Reading Help Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Ch.I-III
of places noted in the blank leaves towards the end and `
` a table for reducing French, English, and Spanish `
` moneys to a common value. `
` `
` "Thrifty man!" cried the doctor. "He wasn't the one to `
` be cheated." `
` `
` "And now," said the squire, "for the other." `
` `
` The paper had been sealed in several places with a `
` thimble by way of seal; the very thimble, perhaps, that `
` I had found in the captain's pocket. The doctor opened `
` the seals with great care, and there fell out the map `
` of an island, with latitude and longitude, soundings, `
` names of hills and bays and inlets, and every `
` particular that would be needed to bring a ship to a `
` safe anchorage upon its shores. It was about nine `
` miles long and five across, shaped, you might say, like `
` a fat dragon standing up, and had two fine land-locked `
` harbours, and a hill in the centre part marked "The `
` Spy-glass." There were several additions of a later `
` date, but above all, three crosses of red ink--two on `
` the north part of the island, one in the southwest--and `
` beside this last, in the same red ink, and in a small, `
` neat hand, very different from the captain's tottery `
` characters, these words: "Bulk of treasure here." `
` `
` Over on the back the same hand had written this further `
` information: `
` `
` Tall tree, Spy-glass shoulder, bearing a point to `
` the N. of N.N.E. `
` `
` Skeleton Island E.S.E. and by E. `
` `
` Ten feet. `
` `
` The bar silver is in the north cache; you can find `
` it by the trend of the east hummock, ten fathoms `
` south of the black crag with the face on it. `
` `
` The arms are easy found, in the sand-hill, N. `
` point of north inlet cape, bearing E. and a `
` quarter N. `
` J.F. `
` `
` That was all; but brief as it was, and to me `
` incomprehensible, it filled the squire and Dr. Livesey `
` with delight. `
` `
` "Livesey," said the squire, "you will give up this `
` wretched practice at once. Tomorrow I start for `
` Bristol. In three weeks' time--three weeks!--two `
` weeks--ten days--we'll have the best ship, sir, and the `
` choicest crew in England. Hawkins shall come as cabin- `
` boy. You'll make a famous cabin-boy, Hawkins. You, `
` Livesey, are ship's doctor; I am admiral. We'll take `
` Redruth, Joyce, and Hunter. We'll have favourable `
` winds, a quick passage, and not the least difficulty in `
` finding the spot, and money to eat, to roll in, to play `
` duck and drake with ever after." `
` `
` "Trelawney," said the doctor, "I'll go with you; and `
` I'll go bail for it, so will Jim, and be a credit to `
` the undertaking. There's only one man I'm afraid of." `
` `
` "And who's that?" cried the squire. "Name the dog, sir!" `
` `
` "You," replied the doctor; "for you cannot hold your `
` tongue. We are not the only men who know of this `
` paper. These fellows who attacked the inn tonight-- `
` bold, desperate blades, for sure--and the rest who `
` stayed aboard that lugger, and more, I dare say, not `
` far off, are, one and all, through thick and thin, `
` bound that they'll get that money. We must none of us `
` go alone till we get to sea. Jim and I shall stick `
` together in the meanwhile; you'll take Joyce and Hunter `
` when you ride to Bristol, and from first to last, not `
` one of us must breathe a word of what we've found." `
` `
` "Livesey," returned the squire, "you are always in the `
` right of it. I'll be as silent as the grave." `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` PART TWO `
` `
` The Sea-cook `
` `
` `
` `
` 7 `
` `
` I Go to Bristol `
` `
` IT was longer than the squire imagined ere we were `
` ready for the sea, and none of our first plans--not `
` even Dr. Livesey's, of keeping me beside him--could be `
` carried out as we intended. The doctor had to go to `
` London for a physician to take charge of his practice; `
` the squire was hard at work at Bristol; and I lived on `
` at the hall under the charge of old Redruth, the `
` gamekeeper, almost a prisoner, but full of sea-dreams `
` and the most charming anticipations of strange islands `
` and adventures. I brooded by the hour together over `
