“No,notI,”saidSilver.“Flintwascap’n;Iwasquartermaster,alongofmytimberleg. ThesamebroadsideIlostmyleg,oldPewlosthisdeadlights. Itwasamastersurgeon,himthatampytatedme—outofcollegeandall—Latinbythebucket,andwhatnot;buthewashangedlikeadog,andsun-driedliketherest,atCorsoCastle. ThatwasRoberts’men,thatwas,andcomedofchangingnamestotheirships—ROYALFORTUNEandsoon. Now,whatashipwaschristened,soletherstay,Isays. SoitwaswiththeCASSANDRA,asbroughtusallsafehomefromMalabar,afterEnglandtooktheviceroyoftheIndies;soitwaswiththeoldWALRUS,Flint’soldship,asI’veseenamuckwiththeredbloodandfittosinkwithgold.” “Ah!”criedanothervoice,thatoftheyoungesthandonboard,andevidentlyfullofadmiration.“Hewasthefloweroftheflock,wasFlint!” “Daviswasamantoo,byallaccounts,”saidSilver. “Ineversailedalongofhim;firstwithEngland,thenwithFlint,that’smystory;andnowhereonmyownaccount,inamannerofspeaking. Ilaidbyninehundredsafe,fromEngland,andtwothousandafterFlint. Thatain’tbadforamanbeforethemast—allsafeinbank. ‘Tain’tearningnow,it’ssavingdoesit,youmaylaytothat.Where’sallEngland’smennow?Idunno.Where’sFlint’s? Why,moston‘emaboardhere,andgladtogettheduff—beenbeggingbeforethat,someon‘em. OldPew,ashadlosthissight,andmighthavethoughtshame,spendstwelvehundredpoundinayear,likealordinParliament.Whereishenow? Well,he’sdeadnowandunderhatches;butfortwoyearbeforethat,shivermytimbers,themanwasstarving! Hebegged,andhestole,andhecutthroats,andstarvedatthat,bythepowers!” “Well,itain’tmuchuse,afterall,”saidtheyoungseaman. “’Tain’tmuchuseforfools,youmaylaytoit—that,nornothing,”criedSilver. “Butnow,youlookhere:you’reyoung,youare,butyou’reassmartaspaint. IseethatwhenIsetmyeyesonyou,andI’lltalktoyoulikeaman.” YoumayimaginehowIfeltwhenIheardthisabominableoldrogueaddressinganotherintheverysamewordsofflatteryashehadusedtomyself. Ithink,ifIhadbeenable,thatIwouldhavekilledhimthroughthebarrel. Meantime,heranon,littlesupposinghewasoverheard. “Hereitisaboutgentlemenoffortune.Theylivesrough,andtheyriskswinging,buttheyeatanddrinklikefighting-cocks,andwhenacruiseisdone,why,it’shundredsofpoundsinsteadofhundredsoffarthingsintheirpockets. Now,themostgoesforrumandagoodfling,andtoseaagainintheirshirts.Butthat’snotthecourseIlay. Iputsitallaway,somehere,somethere,andnonetoomuchanywheres,byreasonofsuspicion. I’mfifty,markyou;oncebackfromthiscruise,Isetupgentlemaninearnest.Timeenoughtoo,saysyou. Ah,butI’velivedeasyinthemeantime,neverdeniedmyselfo’nothingheartdesires,andslep’softandatedaintyallmydaysbutwhenatsea.AndhowdidIbegin?Beforethemast,likeyou!” “Well,”saidtheother,“butalltheothermoney’sgonenow,ain’tit?Youdaren’tshowfaceinBristolafterthis.” “Why,wheremightyousupposeitwas?”askedSilverderisively. “AtBristol,inbanksandplaces,”answeredhiscompanion. “Itwere,”saidthecook;“itwerewhenweweighedanchor.Butmyoldmissishasitallbynow. AndtheSpy-glassissold,leaseandgoodwillandrigging;andtheoldgirl’sofftomeetme. Iwouldtellyouwhere,forItrustyou,butit’dmakejealousyamongthemates.” “Andcanyoutrustyourmissis?”askedtheother. “Gentlemenoffortune,”returnedthecook,“usuallytrustslittleamongthemselves,andrighttheyare,youmaylaytoit.ButIhaveawaywithme,Ihave. Whenamatebringsasliponhiscable—oneasknowsme,Imean—itwon’tbeinthesameworldwitholdJohn. TherewassomethatwasfearedofPew,andsomethatwasfearedofFlint;butFlinthisownselfwasfearedofme.Fearedhewas,andproud. Theywastheroughestcrewafloat,wasFlint’s;thedevilhimselfwouldhavebeenfearedtogotoseawiththem. Wellnow,Itellyou,I’mnotaboastingman,andyouseenyourselfhoweasyIkeepcompany,butwhenIwasquartermaster,LAMBSwasn’tthewordforFlint’soldbuccaneers. Ah,youmaybesureofyourselfinoldJohn’sship.” “Well,Itellyounow,”repliedthelad,“Ididn’thalfaquarterlikethejobtillIhadthistalkwithyou,John;butthere’smyhandonitnow.” “Andabraveladyouwere,andsmarttoo,”answeredSilver,shakinghandssoheartilythatallthebarrelshook,“andafinerfigureheadforagentlemanoffortuneIneverclappedmyeyeson.” BythistimeIhadbeguntounderstandthemeaningoftheirterms. Bya“gentlemanoffortune”theyplainlymeantneithermorenorlessthanacommonpirate,andthelittlescenethatIhadoverheardwasthelastactinthecorruptionofoneofthehonesthands—perhapsofthelastoneleftaboard. ButonthispointIwassoontoberelieved,forSilvergivingalittlewhistle,athirdmanstrolledupandsatdownbytheparty. “Dick’ssquare,”saidSilver. “Oh,Iknow’dDickwassquare,”returnedthevoiceofthecoxswain,IsraelHands.“He’snofool,isDick.”Andheturnedhisquidandspat. “Butlookhere,”hewenton,“here’swhatIwanttoknow,Barbecue:howlongarewea-goingtostandoffandonlikeablessedbumboat? I’vehada’mostenougho’Cap’nSmollett;he’shazedmelongenough,bythunder!Iwanttogointothatcabin,Ido. Iwanttheirpicklesandwines,andthat.” “Israel,”saidSilver,“yourheadain’tmuchaccount,noreverwas. Butyou’reabletohear,Ireckon;leastways,yourearsisbigenough. Now,here’swhatIsay:you’llberthforward,andyou’lllivehard,andyou’llspeaksoft,andyou’llkeepsobertillIgivetheword;andyoumaylaytothat,myson.” “Well,Idon’tsayno,doI?”growledthecoxswain.“WhatIsayis,when?That’swhatIsay.” “When!Bythepowers!”criedSilver. “Wellnow,ifyouwanttoknow,I’lltellyouwhen. ThelastmomentIcanmanage,andthat’swhen. Here’safirst-rateseaman,Cap’nSmollett,sailstheblessedshipforus. Here’sthissquireanddoctorwithamapandsuch—Idon’tknowwhereitis,doI?Nomoredoyou,saysyou. Wellthen,Imeanthissquireanddoctorshallfindthestuff,andhelpustogetitaboard,bythepowers.Thenwe’llsee. IfIwassureofyouall,sonsofdoubleDutchmen,I’dhaveCap’nSmollettnavigateushalf-waybackagainbeforeIstruck.” “Why,we’reallseamenaboardhere,Ishouldthink,”saidtheladDick. “We’reallforecastlehands,youmean,”snappedSilver. “Wecansteeracourse,butwho’stosetone? That’swhatallyougentlemenspliton,firstandlast. IfIhadmyway,I’dhaveCap’nSmollettworkusbackintothetradesatleast;thenwe’dhavenoblessedmiscalculationsandaspoonfulofwateraday.ButIknowthesortyouare. I’llfinishwith‘emattheisland,assoon’stheblunt’sonboard,andapityitis. Butyou’reneverhappytillyou’redrunk. Splitmysides,I’veasickhearttosailwiththelikesofyou!” “Easyall,LongJohn,”criedIsrael.