金银岛-第4部分

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d　doctor　have　the　map。　Let　them　find　the　treasure　and　bring　it　aboard—then　we'll　see。　I'd　rather　have　Captain　Smollett　sail　us　half…way　home　before　I　moved；　but　I　know　the　rest　of　the　men　won't　wait　that　long　So　I'll　finish　with　the　captain　and　the　others　at　the　island。’

‘But　what　do　we　do　with　them？’　asked　Dick。

‘They　must　die；　said　Silver。‘We　don't　want　them　coming　home　later；　to　tell　what　happened　Now；　Dick　；get　me　an　apple　。I'm　thirsty。’

You　can　imagine　my　horror！　I　heard　Dick　begin　to　rise　；but　Hands　said；‘Oh；　let's　have　some　rum　；John。’

Silver　sent　Dick　to　fetch　the　rum；　then　Israel　said　something　to　the　cook　in　a　low　voice；　and　I　heard　only　a　word　or　two　。But　they　were　important　words：‘Not　another　man　will　join。’So　there　were　still　some　honest　men　on　board。

I　looked　up　and　saw　the　moon　had　risen。　At　the　same　time　；the　voice　of　one　of　the　crew　shouted：‘　Land！’

There　was　the　sound　of　many　feet　running　across　the　deck。　I　quickly　got　out　of　the　barrel　and　was　in　time　to　join　Hunter　and　Dr　Livesey　and　the　rest；　at　the　side　of　the　ship。

Away　to　the　south…west；we　saw　two　hills。　Rising　behind　one　of　them　was　a　third　hill；　even　higher　；and　with　its　top　still　hid…den　in　fog。　Captain　Smollett　gave　orders　；and　the　Hispaniola　turned　so　that　the　ship　would　sail　just　clear　of　the　island　on　the　east。

‘Has　anyone　seen　that　land　before？’he　said。

‘I　have；　sir；’said　Silver。‘I　was　cook　on　a　ship　that　stopped　here　once。　There's　a　safe　place　to　anchor　in　the　south；　behind　a　little　island　called　Skeleton　Island。　Those　three　hills　we　can　see　are　on　the　big　island。　They're　in　a　row　running　south…the　biggest　is　called　Spyglass。’

‘Thank　you；’said　Captain　Smollett。‘Later　on　；I'll　ask　you　to　give　us　some　help。You　may　go　now。’

Dr　Livesey　called　me　；meaning　to　ask　me　to　fetch　his　pipe　；but　I　spoke　quickly。‘Doctor；　get　the　captain　and　squire　down　to　the　cabin。　I　have　some　terrible　news。’

He　went　across　and　spoke　to　the　other　two；　then　the　three　of　them　went　below。　Soon　after　；a　message　came　that　I　was　want－ed　in　the　cabin。

I　told　them　in　as　few　words　as　possible　what　Sliver　and　the　others　had　said；　and　they　listened　without　speaking。　It　was　a　warm　night　and　I　saw　the　moon　shining　on　the　sea　as　I　told　my　story。

‘Captain；　said　the　squire　when　I'd　finished；‘　you　were　right；and　I　was　wrong。’

‘But　I've　never　known　a　crew　planning　to　mutiny　that　did　not　show　some　sign　of　it　before。’　said　the　captain。

‘That's　Silver；’said　the　doctor。‘He's　a　very　clever　man。’

‘He'd　look　very　clever　with　a　rope　around　his　neck；　sir！’replied　the　captain。‘But　we　must　make　a　plan　。We　can't　go　back；　or　they　would　know　at　once。　But　we　have　some　time　be－fore　the　treasure　is　found；　and　there　are　some　honest　men　a－mong　the　crew。　Your　men；　squire？’

‘As　honest　as　myself；’agreed　Mr　Trelawney。

‘And　ourselves；　’said　the　captain。‘That's　seven；　with　young　Hawkins　here　。Now；　what　other　honest　men　are　there？’

‘Probably　the　men　Trelawney　chose　before　he　met　Silver；’said　the　doctor。

‘No；’said　the　squire。‘Hands　was　one　of　them。’

‘Well；　gentlemen；’　said　the　captain。‘We　must　wait　and　watch　carefully　；until　we　know　our　men。’

　　



　
8

Treasure　Island

　　

Next　morning；　there　was　no　wind　and　we　were　half　a　mile　from　the　eastern　coast　of　the　island．Although　the　sun　shone　bright　and　hot；　I　hated　the　thought　of　Treasure　Is－land　；afraid　of　what　would　happen　there。

