Reading Help Treasure Island Ch.IV-VI
each other, on our feet. The other three took complete `
` headers, and came up again drenched and bubbling. `
` `
` So far there was no great harm. No lives were lost, `
` and we could wade ashore in safety. But there were all `
` our stores at the bottom, and to make things worse, `
` only two guns out of five remained in a state for `
` service. Mine I had snatched from my knees and held `
` over my head, by a sort of instinct. As for the `
` captain, he had carried his over his shoulder by a `
` bandoleer, and like a wise man, lock uppermost. The `
` other three had gone down with the boat. `
` `
` To add to our concern, we heard voices already drawing `
` near us in the woods along shore, and we had not only `
` the danger of being cut off from the stockade in our `
` half-crippled state but the fear before us whether, if `
` Hunter and Joyce were attacked by half a dozen, they `
` would have the sense and conduct to stand firm. Hunter `
` was steady, that we knew; Joyce was a doubtful case--a `
` pleasant, polite man for a valet and to brush one's `
` clothes, but not entirely fitted for a man of war. `
` `
` With all this in our minds, we waded ashore as fast as `
` we could, leaving behind us the poor jolly-boat and a `
` good half of all our powder and provisions. `
` `
` `
` `
` 18 `
` `
` Narrative Continued by the Doctor: End of the `
` First Day's Fighting `
` `
` WE made our best speed across the strip of wood that `
` now divided us from the stockade, and at every step we `
` took the voices of the buccaneers rang nearer. Soon we `
` could hear their footfalls as they ran and the cracking `
` of the branches as they breasted across a bit of thicket. `
` `
` I began to see we should have a brush for it in earnest `
` and looked to my priming. `
` `
` "Captain," said I, "Trelawney is the dead shot. Give `
` him your gun; his own is useless." `
` `
` They exchanged guns, and Trelawney, silent and cool as `
` he had been since the beginning of the bustle, hung a `
` moment on his heel to see that all was fit for service. `
` At the same time, observing Gray to be unarmed, I `
` handed him my cutlass. It did all our hearts good to `
` see him spit in his hand, knit his brows, and make the `
` blade sing through the air. It was plain from every `
` line of his body that our new hand was worth his salt. `
` `
` Forty paces farther we came to the edge of the wood and `
` saw the stockade in front of us. We struck the `
` enclosure about the middle of the south side, and `
` almost at the same time, seven mutineers--Job Anderson, `
` the boatswain, at their head--appeared in full cry at `
` the southwestern corner. `
` `
` They paused as if taken aback, and before they recovered, `
` not only the squire and I, but Hunter and Joyce from the `
` block house, had time to fire. The four shots came in `
` rather a scattering volley, but they did the business: `
` one of the enemy actually fell, and the rest, without `
` hesitation, turned and plunged into the trees. `
` `
` After reloading, we walked down the outside of the `
` palisade to see to the fallen enemy. He was stone `
` dead--shot through the heart. `
` `
` We began to rejoice over our good success when just at `
` that moment a pistol cracked in the bush, a ball `
` whistled close past my ear, and poor Tom Redruth `
` stumbled and fell his length on the ground. Both the `
` squire and I returned the shot, but as we had nothing `
` to aim at, it is probable we only wasted powder. Then `
` we reloaded and turned our attention to poor Tom. `
` `
` The captain and Gray were already examining him, and I `
` saw with half an eye that all was over. `
` `
` I believe the readiness of our return volley had `
` scattered the mutineers once more, for we were suffered `
` without further molestation to get the poor old `
` gamekeeper hoisted over the stockade and carried, `
` groaning and bleeding, into the log-house. `
` `
` Poor old fellow, he had not uttered one word of surprise, `
` complaint, fear, or even acquiescence from the very `
` beginning of our troubles till now, when we had laid him `
` down in the log-house to die. He had lain like a Trojan `
` behind his mattress in the gallery; he had followed every `
` order silently, doggedly, and well; he was the oldest of `
