Reading Help Treasure Island Ch.IV-VI
Hawkins; HE'LL excuse you, you may lay to that. `
` And so, Jim"--stopping the tobacco--"here you were, and `
` quite a pleasant surprise for poor old John. I see you `
` were smart when first I set my eyes on you, but this `
` here gets away from me clean, it do." `
` `
` To all this, as may be well supposed, I made no answer. `
` They had set me with my back against the wall, and I `
` stood there, looking Silver in the face, pluckily `
` enough, I hope, to all outward appearance, but with `
` black despair in my heart. `
` `
` Silver took a whiff or two of his pipe with great `
` composure and then ran on again. `
` `
` "Now, you see, Jim, so be as you ARE here," says `
` he, "I'll give you a piece of my mind. I've always `
` liked you, I have, for a lad of spirit, and the picter `
` of my own self when I was young and handsome. I always `
` wanted you to jine and take your share, and die a `
` gentleman, and now, my cock, you've got to. Cap'n `
` Smollett's a fine seaman, as I'll own up to any day, `
` but stiff on discipline. 'Dooty is dooty,' says he, `
` and right he is. Just you keep clear of the cap'n. `
` The doctor himself is gone dead again you--'ungrateful `
` scamp' was what he said; and the short and the long of `
` the whole story is about here: you can't go back to `
` your own lot, for they won't have you; and without you `
` start a third ship's company all by yourself, which `
` might be lonely, you'll have to jine with Cap'n Silver." `
` `
` So far so good. My friends, then, were still alive, `
` and though I partly believed the truth of Silver's `
` statement, that the cabin party were incensed at me for `
` my desertion, I was more relieved than distressed by `
` what I heard. `
` `
` "I don't say nothing as to your being in our hands," `
` continued Silver, "though there you are, and you may `
` lay to it. I'm all for argyment; I never seen good `
` come out o' threatening. If you like the service, `
` well, you'll jine; and if you don't, Jim, why, you're `
` free to answer no--free and welcome, shipmate; and if `
` fairer can be said by mortal seaman, shiver my sides!" `
` `
` "Am I to answer, then?" I asked with a very tremulous `
` voice. Through all this sneering talk, I was made to `
` feel the threat of death that overhung me, and my `
` cheeks burned and my heart beat painfully in my breast. `
` `
` "Lad," said Silver, "no one's a-pressing of you. Take `
` your bearings. None of us won't hurry you, mate; time `
` goes so pleasant in your company, you see." `
` `
` "Well," says I, growing a bit bolder, "if I'm to `
` choose, I declare I have a right to know what's what, `
` and why you're here, and where my friends are." `
` `
` "Wot's wot?" repeated one of the buccaneers in a deep `
` growl. "Ah, he'd be a lucky one as knowed that!" `
` `
` "You'll perhaps batten down your hatches till you're `
` spoke to, my friend," cried Silver truculently to this `
` speaker. And then, in his first gracious tones, he `
` replied to me, "Yesterday morning, Mr. Hawkins," said `
` he, "in the dog-watch, down came Doctor Livesey with a `
` flag of truce. Says he, 'Cap'n Silver, you're sold `
` out. Ship's gone.' Well, maybe we'd been taking a `
` glass, and a song to help it round. I won't say no. `
` Leastways, none of us had looked out. We looked out, `
` and by thunder, the old ship was gone! I never seen a `
` pack o' fools look fishier; and you may lay to that, if `
` I tells you that looked the fishiest. 'Well,' says the `
` doctor, 'let's bargain.' We bargained, him and I, and `
` here we are: stores, brandy, block house, the firewood `
` you was thoughtful enough to cut, and in a manner of `
` speaking, the whole blessed boat, from cross-trees to `
` kelson. As for them, they've tramped; I don't know `
` where's they are." `
` `
` He drew again quietly at his pipe. `
` `
` "And lest you should take it into that head of yours," `
` he went on, "that you was included in the treaty, `
` here's the last word that was said: 'How many are you,' `
` says I, 'to leave?' 'Four,' says he; 'four, and one of `
` us wounded. As for that boy, I don't know where he is, `
` confound him,' says he, 'nor I don't much care. We're `
` about sick of him.' These was his words. `
` `
` "Is that all?" I asked. `
` `
` "Well, it's all that you're to hear, my son," `
` returned Silver. `
` `
` "And now I am to choose?" `
` `
` "And now you are to choose, and you may lay to `
` that," said Silver. `
