Chapter 3 Questions

Chapter 3

The Real Adventure Begins

I said farewell to my beloved mother and the dear Admiral Benbow, and then joined up with Redruth, the squire’s gamekeeper. We purchased our seats for the coach to Bristol. It picked us up around dusk and we arrived in Bristol as the sun was rising like a shimmering peach above the city.

Squire Trelawney was residing at an inn near the water. Along the quay lay ships of all sizes and nations. In one, sailors were singing as they worked in the morning fog that shrouded the quay. In another, men, high up in the rigging, were hanging by threads that seemed no sturdier than those of a spider’s web. An overwhelming smell of tar and salt filled the air. I spotted old sailors with pigtails, and rings in their ears. It was all new to me, and I was captivated.

We went to see the squire. He was dressed like a naval officer, in a new suit.

“There you are!” he cried. “The doctor arrived last night. Now our ship’s company is complete. We’ll set sail early in the morning, at first light!”

I said farewell to my beloved mother and the dear Admiral Benbow.

The squire handed me a note to carry to Long John Silver. I made my way along the crowded quay, full of people and loaded carts, until I found the tavern.

It was brighter and cleaner than I expected. The windows glistened and the floor was cleanly sanded. The customers were seafaring men talking loudly and enthusiastically among one another.

As I was waiting, a man emerged from a side room. I deduced he must be Long John Silver. His left leg was missing, and he walked with the aid of a crutch. He managed the crutch with wonderful skill, hopping about on it like a sprightly bird. Silver was tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham, yet brimming with intelligence. He whistled as he moved among the tables and had a merry word or a slap on the shoulder for each of his guests.

From the first mention of John Silver in the squire’s letter, I had feared that he might be the very one-legged sailor I had watched out for at the Admiral Benbow. But one look at the man was enough to convince me I had nothing to fear. I had seen the captain, I had seen Black Dog, and I had seen Pew. I thought I knew what a buccaneer looked like, and they were quite different from this clean and likeable landlord.

“Mr. Silver, sir?” I asked hesitantly.

“Yes, lad,” said he. When Silver saw I had a letter from the squire, he seemed startled. “Oh!” he said, quite loudly. “You must be our new cabin boy!”

Just then, one of the customers rose suddenly and ducked out the door. Although the man made a hurried exit, I had time enough to catch a glimpse of his face. It was the man who had visited the captain at the Admiral Benbow—the man with the two missing fingers.

“Someone stop him!” I cried out. “He’s Black Dog!”

Two of the men sitting near the door leaped up and chased after the eight-fingered man.

“Someone stop him!” I cried out. “He’s Black Dog!”

“What was that you said, boy?” John Silver asked. “Black what?”

“Black Dog,” I replied. “Didn’t Mr. Trelawney tell you about the buccaneers? Black Dog was one of them.”

“Was he indeed?” cried Silver. “Black Dog, did ya say? The name’s not familiar, yet I think I’ve seen him. He used to come here with a blind beggar.”

“Yes!” I said. “That would be old Pew!”

“Yes!” cried Silver, his voice rising as all kinds of thoughts clearly flooded his mind. “Pew! That were his name alright. Well, never fear, my men will run him down.”

However, the moment I saw Black Dog in Silver’s tavern, I sensed something was wrong. Why was he there, and was Silver telling the truth when he said he did not know him? I watched Silver closely, but he continued to create the impression that he was an honest man.

The two men came back, out of breath, and confessed that they had lost Black Dog in a crowd by the quay. Silver scolded them and shook his head in a display of disappointment.

“Well, Hawkins,” said Silver, “we had better go and tell the squire about this, eh? Here this scoundrel is sitting in my house, right in front of me. We wouldn’t want the squire to get the wrong idea now, would we?”

As we walked along the quay, Silver proved himself a most interesting companion. We even stopped beside a large sailing ship, as he pointed out its different parts and the proper terms for each one. He taught me nautical terms such as fore and aft, starboard and port. He showed me the forecastle at the front of the ship and the quarterdeck toward the back. He pointed out the mainmast in the middle and the crow’s nest on top. The crow’s nest was the spot where sailors went to keep a lookout. He explained that the cables sailors use to raise a sail are called halyards. He had me repeat these phrases till I could recite them perfectly. I knew he was the best possible shipmate for a novice sailor like me.

When we got to the inn, Silver gave Mr. Trelawney and Dr. Livesey an account of all that had happened.

“I won’t stand for scoundrels of that sort in my tavern,” he said. “But there was not much chance of me catching him myself, with this old timber I hobble on. So I sent two of my mates after him. Thought they might catch him, but in the end he slipped away. And that’s what happened, isn’t it Hawkins?”

