AlSamCur123/DataText · Datasets at Hugging Face

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“Sir,” said Silver, “as between man and man, that’s too much and too
little. What you’re after, why you left the block house, why you given
me that there chart, I don’t know, now, do I? And yet I done your
bidding with my eyes shut and never a word of hope! But no, this here’s
too much. If you won’t tell me what you mean plain out, just say so and
I’ll leave the helm.”
“No,” said the doctor musingly; “I’ve no right to say more; it’s not my
secret, you see, Silver, or, I give you my word, I’d tell it you. But
I’ll go as far with you as I dare go, and a step beyond, for I’ll have
my wig sorted by the captain or I’m mistaken! And first, I’ll give you a
bit of hope; Silver, if we both get alive out of this wolf-trap, I’ll do
my best to save you, short of perjury.”
Silver’s face was radiant. “You couldn’t say more, I’m sure, sir, not if
you was my mother,” he cried.
“Well, that’s my first concession,” added the doctor. “My second is a
piece of advice: keep the boy close beside you, and when you need help,
halloo. I’m off to seek it for you, and that itself will show you if I
speak at random. Good-bye, Jim.”
And Dr. Livesey shook hands with me through the stockade, nodded to
Silver, and set off at a brisk pace into the wood.
XXXI
The Treasure-hunt--Flint’s Pointer
“Jim,” said Silver when we were alone, “if I saved your life, you saved
mine; and I’ll not forget it. I seen the doctor waving you to run for
it--with the tail of my eye, I did; and I seen you say no, as plain as
hearing. Jim, that’s one to you. This is the first glint of hope I had
since the attack failed, and I owe it you. And now, Jim, we’re to go in
for this here treasure-hunting, with sealed orders too, and I don’t like
it; and you and me must stick close, back to back like, and we’ll save
our necks in spite o’ fate and fortune.”
Just then a man hailed us from the fire that breakfast was ready, and
we were soon seated here and there about the sand over biscuit and fried
junk. They had lit a fire fit to roast an ox, and it was now grown so
hot that they could only approach it from the windward, and even there
not without precaution. In the same wasteful spirit, they had cooked,
I suppose, three times more than we could eat; and one of them, with an
empty laugh, threw what was left into the fire, which blazed and roared
again over this unusual fuel. I never in my life saw men so careless of
the morrow; hand to mouth is the only word that can describe their way
of doing; and what with wasted food and sleeping sentries, though they
were bold enough for a brush and be done with it, I could see their
entire unfitness for anything like a prolonged campaign.
Even Silver, eating away, with Captain Flint upon his shoulder, had not
a word of blame for their recklessness. And this the more surprised me,
for I thought he had never shown himself so cunning as he did then.
“Aye, mates,” said he, “it’s lucky you have Barbecue to think for you
with this here head. I got what I wanted, I did. Sure enough, they have
the ship. Where they have it, I don’t know yet; but once we hit the
treasure, we’ll have to jump about and find out. And then, mates, us
that has the boats, I reckon, has the upper hand.”
Thus he kept running on, with his mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he
restored their hope and confidence, and, I more than suspect, repaired
his own at the same time.
“As for hostage,” he continued, “that’s his last talk, I guess, with
them he loves so dear. I’ve got my piece o’ news, and thanky to him
for that; but it’s over and done. I’ll take him in a line when we go
treasure-hunting, for we’ll keep him like so much gold, in case of
accidents, you mark, and in the meantime. Once we got the ship and
treasure both and off to sea like jolly companions, why then we’ll talk
Mr. Hawkins over, we will, and we’ll give him his share, to be sure, for
all his kindness.”
It was no wonder the men were in a good humour now. For my part, I
was horribly cast down. Should the scheme he had now sketched prove
feasible, Silver, already doubly a traitor, would not hesitate to adopt
it. He had still a foot in either camp, and there was no doubt he
would prefer wealth and freedom with the pirates to a bare escape from
hanging, which was the best he had to hope on our side.
Nay, and even if things so fell out that he was forced to keep his faith
with Dr. Livesey, even then what danger lay before us! What a moment
that would be when the suspicions of his followers turned to certainty
and he and I should have to fight for dear life--he a cripple and I a
boy--against five strong and active seamen!
Add to this double apprehension the mystery that still hung over the
behaviour of my friends, their unexplained desertion of the stockade,
their inexplicable cession of the chart, or harder still to understand,
the doctor’s last warning to Silver, “Look out for squalls when you
find it,” and you will readily believe how little taste I found in my
breakfast and with how uneasy a heart I set forth behind my captors on
the quest for treasure.
We made a curious figure, had anyone been there to see us--all in soiled
sailor clothes and all but me armed to the teeth. Silver had two guns
slung about him--one before and one behind--besides the great cutlass
at his waist and a pistol in each pocket of his square-tailed coat.
To complete his strange appearance, Captain Flint sat perched upon his
shoulder and gabbling odds and ends of purposeless sea-talk. I had a
line about my waist and followed obediently after the sea-cook, who
held the loose end of the rope, now in his free hand, now between his
powerful teeth. For all the world, I was led like a dancing bear.
The other men were variously burthened, some carrying picks and
shovels--for that had been the very first necessary they brought ashore
from the HISPANIOLA--others laden with pork, bread, and brandy for the
midday meal. All the stores, I observed, came from our stock, and I
could see the truth of Silver’s words the night before. Had he not
struck a bargain with the doctor, he and his mutineers, deserted by the
ship, must have been driven to subsist on clear water and the proceeds
of their hunting. Water would have been little to their taste; a sailor
is not usually a good shot; and besides all that, when they were so
short of eatables, it was not likely they would be very flush of powder.
Well, thus equipped, we all set out--even the fellow with the broken
head, who should certainly have kept in shadow--and straggled, one after

“Sir,” said Silver, “as between man and man, that’s too much and too

little. What you’re after, why you left the block house, why you given

me that there chart, I don’t know, now, do I? And yet I done your

bidding with my eyes shut and never a word of hope! But no, this here’s

too much. If you won’t tell me what you mean plain out, just say so and

I’ll leave the helm.”

