore, re)rimed and

reloaded m# onl# wea)ons Then I sho!ld not have eenas now, a mere fleeing shee) efore this !tcher.

/o!nded as he was, it was wonderf!l how fast he co!ld

move, his griJJled hair t!mling over his face, and his

face itself as red as a red ensign with his haste and

f!r#. I had no time to tr# m# other )istol, nor indeedm!ch inclination, for I was s!re it wo!ld e !seless.

One thing I saw )lainl#* I m!st not sim)l# retreatefore him, or he wo!ld s)eedil# hold me o(ed into the

ows, as a moment since he had so nearl# o(ed me inthe stern. Once so ca!ght, and nine or ten inches of

the lood+stained dir" wo!ld e m# last e()erience on

this side of eternit#. I )laced m# )alms against the

main+mast, which was of a goodish igness, and waited,ever# nerve !)on the stretch.

Seeing that I meant to dodge, he also )a!sed and a

moment or two )assed in feints on his )art and

corres)onding movements !)on mine. It was s!ch a game

as I had often )la#ed at home ao!t the roc"s of lac"$ill 'ove, !t never efore, #o! ma# e s!re, with s!ch

a wildl# eating heart as now. Still, as I sa#, it wasa o#:s game, and I tho!ght I co!ld hold m# own at it

against an elderl# seaman with a wo!nded thigh. Indeedm# co!rage had eg!n to rise so high that I allowed m#self

a few darting tho!ghts on what wo!ld e the end of the

affair, and while I saw certainl# that I co!ld s)in it

o!t for long, I saw no ho)e of an# !ltimate esca)e.

/ell, while things stood th!s, s!ddenl# the $IS&ANIOLAstr!c", staggered, gro!nd for an instant in the sand,

and then, swift as a low, canted over to the )ort side

till the dec" stood at an angle of fort#+five degrees

and ao!t a )!ncheon of water s)lashed into the sc!))erholes and la#, in a )ool, etween the dec" and !lwar".

/e were oth of !s ca)siJed in a second, and oth of !srolled, almost together, into the sc!))ers, the deadred+ca), with his arms still s)read o!t, t!mling

stiffl# after !s. So near were we, indeed, that m#

head came against the co(swain:s foot with a crac" that

made m# teeth rattle. low and all, I was the firstafoot again, for $ands had got involved with the dead

od#. The s!dden canting of the shi) had made the dec"no )lace for r!nning on I had to find some new wa# of

esca)e, and that !)on the instant, for m# foe was



almost to!ching me. B!ic" as tho!ght, I s)rang into

the miJJen shro!ds, rattled !) hand over hand, and did

not draw a reath till I was seated on the cross+trees.

I had een saved # eing )rom)t the dir" had str!c"not half a foot elow me as I )!rs!ed m# !)ward flight

and there stood Israel $ands with his mo!th o)en andhis face !)t!rned to mine, a )erfect stat!e of s!r)rise

and disa))ointment.

Now that I had a moment to m#self, I lost no time inchanging the )riming of m# )istol, and then, having one

read# for service, and to ma"e ass!rance do!l# s!re, I)roceeded to draw the load of the other and recharge it

afresh from the eginning.

1# new em)lo#ment str!c" $ands all of a hea) he eganto see the dice going against him, and after an ovio!s

hesitation, he also ha!led himself heavil# into theshro!ds, and with the dir" in his teeth, egan slowl#

and )ainf!ll# to mo!nt. It cost him no end of time andgroans to ha!l his wo!nded leg ehind him, and I had

F!ietl# finished m# arrangements efore he was m!ch

more than a third of the wa# !). Then, with a )istol

in either hand, I addressed him.

@One more ste), 1r. $ands,@ said I, @and I:ll low #o!rrains o!t Dead men don:t ite, #o! "now,@ I added

with a ch!c"le.

$e sto))ed instantl#. I co!ld see # the wor"ing ofhis face that he was tr#ing to thin", and the )rocess

was so slow and laorio!s that, in m# new+fo!ndsec!rit#, I la!ghed alo!d. At last, with a swallow or

two, he s)o"e, his face still wearing the samee()ression of e(treme )er)le(it#. In order to s)ea" he

had to ta"e the dagger from his mo!th, !t in all else

he remained !nmoved.

@?im,@ sa#s he, @I rec"on we:re fo!led, #o! and me, and

we:ll have to sign articles. I:d have had #o! !t forthat there l!rch, !t I don:t have no l!c", not I and

I rec"on I:ll have to stri"e, which comes hard, #o! see,

for a master mariner to a shi):s #o!n"er li"e #o!, ?im.@

I was drin"ing in his words and smiling awa#, as

conceited as a coc" !)on a wall, when, all in a reath,

ac" went his right hand over his sho!lder. Somethingsang li"e an arrow thro!gh the air I felt a low andthen a shar) )ang, and there I was )inned # the

sho!lder to the mast. In the horrid )ain and s!r)rise

of the moment++I scarce can sa# it was # m# own

volition, and I am s!re it was witho!t a conscio!s aim++oth m# )istols went off, and oth esca)ed o!t of m#

hands. The# did not fall alone with a cho"ed cr#, theco(swain loosed his gras) !)on the shro!ds and )l!nged

head first into the water.



23

@&ieces of Eight@

O/IN% to the cant of the vessel, the masts h!ng far o!t

over the water, and from m# )erch on the cross+trees I

had nothing elow me !t the s!rface of the a#.

$ands, who was not so far !), was in conseF!ence nearerto the shi) and fell etween me and the !lwar"s. $e

rose once to the s!rface in a lather of foam and loodand then san" again for good. As the water settled, I

co!ld see him l#ing h!ddled together on the clean, right

sand in the shadow of the vessel:s sides. A fish or two

whi))ed )ast his od#. Sometimes, # the F!ivering of thewater, he a))eared to move a little, as if he were tr#ing

to rise. !t he was dead eno!gh, for all that, eing othshot and drowned, and was food for fish in the ver# )lace

where he had designed m# sla!ghter.

I was no sooner certain of this than I egan to feel

sic", faint, and terrified. The hot lood was r!nning

over m# ac" and chest. The dir", where it had )innedm# sho!lder to the mast, seemed to !rn li"e a hot

iron #et it was not so m!ch these real s!fferings thatdistressed me, for these, it seemed to me, I co!ld ear

witho!t a m!rm!r it was the horror I had !)on m# mind

of falling from the cross+trees into that still green

water, eside the od# of the co(swain.

I cl!ng with oth hands till m# nails ached, and I sh!t m#e#es as if to cover !) the )eril. %rad!all# m# mind came

ac" again, m# )!lses F!ieted down to a more nat!ral time,and I was once more in )ossession of m#self.

It was m# first tho!ght to )l!c" forth the dir", !t

either it st!c" too hard or m# nerve failed me, and Idesisted with a violent sh!dder. Oddl# eno!gh, that

ver# sh!dder did the !siness. The "nife, in fact, hadcome the nearest in the world to missing me altogether

it held me # a mere )inch of s"in, and this the

sh!dder tore awa#. The lood ran down the faster, to

e s!re, !t I was m# own master again and onl# tac"edto the mast # m# coat and shirt.

These last I ro"e thro!gh with a s!dden er", and thenregained the dec" # the staroard shro!ds. 8ornothing in the world wo!ld I have again vent!red,

sha"en as I was, !)on the overhanging )ort shro!ds from

which Israel had so latel# fallen.

I went elow and did what I co!ld for m# wo!nd it )ained

me a good deal and still led freel#, !t it was neitherdee) nor dangero!s, nor did it greatl# gall me when I !sed

m# arm. Then I loo"ed aro!nd me, and as the shi) was now,



in a sense, m# own, I egan to thin" of clearing it from

its last )assenger++the dead man, O:rien.

$e had )itched, as I have said, against the !lwar"s,

where he la# li"e some horrile, !ngainl# sort of )!))et,life+siJe, indeed, !t how different from life:s colo!r

or life:s comeliness In that )osition I co!ld easil#have m# wa# with him, and as the hait of tragical

advent!res had worn off almost all m# terror for the

dead, I too" him # the waist as if he had een a sac"

of ran and with one good heave, t!mled him overoard.$e went in with a so!nding )l!nge the red ca) came off

and remained floating on the s!rface and as soon as thes)lash s!sided, I co!ld see him and Israel l#ing side

# side, oth wavering with the trem!lo!s movement of

the water. O:rien, tho!gh still F!ite a #o!ng man, was

ver# ald. There he la#, with that ald head across the"nees of the man who had "illed him and the F!ic" fishes

steering to and fro over oth.

I was now alone !)on the shi) the tide had !stt!rned. The s!n was within so few degrees of setting

that alread# the shadow of the )ines !)on the western

shore egan to reach right across the anchorage and

fall in )atterns on the dec". The evening reeJe hads)r!ng !), and tho!gh it was well warded off # the

hill with the two )ea"s !)on the east, the cordage hadeg!n to sing a little softl# to itself and the idle

sails to rattle to and fro.

I egan to see a danger to the shi). The is Is)eedil# do!sed and ro!ght t!mling to the dec", !t

the main+sail was a harder matter. Of co!rse, when theschooner canted over, the oom had sw!ng o!t+oard, and

the ca) of it and a foot or two of sail h!ng even !nderwater. I tho!ght this made it still more dangero!s

#et the strain was so heav# that I half feared to

meddle. At last I got m# "nife and c!t the hal#ards.

The )ea" dro))ed instantl#, a great ell# of loosecanvas floated road !)on the water, and since, )!ll as

I li"ed, I co!ld not !dge the downhall, that was thee(tent of what I co!ld accom)lish. 8or the rest, the

$IS&ANIOLA m!st tr!st to l!c", li"e m#self.

# this time the whole anchorage had fallen intoshadow++the last ra#s, I rememer, falling thro!gh a

glade of the wood and shining right as ewels on the

flower# mantle of the wrec". It egan to e chill thetide was ra)idl# fleeting seaward, the schoonersettling more and more on her eam+ends.

I scramled forward and loo"ed over. It seemed shallow

eno!gh, and holding the c!t hawser in oth hands for alast sec!rit#, I let m#self dro) softl# overoard. The

water scarcel# reached m# waist the sand was firm andcovered with ri))le mar"s, and I waded ashore in great

s)irits, leaving the $IS&ANIOLA on her side, with her



main+sail trailing wide !)on the s!rface of the a#.

Ao!t the same time, the s!n went fairl# down and the

reeJe whistled low in the d!s" among the tossing )ines.

At least, and at last, I was off the sea, nor had Iret!rned thence em)t#+handed. There la# the schooner,

clear at last from !ccaneers and read# for o!r own mento oard and get to sea again. I had nothing nearer m#

fanc# than to get home to the stoc"ade and oast of m#

achievements. &ossil# I might e lamed a it for m#

tr!antr#, !t the reca)t!re of the $IS&ANIOLA was aclenching answer, and I ho)ed that even 'a)tain

Smollett wo!ld confess I had not lost m# time.

So thin"ing, and in famo!s s)irits, I egan to set

m# face homeward for the loc" ho!se and m# com)anions.

I rememered that the most easterl# of the rivers whichdrain into 'a)tain -idd:s anchorage ran from the two+)ea"ed

hill !)on m# left, and I ent m# co!rse in that directionthat I might )ass the stream while it was small. The wood

was )rett# o)en, and "ee)ing along the lower s)!rs, I hadsoon t!rned the corner of that hill, and not long after

waded to the mid+calf across the waterco!rse.

This ro!ght me near to where I had enco!ntered en%!nn, the maroon and I wal"ed more circ!ms)ectl#,

"ee)ing an e#e on ever# side. The d!s" had come nighhand com)letel#, and as I o)ened o!t the cleft etween

the two )ea"s, I ecame aware of a wavering glow

against the s"#, where, as I !dged, the man of the

island was coo"ing his s!))er efore a roaring fire.And #et I wondered, in m# heart, that he sho!ld show

himself so careless. 8or if I co!ld see this radiance,might it not reach the e#es of Silver himself where he

cam)ed !)on the shore among the marshes

%rad!all# the night fell lac"er it was all I co!ld do

to g!ide m#self even ro!ghl# towards m# destination

the do!le hill ehind me and the S)#+glass on m# righthand loomed faint and fainter the stars were few and

)ale and in the low gro!nd where I wandered I "e)ttri))ing among !shes and rolling into sand# )its.

S!ddenl# a "ind of rightness fell ao!t me. I loo"ed

!) a )ale glimmer of mooneams had alighted on thes!mmit of the S)#+glass, and soon after I saw something

road and silver# moving low down ehind the trees, and

"new the moon had risen.

/ith this to hel) me, I )assed ra)idl# over what

remained to me of m# o!rne#, and sometimes wal"ing,

sometimes r!nning, im)atientl# drew near to the

stoc"ade. <et, as I egan to thread the grove thatlies efore it, I was not so tho!ghtless !t that I

slac"ed m# )ace and went a trifle waril#. It wo!ldhave een a )oor end of m# advent!res to get shot down

# m# own )art# in mista"e.



The moon was climing higher and higher, its light

egan to fall here and there in masses thro!gh the moreo)en districts of the wood, and right in front of me a

glow of a different colo!r a))eared among the trees.It was red and hot, and now and again it was a little

dar"ened++as it were, the emers of a onfire smo!ldering.

