Treasure Island
Adapted by H. Q. Mitchell - Marileni Malkogianni
Treasure Island
Adapted by H. Q. Mitchell - Marileni Malkogianni
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| ISBN: 978-960-443-474-9 | C2001009042-17105 |
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in
1850. His father wanted Robert to become an engineer, but illhealth forced him to choose another career, and he studied law.
Dissatisfied with the lifestyle this offered, he decided to become a
professional writer.
Treasure Island was published in 1883. It was his first success
and proved to Stevenson that he could be a successful writer.
Critics consider it a “coming of age” novel in which a young
person fights to become mature and self-confident. Stevenson’s
first idea for the novel came to him after he had spent a rainy
afternoon in the Scottish Highlands with his stepson drawing a
map and talking about pirates.
The most important message of the novel is that, if good
people trust and help each other, they will beat those who are
selfish and cruel.
Today the book is still in print and there have been over
50 film adaptations of the story, including Walt Disney’s 2007
animated version, Treasure Planet.
Stevenson is equally well-known for other books, particularly
the famous novels Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1883) and Kidnapped
(1886).
The adventure of Treasure Island started with a mysterious guest called the Captain. Jim Hawkins remembers the day the man arrived as if it was yesterday. It was the year 17–, and Jim was working at the ‘Admiral Benbow’ inn. The ‘Admiral Benbow’ was on the coast of England, in a lonely spot. The customers were usually local people, but this stranger was obviously not from any nearby town. He was tall, strong, and heavy, with dark brown skin. His long hair hung over the back of his dirty blue coat in a pigtail and there was an ugly white scar on his face. Behind him, he dragged an old chest. Jim supposed he had been a sailor once, and watched him curiously. “Much business here, madam?” he asked Jim’s mother, looking along the shore. “No, I’m afraid not!” Mrs Hawkins answered, sadly. The inn barely made enough money to support Jim and his mother, a widow. The sailor looked pleased. “I’ll stay here,” he said. “I’d like breakfast every morning, and a room from where I can watch the sea. You can call me the Captain,” he added. This was the only name for him they ever learned. The Captain rarely talked to them. He passed the time walking along the shore, or in his upstairs room, watching the sea. Once he gave Jim a silver coin, and told him to “watch out for a sailor with only one leg.” At first Jim thought that the Captain was lonely and was hoping for some other sailors to visit, but soon he realised that the Captain was afraid of this one-legged man. In fact, he avoided any sailor who came to the ‘Admiral Benbow’. In the evenings, however, the Captain often joined the locals downstairs in the inn, and told stories of his days at sea – stories of robbing and sinking ships, of bloody murders, and the horrible punishments that pirates used, such as making people walk the plank. His most frightening stories were about Captain Flint, a pirate famous in England and all over the world. Flint was dead
now, but he had robbed so many ships and murdered so many people that just hearing his name frightened the villagers. Jim was afraid that the Captain would keep people away from the inn. Once they got used to him, however, they found the Captain quite interesting. After all, nothing very exciting had ever happened until he came to the ‘Admiral Benbow.’ As for Jim, he was not afraid of the Captain. However, he often wondered about the onelegged man the Captain was watching for. This one-legged sailor seemed to be one of the two men that the Captain was afraid of. The other one was Dr Livesey. Dr Livesey was an old friend of Jim’s family. One evening he came to dinner. There were quite a few guests at the ‘Admiral Benbow’ that evening, all eating and talking together. The Captain was there too. Jim noticed the difference between the doctor, who had tidy clothes, a clean white wig and pleasant manners, and the Captain. As usual, their guest wore his dirty coat, and his white scar showed horribly on his red face. Suddenly, the Captain hit his hand on the table. This was the signal for people to stop talking, because he was ready to tell one of his stories. Silence fell over the room. Dr Livesey, however, ignored the Captain and continued talking with Mrs Hawkins. The Captain stared at him in surprise, then shouted: “Silence there!” “Were you addressing me, sir?” the doctor asked politely. “Yes, I was!” the Captain shouted back. To show he was serious, he pulled out a knife and pointed it at the doctor. “I have just one thing to say to you,” Dr Livesey replied, in a calm voice. “I am not just a doctor, but also a magistrate. Put that knife in your pocket right now, or you will be arrested immediately and hanged before the end of the month.” The Captain and Dr Livesey stared at each other for several long moments. Jim held his breath. Nobody had ever dared stand up to the Captain before! Then suddenly, with a short laugh, the Captain put his knife away and sat down. Dr Livesey turned to Jim’s mother and continued his conversation as if nothing had happened. The Captain stayed very quiet that evening.