“No,” said the doctor musingly; “I’ve no right to say more; it’s not my

secret, you see, Silver, or, I give you my word, I’d tell it you. But

I’ll go as far with you as I dare go, and a step beyond, for I’ll have

my wig sorted by the captain or I’m mistaken! And first, I’ll give you a

bit of hope; Silver, if we both get alive out of this wolf-trap, I’ll do

my best to save you, short of perjury.”

Silver’s face was radiant. “You couldn’t say more, I’m sure, sir, not if

you was my mother,” he cried.

“Well, that’s my first concession,” added the doctor. “My second is a

piece of advice: keep the boy close beside you, and when you need help,

halloo. I’m off to seek it for you, and that itself will show you if I

speak at random. Good-bye, Jim.”

And Dr. Livesey shook hands with me through the stockade, nodded to

Silver, and set off at a brisk pace into the wood.

XXXI

The Treasure-hunt--Flint’s Pointer

“Jim,” said Silver when we were alone, “if I saved your life, you saved

mine; and I’ll not forget it. I seen the doctor waving you to run for

it--with the tail of my eye, I did; and I seen you say no, as plain as

hearing. Jim, that’s one to you. This is the first glint of hope I had

since the attack failed, and I owe it you. And now, Jim, we’re to go in

for this here treasure-hunting, with sealed orders too, and I don’t like

it; and you and me must stick close, back to back like, and we’ll save

our necks in spite o’ fate and fortune.”

Just then a man hailed us from the fire that breakfast was ready, and

we were soon seated here and there about the sand over biscuit and fried

junk. They had lit a fire fit to roast an ox, and it was now grown so

hot that they could only approach it from the windward, and even there

not without precaution. In the same wasteful spirit, they had cooked,

I suppose, three times more than we could eat; and one of them, with an

empty laugh, threw what was left into the fire, which blazed and roared

again over this unusual fuel. I never in my life saw men so careless of

the morrow; hand to mouth is the only word that can describe their way

of doing; and what with wasted food and sleeping sentries, though they

were bold enough for a brush and be done with it, I could see their

entire unfitness for anything like a prolonged campaign.

Even Silver, eating away, with Captain Flint upon his shoulder, had not

a word of blame for their recklessness. And this the more surprised me,

for I thought he had never shown himself so cunning as he did then.

“Aye, mates,” said he, “it’s lucky you have Barbecue to think for you

with this here head. I got what I wanted, I did. Sure enough, they have

the ship. Where they have it, I don’t know yet; but once we hit the

treasure, we’ll have to jump about and find out. And then, mates, us

that has the boats, I reckon, has the upper hand.”

Thus he kept running on, with his mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he

restored their hope and confidence, and, I more than suspect, repaired

his own at the same time.

“As for hostage,” he continued, “that’s his last talk, I guess, with

them he loves so dear. I’ve got my piece o’ news, and thanky to him

for that; but it’s over and done. I’ll take him in a line when we go

treasure-hunting, for we’ll keep him like so much gold, in case of

accidents, you mark, and in the meantime. Once we got the ship and

treasure both and off to sea like jolly companions, why then we’ll talk

Mr. Hawkins over, we will, and we’ll give him his share, to be sure, for

all his kindness.”

It was no wonder the men were in a good humour now. For my part, I

was horribly cast down. Should the scheme he had now sketched prove

feasible, Silver, already doubly a traitor, would not hesitate to adopt

it. He had still a foot in either camp, and there was no doubt he

would prefer wealth and freedom with the pirates to a bare escape from

hanging, which was the best he had to hope on our side.

Nay, and even if things so fell out that he was forced to keep his faith

with Dr. Livesey, even then what danger lay before us! What a moment

that would be when the suspicions of his followers turned to certainty

and he and I should have to fight for dear life--he a cripple and I a

boy--against five strong and active seamen!

Add to this double apprehension the mystery that still hung over the

behaviour of my friends, their unexplained desertion of the stockade,

their inexplicable cession of the chart, or harder still to understand,

the doctor’s last warning to Silver, “Look out for squalls when you

find it,” and you will readily believe how little taste I found in my

breakfast and with how uneasy a heart I set forth behind my captors on

the quest for treasure.

We made a curious figure, had anyone been there to see us--all in soiled

sailor clothes and all but me armed to the teeth. Silver had two guns

slung about him--one before and one behind--besides the great cutlass

at his waist and a pistol in each pocket of his square-tailed coat.

To complete his strange appearance, Captain Flint sat perched upon his

shoulder and gabbling odds and ends of purposeless sea-talk. I had a

line about my waist and followed obediently after the sea-cook, who

held the loose end of the rope, now in his free hand, now between his

powerful teeth. For all the world, I was led like a dancing bear.

The other men were variously burthened, some carrying picks and

shovels--for that had been the very first necessary they brought ashore

from the HISPANIOLA--others laden with pork, bread, and brandy for the

midday meal. All the stores, I observed, came from our stock, and I

could see the truth of Silver’s words the night before. Had he not

struck a bargain with the doctor, he and his mutineers, deserted by the

ship, must have been driven to subsist on clear water and the proceeds

of their hunting. Water would have been little to their taste; a sailor

is not usually a good shot; and besides all that, when they were so

short of eatables, it was not likely they would be very flush of powder.

Well, thus equipped, we all set out--even the fellow with the broken

head, who should certainly have kept in shadow--and straggled, one after