Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (free novels txt) đ
- Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
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The sea-cook instantly removed his pipe.
âNow, look you here, Jim Hawkins,â he said in a steady whisper that was no more than audible, âyouâre within half a plank of death, and whatâs a long sight worse, of torture. Theyâre going to throw me off. But, you mark, I stand by you through thick and thin. I didnât mean to; no, not till you spoke up. I was about desperate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged into the bargain. But I see you was the right sort. I says to myself, you stand by Hawkins, John, and Hawkinsâll stand by you. Youâre his last card, and by the living thunder, John, heâs yours! Back to back, says I. You save your witness, and heâll save your neck!â
I began dimly to understand.
âYou mean allâs lost?â I asked.
âAye, by gum, I do!â he answered. âShip gone, neck goneâthatâs the size of it. Once I looked into that bay, Jim Hawkins, and seen no schoonerâwell, Iâm tough, but I gave out. As for that lot and their council, mark me, theyâre outright fools and cowards. Iâll save your lifeâif so be as I canâfrom them. But, see here, Jimâtit for tatâyou save Long John from swinging.â
I was bewildered; it seemed a thing so hopeless he was askingâhe, the old buccaneer, the ringleader throughout.
âWhat I can do, that Iâll do,â I said.
âItâs a bargain!â cried Long John. âYou speak up plucky, and by thunder, Iâve a chance!â
He hobbled to the torch, where it stood propped among the firewood, and took a fresh light to his pipe.
âUnderstand me, Jim,â he said, returning. âIâve a head on my shoulders, I have. Iâm on squireâs side now. I know youâve got that ship safe somewheres. How you done it, I donât know, but safe it is. I guess Hands and OâBrien turned soft. I never much believed in neither of them. Now you mark me. I ask no questions, nor I wonât let others. I know when a gameâs up, I do; and I know a lad thatâs staunch. Ah, you thatâs youngâyou and me might have done a power of good together!â
He drew some cognac from the cask into a tin cannikin.
âWill you taste, messmate?â he asked; and when I had refused: âWell, Iâll take a dram myself, Jim,â said he. âI need a caulker, for thereâs trouble on hand. And talking oâ trouble, why did that doctor give me the chart, Jim?â
My face expressed a wonder so unaffected that he saw the needlessness of further questions.
âAh, well, he did, though,â said he. âAnd thereâs something under that, no doubtâsomething, surely, under that, Jimâbad or good.â
And he took another swallow of the brandy, shaking his great fair head like a man who looks forward to the worst.
29
The Black Spot Again
HE council of buccaneers had lasted some time, when one of them re-entered the house, and with a repetition of the same salute, which had in my eyes an ironical air, begged for a momentâs loan of the torch. Silver briefly agreed, and this emissary retired again, leaving us together in the dark.
âThereâs a breeze coming, Jim,â said Silver, who had by this time adopted quite a friendly and familiar tone.
I turned to the loophole nearest me and looked out. The embers of the great fire had so far burned themselves out and now glowed so low and duskily that I understood why these conspirators desired a torch. About half-way down the slope to the stockade, they were collected in a group; one held the light, another was on his knees in their midst, and I saw the blade of an open knife shine in his hand with varying colours in the moon and torchlight. The rest were all somewhat stooping, as though watching the manoeuvres of this last. I could just make out that he had a book as well as a knife in his hand, and was still wondering how anything so incongruous had come in their possession when the kneeling figure rose once more to his feet and the whole party began to move together towards the house.
âHere they come,â said I; and I returned to my former position, for it seemed beneath my dignity that they should find me watching them.
âWell, let âem come, ladâlet âem come,â said Silver cheerily. âIâve still a shot in my locker.â
The door opened, and the five men, standing huddled together just inside, pushed one of their number forward. In any other circumstances it would have been comical to see his slow advance, hesitating as he set down each foot, but holding his closed right hand in front of him.
âStep up, lad,â cried Silver. âI wonât eat you. Hand it over, lubber. I know the rules, I do; I wonât hurt a depytation.â
Thus encouraged, the buccaneer stepped forth more briskly, and having passed something to Silver, from hand to hand, slipped yet more smartly back again to his companions.
The sea-cook looked at what had been given him.
âThe black spot! I thought so,â he observed. âWhere might you have got the paper? Why, hillo! Look here, now; this ainât lucky! Youâve gone and cut this out of a Bible. What foolâs cut a Bible?â
âAh, there!â said Morgan. âThere! Wot did I say? No goodâll come oâ that, I said.â
âWell, youâve about fixed it now, among you,â continued Silver. âYouâll all swing now, I reckon. What soft-headed lubber had a Bible?â
âIt was Dick,â said one.
âDick, was it? Then Dick can get to prayers,â said Silver. âHeâs seen his slice of luck, has Dick, and you may lay to that.â
But here the long man with the yellow eyes struck in.
âBelay that talk, John Silver,â he said. âThis crew has tipped you the black spot in full council, as in dooty bound; just you turn it over, as in dooty bound, and see whatâs wrote there. Then you can talk.â
âThanky, George,â replied the sea-cook. âYou always was brisk for business, and has the rules by heart, George, as Iâm pleased to see. Well, what is it, anyway? Ah! âDeposedââthatâs it, is it? Very pretty
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