` `
` "Well," said I, "I am not such a fool but I know pretty `
` well what I have to look for. Let the worst come to `
` the worst, it's little I care. I've seen too many die `
` since I fell in with you. But there's a thing or two I `
` have to tell you," I said, and by this time I was quite `
` excited; "and the first is this: here you are, in a bad `
` way--ship lost, treasure lost, men lost, your whole `
` business gone to wreck; and 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, and you, Dick `
` Johnson, and Hands, who is now at the bottom of the `
` sea, and told every word you said before the hour was `
` out. And as for the schooner, it was I who cut her `
` cable, and it was I that killed the men you had aboard `
` of her, and it was I who brought her where you'll never `
` see her more, not one of you. The laugh's on my side; `
` I've had the top of this business from the first; I no `
` more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you `
` please, or spare me. But one thing I'll say, and no `
` more; 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 another and do `
` yourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness to `
` save you from the gallows." `
` `
` I stopped, for, I tell you, I was out of breath, and to `
` my wonder, not a man of them moved, but all sat staring `
` at me like as many sheep. And while they were still `
` staring, I broke out again, "And now, Mr. Silver," I `
` said, "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 with an accent so `
` curious that I could not, for the life of me, decide `
` whether he were laughing at my request or had been `
` favourably affected by my courage. `
` `
` "I'll put one to that," cried the old mahogany-faced `
` seaman--Morgan by name--whom I had seen in Long John's `
` public-house upon the quays of Bristol. "It was him `
` that knowed Black Dog." `
` `
` "Well, and see here," added the sea-cook. "I'll put `
` another again to that, by thunder! For it was this `
` same boy that faked the chart from Billy Bones. First `
` and last, we've split upon Jim Hawkins!" `
` `
` "Then here goes!" said Morgan with an oath. `
` `
` And he sprang up, drawing his knife as if he had `
` been twenty. `
` `
` "Avast, there!" cried Silver. "Who are you, Tom `
` Morgan? Maybe you thought you was cap'n here, perhaps. `
` By the powers, but I'll teach you better! Cross me, `
` and you'll go where many a good man's gone before you, `
` first and last, these thirty year back--some to the `
` yard-arm, shiver my timbers, and some by the board, and `
` all to feed the fishes. There's never a man looked me `
` between the eyes and seen a good day a'terwards, Tom `
` Morgan, you may lay to that." `
` `
` Morgan paused, but a hoarse murmur rose from the others. `
` `
` "Tom's right," said one. `
` `
` "I stood hazing long enough from one," added another. `
` "I'll be hanged if I'll be hazed by you, John Silver." `
` `
` "Did any of you gentlemen want to have it out with ME?" `
` roared Silver, bending far forward from his `
` position on the keg, with his pipe still glowing in his `
` right hand. "Put a name on what you're at; you ain't `
` dumb, I reckon. Him that wants shall get it. Have I `
` lived this many years, and a son of a rum puncheon cock `
` his hat athwart my hawse at the latter end of it? You `
` know the way; you're all gentlemen o' fortune, by your `
` account. Well, I'm ready. Take a cutlass, him that `
` dares, and I'll see the colour of his inside, crutch `
` and all, before that pipe's empty." `
` `
` Not a man stirred; not a man answered. `
` `
` "That's your sort, is it?" he added, returning his pipe `
` to his mouth. "Well, you're a gay lot to look at, `
` anyway. Not much worth to fight, you ain't. P'r'aps `
` you can understand King George's English. I'm cap'n `
` here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best `
` man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen `
` o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and `
` you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen `
` a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair `
` of rats of you in this here house, and what I say is `
` this: let me see him that'll lay a hand on him--that's `
` what I say, and you may lay to it." `
` `
` There was a long pause after this. I stood straight up `
` against the wall, my heart still going like a sledge- `
` hammer, but with a ray of hope now shining in my bosom. `
