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There was a great rush of feet across the deck. I could hear peopletumbling up from the cabin and the foc's'le; and slipping in an instantoutside my barrel, I dived behind the foresail, made a double towardsthe stern, and came out upon the open deck in time to join Hunter andDoctor Livesey in the rush for the weather bow.

There all hands were already congregated. A belt of fog had liftedalmost simultaneously with the appearance of the moon. Away to thesouthwest of us we saw two low hills, about a couple of miles apart, andrising behind one of them a third and higher hill, whose peak was stillburied in the fog. All three seemed sharp and conical in figure.

So much I saw almost in a dream, for I had not yet recovered from myhorrid fear of a minute or two before. And then I heard the voice ofCaptain Smollett issuing orders. The _Hispaniola_ was laid a couple ofpoints nearer the wind, and now sailed a course that would just clearthe island on the east.

"And now, men," said the captain, when all was sheeted home, "has anyone of you ever seen that land ahead?"

"I have, sir," said Silver. "I've watered there with a trader I was cookin."

"The anchorage is on the south, behind an islet, I fancy?" asked thecaptain.

"Yes, sir, Skeleton Island they calls it. It were a main place forpirates once, and a hand we had on board knowed all their names for it.That hill to the nor'ard they calls the Foremast Hill; there are threehills in a row running south'ard--fore, main, and mizzen, sir. But themain--that's the big 'un, with the cloud on it--they usually calls theSpy-glass, by reason of a lookout they kept when they was in theanchorage cleaning; for it's there they cleaned their ships, sir, askingyour pardon."

"I have a chart here," said Captain Smollett. "See if that's the place."

Long John's eyes burned in his head as he took the chart, but, by thefresh look of the paper, I knew he was doomed to disappointment. Thiswas not the map we found in Billy Bones's chest, but an accurate copy,complete in all things--names, and heights, and soundings--with thesingle exception of the red crosses and the written notes. Sharp as musthave been his annoyance, Silver had the strength of mind to hide it.

"Yes, sir," said he, "this is the spot, to be sure, and very prettilydrawed out. Who might have done that, I wonder? The pirates were tooignorant, I reckon. Ay, here it is: 'Captain Kidd's Anchorage'--just thename my shipmate called it. There's a strong current runs along thesouth, and then away nor'ard up the west coast. Right you was, sir,"said he, "to haul your wind and keep the weather of the island.Leastways, if such was your intention as to enter and careen, and thereain't no better place for that in these waters."

"Thank you, my man," said Captain Smollett. "I'll ask you, later on, togive us a help. You may go."

I was surprised at the coolness with which John avowed his knowledge ofthe island, and I own I was half-frightened when I saw him drawingnearer to myself. He did not know, to be sure, that I had overheard hiscouncil from the apple barrel, and yet I had, by this time, taken such ahorror of his cruelty, duplicity, and power, that I could scarce conceala shudder when he laid his hand upon my arm.

"Ah," said he, "this here is a sweet spot, this island--a sweet spot fora lad to get ashore on. You'll bathe, and you'll climb trees, and you'llhunt goats, you will, and you'll get aloft on them hills like a goatyourself. Why, it makes me young again. I was going to forget my timberleg, I was. It's a pleasant thing to be young, and have ten toes, andyou may lay to that. When you want to go a bit of exploring, you justask old John and he'll put up a snack for you to take along."

And clapping me in the friendliest way upon the shoulder, he hobbled offforward and went below.

Captain Smollett, the squire, and Doctor Livesey were talking togetheron the quarter-deck, and anxious as I was to tell them my story, I durstnot interrupt them openly. While I was still casting about in mythoughts to find some probable excuse, Doctor Livesey called me to hisside. He had left his pipe below, and being a slave to tobacco, hadmeant that I should fetch it; but as soon as I was near enough to speakand not be overheard, I broke out immediately: "Doctor, let me speak.Get the captain and squire down to the cabin, and then make somepretense to send for me. I have terrible news."

The doctor changed countenance a little, but next moment he was masterof himself.

"Thank you, Jim," said he, quite loudly; "that was all I wanted toknow," as if he had asked me a question.

