The red light from the torch filled the inside of the blockhouse, and my worst fears came true.
The pirates had taken over the place.
The food and supplies were still there. The barrel of brandy was there. The pork and bread were untouched.
But what frightened me most was that there was no sign of any prisoners.
I could only think that my friends had all been killed.
My heart ached because I had not been there to die with them.
There were six pirates in the room.
No one else was alive.
Five of them stood on their feet, their faces red and swollen after being suddenly dragged from a drunken sleep.
The sixth man could only lift himself onto one elbow.
He was terribly pale.
A dirty, blood-covered bandage wrapped around his head showed that he had been wounded recently and had only just received treatment.
I remembered the pirate who had been shot during the attack and escaped into the woods.
I was sure this was the same man.
The parrot sat proudly on Long John Silver’s shoulder, cleaning its feathers.
Silver himself looked harder and more serious than before.
He was still wearing the fine clothes he had put on for his mission, but they were now ruined.
The coat was covered in mud, and the sharp bushes in the forest had torn it badly.
“So, Jim Hawkins,” Silver said.
“By thunder, what a surprise! You just dropped in, didn’t you?”
“Well, I’ll take that as a friendly visit.”
He sat down on the brandy barrel and calmly began filling his pipe.
“Give me that torch, Dick.”
After lighting his pipe, he nodded.
“That’s enough, lad. Put the torch into the woodpile.”
“And you gentlemen, relax.”
“You don’t need to stand up for Mr. Hawkins. He won’t mind.”
Then he looked at me.
“So, Jim, here you are.”
“Quite a surprise for old John.”
“I always knew you were a clever boy when I first met you.”
“But this? This is something even I didn’t expect.”
I said nothing.
The pirates had forced me against the wall.
I looked Silver directly in the eyes.
Outside, I tried to appear brave.
Inside, I felt completely hopeless.
Silver calmly took a few puffs of his pipe.
Then he continued.
“Now, Jim, since you’re here, I’ll tell you what I think.”
“I’ve always liked you.”
“You remind me of myself when I was young.”
“Full of spirit and courage.”
“I always wanted you to join us, take your share of the treasure, and live like a gentleman.”
“And now, my boy, that’s what you’ll have to do.”
“Captain Smollett is a fine sailor, I admit that.”
“But he’s too strict.”
“He believes duty is everything, and I can’t say he’s wrong.”
“So stay away from the captain.”
“The doctor is angry with you too.”
“He called you an ungrateful young rascal.”
“The truth is simple.”
“You can’t go back to your old friends because they won’t accept you.”
“And unless you plan to start your own little crew, you’ll have to join Captain Silver.”
I was relieved by what I heard.
My friends were still alive.
I had believed Silver when he said they hated me for leaving them.
But knowing they were alive mattered far more than their anger.
“I’m not saying you’re not our prisoner,” Silver continued.
“You are.”
“But I believe in talking, not threats.”
“I’ve never seen good come from forcing someone.”
“If you want to join us, you can.”
“If you don’t, Jim, you can say no.”
“You’re free to choose.”
“If a better offer exists from any sailor alive, I’d like to hear it.”
“Then I’m supposed to answer now?” I asked.
My voice shook.
Although Silver spoke politely, I could feel the danger behind every word.
Death was hanging over me.
My face burned, and my heart pounded.
“Take your time, lad,” Silver said.
“No one is rushing you.”
“We enjoy your company.”
“Think carefully.”
“Well,” I said, becoming a little braver, “if I have a choice, I have the right to know the truth.”
“I want to know why you’re here.”
“And I want to know where my friends are.”
“What’s what?” one pirate growled.
“That’s something nobody knows.”
Silver turned sharply toward him.
“Keep quiet until you’re spoken to.”
“Now, Jim,” he said kindly again, “I’ll tell you.”
“Yesterday morning, Doctor Livesey came here under a flag of truce.”
“He said, ‘Captain Silver, you’ve lost. Your ship is gone.’”
“Maybe we had been drinking and singing a little.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“But we weren’t watching carefully.”
“Then we looked outside.”
“And there she was—gone!”
“I’ve never seen a group of fools look more shocked.”
“The doctor then said, ‘Let’s make a deal.’”
“So we made one.”
“He gave us the supplies, the brandy, the blockhouse, the firewood you kindly prepared, and almost everything on this island.”
“As for your friends, they left.”
“I don’t know where they went.”
Silver calmly smoked his pipe.
“And before you think you were included in the deal, listen carefully.”
“I asked him how many men he was taking.”
“He said, ‘Four.’”
“‘Four men, and one wounded.’”
“As for you, he said, ‘I don’t know where that boy is, and I don’t really care. We’re tired of him.’”
“Those were his exact words.”
“Is that all?” I asked.
“That’s all you need to hear, my son,” Silver replied.
“And now I choose?”
“Now you choose.”
I took a deep breath.
“Well, I’m not stupid.”
“I know what might happen to me.”
“If the worst comes, so be it.”
“I’ve already seen too many people die since I met you.”
“But there are things you should know.”
“You are in a terrible situation.”
“Your ship is gone.”
“Your treasure is gone.”
“Your men are gone.”
“Everything you planned has fallen apart.”
“And if you want to know who caused it…”
“It was me.”
The pirates stared at me.
“I was hiding in the apple barrel when we first reached the island.”
“I heard everything you said, John.”
“I heard you, Dick Johnson, and Hands.”
“And I repeated every word before anyone could stop me.”
“As for the schooner, I cut her anchor rope.”
“I killed the men you left on board.”
“And I took the ship somewhere none of you will ever find.”
“The victory is mine.”
“I have controlled this whole game from the beginning.”
“I fear you no more than I fear a fly.”