“Who’sa-crossin’ofyou?” “Why,howmanytallships,thinkye,now,haveIseenlaidaboard? AndhowmanybriskladsdryinginthesunatExecutionDock?”criedSilver. “Andallforthissamehurryandhurryandhurry.Youhearme?Iseenathingortwoatsea,Ihave. Ifyouwouldon’ylayyourcourse,andap’inttowindward,youwouldrideincarriages,youwould.Butnotyou!Iknowyou. You’llhaveyourmouthfulofrumtomorrow,andgohang.” “Everybodyknowedyouwasakindofachapling,John;butthere’sothersascouldhandandsteeraswellasyou,”saidIsrael.“Theylikedabito’fun,theydid. Theywasn’tsohighanddry,nohow,buttooktheirfling,likejollycompanionseveryone.” “So?”saysSilver.“Well,andwherearetheynow?Pewwasthatsort,andhediedabeggar-man.Flintwas,andhediedofrumatSavannah.Ah,theywasasweetcrew,theywas!On’y,wherearethey?” “But,”askedDick,“whenwedolay‘emathwart,whatarewetodowith‘em,anyhow?” “There’sthemanforme!”criedthecookadmiringly.“That’swhatIcallbusiness.Well,whatwouldyouthink?Put‘emashorelikemaroons?ThatwouldhavebeenEngland’sway.Orcut‘emdownlikethatmuchpork? ThatwouldhavebeenFlint’s,orBillyBones’s.” “Billywasthemanforthat,”saidIsrael.“’Deadmendon’tbite,’sayshe.Well,he’sdeadnowhisself;heknowsthelongandshortonitnow;andifeveraroughhandcometoport,itwasBilly.” “Rightyouare,”saidSilver;“roughandready. Butmarkyouhere,I’maneasyman—I’mquitethegentleman,saysyou;butthistimeit’sserious.Dootyisdooty,mates.Igivemyvote—death. WhenI’minParlymentandridinginmycoach,Idon’twantnoneofthesesea-lawyersinthecabina-cominghome,unlookedfor,likethedevilatprayers. WaitiswhatIsay;butwhenthetimecomes,why,letherrip!” “John,”criesthecoxswain,“you’reaman!” “You’llsayso,Israelwhenyousee,”saidSilver. “OnlyonethingIclaim—IclaimTrelawney. I’llwringhiscalf’sheadoffhisbodywiththesehands,Dick!”headded,breakingoff. “Youjustjumpup,likeasweetlad,andgetmeanapple,towetmypipelike.” YoumayfancytheterrorIwasin!IshouldhaveleapedoutandrunforitifIhadfoundthestrength,butmylimbsandheartalikemisgaveme. IheardDickbegintorise,andthensomeoneseeminglystoppedhim,andthevoiceofHandsexclaimed,“Oh,stowthat! Don’tyougetsuckingofthatbilge,John.Let’shaveagooftherum.” “Dick,”saidSilver,“Itrustyou.I’veagaugeonthekeg,mind.There’sthekey;youfillapannikinandbringitup.” TerrifiedasIwas,IcouldnothelpthinkingtomyselfthatthismusthavebeenhowMr.Arrowgotthestrongwatersthatdestroyedhim. Dickwasgonebutalittlewhile,andduringhisabsenceIsraelspokestraightoninthecook’sear. ItwasbutawordortwothatIcouldcatch,andyetIgatheredsomeimportantnews,forbesidesotherscrapsthattendedtothesamepurpose,thiswholeclausewasaudible:“Notanothermanofthem’lljine.” Hencetherewerestillfaithfulmenonboard. WhenDickreturned,oneafteranotherofthetriotookthepannikinanddrank—one“Toluck,”anotherwitha“Here’stooldFlint,”andSilverhimselfsaying,inakindofsong,“Here’stoourselves,andholdyourluff,plentyofprizesandplentyofduff.” Justthenasortofbrightnessfelluponmeinthebarrel,andlookingup,Ifoundthemoonhadrisenandwassilveringthemizzen-topandshiningwhiteontheluffofthefore-sail;andalmostatthesametimethevoiceofthelookoutshouted,“Landho!” 
