Reading Help Treasure Island Ch.IV-VI
from the mutineers and that poor old Tom Redruth, still `
` unburied, lay along the wall, stiff and stark, under `
` the Union Jack. `
` `
` If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should all have `
` fallen in the blues, but Captain Smollett was never the `
` man for that. All hands were called up before him, and `
` he divided us into watches. The doctor and Gray and I `
` for one; the squire, Hunter, and Joyce upon the other. `
` Tired though we all were, two were sent out for `
` firewood; two more were set to dig a grave for Redruth; `
` the doctor was named cook; I was put sentry at the door; `
` and the captain himself went from one to another, keeping `
` up our spirits and lending a hand wherever it was wanted. `
` `
` From time to time the doctor came to the door for a little `
` air and to rest his eyes, which were almost smoked out of `
` his head, and whenever he did so, he had a word for me. `
` `
` "That man Smollett," he said once, "is a better man `
` than I am. And when I say that it means a deal, Jim." `
` `
` Another time he came and was silent for a while. Then `
` he put his head on one side, and looked at me. `
` `
` "Is this Ben Gunn a man?" he asked. `
` `
` "I do not know, sir," said I. "I am not very sure `
` whether he's sane." `
` `
` "If there's any doubt about the matter, he is," returned `
` the doctor. "A man who has been three years biting his `
` nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as `
` sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature. Was `
` it cheese you said he had a fancy for?" `
` `
` "Yes, sir, cheese," I answered. `
` `
` "Well, Jim," says he, "just see the good that comes of `
` being dainty in your food. You've seen my snuff-box, `
` haven't you? And you never saw me take snuff, the `
` reason being that in my snuff-box I carry a piece of `
` Parmesan cheese--a cheese made in Italy, very `
` nutritious. Well, that's for Ben Gunn!" `
` `
` Before supper was eaten we buried old Tom in the sand `
` and stood round him for a while bare-headed in the `
` breeze. A good deal of firewood had been got in, but `
` not enough for the captain's fancy, and he shook his `
` head over it and told us we "must get back to this `
` tomorrow rather livelier." Then, when we had eaten our `
` pork and each had a good stiff glass of brandy grog, `
` the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss `
` our prospects. `
` `
` It appears they were at their wits' end what to do, the `
` stores being so low that we must have been starved into `
` surrender long before help came. But our best hope, it `
` was decided, was to kill off the buccaneers until they `
` either hauled down their flag or ran away with the `
` HISPANIOLA. From nineteen they were already reduced `
` to fifteen, two others were wounded, and one at least-- `
` the man shot beside the gun--severely wounded, if he `
` were not dead. Every time we had a crack at them, we `
` were to take it, saving our own lives, with the `
` extremest care. And besides that, we had two able `
` allies--rum and the climate. `
` `
` As for the first, though we were about half a mile `
` away, we could hear them roaring and singing late into `
` the night; and as for the second, the doctor staked his `
` wig that, camped where they were in the marsh and `
` unprovided with remedies, the half of them would be on `
` their backs before a week. `
` `
` "So," he added, "if we are not all shot down first they'll `
` be glad to be packing in the schooner. It's always a ship, `
` and they can get to buccaneering again, I suppose." `
` `
` "First ship that ever I lost," said Captain Smollett. `
` `
` I was dead tired, as you may fancy; and when I got to `
` sleep, which was not till after a great deal of `
` tossing, I slept like a log of wood. `
` `
` The rest had long been up and had already breakfasted and `
` increased the pile of firewood by about half as much again `
` when I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices. `
` `
` "Flag of truce!" I heard someone say; and then, immediately `
` after, with a cry of surprise, "Silver himself!" `
` `
` And at that, up I jumped, and rubbing my eyes, ran to a `
` loophole in the wall. `
` `
` `
` `