And with that he turned on his heel and rejoined the other two. Theyspoke together for a little, and though none of them started, or raisedhis voice, or so much as whistled, it was plain enough that DoctorLivesey had communicated my request, for the next thing that I heard wasthe captain giving an order to Job Anderson, and all hands were piped ondeck.

"My lads," said Captain Smollett, "I've a word to say to you. This landthat we have sighted is the place we have been sailing to. Mr.Trelawney, being a very open-handed gentleman, as we all know, has justasked me a word or two, and as I was able to tell him that every man onboard had done his duty, alow and aloft, as I never ask to see it donebetter, why, he and I and the doctor are going below to the cabin todrink _your_ health and luck, and you'll have grog served out for you todrink _our_ health and luck. I'll tell you what I think of this: I thinkit handsome. And if you think as I do, you'll give a good sea cheer forthe gentleman that does it."

The cheer followed--that was a matter of course--but it rang out so fulland hearty, that I confess I could hardly believe these same men wereplotting for our blood.

"One more cheer for Cap'n Smollett!" cried Long John, when the first hadsubsided.

And this also was given with a will.

On the top of that the three gentlemen went below, and not long after,word was sent forward that Jim Hawkins was wanted in the cabin.

I found them all three seated around the table, a bottle of Spanish wineand some raisins before them, and the doctor smoking away, with his wigon his lap, and that, I knew, was a sign that he was agitated. The sternwindow was open, for it was a warm night, and you could see the moonshining behind on the ship's wake.

"Now, Hawkins," said the squire, "you have something to say. Speak up."

I did as I was bid, and, as short as I could make it, told the wholedetails of Silver's conversation. Nobody interrupted me till I was done,nor did anyone of the three of them make so much as a movement, but theykept their eyes upon my face from first to last.

"Jim," said Doctor Livesey, "take a seat."

And they made me sit down at a table beside them, poured me out a glassof wine, filled my hands with raisins, and all three, one after theother, and each with a bow, drank my good health, and their service tome, for my luck and courage.

"Now, captain," said the squire, "you were right and I was wrong. I ownmyself an ass, and I await your orders."

"No more an ass than I, sir," returned the captain. "I never heard of acrew that meant to mutiny but what showed signs before, for any man thathad an eye in his head to see the mischief and take steps according. Butthis crew," he added, "beats me."

"Captain," said the doctor, "with your permission, that's Silver. A veryremarkable man."

"He'd look remarkably well from a yardarm, sir," returned the captain."But this is talk; this don't lead to anything. I see three or fourpoints, and with Mr. Trelawney's permission I'll name them."

"You, sir, are the captain. It is for you to speak," said Mr. Trelawney,grandly.

"First point," began Mr. Smollett, "we must go on because we can't turnback. If I gave the word to turn about, they would rise at once. Secondpoint, we have time before us--at least until this treasure's found.Third point, there are faithful hands. Now, sir, it's got to come toblows sooner or later, and what I propose is to take time by theforelock, as the saying is, and come to blows some fine day when theyleast expect it. We can count, I take it, on your own home servants, Mr.Trelawney?"

"As upon myself," declared the squire.

"Three," reckoned the captain; "ourselves make seven, counting Hawkinshere. Now, about the honest hands?"

"Most likely Trelawney's own men," said the doctor; "those he picked upfor himself before he lit on Silver."

"Nay," replied the squire, "Hands was one of mine."

"I did think I could have trusted Hands," added the captain.

"And to think that they're all Englishmen!" broke out the squire. "Sir,I could find it in my heart to blow the ship up."

"Well, gentlemen," said the captain, "the best that I can say is notmuch. We must lay to, if you please, and keep a bright lookout. It'strying on a man, I know. It would be pleasanter to come to blows. Butthere's no help for it till we know our men. Lay to and whistle for awind; that's my view."

"Jim here," said the doctor, "can help us more than anyone. The men arenot shy with him and Jim is a noticing lad."

"Hawkins, I put prodigious faith in you," added the squire.

I began to feel pretty desperate at this, for I felt altogetherhelpless; and yet, by an odd train of circumstances, it was indeedthrough me that safety came. In the meantime, talk as we pleased, therewere only seven out of the twenty-six on whom we knew we could rely, andout of these seven one was a boy, so that the grown men on our side weresix to their nineteen.