8or the life of me I co!ld not thin" what it might e.

At last I came right down !)on the orders of theclearing. The western end was alread# stee)ed in moon+

shine the rest, and the loc" ho!se itself, still la#in a lac" shadow cheF!ered with long silver# strea"s

of light. On the other side of the ho!se an immense

fire had !rned itself into clear emers and shed a

stead#, red revereration, contrasted strongl# with themellow )aleness of the moon. There was not a so!l

stirring nor a so!nd eside the noises of the reeJe.

I sto))ed, with m!ch wonder in m# heart, and )erha)s alittle terror also. It had not een o!r wa# to !ild

great fires we were, indeed, # the ca)tain:s orders,

somewhat niggardl# of firewood, and I egan to fear

that something had gone wrong while I was asent.

I stole ro!nd # the eastern end, "ee)ing close inshadow, and at a convenient )lace, where the dar"ness

was thic"est, crossed the )alisade.

To ma"e ass!rance s!rer, I got !)on m# hands and "neesand crawled, witho!t a so!nd, towards the corner of the

ho!se. As I drew nearer, m# heart was s!ddenl# andgreatl# lightened. It is not a )leasant noise in

itself, and I have often com)lained of it at othertimes, !t !st then it was li"e m!sic to hear m#

friends snoring together so lo!d and )eacef!l in their

slee). The sea+cr# of the watch, that ea!tif!l @All:s

well,@ never fell more reass!ringl# on m# ear.

In the meantime, there was no do!t of one thing the#"e)t an infamo!s ad watch. If it had een Silver and

his lads that were now cree)ing in on them, not a so!l

wo!ld have seen da#rea". That was what it was,

tho!ght I, to have the ca)tain wo!nded and again Ilamed m#self shar)l# for leaving them in that danger

with so few to mo!nt g!ard.

# this time I had got to the door and stood !). Allwas dar" within, so that I co!ld disting!ish nothing #

the e#e. As for so!nds, there was the stead# drone of

the snorers and a small occasional noise, a flic"ering

or )ec"ing that I co!ld in no wa# acco!nt for.

/ith m# arms efore me I wal"ed steadil# in. I sho!ldlie down in m# own )lace GI tho!ght with a silent ch!c"leH

and eno# their faces when the# fo!nd me in the morning.



1# foot str!c" something #ielding++it was a slee)er:s

leg and he t!rned and groaned, !t witho!t awa"ing.

And then, all of a s!dden, a shrill voice ro"e fortho!t of the dar"ness*

@&ieces of eight &ieces of eight &ieces of eight

&ieces of eight &ieces of eight and so forth, witho!t

)a!se or change, li"e the clac"ing of a tin# mill.

Silver:s green )arrot, 'a)tain 8lint It was she whom

I had heard )ec"ing at a )iece of ar" it was she,"ee)ing etter watch than an# h!man eing, who th!s

anno!nced m# arrival with her wearisome refrain.

I had no time left me to recover. At the shar),cli))ing tone of the )arrot, the slee)ers awo"e and

s)rang !) and with a might# oath, the voice of Silvercried, @/ho goes@

I t!rned to r!n, str!c" violentl# against one )erson,

recoiled, and ran f!ll into the arms of a second, who

for his )art closed !)on and held me tight.

@ring a torch, Dic",@ said Silver when m# ca)t!re was

th!s ass!red.

And one of the men left the log+ho!se and )resentl#

ret!rned with a lighted rand.

&ART SI

'a)tain Silver

2;

In the Enem#:s 'am)

T$E red glare of the torch, lighting !) the interior of

the loc" ho!se, showed me the worst of m#

a))rehensions realiJed. The )irates were in )ossessionof the ho!se and stores* there was the cas" of cognac,there were the )or" and read, as efore, and what

tenfold increased m# horror, not a sign of an#

)risoner. I co!ld onl# !dge that all had )erished,

and m# heart smote me sorel# that I had not een thereto )erish with them.

There were si( of the !ccaneers, all told not another

man was left alive. 8ive of them were on their feet,



fl!shed and swollen, s!ddenl# called o!t of the first

slee) of dr!n"enness. The si(th had onl# risen !)on

his elow he was deadl# )ale, and the lood+stainedandage ro!nd his head told that he had recentl# een

wo!nded, and still more recentl# dressed. I rememeredthe man who had een shot and had r!n ac" among the woods

in the great attac", and do!ted not that this was he.

The )arrot sat, )reening her )l!mage, on Long ?ohn:s

sho!lder. $e himself, I tho!ght, loo"ed somewhat )aler

and more stern than I was !sed to. $e still wore thefine roadcloth s!it in which he had f!lfilled his

mission, !t it was itterl# the worse for wear, da!edwith cla# and torn with the shar) riers of the wood.

@So,@ said he, @here:s ?im $aw"ins, shiver m# timers

Dro))ed in, li"e, eh /ell, come, I ta"e that friendl#.@

And there!)on he sat down across the rand# cas" andegan to fill a )i)e.

@%ive me a loan of the lin", Dic",@ said he and then,

when he had a good light, @That:ll do, lad,@ he added

@stic" the glim in the wood hea) and #o!, gentlemen,

ring #o!rselves to <o! needn:t stand !) for 1r.$aw"ins $E:LL e(c!se #o!, #o! ma# la# to that.

And so, ?im@++sto))ing the toacco++@here #o! were, andF!ite a )leasant s!r)rise for )oor old ?ohn. I see #o!

were smart when first I set m# e#es on #o!, !t this

here gets awa# from me clean, it do.@

To all this, as ma# e well s!))osed, I made no answer.

The# had set me with m# ac" against the wall, and Istood there, loo"ing Silver in the face, )l!c"il#

eno!gh, I ho)e, to all o!tward a))earance, !t withlac" des)air in m# heart.

Silver too" a whiff or two of his )i)e with great

com)os!re and then ran on again.

@Now, #o! see, ?im, so e as #o! ARE here,@ sa#she, @I:ll give #o! a )iece of m# mind. I:ve alwa#s

li"ed #o!, I have, for a lad of s)irit, and the )icter

of m# own self when I was #o!ng and handsome. I alwa#s

wanted #o! to ine and ta"e #o!r share, and die agentleman, and now, m# coc", #o!:ve got to. 'a):n

Smollett:s a fine seaman, as I:ll own !) to an# da#,

!t stiff on disci)line. :Doot# is doot#,: sa#s he,and right he is. ?!st #o! "ee) clear of the ca):n.The doctor himself is gone dead again #o!++:!ngratef!l

scam): was what he said and the short and the long of

the whole stor# is ao!t here* #o! can:t go ac" to

#o!r own lot, for the# won:t have #o! and witho!t #o!start a third shi):s com)an# all # #o!rself, which

might e lonel#, #o!:ll have to ine with 'a):n Silver.@

So far so good. 1# friends, then, were still alive,



and tho!gh I )artl# elieved the tr!th of Silver:s

statement, that the cain )art# were incensed at me for

m# desertion, I was more relieved than distressed #what I heard.

@I don:t sa# nothing as to #o!r eing in o!r hands,@

contin!ed Silver, @tho!gh there #o! are, and #o! ma#la# to it. I:m all for arg#ment I never seen good

come o!t o: threatening. If #o! li"e the service,

well, #o!:ll ine and if #o! don:t, ?im, wh#, #o!:re

free to answer no++free and welcome, shi)mate and iffairer can e said # mortal seaman, shiver m# sides@

@Am I to answer, then@ I as"ed with a ver# trem!lo!s

voice. Thro!gh all this sneering tal", I was made to

feel the threat of death that overh!ng me, and m#

chee"s !rned and m# heart eat )ainf!ll# in m# reast.

@Lad,@ said Silver, @no one:s a+)ressing of #o!. Ta"e#o!r earings. None of !s won:t h!rr# #o!, mate time

goes so )leasant in #o!r com)an#, #o! see.@

@/ell,@ sa#s I, growing a it older, @if I:m to

choose, I declare I have a right to "now what:s what,

and wh# #o!:re here, and where m# friends are.@

@/ot:s wot@ re)eated one of the !ccaneers in a dee)growl. @Ah, he:d e a l!c"# one as "nowed that@

@<o!:ll )erha)s atten down #o!r hatches till #o!:re

s)o"e to, m# friend,@ cried Silver tr!c!lentl# to thiss)ea"er. And then, in his first gracio!s tones, he

re)lied to me, @<esterda# morning, 1r. $aw"ins,@ saidhe, @in the dog+watch, down came Doctor Livese# with a

flag of tr!ce. Sa#s he, :'a):n Silver, #o!:re soldo!t. Shi):s gone.: /ell, ma#e we:d een ta"ing a

glass, and a song to hel) it ro!nd. I won:t sa# no.

Leastwa#s, none of !s had loo"ed o!t. /e loo"ed o!t,

and # th!nder, the old shi) was gone I never seen a)ac" o: fools loo" fishier and #o! ma# la# to that, if

I tells #o! that loo"ed the fishiest. :/ell,: sa#s thedoctor, :let:s argain.: /e argained, him and I, and

here we are* stores, rand#, loc" ho!se, the firewood

#o! was tho!ghtf!l eno!gh to c!t, and in a manner of

s)ea"ing, the whole lessed oat, from cross+trees to"elson. As for them, the#:ve tram)ed I don:t "now

where:s the# are.@

$e drew again F!ietl# at his )i)e.

@And lest #o! sho!ld ta"e it into that head of #o!rs,@

he went on, @that #o! was incl!ded in the treat#,

here:s the last word that was said* :$ow man# are #o!,:sa#s I, :to leave: :8o!r,: sa#s he :fo!r, and one of

!s wo!nded. As for that o#, I don:t "now where he is,confo!nd him,: sa#s he, :nor I don:t m!ch care. /e:re

ao!t sic" of him.: These was his words.



@Is that all@ I as"ed.

@/ell, it:s all that #o!:re to hear, m# son,@

ret!rned Silver.

@And now I am to choose@

@And now #o! are to choose, and #o! ma# la# to

that,@ said Silver.

@/ell,@ said I, @I am not s!ch a fool !t I "now )rett#

well what I have to loo" for. Let the worst come tothe worst, it:s little I care. I:ve seen too man# die

since I fell in with #o!. !t there:s a thing or two I

have to tell #o!,@ I said, and # this time I was F!ite

e(cited @and the first is this* here #o! are, in a adwa#++shi) lost, treas!re lost, men lost, #o!r whole

!siness gone to wrec" and if #o! want to "now who didit++it was I I was in the a))le arrel the night we

sighted land, and I heard #o!, ?ohn, and #o!, Dic"?ohnson, and $ands, who is now at the ottom of the

sea, and told ever# word #o! said efore the ho!r was

o!t. And as for the schooner, it was I who c!t her

cale, and it was I that "illed the men #o! had aoardof her, and it was I who ro!ght her where #o!:ll never

see her more, not one of #o!. The la!gh:s on m# sideI:ve had the to) of this !siness from the first I no

more fear #o! than I fear a fl#. -ill me, if #o!

)lease, or s)are me. !t one thing I:ll sa#, and no

more if #o! s)are me, #gones are #gones, and when#o! fellows are in co!rt for )irac#, I:ll save #o! all

I can. It is for #o! to choose. -ill another and do#o!rselves no good, or s)are me and "ee) a witness to

save #o! from the gallows.@

I sto))ed, for, I tell #o!, I was o!t of reath, and to

m# wonder, not a man of them moved, !t all sat staring

at me li"e as man# shee). And while the# were stillstaring, I ro"e o!t again, @And now, 1r. Silver,@ I

said, @I elieve #o!:re the est man here, and ifthings go to the worst, I:ll ta"e it "ind of #o! to let

the doctor "now the wa# I too" it.@

@I:ll ear it in mind,@ said Silver with an accent soc!rio!s that I co!ld not, for the life of me, decide

whether he were la!ghing at m# reF!est or had een

favo!ral# affected # m# co!rage.

@I:ll )!t one to that,@ cried the old mahogan#+faced

seaman++1organ # name++whom I had seen in Long ?ohn:s

)!lic+ho!se !)on the F!a#s of ristol. @It was him

that "nowed lac" Dog.@

@/ell, and see here,@ added the sea+coo". @I:ll )!tanother again to that, # th!nder 8or it was this

same o# that fa"ed the chart from ill# ones. 8irst



and last, we:ve s)lit !)on ?im $aw"ins@

@Then here goes@ said 1organ with an oath.

And he s)rang !), drawing his "nife as if he hadeen twent#.

@Avast, there@ cried Silver. @/ho are #o!, Tom

1organ 1a#e #o! tho!ght #o! was ca):n here, )erha)s.

# the )owers, !t I:ll teach #o! etter 'ross me,

and #o!:ll go where man# a good man:s gone efore #o!,first and last, these thirt# #ear ac"++some to the

#ard+arm, shiver m# timers, and some # the oard, andall to feed the fishes. There:s never a man loo"ed me

etween the e#es and seen a good da# a:terwards, Tom

1organ, #o! ma# la# to that.@

1organ )a!sed, !t a hoarse m!rm!r rose from the others.

@Tom:s right,@ said one.

@I stood haJing long eno!gh from one,@ added another.

