Chapter 3
I hurried over to find Long John Silver, who ran a tavern, very much brighter than my mother’s, for there were new curtains at the windows. It was evident that Long John Silver was a man of some means. As I entered, I was greatly shocked to see Black Dog hurry out of the tavern.
“Stop him,” I cried, “it’s Black Dog!”
Several men ran out to stop him only to return to say that he had been too fast for them.
“So?” cried Silver, “in my house!”
I was worried because finding Black Dog with Silver, could only mean that this was the man with one leg the captain had been seeking.
Silver, however, was carrying on in such a manner as to lead me to think otherwise. All the time he was stumping up and down the tavern on his crutch. He was so clever with words that before long I was convinced that he was not the man at all, just another poor seaman who had lost a leg.
“You and me will get on fine, lad,” said Silver in a loud, friendly voice for all to hear.
We walked together to the ship called, Hispaniola, which was to be our home for many a day.
‘The captain, whose name was Smollett, welcomed us aboard.
“Well, Captain Smollett, all looks shipshape and seaworthy to say the least,” exclaimed Silver.
“Well, sir,” said the captain, “I guess I’d better speak plain. The ship is fine, but I don’t like the way things look aboard her.”
Dr. Livesey and Trelawney arrived in time to hear this remark by the captain.
“What is it you don’t like?” asked Trelawney.
“I learn from my own hands, mind you, that we are going after treasure! Now, treasure is ticklish work. I don’t like treasure voyages on any account. And I don’t like them above all, when they are secret and when the secret has been told to a parrot.”
“Silver’s parrot?” asked Mr. Trelawney.
It seemed that Silver had a pet parrot which often rode on his shoulder while he was at sea. I had heard him screeching at the tavern but certainly did not expect him to go along on the ship.
“Silver’s parrot goes where he goes,” said Mr. Trelawney, a bit tired of complaints.
“No matter about the bird,” said Captain Smollett, “but what about this man Arrow?”
“What about him?” asked Mr. Trelawney.
“I don’t like him, sir,” said the captain, “I believe he is a good seaman, but much too friendly with his crew. A good mate should keep to himself and not drink with the men before the mast. He’s asking for trouble.”
“Do you mean he drinks too much?” asked Mr. Trelawney, now more than a bit concerned.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” replied the captain, “only he’s too familiar with his men.”
“Well,” sighed Mr. Trelawney, “is that the short and long of it, captain?”
“That’s about it,” said the captain.
“Tell us what you want,” said Dr. Livesey.
“Very good, said the captain, “and thank you for hearing me out patiently. They are putting the powder and the arms in the forehold. Now, you have a good place under the cabin. Why not put them there? Last of all, can’t you stop the blabbing? There’s been too much already.”
“Far too much,” agreed the doctor.
“I’ll tell you what I’ve heard myself,” continued the captain, “that you have a map of an island and there’s a cross on the map to show where treasure is buried. Also, that the island lies—” and then he named the exact location.
“I never told that to a soul,” cried Mr. Trelawney, really shocked, looking from the doctor to me. I felt my face grow hot but I did not let my eyes waver from their faces.
“Hawkins would never tell a soul and I’m certain that I did not,” said the doctor.
“I’m sure neither of you did,” said Captain Smollett, “but somehow it has got out. Maybe there are those who know more about this treasure than they are willing to tell. But who?”
The captain decided he had said enough and there were no hard feelings when we parted.
When we came on deck, the men had begun to take out the arms and powder, yo-ho-ing at their work, while the captain and Mr. Arrow stood by to direct them.
The whole schooner had been overhauled. I still didn’t believe I was really going along. Once in a while I thought of my mother having to carry on with a new boy in my place, but most of the time I was far too excited to feel lonely. I learnt that the captain, Mr. Arrow, a Mr. Hunter, Mr. Joyce, the doctor and Mr. Trelawney were to occupy six adjoining berths. A man named Redruth and I would be nearby. There was room in them to swing two hammocks.
The captain ordered me below to help the cook. This pleased me for I liked Long John Silver.
All that night we were in a great bustle getting ready for the voyage. I was dog-tired and Barbecue, as Long John Silver was called, kept me busy and in very good spirits until dawn. Every once in a while he’d break into song, with his crutch under his arm he’d hop all over, singing:
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest.” And then the whole crew sang the chorus:
“Yo-ho-ho-, and a bottle of rum!”
Even at that exciting moment it carried me back to the old, ‘Admiral Benbow’ in a second, and I could hear the terrible captain singing. But soon the anchor was up and hanging, dripping at the bows. Soon the sails began to draw and the Hispaniola had begun her voyage to the Isle of Treasure. I was too excited to sleep.
I am not going to relate that voyage in great detail. The ship proved to be a good ship and the crew were able seamen and the captain thoroughly understood his business. But before we came to Treasure Island, two or three very interesting things did happen.
Mr. Arrow, first of all, turned out to be even worse than the captain had feared. He had no command among the men. After a day or two at sea, he began to appear on deck with hazy eyes, red cheeks, stuttering tongue, and other marks of drunkenness. He was a bad influence among the men and useless as an officer.
One dark night, with a head sea, he disappeared and was never seen again.
“Overboard!” said Captain Smollett, “Well, gentlemen, that saves the trouble of putting him in irons. But, now we are without a mate.”
The boatswain, Job Anderson, was the likeliest man aboard. All seemed well again.
As the days went by, we learnt that Long John Silver was no ordinary man. He had been to school in his young days and could speak like a book when he had a mind to do it. The men liked him because he had a way of talking to each one.
“Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!” screamed the parrot when it saw Long John Silver.
“Captain Flint,” laughed Long John, “you’re a pirate up to no good.”
We enjoyed listening to them while we worked. Long John Silver seemed to me to be the best of men, until one night when I decided that I wanted an apple. I found only a couple in the barrel, so I jumped into it and began to eat the largest apple of all. As I ate, I was startled by the voice of Long John Silver.