Jim and his mother soon wished that the Captainwould leave the inn, because he never paid his rent. Whenever Jim’s mother asked for money, he looked very angry and she was too frightened to say anything to him. The Captain continued to give Jim a silver coin every month, however, to watch out for the one-legged man. But the winter months went by, cold and rainy, and few people came to the inn. Then early one January morning a stranger walked in the door. Two fingers were missing on his left hand, and he carried a sword. But he looked nervous rather than fierce. Jim asked the man if he wanted anything. “Is my mate Bill staying here?” he asked. “I don’t know your mate Bill,” Jim replied. “Our only guest is someone we call the Captain, and he is out walking.” “Well, my mate Bill was a captain once,” said the man with a short laugh. He took Jim tightly by the arm. “Come hide behind the door with me and we’ll give him a surprise!” Jim did not think the Captain would be happy to see this man at all. Suddenly the Captain walked through the door, slamming it. “Bill,” the stranger called out nervously, and the Captain turned and stared. “Black Dog!” he said, very pale as he sat down on a chair. “What do you want?” Black Dog let go of Jim and walked towards the Captain. “I’m here for the rest of the crew,” Black Dog replied. “We know you have Flint’s map, and now we’ve found you. We want our fair share.” The Captain stared at him, and then at Jim. “Get out of here!” he shouted. “And don’t listen in on us!” Jim didn’t need to be told twice. He ran to the kitchen, wondering what the men were talking about and what would happen next. Suddenly he heard the sound of fighting. Jim went to look, and saw Black Dog running out the door. He thought the Captain would chase him, but instead he sat
down. He looked ill: he was pale, sweaty, and shaking. “They’re coming for me,” he said. “I must get away!” He tried to get up, but felt dizzy and sat back down on the chair. “Who was that man, Black Dog?” Jim asked. The Captain explained: “Black Dog was a sailor on Captain Flint’s ship and I was first mate. We stole a fortune in gold, but Flint did not share it with the men. He buried it in a secret place and then he told us we must sail for more. Flint planned to go back for the treasure, but then he became sick. Before he died, he gave me a map. That’s what Black Dog and his friends want.” He grabbed Jim’s hand. “But I must get away! Help me bring my chest down from upstairs!” He stood up, but then with a strange sound, fell to the floor! Jim tried to wake him, but it was hopeless: the Captain was dead. Jim quickly called his mother and told her what the Captain had said. “The pirates are coming here!” he said. “We must run away immediately.” But Mrs Hawkins did not agree. “Dr Livesey and his friend Squire Trelawney are coming to visit,” she said. “They will be here soon with their servants and they will protect us. And that man” - she pointed to the Captain’s body - “owed me six months’ rent. We are poor and I must have the money!” Jim and his mother went upstairs and opened the Captain’s chest. There was a lot of rubbish in it, but eventually Mrs Hawkins found a bag of money. “I will only take what he owes me,” she said. But it was hard to count the money because it came from many different countries. Minutes went by and Jim wished his mother would just take all the money and leave. Then suddenly, they heard a long, low whistle from outside. They jumped with fright! “Let’s get out of here!” said Jim’s mother. “I’ll take the money I have.” Jim noticed a leather packet still lying in the chest. “And I’ll take this,” he said and they hurried out the door, running as fast as they could. “Quick – let’s hide under the bridge!” Jim cried. But his mother stopped. She was very pale. “I think I’m going to faint,” she whispered, and collapsed in
Jim’s arms. At the same time, Jim heard the pirates banging on the door of the Benbow. He dragged his mother under the bridge and hid her as best as he could.