` the map, all the details of which I well remembered. `
` Sitting by the fire in the housekeeper's room, I `
` approached that island in my fancy from every possible `
` direction; I explored every acre of its surface; I `
` climbed a thousand times to that tall hill they call `
` the Spy-glass, and from the top enjoyed the most `
` wonderful and changing prospects. Sometimes the isle `
` was thick with savages, with whom we fought, sometimes `
` full of dangerous animals that hunted us, but in all my `
` fancies nothing occurred to me so strange and tragic as `
` our actual adventures. `
` `
` So the weeks passed on, till one fine day there came a `
` letter addressed to Dr. Livesey, with this addition, `
` "To be opened, in the case of his absence, by Tom `
` Redruth or young Hawkins." Obeying this order, we `
` found, or rather I found--for the gamekeeper was a poor `
` hand at reading anything but print--the following `
` important news: `
` `
` Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March 1, 17-- `
` `
` Dear Livesey--As I do not know whether you `
` are at the hall or still in London, I send this in `
` double to both places. `
` The ship is bought and fitted. She lies at `
` anchor, ready for sea. You never imagined a `
` sweeter schooner--a child might sail her--two `
` hundred tons; name, HISPANIOLA. `
` I got her through my old friend, Blandly, who `
` has proved himself throughout the most surprising `
` trump. The admirable fellow literally slaved in `
` my interest, and so, I may say, did everyone in `
` Bristol, as soon as they got wind of the port we `
` sailed for--treasure, I mean. `
` `
` "Redruth," said I, interrupting the letter, "Dr. `
` Livesey will not like that. The squire has been `
` talking, after all." `
` `
` "Well, who's a better right?" growled the gamekeeper. `
` "A pretty rum go if squire ain't to talk for Dr. `
` Livesey, I should think." `
` `
` At that I gave up all attempts at commentary and read `
` straight on: `
` `
` Blandly himself found the HISPANIOLA, and `
` by the most admirable management got her for the `
` merest trifle. There is a class of men in Bristol `
` monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. They go `
` the length of declaring that this honest creature `
` would do anything for money, that the HISPANIOLA `
` belonged to him, and that he sold it me absurdly `
` high--the most transparent calumnies. None of them `
` dare, however, to deny the merits of the ship. `
` So far there was not a hitch. The `
` workpeople, to be sure--riggers and what not--were `
` most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was `
` the crew that troubled me. `
` I wished a round score of men--in case of `
` natives, buccaneers, or the odious French--and I `
` had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much `
` as half a dozen, till the most remarkable stroke `
` of fortune brought me the very man that I `
` required. `
` I was standing on the dock, when, by the `
` merest accident, I fell in talk with him. I found `
` he was an old sailor, kept a public-house, knew `
` all the seafaring men in Bristol, had lost his `
` health ashore, and wanted a good berth as cook to `
` get to sea again. He had hobbled down there that `
` morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt. `
` I was monstrously touched--so would you have `
` been--and, out of pure pity, I engaged him on the `
` spot to be ship's cook. Long John Silver, he is `
` called, and has lost a leg; but that I regarded as `
` a recommendation, since he lost it in his `
` country's service, under the immortal Hawke. He `
` has no pension, Livesey. Imagine the abominable `
` age we live in! `
` Well, sir, I thought I had only found a cook, `
` but it was a crew I had discovered. Between `
` Silver and myself we got together in a few days a `
` company of the toughest old salts imaginable--not `
` pretty to look at, but fellows, by their faces, of `
` the most indomitable spirit. I declare we could `
` fight a frigate. `
` Long John even got rid of two out of the six `
` or seven I had already engaged. He showed me in a `
` moment that they were just the sort of fresh-water `
` swabs we had to fear in an adventure of `
