Part Six: Captain Silver - Chapter 28: In the Enemy's Camp

by Robert Louis Stevenson

　　The red glare of the torch, lighting up the interior ofthe block house, showed me the worst of myapprehensions realized. The pirates were in possessionof the house and stores: there was the cask of cognac,there were the pork and bread, as before, and whattenfold increased my horror, not a sign of anyprisoner. I could only judge that all had perished,and my heart smote me sorely that I had not been thereto perish with them.

　　There were six of the buccaneers, all told; not anotherman was left alive. Five of them were on their feet,flushed and swollen, suddenly called out of the firstsleep of drunkenness. The sixth had only risen uponhis elbow; he was deadly pale, and the blood-stainedbandage round his head told that he had recently beenwounded, and still more recently dressed. I rememberedthe man who had been shot and had run back among the woodsin the great attack, and doubted not that this was he.

　　The parrot sat, preening her plumage, on Long John'sshoulder. He himself, I thought, looked somewhat palerand more stern than I was used to. He still wore thefine broadcloth suit in which he had fulfilled hismission, but it was bitterly the worse for wear, daubedwith clay and torn with the sharp briers of the wood.

　　"So," said he, "here's Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers!Dropped in, like, eh? Well, come, I take that friendly."

　　And thereupon he sat down across the brandy cask andbegan to fill a pipe.

　　"Give me a loan of the link, Dick," said he; and then,when he had a good light, "That'll do, lad," he added;"stick the glim in the wood heap; and you, gentlemen,bring yourselves to! You needn't stand up for Mr.Hawkins; he'll excuse you, you may lay to that.And so, Jim"--stopping the tobacco--"here you were, andquite a pleasant surprise for poor old John. I see youwere smart when first I set my eyes on you, but thishere gets away from me clean, it do."

　　To all this, as may be well supposed, I made no answer.They had set me with my back against the wall, and Istood there, looking Silver in the face, pluckilyenough, I hope, to all outward appearance, but withblack despair in my heart.

　　Silver took a whiff or two of his pipe with greatcomposure and then ran on again.

　　"Now, you see, Jim, so be as you are here," sayshe, "I'll give you a piece of my mind. I've alwaysliked you, I have, for a lad of spirit, and the picterof my own self when I was young and handsome. I alwayswanted you to jine and take your share, and die agentleman, and now, my cock, you've got to. Cap'nSmollett's a fine seaman, as I'll own up to any day,but stiff on discipline. 'Dooty is dooty,' says he,and right he is. Just you keep clear of the cap'n.The doctor himself is gone dead again you--'ungratefulscamp' was what he said; and the short and the long ofthe whole story is about here: you can't go back toyour own lot, for they won't have you; and without youstart a third ship's company all by yourself, whichmight be lonely, you'll have to jine with Cap'n Silver."

　　So far so good. My friends, then, were still alive,and though I partly believed the truth of Silver'sstatement, that the cabin party were incensed at me formy desertion, I was more relieved than distressed bywhat I heard.

　　"I don't say nothing as to your being in our hands,"continued Silver, "though there you are, and you maylay to it. I'm all for argyment; I never seen goodcome out o' threatening. If you like the service,well, you'll jine; and if you don't, Jim, why, you'refree to answer no--free and welcome, shipmate; and iffairer can be said by mortal seaman, shiver my sides!"

　　"Am I to answer, then?" I asked with a very tremulousvoice. Through all this sneering talk, I was made tofeel the threat of death that overhung me, and mycheeks burned and my heart beat painfully in my breast.

　　"Lad," said Silver, "no one's a-pressing of you. Takeyour bearings. None of us won't hurry you, mate; timegoes so pleasant in your company, you see."

　　"Well," says I, growing a bit bolder, "if I'm tochoose, I declare I have a right to know what's what,and why you're here, and where my friends are."

　　"Wot's wot?" repeated one of the buccaneers in a deepgrowl. "Ah, he'd be a lucky one as knowed that!"