From his hiding place, Jim heard the pirates breaking down the door of the ‘Admiral Benbow.’ A moment later, a voice shouted: “Bill’s dead!” Black Dog’s voice shouted back: “Never mind him! Search for the chest upstairs!” There were sounds of footsteps, and various things breaking. Then Jim heard: “Someone’s already looked through the chest, and they’ve taken the map!” “That boy must have it!” cried Black Dog. “He can’t be far away. Go and find him!” Now Jim was in trouble, because he couldn’t leave his mother, and the pirates would surely find them soon. While he was trying to think of what he could do, he heard the sound of horses coming. The pirates heard them too. Frightened, they ran out of the Benbow and disappeared. Jim came out of his hiding place and greeted Dr Livesey and his friend Squire Trelawney, along with Trelawney’s servants, Joyce and Redruth. Together they went back to the Benbow. The pirates had made a mess. Furniture was turned over and many things were broken. “This is terrible,” said the squire. He was a local landowner, plump and cheerful. Everybody liked him. “What on earth were they looking for?” “I believe I know, sir,” said Jim, and he gave Dr Livesey the packet he had taken from the Captain’s chest. Quickly he told them the Captain’s story. Dr Livesey showed the packet to the squire. “Suppose - just suppose - this is a clue to where Flint buried his treasure,” the doctor said. ‘‘How much do you think he hid there?” “How much?” exclaimed the squire. “If you found Flint’s treasure, you’d be the richest man in England.” Very carefully, the doctor opened the packet, and a map of an island fell out. It showed where to find the island, and safe places to anchor a ship. But the two men and Jim looked mostly at a red
X, beside which someone had written: “Treasure buried at this spot.” “Livesey,” said the squire, “You must give up your job at once. Tomorrow I will leave for the port of Bristol to find a ship and prepare it for our voyage. We’ll meet there, in three weeks. Hawkins will come along as cabin boy, and you shall be the ship’s doctor. We’ll find Flint’s treasure and afterwards, we’ll have enough money for the rest of our lives!” “Trelawney,” said the doctor. “I’ll go along with you, and so will Jim, I’m sure. There’s just one man I’m afraid of.” “Name the dog, sir!” cried the squire, very excited. “You, sir,” said the doctor. “You cannot keep your mouth shut. Suppose those fellows that attacked the inn learn where we are going. Do you think they will do nothing while we take the treasure? They want it too, and they know we have the map! For everyone’s safety, this voyage must remain a secret.” The squire promised not to say a word to anyone else about the real purpose of the voyage and left for Bristol. Before long, he found a ship. It was called the Hispaniola. However, sailing a ship on a long voyage was rough, difficult work, and often only the worst men were willing to do it. Finding a qualified crew was difficult, but then the squire got lucky. He wrote a letter to Dr Livesey, who read it to Jim.
Jim was delighted and immediately began packing for Bristol. He was more excited than he had ever been in his life. Only one thing worried him: that man Silver, who the squire had mentioned, had only one leg! And hadn’t the Captain been watching for a sailor with one leg?
chapter 4
It wasn’t long before Jim had a chance to meet Long John Silver. In two days he and Dr Livesey were in Bristol, aboard the Hispaniola. It was almost ready to sail, and Silver was busy in the ship’s kitchen, which was called a galley. When he walked in, Jim noticed that the galley was neat and in perfect order. So was Silver. He was a tall, strong man, with the leg cut off at the hip. Under his left arm was a crutch, which he used to help him move about. He hopped over to Jim like a bird, and held out his hand, smiling. “You must be the new cabin boy. I am pleased to meet you!” On his shoulder was a colourful parrot. “This is Captain Flint,” said Silver. “I named him after the famous pirate captain.”
“Pieces of eight!” the parrot shrieked suddenly. Jim jumped. “What are pieces of eight?” he asked. “They are Spanish coins,” Silver explained. “Flint robbed many Spanish ships, and he got thousands of Spanish coins.” He laughed and petted the parrot. “Perhaps Captain Flint here saw some of the treasure. He is over a hundred years old, and has sailed on many ships. Since I adopted him, however, his life has not been very exciting.” Silver went on to tell Jim of how he served in the Navy, then lost his leg, and ended up running an inn, just like Jim and his mother did. Jim thought he was the most interesting person he had ever met, and he soon forgot about the one-legged sailor that the Captain was so afraid of. After all, Silver was polite and kind, not at all like the rude, dirty pirates who had come to the Benbow. Jim decided he liked Silver very much, and they soon became friends. Finally, Jim left the galley and went to find the squire and the doctor. They were in the dining room talking to the ship’s captain, who was a tall, serious man, about forty-five years old. His name was Smollett. Captain Smollett and Squire Trelawney seemed to be having an argument. “I was told the purpose of this voyage was a secret, even from me,” the captain was saying. “That’s fine. But then I found out that every sailor on this ship has heard that we are going after treasure. They also know that you have a map of an island indicating where the treasure is buried. Are you sure they will stay honest when they know there is so much money at stake?” “I am sure I never told anyone about the map!” said the squire, looking puzzled. “Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t,” said Captain Smollett. “However, I will not go on this trip unless you do the following: you must keep all the weapons close to your cabin, along with your servants Joyce and Redruth, and there must be no more talk of treasure with the crew.” “I think you are worrying too much,” said Dr Livesey, “but we will do as you suggest.” He smiled at Trelawney, who was
still angry. “We are lucky to have such a careful and responsible captain.” Captain Smollett didn’t smile at the compliment. Instead he looked at Jim, who was listening. “What are you doing here, standing around?” he said sharply. “Go and find some work to do!” As Jim hurried away, he heard Captain Smollett add to Livesey and Trelawney: “I won’t have any favourites aboard my ship.” Jim decided that he disliked Captain Smollett just as much as Squire Trelawney did. But soon he forgot the captain’s harsh words. Early the next morning, the Hispaniola lifted anchor and left port. The voyage began well, and even Captain Smollett was pleased with how the ship sailed. The crew was also happy, because Squire Trelawney had spent a lot of money buying the very best supplies he could. These included a barrel of apples, as fresh fruit helped keep the crew healthy. Captain Smollett, of course, said that the squire was too friendly with the men, and that no good would come of it. But as it turned out, some good did come of the apple barrel. In fact, it helped save the lives of Jim and all the honest men on the ship.
