Suddenly, I heard a rush of footsteps across the deck.
Men came running up from the cabin and the forecastle. I quickly climbed out of the barrel, slipped behind the foresail, and moved quietly toward the stern. A moment later, I reached the open deck and joined Hunter and Dr. Livesey as everyone hurried toward the windward side.
All the crew were already gathered there.
At the same moment, the fog lifted from the sea, and the moon shone brightly through the clouds.
Far away to the southwest, we saw two low hills standing about two miles apart. Behind one of them rose a third hill, much taller than the others, though its peak was still hidden by fog.
All three hills were sharp and pointed like cones.
I barely noticed the view. My mind was still trapped in the terrible fear I had felt only moments before.
Then I heard Captain Smollett’s voice giving orders.
The Hispaniola turned slightly closer to the wind and changed course so that we would pass safely along the eastern side of the island.
When everything was properly adjusted, Captain Smollett spoke to the men.
“Now, lads, has anyone here ever seen that land ahead?”
“I have, sir,” Silver answered. “I once stopped there while I was cook on a trading ship.”
“The anchorage is on the southern side, behind a small island, I suppose?” asked the captain.
“Yes, sir. They call it Skeleton Island. It used to be a famous place for pirates. One of the sailors I knew had heard all the old pirate names for the place.”
“That hill to the north is called Foremast Hill. Then there are three hills running south: Fore, Main, and Mizzen.”
“But the largest one, the hill with the cloud around its top, is usually called the Spy-glass. The pirates used it as a lookout while they cleaned and repaired their ships in the anchorage.”
“I have a chart here,” said Captain Smollett. “Take a look and tell me if this is the place.”
Silver took the chart.
His eyes searched it carefully.
For a moment, I thought I saw disappointment flash across his face. I knew why. This was not the secret map from Billy Bones’s chest. It was only a clean copy, showing all the names, heights, and sea depths, but without the red crosses and hidden notes.
Still, Silver quickly controlled himself.
“Yes, sir,” he said. “This is certainly the place. Whoever drew this made a fine chart.”
“I wonder who made it,” he added. “The pirates were not exactly famous for their education.”
“There it is: ‘Captain Kidd’s Anchorage.’ That is the very name my old shipmate used.”
“There is a strong current running along the southern shore and then northward along the western coast. You were right, sir, to keep the ship upwind of the island.”
“That is the best way if you plan to enter the harbor and repair the ship. There is no better place around here.”
“Thank you,” said Captain Smollett. “I may need your help later. You can go now.”
I was amazed by how calmly Silver admitted knowing the island.
But when he came closer to me, I felt a chill.
He had no idea I had overheard the pirate meeting inside the apple barrel. Yet after seeing his cruelty and his clever lies, I was so afraid of him that I could barely stop myself from trembling when he placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Ah, Jim,” Silver said with a smile, “this is a fine place for a young lad.”
“You’ll swim in the sea, climb trees, and hunt goats. You’ll be running around those hills like a little wild goat yourself.”
“Why, just thinking about it makes me feel young again. Sometimes I forget I have this wooden leg.”
“It’s a wonderful thing to be young and have both feet under you. Remember that.”
“When you want to explore the island, just ask old John. I’ll pack you a nice meal and send you off with everything you need.”
He gave my shoulder a friendly pat, then walked away toward the front of the ship and went below.
Captain Smollett, the squire, and Dr. Livesey were talking together on the quarterdeck.
I desperately wanted to tell them what I had heard, but I did not dare interrupt them.
While I was trying to think of a way to get their attention, Dr. Livesey suddenly called me over.
He had left his pipe below and wanted me to fetch it. But as soon as I was close enough that no one else could hear, I whispered:
“Doctor, please listen. Get the captain and the squire down into the cabin. Then pretend you need me to come there too.”
“I have terrible news.”
The doctor’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly recovered.
“Thank you, Jim,” he said loudly. “That is all I needed to know.”
He turned away and returned to the others.
They spoke quietly for a while. No one shouted or showed panic, but I knew Dr. Livesey had passed on my message.