@I:ll e hanged if I:ll e haJed # #o!, ?ohn Silver.@

@Did an# of #o! gentlemen want to have it o!t with 1E@roared Silver, ending far forward from his

)osition on the "eg, with his )i)e still glowing in hisright hand. @&!t a name on what #o!:re at #o! ain:t

d!m, I rec"on. $im that wants shall get it. $ave I

lived this man# #ears, and a son of a r!m )!ncheon coc"

his hat athwart m# hawse at the latter end of it <o!"now the wa# #o!:re all gentlemen o: fort!ne, # #o!r

acco!nt. /ell, I:m read#. Ta"e a c!tlass, him thatdares, and I:ll see the colo!r of his inside, cr!tch

and all, efore that )i)e:s em)t#.@

Not a man stirred not a man answered.

@That:s #o!r sort, is it@ he added, ret!rning his )i)eto his mo!th. @/ell, #o!:re a ga# lot to loo" at,

an#wa#. Not m!ch worth to fight, #o! ain:t. &:r:a)s#o! can !nderstand -ing %eorge:s English. I:m ca):n

here # :lection. I:m ca):n here eca!se I:m the est

man # a long sea+mile. <o! won:t fight, as gentlemen

o: fort!ne sho!ld then, # th!nder, #o!:ll oe#, and#o! ma# la# to it I li"e that o#, now I never seen

a etter o# than that. $e:s more a man than an# )air

of rats of #o! in this here ho!se, and what I sa# isthis* let me see him that:ll la# a hand on him++that:swhat I sa#, and #o! ma# la# to it.@

There was a long )a!se after this. I stood straight !)

against the wall, m# heart still going li"e a sledge+hammer, !t with a ra# of ho)e now shining in m# osom.

Silver leant ac" against the wall, his arms crossed, his)i)e in the corner of his mo!th, as calm as tho!gh he had

een in ch!rch #et his e#e "e)t wandering f!rtivel#, and



he "e)t the tail of it on his !nr!l# followers. The#, on

their )art, drew grad!all# together towards the far end of

the loc" ho!se, and the low hiss of their whis)ering so!ndedin m# ear contin!o!sl#, li"e a stream. One after another,

the# wo!ld loo" !), and the red light of the torch wo!ldfall for a second on their nervo!s faces !t it was not

towards me, it was towards Silver that the# t!rned their e#es.

@<o! seem to have a lot to sa#,@ remar"ed Silver,

s)itting far into the air. @&i)e !) and let me hear

it, or la# to.@

@A( #o!r )ardon, sir,@ ret!rned one of the men @#o!:re)rett# free with some of the r!les ma#e #o!:ll "indl#

"ee) an e#e !)on the rest. This crew:s dissatisfied

this crew don:t vall# !ll#ing a marlin+s)i"e this

crew has its rights li"e other crews, I:ll ma"e so freeas that and # #o!r own r!les, I ta"e it we can tal"

together. I a( #o!r )ardon, sir, ac"nowledging #o! forto e ca)taing at this )resent !t I claim m# right,

and ste)s o!tside for a co!ncil.@

And with an elaorate sea+sal!te, this fellow, a long,

ill+loo"ing, #ellow+e#ed man of five and thirt#,

ste))ed cooll# towards the door and disa))eared o!t ofthe ho!se. One after another the rest followed his

e(am)le, each ma"ing a sal!te as he )assed, each addingsome a)olog#. @According to r!les,@ said one.

@8orecastle co!ncil,@ said 1organ. And so with one

remar" or another all marched o!t and left Silver and

me alone with the torch.

The sea+coo" instantl# removed his )i)e.

@Now, loo" #o! here, ?im $aw"ins,@ he said in a stead#whis)er that was no more than a!dile, @#o!:re within

half a )lan" of death, and what:s a long sight worse,

of tort!re. The#:re going to throw me off. !t, #o!

mar", I stand # #o! thro!gh thic" and thin. I didn:tmean to no, not till #o! s)o"e !). I was ao!t

des)erate to lose that m!ch l!nt, and e hanged intothe argain. !t I see #o! was the right sort. I sa#s

to m#self, #o! stand # $aw"ins, ?ohn, and $aw"ins:ll

stand # #o!. <o!:re his last card, and # the living

th!nder, ?ohn, he:s #o!rs ac" to ac", sa#s I. <o!save #o!r witness, and he:ll save #o!r nec"@

I egan diml# to !nderstand.

@<o! mean all:s lost@ I as"ed.

@A#e, # g!m, I do@ he answered. @Shi) gone, nec" gone

++that:s the siJe of it. Once I loo"ed into that a#, ?im$aw"ins, and seen no schooner++well, I:m to!gh, !t I gave

o!t. As for that lot and their co!ncil, mar" me, the#:reo!tright fools and cowards. I:ll save #o!r life++if so e

as I can++from them. !t, see here, ?im++tit for tat++#o!



save Long ?ohn from swinging.@

I was ewildered it seemed a thing so ho)eless he wasas"ing++he, the old !ccaneer, the ringleader thro!gho!t.

@/hat I can do, that I:ll do,@ I said.

@It:s a argain@ cried Long ?ohn. @<o! s)ea" !)

)l!c"#, and # th!nder, I:ve a chance@

$e holed to the torch, where it stood )ro))ed amongthe firewood, and too" a fresh light to his )i)e.

@Understand me, ?im,@ he said, ret!rning. @I:ve a head

on m# sho!lders, I have. I:m on sF!ire:s side now. I

"now #o!:ve got that shi) safe somewheres. $ow #o!

done it, I don:t "now, !t safe it is. I g!ess $andsand O:rien t!rned soft. I never m!ch elieved in

neither of T$E1. Now #o! mar" me. I as" no F!estions,nor I won:t let others. I "now when a game:s !), I do

and I "now a lad that:s sta!nch. Ah, #o! that:s #o!ng++#o! and me might have done a )ower of good together@

$e drew some cognac from the cas" into a tin canni"in.

@/ill #o! taste, messmate@ he as"ed and when I had

ref!sed* @/ell, I:ll ta"e a drain m#self, ?im,@ saidhe. @I need a ca!l"er, for there:s tro!le on hand.

And tal"ing o: tro!le, wh# did that doctor give me the

chart, ?im@

1# face e()ressed a wonder so !naffected that he saw

the needlessness of f!rther F!estions.

@Ah, well, he did, tho!gh,@ said he. @And there:ssomething !nder that, no do!t++something, s!rel#,

!nder that, ?im++ad or good.@

And he too" another swallow of the rand#, sha"ing hisgreat fair head li"e a man who loo"s forward to the worst.

2=

The lac" S)ot Again

T$E co!ncil of !ccaneers had lasted some time, whenone of them re+entered the ho!se, and with a re)etitionof the same sal!te, which had in m# e#es an ironical

air, egged for a moment:s loan of the torch. Silver

riefl# agreed, and this emissar# retired again,

leaving !s together in the dar".

@There:s a reeJe coming, ?im,@ said Silver, who had #this time ado)ted F!ite a friendl# and familiar tone.



I t!rned to the loo)hole nearest me and loo"ed o!t.

The emers of the great fire had so far !rned

themselves o!t and now glowed so low and d!s"il# that I!nderstood wh# these cons)irators desired a torch.

Ao!t half+wa# down the slo)e to the stoc"ade, the#were collected in a gro!) one held the light, another

was on his "nees in their midst, and I saw the lade ofan o)en "nife shine in his hand with var#ing colo!rs in

the moon and torchlight. The rest were all somewhat

stoo)ing, as tho!gh watching the manoe!vres of this last.

I co!ld !st ma"e o!t that he had a oo" as well as a"nife in his hand, and was still wondering how an#thing

so incongr!o!s had come in their )ossession when the"neeling fig!re rose once more to his feet and the whole

)art# egan to move together towards the ho!se.

@$ere the# come,@ said I and I ret!rned to m# former)osition, for it seemed eneath m# dignit# that the#

sho!ld find me watching them.

@/ell, let :em come, lad++let :em come,@ said Silvercheeril#. @I:ve still a shot in m# loc"er.@

The door o)ened, and the five men, standing h!ddled

together !st inside, )!shed one of their n!merforward. In an# other circ!mstances it wo!ld have een

comical to see his slow advance, hesitating as he setdown each foot, !t holding his closed right hand in

front of him.

@Ste) !), lad,@ cried Silver. @I won:t eat #o!. $andit over, l!er. I "now the r!les, I do I won:t h!rt

a de)#tation.@

Th!s enco!raged, the !ccaneer ste))ed forth moreris"l#, and having )assed something to Silver, from

hand to hand, sli))ed #et more smartl# ac" again to

his com)anions.

The sea+coo" loo"ed at what had een given him.

@The lac" s)ot I tho!ght so,@ he oserved. @/here

might #o! have got the )a)er /h#, hillo Loo" here,

now this ain:t l!c"# <o!:ve gone and c!t this o!t of

a ile. /hat fool:s c!t a ile@

@Ah, there@ said 1organ. @There /ot did I sa# No

good:ll come o: that, I said.@

@/ell, #o!:ve ao!t fi(ed it now, among #o!,@ contin!ed

Silver. @<o!:ll all swing now, I rec"on. /hat soft+

headed l!er had a ile@

@It was Dic",@ said one.

@Dic", was it Then Dic" can get to )ra#ers,@ said

Silver. @$e:s seen his slice of l!c", has Dic", and



#o! ma# la# to that.@

!t here the long man with the #ellow e#es str!c" in.

@ela# that tal", ?ohn Silver,@ he said. @This crewhas ti))ed #o! the lac" s)ot in f!ll co!ncil, as in

doot# o!nd !st #o! t!rn it over, as in doot# o!nd,and see what:s wrote there. Then #o! can tal".@

@Than"#, %eorge,@ re)lied the sea+coo". @<o! alwa#s

was ris" for !siness, and has the r!les # heart,%eorge, as I:m )leased to see. /ell, what is it,

an#wa# Ah :De)osed:++that:s it, is it >er# )rett#wrote, to e s!re li"e )rint, I swear. <o!r hand o:

write, %eorge /h#, #o! was gettin: F!ite a leadin:

man in this here crew. <o!:ll e ca):n ne(t, I

sho!ldn:t wonder. ?!st olige me with that torchagain, will #o! This )i)e don:t draw.@

@'ome, now,@ said %eorge, @#o! don:t fool this crew no

more. <o!:re a f!nn# man, # #o!r acco!nt !t #o!:reover now, and #o!:ll ma#e ste) down off that arrel

and hel) vote.@

@I tho!ght #o! said #o! "nowed the r!les,@ ret!rnedSilver contem)t!o!sl#. @Leastwa#s, if #o! don:t, I do

and I wait here++and I:m still #o!r ca):n, mind++till#o! o!ts with #o!r grievances and I re)l# in the

meantime, #o!r lac" s)ot ain:t worth a isc!it. After

that, we:ll see.@

@Oh,@ re)lied %eorge, @#o! don:t e !nder no "ind of

a))rehension /E:RE all sF!are, we are. 8irst,#o!:ve made a hash of this cr!ise++#o!:ll e a old man

to sa# no to that. Second, #o! let the enem# o!t o:this here tra) for nothing. /h# did the# want o!t I

d!nno, !t it:s )rett# )lain the# wanted it. Third,

#o! wo!ldn:t let !s go at them !)on the march. Oh, we

see thro!gh #o!, ?ohn Silver #o! want to )la# oot#,that:s what:s wrong with #o!. And then, fo!rth,

there:s this here o#.@

@Is that all@ as"ed Silver F!ietl#.

@Eno!gh, too,@ retorted %eorge. @/e:ll all swing ands!n+dr# for #o!r !ngling.@

@/ell now, loo" here, I:ll answer these fo!r ):intsone after another I:ll answer :em. I made a hash o:this cr!ise, did I /ell now, #o! all "now what I

wanted, and #o! all "now if that had een done that

we:d :a een aoard the $IS&ANIOLA this night as

ever was, ever# man of !s alive, and fit, and f!ll ofgood )l!m+d!ff, and the treas!re in the hold of her, #

th!nder /ell, who crossed me /ho forced m# hand, aswas the lawf!l ca):n /ho ti))ed me the lac" s)ot the

da# we landed and egan this dance Ah, it:s a fine



dance++I:m with #o! there++and loo"s might# li"e a

horn)i)e in a ro)e:s end at E(ec!tion Doc" # London

town, it does. !t who done it /h#, it was Anderson,and $ands, and #o!, %eorge 1err# And #o!:re the last

aove oard of that same meddling crew and #o! havethe Dav# ?ones:s insolence to !) and stand for ca):n

over me++#o!, that san" the lot of !s # the )owers!t this to)s the stiffest #arn to nothing.@

Silver )a!sed, and I co!ld see # the faces of %eorge

and his late comrades that these words had not eensaid in vain.