` importance. `
` I am in the most magnificent health and `
`
` a table for reducing French, English, and Spanish `
` moneys to a common value. `
` `
` "Thrifty man!" cried the doctor. "He wasn't the one to `
` be cheated." `
` `
` "And now," said the squire, "for the other." `
` `
` The paper had been sealed in several places with a `
` thimble by way of seal; the very thimble, perhaps, that `
` I had found in the captain's pocket. The doctor opened `
` the seals with great care, and there fell out the map `
` of an island, with latitude and longitude, soundings, `
` names of hills and bays and inlets, and every `
` particular that would be needed to bring a ship to a `
` safe anchorage upon its shores. It was about nine `
` miles long and five across, shaped, you might say, like `
` a fat dragon standing up, and had two fine land-locked `
` harbours, and a hill in the centre part marked "The `
` Spy-glass." There were several additions of a later `
` date, but above all, three crosses of red ink--two on `
` the north part of the island, one in the southwest--and `
` beside this last, in the same red ink, and in a small, `
` neat hand, very different from the captain's tottery `
` characters, these words: "Bulk of treasure here." `
` `
` Over on the back the same hand had written this further `
` information: `
` `
` Tall tree, Spy-glass shoulder, bearing a point to `
` the N. of N.N.E. `
` `
` Skeleton Island E.S.E. and by E. `
` `
` Ten feet. `
` `
` The bar silver is in the north cache; you can find `
` it by the trend of the east hummock, ten fathoms `
` south of the black crag with the face on it. `
` `
` The arms are easy found, in the sand-hill, N. `
` point of north inlet cape, bearing E. and a `
` quarter N. `
` J.F. `
` `
` That was all; but brief as it was, and to me `
` incomprehensible, it filled the squire and Dr. Livesey `
` with delight. `
` `
` "Livesey," said the squire, "you will give up this `
` wretched practice at once. Tomorrow I start for `
` Bristol. In three weeks' time--three weeks!--two `
` weeks--ten days--we'll have the best ship, sir, and the `
` choicest crew in England. Hawkins shall come as cabin- `
` boy. You'll make a famous cabin-boy, Hawkins. You, `
` Livesey, are ship's doctor; I am admiral. We'll take `
` Redruth, Joyce, and Hunter. We'll have favourable `
` winds, a quick passage, and not the least difficulty in `
` finding the spot, and money to eat, to roll in, to play `
` duck and drake with ever after." `
` `
` "Trelawney," said the doctor, "I'll go with you; and `
` I'll go bail for it, so will Jim, and be a credit to `
` the undertaking. There's only one man I'm afraid of." `
` `
` "And who's that?" cried the squire. "Name the dog, sir!" `
` `
` "You," replied the doctor; "for you cannot hold your `
` tongue. We are not the only men who know of this `
` paper. These fellows who attacked the inn tonight-- `
` bold, desperate blades, for sure--and the rest who `
` stayed aboard that lugger, and more, I dare say, not `
` far off, are, one and all, through thick and thin, `
` bound that they'll get that money. We must none of us `
` go alone till we get to sea. Jim and I shall stick `
` together in the meanwhile; you'll take Joyce and Hunter `
` when you ride to Bristol, and from first to last, not `
` one of us must breathe a word of what we've found." `
` `
` "Livesey," returned the squire, "you are always in the `
` right of it. I'll be as silent as the grave." `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` PART TWO `
` `
` The Sea-cook `
` `
` `
` `
` 7 `
` `
` I Go to Bristol `
` `
` IT was longer than the squire imagined ere we were `
` ready for the sea, and none of our first plans--not `
` even Dr. Livesey's, of keeping me beside him--could be `
` carried out as we intended. The doctor had to go to `
` London for a physician to take charge of his practice; `
` the squire was hard at work at Bristol; and I lived on `
` at the hall under the charge of old Redruth, the `
` gamekeeper, almost a prisoner, but full of sea-dreams `
` and the most charming anticipations of strange islands `
` and adventures. I brooded by the hour together over `
` the map, all the details of which I well remembered. `