Because　there　was　no　wind；　the　small　boats　pulled　the　ship　three　or　four　miles　round　the　island；　to　a　safe　place　to　drop　the　anchor　。I　went　in　one　of　them。

It　was　hard　work　pulling　the　ship；　and　the　men　argued。　Af…terwards；　they　sat　around　the　deck；　and　the　smallest　order　was　received　with　an　angry　look。

‘If　I　give　another　order；’said　the　captain；‘the　whole　crew　will　mutiny。　Only　one　man　can　help　us。’

‘And　who　is　that？’asked　the　squire。

‘Silver；’replied　the　captain。‘He　wants　to　keep　things　calm　as　much　as　we　do；he　wants　the　men　to　wait。　Let's　allow　them　an　afternoon　on　shore。　If　they　all　go；　we'll　have　the　ship。　If　some　go；　Silver　will　bring　them　back　as　gentle　as　sheep。’

Guns　were　given　to　all　the　honest　men。　Hunter　；Joyce；　and　Redruth　were　told　what　was　happening；　and　were　less　sur－prised　than　we　expected　them　to　be。　Then　the　captain　went　on　deck　to　talk　to　the　crew。

‘Men　；you've　had　a　hot　；tiring　day；’he　said。‘The　boats　are　still　in　the　water。　Any　man　who　wants　to　can　go　ashore　for　the　afternoon。You'll　hear　a　gun　half　an　hour　before　the　sun　goes　down　to　call　you　back。’

They　all　became　happier　at　once　。I　think　they　thought　they　would　find　the　treasure　lying　around　on　the　beach！　After　some　talk；　six　men　stayed　on　board　；and　the　others；　with　Silver；　got　into　the　small　boats。

I　then　had　the　first　of　the　mad　ideas　that　helped　to　save　our　lives。　If　six　men　were　left；　we　could　not　take　control　of　the　ship　；and　because　only　six　were　left；　the　captain's　men　did　not　need　my　help。　So　I　quickly　went　over　the　ship's　side　and　into　the　nearest　boat。

No　one　took　much　notice　of　me；　only　one　man　saying；‘Is　that　you　；Jim？’But　Silver　called　from　the　other　boat；　wanting　to　know　if　it　was　me。　Then　I　began　to　worry　if　I　had　done　the　right　thing。

The　crews　rowed　to　the　beach　and　our　boat　arrived　first。　I　ran　towards　the　trees　。Silver　and　the　rest　were　a　hundred　me－tres　behind　；and　I　heard　him　shouting；‘Jim　；Jim！’But　I　took　no　notice；　pushing　through　trees　and　bushes；　and　ran　until　I　could　run　no　longer。

I　was　pleased　to　lose　Long　John　and　began　to　enjoy　looking　around　this　strange　island。　I　crossed　wet　ground　and　came　to　a　long；open　piece　of　sand；　then　went　on　to　a　place　where　the　trees　had　branches　that　were　thick　and　close　to　the　sand。

Just　then　I　heard　distant　voices；　Sliver's　among　them；　and　hid　behind　a　tree。　Through　the　leaves；　I　saw　Long　John　Silver　and　another　of　the　crew　talking　together。

‘I'm　warning　you　because　I'm　your　friend；　Tom；　Silver　was　saying。

‘Silver；’said　Tom。‘You're　old　and　you're　honest；　or　so　men　say；　and　you've　money；　too；　which　lots　of　poor　seamen　haven't。　And　you're　brave。　Why　let　yourself　be　led　away　with　that　kind　of　scoundrel？　I'd　rather　die　than…’

Suddenly　；there　was　a　noise　of　distant　shouting；　then　a　long　horrible　scream　。I　had　found　one　honest　man　here；　and　that　ter－rible；　distant　scream　told　me　of　another。

‘John！’said　Tom。‘What　was　that？’

‘That？’replied　Silver。　His　eyes　shone　like　pieces　of　broken　glass　in　the　sun。‘That'll　be　Alan。’

‘Alan！’cried　poor　Tom。‘An　honest　and　true　seaman　！John　Silver；　you've　been　a　friend　of　mine；　but　for　no　longer　。You've　killed　Alan；　have　you？　Then　kill　me；　too；if　you　can！’

The　brave　man　turned　his　back　on　Silver　and　began　to　walk　back　to　the　beach　。With　a　shout　；Silver　threw　his　crutch　through　the　air。　It　hit　poor　Tom　between　the　shoulders；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground　with　a　cry。　Silver；　as　quick　as　a　monkey　；was　on　top　of　him　in　a　moment。　Twice　he　dug　his　knife　into　that　poor　body。