@That:s for n!mer one,@ cried the acc!sed, wi)ing the

sweat from his row, for he had een tal"ing with a

vehemence that shoo" the ho!se. @/h#, I give #o! m#

word, I:m sic" to s)ea" to #o!. <o!:ve neither sensenor memor#, and I leave it to fanc# where #o!r mothers

was that let #o! come to sea. Sea %entlemen o:fort!ne I rec"on tailors is #o!r trade.@

@%o on, ?ohn,@ said 1organ. @S)ea" !) to the others.@

@Ah, the others@ ret!rned ?ohn. @The#:re a nice lot,

ain:t the# <o! sa# this cr!ise is !ngled. Ah #g!m, if #o! co!ld !nderstand how ad it:s !ngled, #o!

wo!ld see /e:re that near the giet that m# nec":sstiff with thin"ing on it. <o!:ve seen :em, ma#e,

hanged in chains, irds ao!t :em, seamen ):inting :em

o!t as the# go down with the tide. :/ho:s that: sa#s

one. :That /h#, that:s ?ohn Silver. I "nowed himwell,: sa#s another. And #o! can hear the chains a+

angle as #o! go ao!t and reach for the other !o#.Now, that:s ao!t where we are, ever# mother:s son of

!s, than"s to him, and $ands, and Anderson, and otherr!ination fools of #o!. And if #o! want to "now ao!t

n!mer fo!r, and that o#, wh#, shiver m# timers,

isn:t he a hostage Are we a+going to waste a hostage

No, not !s he might e o!r last chance, and Isho!ldn:t wonder. -ill that o# Not me, mates And

n!mer three Ah, well, there:s a deal to sa# ton!mer three. 1a#e #o! don:t co!nt it nothing to have

a real college doctor to see #o! ever# da#++#o!, ?ohn,

with #o!r head ro"e++or #o!, %eorge 1err#, that had

the ag!e sha"es !)on #o! not si( ho!rs agone, and has#o!r e#es the colo!r of lemon )eel to this same moment

on the cloc" And ma#e, )erha)s, #o! didn:t "now

there was a consort coming either !t there is, andnot so long till then and we:ll see who:ll e glad tohave a hostage when it comes to that. And as for

n!mer two, and wh# I made a argain++well, #o! came

crawling on #o!r "nees to me to ma"e it++on #o!r "nees

#o! came, #o! was that downhearted++and #o!:d havestarved too if I hadn:t++!t that:s a trifle <o! loo"

there++that:s wh#@

And he cast down !)on the floor a )a)er that I



instantl# recogniJed++none other than the chart on

#ellow )a)er, with the three red crosses, that I had

fo!nd in the oilcloth at the ottom of the ca)tain:schest. /h# the doctor had given it to him was more

than I co!ld fanc#.

!t if it were ine()licale to me, the a))earance ofthe chart was incredile to the s!rviving m!tineers.

The# lea)ed !)on it li"e cats !)on a mo!se. It went

from hand to hand, one tearing it from another and #

the oaths and the cries and the childish la!ghter withwhich the# accom)anied their e(amination, #o! wo!ld

have tho!ght, not onl# the# were fingering the ver#gold, !t were at sea with it, esides, in safet#.

@<es,@ said one, @that:s 8lint, s!re eno!gh. ?. 8., and

a score elow, with a clove hitch to it so he done ever.@

@1ight# )rett#,@ said %eorge. @!t how are we to getawa# with it, and !s no shi).@

Silver s!ddenl# s)rang !), and s!))orting himself with

a hand against the wall* @Now I give #o! warning,

%eorge,@ he cried. @One more word of #o!r sa!ce, and

I:ll call #o! down and fight #o!. $ow /h#, how do I"now <o! had o!ght to tell me that++#o! and the rest,

that lost me m# schooner, with #o!r interference, !rn#o! !t not #o!, #o! can:t #o! hain:t got the

invention of a coc"roach. !t civil #o! can s)ea", and

shall, %eorge 1err#, #o! ma# la# to that.@

@That:s fair enow,@ said the old man 1organ.

@8air I rec"on so,@ said the sea+coo". @<o! lost the

shi) I fo!nd the treas!re. /ho:s the etter man atthat And now I resign, # th!nder Elect whom #o!

)lease to e #o!r ca):n now I:m done with it.@

@Silver@ the# cried. @arec!e forever arec!efor ca):n@

@So that:s the toon, is it@ cried the coo". @%eorge,

I rec"on #o!:ll have to wait another t!rn, friend and

l!c"# for #o! as I:m not a revengef!l man. !t that

was never m# wa#. And now, shi)mates, this lac" s)ot:Tain:t m!ch good now, is it Dic":s crossed his l!c"

and s)oiled his ile, and that:s ao!t all.@

@It:ll do to "iss the oo" on still, won:t it@ growledDic", who was evidentl# !neas# at the c!rse he had

ro!ght !)on himself.

@A ile with a it c!t o!t@ ret!rned Silverderisivel#. @Not it. It don:t ind no more:n a

allad+oo".@

@Don:t it, tho!gh@ cried Dic" with a sort of o#.



@/ell, I rec"on that:s worth having too.@

@$ere, ?im++here:s a c!r:osit# for #o!,@ said Silver,and he tossed me the )a)er.

It was aro!nd ao!t the siJe of a crown )iece. One

side was lan", for it had een the last leaf theother contained a verse or two of Revelation++these

words among the rest, which str!c" shar)l# home !)on m#

mind* @/itho!t are dogs and m!rderers.@ The )rinted

side had een lac"ened with wood ash, which alread#egan to come off and soil m# fingers on the lan"

side had een written with the same material the oneword @De))osed.@ I have that c!riosit# eside me at

this moment, !t not a trace of writing now remains

e#ond a single scratch, s!ch as a man might ma"e with

his th!m+nail.

That was the end of the night:s !siness. Soon after,with a drin" all ro!nd, we la# down to slee), and the

o!tside of Silver:s vengeance was to )!t %eorge 1err#!) for sentinel and threaten him with death if he

sho!ld )rove !nfaithf!l.

It was long ere I co!ld close an e#e, and heaven "nowsI had matter eno!gh for tho!ght in the man whom I had

slain that afternoon, in m# own most )erilo!s )osition,and aove all, in the remar"ale game that I saw Silver

now engaged !)on++"ee)ing the m!tineers together with

one hand and gras)ing with the other after ever# means,

)ossile and im)ossile, to ma"e his )eace and save hismiserale life. $e himself sle)t )eacef!ll# and snored

alo!d, #et m# heart was sore for him, wic"ed as he was,to thin" on the dar" )erils that environed and the

shamef!l giet that awaited him.

46

On &arole

I /AS wa"ened++indeed, we were all wa"ened, for I co!ld

see even the sentinel sha"e himself together from where

he had fallen against the door+)ost++# a clear, heart#voice hailing !s from the margin of the wood*

@loc" ho!se, aho#@ it cried. @$ere:s the doctor.@

And the doctor it was. Altho!gh I was glad to hear the

so!nd, #et m# gladness was not witho!t admi(t!re. I

rememered with conf!sion m# ins!ordinate and stealth#

cond!ct, and when I saw where it had ro!ght me++amongwhat com)anions and s!rro!nded # what dangers++I felt

ashamed to loo" him in the face.

$e m!st have risen in the dar", for the da# had hardl#



come and when I ran to a loo)hole and loo"ed o!t, I

saw him standing, li"e Silver once efore, !) to the

mid+leg in cree)ing va)o!r.

@<o!, doctor To) o: the morning to #o!, sir@ criedSilver, road awa"e and eaming with good nat!re in a

moment. @right and earl#, to e s!re and it:s theearl# ird, as the sa#ing goes, that gets the rations.

%eorge, sha"e !) #o!r timers, son, and hel) Dr.

Livese# over the shi):s side. All a+doin: well, #o!r

)atients was++all well and merr#.@

So he )attered on, standing on the hillto) with his cr!tch!nder his elow and one hand !)on the side of the log+ho!se

++F!ite the old ?ohn in voice, manner, and e()ression.

@/e:ve F!ite a s!r)rise for #o! too, sir,@ hecontin!ed. @/e:ve a little stranger here++he he A

noo oarder and lodger, sir, and loo"ing fit and ta!tas a fiddle sle): li"e a s!)ercargo, he did, right

alongside of ?ohn++stem to stem we was, all night.@

Dr. Livese# was # this time across the stoc"ade and

)rett# near the coo", and I co!ld hear the alteration

in his voice as he said, @Not ?im@

@The ver# same ?im as ever was,@ sa#s Silver.

The doctor sto))ed o!tright, altho!gh he did not s)ea",

and it was some seconds efore he seemed ale to move on.

@/ell, well,@ he said at last, @d!t# first and )leas!re

afterwards, as #o! might have said #o!rself, Silver.Let !s overha!l these )atients of #o!rs.@

A moment afterwards he had entered the loc" ho!se and

with one grim nod to me )roceeded with his wor" among

the sic". $e seemed !nder no a))rehension, tho!gh he

m!st have "nown that his life, among these treachero!sdemons, de)ended on a hair and he rattled on to his

)atients as if he were )a#ing an ordinar# )rofessionalvisit in a F!iet English famil#. $is manner, I

s!))ose, reacted on the men, for the# ehaved to him as

if nothing had occ!rred, as if he were still shi):s

doctor and the# still faithf!l hands efore the mast.

@<o!:re doing well, m# friend,@ he said to the fellow

with the andaged head, @and if ever an# )erson had aclose shave, it was #o! #o!r head m!st e as hard asiron. /ell, %eorge, how goes it <o!:re a )rett#

colo!r, certainl# wh#, #o!r liver, man, is !)side

down. Did #o! ta"e that medicine Did he ta"e that

medicine, men@

@A#e, a#e, sir, he too" it, s!re eno!gh,@ ret!rned 1organ.

@eca!se, #o! see, since I am m!tineers: doctor, or



)rison doctor as I )refer to call it,@ sa#s Doctor

Livese# in his )leasantest wa#, @I ma"e it a )oint of

hono!r not to lose a man for -ing %eorge G%od lesshimH and the gallows.@

The rog!es loo"ed at each other !t swallowed the home+

thr!st in silence.

@Dic" don:t feel well, sir,@ said one.

@Don:t he@ re)lied the doctor. @/ell, ste) !) here,Dic", and let me see #o!r tong!e. No, I sho!ld e

s!r)rised if he did The man:s tong!e is fit tofrighten the 8rench. Another fever.@

@Ah, there,@ said 1organ, @that comed of s):iling iles.@

@That comes++as #o! call it++of eing arrant asses,@

retorted the doctor, @and not having sense eno!gh to"now honest air from )oison, and the dr# land from a

vile, )estifero!s slo!gh. I thin" it most )roale++tho!gh of co!rse it:s onl# an o)inion++that #o!:ll all

have the de!ce to )a# efore #o! get that malaria o!t

of #o!r s#stems. 'am) in a og, wo!ld #o! Silver,

I:m s!r)rised at #o!. <o!:re less of a fool than man#,ta"e #o! all ro!nd !t #o! don:t a))ear to me to have

the r!diments of a notion of the r!les of health.

@/ell,@ he added after he had dosed them ro!nd and the#

had ta"en his )rescri)tions, with reall# la!ghale h!milit#,

more li"e charit# schoolchildren than lood+g!ilt# m!tineersand )irates++@well, that:s done for toda#. And now I sho!ld

wish to have a tal" with that o#, )lease.@

And he nodded his head in m# direction carelessl#.

%eorge 1err# was at the door, s)itting and s)l!ttering

over some ad+tasted medicine !t at the first word of

the doctor:s )ro)osal he sw!ng ro!nd with a dee) fl!shand cried @No@ and swore.

Silver str!c" the arrel with his o)en hand.

@Si+lence@ he roared and loo"ed ao!t him )ositivel#

li"e a lion. @Doctor,@ he went on in his !s!al tones,@I was a+thin"ing of that, "nowing as how #o! had a

fanc# for the o#. /e:re all h!ml# gratef!l for #o!r

"indness, and as #o! see, )!ts faith in #o! and ta"esthe dr!gs down li"e that m!ch grog. And I ta"e it I:vefo!nd a wa# as:ll s!it all. $aw"ins, will #o! give me

#o!r word of hono!r as a #o!ng gentleman++for a #o!ng

gentleman #o! are, altho!gh )oor orn++#o!r word of

hono!r not to sli) #o!r cale@

I readil# gave the )ledge reF!ired.

@Then, doctor,@ said Silver, @#o! !st ste) o!tside o:



that stoc"ade, and once #o!:re there I:ll ring the o#

down on the inside, and I rec"on #o! can #arn thro!gh

the s)ars. %ood da# to #o!, sir, and all o!r dootiesto the sF!ire and 'a):n Smollett.@

The e()losion of disa))roval, which nothing !t

Silver:s lac" loo"s had restrained, ro"e o!timmediatel# the doctor had left the ho!se. Silver was

ro!ndl# acc!sed of )la#ing do!le++of tr#ing to ma"e a

se)arate )eace for himself, of sacrificing the

interests of his accom)lices and victims, and, in oneword, of the identical, e(act thing that he was doing.

It seemed to me so ovio!s, in this case, that I co!ldnot imagine how he was to t!rn their anger. !t he was

twice the man the rest were, and his last night:s

victor# had given him a h!ge )re)onderance on their

minds. $e called them all the fools and dolts #o! canimagine, said it was necessar# I sho!ld tal" to the

doctor, fl!ttered the chart in their faces, as"ed themif the# co!ld afford to rea" the treat# the ver# da#

the# were o!nd a+treas!re+h!nting.

@No, # th!nder@ he cried. @It:s !s m!st rea" the

treat# when the time comes and till then I:ll gammon

that doctor, if I have to ile his oots with rand#.@

And then he ade them get the fire lit, and stal"ed o!t!)on his cr!tch, with his hand on m# sho!lder, leaving

them in a disarra#, and silenced # his vol!ilit#

rather than convinced.