　　"You'll perhaps batten down your hatches till you'respoke to, my friend," cried Silver truculently to thisspeaker. And then, in his first gracious tones, hereplied to me, "Yesterday morning, Mr. Hawkins," saidhe, "in the dog-watch, down came Doctor Livesey with aflag of truce. Says he, 'Cap'n Silver, you're soldout. Ship's gone.' Well, maybe we'd been taking aglass, and a song to help it round. I won't say no.Leastways, none of us had looked out. We looked out,and by thunder, the old ship was gone! I never seen apack o' fools look fishier; and you may lay to that, ifI tells you that looked the fishiest. 'Well,' says thedoctor, 'let's bargain.' We bargained, him and I, andhere we are: stores, brandy, block house, the firewoodyou was thoughtful enough to cut, and in a manner ofspeaking, the whole blessed boat, from cross-trees tokelson. As for them, they've tramped; I don't knowwhere's they are."

　　He drew again quietly at his pipe.

　　"And lest you should take it into that head of yours,"he went on, "that you was included in the treaty,here's the last word that was said: 'How many are you,'says I, 'to leave?' 'Four,' says he; 'four, and one ofus wounded. As for that boy, I don't know where he is,confound him,' says he, 'nor I don't much care. We'reabout sick of him.' These was his words.

　　"Is that all?" I asked.

　　"Well, it's all that you're to hear, my son,"returned Silver.

　　"And now I am to choose?"

　　"And now you are to choose, and you may lay tothat," said Silver.

　　"Well," said I, "I am not such a fool but I know prettywell what I have to look for. Let the worst come tothe worst, it's little I care. I've seen too many diesince I fell in with you. But there's a thing or two Ihave to tell you," I said, and by this time I was quiteexcited; "and the first is this: here you are, in a badway--ship lost, treasure lost, men lost, your wholebusiness gone to wreck; and if you want to know who didit--it was I! I was in the apple barrel the night wesighted land, and I heard you, John, and you, DickJohnson, and Hands, who is now at the bottom of thesea, and told every word you said before the hour wasout. And as for the schooner, it was I who cut hercable, and it was I that killed the men you had aboardof her, and it was I who brought her where you'll neversee her more, not one of you. The laugh's on my side;I've had the top of this business from the first; I nomore fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if youplease, or spare me. But one thing I'll say, and nomore; if you spare me, bygones are bygones, and whenyou fellows are in court for piracy, I'll save you allI can. It is for you to choose. Kill another and doyourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness tosave you from the gallows."

　　I stopped, for, I tell you, I was out of breath, and tomy wonder, not a man of them moved, but all sat staringat me like as many sheep. And while they were stillstaring, I broke out again, "And now, Mr. Silver," Isaid, "I believe you're the best man here, and ifthings go to the worst, I'll take it kind of you to letthe doctor know the way I took it."

　　"I'll bear it in mind," said Silver with an accent socurious that I could not, for the life of me, decidewhether he were laughing at my request or had beenfavourably affected by my courage.

　　"I'll put one to that," cried the old mahogany-facedseaman--Morgan by name--whom I had seen in Long John'spublic-house upon the quays of Bristol. "It was himthat knowed Black Dog."

　　"Well, and see here," added the sea-cook. "I'll putanother again to that, by thunder! For it was thissame boy that faked the chart from Billy Bones. Firstand last, we've split upon Jim Hawkins!"

　　"Then here goes!" said Morgan with an oath.

　　And he sprang up, drawing his knife as if he hadbeen twenty.

　　"Avast, there!" cried Silver. "Who are you, TomMorgan? Maybe you thought you was cap'n here, perhaps.By the powers, but I'll teach you better! Cross me,and you'll go where many a good man's gone before you,first and last, these thirty year back--some to theyard-arm, shiver my timbers, and some by the board, andall to feed the fishes. There's never a man looked mebetween the eyes and seen a good day a'terwards, TomMorgan, you may lay to that."

　　Morgan paused, but a hoarse murmur rose from the others.

　　"Tom's right," said one.

　　"I stood hazing long enough from one," added another."I'll be hanged if I'll be hazed by you, John Silver."

　　"Did any of you gentlemen want to have it out with me?"roared Silver, bending far forward from hisposition on the keg, with his pipe still glowing in hisright hand. "Put a name on what you're at; you ain'tdumb, I reckon. Him that wants shall get it. Have Ilived this many years, and a son of a rum puncheon cockhis hat athwart my hawse at the latter end of it? Youknow the way; you're all gentlemen o' fortune, by youraccount. Well, I'm ready. Take a cutlass, him thatdares, and I'll see the colour of his inside, crutchand all, before that pipe's empty."

　　Not a man stirred; not a man answered.