` Silver leant back against the wall, his arms crossed, his `
`
` And so, Jim"--stopping the tobacco--"here you were, and `
` quite a pleasant surprise for poor old John. I see you `
` were smart when first I set my eyes on you, but this `
` here gets away from me clean, it do." `
` `
` To all this, as may be well supposed, I made no answer. `
` They had set me with my back against the wall, and I `
` stood there, looking Silver in the face, pluckily `
` enough, I hope, to all outward appearance, but with `
` black despair in my heart. `
` `
` Silver took a whiff or two of his pipe with great `
` composure and then ran on again. `
` `
` "Now, you see, Jim, so be as you ARE here," says `
` he, "I'll give you a piece of my mind. I've always `
` liked you, I have, for a lad of spirit, and the picter `
` of my own self when I was young and handsome. I always `
` wanted you to jine and take your share, and die a `
` gentleman, and now, my cock, you've got to. Cap'n `
` Smollett's a fine seaman, as I'll own up to any day, `
` but stiff on discipline. 'Dooty is dooty,' says he, `
` and right he is. Just you keep clear of the cap'n. `
` The doctor himself is gone dead again you--'ungrateful `
` scamp' was what he said; and the short and the long of `
` the whole story is about here: you can't go back to `
` your own lot, for they won't have you; and without you `
` start a third ship's company all by yourself, which `
` might be lonely, you'll have to jine with Cap'n Silver." `
` `
` So far so good. My friends, then, were still alive, `
` and though I partly believed the truth of Silver's `
` statement, that the cabin party were incensed at me for `
` my desertion, I was more relieved than distressed by `
` what I heard. `
` `
` "I don't say nothing as to your being in our hands," `
` continued Silver, "though there you are, and you may `
` lay to it. I'm all for argyment; I never seen good `
` come out o' threatening. If you like the service, `
` well, you'll jine; and if you don't, Jim, why, you're `
` free to answer no--free and welcome, shipmate; and if `
` fairer can be said by mortal seaman, shiver my sides!" `
` `
` "Am I to answer, then?" I asked with a very tremulous `
` voice. Through all this sneering talk, I was made to `
` feel the threat of death that overhung me, and my `
` cheeks burned and my heart beat painfully in my breast. `
` `
` "Lad," said Silver, "no one's a-pressing of you. Take `
` your bearings. None of us won't hurry you, mate; time `
` goes so pleasant in your company, you see." `
` `
` "Well," says I, growing a bit bolder, "if I'm to `
` choose, I declare I have a right to know what's what, `
` and why you're here, and where my friends are." `
` `
` "Wot's wot?" repeated one of the buccaneers in a deep `
` growl. "Ah, he'd be a lucky one as knowed that!" `
` `
` "You'll perhaps batten down your hatches till you're `
` spoke to, my friend," cried Silver truculently to this `
` speaker. And then, in his first gracious tones, he `
` replied to me, "Yesterday morning, Mr. Hawkins," said `
` he, "in the dog-watch, down came Doctor Livesey with a `
` flag of truce. Says he, 'Cap'n Silver, you're sold `
` out. Ship's gone.' Well, maybe we'd been taking a `
` glass, and a song to help it round. I won't say no. `
` Leastways, none of us had looked out. We looked out, `
` and by thunder, the old ship was gone! I never seen a `
` pack o' fools look fishier; and you may lay to that, if `
` I tells you that looked the fishiest. 'Well,' says the `
` doctor, 'let's bargain.' We bargained, him and I, and `
` here we are: stores, brandy, block house, the firewood `
` you was thoughtful enough to cut, and in a manner of `
` speaking, the whole blessed boat, from cross-trees to `
` kelson. As for them, they've tramped; I don't know `
` where's they are." `
` `
` He drew again quietly at his pipe. `
` `
` "And lest you should take it into that head of yours," `
` he went on, "that you was included in the treaty, `
` here's the last word that was said: 'How many are you,' `
` says I, 'to leave?' 'Four,' says he; 'four, and one of `
` us wounded. As for that boy, I don't know where he is, `
` confound him,' says he, 'nor I don't much care. We're `
` about sick of him.' These was his words. `
` `
` "Is that all?" I asked. `
` `
` "Well, it's all that you're to hear, my son," `
` returned Silver. `
` `
` "And now I am to choose?" `
` `
` "And now you are to choose, and you may lay to `
` that," said Silver. `
` `
` "Well," said I, "I am not such a fool but I know pretty `