` our party by a score of years; and now, sullen, old, `
` serviceable servant, it was he that was to die. `
` `
` The squire dropped down beside him on his knees and `
` kissed his hand, crying like a child. `
` `
` "Be I going, doctor?" he asked. `
` `
` "Tom, my man," said I, "you're going home." `
` `
` "I wish I had had a lick at them with the gun first," `
` he replied. `
` `
` "Tom," said the squire, "say you forgive me, won't you?" `
` `
` "Would that be respectful like, from me to you, `
` squire?" was the answer. "Howsoever, so be it, amen!" `
` `
` After a little while of silence, he said he thought `
` somebody might read a prayer. "It's the custom, sir," `
` he added apologetically. And not long after, without `
` another word, he passed away. `
` `
` In the meantime the captain, whom I had observed to be `
` wonderfully swollen about the chest and pockets, had `
` turned out a great many various stores--the British `
` colours, a Bible, a coil of stoutish rope, pen, ink, `
` the log-book, and pounds of tobacco. He had found a `
` longish fir-tree lying felled and trimmed in the `
` enclosure, and with the help of Hunter he had set it up `
` at the corner of the log-house where the trunks crossed `
` and made an angle. Then, climbing on the roof, he had `
` with his own hand bent and run up the colours. `
` `
` This seemed mightily to relieve him. He re-entered the `
` log-house and set about counting up the stores as if `
` nothing else existed. But he had an eye on Tom's passage `
` for all that, and as soon as all was over, came forward `
` with another flag and reverently spread it on the body. `
` `
` "Don't you take on, sir," he said, shaking the squire's `
` hand. "All's well with him; no fear for a hand that's `
` been shot down in his duty to captain and owner. It `
` mayn't be good divinity, but it's a fact." `
` `
` Then he pulled me aside. `
` `
` "Dr. Livesey," he said, "in how many weeks do you and `
` squire expect the consort?" `
` `
` I told him it was a question not of weeks but of `
` months, that if we were not back by the end of August `
` Blandly was to send to find us, but neither sooner nor `
` later. "You can calculate for yourself," I said. `
` `
` "Why, yes," returned the captain, scratching his head; `
` "and making a large allowance, sir, for all the gifts `
` of Providence, I should say we were pretty close hauled." `
` `
` "How do you mean?" I asked. `
` `
` "It's a pity, sir, we lost that second load. That's `
` what I mean," replied the captain. "As for powder and `
` shot, we'll do. But the rations are short, very short-- `
` so short, Dr. Livesey, that we're perhaps as well `
` without that extra mouth." `
` `
` And he pointed to the dead body under the flag. `
` `
` Just then, with a roar and a whistle, a round-shot `
` passed high above the roof of the log-house and plumped `
` far beyond us in the wood. `
` `
` "Oho!" said the captain. "Blaze away! You've little `
` enough powder already, my lads." `
` `
` At the second trial, the aim was better, and the ball `
` descended inside the stockade, scattering a cloud of `
` sand but doing no further damage. `
` `
` "Captain," said the squire, "the house is quite `
` invisible from the ship. It must be the flag they are `
` aiming at. Would it not be wiser to take it in?" `
` `
` "Strike my colours!" cried the captain. "No, sir, not I"; `
` and as soon as he had said the words, I think we all agreed `
` with him. For it was not only a piece of stout, seamanly, `
` good feeling; it was good policy besides and showed our `
` enemies that we despised their cannonade. `
` `
` All through the evening they kept thundering away. `
` Ball after ball flew over or fell short or kicked up `
` the sand in the enclosure, but they had to fire so high `
` that the shot fell dead and buried itself in the soft `
` sand. We had no ricochet to fear, and though one `
` popped in through the roof of the log-house and out `
` again through the floor, we soon got used to that sort `
` of horse-play and minded it no more than cricket. `
` `
` "There is one good thing about all this," observed the `
` captain; "the wood in front of us is likely clear. The `
` ebb has made a good while; our stores should be `
` uncovered. Volunteers to go and bring in pork." `
` `