@Slow, lad, slow,@ he said. @The# might ro!nd !)on !s

in a twin"le of an e#e if we was seen to h!rr#.@

>er# delieratel#, then, did we advance across the sandto where the doctor awaited !s on the other side of the

stoc"ade, and as soon as we were within eas# s)ea"ing

distance Silver sto))ed.

@<o!:ll ma"e a note of this here also, doctor,@ sa#s

he, @and the o#:ll tell #o! how I saved his life, andwere de)osed for it too, and #o! ma# la# to that.

Doctor, when a man:s steering as near the wind as me++

)la#ing ch!c"+farthing with the last reath in his

od#, li"e++#o! wo!ldn:t thin" it too m!ch, ma#ha), togive him one good word <o!:ll )lease ear in mind

it:s not m# life onl# now++it:s that o#:s into the

argain and #o!:ll s)ea" me fair, doctor, and give mea it o: ho)e to go on, for the sa"e of merc#.@

Silver was a changed man once he was o!t there and had

his ac" to his friends and the loc" ho!se his chee"s

seemed to have fallen in, his voice tremled never wasa so!l more dead in earnest.

@/h#, ?ohn, #o!:re not afraid@ as"ed Dr. Livese#.



@Doctor, I:m no coward no, not I++not SO m!ch@

and he sna))ed his fingers. @If I was I wo!ldn:t sa#

it. !t I:ll own !) fairl#, I:ve the sha"es !)on mefor the gallows. <o!:re a good man and a tr!e I never

seen a etter man And #o!:ll not forget what I donegood, not an# more than #o!:ll forget the ad, I "now.

And I ste) aside++see here++and leave #o! and ?imalone. And #o!:ll )!t that down for me too, for it:s a

long stretch, is that@

So sa#ing, he ste))ed ac" a little wa#, till he waso!t of earshot, and there sat down !)on a tree+st!m)

and egan to whistle, s)inning ro!nd now and again !)onhis seat so as to command a sight, sometimes of me and

the doctor and sometimes of his !nr!l# r!ffians as the#

went to and fro in the sand etween the fire++which

the# were !s# re"indling++and the ho!se, from whichthe# ro!ght forth )or" and read to ma"e the rea"fast.

@So, ?im,@ said the doctor sadl#, @here #o! are. As

#o! have rewed, so shall #o! drin", m# o#. $eaven"nows, I cannot find it in m# heart to lame #o!, !t

this m!ch I will sa#, e it "ind or !n"ind* when

'a)tain Smollett was well, #o! dared not have gone off

and when he was ill and co!ldn:t hel) it, # %eorge, itwas downright cowardl#@

I will own that I here egan to wee). @Doctor,@ I

said, @#o! might s)are me. I have lamed m#self

eno!gh m# life:s forfeit an#wa#, and I sho!ld have

een dead # now if Silver hadn:t stood for me anddoctor, elieve this, I can die++and I dare sa# I

deserve it++!t what I fear is tort!re. If the# cometo tort!re me++@

@?im,@ the doctor interr!)ted, and his voice was F!ite

changed, @?im, I can:t have this. /hi) over, and we:ll

r!n for it.@

@Doctor,@ said I, @I )assed m# word.@

@I "now, I "now,@ he cried. @/e can:t hel) that, ?im,

now. I:ll ta"e it on m# sho!lders, hol!s ol!s, lame

and shame, m# o# !t sta# here, I cannot let #o!.

?!m) One !m), and #o!:re o!t, and we:ll r!n for itli"e antelo)es.@

@No,@ I re)lied @#o! "now right well #o! wo!ldn:t dothe thing #o!rself++neither #o! nor sF!ire nor ca)tainand no more will I. Silver tr!sted me I )assed m#

word, and ac" I go. !t, doctor, #o! did not let me

finish. If the# come to tort!re me, I might let sli) a

word of where the shi) is, for I got the shi), )art #l!c" and )art # ris"ing, and she lies in North Inlet,

on the so!thern each, and !st elow high water. Athalf tide she m!st e high and dr#.@



@The shi)@ e(claimed the doctor.

Ra)idl# I descried to him m# advent!res, and he heardme o!t in silence.

@There is a "ind of fate in this,@ he oserved when I

had done. @Ever# ste), it:s #o! that saves o!r livesand do #o! s!))ose # an# chance that we are going to

let #o! lose #o!rs That wo!ld e a )oor ret!rn, m#

o#. <o! fo!nd o!t the )lot #o! fo!nd en %!nn++the

est deed that ever #o! did, or will do, tho!gh #o!live to ninet#. Oh, # ?!)iter, and tal"ing of en

%!nn /h#, this is the mischief in )erson. Silver@he cried. @Silver I:ll give #o! a )iece of advice,@

he contin!ed as the coo" drew near again @don:t #o! e

in an# great h!rr# after that treas!re.@

@/h#, sir, I do m# )ossile, which that ain:t,@ said

Silver. @I can onl#, as"ing #o!r )ardon, save m# lifeand the o#:s # see"ing for that treas!re and #o! ma#

la# to that.@

@/ell, Silver,@ re)lied the doctor, @if that is so, I:ll

go one ste) f!rther* loo" o!t for sF!alls when #o! find it.@

@Sir,@ said Silver, @as etween man and man, that:s too

m!ch and too little. /hat #o!:re after, wh# #o! leftthe loc" ho!se, wh# #o! given me that there chart, I

don:t "now, now, do I And #et I done #o!r idding

with m# e#es sh!t and never a word of ho)e !t no,

this here:s too m!ch. If #o! won:t tell me what #o!mean )lain o!t, !st sa# so and I:ll leave the helm.@

@No,@ said the doctor m!singl# @I:ve no right to sa#

more it:s not m# secret, #o! see, Silver, or, I give#o! m# word, I:d tell it #o!. !t I:ll go as far with

#o! as I dare go, and a ste) e#ond, for I:ll have m#

wig sorted # the ca)tain or I:m mista"en And first,

I:ll give #o! a it of ho)e Silver, if we oth getalive o!t of this wolf+tra), I:ll do m# est to save

#o!, short of )er!r#.@

Silver:s face was radiant. @<o! co!ldn:t sa# more, I:m

s!re, sir, not if #o! was m# mother,@ he cried.

@/ell, that:s m# first concession,@ added the doctor.

@1# second is a )iece of advice* "ee) the o# close

eside #o!, and when #o! need hel), halloo. I:m off tosee" it for #o!, and that itself will show #o! if Is)ea" at random. %ood+#e, ?im.@

And Dr. Livese# shoo" hands with me thro!gh the

stoc"ade, nodded to Silver, and set off at a ris" )aceinto the wood.



40

The Treas!re+h!nt++8lint:s &ointer

@?I1,@ said Silver when we were alone, @if I saved #o!rlife, #o! saved mine and I:ll not forget it. I seen

the doctor waving #o! to r!n for it++with the tail ofm# e#e, I did and I seen #o! sa# no, as )lain as hearing.

?im, that:s one to #o!. This is the first glint of ho)e

I had since the attac" failed, and I owe it #o!. And now,

?im, we:re to go in for this here treas!re+h!nting, withsealed orders too, and I don:t li"e it and #o! and me

m!st stic" close, ac" to ac" li"e, and we:ll save o!rnec"s in s)ite o: fate and fort!ne.@

?!st then a man hailed !s from the fire that rea"fast

was read#, and we were soon seated here and there ao!tthe sand over isc!it and fried !n". The# had lit a

fire fit to roast an o(, and it was now grown so hotthat the# co!ld onl# a))roach it from the windward, and

even there not witho!t )reca!tion. In the samewastef!l s)irit, the# had coo"ed, I s!))ose, three

times more than we co!ld eat and one of them, with an

em)t# la!gh, threw what was left into the fire, which

laJed and roared again over this !n!s!al f!el. Inever in m# life saw men so careless of the morrow

hand to mo!th is the onl# word that can descrie theirwa# of doing and what with wasted food and slee)ing

sentries, tho!gh the# were old eno!gh for a r!sh and

e done with it, I co!ld see their entire !nfitness for

an#thing li"e a )rolonged cam)aign.

Even Silver, eating awa#, with 'a)tain 8lint !)on hissho!lder, had not a word of lame for their rec"lessness.

And this the more s!r)rised me, for I tho!ght he hadnever shown himself so c!nning as he did then.

@A#e, mates,@ said he, @it:s l!c"# #o! have arec!e to

thin" for #o! with this here head. I got what I wanted,I did. S!re eno!gh, the# have the shi). /here the# have

it, I don:t "now #et !t once we hit the treas!re, we:llhave to !m) ao!t and find o!t. And then, mates, !s that

has the oats, I rec"on, has the !))er hand.@

Th!s he "e)t r!nning on, with his mo!th f!ll of the hotacon th!s he restored their ho)e and confidence, and,

I more than s!s)ect, re)aired his own at the same time.

@As for hostage,@ he contin!ed, @that:s his last tal",I g!ess, with them he loves so dear. I:ve got m# )iece

o: news, and than"# to him for that !t it:s over and

done. I:ll ta"e him in a line when we go treas!re+

h!nting, for we:ll "ee) him li"e so m!ch gold, in caseof accidents, #o! mar", and in the meantime. Once we

got the shi) and treas!re oth and off to sea li"eoll# com)anions, wh# then we:ll tal" 1r. $aw"ins over,

we will, and we:ll give him his share, to e s!re, for



all his "indness.@

It was no wonder the men were in a good h!mo!r now.8or m# )art, I was horril# cast down. Sho!ld the

scheme he had now s"etched )rove feasile, Silver,alread# do!l# a traitor, wo!ld not hesitate to ado)t

it. $e had still a foot in either cam), and there wasno do!t he wo!ld )refer wealth and freedom with the

)irates to a are esca)e from hanging, which was the

est he had to ho)e on o!r side.

Na#, and even if things so fell o!t that he was forced

to "ee) his faith with Dr. Livese#, even then whatdanger la# efore !s /hat a moment that wo!ld e when

the s!s)icions of his followers t!rned to certaint# and

he and I sho!ld have to fight for dear life++he a cri))le

and I a o#++against five strong and active seamen

Add to this do!le a))rehension the m#ster# that stillh!ng over the ehavio!r of m# friends, their

!ne()lained desertion of the stoc"ade, theirine()licale cession of the chart, or harder still to

!nderstand, the doctor:s last warning to Silver, @Loo"

o!t for sF!alls when #o! find it,@ and #o! will readil#

elieve how little taste I fo!nd in m# rea"fast andwith how !neas# a heart I set forth ehind m# ca)tors

on the F!est for treas!re.

/e made a c!rio!s fig!re, had an#one een there to see

!s++all in soiled sailor clothes and all !t me armed

to the teeth. Silver had two g!ns sl!ng ao!t him++oneefore and one ehind++esides the great c!tlass at his

waist and a )istol in each )oc"et of his sF!are+tailedcoat. To com)lete his strange a))earance, 'a)tain

8lint sat )erched !)on his sho!lder and galing oddsand ends of )!r)oseless sea+tal". I had a line ao!t

m# waist and followed oedientl# after the sea+coo",

who held the loose end of the ro)e, now in his free

hand, now etween his )owerf!l teeth. 8or all theworld, I was led li"e a dancing ear.

The other men were vario!sl# !rthened, some carr#ing

)ic"s and shovels++for that had een the ver# first

necessar# the# ro!ght ashore from the $IS&ANIOLA++

others laden with )or", read, and rand# for themidda# meal. All the stores, I oserved, came from o!r

stoc", and I co!ld see the tr!th of Silver:s words the

night efore. $ad he not str!c" a argain with the doctor,he and his m!tineers, deserted # the shi), m!st have eendriven to s!sist on clear water and the )roceeds of their

h!nting. /ater wo!ld have een little to their taste a

sailor is not !s!all# a good shot and esides all that,

when the# were so short of eatales, it was not li"el#the# wo!ld e ver# fl!sh of )owder.

/ell, th!s eF!i))ed, we all set o!t++even the fellow

with the ro"en head, who sho!ld certainl# have "e)t in



shadow++and straggled, one after another, to the each,

where the two gigs awaited !s. Even these ore trace

of the dr!n"en foll# of the )irates, one in a ro"enthwart, and oth in their m!dd# and !nailed condition.

oth were to e carried along with !s for the sa"e ofsafet# and so, with o!r n!mers divided etween them,

we set forth !)on the osom of the anchorage.

As we )!lled over, there was some disc!ssion on the

chart. The red cross was, of co!rse, far too large to

e a g!ide and the terms of the note on the ac", as#o! will hear, admitted of some amig!it#. The# ran,

the reader ma# rememer, th!s*

Tall tree, S)#+glass sho!lder, earing a )oint to

the N. of N.N.E.

S"eleton Island E.S.E. and # E. Ten feet.

A tall tree was th!s the )rinci)al mar". Now, right

efore !s the anchorage was o!nded # a )latea! fromtwo to three h!ndred feet high, adoining on the north

the slo)ing so!thern sho!lder of the S)#+glass and

rising again towards the so!th into the ro!gh, cliff#

eminence called the 1iJJen+mast $ill. The to) of the)latea! was dotted thic"l# with )ine+trees of var#ing

height. Ever# here and there, one of a differents)ecies rose fort# or fift# feet clear aove its

neigho!rs, and which of these was the )artic!lar @tall

tree@ of 'a)tain 8lint co!ld onl# e decided on the

s)ot, and # the readings of the com)ass.