One evening after he had finished his duties, Jim decided that hewould like an apple.When he gotto the apple barrel, however, he discovered that most of the apples were gone, and he had to climb right into the barrel in order to find one at the bottom. Once inside the barrel, the movement of the ship, and the sound of the water, made Jim sleepy. He had just started to fall asleep, when he suddenly felt the barrel shake as a heavy man leaned againstit.Jim was aboutto jump out,when he heard Silver’s voice saying: “Flint was captain, and I was second mate. I lost my leg when we took that last ship, but I got nine hundred pounds out of it. Old Black Dog got twelve hundred. He spent it all within a year, however, and became a beggar. So did the rest of Flint’s crew, and that’swhy they are here, looking for another chance. Gentlemen of fortune don’t usually plan forthe future. But take my advice:when this cruise is over,save yourshare ofthe money. Then you’ll be able to livewell all yourlife.” Jim quickly understood what was happening. Silver was trying to convince one of the crew members to become a pirate. That’s what he meant by ‘gentleman of fortune.’ Then, another voice was heard; itwasthat of Mr Hands, anothersailor: “How long do we have to keep pretending? Why don’t we take overthe ship right now?I’m sick of taking ordersfrom Smollett.” “Use yourbrain,” Silverreplied. “CaptainSmollettknowswhere the island is, and we don’t. Also, one of his friends has the treasure map, and you don’t know where that map is, do you? So the smart thing to do is let Smollett sail the ship to the island and find the treasure for us. Once he does, we will kill them all, take the gold, and sail away on the ship.” “And you will make a great captain!” added the other man, George Merry. “Why thank you,” said Silver. “Now get me an apple out of that barrel,will you?”
Jimfrozewithterror,butthensomebodyshouted,“Landahead!” Silver, Hands, and Merry got up and ran to get a look at the island. As soon as he was sure they were all gone, Jim climbed out of the barrel, his heart beating fast. He had liked Silver; he had thought he was his friend! But now he knew who Silverreally was. Jim went to the front of the ship, where he found Captain Smollett, Dr Livesey, and Squire Trelawney, discussing where to anchor the Hispaniola. Silver was there too, offering his advice. He said hello to Jim and gave him a friendly smile. How could he be the same cruel pirate whowas going to take the treasure and cut theirthroats? Jim walked quietly up to Livesey. “Doctor,” he said quickly, “you and Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett must go immediately to your cabin, and then send for me.I have terrible news!” A few minutes later, Jim joined the captain, the squire and the doctorin the privacy ofthe cabin.Above them,therewas noise and excited talk asthe crewprepared to anchor.While Jim told hisstory as quickly as he could, none of the three men in the cabin showed any fear, but listened carefully. When he was done they thanked him. ThesquireturnedtoCaptainSmollett.“Youwereright,andIwas wrong,” he said. “I admitIwas a fool, and Iwait for your orders.” “Iwasfoolish, too,”Captain Smolletreplied. “I had no idea that the crewwasplanning this.That Silvermust be a remarkable leader. Anyway, here’s the situation as I see it: we can’t turn back, because they will attack us immediately. We have the map, and they don’t, so we have time until the treasure is found. Finally, there are still honest men aboard,whom we can trust.” “Yes,” said the Squire, “I trust Joyce and Redruth with my life, andAbraham Gray,who I hired before meeting Silver.” Quickly the men formed a plan. Then they returned to the deck and acted as if nothing had happened. The Hispaniola’s anchor dropped into the water, and the crew cheered. Jim looked towards Treasure Island. It was covered in dark woods and waves crashed onto the shore. He had wanted for so long to arrive here, but as he looked at the island he found himself hating the place.
