Chapter 9
“Bring a torch, Dick,” called Silver. I turned to run, struck violently against one person, and ran right into the arms of another.
“Pieces of eight,” screeched Captain Flint.
The red glare of the torch, lighting up the interior of the blockhouse, showed me the pirates were in full possession of the house and the stores.
To my horror there was not one sign of a prisoner. My heart ached when I realized they must have all perished. I wished I had been here with them. I had been foolish, not brave at all.
“So,” said Silver, “here’s Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers! Dropped in like a friend, didn’t you?”
I stood there, looking him right in the face.
“I’ve always liked you, I have,” said he, “You’ve spirit, mate. I always wanted you to join with me and take your share. Just keep clear of the captain. Even the doctor has gone dead against you, my boy. Unless you start a third ship’s company all by yourself, which might be lonely, you’ll have to join with Captain Silver.”
So far so good. My friends, then, were still alive and still a threat to the pirates.
“Now,” said Captain Silver, “I don’t mean to threaten you, but if I were you,” and his voice trailed off.
I felt the tenseness around me. Death hung over me once again. My cheeks burned and my heart pounded painfully in my breast.
“Well,” said I, growing a bit bolder, “if I’m to choose, I declare I have a right to know what’s what. Why are you here and where are my friends?”
“What’s what?” growled one of the buccaneers, “he’d be lucky to know that.”
“You’ll batten down your hatches till you’re spoken to, my friend,” cried Silver to the buccanner in the corner. “Yesterday,” he continued, “Dr. Livesey came with a flag of truce. ‘Captain Silver’, says he, ‘the ship’s gone.’ We looked out and to be sure, the ship was gone! I never saw a pack of fools look fishier. Anyway the doctor left us the food and we let them tramp.”
He took time to fill his pipe.
“Well”, said Silver, that’s all you are to hear.
“Oh,” he added, “the doctor did say that he did not know where you were and he didn’t care.”
“Is that all?” I asked.
“That’s all,” said Silver.
“And now I am to choose?” I asked. “And now you are to choose, and to that,” said Silver.
“Well, I am not such a fool but I know pretty well what I have to look for,” I said, “Let the worse come to worse, it’s little I care. I’ve seen too many die since I fell in with you. But there’s a thing or two I have to tell you.”
“Go on,” said Silver.
“The first is this. Here you are in a bad way. A ship lost, treasure lost, men lost and all gone to wreck. Now if you want to know who did it, it was I! I was in the apple barrel the night we sighted land, and I heard you, John, every word you said. And as for the schooner, it was I who cut her cable, and it was I that killed Hands. I put the ship where you will never find her, I did. The laugh’s on my side. I no more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you please, or spare me. But one thing I’ll say. If you spare me, bygones are bygones, and when you fellows are in court for piracy, I’ll save you all I can. It is for you to choose. Kill me and do no good. Spare me and keep a witness to save you from the gallows.”
I stopped, for I tell you, I was out of breath. Not one man moved. They sat staring at me, like sheep. While they sat staring. I continued, “And now, Mr. Silver, I believe you’re the best man here, and if things go to the worst, I’ll take it kind of you to let the doctor know the way I took it.”
“I’ll bear it in mind,” said Silver, never taking his eyes from mine.
“It was he that knew Black Dog,” yelled one of the pirates. “And, him that got the map!”
With that, he sprang forward, knife in hand.
“Wait there!” cried Silver, “Maybe you think you’re captain here, mate. Who are you, Torn Morgan? Cross me, and you’ll go where many a good man’s gone before you. Shiver my timbers, I’ll feed you to the fish, Torn Morgan!”
Not a man stirred. Not a man said a word.
“Why, this boy is more man than any pair of rats like you. Let me see one of you lay a hand on him and you answer to me,” said Silver.
I stood straight up against the wall, my heart pounding like a sledge-hammer. Silver crossed his arms, put a pipe back in his mouth, and looked calmly out at the men. His eyes darted from man to man. Puffing great clouds of smoke, he asked, “You all seem to have a lot to say. Pipe up, and say it or lay to.”
“Ask your pardon, sir,” said one of the men, “you’re pretty free with the rules. This crew’s dissatisfied. I take it we can step outside for a council? I take it we can talk together.”
With an elaborate salute, this fellow stepped towards the door and out of the house. One after the other the rest followed his example.
“According to the rules, we talk,” said Tom Morgan on his way out. That left us alone.
The sea cook instantly removed his pipe.
