Therewasagreatrushoffeetacrossthedeck. Icouldhearpeopletumblingupfromthecabinandtheforecastle,andslippinginaninstantoutsidemybarrel,Idivedbehindthefore-sail,madeadoubletowardsthestern,andcameoutupontheopendeckintimetojoinHunterandDr.Liveseyintherushfortheweatherbow. Thereallhandswerealreadycongregated. Abeltoffoghadliftedalmostsimultaneouslywiththeappearanceofthemoon. Awaytothesouth-westofuswesawtwolowhills,aboutacoupleofmilesapart,andrisingbehindoneofthemathirdandhigherhill,whosepeakwasstillburiedinthefog. Allthreeseemedsharpandconicalinfigure. SomuchIsaw,almostinadream,forIhadnotyetrecoveredfrommyhorridfearofaminuteortwobefore. AndthenIheardthevoiceofCaptainSmollettissuingorders. TheHispaniolawaslaidacoupleofpointsnearerthewindandnowsailedacoursethatwouldjustcleartheislandontheeast. “Andnow,men,”saidthecaptain,whenallwassheetedhome,“hasanyoneofyoueverseenthatlandahead?” “Ihave,sir,”saidSilver.“I’vewateredtherewithatraderIwascookin.” “Theanchorageisonthesouth,behindanislet,Ifancy?”askedthecaptain. “Yes,sir;SkeletonIslandtheycallsit. Itwereamainplaceforpiratesonce,andahandwehadonboardknowedalltheirnamesforit. Thathilltothenor’ardtheycallstheFore-mastHill;therearethreehillsinarowrunningsouth’ard—fore,main,andmizzen,sir. Butthemain—that’sthebigun,withthecloudonit—theyusuallycallstheSpy-glass,byreasonofalookouttheykeptwhentheywasintheanchoragecleaning,forit’stheretheycleanedtheirships,sir,askingyourpardon.” “Ihaveacharthere,”saysCaptainSmollett.“Seeifthat’stheplace.” LongJohn’seyesburnedinhisheadashetookthechart,butbythefreshlookofthepaperIknewhewasdoomedtodisappointment. ThiswasnotthemapwefoundinBillyBones’schest,butanaccuratecopy,completeinallthings—namesandheightsandsoundings—withthesingleexceptionoftheredcrossesandthewrittennotes. Sharpasmusthavebeenhisannoyance,Silverhadthestrengthofmindtohideit. “Yes,sir,”saidhe,“thisisthespot,tobesure,andveryprettilydrawedout.Whomighthavedonethat,Iwonder? Thepiratesweretooignorant,Ireckon. Aye,hereitis:‘Capt.Kidd’sAnchorage’—justthenamemyshipmatecalledit. There’sastrongcurrentrunsalongthesouth,andthenawaynor’ardupthewestcoast. Rightyouwas,sir,”sayshe,“tohaulyourwindandkeeptheweatheroftheisland. Leastways,ifsuchwasyourintentionastoenterandcareen,andthereain’tnobetterplaceforthatinthesewaters.” “Thankyou,myman,”saysCaptainSmollett.“I’llaskyoulaterontogiveusahelp.Youmaygo.” IwassurprisedatthecoolnesswithwhichJohnavowedhisknowledgeoftheisland,andIownIwashalf-frightenedwhenIsawhimdrawingnearertomyself. Hedidnotknow,tobesure,thatIhadoverheardhiscouncilfromtheapplebarrel,andyetIhadbythistimetakensuchahorrorofhiscruelty,duplicity,andpowerthatIcouldscarceconcealashudderwhenhelaidhishanduponmyarm. “Ah,”sayshe,“thishereisasweetspot,thisisland—asweetspotforaladtogetashoreon. You’llbathe,andyou’llclimbtrees,andyou’llhuntgoats,youwill;andyou’llgetaloftonthemhillslikeagoatyourself.Why,itmakesmeyoungagain. Iwasgoingtoforgetmytimberleg,Iwas. It’sapleasantthingtobeyoungandhavetentoes,andyoumaylaytothat. Whenyouwanttogoabitofexploring,youjustaskoldJohn,andhe’llputupasnackforyoutotakealong.” Andclappingmeinthefriendliestwayupontheshoulder,hehobbledoffforwardandwentbelow. CaptainSmollett,thesquire,andDr.Liveseyweretalkingtogetheronthequarter-deck,andanxiousasIwastotellthemmystory,Idurstnotinterruptthemopenly. WhileIwasstillcastingaboutinmythoughtstofindsomeprobableexcuse,Dr.Liveseycalledmetohisside. Hehadlefthispipebelow,andbeingaslavetotobacco,hadmeantthatIshouldfetchit;butassoonasIwasnearenoughtospeakandnottobeoverheard,Ibrokeimmediately,“Doctor,letmespeak. Getthecaptainandsquiredowntothecabin,andthenmakesomepretencetosendforme.Ihaveterriblenews.” Thedoctorchangedcountenancealittle,butnextmomenthewasmasterofhimself. “Thankyou,Jim,”saidhequiteloudly,“thatwasallIwantedtoknow,”asifhehadaskedmeaquestion. Andwiththatheturnedonhisheelandrejoinedtheothertwo. Theyspoketogetherforalittle,andthoughnoneofthemstarted,orraisedhisvoice,orsomuchaswhistled,itwasplainenoughthatDr.Liveseyhadcommunicatedmyrequest,forthenextthingthatIheardwasthecaptaingivinganordertoJobAnderson,andallhandswerepipedondeck. “Mylads,”saidCaptainSmollett,“I’veawordtosaytoyou. Thislandthatwehavesightedistheplacewehavebeensailingfor. Mr.Trelawney,beingaveryopen-handedgentleman,asweallknow,hasjustaskedmeawordortwo,andasIwasabletotellhimthateverymanonboardhaddonehisduty,alowandaloft,asIneverasktoseeitdonebetter,why,heandIandthedoctoraregoingbelowtothecabintodrinkYOURhealthandluck,andyou’llhavegrogservedoutforyoutodrinkOURhealthandluck. I’lltellyouwhatIthinkofthis:Ithinkithandsome. AndifyouthinkasIdo,you’llgiveagoodsea-cheerforthegentlemanthatdoesit.” Thecheerfollowed—thatwasamatterofcourse;butitrangoutsofullandheartythatIconfessIcouldhardlybelievethesesamemenwereplottingforourblood. “OnemorecheerforCap’nSmollett,”criedLongJohnwhenthefirsthadsubsided. Andthisalsowasgivenwithawill. Onthetopofthatthethreegentlemenwentbelow,andnotlongafter,wordwassentforwardthatJimHawkinswaswantedinthecabin. Ifoundthemallthreeseatedroundthetable,abottleofSpanishwineandsomeraisinsbeforethem,andthedoctorsmokingaway,withhiswigonhislap,andthat,Iknew,wasasignthathewasagitated. Thesternwindowwasopen,foritwasawarmnight,andyoucouldseethemoonshiningbehindontheship’swake. “Now,Hawkins,”saidthesquire,“youhavesomethingtosay.Speakup.” IdidasIwasbid,andasshortasIcouldmakeit,toldthewholedetailsofSilver’sconversation. NobodyinterruptedmetillIwasdone,nordidanyoneofthethreeofthemmakesomuchasamovement,buttheykepttheireyesuponmyfacefromfirsttolast. “Jim,”saidDr.Livesey,“takeaseat.” Andtheymademesitdownattablebesidethem,pouredmeoutaglassofwine,filledmyhandswithraisins,andallthree,oneaftertheother,andeachwithabow,drankmygoodhealth,andtheirservicetome,formyluckandcourage. “Now,captain,”saidthesquire,“youwereright,andIwaswrong.Iownmyselfanass,andIawaityourorders.” “NomoreanassthanI,sir,”returnedthecaptain. “Ineverheardofacrewthatmeanttomutinybutwhatshowedsignsbefore,foranymanthathadaneyeinhisheadtoseethemischiefandtakestepsaccording.Butthiscrew,”headded,“beatsme.” “Captain,”saidthedoctor,“withyourpermission,that’sSilver.Averyremarkableman.” “He’dlookremarkablywellfromayard-arm,sir,”returnedthecaptain. “Butthisistalk;thisdon’tleadtoanything. Iseethreeorfourpoints,andwithMr.Trelawney’spermission,I’llnamethem.” “You,sir,arethecaptain.Itisforyoutospeak,”saysMr.Trelawneygrandly. “Firstpoint,”beganMr.Smollett.“Wemustgoon,becausewecan’tturnback. IfIgavethewordtogoabout,theywouldriseatonce. Secondpoint,wehavetimebeforeus—atleastuntilthistreasure’sfound.Thirdpoint,therearefaithfulhands. Now,sir,it’sgottocometoblowssoonerorlater,andwhatIproposeistotaketimebytheforelock,asthesayingis,andcometoblowssomefinedaywhentheyleastexpectit. Wecancount,Itakeit,onyourownhomeservants,Mr.Trelawney?” “Asuponmyself,”declaredthesquire. “Three,”reckonedthecaptain;“ourselvesmakeseven,countingHawkinshere.Now,aboutthehonesthands?” “MostlikelyTrelawney’sownmen,”saidthedoctor;“thosehehadpickedupforhimselfbeforehelitonSilver.” “Nay,”repliedthesquire.“Handswasoneofmine.” “IdidthinkIcouldhavetrustedHands,”addedthecaptain. “Andtothinkthatthey’reallEnglishmen!”brokeoutthesquire.“Sir,Icouldfinditinmyhearttoblowtheshipup.” “Well,gentlemen,”saidthecaptain,“thebestthatIcansayisnotmuch. Wemustlayto,ifyouplease,andkeepabrightlookout.It’stryingonaman,Iknow. Itwouldbepleasantertocometoblows. Butthere’snohelpforittillweknowourmen. Layto,andwhistleforawind,that’smyview.” “Jimhere,”saidthedoctor,“canhelpusmorethananyone.Themenarenotshywithhim,andJimisanoticinglad.” “Hawkins,Iputprodigiousfaithinyou,”addedthesquire. Ibegantofeelprettydesperateatthis,forIfeltaltogetherhelpless;andyet,byanoddtrainofcircumstances,itwasindeedthroughmethatsafetycame. Inthemeantime,talkaswepleased,therewereonlysevenoutofthetwenty-sixonwhomweknewwecouldrely;andoutofthesesevenonewasaboy,sothatthegrownmenonoursideweresixtotheirnineteen. 