Captain Smollett’s plan was to let Silver and his men go ashore and rest. Himself, the squire and the doctor would stay on the ship. They thought of taking the Hispaniola somewhere else, but there was no wind and they could not sail away. Plus, some of the pirates had stayed on board, and that was one more thing the men had to deal with. So, they decided to wait for Silver to act first. Jim, however, didn’t want to just sit and wait. Without telling his friends, he secretely grabbed a pistol and joined Silver’s crew going to the island. As soon as the boat touched the shore, he jumped out and ran as fast as he could into the woods to get away from the pirates! Jim didn’t stop until he thought he was far from the pirates. Then he slowed down and began to look around. He was at the bottom of a steep hill. Then he noticed something jump behind a tree. He wasn’t sure if it was a bear, a monkey, or a man, but it moved with the speed of a wild animal. Whatever it was, Jim wanted to get away from it, so he started running again! But the creature was too quick for him. Then Jim saw it was a man, though he was dressed in rags, had long, untidy hair, and looked wild. No longer afraid, the boy took out his pistol and walked towards the stranger. To his surprise, the man fell on his knees and lifted his arms. “Have mercy,” he said, “my name is Ben Gunn, and I haven’t seen another man in three years.” “Three years!” cried Jim. “Were you shipwrecked?” “No,” replied Ben Gunn. “I was marooned.” Marooning was a horrible punishment used by pirates. A man was left alone on a deserted island with a few supplies, where he then had to survive on his own. Ben Gunn put his hands together and begged: “You haven’t got any cheese, have you? I’ve been dreaming of cheese for three years.” Although Ben Gunn was strange looking, he seemed harmless. Jim decided to be friendly with him.
“I haven’t got any cheese with me, but I will bring you some later from my ship.” Ben Gunn smiled. Then suddenly they heard gunfire coming from far off. “The pirates!” cried Jim. “They must be attacking the ship.” “Pirates?” asked Ben Gunn, standing up suddenly. “Has Flint’s crew come back? Are you with them?” “I’m not a pirate,” said Jim. “Nor is our captain. But some of Flint’s crew are with us, and they want to steal our ship. Their leader is Long John Silver.” “Silver!” cried Ben Gunn. “I knew him. You are in serious trouble, my young friend.” “I know,” said Jim. He took a deep breath. “Will you help us fight Silver? If you do, I will ask my friends to take you home to England with us.” Ben Gunn grabbed Jim’s hand and shook it. “Yes! Ben Gunn will save you! I’m the king of this island, the richest king you’ll ever meet!” Jim thought Ben Gunn must be slightly crazy. “I hear guns again,” he said. “I must go back.” He added curiously: “Did you really sail with Captain Flint?” As they were walking, Ben Gunn told Jim his story. “When I was your age, I was honest and good,” he said. “But I wanted adventure, and so I joined Flint’s pirate crew. I didn’t know then what a wicked man he was. I was there when he came to this island. He took the treasure and six of the crew with him, and the rest of us stayed on the ship. A few hours later, he came back alone. The other six were dead. He killed them so nobody would know where the treasure was buried! After Flint died, I joined another ship. Years later, as we were sailing by this island, I told the crew that Flint’s treasure was buried here and that we should go ashore and find it. They agreed and we searched for three days, but we found nothing. It was too well hidden. They were so angry with me that they decided to leave me here alone. How I regretted becoming a pirate! But if I ever get back to England, I’m going to be an honest man again, Jim, I promise.” “Look!” interrupted Jim. “I see the flag of England flying above
those trees. My friends must have come ashore!” The flag was flying from a small fort on top of a hill. Ben Gunn explained to Jim that Flint had built it before he left the island. It was very strong and a few men could hold back many others. Jim began to walk towards the fort when he heard Ben Gunn call out: “Jim! I almost forgot. If you ever need to get to your ship, I have a little boat hidden by the tall rock on the shore. You can use it! Now don’t forget to tell your friends about me!” “I won’t!” promised Jim. Then he heard Dr Livesey calling out his name.
Chapter 7
Jim’s friends were relieved to see him alive and well. There were six of them: The doctor, the squire and the captain, plus Hunter, Joyce, and Abraham Gray. The doctor told Jim: “We decided we could not defend the ship against so many enemies. I saw this fort marked on Flint’s map, so we filled a boat with supplies and started for the shore. Here, we are safe.” The fort was made of thick tree trunks, and there were loopholes in the walls. These were small slits, through which the defenders could aim their guns and shoot down any attackers. Captain Smollett added: “But you must not run away again, Jim. We need all the hands we can get.” He divided the men into two watches: Jim, the doctor and Gray on one, and the squire, Hunter, and Joyce on the other. “The pirates are sure to attack in the morning,” said Smollett. “However, if we work together, we may win the fight.” That night, each watch took turns standing guard while the other slept.