` 20 `
` `
` Silver's Embassy `
` `
` SURE enough, there were two men just outside the stockade, `
` one of them waving a white cloth, the other, no less a `
` person than Silver himself, standing placidly by. `
` `
` It was still quite early, and the coldest morning that `
` I think I ever was abroad in--a chill that pierced into `
` the marrow. The sky was bright and cloudless overhead, `
` and the tops of the trees shone rosily in the sun. But `
` where Silver stood with his lieutenant, all was still `
` in shadow, and they waded knee-deep in a low white `
` vapour that had crawled during the night out of the `
` morass. The chill and the vapour taken together told a `
` poor tale of the island. It was plainly a damp, `
` feverish, unhealthy spot. `
` `
` "Keep indoors, men," said the captain. "Ten to one `
` this is a trick." `
` `
` Then he hailed the buccaneer. `
` `
` "Who goes? Stand, or we fire." `
` `
` "Flag of truce," cried Silver. `
` `
` The captain was in the porch, keeping himself carefully `
` out of the way of a treacherous shot, should any be `
` intended. He turned and spoke to us, "Doctor's watch `
` on the lookout. Dr. Livesey take the north side, if `
` you please; Jim, the east; Gray, west. The watch below, `
` all hands to load muskets. Lively, men, and careful." `
` `
` And then he turned again to the mutineers. `
` `
` "And what do you want with your flag of truce?" he cried. `
` `
` This time it was the other man who replied. `
` `
` "Cap'n Silver, sir, to come on board and make terms," `
` he shouted. `
` `
` "Cap'n Silver! Don't know him. Who's he?" cried the `
` captain. And we could hear him adding to himself, `
` "Cap'n, is it? My heart, and here's promotion!" `
` `
` Long John answered for himself. "Me, sir. These poor `
` lads have chosen me cap'n, after your desertion, sir"-- `
` laying a particular emphasis upon the word "desertion." `
` "We're willing to submit, if we can come to terms, and `
` no bones about it. All I ask is your word, Cap'n `
` Smollett, to let me safe and sound out of this here `
` stockade, and one minute to get out o' shot before a `
` gun is fired." `
` `
` "My man," said Captain Smollett, "I have not the slightest `
` desire to talk to you. If you wish to talk to me, you can `
` come, that's all. If there's any treachery, it'll be on `
` your side, and the Lord help you." `
` `
` "That's enough, cap'n," shouted Long John cheerily. "A `
` word from you's enough. I know a gentleman, and you `
` may lay to that." `
` `
` We could see the man who carried the flag of truce `
` attempting to hold Silver back. Nor was that `
` wonderful, seeing how cavalier had been the captain's `
` answer. But Silver laughed at him aloud and slapped `
` him on the back as if the idea of alarm had been `
` absurd. Then he advanced to the stockade, threw over `
` his crutch, got a leg up, and with great vigour and `
` skill succeeded in surmounting the fence and dropping `
` safely to the other side. `
` `
` I will confess that I was far too much taken up with `
` what was going on to be of the slightest use as sentry; `
` indeed, I had already deserted my eastern loophole and `
` crept up behind the captain, who had now seated himself `
` on the threshold, with his elbows on his knees, his `
` head in his hands, and his eyes fixed on the water as `
` it bubbled out of the old iron kettle in the sand. He `
` was whistling "Come, Lasses and Lads." `
` `
` Silver had terrible hard work getting up the knoll. `
` What with the steepness of the incline, the thick tree `
` stumps, and the soft sand, he and his crutch were as `
` helpless as a ship in stays. But he stuck to it like a `
` man in silence, and at last arrived before the captain, `
` whom he saluted in the handsomest style. He was `
` tricked out in his best; an immense blue coat, thick `
` with brass buttons, hung as low as to his knees, and a `
` fine laced hat was set on the back of his head. `
` `
` "Here you are, my man," said the captain, raising his `
` head. "You had better sit down." `
` `
` "You ain't a-going to let me inside, cap'n?" complained `
` Long John. "It's a main cold morning, to be sure, sir, `
` to sit outside upon the sand." `
` `
` "Why, Silver," said the captain, "if you had pleased to `
