WhenIhaddonebreakfastingthesquiregavemeanoteaddressedtoJohnSilver,atthesignoftheSpy-glass,andtoldmeIshouldeasilyfindtheplacebyfollowingthelineofthedocksandkeepingabrightlookoutforalittletavernwithalargebrasstelescopeforsign. Isetoff,overjoyedatthisopportunitytoseesomemoreoftheshipsandseamen,andpickedmywayamongagreatcrowdofpeopleandcartsandbales,forthedockwasnowatitsbusiest,untilIfoundthetaverninquestion. Itwasabrightenoughlittleplaceofentertainment. Thesignwasnewlypainted;thewindowshadneatredcurtains;thefloorwascleanlysanded. Therewasastreetoneachsideandanopendooronboth,whichmadethelarge,lowroomprettycleartoseein,inspiteofcloudsoftobaccosmoke. Thecustomersweremostlyseafaringmen,andtheytalkedsoloudlythatIhungatthedoor,almostafraidtoenter. AsIwaswaiting,amancameoutofasideroom,andataglanceIwassurehemustbeLongJohn. Hisleftlegwascutoffclosebythehip,andundertheleftshoulderhecarriedacrutch,whichhemanagedwithwonderfuldexterity,hoppingaboutuponitlikeabird. Hewasverytallandstrong,withafaceasbigasaham—plainandpale,butintelligentandsmiling. Indeed,heseemedinthemostcheerfulspirits,whistlingashemovedaboutamongthetables,withamerrywordoraslapontheshoulderforthemorefavouredofhisguests. Now,totellyouthetruth,fromtheveryfirstmentionofLongJohninSquireTrelawney’sletterIhadtakenafearinmymindthathemightprovetobetheveryone-leggedsailorwhomIhadwatchedforsolongattheoldBenbow. Butonelookatthemanbeforemewasenough. Ihadseenthecaptain,andBlackDog,andtheblindman,Pew,andIthoughtIknewwhatabuccaneerwaslike—averydifferentcreature,accordingtome,fromthiscleanandpleasant-temperedlandlord. Ipluckedupcourageatonce,crossedthethreshold,andwalkedrightuptothemanwherehestood,proppedonhiscrutch,talkingtoacustomer. “Mr.Silver,sir?”Iasked,holdingoutthenote. “Yes,mylad,”saidhe;“suchismyname,tobesure.Andwhomayyoube?”Andthenashesawthesquire’sletter,heseemedtometogivesomethingalmostlikeastart. “Oh!”saidhe,quiteloud,andofferinghishand.“Isee.Youareournewcabin-boy;pleasedIamtoseeyou.” Andhetookmyhandinhislargefirmgrasp. Justthenoneofthecustomersatthefarsiderosesuddenlyandmadeforthedoor. Itwasclosebyhim,andhewasoutinthestreetinamoment. Buthishurryhadattractedmynotice,andIrecognizedhimatglance. Itwasthetallow-facedman,wantingtwofingers,whohadcomefirsttotheAdmiralBenbow. “Oh,”Icried,“stophim!It’sBlackDog!” “Idon’tcaretwocopperswhoheis,”criedSilver.“Buthehasn’tpaidhisscore.Harry,runandcatchhim.” Oneoftheotherswhowasnearestthedoorleapedupandstartedinpursuit. “IfhewereAdmiralHawkeheshallpayhisscore,”criedSilver;andthen,relinquishingmyhand,“Whodidyousayhewas?”heasked.“Blackwhat?” “Dog,sir,”saidI.“HasMr.Trelawneynottoldyouofthebuccaneers?Hewasoneofthem.” “So?”criedSilver.“Inmyhouse!Ben,runandhelpHarry.Oneofthoseswabs,washe?Wasthatyoudrinkingwithhim,Morgan?Stepuphere.” ThemanwhomhecalledMorgan—anold,grey-haired,mahogany-facedsailor—cameforwardprettysheepishly,rollinghisquid. “Now,Morgan,”saidLongJohnverysternly,“youneverclappedyoureyesonthatBlack—BlackDogbefore,didyou,now?” “NotI,sir,”saidMorganwithasalute. “Youdidn’tknowhisname,didyou?” “Bythepowers,TomMorgan,it’sasgoodforyou!”exclaimedthelandlord. “Ifyouhadbeenmixedupwiththelikeofthat,youwouldneverhaveputanotherfootinmyhouse,youmaylaytothat.Andwhatwashesayingtoyou?” “Idon’trightlyknow,sir,”answeredMorgan. “Doyoucallthataheadonyourshoulders,orablesseddead-eye?”criedLongJohn.“Don’trightlyknow,don’tyou! Perhapsyoudon’thappentorightlyknowwhoyouwasspeakingto,perhaps? Come,now,whatwashejawing—v’yages,cap’ns,ships?Pipeup!Whatwasit?” “Wewasa-talkin’ofkeel-hauling,”answeredMorgan. “Keel-hauling,wasyou?Andamightysuitablething,too,andyoumaylaytothat.Getbacktoyourplaceforalubber,Tom.” Andthen,asMorganrolledbacktohisseat,Silveraddedtomeinaconfidentialwhisperthatwasveryflattering,asIthought,“He’squiteanhonestman,TomMorgan,on’ystupid. Andnow,”heranonagain,aloud,“let’ssee—BlackDog?No,Idon’tknowthename,notI. YetIkindofthinkI’ve—yes,I’veseentheswab. Heusedtocomeherewithablindbeggar,heused.” “Thathedid,youmaybesure,”saidI.