Reading Help Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Ch.I-III
"A trifle more of that man," he would say, "and I `
` shall explode." `
` `
` We had some heavy weather, which only proved the `
` qualities of the HISPANIOLA. Every man on board `
` seemed well content, and they must have been hard to `
` please if they had been otherwise, for it is my belief `
` there was never a ship's company so spoiled since Noah `
` put to sea. Double grog was going on the least excuse; `
` there was duff on odd days, as, for instance, if the `
` squire heard it was any man's birthday, and always a `
` barrel of apples standing broached in the waist for `
` anyone to help himself that had a fancy. `
` `
` "Never knew good come of it yet," the captain said to `
` Dr. Livesey. "Spoil forecastle hands, make devils. `
` That's my belief." `
` `
` But good did come of the apple barrel, as you shall `
` hear, for if it had not been for that, we should have `
` had no note of warning and might all have perished by `
` the hand of treachery. `
` `
` This was how it came about. `
` `
` We had run up the trades to get the wind of the island `
` we were after--I am not allowed to be more plain--and `
` now we were running down for it with a bright lookout `
` day and night. It was about the last day of our `
` outward voyage by the largest computation; some time `
` that night, or at latest before noon of the morrow, we `
` should sight the Treasure Island. We were heading `
` S.S.W. and had a steady breeze abeam and a quiet sea. `
` The HISPANIOLA rolled steadily, dipping her `
` bowsprit now and then with a whiff of spray. All was `
` drawing alow and aloft; everyone was in the bravest `
` spirits because we were now so near an end of the first `
` part of our adventure. `
` `
` Now, just after sundown, when all my work was over and `
` I was on my way to my berth, it occurred to me that I `
` should like an apple. I ran on deck. The watch was `
` all forward looking out for the island. The man at the `
` helm was watching the luff of the sail and whistling `
` away gently to himself, and that was the only sound `
` excepting the swish of the sea against the bows and `
` around the sides of the ship. `
` `
` In I got bodily into the apple barrel, and found there `
` was scarce an apple left; but sitting down there in the `
` dark, what with the sound of the waters and the rocking `
` movement of the ship, I had either fallen asleep or was `
` on the point of doing so when a heavy man sat down with `
` rather a clash close by. The barrel shook as he leaned `
` his shoulders against it, and I was just about to jump `
` up when the man began to speak. It was Silver's voice, `
` and before I had heard a dozen words, I would not have `
` shown myself for all the world, but lay there, trembling `
` and listening, in the extreme of fear and curiosity, for `
` from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all `
` the honest men aboard depended upon me alone. `
` `
` `
` `
` 11 `
` `
` What I Heard in the Apple Barrel `
` `
` "NO, not I," said Silver. "Flint was cap'n; I was `
` quartermaster, along of my timber leg. The same `
` broadside I lost my leg, old Pew lost his deadlights. `
` It was a master surgeon, him that ampytated me--out of `
` college and all--Latin by the bucket, and what not; but `
` he was hanged like a dog, and sun-dried like the rest, `
` at Corso Castle. That was Roberts' men, that was, and `
` comed of changing names to their ships--ROYAL `
` FORTUNE and so on. Now, what a ship was christened, `
` so let her stay, I says. So it was with the CASSANDRA, `
` as brought us all safe home from Malabar, `
` after England took the viceroy of the Indies; so it was `
` with the old WALRUS, Flint's old ship, as I've seen `
` amuck with the red blood and fit to sink with gold." `
` `
` "Ah!" cried another voice, that of the youngest hand on `
` board, and evidently full of admiration. "He was the `
` flower of the flock, was Flint!" `
` `
` "Davis was a man too, by all accounts," said Silver. `
` "I never sailed along of him; first with England, then `
` with Flint, that's my story; and now here on my own `
` account, in a manner of speaking. I laid by nine `
` hundred safe, from England, and two thousand after `
` Flint. That ain't bad for a man before the mast--all `
` safe in bank. 'Tain't earning now, it's saving does `
` it, you may lay to that. Where's all England's men `
` now? I dunno. Where's Flint's? Why, most on 'em `
` aboard here, and glad to get the duff--been begging `
` before that, some on 'em. Old Pew, as had lost his `
` sight, and might have thought shame, spends twelve `
` hundred pound in a year, like a lord in Parliament. `