<et, altho!gh that was the case, ever# man on oard theoats had )ic"ed a favo!rite of his own ere we were

half+wa# over, Long ?ohn alone shr!gging his sho!ldersand idding them wait till the# were there.

/e )!lled easil#, # Silver:s directions, not to wear#

the hands )remat!rel#, and after F!ite a long )assage,landed at the mo!th of the second river++that which

r!ns down a wood# cleft of the S)#+glass. Thence,ending to o!r left, we egan to ascend the slo)e

towards the )latea!.

At the first o!tset, heav#, mir# gro!nd and a matted,marish vegetation greatl# dela#ed o!r )rogress !t #

little and little the hill egan to stee)en and ecome

ston# !nder foot, and the wood to change its characterand to grow in a more o)en order. It was, indeed, amost )leasant )ortion of the island that we were now

a))roaching. A heav#+scented room and man# flowering

shr!s had almost ta"en the )lace of grass. Thic"ets

of green n!tmeg+trees were dotted here and there withthe red col!mns and the road shadow of the )ines and

the first mingled their s)ice with the aroma of theothers. The air, esides, was fresh and stirring, and

this, !nder the sheer s!neams, was a wonderf!l



refreshment to o!r senses.

The )art# s)read itself aroad, in a fan sha)e,sho!ting and lea)ing to and fro. Ao!t the centre, and

a good wa# ehind the rest, Silver and I followed++Itethered # m# ro)e, he )lo!ghing, with dee) )ants,

among the sliding gravel. 8rom time to time, indeed, Ihad to lend him a hand, or he m!st have missed his

footing and fallen ac"ward down the hill.

/e had th!s )roceeded for ao!t half a mile and werea))roaching the row of the )latea! when the man !)on

the farthest left egan to cr# alo!d, as if in terror.Sho!t after sho!t came from him, and the others egan

to r!n in his direction.

@$e can:t :a fo!nd the treas!re,@ said old 1organ, h!rr#ing)ast !s from the right, @for that:s clean a+to).@

Indeed, as we fo!nd when we also reached the s)ot, it

was something ver# different. At the foot of a )rett#ig )ine and involved in a green cree)er, which had even

)artl# lifted some of the smaller ones, a h!man s"eleton

la#, with a few shreds of clothing, on the gro!nd. I

elieve a chill str!c" for a moment to ever# heart.

@$e was a seaman,@ said %eorge 1err#, who, older thanthe rest, had gone !) close and was e(amining the rags

of clothing. @Leastwa#s, this is good sea+cloth.@

@A#e, a#e,@ said Silver @li"e eno!gh #o! wo!ldn:tloo" to find a isho) here, I rec"on. !t what sort of

a wa# is that for ones to lie :Tain:t in nat!r:.@

Indeed, on a second glance, it seemed im)ossile tofanc# that the od# was in a nat!ral )osition. !t for

some disarra# Gthe wor", )erha)s, of the irds that had

fed !)on him or of the slow+growing cree)er that had

grad!all# envelo)ed his remainsH the man la# )erfectl#straight++his feet )ointing in one direction, his

hands, raised aove his head li"e a diver:s, )ointingdirectl# in the o))osite.

@I:ve ta"en a notion into m# old n!ms"!ll,@ oserved

Silver. @$ere:s the com)ass there:s the ti)+to) ):into: S"eleton Island, stic"in: o!t li"e a tooth. ?!st

ta"e a earing, will #o!, along the line of them ones.@

It was done. The od# )ointed straight in thedirection of the island, and the com)ass read d!l#

E.S.E. and # E.

@I tho!ght so,@ cried the coo" @this here is a):inter. Right !) there is o!r line for the &ole Star

and the oll# dollars. !t, # th!nder If it don:tma"e me cold inside to thin" of 8lint. This is one of

$IS o"es, and no mista"e. $im and these si( was



alone here he "illed :em, ever# man and this one he

ha!led here and laid down # com)ass, shiver m#

timers The#:re long ones, and the hair:s een#ellow. A#e, that wo!ld e Allard#ce. <o! mind

Allard#ce, Tom 1organ@

@A#e, a#e,@ ret!rned 1organ @I mind him he owed memone#, he did, and too" m# "nife ashore with him.@

@S)ea"ing of "nives,@ said another, @wh# don:t we find his:n

l#ing ro!nd 8lint warn:t the man to )ic" a seaman:s )oc"etand the irds, I g!ess, wo!ld leave it e.@

@# the )owers, and that:s tr!e@ cried Silver.

@There ain:t a thing left here,@ said 1err#, still

feeling ro!nd among the ones @not a co))er doit nor aacc# o(. It don:t loo" nat:ral to me.@

@No, # g!m, it don:t,@ agreed Silver @not nat:ral,

nor not nice, sa#s #o!. %reat g!ns 1essmates, !t if8lint was living, this wo!ld e a hot s)ot for #o! and

me. Si( the# were, and si( are we and ones is what

the# are now.@

@I saw him dead with these here deadlights,@ said

1organ. @ill# too" me in. There he laid, with )enn#+)ieces on his e#es.@

@Dead++a#e, s!re eno!gh he:s dead and gone elow,@ said

the fellow with the andage @!t if ever s)erritwal"ed, it wo!ld e 8lint:s. Dear heart, !t he died

ad, did 8lint@

@A#e, that he did,@ oserved another @now he raged,and now he hollered for the r!m, and now he sang.

:8ifteen 1en: were his onl# song, mates and I tell #o!

tr!e, I never rightl# li"ed to hear it since. It was

main hot, and the wind# was o)en, and I hear that oldsong comin: o!t as clear as clear++and the death+ha!l

on the man alread#.@

@'ome, come,@ said Silver @stow this tal". $e:s dead,

and he don:t wal", that I "now leastwa#s, he won:t

wal" # da#, and #o! ma# la# to that. 'are "illed acat. 8etch ahead for the do!loons.@

/e started, certainl# !t in s)ite of the hot s!n andthe staring da#light, the )irates no longer ranse)arate and sho!ting thro!gh the wood, !t "e)t side

# side and s)o"e with ated reath. The terror of the

dead !ccaneer had fallen on their s)irits.

42



The Treas!re+h!nt++The >oice Among the Trees

&ARTL< from the dam)ing infl!ence of this alarm, )artl#to rest Silver and the sic" fol", the whole )art# sat

down as soon as the# had gained the row of the ascent.

The )latea! eing somewhat tilted towards the west,this s)ot on which we had )a!sed commanded a wide

)ros)ect on either hand. efore !s, over the tree+

to)s, we eheld the 'a)e of the /oods fringed with

s!rf ehind, we not onl# loo"ed down !)on theanchorage and S"eleton Island, !t saw++clear across

the s)it and the eastern lowlands++a great field ofo)en sea !)on the east. Sheer aove !s rose the S)#+

glass, here dotted with single )ines, there lac" with

)reci)ices. There was no so!nd !t that of the distant

rea"ers, mo!nting from all ro!nd, and the chir) ofco!ntless insects in the r!sh. Not a man, not a sail,

!)on the sea the ver# largeness of the view increasedthe sense of solit!de.

Silver, as he sat, too" certain earings with his com)ass.

@There are three :tall trees:@ said he, @ao!t in the right

line from S"eleton Island. :S)#+glass sho!lder,: I ta"e it,means that lower ):int there. It:s child:s )la# to find the

st!ff now. I:ve half a mind to dine first.@

@I don:t feel shar),@ growled 1organ. @Thin"in: o:

8lint++I thin" it were++as done me.@

@Ah, well, m# son, #o! )raise #o!r stars he:s dead,@

said Silver.

@$e were an !gl# devil,@ cried a third )irate with ash!dder @that l!e in the face too@

@That was how the r!m too" him,@ added 1err#. @l!e

/ell, I rec"on he was l!e. That:s a tr!e word.@

Ever since the# had fo!nd the s"eleton and got !)onthis train of tho!ght, the# had s)o"en lower and lower,

and the# had almost got to whis)ering # now, so that

the so!nd of their tal" hardl# interr!)ted the silence

of the wood. All of a s!dden, o!t of the middle of thetrees in front of !s, a thin, high, tremling voice

str!c" !) the well+"nown air and words*

@8ifteen men on the dead man:s chest++ <o+ho+ho, and a ottle of r!m@

I never have seen men more dreadf!ll# affected than the

)irates. The colo!r went from their si( faces li"eenchantment some lea)ed to their feet, some clawed

hold of others 1organ grovelled on the gro!nd.

@It:s 8lint, # ++++@ cried 1err#.



The song had sto))ed as s!ddenl# as it egan++ro"en off,

#o! wo!ld have said, in the middle of a note, as tho!ghsomeone had laid his hand !)on the singer:s mo!th. 'oming

thro!gh the clear, s!nn# atmos)here among the green tree+to)s,I tho!ght it had so!nded airil# and sweetl# and the effect

on m# com)anions was the stranger.

@'ome,@ said Silver, str!ggling with his ashen li)s to

get the word o!t @this won:t do. Stand # to go

ao!t. This is a r!m start, and I can:t name thevoice, !t it:s someone s"#lar"ing++someone that:s

flesh and lood, and #o! ma# la# to that.@

$is co!rage had come ac" as he s)o"e, and some of the

colo!r to his face along with it. Alread# the others

had eg!n to lend an ear to this enco!ragement and werecoming a little to themselves, when the same voice

ro"e o!t again++not this time singing, !t in a faintdistant hail that echoed #et fainter among the clefts

of the S)#+glass.

@Dar# 1:%raw,@ it wailed++for that is the word that

est descries the so!nd++@Dar# 1:%raw Dar#

1:%raw@ again and again and again and then rising alittle higher, and with an oath that I leave o!t*

@8etch aft the r!m, Dar#@

The !ccaneers remained rooted to the gro!nd, their e#es

starting from their heads. Long after the voice had died

awa# the# still stared in silence, dreadf!ll#, efore them.

@That fi(es it@ gas)ed one. @Let:s go.@

@The# was his last words,@ moaned 1organ, @his lastwords aove oard.@

Dic" had his ile o!t and was )ra#ing vol!l#. $e had

een well ro!ght !), had Dic", efore he came to seaand fell among ad com)anions.

Still Silver was !nconF!ered. I co!ld hear his teeth

rattle in his head, !t he had not #et s!rrendered.

@Nood# in this here island ever heard of Dar#,@ hem!ttered @not one !t !s that:s here.@ And then,

ma"ing a great effort* @Shi)mates,@ he cried, @I:m here

to get that st!ff, and I:ll not e eat # man ordevil. I never was feared of 8lint in his life, and,# the )owers, I:ll face him dead. There:s seven

h!ndred tho!sand )o!nd not a F!arter of a mile from

here. /hen did ever a gentleman o: fort!ne show his

stern to that m!ch dollars for a ooJ# old seaman witha l!e m!g++and him dead too@

!t there was no sign of reawa"ening co!rage in his

followers, rather, indeed, of growing terror at the



irreverence of his words.

@ela# there, ?ohn@ said 1err#. @Don:t #o!cross a s)errit.@

And the rest were all too terrified to re)l#. The#

wo!ld have r!n awa# severall# had the# dared !t fear"e)t them together, and "e)t them close # ?ohn, as if

his daring hel)ed them. $e, on his )art, had )rett#

well fo!ght his wea"ness down.

@S)errit /ell, ma#e,@ he said. @!t there:s one

thing not clear to me. There was an echo. Now, no manever seen a s)errit with a shadow well then, what:s he

doing with an echo to him, I sho!ld li"e to "now That

ain:t in nat!r:, s!rel#@

This arg!ment seemed wea" eno!gh to me. !t #o! can

never tell what will affect the s!)erstitio!s, and tom# wonder, %eorge 1err# was greatl# relieved.

@/ell, that:s so,@ he said. @<o!:ve a head !)on #o!r

sho!lders, ?ohn, and no mista"e. :o!t shi), mates

This here crew is on a wrong tac", I do elieve. And

come to thin" on it, it was li"e 8lint:s voice, I grant#o!, !t not !st so clear+awa# li"e it, after all. It

was li"er someod# else:s voice now++it was li"er++@

@# the )owers, en %!nn@ roared Silver.

@A#e, and so it were,@ cried 1organ, s)ringing on his"nees. @en %!nn it were@

@It don:t ma"e m!ch odds, do it, now@ as"ed Dic".

@en %!nn:s not here in the od# an# more:n 8lint.@

!t the older hands greeted this remar" with scorn.

@/h#, nood# minds en %!nn,@ cried 1err# @dead oralive, nood# minds him.@

It was e(traordinar# how their s)irits had ret!rned and

how the nat!ral colo!r had revived in their faces.

Soon the# were chatting together, with intervals of

listening and not long after, hearing no f!rtherso!nd, the# sho!ldered the tools and set forth again,

1err# wal"ing first with Silver:s com)ass to "ee) them

on the right line with S"eleton Island. $e had saidthe tr!th* dead or alive, nood# minded en %!nn.

Dic" alone still held his ile, and loo"ed aro!nd him

as he went, with fearf!l glances !t he fo!nd no

s#m)ath#, and Silver even o"ed him on his )reca!tions.