“Flag of truce!” yelled a man. The voice woke Jim out of a deep sleep. He saw that the other men were already awake. Then the squire said: “It’s Silver himself!” Jim immediately jumped up and ran to see what was happening. Captain Smollett went to the door of the fort. ‘‘What do you want with your flag of truce?” he called out. “It’s Captain Silver, sir, come to make a deal,” he said, holding a white flag and walking slowly towards the fort on his one leg. “Captain Silver! Never heard of him,” said Smollett. “I had a cook called Silver once.” Silver laughed. “Well, the lads elected me Captain, after you ran away from the ship. I’m here to speak for them. We want the treasure, and we’ll have it, one way or another. And I assume that you want to get off this island alive. You have the map, don’t you?” “Maybe we do, maybe we don’t,” the captain replied. “Oh, we know you have it,” said Silver. “We want that map. Here’s the deal; give it to us, and I’ll give you two choices: you can sail with us, and we’ll leave you somewhere safe ashore, or you can stay here, and we’ll tell the next ship we see to come and pick you up. That’s it. Agree to our offer, and you live. Refuse and you’ll get nothing more from me but bullets.” “Now listen to my offer,” Captain Smollett replied. “If you come to me one by one, unarmed, I will take you prisoner and sail for England. There, I promise you will all get a fair trial. If you don’t accept that, you can all go hang. You can’t find the treasure without the map. You can’t sail the ship - you will get lost on the ocean. Besides that, there’s no wind. That’s all I have to say. Now get out of here.” Silver’s eyes burned with anger. He spat on the ground. “That’s what I think of you!” he shouted. “Before an hour goes by, I’ll knock your old fort to the ground! Those that die will be the lucky ones.” Then he limped away and vanished into the forest. Captain Smollett turned around and saw all the men in the fort watching. “Go back to your posts!” he shouted. “What if the pirates attacked us from the back while you were watching Silver?”
He paused. “They will certainly attack in the next few minutes. I believe we can fight them off, but you must stay at your posts and shoot them before they get near the fort! Jim,” he added, “you and I are not very good at shooting, so we will help the others load their guns.” Everybody was serious now. Nervously, they pointed their guns out of the loopholes, and waited. Suddenly, several shots were fired at the fort. But none of them could get through the thick walls. Then they heard a loud yell, and a bunch of pirates came running towards them. Squire Trelawney and the doctor began firing. Two pirates fell, but the others kept on coming towards the fort. Jim loaded their guns as fast as he could, but the gunfire could not keep the pirates back. Soon, they started climbing up the walls of the fort. “Jim, take a sword!” cried Captain Smollett. “We must leave the fort and fight them in the open!” Jim immediately grabbed a sword and ran outside. He found himself face to face with a pirate in a red cap. It was Mr Hands. Hands’ sword almost struck him, but Jim jumped to one side. Then he slipped and rolled down a hill. By the time he got up, he realised his friends had won the fight. The men were much more skilled with their swords than the pirates. Those who were not dead or injured had run off. However, there was a price for the victory. Joyce had been shot dead, Hunter was unconscious. And the squire was kneeling beside the captain. “Captain Smollett is wounded!” he cried.
Captain Smollett’s wounds looked bad, but fortunately they were not life-threatening. While the doctor took care of him and the others, Jim and the squire cooked dinner outside. They could hear the cries of the injured men clearly. But at least they were safe from the pirates for the moment. Plus, they had killed five of them. “That leaves four of us to nine of them,” cried the Captain. “That’s better than six to fourteen!” Later, Jim told the doctor about Ben Gunn. Dr Livesey was pleased. “I think Ben Gunn can help us,” he told Jim. “Now that we have taken care of the wounded, I will go to talk to him. And I will take this nice piece of cheese along for him.” The doctor set off alone. Jim was disappointed. He had hoped Dr Livesey would take him along to see Ben Gunn. Of course, they needed people to defend the fort, especially now that Captain Smollett was injured. But the day got hotter and hotter, and Jim grew more and more bored. Once again he had to sit and watch while the adults made all the decisions. It didn’t seem fair. Then he remembered the boat that Ben Gunn had told him about. It might be useful to them. Shouldn’t he go and check if it was really there? But he was sure the squire would never let him go. Well, then, the only thing he could do was slip away when no-one was looking. Once his mind was made up, Jim thought no more about the matter—not even that there were now only two uninjured men to guard the fort. He quickly grabbed a bit of bread and a couple of pistols, and sneaked away. In a few minutes Jim was at the shore. He saw the ship, anchored on the calm sea. On the ship was Mr Hands in his red cap. There was also one more pirate on board, but the rest were camped on the shore. Jim was careful to stay out of sight. Then he saw the tall rock that Ben Gunn had told him about. The boat was there. It was made from animal skins stretched over a small wooden frame. It wasn’t a very good boat, and it was very small. Only one
