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As soon as Silver disappeared, the captain went round to check that everything was ready for the fight.
The captain looked on for a while in silence. Then he spoke.
“Doctor, you will take the door,” he said. “See, and don’t expose yourself; keep within, and fire through the porch. Hunter, take the east side, there. Joyce, you stand by the west, my man. Mr. Trelawney, you are the best shot – you and Gray will take this long north side; it’s there the danger is .”
An hour passed away. And just at that moment came the first news of the attack.
“Sir,” said Joyce, “if I see anyone, am I to fire?”
“I told you so!” cried the captain.
Several bullets struck the log-house, but not one entered; the stockade and the woods around it looked as quiet and empty as before.
We didn’t have much time left for thought. Suddenly, with a loud shout, several pirates appeared from the woods on the north side and ran straight to the stockade. At the same time fire opened from the woods.
The pirates swarmed over the fence like monkeys. Squire and Gray fired again and yet again. At the same moment, another pirate grasped Hunter’s musket, wrenched it from his hands, and hit our friend with it.
“At them, all hands, all hands! ” roared the captain in a voice of thunder.
The log-house was full of smoke.
“Out, lads, out, and fight them in the open! ” cried the captain.
Someone was close behind, I knew not whom.
“Round the house, lads! Round the house!” cried the captain.
I had not time to be afraid. Right in front of me the doctor was running after a pirate down the hill. He caught the man and hit him across his face. The pirate died at once. And at that moment the fight was over and victory was ours.
“The captain’s wounded,” said Mr. Trelawney.
“Have they run?” asked Mr. Smollett.
“All that could,” returned the doctor, “but there’s five of them will never run again.”
“Five!” cried the captain. “Come, that’s better. Five against three leaves us four to nine. We were seven to nineteen.”
As for the captain, his wounds were not dangerous. No organ was injured.
After dinner the squire and the doctor sat by the captain’s side and talked. Afterwards, the doctor stood up, took his pistols, put the map in his pocket, crossed the stockade on the north side and went quickly.
Gray and I were sitting together at the far end of the block house.
“Is Dr. Livesey mad?” asked he.
“No,” said I. “The doctor has his idea; and if I am right, he’s going now to see Ben Gunn.”
I was right, as appeared later. All the time I was washing out the block house. I was a fool, if you like, and certainly I was going to do a foolish act. But I was only a boy.
I filled both my coat pockets with biscuits and took two pistols and powder for them. The squire and Gray were busy helping the captain, the coast was clear. I climbed over the stockade and ran away.
I took my way straight for the east coast of the island. It was already late in the afternoon, although still warm and sunny. I have never seen the sea quiet round Treasure Island.
Behind me was the sea, in front the anchorage. I found the Ben Gunn’s boat. The little boat, a strange thing made of wood and goat-skin, was hidden among the bushes. I lifted the small boat onto my shoulders and carried it to the water. I decided to come to the Hispaniola and cut the anchor ropes.
The coracle was a very safe boat for a person of my height and weight. Suddenly the wind blew and caught the Hispaniola and my little boat with it. I glanced over my shoulder. There, right behind me, was the glow of the camp-fire. In a moment we were both sailing fast into the open sea.
I lay down flat in the bottom of the boat. I was sure we would crash against the rocks. Each new wave carried the threat of death. I lay helpless for many hours. At last I became very tired and I fell asleep. I lay and dreamed of home and the old Admiral Benbow.
It was broad day when I awoke and found myself tossing at the south-west end of Treasure Island. The sun was up but was still hid from me behind the Spy-glass.
I remembered what Silver had about the current that set northward along the whole west coast of Treasure Island.
There was a great, smooth swell upon the sea. I was terrified. The coracle, left to itself, was turning from side to side.
Well, now, thought I to myself, I must lie where I am and not disturb the balance. So I lay on my elbows. I began to be tortured with thirst. The glow of the sun from above, the sea-water that fell upon me, made my throat burn and my brain ache.
Right in front of me, not half a mile away, I saw the Hispaniola. I was so distressed that I did not know whether to be glad or sorry.
The Hispaniola was under her main-sail, and the beautiful white canvas shone in the sun like snow or silver.