` well what I have to look for. Let the worst come to `
` the worst, it's little I care. I've seen too many die `
` since I fell in with you. But there's a thing or two I `
` have to tell you," I said, and by this time I was quite `
` excited; "and the first is this: here you are, in a bad `
` way--ship lost, treasure lost, men lost, your whole `
` business gone to wreck; and 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, and you, Dick `
` Johnson, and Hands, who is now at the bottom of the `
` sea, and told every word you said before the hour was `
` out. And as for the schooner, it was I who cut her `
` cable, and it was I that killed the men you had aboard `
` of her, and it was I who brought her where you'll never `
` see her more, not one of you. The laugh's on my side; `
` I've had the top of this business from the first; I no `
` more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you `
` please, or spare me. But one thing I'll say, and no `
` more; 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 another and do `
` yourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness to `
` save you from the gallows." `
` `
` I stopped, for, I tell you, I was out of breath, and to `
` my wonder, not a man of them moved, but all sat staring `
` at me like as many sheep. And while they were still `
` staring, I broke out again, "And now, Mr. Silver," I `
` said, "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 with an accent so `
` curious that I could not, for the life of me, decide `
` whether he were laughing at my request or had been `
` favourably affected by my courage. `
` `
` "I'll put one to that," cried the old mahogany-faced `
` seaman--Morgan by name--whom I had seen in Long John's `
` public-house upon the quays of Bristol. "It was him `
` that knowed Black Dog." `
` `
` "Well, and see here," added the sea-cook. "I'll put `
` another again to that, by thunder! For it was this `
` same boy that faked the chart from Billy Bones. First `
` and last, we've split upon Jim Hawkins!" `
` `
` "Then here goes!" said Morgan with an oath. `
` `
` And he sprang up, drawing his knife as if he had `
` been twenty. `
` `
` "Avast, there!" cried Silver. "Who are you, Tom `
` Morgan? Maybe you thought you was cap'n here, perhaps. `
` By the powers, but I'll teach you better! Cross me, `
` and you'll go where many a good man's gone before you, `
` first and last, these thirty year back--some to the `
` yard-arm, shiver my timbers, and some by the board, and `
` all to feed the fishes. There's never a man looked me `
` between the eyes and seen a good day a'terwards, Tom `
` Morgan, you may lay to that." `
` `
` Morgan paused, but a hoarse murmur rose from the others. `
` `
` "Tom's right," said one. `
` `
` "I stood hazing long enough from one," added another. `
` "I'll be hanged if I'll be hazed by you, John Silver." `
` `
` "Did any of you gentlemen want to have it out with ME?" `
` roared Silver, bending far forward from his `
` position on the keg, with his pipe still glowing in his `
` right hand. "Put a name on what you're at; you ain't `
` dumb, I reckon. Him that wants shall get it. Have I `
` lived this many years, and a son of a rum puncheon cock `
` his hat athwart my hawse at the latter end of it? You `
` know the way; you're all gentlemen o' fortune, by your `
` account. Well, I'm ready. Take a cutlass, him that `
` dares, and I'll see the colour of his inside, crutch `
` and all, before that pipe's empty." `
` `
` Not a man stirred; not a man answered. `
` `
` "That's your sort, is it?" he added, returning his pipe `
` to his mouth. "Well, you're a gay lot to look at, `
` anyway. Not much worth to fight, you ain't. P'r'aps `
` you can understand King George's English. I'm cap'n `
` here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best `
` man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen `
` o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and `
` you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen `
` a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair `
` of rats of you in this here house, and what I say is `
` this: let me see him that'll lay a hand on him--that's `
` what I say, and you may lay to it." `
` `
` There was a long pause after this. I stood straight up `
` against the wall, my heart still going like a sledge- `
` hammer, but with a ray of hope now shining in my bosom. `
` Silver leant back against the wall, his arms crossed, his `
`