` Where is he now? Well, he's dead now and under hatches; `
` but for two year before that, shiver my timbers, the `
` man was starving! He begged, and he stole, and he cut `
` throats, and starved at that, by the powers!" `
` `
` "Well, it ain't much use, after all," said the `
` young seaman. `
` `
` "'Tain't much use for fools, you may lay to it--that, `
` nor nothing," cried Silver. "But now, you look here: `
` you're young, you are, but you're as smart as paint. I `
` see that when I set my eyes on you, and I'll talk to `
` you like a man." `
` `
` You may imagine how I felt when I heard this abominable old `
` rogue addressing another in the very same words of flattery `
` as he had used to myself. I think, if I had been able, that `
` I would have killed him through the barrel. Meantime, he ran `
` on, little supposing he was overheard. `
` `
` "Here it is about gentlemen of fortune. They lives `
` rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink `
` like fighting-cocks, and when a cruise is done, why, `
` it's hundreds of pounds instead of hundreds of `
` farthings in their pockets. Now, the most goes for rum `
` and a good fling, and to sea again in their shirts. `
` But that's not the course I lay. I puts it all away, `
` some here, some there, and none too much anywheres, by `
` reason of suspicion. I'm fifty, mark you; once back `
` from this cruise, I set up gentleman in earnest. Time `
` enough too, says you. Ah, but I've lived easy in the `
` meantime, never denied myself o' nothing heart desires, `
` and slep' soft and ate dainty all my days but when at `
` sea. And how did I begin? Before the mast, like you!" `
` `
` "Well," said the other, "but all the other money's gone now, `
` ain't it? You daren't show face in Bristol after this." `
` `
` "Why, where might you suppose it was?" asked Silver derisively. `
` `
` "At Bristol, in banks and places," answered his companion. `
` `
` "It were," said the cook; "it were when we weighed anchor. `
` But my old missis has it all by now. And the Spy-glass is `
` sold, lease and goodwill and rigging; and the old girl's off `
` to meet me. I would tell you where, for I trust you, but `
` it'd make jealousy among the mates." `
` `
` "And can you trust your missis?" asked the other. `
` `
` "Gentlemen of fortune," returned the cook, "usually `
` trusts little among themselves, and right they are, you may `
` lay to it. But I have a way with me, I have. When a mate `
` brings a slip on his cable--one as knows me, I mean--it `
` won't be in the same world with old John. There was some `
` that was feared of Pew, and some that was feared of Flint; `
` but Flint his own self was feared of me. Feared he was, and `
` proud. They was the roughest crew afloat, was Flint's; the `
` devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them. `
` Well now, I tell you, I'm not a boasting man, and you seen `
` yourself how easy I keep company, but when I was quartermaster, `
` LAMBS wasn't the word for Flint's old buccaneers. Ah, you may `
` be sure of yourself in old John's ship." `
` `
` "Well, I tell you now," replied the lad, "I didn't half `
` a quarter like the job till I had this talk with you, `
` John; but there's my hand on it now." `
` `
` "And a brave lad you were, and smart too," answered `
` Silver, shaking hands so heartily that all the barrel `
` shook, "and a finer figurehead for a gentleman of `
` fortune I never clapped my eyes on." `
` `
` By this time I had begun to understand the meaning of `
` their terms. By a "gentleman of fortune" they plainly `
` meant neither more nor less than a common pirate, and `
` the little scene that I had overheard was the last act `
` in the corruption of one of the honest hands--perhaps of `
` the last one left aboard. But on this point I was soon `
` to be relieved, for Silver giving a little whistle, a `
` third man strolled up and sat down by the party. `
` `
` "Dick's square," said Silver. `
` `
` "Oh, I know'd Dick was square," returned the voice of the `
` coxswain, Israel Hands. "He's no fool, is Dick." And he `
` turned his quid and spat. "But look here," he went on, `
` "here's what I want to know, Barbecue: how long are we `
` a-going to stand off and on like a blessed bumboat? I've `
` had a'most enough o' Cap'n Smollett; he's hazed me long `
` enough, by thunder! I want to go into that cabin, I do. `
` I want their pickles and wines, and that." `
` `
` "Israel," said Silver, "your head ain't much account, `
` nor ever was. But you're able to hear, I reckon; `
` leastways, your ears is big enough. Now, here's what I `
` say: you'll berth forward, and you'll live hard, and `
` you'll speak soft, and you'll keep sober till I give `
` the word; and you may lay to that, my son." `