“Now, look here, Jim Hawkins,” he said, in a steady whisper, “you’re within half a plank of death, and what’s a long sight worse, of torture.”
“You mean all’s lost?” I asked.
“Aye, mate, I do!” he answered, “Ship’s gone, all’s done, that’s the size of it. I’ll save your life, if you’ll save Long John from swinging.”
“What I can do, that I’ll do,” I said.
“It’s a bargain!” cried Long John, “You speak up and by thunder, I’ll have a chance.”
I was bewildered by all that had happened. He decided to test me further, for he asked, “Talking of trouble, Jim, why did the doctor give me the chart?”
My face expressed wonder so unaffected that he saw the needlessness of further questions.
“Well, he did Jim,” said Long John, “and there is something more to it, mate.”
Before we could talk any more in walked one of the men and asked for the torch.
I turned to the loophole nearest me and looked out, towards the embers of the great fire. About halfway down the slope, they had gathered in a group. They seemed to be huddled over a book.
When the buccaneer appeared at the door, Silver asked him in. He stepped in briskly and handed something to Silver.
The sea cook looked at what had been given him.
“The black spot! I thought so,” he observed. “Where might you have got the paper? Oh, look here now, this isn’t so lucky. You’ve gone and cut a piece from the Bible. What fool’s cut a Bible?”
“Ah, there!” cried Morgan, “what did I tell you? No good will come of that, I said.”
“You’ve fixed it among yourselves now,” said Silver. “What soft-headed lubber had a Bible?”
“It was Dick,” said one.
“Dick, was it?” said Silver, “well, Dick can get to his prayers. He’s seen his slice of luck, you can be sure of that.”
“You don’t fool this crew any more, Silver,” called one of the older men.
“Thank you, George,” called Silver, “you always was a brisk one for business. You’ll be captain of this crew next. Is that right?”
“Come now,” said George, “you don’t fool us. You’re a funny man, but you’re over now, so step down off that barrel, and help vote.”
“I thought you said you knew the rules,” returned Silver, “leastways, if you don’t, I do. I’m still your captain and that black spot isn’t worth a biscuit. After that, we’ll see.”
“You’re made a hash of this crew,” yelled George, “and you let the enemy walk right out of here, for no reason that I could see.”
“Is that all?” asked Long John Silver, quietly.
“Enough to,” said George, “we’ll all swing—all because of your bungling.”
“Well, now, look here, I’ll answer some of these points you’ve brought up,” said Silver, “I did not get us in this all alone. Who forced my hand? You’ve been a meddling crew not fit to sail the sea with me. By the powers, I should dump you all! Now, you just turn about and look here!”
As he said his last word he cast a paper down on the floor that they all recognized at once. The yellow chart, low chart, with three red crosses, that I had found at the bottom of the captain’s chest. Why the doctor had given it to him was more than I could fancy. It did the trick, for sure!
The appearance of the chart was incredible to the surviving mutineers. They leaped upon it like cats upon a mouse. It went from hand to hand, each reaching for it like it was made of gold.
“That’s Flint’s,” cried George, “but how do we get it off the island, without the ship?”
“You lost the ship,” said Silver, “I found the treasure. Who’s a better man at that? Elect whom you please to be captain. I’m done with it.”
“Silver!” they cried, “Barbecue forever! Silver for captain! Silver for captain!”
That was that. Soon after, with a drink all around, we lay down to sleep. Silver put a man on guard and threatened him with death if he should be unfaithful to his crew.
It was long before I could close my eyes; for I had a great deal to think about.
We were awakened by the doctor calling, “Ahoy there! Here’s the doctor.”
And the doctor it was. Although I was glad to hear the sound, I felt ashamed to look him in the face. I didn’t know what Silver would say to him.
The doctor stopped and looked right at me with a grim look and went on to work with the sick men.
“Now, doctor,” said Silver, “this young lad has a thing or two he’d like to say to you. He has given me his word that he won’t run, so you and he can just step over the hill a bit.”
We turned and walked away with the men calling their disapproval. Silver quietened them at once.
“Well, Jim,” said the doctor, “it was a cowardly thing to run off like you did.”
I will admit I began to weep. “Doctor,” I said, “you might spare me. I did find the ship!”
“The ship!” cried the doctor. “My boy, it is you who has saved our lives at every turn. Silver, don’t be in such a hurry to find that treasure.”
Then, Dr. Livesey shook hands with me, nodded to Silver, and set off, quickly, into the woods.