` Sitting by the fire in the housekeeper's room, I `
` approached that island in my fancy from every possible `
` direction; I explored every acre of its surface; I `
` climbed a thousand times to that tall hill they call `
` the Spy-glass, and from the top enjoyed the most `
` wonderful and changing prospects. Sometimes the isle `
` was thick with savages, with whom we fought, sometimes `
` full of dangerous animals that hunted us, but in all my `
` fancies nothing occurred to me so strange and tragic as `
` our actual adventures. `
` `
` So the weeks passed on, till one fine day there came a `
` letter addressed to Dr. Livesey, with this addition, `
` "To be opened, in the case of his absence, by Tom `
` Redruth or young Hawkins." Obeying this order, we `
` found, or rather I found--for the gamekeeper was a poor `
` hand at reading anything but print--the following `
` important news: `
` `
` Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March 1, 17-- `
` `
` Dear Livesey--As I do not know whether you `
` are at the hall or still in London, I send this in `
` double to both places. `
` The ship is bought and fitted. She lies at `
` anchor, ready for sea. You never imagined a `
` sweeter schooner--a child might sail her--two `
` hundred tons; name, HISPANIOLA. `
` I got her through my old friend, Blandly, who `
` has proved himself throughout the most surprising `
` trump. The admirable fellow literally slaved in `
` my interest, and so, I may say, did everyone in `
` Bristol, as soon as they got wind of the port we `
` sailed for--treasure, I mean. `
` `
` "Redruth," said I, interrupting the letter, "Dr. `
` Livesey will not like that. The squire has been `
` talking, after all." `
` `
` "Well, who's a better right?" growled the gamekeeper. `
` "A pretty rum go if squire ain't to talk for Dr. `
` Livesey, I should think." `
` `
` At that I gave up all attempts at commentary and read `
` straight on: `
` `
` Blandly himself found the HISPANIOLA, and `
` by the most admirable management got her for the `
` merest trifle. There is a class of men in Bristol `
` monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. They go `
` the length of declaring that this honest creature `
` would do anything for money, that the HISPANIOLA `
` belonged to him, and that he sold it me absurdly `
` high--the most transparent calumnies. None of them `
` dare, however, to deny the merits of the ship. `
` So far there was not a hitch. The `
` workpeople, to be sure--riggers and what not--were `
` most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was `
` the crew that troubled me. `
` I wished a round score of men--in case of `
` natives, buccaneers, or the odious French--and I `
` had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much `
` as half a dozen, till the most remarkable stroke `
` of fortune brought me the very man that I `
` required. `
` I was standing on the dock, when, by the `
` merest accident, I fell in talk with him. I found `
` he was an old sailor, kept a public-house, knew `
` all the seafaring men in Bristol, had lost his `
` health ashore, and wanted a good berth as cook to `
` get to sea again. He had hobbled down there that `
` morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt. `
` I was monstrously touched--so would you have `
` been--and, out of pure pity, I engaged him on the `
` spot to be ship's cook. Long John Silver, he is `
` called, and has lost a leg; but that I regarded as `
` a recommendation, since he lost it in his `
` country's service, under the immortal Hawke. He `
` has no pension, Livesey. Imagine the abominable `
` age we live in! `
` Well, sir, I thought I had only found a cook, `
` but it was a crew I had discovered. Between `
` Silver and myself we got together in a few days a `
` company of the toughest old salts imaginable--not `
` pretty to look at, but fellows, by their faces, of `
` the most indomitable spirit. I declare we could `
` fight a frigate. `
` Long John even got rid of two out of the six `
` or seven I had already engaged. He showed me in a `
` moment that they were just the sort of fresh-water `
` swabs we had to fear in an adventure of `
` importance. `
` I am in the most magnificent health and `
`