` `
` "Well, I don't say no, do I?" growled the coxswain. `
`
` shall explode." `
` `
` We had some heavy weather, which only proved the `
` qualities of the HISPANIOLA. Every man on board `
` seemed well content, and they must have been hard to `
` please if they had been otherwise, for it is my belief `
` there was never a ship's company so spoiled since Noah `
` put to sea. Double grog was going on the least excuse; `
` there was duff on odd days, as, for instance, if the `
` squire heard it was any man's birthday, and always a `
` barrel of apples standing broached in the waist for `
` anyone to help himself that had a fancy. `
` `
` "Never knew good come of it yet," the captain said to `
` Dr. Livesey. "Spoil forecastle hands, make devils. `
` That's my belief." `
` `
` But good did come of the apple barrel, as you shall `
` hear, for if it had not been for that, we should have `
` had no note of warning and might all have perished by `
` the hand of treachery. `
` `
` This was how it came about. `
` `
` We had run up the trades to get the wind of the island `
` we were after--I am not allowed to be more plain--and `
` now we were running down for it with a bright lookout `
` day and night. It was about the last day of our `
` outward voyage by the largest computation; some time `
` that night, or at latest before noon of the morrow, we `
` should sight the Treasure Island. We were heading `
` S.S.W. and had a steady breeze abeam and a quiet sea. `
` The HISPANIOLA rolled steadily, dipping her `
` bowsprit now and then with a whiff of spray. All was `
` drawing alow and aloft; everyone was in the bravest `
` spirits because we were now so near an end of the first `
` part of our adventure. `
` `
` Now, just after sundown, when all my work was over and `
` I was on my way to my berth, it occurred to me that I `
` should like an apple. I ran on deck. The watch was `
` all forward looking out for the island. The man at the `
` helm was watching the luff of the sail and whistling `
` away gently to himself, and that was the only sound `
` excepting the swish of the sea against the bows and `
` around the sides of the ship. `
` `
` In I got bodily into the apple barrel, and found there `
` was scarce an apple left; but sitting down there in the `
` dark, what with the sound of the waters and the rocking `
` movement of the ship, I had either fallen asleep or was `
` on the point of doing so when a heavy man sat down with `
` rather a clash close by. The barrel shook as he leaned `
` his shoulders against it, and I was just about to jump `
` up when the man began to speak. It was Silver's voice, `
` and before I had heard a dozen words, I would not have `
` shown myself for all the world, but lay there, trembling `
` and listening, in the extreme of fear and curiosity, for `
` from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all `
` the honest men aboard depended upon me alone. `
` `
` `
` `
` 11 `
` `
` What I Heard in the Apple Barrel `
` `
` "NO, not I," said Silver. "Flint was cap'n; I was `
` quartermaster, along of my timber leg. The same `
` broadside I lost my leg, old Pew lost his deadlights. `
` It was a master surgeon, him that ampytated me--out of `
` college and all--Latin by the bucket, and what not; but `
` he was hanged like a dog, and sun-dried like the rest, `
` at Corso Castle. That was Roberts' men, that was, and `
` comed of changing names to their ships--ROYAL `
` FORTUNE and so on. Now, what a ship was christened, `
` so let her stay, I says. So it was with the CASSANDRA, `
` as brought us all safe home from Malabar, `
` after England took the viceroy of the Indies; so it was `
` with the old WALRUS, Flint's old ship, as I've seen `
` amuck with the red blood and fit to sink with gold." `
` `
` "Ah!" cried another voice, that of the youngest hand on `
` board, and evidently full of admiration. "He was the `
` flower of the flock, was Flint!" `
` `
` "Davis was a man too, by all accounts," said Silver. `
` "I never sailed along of him; first with England, then `
` with Flint, that's my story; and now here on my own `
` account, in a manner of speaking. I laid by nine `
` hundred safe, from England, and two thousand after `
` Flint. That ain't bad for a man before the mast--all `
` safe in bank. 'Tain't earning now, it's saving does `
` it, you may lay to that. Where's all England's men `
` now? I dunno. Where's Flint's? Why, most on 'em `
` aboard here, and glad to get the duff--been begging `
` before that, some on 'em. Old Pew, as had lost his `
` sight, and might have thought shame, spends twelve `
` hundred pound in a year, like a lord in Parliament. `
` Where is he now? Well, he's dead now and under hatches; `