` be an honest man, you might have been sitting in your `
`
` unburied, lay along the wall, stiff and stark, under `
` the Union Jack. `
` `
` If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should all have `
` fallen in the blues, but Captain Smollett was never the `
` man for that. All hands were called up before him, and `
` he divided us into watches. The doctor and Gray and I `
` for one; the squire, Hunter, and Joyce upon the other. `
` Tired though we all were, two were sent out for `
` firewood; two more were set to dig a grave for Redruth; `
` the doctor was named cook; I was put sentry at the door; `
` and the captain himself went from one to another, keeping `
` up our spirits and lending a hand wherever it was wanted. `
` `
` From time to time the doctor came to the door for a little `
` air and to rest his eyes, which were almost smoked out of `
` his head, and whenever he did so, he had a word for me. `
` `
` "That man Smollett," he said once, "is a better man `
` than I am. And when I say that it means a deal, Jim." `
` `
` Another time he came and was silent for a while. Then `
` he put his head on one side, and looked at me. `
` `
` "Is this Ben Gunn a man?" he asked. `
` `
` "I do not know, sir," said I. "I am not very sure `
` whether he's sane." `
` `
` "If there's any doubt about the matter, he is," returned `
` the doctor. "A man who has been three years biting his `
` nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as `
` sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature. Was `
` it cheese you said he had a fancy for?" `
` `
` "Yes, sir, cheese," I answered. `
` `
` "Well, Jim," says he, "just see the good that comes of `
` being dainty in your food. You've seen my snuff-box, `
` haven't you? And you never saw me take snuff, the `
` reason being that in my snuff-box I carry a piece of `
` Parmesan cheese--a cheese made in Italy, very `
` nutritious. Well, that's for Ben Gunn!" `
` `
` Before supper was eaten we buried old Tom in the sand `
` and stood round him for a while bare-headed in the `
` breeze. A good deal of firewood had been got in, but `
` not enough for the captain's fancy, and he shook his `
` head over it and told us we "must get back to this `
` tomorrow rather livelier." Then, when we had eaten our `
` pork and each had a good stiff glass of brandy grog, `
` the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss `
` our prospects. `
` `
` It appears they were at their wits' end what to do, the `
` stores being so low that we must have been starved into `
` surrender long before help came. But our best hope, it `
` was decided, was to kill off the buccaneers until they `
` either hauled down their flag or ran away with the `
` HISPANIOLA. From nineteen they were already reduced `
` to fifteen, two others were wounded, and one at least-- `
` the man shot beside the gun--severely wounded, if he `
` were not dead. Every time we had a crack at them, we `
` were to take it, saving our own lives, with the `
` extremest care. And besides that, we had two able `
` allies--rum and the climate. `
` `
` As for the first, though we were about half a mile `
` away, we could hear them roaring and singing late into `
` the night; and as for the second, the doctor staked his `
` wig that, camped where they were in the marsh and `
` unprovided with remedies, the half of them would be on `
` their backs before a week. `
` `
` "So," he added, "if we are not all shot down first they'll `
` be glad to be packing in the schooner. It's always a ship, `
` and they can get to buccaneering again, I suppose." `
` `
` "First ship that ever I lost," said Captain Smollett. `
` `
` I was dead tired, as you may fancy; and when I got to `
` sleep, which was not till after a great deal of `
` tossing, I slept like a log of wood. `
` `
` The rest had long been up and had already breakfasted and `
` increased the pile of firewood by about half as much again `
` when I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices. `
` `
` "Flag of truce!" I heard someone say; and then, immediately `
` after, with a cry of surprise, "Silver himself!" `
` `
` And at that, up I jumped, and rubbing my eyes, ran to a `
` loophole in the wall. `
` `
` `
` `
` 20 `
` `
` Silver's Embassy `
` `