@I told #o!,@ said he++@I told #o! #o! had s):iled #o!rile. If it ain:t no good to swear #, what do #o!

s!))ose a s)errit wo!ld give for it Not that@ and he



sna))ed his ig fingers, halting a moment on his cr!tch.

!t Dic" was not to e comforted indeed, it was soon)lain to me that the lad was falling sic" hastened #

heat, e(ha!stion, and the shoc" of his alarm, thefever, )redicted # Dr. Livese#, was evidentl# growing

swiftl# higher.

It was fine o)en wal"ing here, !)on the s!mmit o!r wa#

la# a little downhill, for, as I have said, the )latea!

tilted towards the west. The )ines, great and small,grew wide a)art and even etween the cl!m)s of n!tmeg

and aJalea, wide o)en s)aces a"ed in the hot s!nshine.Stri"ing, as we did, )rett# near north+west across the

island, we drew, on the one hand, ever nearer !nder the

sho!lders of the S)#+glass, and on the other, loo"ed

ever wider over that western a# where I had oncetossed and tremled in the oracle.

The first of the tall trees was reached, and # the

earings )roved the wrong one. So with the second. Thethird rose nearl# two h!ndred feet into the air aove a

cl!m) of !nderwood++a giant of a vegetale, with a red

col!mn as ig as a cottage, and a wide shadow aro!nd in

which a com)an# co!ld have manoe!vred. It was cons)ic!o!sfar to sea oth on the east and west and might have een

entered as a sailing mar" !)on the chart.

!t it was not its siJe that now im)ressed m#

com)anions it was the "nowledge that seven h!ndred

tho!sand )o!nds in gold la# somewhere !ried elow itss)reading shadow. The tho!ght of the mone#, as the#

drew nearer, swallowed !) their )revio!s terrors.Their e#es !rned in their heads their feet grew

s)eedier and lighter their whole so!l was fo!nd !) inthat fort!ne, that whole lifetime of e(travagance and

)leas!re, that la# waiting there for each of them.

Silver holed, gr!nting, on his cr!tch his nostrilsstood o!t and F!ivered he c!rsed li"e a madman when

the flies settled on his hot and shin# co!ntenance he)l!c"ed f!rio!sl# at the line that held me to him and

from time to time t!rned his e#es !)on me with a deadl#

loo". 'ertainl# he too" no )ains to hide his tho!ghts,

and certainl# I read them li"e )rint. In the immediatenearness of the gold, all else had een forgotten* his

)romise and the doctor:s warning were oth things of

the )ast, and I co!ld not do!t that he ho)ed to seiJe!)on the treas!re, find and oard the $IS&ANIOLA!nder cover of night, c!t ever# honest throat ao!t

that island, and sail awa# as he had at first intended,

laden with crimes and riches.

Sha"en as I was with these alarms, it was hard for me

to "ee) !) with the ra)id )ace of the treas!re+h!nters.Now and again I st!mled, and it was then that Silver

)l!c"ed so ro!ghl# at the ro)e and la!nched at me his



m!rdero!s glances. Dic", who had dro))ed ehind !s and

now ro!ght !) the rear, was aling to himself oth

)ra#ers and c!rses as his fever "e)t rising. This alsoadded to m# wretchedness, and to crown all, I was ha!nted

# the tho!ght of the traged# that had once een acted onthat )latea!, when that !ngodl# !ccaneer with the l!e face

++he who died at Savannah, singing and sho!ting for drin"++had there, with his own hand, c!t down his si( accom)lices.

This grove that was now so )eacef!l m!st then have r!ng with

cries, I tho!ght and even with the tho!ght I co!ld elieve

I heard it ringing still.

/e were now at the margin of the thic"et.

@$!JJa, mates, all together@ sho!ted 1err# and the

foremost ro"e into a r!n.

And s!ddenl#, not ten #ards f!rther, we eheld them sto).

A low cr# arose. Silver do!led his )ace, digging awa#with the foot of his cr!tch li"e one )ossessed and ne(t

moment he and I had come also to a dead halt.

efore !s was a great e(cavation, not ver# recent, for

the sides had fallen in and grass had s)ro!ted on the

ottom. In this were the shaft of a )ic" ro"en in twoand the oards of several )ac"ing+cases strewn aro!nd.

On one of these oards I saw, randed with a hot iron,the name /ALRUS++the name of 8lint:s shi).

All was clear to )roation. The 'A'$E had een fo!nd

and rifled the seven h!ndred tho!sand )o!nds were gone

44

The 8all of a 'hieftain

T$ERE never was s!ch an overt!rn in this world. Eachof these si( men was as tho!gh he had een str!c". !t

with Silver the low )assed almost instantl#. Ever#tho!ght of his so!l had een set f!ll+stretch, li"e a

racer, on that mone# well, he was ro!ght !), in a

single second, dead and he "e)t his head, fo!nd his

tem)er, and changed his )lan efore the others had hadtime to realiJe the disa))ointment.

@?im,@ he whis)ered, @ta"e that, and stand # for tro!le.@

And he )assed me a do!le+arrelled )istol.

At the same time, he egan F!ietl# moving northward,

and in a few ste)s had )!t the hollow etween !s twoand the other five. Then he loo"ed at me and nodded,

as m!ch as to sa#, @$ere is a narrow corner,@ as,indeed, I tho!ght it was. $is loo"s were not F!ite

friendl#, and I was so revolted at these constant



changes that I co!ld not forear whis)ering, @So #o!:ve

changed sides again.@

There was no time left for him to answer in. The

!ccaneers, with oaths and cries, egan to lea), oneafter another, into the )it and to dig with their fingers,

throwing the oards aside as the# did so. 1organ fo!nd a)iece of gold. $e held it !) with a )erfect s)o!t of oaths.

It was a two+g!inea )iece, and it went from hand to hand

among them for a F!arter of a min!te.

@Two g!ineas@ roared 1err#, sha"ing it at Silver.

@That:s #o!r seven h!ndred tho!sand )o!nds, is it<o!:re the man for argains, ain:t #o! <o!:re him

that never !ngled nothing, #o! wooden+headed l!er@

@Dig awa#, o#s,@ said Silver with the coolest insolence@#o!:ll find some )ig+n!ts and I sho!ldn:t wonder.@

@&ig+n!ts@ re)eated 1err#, in a scream. @1ates, do

#o! hear that I tell #o! now, that man there "new itall along. Loo" in the face of him and #o!:ll see it

wrote there.@

@Ah, 1err#,@ remar"ed Silver, @standing for ca):nagain <o!:re a )!shing lad, to e s!re.@

!t this time ever#one was entirel# in 1err#:s favo!r.

The# egan to scramle o!t of the e(cavation, darting

f!rio!s glances ehind them. One thing I oserved,

which loo"ed well for !s* the# all got o!t !)on theo))osite side from Silver.

/ell, there we stood, two on one side, five on the

other, the )it etween !s, and nood# screwed !) higheno!gh to offer the first low. Silver never moved he

watched them, ver# !)right on his cr!tch, and loo"ed as

cool as ever I saw him. $e was rave, and no mista"e.

At last 1err# seemed to thin" a s)eech might hel) matters.

@1ates,@ sa#s he, @there:s two of them alone there

one:s the old cri))le that ro!ght !s all here and

l!ndered !s down to this the other:s that c! that I

mean to have the heart of. Now, mates++@

$e was raising his arm and his voice, and )lainl# meant

to lead a charge. !t !st then++crac" crac" crac"++three m!s"et+shots flashed o!t of the thic"et. 1err#t!mled head foremost into the e(cavation the man with

the andage s)!n ro!nd li"e a teetot!m and fell all his

length !)on his side, where he la# dead, !t still

twitching and the other three t!rned and ran for itwith all their might.

efore #o! co!ld win", Long ?ohn had fired two arrels

of a )istol into the str!ggling 1err#, and as the man



rolled !) his e#es at him in the last agon#, @%eorge,@

said he, @I rec"on I settled #o!.@

At the same moment, the doctor, %ra#, and en %!nn oined

!s, with smo"ing m!s"ets, from among the n!tmeg+trees.

@8orward@ cried the doctor. @Do!le F!ic", m# lads./e m!st head :em off the oats.@

And we set off at a great )ace, sometimes )l!nging

thro!gh the !shes to the chest.

I tell #o!, !t Silver was an(io!s to "ee) !) with !s.The wor" that man went thro!gh, lea)ing on his cr!tch

till the m!scles of his chest were fit to !rst, was

wor" no so!nd man ever eF!alled and so thin"s the

doctor. As it was, he was alread# thirt# #ards ehind!s and on the verge of strangling when we reached the

row of the slo)e.

@Doctor,@ he hailed, @see there No h!rr#@

S!re eno!gh there was no h!rr#. In a more o)en )art of

the )latea!, we co!ld see the three s!rvivors still r!nning

in the same direction as the# had started, right for 1iJJen+mast $ill. /e were alread# etween them and the oats and

so we fo!r sat down to reathe, while Long ?ohn, mo))ing hisface, came slowl# !) with !s.

@Than" #e "indl#, doctor,@ sa#s he. @<o! came in in

ao!t the nic", I g!ess, for me and $aw"ins. And soit:s #o!, en %!nn@ he added. @/ell, #o!:re a nice

one, to e s!re.@

@I:m en %!nn, I am,@ re)lied the maroon, wrigglingli"e an eel in his emarrassment. @And,@ he added,

after a long )a!se, @how do, 1r. Silver &rett# well,

I than" #e, sa#s #o!.@

@en, en,@ m!rm!red Silver, @to thin" as #o!:ve done me@

The doctor sent ac" %ra# for one of the )ic"+a(es

deserted, in their flight, # the m!tineers, and then

as we )roceeded leis!rel# downhill to where the oats

were l#ing, related in a few words what had ta"en)lace. It was a stor# that )rofo!ndl# interested

Silver and en %!nn, the half+idiot maroon, was the

hero from eginning to end.

en, in his long, lonel# wanderings ao!t the island,

had fo!nd the s"eleton++it was he that had rifled it

he had fo!nd the treas!re he had d!g it !) Git was the

haft of his )ic"+a(e that la# ro"en in thee(cavationH he had carried it on his ac", in man#

wear# o!rne#s, from the foot of the tall )ine to acave he had on the two+)ointed hill at the north+east

angle of the island, and there it had lain stored in



safet# since two months efore the arrival of the $IS&ANIOLA.

/hen the doctor had wormed this secret from him on theafternoon of the attac", and when ne(t morning he saw

the anchorage deserted, he had gone to Silver, givenhim the chart, which was now !seless++given him the

stores, for en %!nn:s cave was well s!))lied withgoats: meat salted # himself++given an#thing and

ever#thing to get a chance of moving in safet# from the

stoc"ade to the two+)ointed hill, there to e clear of

malaria and "ee) a g!ard !)on the mone#.

@As for #o!, ?im,@ he said, @it went against m# heart,!t I did what I tho!ght est for those who had stood

# their d!t# and if #o! were not one of these, whose

fa!lt was it@

That morning, finding that I was to e involved in the

horrid disa))ointment he had )re)ared for them!tineers, he had r!n all the wa# to the cave, and

leaving the sF!ire to g!ard the ca)tain, had ta"en %ra#and the maroon and started, ma"ing the diagonal across

the island to e at hand eside the )ine. Soon,

however, he saw that o!r )art# had the start of him

and en %!nn, eing fleet of foot, had een dis)atchedin front to do his est alone. Then it had occ!rred to

him to wor" !)on the s!)erstitions of his formershi)mates, and he was so far s!ccessf!l that %ra# and

the doctor had come !) and were alread# am!shed efore

the arrival of the treas!re+h!nters.

@Ah,@ said Silver, @it were fort!nate for me that I had

$aw"ins here. <o! wo!ld have let old ?ohn e c!t toits, and never given it a tho!ght, doctor.@

@Not a tho!ght,@ re)lied Dr. Livese# cheeril#.

And # this time we had reached the gigs. The doctor,

with the )ic"+a(e, demolished one of them, and then weall got aoard the other and set o!t to go ro!nd # sea

for North Inlet.

This was a r!n of eight or nine miles. Silver, tho!gh he

was almost "illed alread# with fatig!e, was set to an oar,

li"e the rest of !s, and we were soon s"imming swiftl# overa smooth sea. Soon we )assed o!t of the straits and do!led

the so!th+east corner of the island, ro!nd which, fo!r da#s

ago, we had towed the $IS&ANIOLA.

As we )assed the two+)ointed hill, we co!ld see the

lac" mo!th of en %!nn:s cave and a fig!re standing #

it, leaning on a m!s"et. It was the sF!ire, and we

waved a hand"erchief and gave him three cheers, inwhich the voice of Silver oined as heartil# as an#.

Three miles farther, !st inside the mo!th of North

Inlet, what sho!ld we meet !t the $IS&ANIOLA,



cr!ising # herself The last flood had lifted her,

and had there een m!ch wind or a strong tide c!rrent,

as in the so!thern anchorage, we sho!ld never havefo!nd her more, or fo!nd her stranded e#ond hel). As

it was, there was little amiss e#ond the wrec" of themain+sail. Another anchor was got read# and dro))ed in

a fathom and a half of water. /e all )!lled ro!ndagain to R!m 'ove, the nearest )oint for en %!nn:s

treas!re+ho!se and then %ra#, single+handed, ret!rned

with the gig to the $IS&ANIOLA, where he was to

)ass the night on g!ard.