` but for two year before that, shiver my timbers, the `
` man was starving! He begged, and he stole, and he cut `
` throats, and starved at that, by the powers!" `
` `
` "Well, it ain't much use, after all," said the `
` young seaman. `
` `
` "'Tain't much use for fools, you may lay to it--that, `
` nor nothing," cried Silver. "But now, you look here: `
` you're young, you are, but you're as smart as paint. I `
` see that when I set my eyes on you, and I'll talk to `
` you like a man." `
` `
` You may imagine how I felt when I heard this abominable old `
` rogue addressing another in the very same words of flattery `
` as he had used to myself. I think, if I had been able, that `
` I would have killed him through the barrel. Meantime, he ran `
` on, little supposing he was overheard. `
` `
` "Here it is about gentlemen of fortune. They lives `
` rough, and they risk swinging, but they eat and drink `
` like fighting-cocks, and when a cruise is done, why, `
` it's hundreds of pounds instead of hundreds of `
` farthings in their pockets. Now, the most goes for rum `
` and a good fling, and to sea again in their shirts. `
` But that's not the course I lay. I puts it all away, `
` some here, some there, and none too much anywheres, by `
` reason of suspicion. I'm fifty, mark you; once back `
` from this cruise, I set up gentleman in earnest. Time `
` enough too, says you. Ah, but I've lived easy in the `
` meantime, never denied myself o' nothing heart desires, `
` and slep' soft and ate dainty all my days but when at `
` sea. And how did I begin? Before the mast, like you!" `
` `
` "Well," said the other, "but all the other money's gone now, `
` ain't it? You daren't show face in Bristol after this." `
` `
` "Why, where might you suppose it was?" asked Silver derisively. `
` `
` "At Bristol, in banks and places," answered his companion. `
` `
` "It were," said the cook; "it were when we weighed anchor. `
` But my old missis has it all by now. And the Spy-glass is `
` sold, lease and goodwill and rigging; and the old girl's off `
` to meet me. I would tell you where, for I trust you, but `
` it'd make jealousy among the mates." `
` `
` "And can you trust your missis?" asked the other. `
` `
` "Gentlemen of fortune," returned the cook, "usually `
` trusts little among themselves, and right they are, you may `
` lay to it. But I have a way with me, I have. When a mate `
` brings a slip on his cable--one as knows me, I mean--it `
` won't be in the same world with old John. There was some `
` that was feared of Pew, and some that was feared of Flint; `
` but Flint his own self was feared of me. Feared he was, and `
` proud. They was the roughest crew afloat, was Flint's; the `
` devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them. `
` Well now, I tell you, I'm not a boasting man, and you seen `
` yourself how easy I keep company, but when I was quartermaster, `
` LAMBS wasn't the word for Flint's old buccaneers. Ah, you may `
` be sure of yourself in old John's ship." `
` `
` "Well, I tell you now," replied the lad, "I didn't half `
` a quarter like the job till I had this talk with you, `
` John; but there's my hand on it now." `
` `
` "And a brave lad you were, and smart too," answered `
` Silver, shaking hands so heartily that all the barrel `
` shook, "and a finer figurehead for a gentleman of `
` fortune I never clapped my eyes on." `
` `
` By this time I had begun to understand the meaning of `
` their terms. By a "gentleman of fortune" they plainly `
` meant neither more nor less than a common pirate, and `
` the little scene that I had overheard was the last act `
` in the corruption of one of the honest hands--perhaps of `
` the last one left aboard. But on this point I was soon `
` to be relieved, for Silver giving a little whistle, a `
` third man strolled up and sat down by the party. `
` `
` "Dick's square," said Silver. `
` `
` "Oh, I know'd Dick was square," returned the voice of the `
` coxswain, Israel Hands. "He's no fool, is Dick." And he `
` turned his quid and spat. "But look here," he went on, `
` "here's what I want to know, Barbecue: how long are we `
` a-going to stand off and on like a blessed bumboat? I've `
` had a'most enough o' Cap'n Smollett; he's hazed me long `
` enough, by thunder! I want to go into that cabin, I do. `
` I want their pickles and wines, and that." `
` `
` "Israel," said Silver, "your head ain't much account, `
` nor ever was. But you're able to hear, I reckon; `
` leastways, your ears is big enough. Now, here's what I `
` say: you'll berth forward, and you'll live hard, and `
` you'll speak soft, and you'll keep sober till I give `
` the word; and you may lay to that, my son." `
` `
` "Well, I don't say no, do I?" growled the coxswain. `
`