person would be able to fit in it. Still, it gave Jim an idea. When darkness fell, he could take the boat over to the ship, and cut the anchor rope. Then the ship would float away and get stuck on a beach somewhere where the pirates couldn’t find it. Jim wondered if he should go back to the fort, because his friends would be wondering where he was. But this idea seemed too good to give up. He relaxed until it was sunset, eating his bread and taking a nap. When it became dark, he carefully pushed the small boat into the water. It was very difficult to get it to go where he wanted, as it never went in a straight line. However, the wind pushed Jim towards the anchored ship. He couldn’t see anybody there, but when he came closer, he could hear voices. They sounded angry. Obviously, the two pirates on board were not watching for any visitors. Jim approached the anchor rope, and when he was close enough, began cutting it with a small knife. It was not easy, but finally he managed to do it! Immediately, the ship began moving towards the tiny boat. In a second, it would crush it. Thinking quickly, Jim grabbed the other end of the anchor rope, and climbed on board. At the same moment, the Hispaniola struck the little boat and sank it. Jim was now trapped with the two pirates on board. But at least he hadn’t drowned. He could hear sounds from the cabin quite clearly now. There were loud voices, and banging, and the sound of things breaking. Curious, Jim walked softly up to a cabin window. Inside he saw the two pirates wrestling on the floor. Suddenly, one grabbed a broken bottle and stabbed the other one with it. The man fell to the ground, bleeding. The other, Mr Hands, got up and began walking away. But then, the Hispaniola suddenly hit a wave and leaned to one side. Mr Hands slipped on the blood and fell, hitting his head on a table. Jim didn’t bother to see if he got up again. He ran and hid himself on the deck, not daring to move. At first he was terrified, but then nothing happened, and slowly he became more and more sleepy, until his eyes closed.
Jim woke suddenly with the morning sun shining down on him. There was little wind, and the Hispaniola was almost motionless on the water. For a moment he wasn’t sure where he was, but then he remembered the fight between the two pirates. Where were they? Were one or both of them dead? Jim had to find out. Cautiously, he came out of his hiding place and walked softly to the back of the ship. Once more he looked through the cabin window.There he sawMrHands,fast asleep or unconscious.Blood wasspilledeverywhere.ThepirateHandshadstabbedlookeddead. Feeling more confident, Jim went into the cabin and walked up to Hands. “Wake up, Mr Hands!” he said, in his loudest and firmest voice. Handstried to getup.But hislegwas badly cut, and he couldnot move much. “What do youwant?” he asked Jim. “I am taking command of this ship,” Jim said. “I’ll be your captain, until Mr Smollett arrives.” “Captain Hawkins!” said Mr Hands. “At your service, sir! Do you have any orders?” “Yes,I do,” said Jim. “Youwillsailthisship somewherewhere no one can find it, and put it ashore. We will work together to do this. You haven’t got a choice anyway, because ifwe don’tsailthisship, it will hit a rock sooner orlater.” “Why, certainly, Captain Hawkins,” said Hands. “You seem like a very clever boy, and I think you are right. And like you said, I haven’t got any choice.” Jim thought he was doing a good job as the new captain of the Hispaniola. Any guilt he felt because he had deserted his friends disappeared.Howpleased theywould bewhen he told them he had taken back the ship! “Very well then, Mr Hands,” he said calmly. ‘‘The first thingwe need to do is put up a smallsail.” “I can help you set the sail,” said the man. “But listen, Captain. I’ve hurtmy leg badly, and I’mfeeling quiteweak.Do you think you
could go to the ship’s cabin and get a bandage and some food?” Mr Hands didn’t look Jim in the eyes as he said this. In fact, he looked so sly thatJim wassure hewas planning something. “Certainly,” Jim said. “If you help me, I’ll help you. That’s only fair.” Quickly he went down into the cabin. When he was sure Hands couldn’t see him, he watched him through a window. He sawthe pirate pick up a long knife and hide it in hisshirt. Jim realised that Hands intended to kill him. ‘But right now he needs me to sail the ship,’ he thought, ‘so I should be safe until it’s ashore.’ So Jim grabbed some food and cloths and went back on the deck. He helped Hands bandage his leg, and they both ate something. Then they worked togetherto put up a sail. Jim steered the shipandfeltlike a realsailor.After anhour orso,Handspointed towardsthe shore. “Doyousee thatbeachoverthere?”he said. “The shipwillbe safe there. That’swherewe’ll put it ashore.” When they approached the beach, however, Jim saw that there were many rocks in the water. It was very difficult to get to the beach without hitting one, but Mr Hands told him where to go and he steered the ship the right way. Because he had to concentrate very hard and follow all of Hands’ directions, he had completely forgotten aboutthe knife.Just before the ship hit the sand, a funny feeling made him turn around. TherewasMrHandsbehindhim,holding the knife!Jimjumped aside and took out his pistols. He tried to shoot but nothing happened. The gun powder was wet. Suddenly, the Hispaniola hit the sand and leaned on itsside. The mastswere nowoverthewater. Moving quickly, Jim climbed up the mast. Handsstared up at him, surprised. Then he put his knife between his teeth and he began climbing the mast too. But because of hisinjured leg, he could only climb very slowly. This gave Jim time to clean his guns and load them with fresh powder. Hands stopped, took his knife out of his mouth, and spoke. “Captain Hawkins,” he said, “I thought I could get the better of you, but you’re too clever for me. You’ve won this game, I admit it.” Jim laughed aloud and suddenly,Handsthrewthe knife towards
him. It struck Jim in the shoulder. At that moment, Jim fired both guns.Hitin the chest,the man fell offthe mast and into the sea.The two gunsfell out of Jim’s hands and joined the pirate at the bottom of the sea.