“Iknewthatblindmantoo.HisnamewasPew.” “Itwas!”criedSilver,nowquiteexcited.“Pew!Thatwerehisnameforcertain.Ah,helookedashark,hedid! IfwerundownthisBlackDog,now,there’llbenewsforCap’nTrelawney! Ben’sagoodrunner;fewseamenrunbetterthanBen. Heshouldrunhimdown,handoverhand,bythepowers!Hetalkedo’keel-hauling,didhe?I’LLkeel-haulhim!” Allthetimehewasjerkingoutthesephraseshewasstumpingupanddownthetavernonhiscrutch,slappingtableswithhishand,andgivingsuchashowofexcitementaswouldhaveconvincedanOldBaileyjudgeoraBowStreetrunner. MysuspicionshadbeenthoroughlyreawakenedonfindingBlackDogattheSpy-glass,andIwatchedthecooknarrowly. Buthewastoodeep,andtooready,andtoocleverforme,andbythetimethetwomenhadcomebackoutofbreathandconfessedthattheyhadlostthetrackinacrowd,andbeenscoldedlikethieves,IwouldhavegonebailfortheinnocenceofLongJohnSilver. “Seehere,now,Hawkins,”saidhe,“here’sablessedhardthingonamanlikeme,now,ain’tit? There’sCap’nTrelawney—what’shetothink? HereIhavethisconfoundedsonofaDutchmansittinginmyownhousedrinkingofmyownrum! Hereyoucomesandtellsmeofitplain;andhereIlethimgiveusalltheslipbeforemyblesseddeadlights! Now,Hawkins,youdomejusticewiththecap’n. You’realad,youare,butyou’reassmartaspaint.Iseethatwhenyoufirstcomein. Now,hereitis:WhatcouldIdo,withthisoldtimberIhobbleon? WhenIwasanABmastermarinerI’dhavecomeupalongsideofhim,handoverhand,andbroachedhimtoinabraceofoldshakes,Iwould;butnow—” Andthen,allofasudden,hestopped,andhisjawdroppedasthoughhehadrememberedsomething. “Thescore!”heburstout.“Threegoeso’rum!Why,shivermytimbers,ifIhadn’tforgottenmyscore!” Andfallingonabench,helaugheduntilthetearsrandownhischeeks.Icouldnothelpjoining,andwelaughedtogether,pealafterpeal,untilthetavernrangagain. “Why,whatapreciousoldsea-calfIam!”hesaidatlast,wipinghischeeks. “Youandmeshouldgetonwell,Hawkins,forI’lltakemydavyIshouldberatedship’sboy.Butcomenow,standbytogoabout.Thiswon’tdo.Dootyisdooty,messmates. I’llputonmyoldcockerelhat,andstepalongofyoutoCap’nTrelawney,andreportthishereaffair. Formindyou,it’sserious,youngHawkins;andneitheryounorme’scomeoutofitwithwhatIshouldmakesoboldastocallcredit. Noryouneither,saysyou;notsmart—noneofthepairofussmart.Butdashmybuttons!Thatwasagoodunaboutmyscore.” Andhebegantolaughagain,andthatsoheartily,thatthoughIdidnotseethejokeashedid,Iwasagainobligedtojoinhiminhismirth. Onourlittlewalkalongthequays,hemadehimselfthemostinterestingcompanion,tellingmeaboutthedifferentshipsthatwepassedby,theirrig,tonnage,andnationality,explainingtheworkthatwasgoingforward—howonewasdischarging,anothertakingincargo,andathirdmakingreadyforsea—andeverynowandthentellingmesomelittleanecdoteofshipsorseamenorrepeatinganauticalphrasetillIhadlearneditperfectly. Ibegantoseethatherewasoneofthebestofpossibleshipmates. Whenwegottotheinn,thesquireandDr.Liveseywereseatedtogether,finishingaquartofalewithatoastinit,beforetheyshouldgoaboardtheschooneronavisitofinspection. LongJohntoldthestoryfromfirsttolast,withagreatdealofspiritandthemostperfecttruth. “Thatwashowitwere,now,weren’tit,Hawkins?” hewouldsay,nowandagain,andIcouldalwaysbearhimentirelyout. ThetwogentlemenregrettedthatBlackDoghadgotaway,butweallagreedtherewasnothingtobedone,andafterhehadbeencomplimented,LongJohntookuphiscrutchanddeparted. “Allhandsaboardbyfourthisafternoon,”shoutedthesquireafterhim. “Aye,aye,sir,”criedthecook,inthepassage. “Well,squire,”saidDr.Livesey,“Idon’tputmuchfaithinyourdiscoveries,asageneralthing;butIwillsaythis,JohnSilversuitsme.” “Theman’saperfecttrump,”declaredthesquire. “Andnow,”addedthedoctor,“Jimmaycomeonboardwithus,mayhenot?” “Tobesurehemay,”sayssquire.“Takeyourhat,Hawkins,andwe’llseetheship.” 