　　"That's your sort, is it?" he added, returning his pipeto his mouth. "Well, you're a gay lot to look at,anyway. Not much worth to fight, you ain't. P'r'apsyou can understand King George's English. I'm cap'nhere by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the bestman by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemeno' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, andyou may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seena better boy than that. He's more a man than any pairof rats of you in this here house, and what I say isthis: let me see him that'll lay a hand on him--that'swhat I say, and you may lay to it."

　　There was a long pause after this. I stood straight upagainst the wall, my heart still going like a sledge-hammer, but with a ray of hope now shining in my bosom.Silver leant back against the wall, his arms crossed, hispipe in the corner of his mouth, as calm as though he hadbeen in church; yet his eye kept wandering furtively, andhe kept the tail of it on his unruly followers. They, ontheir part, drew gradually together towards the far end ofthe block house, and the low hiss of their whispering soundedin my ear continuously, like a stream. One after another,they would look up, and the red light of the torch wouldfall for a second on their nervous faces; but it was nottowards me, it was towards Silver that they turned their eyes.

　　"You seem to have a lot to say," remarked Silver,spitting far into the air. "Pipe up and let me hearit, or lay to."

　　"Ax your pardon, sir," returned one of the men; "you'repretty free with some of the rules; maybe you'll kindlykeep an eye upon the rest. This crew's dissatisfied;this crew don't vally bullying a marlin-spike; thiscrew has its rights like other crews, I'll make so freeas that; and by your own rules, I take it we can talktogether. I ax your pardon, sir, acknowledging you forto be captaing at this present; but I claim my right,and steps outside for a council."

　　And with an elaborate sea-salute, this fellow, a long,ill-looking, yellow-eyed man of five and thirty,stepped coolly towards the door and disappeared out ofthe house. One after another the rest followed hisexample, each making a salute as he passed, each addingsome apology. "According to rules," said one."Forecastle council," said Morgan. And so with oneremark or another all marched out and left Silver andme alone with the torch.

　　The sea-cook instantly removed his pipe.

　　"Now, look you here, Jim Hawkins," he said in a steadywhisper that was no more than audible, "you're withinhalf a plank of death, and what's a long sight worse,of torture. They're going to throw me off. But, youmark, I stand by you through thick and thin. I didn'tmean to; no, not till you spoke up. I was aboutdesperate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged intothe bargain. But I see you was the right sort. I saysto myself, you stand by Hawkins, John, and Hawkins'llstand by you. You're his last card, and by the livingthunder, John, he's yours! Back to back, says I. Yousave your witness, and he'll save your neck!"

　　I began dimly to understand.

　　"You mean all's lost?" I asked.

　　"Aye, by gum, I do!" he answered. "Ship gone, neck gone--that's the size of it. Once I looked into that bay, JimHawkins, and seen no schooner--well, I'm tough, but I gaveout. As for that lot and their council, mark me, they'reoutright fools and cowards. I'll save your life--if so beas I can--from them. But, see here, Jim--tit for tat--yousave Long John from swinging."

　　I was bewildered; it seemed a thing so hopeless he wasasking--he, the old buccaneer, the ringleader throughout.

　　"What I can do, that I'll do," I said.

　　"It's a bargain!" cried Long John. "You speak upplucky, and by thunder, I've a chance!"

　　He hobbled to the torch, where it stood propped amongthe firewood, and took a fresh light to his pipe.

　　"Understand me, Jim," he said, returning. "I've a headon my shoulders, I have. I'm on squire's side now. Iknow you've got that ship safe somewheres. How youdone it, I don't know, but safe it is. I guess Handsand O'Brien turned soft. I never much believed inneither of them. Now you mark me. I ask no questions,nor I won't let others. I know when a game's up, I do;and I know a lad that's staunch. Ah, you that's young--you and me might have done a power of good together!"

　　He drew some cognac from the cask into a tin cannikin.

　　"Will you taste, messmate?" he asked; and when I hadrefused: "Well, I'll take a drain myself, Jim," saidhe. "I need a caulker, for there's trouble on hand.And talking o' trouble, why did that doctor give me thechart, Jim?"

　　My face expressed a wonder so unaffected that he sawthe needlessness of further questions.

　　"Ah, well, he did, though," said he. "And there'ssomething under that, no doubt--something, surely,under that, Jim--bad or good."

　　And he took another swallow of the brandy, shaking hisgreat fair head like a man who looks forward to the worst.