` SURE enough, there were two men just outside the stockade, `
` one of them waving a white cloth, the other, no less a `
` person than Silver himself, standing placidly by. `
` `
` It was still quite early, and the coldest morning that `
` I think I ever was abroad in--a chill that pierced into `
` the marrow. The sky was bright and cloudless overhead, `
` and the tops of the trees shone rosily in the sun. But `
` where Silver stood with his lieutenant, all was still `
` in shadow, and they waded knee-deep in a low white `
` vapour that had crawled during the night out of the `
` morass. The chill and the vapour taken together told a `
` poor tale of the island. It was plainly a damp, `
` feverish, unhealthy spot. `
` `
` "Keep indoors, men," said the captain. "Ten to one `
` this is a trick." `
` `
` Then he hailed the buccaneer. `
` `
` "Who goes? Stand, or we fire." `
` `
` "Flag of truce," cried Silver. `
` `
` The captain was in the porch, keeping himself carefully `
` out of the way of a treacherous shot, should any be `
` intended. He turned and spoke to us, "Doctor's watch `
` on the lookout. Dr. Livesey take the north side, if `
` you please; Jim, the east; Gray, west. The watch below, `
` all hands to load muskets. Lively, men, and careful." `
` `
` And then he turned again to the mutineers. `
` `
` "And what do you want with your flag of truce?" he cried. `
` `
` This time it was the other man who replied. `
` `
` "Cap'n Silver, sir, to come on board and make terms," `
` he shouted. `
` `
` "Cap'n Silver! Don't know him. Who's he?" cried the `
` captain. And we could hear him adding to himself, `
` "Cap'n, is it? My heart, and here's promotion!" `
` `
` Long John answered for himself. "Me, sir. These poor `
` lads have chosen me cap'n, after your desertion, sir"-- `
` laying a particular emphasis upon the word "desertion." `
` "We're willing to submit, if we can come to terms, and `
` no bones about it. All I ask is your word, Cap'n `
` Smollett, to let me safe and sound out of this here `
` stockade, and one minute to get out o' shot before a `
` gun is fired." `
` `
` "My man," said Captain Smollett, "I have not the slightest `
` desire to talk to you. If you wish to talk to me, you can `
` come, that's all. If there's any treachery, it'll be on `
` your side, and the Lord help you." `
` `
` "That's enough, cap'n," shouted Long John cheerily. "A `
` word from you's enough. I know a gentleman, and you `
` may lay to that." `
` `
` We could see the man who carried the flag of truce `
` attempting to hold Silver back. Nor was that `
` wonderful, seeing how cavalier had been the captain's `
` answer. But Silver laughed at him aloud and slapped `
` him on the back as if the idea of alarm had been `
` absurd. Then he advanced to the stockade, threw over `
` his crutch, got a leg up, and with great vigour and `
` skill succeeded in surmounting the fence and dropping `
` safely to the other side. `
` `
` I will confess that I was far too much taken up with `
` what was going on to be of the slightest use as sentry; `
` indeed, I had already deserted my eastern loophole and `
` crept up behind the captain, who had now seated himself `
` on the threshold, with his elbows on his knees, his `
` head in his hands, and his eyes fixed on the water as `
` it bubbled out of the old iron kettle in the sand. He `
` was whistling "Come, Lasses and Lads." `
` `
` Silver had terrible hard work getting up the knoll. `
` What with the steepness of the incline, the thick tree `
` stumps, and the soft sand, he and his crutch were as `
` helpless as a ship in stays. But he stuck to it like a `
` man in silence, and at last arrived before the captain, `
` whom he saluted in the handsomest style. He was `
` tricked out in his best; an immense blue coat, thick `
` with brass buttons, hung as low as to his knees, and a `
` fine laced hat was set on the back of his head. `
` `
` "Here you are, my man," said the captain, raising his `
` head. "You had better sit down." `
` `
` "You ain't a-going to let me inside, cap'n?" complained `
` Long John. "It's a main cold morning, to be sure, sir, `
` to sit outside upon the sand." `
` `
` "Why, Silver," said the captain, "if you had pleased to `
` be an honest man, you might have been sitting in your `
`