“Kill me if you want.”
“Spare me if you want.”
“But remember this.”
“If you spare me, the past is forgotten.”
“When you stand trial for piracy, I will do everything I can to help you.”
“So choose.”
“Kill me and gain nothing.”
“Or keep me alive and have a witness who can save you from the gallows.”
I stopped speaking.
I was out of breath.
To my surprise, none of them moved.
They only stared at me like confused sheep.
Then I spoke again.
“Mr. Silver, I believe you are the strongest man here.”
“If things go badly for me, I hope you will tell the doctor how bravely I faced it.”
Silver looked at me strangely.
I could not tell whether he was laughing at my request or impressed by my courage.
“I’ll remember that,” he said.
“I’ll add something to that,” said an old sailor with a dark wooden face.
His name was Morgan.
I had seen him before in Silver’s tavern in Bristol.
“He’s the one who knew Black Dog.”
“And another thing,” another pirate shouted.
“He’s the boy who stole Billy Bones’ map.”
“Everything started because of Jim Hawkins!”
“Then let’s finish it!” Morgan shouted.
He jumped up and pulled out his knife.
“Stop right there!” Silver roared.
“Who do you think you are, Tom Morgan?”
“Do you think you’re captain here?”
“Try me, and you’ll learn what happened to every man who challenged Long John Silver.”
“You’ll join them among the fishes.”
Morgan stopped.
But angry whispers spread through the room.
“Tom’s right,” one man said.
“I’ve taken enough orders from one captain,” another complained.
“I won’t be bullied by you, John Silver.”
Silver leaned forward from the barrel.
His pipe still burned in his hand.
“Does anyone want to settle this with me?”
“Speak up.”
“You’re not afraid to talk, are you?”
“Who wants a fight?”
“I’ve lived too long to let some young pirate push me around now.”
“You call yourselves gentlemen of fortune?”
“Fine.”
“Take your sword.”
“I’ll show you what I’m made of before this pipe goes out.”
No one moved.
No one answered.
“That’s what I thought,” Silver said.
He placed the pipe back into his mouth.
“You’re a brave-looking group, aren’t you?”
“But there isn’t much courage here.”
“Listen carefully.”
“I am captain because you elected me.”
“I am captain because I am the best man here.”
“If you won’t fight like real pirates…”
“Then you’ll obey.”
“And as for that boy…”
“I like him.”
“I’ve never seen a better young man.”
“He has more courage than all of you together.”
“Let me see anyone try to touch him.”
“Just try.”
The room became silent.
I stood against the wall, my heart still pounding like a hammer.
But now, for the first time, a small hope appeared.
Silver leaned against the wall.
His arms were crossed.
His pipe rested in the corner of his mouth.
He looked completely calm.
But his eyes kept watching his followers.
The pirates slowly gathered at the other side of the room.
Their whispers grew louder.
One by one, they looked toward Silver.
Not me.
Silver.
“You fellows seem to have plenty to say,” Silver said.
“Then speak.”
“Let me hear it.”
“Begging your pardon, sir,” one pirate answered.
“You are making too many decisions yourself.”
“This crew is unhappy.”
“We have rights too.”
“And according to pirate rules, we can hold a meeting.”
“I still recognize you as captain.”
“But I ask for a council.”
The pirate saluted and walked out.
One by one, the others followed.
Each gave Silver a formal sailor’s salute.
“According to the rules,” one said.
“A council,” Morgan added.
Soon they were all gone.
Only Silver and I remained beside the torch.
Silver immediately removed his pipe.
“Listen carefully, Jim Hawkins,” he whispered.
“You are only a step away from death.”
“And something worse—torture.”
“They’re planning to remove me.”
“But remember this.”
“I’m standing with you.”
“I wasn’t going to at first.”
“I was ready to lose everything and hang for it.”
“But after hearing you speak…”
“I know what kind of person you are.”
“You stand by Hawkins, John.”
“And Hawkins stands by you.”
“You’re my last chance.”
“And I’m yours.”
I slowly began to understand.
“Do you mean everything is lost?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“The ship is gone.”
“My life is almost gone too.”
“When I looked into that bay and saw no schooner…”
“Even I felt defeated.”
“As for those men, they are fools and cowards.”
“I’ll save your life if I can.”
“But you must save mine.”
“You help me avoid the gallows.”
I was completely confused.
This was Long John Silver.
The pirate leader.
The man behind everything.
And now he was asking me for help.
“I’ll do what I can,” I said.
“That’s a deal!” Silver cried.
“You spoke like a true man.”
“And now I have a chance.”
He went to the torch and lit his pipe again.
“Understand this, Jim.”
“I have a clever head.”
“I’m on the squire’s side now.”
“I know you have hidden the ship somewhere.”
“I don’t know how you did it.”
“But I know it’s safe.”
“I think Hands and O’Brien lost their courage.”
“I never trusted those two much anyway.”
“Now listen carefully.”
“I won’t ask questions.”
“And I won’t let anyone else ask either.”
“I know when a game is over.”
“And I know a loyal person when I see one.”
“Ah, Jim…”
“You and I could have achieved great things together.”
Silver poured some brandy into a small metal cup.
“Will you have a drink, mate?”
I refused.
“Well, I’ll have one myself.”
“I need it.”
“There’s trouble coming.”
Then he looked at me.
“And speaking of trouble…”
“Why did the doctor give me the map, Jim?”
My surprise was completely genuine.
Silver saw that there was no point asking more.
“Ah, but he did,” he said quietly.
“And there is something behind it.”
“Something hidden.”
“Something important.”
“Good or bad, I don’t know.”
He took another drink of brandy.
Then he slowly shook his head, like a man expecting the worst.