` Gray and hunter were the first to come forward. Well `
`
` headers, and came up again drenched and bubbling. `
` `
` So far there was no great harm. No lives were lost, `
` and we could wade ashore in safety. But there were all `
` our stores at the bottom, and to make things worse, `
` only two guns out of five remained in a state for `
` service. Mine I had snatched from my knees and held `
` over my head, by a sort of instinct. As for the `
` captain, he had carried his over his shoulder by a `
` bandoleer, and like a wise man, lock uppermost. The `
` other three had gone down with the boat. `
` `
` To add to our concern, we heard voices already drawing `
` near us in the woods along shore, and we had not only `
` the danger of being cut off from the stockade in our `
` half-crippled state but the fear before us whether, if `
` Hunter and Joyce were attacked by half a dozen, they `
` would have the sense and conduct to stand firm. Hunter `
` was steady, that we knew; Joyce was a doubtful case--a `
` pleasant, polite man for a valet and to brush one's `
` clothes, but not entirely fitted for a man of war. `
` `
` With all this in our minds, we waded ashore as fast as `
` we could, leaving behind us the poor jolly-boat and a `
` good half of all our powder and provisions. `
` `
` `
` `
` 18 `
` `
` Narrative Continued by the Doctor: End of the `
` First Day's Fighting `
` `
` WE made our best speed across the strip of wood that `
` now divided us from the stockade, and at every step we `
` took the voices of the buccaneers rang nearer. Soon we `
` could hear their footfalls as they ran and the cracking `
` of the branches as they breasted across a bit of thicket. `
` `
` I began to see we should have a brush for it in earnest `
` and looked to my priming. `
` `
` "Captain," said I, "Trelawney is the dead shot. Give `
` him your gun; his own is useless." `
` `
` They exchanged guns, and Trelawney, silent and cool as `
` he had been since the beginning of the bustle, hung a `
` moment on his heel to see that all was fit for service. `
` At the same time, observing Gray to be unarmed, I `
` handed him my cutlass. It did all our hearts good to `
` see him spit in his hand, knit his brows, and make the `
` blade sing through the air. It was plain from every `
` line of his body that our new hand was worth his salt. `
` `
` Forty paces farther we came to the edge of the wood and `
` saw the stockade in front of us. We struck the `
` enclosure about the middle of the south side, and `
` almost at the same time, seven mutineers--Job Anderson, `
` the boatswain, at their head--appeared in full cry at `
` the southwestern corner. `
` `
` They paused as if taken aback, and before they recovered, `
` not only the squire and I, but Hunter and Joyce from the `
` block house, had time to fire. The four shots came in `
` rather a scattering volley, but they did the business: `
` one of the enemy actually fell, and the rest, without `
` hesitation, turned and plunged into the trees. `
` `
` After reloading, we walked down the outside of the `
` palisade to see to the fallen enemy. He was stone `
` dead--shot through the heart. `
` `
` We began to rejoice over our good success when just at `
` that moment a pistol cracked in the bush, a ball `
` whistled close past my ear, and poor Tom Redruth `
` stumbled and fell his length on the ground. Both the `
` squire and I returned the shot, but as we had nothing `
` to aim at, it is probable we only wasted powder. Then `
` we reloaded and turned our attention to poor Tom. `
` `
` The captain and Gray were already examining him, and I `
` saw with half an eye that all was over. `
` `
` I believe the readiness of our return volley had `
` scattered the mutineers once more, for we were suffered `
` without further molestation to get the poor old `
` gamekeeper hoisted over the stockade and carried, `
` groaning and bleeding, into the log-house. `
` `
` Poor old fellow, he had not uttered one word of surprise, `
` complaint, fear, or even acquiescence from the very `
` beginning of our troubles till now, when we had laid him `
` down in the log-house to die. He had lain like a Trojan `
` behind his mattress in the gallery; he had followed every `
` order silently, doggedly, and well; he was the oldest of `
` our party by a score of years; and now, sullen, old, `