Soon afterward, I heard Captain Smollett give an order to Job Anderson, and the sailors were called onto the deck.
“My lads,” said the captain, “I want to say something to you.”
“The land we have spotted is the place we have been sailing toward.”
“Mr. Trelawney, being the generous gentleman we all know him to be, has asked me to say a few words.”
“I have told him that every man aboard this ship has done his duty, both above and below deck. I could not have asked for better work.”
“So he, the doctor, and I are going below to drink to your health and good fortune.”
“And you will receive some grog to drink to ours.”
“I think that is a fair and generous offer. If you agree, give a proper cheer for the gentleman who has provided it.”
The sailors cheered immediately.
That was expected.
But the cheer was so loud and sincere that I could hardly believe these same men were planning to murder us.
“One more cheer for Captain Smollett!” shouted Long John Silver.
The crew cheered again with just as much energy.
Then the three gentlemen went below.
Not long afterward, someone came forward and told me that Jim Hawkins was wanted in the cabin.
I found the captain, the squire, and the doctor sitting around the table.
A bottle of Spanish wine and some raisins were in front of them. The doctor was smoking, with his wig resting on his lap.
I knew that meant he was deeply worried.
The cabin window at the stern was open because of the warm night. Behind the ship, the moonlight shone across the water trail left by the Hispaniola.
“Now, Hawkins,” said the squire, “you have something important to tell us. Speak.”
I obeyed.
As briefly as possible, I told them everything I had heard from Silver and the pirates.
No one interrupted me.
None of them moved.
They simply watched my face until I finished.
“Jim,” said Dr. Livesey, “sit down.”
They made me sit beside them at the table.
They poured me a glass of wine and gave me raisins.
Then, one after another, each man raised his glass and bowed to me.
They drank to my health, my courage, and my good fortune.
“Now, Captain,” said the squire, “you were right, and I was wrong.”
“I admit I acted foolishly. I will follow your orders from now on.”
“No more foolish than I was, sir,” replied Captain Smollett.
“I have never heard of a crew planning a mutiny without showing some warning signs first.”
“But this crew…” he shook his head. “This crew has completely fooled me.”
“Captain,” said Dr. Livesey, “the reason is Silver. He is an extraordinary man.”
“He would look even more extraordinary hanging from a ship’s yardarm,” replied Captain Smollett.
“But enough talking. We need a plan.”
“I see several important points, if Mr. Trelawney allows me to explain.”
“You are the captain,” said the squire proudly. “You should lead.”
“First,” said Captain Smollett, “we must continue forward. We cannot turn back.”
“If I ordered the ship to return now, the mutineers would act immediately.”
“Second, we still have time. At least until the treasure is found.”
“Third, we still have loyal men among the crew.”
“The fight will come sooner or later. My plan is to strike first, when they least expect it.”
“Can we depend on your own servants, Mr. Trelawney?”
“Absolutely,” said the squire.
“That gives us three,” counted the captain. “Including ourselves and Hawkins, we have seven.”
“Now we must consider the honest sailors.”
“Most likely your own men,” said the doctor. “The ones you hired before meeting Silver.”
“No,” said the squire. “Hands was one of my men.”
“I thought I could trust Hands too,” said the captain.
“And to think they are all Englishmen!” cried the squire. “Sometimes I feel I would rather blow up the whole ship!”
“Gentlemen,” said Captain Smollett, “the situation is difficult.”
“We must wait and watch carefully.”
“I know it would feel better to fight now, but we cannot risk acting too soon.”
“We need to discover who is truly on our side.”
“Until then, we wait.”
“Jim here may help us more than anyone,” said Dr. Livesey.
“The sailors talk freely around him, and Jim notices everything.”
“Hawkins,” added the squire, “I trust you greatly.”
Those words made me feel terrible.
I felt completely helpless.
Yet strangely enough, it would eventually be through me that our safety would come.
At that moment, however, the situation looked hopeless.
Out of the twenty-six men aboard, we could only trust seven.
And one of those seven was just a boy.
That meant six grown men stood against nineteen enemies.