“It is,” I said.

The doctor and the squire were sorry that Black Dog had escaped, but they agreed there was nothing else to be done.

Then Silver paid me a compliment: “This is a fine lad you’ve signed up,” he said. “A good fellow—and smart as paint!”

I was pleased by this compliment, and I smiled as Silver hobbled away.

“All hands on deck by four this afternoon!” the squire shouted after him.

“Aye, aye, sir!” cried Silver.

“Well,” said Dr. Livesey to the squire. “As a rule, I don’t put much faith in your discoveries, but this John Silver suits me.”

“Yes,” said the squire. “He’s quite a remarkable man.”

Later, we boarded the ship while the supplies were being loaded. As soon as we were on board, the captain paid us a visit.

“Well, Captain Smollett,” said the squire. “How are you? All’s well with you, I hope?”

“I am well, sir,” said the captain. “But I must tell you I have a bad feeling about this voyage, and I don’t care for some of the seamen you’ve hired.”

The squire was extremely offended by this remark.

“Perhaps you do not like your employer, either?” replied the squire, but here Dr. Livesey cut in.

“Hold on, Trelawney,” said Dr. Livesey. “Let’s hear what Captain Smollett has to say.”

Captain Smollett addressed the doctor: “I was engaged, sir, to sail this ship where that gentleman should bid me. Now I find that every seaman on board knows more than I do. I hear that we are going after treasure. I don’t like to involve myself in secret treasure voyages, especially when the secret is no longer secret. Why, even a parrot seems to know our business.”

“Do you mean Silver’s parrot?” asked the squire.

“Gentlemen, do you understand what you’re getting into?” came the captain’s reply.

“We most certainly do!” said the squire.

“Please explain,” said Dr. Livesey, “what is it that you don’t like about the crew?”

“I should have been able to pick them myself,” explained Captain Smollett. “I do not approve of your officer. He’s a good seaman, but he’s too friendly, familiar if you like, with the crew. And another thing—the men are putting the guns and powder in the forehold. I don’t like that. Why not put them under the cabin and give your own people the berths?”

“Is there anything else?” asked the squire.

“Yes,” said the captain. “I’ve heard the exact latitude and longitude of our island location. I’ve heard you have a map of the island. I’ve even heard this map shows the exact location of treasure—as all good treasure maps should do!”

“Egad!” cried the squire. “I did not tell a soul about any of this!”

“Gentlemen,” continued the captain, “I don’t know who has this map, but I ask that it be kept somewhere secret—even from me. If you won’t do that much, I would ask you to let me resign.”

“I see,” said the doctor. “You are afraid the men may mutiny.”

“Sir,” said Captain Smollett. “They may be honest men, for all I know, but I am responsible for the ship’s safety and the life of every man aboard. I’m concerned, and I ask you to be cautious or let me resign. That’s all.”

Trelawney grumbled, but eventually he agreed.

“I will do as you wish,” he said, sighing deeply. “But it grieves me that you do not trust me.”

“As you please, sir,” said Captain Smollett. “You’ll find I do my duty.” And with that, he left.

“Trelawney,” said the doctor, “I believe you have at least two good men on board—that man and John Silver.”

“Silver, perhaps,” cried the squire, still in a huff, “but I believe Captain Smollett to be difficult and downright rude.”

“Well,” said the doctor, “we shall see.”

Early the next morning we lifted anchor and set sail. The Hispaniola began her voyage to Treasure Island.

Early the next morning we lifted anchor and set sail. The Hispaniola began her voyage to Treasure Island.

The Hispaniola proved to be a good ship. The captain and crew were very capable. I was especially fond of Long John Silver, or Barbecue, as some of the men called him. He was always glad to see me in the ship’s galley, which he kept as clean as a pin. The old sea cook even introduced me to his pet parrot.

“This is Cap’n Flint,” he told me. “Named for the famous buccaneer. And she predicts success for our voyage. Don’t you, Cap’n?”

I wondered at this choice of name.

Then the parrot squawked, “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”

“That bird is maybe two hundred years old,” said Silver. “If anybody’s seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself. She sailed with Cap’n England, the pirate. I reckon that’s how she learned about pieces of eight.”

Silver gave the bird a lump of sugar and smiled in a way that made me think he was either the best of men—or the worst of men.

All the crewmen respected and obeyed Silver. He had a way of talking to everybody and doing each one some particular service.

“He’s no common man, Barbecue,” Israel Hands, one of the crew, told me. “He can speak like a book when he wants, and he’s brave—a lion’s nothing alongside him. I’ve seen him, unarmed, grapple four men and knock their heads together!”

I had no doubt that Silver was a man to be reckoned with.