A gentle slo)e ran !) from the each to the entrance ofthe cave. At the to), the sF!ire met !s. To me he was

cordial and "ind, sa#ing nothing of m# esca)ade either

in the wa# of lame or )raise. At Silver:s )olite

sal!te he somewhat fl!shed.

@?ohn Silver,@ he said, @#o!:re a )rodigio!s villainand im)oster++a monstro!s im)oster, sir. I am told I

am not to )rosec!te #o!. /ell, then, I will not. !tthe dead men, sir, hang ao!t #o!r nec" li"e mill+stones.@

@Than" #o! "indl#, sir,@ re)lied Long ?ohn, again sal!ting.

@I dare #o! to than" me@ cried the sF!ire. @It is a

gross dereliction of m# d!t#. Stand ac".@

And there!)on we all entered the cave. It was a large,

air# )lace, with a little s)ring and a )ool of clear

water, overh!ng with ferns. The floor was sand.efore a ig fire la# 'a)tain Smollett and in a far

corner, onl# d!s"il# flic"ered over # the laJe, Ieheld great hea)s of coin and F!adrilaterals !ilt of

ars of gold. That was 8lint:s treas!re that we hadcome so far to see" and that had cost alread# the lives

of seventeen men from the $IS&ANIOLA. $ow man# it

had cost in the amassing, what lood and sorrow, what

good shi)s sc!ttled on the dee), what rave men wal"ingthe )lan" lindfold, what shot of cannon, what shame

and lies and cr!elt#, )erha)s no man alive co!ld tell.<et there were still three !)on that island++Silver,

and old 1organ, and en %!nn++who had each ta"en his

share in these crimes, as each had ho)ed in vain to

share in the reward.

@'ome in, ?im,@ said the ca)tain. @<o!:re a good o# in

#o!r line, ?im, !t I don:t thin" #o! and me:ll go to seaagain. <o!:re too m!ch of the orn favo!rite for me. Isthat #o!, ?ohn Silver /hat rings #o! here, man@

@'ome ac" to m# doot#, sir,@ ret!rned Silver.

@Ah@ said the ca)tain, and that was all he said.

/hat a s!))er I had of it that night, with all m#

friends aro!nd me and what a meal it was, with en



%!nn:s salted goat and some delicacies and a ottle of

old wine from the $IS&ANIOLA. Never, I am s!re,

were )eo)le ga#er or ha))ier. And there was Silver,sitting ac" almost o!t of the firelight, !t eating

heartil#, )rom)t to s)ring forward when an#thing waswanted, even oining F!ietl# in o!r la!ghter++the same

land, )olite, oseF!io!s seaman of the vo#age o!t.

45

And Last

T$E ne(t morning we fell earl# to wor", for the

trans)ortation of this great mass of gold near a mile

# land to the each, and thence three miles # oat tothe $IS&ANIOLA, was a considerale tas" for so small a

n!mer of wor"men. The three fellows still aroad !)onthe island did not greatl# tro!le !s a single sentr# on

the sho!lder of the hill was s!fficient to ens!re !s againstan# s!dden onsla!ght, and we tho!ght, esides, the# had had

more than eno!gh of fighting.

Therefore the wor" was )!shed on ris"l#. %ra# and en%!nn came and went with the oat, while the rest d!ring

their asences )iled treas!re on the each. Two of thears, sl!ng in a ro)e:s end, made a good load for a

grown man++one that he was glad to wal" slowl# with.

8or m# )art, as I was not m!ch !se at carr#ing, I was

"e)t !s# all da# in the cave )ac"ing the minted mone#into read+ags.

It was a strange collection, li"e ill# ones:s hoard

for the diversit# of coinage, !t so m!ch larger and som!ch more varied that I thin" I never had more )leas!re

than in sorting them. English, 8rench, S)anish,

&ort!g!ese, %eorges, and Lo!ises, do!loons and do!le

g!ineas and moidores and seF!ins, the )ict!res of allthe "ings of E!ro)e for the last h!ndred #ears, strange

Oriental )ieces stam)ed with what loo"ed li"e wis)s ofstring or its of s)ider:s we, ro!nd )ieces and sF!are

)ieces, and )ieces ored thro!gh the middle, as if to

wear them ro!nd #o!r nec"++nearl# ever# variet# of

mone# in the world m!st, I thin", have fo!nd a )lace inthat collection and for n!mer, I am s!re the# were

li"e a!t!mn leaves, so that m# ac" ached with stoo)ing

and m# fingers with sorting them o!t.

Da# after da# this wor" went on # ever# evening a

fort!ne had een stowed aoard, !t there was another

fort!ne waiting for the morrow and all this time we

heard nothing of the three s!rviving m!tineers.

At last++I thin" it was on the third night++the doctorand I were strolling on the sho!lder of the hill where

it overloo"s the lowlands of the isle, when, from o!t



the thic" dar"ness elow, the wind ro!ght !s a noise

etween shrie"ing and singing. It was onl# a snatch

that reached o!r ears, followed # the former silence.

@$eaven forgive them,@ said the doctor @:tisthe m!tineers@

@All dr!n", sir,@ str!c" in the voice of Silver

from ehind !s.

Silver, I sho!ld sa#, was allowed his entire liert#,and in s)ite of dail# re!ffs, seemed to regard himself

once more as F!ite a )rivileged and friendl# de)endent.Indeed, it was remar"ale how well he ore these

slights and with what !nwear#ing )oliteness he "e)t on

tr#ing to ingratiate himself with all. <et, I thin",

none treated him etter than a dog, !nless it was en%!nn, who was still terril# afraid of his old

F!artermaster, or m#self, who had reall# something tothan" him for altho!gh for that matter, I s!))ose, I

had reason to thin" even worse of him than an#od#else, for I had seen him meditating a fresh treacher#

!)on the )latea!. Accordingl#, it was )rett# gr!ffl#

that the doctor answered him.

@Dr!n" or raving,@ said he.

@Right #o! were, sir,@ re)lied Silver @and )recio!s

little odds which, to #o! and me.@

@I s!))ose #o! wo!ld hardl# as" me to call #o! a h!maneman,@ ret!rned the doctor with a sneer, @and so m#

feelings ma# s!r)rise #o!, 1aster Silver. !t if Iwere s!re the# were raving++as I am morall# certain

one, at least, of them is down with fever++I sho!ldleave this cam), and at whatever ris" to m# own

carcass, ta"e them the assistance of m# s"ill.@

@As" #o!r )ardon, sir, #o! wo!ld e ver# wrong,@ F!othSilver. @<o! wo!ld lose #o!r )recio!s life, and #o!

ma# la# to that. I:m on #o!r side now, hand and gloveand I sho!ldn:t wish for to see the )art# wea"ened, let

alone #o!rself, seeing as I "now what I owes #o!. !t

these men down there, the# co!ldn:t "ee) their word++

no, not s!))osing the# wished to and what:s more, the#co!ldn:t elieve as #o! co!ld.@

@No,@ said the doctor. @<o!:re the man to "ee) #o!rword, we "now that.@

/ell, that was ao!t the last news we had of the three

)irates. Onl# once we heard a g!nshot a great wa# off

and s!))osed them to e h!nting. A co!ncil was held,and it was decided that we m!st desert them on the island

++to the h!ge glee, I m!st sa#, of en %!nn, and with thestrong a))roval of %ra#. /e left a good stoc" of )owder

and shot, the !l" of the salt goat, a few medicines, and



some other necessaries, tools, clothing, a s)are sail, a

fathom or two of ro)e, and # the )artic!lar desire of the

doctor, a handsome )resent of toacco.

That was ao!t o!r last doing on the island. eforethat, we had got the treas!re stowed and had shi))ed

eno!gh water and the remainder of the goat meat in caseof an# distress and at last, one fine morning, we weighed

anchor, which was ao!t all that we co!ld manage, and stood

o!t of North Inlet, the same colo!rs fl#ing that the ca)tain

had flown and fo!ght !nder at the )alisade.

The three fellows m!st have een watching !s closerthan we tho!ght for, as we soon had )roved. 8or coming

thro!gh the narrows, we had to lie ver# near the

so!thern )oint, and there we saw all three of them

"neeling together on a s)it of sand, with their armsraised in s!))lication. It went to all o!r hearts, I

thin", to leave them in that wretched state !t weco!ld not ris" another m!tin# and to ta"e them home

for the giet wo!ld have een a cr!el sort of"indness. The doctor hailed them and told them of the

stores we had left, and where the# were to find them.

!t the# contin!ed to call !s # name and a))eal to !s,

for %od:s sa"e, to e mercif!l and not leave them todie in s!ch a )lace.

At last, seeing the shi) still ore on her co!rse and

was now swiftl# drawing o!t of earshot, one of them++I

"now not which it was++lea)t to his feet with a hoarse

cr#, whi))ed his m!s"et to his sho!lder, and sent a shotwhistling over Silver:s head and thro!gh the main+sail.

After that, we "e)t !nder cover of the !lwar"s, and

when ne(t I loo"ed o!t the# had disa))eared from thes)it, and the s)it itself had almost melted o!t of

sight in the growing distance. That was, at least, the

end of that and efore noon, to m# ine()ressile o#,

the highest roc" of Treas!re Island had s!n" into thel!e ro!nd of sea.

/e were so short of men that ever#one on oard had to

ear a hand++onl# the ca)tain l#ing on a mattress in

the stern and giving his orders, for tho!gh greatl#

recovered he was still in want of F!iet. /e laid herhead for the nearest )ort in S)anish America, for we

co!ld not ris" the vo#age home witho!t fresh hands and

as it was, what with affling winds and a co!)le offresh gales, we were all worn o!t efore we reached it.

It was !st at s!ndown when we cast anchor in a most

ea!tif!l land+loc"ed g!lf, and were immediatel#

s!rro!nded # shore oats f!ll of Negroes and 1e(icanIndians and half+loods selling fr!its and vegetales

and offering to dive for its of mone#. The sight ofso man# good+h!mo!red faces Ges)eciall# the lac"sH,

the taste of the tro)ical fr!its, and aove all the



lights that egan to shine in the town made a most

charming contrast to o!r dar" and lood# soo!rn on the

island and the doctor and the sF!ire, ta"ing me alongwith them, went ashore to )ass the earl# )art of the

night. $ere the# met the ca)tain of an English man+of+war, fell in tal" with him, went on oard his shi),

and, in short, had so agreeale a time that da# wasrea"ing when we came alongside the $IS&ANIOLA.

en %!nn was on dec" alone, and as soon as we came on

oard he egan, with wonderf!l contortions, to ma"e !sa confession. Silver was gone. The maroon had

connived at his esca)e in a shore oat some ho!rs ago,and he now ass!red !s he had onl# done so to )reserve

o!r lives, which wo!ld certainl# have een forfeit if

@that man with the one leg had sta#ed aoard.@ !t

this was not all. The sea+coo" had not gone em)t#+handed. $e had c!t thro!gh a !l"head !noserved and

had removed one of the sac"s of coin, worth )erha)sthree or fo!r h!ndred g!ineas, to hel) him on his

f!rther wanderings.

I thin" we were all )leased to e so chea)l# F!it of him.

/ell, to ma"e a long stor# short, we got a few hands onoard, made a good cr!ise home, and the $IS&ANIOLA

reached ristol !st as 1r. landl# was eginning tothin" of fitting o!t her consort. 8ive men onl# of

those who had sailed ret!rned with her. @Drin" and the

devil had done for the rest,@ with a vengeance,

altho!gh, to e s!re, we were not F!ite in so ad acase as that other shi) the# sang ao!t*

/ith one man of her crew alive,

/hat )!t to sea with sevent#+five.

All of !s had an am)le share of the treas!re and !sed

it wisel# or foolishl#, according to o!r nat!res.

'a)tain Smollett is now retired from the sea. %ra# notonl# saved his mone#, !t eing s!ddenl# smit with the

desire to rise, also st!died his )rofession, and he isnow mate and )art owner of a fine f!ll+rigged shi),

married esides, and the father of a famil#. As for

en %!nn, he got a tho!sand )o!nds, which he s)ent or

lost in three wee"s, or to e more e(act, in nineteenda#s, for he was ac" egging on the twentieth. Then

he was given a lodge to "ee), e(actl# as he had feared

!)on the island and he still lives, a great favo!rite,tho!gh something of a !tt, with the co!ntr# o#s, anda notale singer in ch!rch on S!nda#s and saints: da#s.

Of Silver we have heard no more. That formidale

seafaring man with one leg has at last gone clean o!tof m# life !t I dare sa# he met his old Negress, and

)erha)s still lives in comfort with her and 'a)tain8lint. It is to e ho)ed so, I s!))ose, for his

chances of comfort in another world are ver# small.



The ar silver and the arms still lie, for all that I

"now, where 8lint !ried them and certainl# the# shalllie there for me. O(en and wain+ro)es wo!ld not ring

me ac" again to that acc!rsed island and the worstdreams that ever I have are when I hear the s!rf

ooming ao!t its coasts or start !)right in ed withthe shar) voice of 'a)tain 8lint still ringing in m#

ears* @&ieces of eight &ieces of eight@

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