As　I　watched；　the　whole　world　seemed　to　swim　away　before　me　in　a　mist…Silver；　the　birds　above；　the　tall　Spyglass　hill。　When　I　was　myself　again；　Silver　was　standing　with　his　crutchunder　his　arm；　cleaning　the　blood　from　his　knife　with　some　grass。

As　silently　as　I　could；　I　began　to　move　away　；and　as　soon　as　was　clear　of　the　trees；　began　to　run　as　I　had　never　run　before。

　　



　

9

The　man　of　the　island

　　

But　almost　immediately　I　ran　into　a　new　danger。As　I　ran；　I　heard　some　small　stones　falling　from　the　side　of　a　steep　hill。　I　stopped　to　look　round；　and　saw　a　figure　jump　quickly　behind　a　tree。Frightened；　I　turned　back　towards　the　boats；　but　the　figure　appeared　again　and　moved　with　the　speedof　an　animal。　But　it　was　a　man；　I　knew　that　now。

I　remembered　I　had　a　pistol　if　I　needed　it；　and　turned　back　towards　this　man　of　the　island。　He　was　hiding　behind　another　tree　but　stepped　out　to　meet　me。

‘Who　are　you　？I　asked；　staring　at　him。

‘Ben　Gunn　；’he　answered；　and　his　voice　sounded　rough　andstrange　。His　skin　was　burnt　nearly　black　by　the　sun　and　his　clothes　were　made　from　pieces　of　a　ship's　sail。‘Poor　Ben　Gunn；’he　went　on。‘Alone　for　three　years。’

‘Were　you　shipwrecked？’I　asked。

‘No　；my　friend；’he　said。‘Marooned。’

I　had　heard　the　word　before；　and　knew　it　meant　a　cruel　pun－ishment　often　used　by　pirates－leaving　a　man　alone　on　some　distant；　empty　island。

‘Marooned　three　years；　he　continued；‘　living　on　wild　goats　and　fish。　But　I'm　desperate　for　real　English　food。　You　don't　have　a　piece　of　cheese；　do　you？　Many　nights　I've　dreamed　of　cheese。’

‘If　I　can　get　on　board　ship　again；　’I　said；　‘you　can　have　as　much　cheese　as　you　want。’

‘Who's　going　to　prevent　you？’he　said。‘And　tell　me　your　name。

‘Jim；’I　told　him。

‘Well；　Jim；’he　said；　looking　around　and　lowering　his　voice　to　a　whisper；　‘I'm　rich。’I　was　now　sure　the　poor　man　was　crazy　；but　he　repeated　his　words。‘Rich；　I　say！　Now　；Jim　；that　isn't　Flint's　ship；　is　it？’

I　began　to　think　that　I　had　found　a　friend；　and　I　answered　him　at　once。‘It's　not　Flint's　ship。　Flint　is　dead；　but　there　are　some　of　Flint's　men　aboard；　and　that's　bad　news　for　us。’

‘A　man　with　one　leg？’he　asked；　fear　in　his　voice。

‘Silver？’I　asked。

‘Yes　；Silver；’he　said；‘that　was　his　name。’

‘He's　the　cook；　and　their　leader　；too。’　And　I　told　him　the　whole　story　of　our　voyage；　and　the　danger　we　were　now　in。

‘You're　in　trouble；　Jim；’he　said　when　I'd　finished。‘Well；　Ben　Gunn　will　help　you。　Will　your　squire　be　generous　if　I　do；　do　you　think？　I　don't　want　him　to　give　me　a　job；　but　will　he　give　me　one　thousand　pounds　out　of　money　that's　really　mine？’

‘I'm　sure　he　will；’I　said。

‘And　take　me　home　on　your　ship？’

‘If　we　can　escape　from　the　others；’I　told　him；‘we'll　need　your　help　to　get　the　ship　home。’

He　seemed　happy　with　this．‘I　was　in　Flint's　ship　when　he　and　six　seamen　hid　the　treasure，’he　said．‘They　were　on　shore　nearly　a　week，then　Flint　came　back　alone．Not　a　man　on　board　could　guess　how　he　had　killed　the　others．Then　I　was　in　another　ship，three　years　ago，and　we　saw　this　island．“Boys，”I　said，“let's　go　ashore　and　find　Flint's　treasure．”Twelve　days　we　searched，and　the　men