` serviceable servant, it was he that was to die. `
` `
` The squire dropped down beside him on his knees and `
` kissed his hand, crying like a child. `
` `
` "Be I going, doctor?" he asked. `
` `
` "Tom, my man," said I, "you're going home." `
` `
` "I wish I had had a lick at them with the gun first," `
` he replied. `
` `
` "Tom," said the squire, "say you forgive me, won't you?" `
` `
` "Would that be respectful like, from me to you, `
` squire?" was the answer. "Howsoever, so be it, amen!" `
` `
` After a little while of silence, he said he thought `
` somebody might read a prayer. "It's the custom, sir," `
` he added apologetically. And not long after, without `
` another word, he passed away. `
` `
` In the meantime the captain, whom I had observed to be `
` wonderfully swollen about the chest and pockets, had `
` turned out a great many various stores--the British `
` colours, a Bible, a coil of stoutish rope, pen, ink, `
` the log-book, and pounds of tobacco. He had found a `
` longish fir-tree lying felled and trimmed in the `
` enclosure, and with the help of Hunter he had set it up `
` at the corner of the log-house where the trunks crossed `
` and made an angle. Then, climbing on the roof, he had `
` with his own hand bent and run up the colours. `
` `
` This seemed mightily to relieve him. He re-entered the `
` log-house and set about counting up the stores as if `
` nothing else existed. But he had an eye on Tom's passage `
` for all that, and as soon as all was over, came forward `
` with another flag and reverently spread it on the body. `
` `
` "Don't you take on, sir," he said, shaking the squire's `
` hand. "All's well with him; no fear for a hand that's `
` been shot down in his duty to captain and owner. It `
` mayn't be good divinity, but it's a fact." `
` `
` Then he pulled me aside. `
` `
` "Dr. Livesey," he said, "in how many weeks do you and `
` squire expect the consort?" `
` `
` I told him it was a question not of weeks but of `
` months, that if we were not back by the end of August `
` Blandly was to send to find us, but neither sooner nor `
` later. "You can calculate for yourself," I said. `
` `
` "Why, yes," returned the captain, scratching his head; `
` "and making a large allowance, sir, for all the gifts `
` of Providence, I should say we were pretty close hauled." `
` `
` "How do you mean?" I asked. `
` `
` "It's a pity, sir, we lost that second load. That's `
` what I mean," replied the captain. "As for powder and `
` shot, we'll do. But the rations are short, very short-- `
` so short, Dr. Livesey, that we're perhaps as well `
` without that extra mouth." `
` `
` And he pointed to the dead body under the flag. `
` `
` Just then, with a roar and a whistle, a round-shot `
` passed high above the roof of the log-house and plumped `
` far beyond us in the wood. `
` `
` "Oho!" said the captain. "Blaze away! You've little `
` enough powder already, my lads." `
` `
` At the second trial, the aim was better, and the ball `
` descended inside the stockade, scattering a cloud of `
` sand but doing no further damage. `
` `
` "Captain," said the squire, "the house is quite `
` invisible from the ship. It must be the flag they are `
` aiming at. Would it not be wiser to take it in?" `
` `
` "Strike my colours!" cried the captain. "No, sir, not I"; `
` and as soon as he had said the words, I think we all agreed `
` with him. For it was not only a piece of stout, seamanly, `
` good feeling; it was good policy besides and showed our `
` enemies that we despised their cannonade. `
` `
` All through the evening they kept thundering away. `
` Ball after ball flew over or fell short or kicked up `
` the sand in the enclosure, but they had to fire so high `
` that the shot fell dead and buried itself in the soft `
` sand. We had no ricochet to fear, and though one `
` popped in through the roof of the log-house and out `
` again through the floor, we soon got used to that sort `
` of horse-play and minded it no more than cricket. `
` `
` "There is one good thing about all this," observed the `
` captain; "the wood in front of us is likely clear. The `
` ebb has made a good while; our stores should be `
` uncovered. Volunteers to go and bring in pork." `
` `
` Gray and hunter were the first to come forward. Well `
`