But soon I understood that nobody led it. And if so, where were the men? Either they were dead drunk or deserted it, I thought. The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate .
I sailed closer. The Hispaniola turned again and then again and again. The ship turned to the north, to the south, to the east, to the west. For some time the ship did the worse thing possible for me – stood still. Then it was coming closer and closer to my boat. I jumped up and caught one of the ship’s ropes. Just at that time the ship crashed the little boat. Ben Gunn’s boat went down under the water, and I was left on the Hispaniola.
Suddenly the Hispaniola came right into the wind. There were the two watchmen. The first one was lying on his back. His chin was on his chest, his hands were lying open before him on the deck, his face was very white. The second was also lying. It was Israel Hands.
All he could do was to utter one word, “Brandy.”
There was no time to lose, I slipped down the companion stairs into the cabin. All the lockers were broken open in quest of the chart . The floor was thick with mud. Dozens of empty bottles clinked together in corners. One of the doctor’s medical books lay open on the table.
I went into the cellar; all the barrels were gone.
I found a bottle with some brandy left, for Hands; and for myself I took some biscuit, some fruits, and a piece of cheese. With these I came on deck, had a good deep drink of water, and then gave Hands the brandy.
“Aye,” said he, “I wanted some of that!”
I sat down in my own corner and began to eat.
“Much hurt? ” I asked him.
“If that doctor was aboard,” he said, “I’d recover very soon. Dead men don’t bite. And where have you come from?”
“Well,” said I, “I’ve come aboard to take possession of this ship, Mr. Hands; and you’ll please regard me as your captain until further notice .”
He looked at me sourly enough but said nothing. Some of the colour came back into his cheeks, though he still looked very sick.
“I don’t like this flag,” I continued. “Better none than this.”
I ran to the Jolly Roger, handed it down, and chucked it overboard.
“I think, Captain Hawkins,” said he, “you want to get ashore now.”
“Why, yes,” said I, “with all my heart, Mr. Hands.” And I went back to my meal with a good appetite.
“Now, look here, you give me food and drink and tie my wound up, you do, and I’ll tell you how to navigate a vessel.”
Well, as it seemed to me, there was some sense in this. In three minutes the Hispaniola was sailing easily before the wind along the coast of Treasure Island.
The coxswain told me how to navigate; after many trials I succeeded.
“Captain,” said he with the uncomfortable smile , “here’s my old shipmate, O’Brien; heave him overboard, will you?”
“I’m not strong enough, and I don’t like the job,” said I.
“Well, will you get me a bottle of wine, Jim – this brandy is too strong for my head.”
He wanted me to leave the deck; but with what purpose I could not imagine. His eyes never met mine.
I went down with as much noise as I could, then took off my shoes and ran quietly back to watch him.
Israel Hands had risen on to his hands and knees. He crept along the deck to where some ropes lay, took out a long knife that was hidden under them, quickly put it in his pocket and moved back. This was what I wanted to know: he could move about and he was armed. I came to him.
“Well, my Captain,” he said, “there’s the north harbour over there. It won’t be easy to sail the ship in because it’s narrow. But if you follow my orders we’ll manage.”
So he issued his commands, which I obeyed. I was still so much interested, that I forgot the peril that hung over my head. Perhaps I noticed his shadow moving with the tail of my eye ; perhaps it was an instinct like a cat’s; but, sure enough, when I looked round, there was Hands with the dirk in his right hand.
We cried out aloud when our eyes met. At the same instant, he threw himself forward and I leapt sideways. As I did so, I let go of the tiller , and I think this saved my life, for it struck Hands across the chest and stopped him.
Before he could recover, I was safe out of the corner. It was wonderful how fast he could move. Suddenly the Hispaniola struck ground for an instant in the sand. Both of us rolled, almost together. Israel Hands stood with his mouth open, a perfect statue of surprise and disappointment. He began to move. I took the pistols.
“One more step, Mr. Hands,” said I, “and I’ll kill you. Dead men don’t bite, you know,” I added with a chuckle.
He stopped instantly. I laughed aloud. Something sang like an arrow through the air; I felt sharp pain in my shoulder. My pistols shot, and both escaped out of my hands. They did not fall alone; the coxswain plunged head first into the water.
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