Shocked at what he had just done, Jim started to shiver. The knife fell out of his shoulder and the boy was relieved to see that his wound was not too serious. He could see Mr Hands’ body lying below in the water. One thing was certain: he would not bother Jim anymore. Carefully, the boy climbed down the mast. Although he had almost been killed, he felt very pleased with himself. He had taken the Hispaniola back! His shoulder hurt, but imagining his friends’ happy faces when they heard the news, made Jim feel better. He immediately set off to find them. Jim walked for many hours. When he finally found the fort it was night-time. Everything was quiet. Nobody called out to him; ‘They must all be asleep,’ thought Jim. ‘That’s not very smart… If I was a pirate, I could walk right into the fort and nobody would know! Why didn’t Captain Smollett tell someone to stay awake and watch? I hope he’s alright.’ Suddenly, Jim felt worried. Then he heard someone snoring, and he smiled. His friends were sleeping peacefully in the fort! Why not go quietly to bed and give them a surprise when they woke up the next morning? Jim walked into the fort. It was very dark and he could see nothing. He almost tripped over somebody’s leg, but the person didn’t wake up. Jim was trying to figure out where he was when a loud, high voice broke the silence: “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!” Silver’s parrot! Jim tried to run and bumped into someone in the darkness. Arms closed around him. He was trapped. “Bring a torch!” called Silver’s voice. Someone did, and in the light Jim saw his worst fears come true. Six pirates were in the fort, and there was no sign of Doctor Livesey, Captain Smollett, or the squire! “Hello Jim, what a pleasant surprise,” Long John Silver said. “I wasn’t expecting a visit. Did you decide to become a gentleman of fortune?” He looked closely at Jim. Jim was terrified, but he tried to look calm. Silver laughed. “I suppose now you’ll have to join my crew, whether you like it or not,” he said. “After you deserted
Captain Smollett and Dr Livesey, they told me they didn’t care if you lived or died.” Jim felt relieved. He expected that his friends would be angry with him - but at least they were alive! Silver had not killed them all. “Where are my friends?” asked the boy. “They are somewhere in the woods,” Silver answered. “Yesterday Dr Livesey came to see us with a flag of truce. He said: ‘The ship’s gone - we need to talk.’ I looked out, and he was right! Where it went, I don’t know. But your friends gave us this fort and all their supplies - and something else. In exchange we agreed not to attack them if we see them. You weren’t included in the deal, though. It looks like you’re in a bad position, Jim. No friends and nowhere to go.” Silver smiled. Jim held his head high. “You may think you can scare me, Long John Silver,” he said. “But you can’t. It’s you who’s in a bad position. No ship, no treasure, and half your crew dead. And you know who caused it all? I did! The night you were discussing the plot with Mr Hands and George Merry, I was in the apple barrel and I heard you. By the way, Hands is at the bottom of the sea now. And as for the ship, I cut the anchor rope, and I hid it where you’ll never find it again. It was me.” Jim paused for breath. He tried to sound just like Captain Smollett when he challenged Silver. “You can kill me if you like. You’ve already committed enough crimes to get you hanged. But if you spare my life, I will defend you at your trial for piracy. I’ll save you if I can.” No one spoke for a moment. Then George Merry shouted: “Kill him! He’s caused us too much trouble already!” “Shut your mouth!” shouted Silver, “I’m still Captain around here!” He smiled at Jim. “I always thought you were smart, Jim. You’re still welcome to join my crew. But you’re wrong about one thing. We do have the treasure. Or we will very soon.” Jim stared in amazement. Silver was holding up the treasure map!
Jim was puzzled.Why did Dr livesey give Silver the map? He also didn’t understand why hisfriends would give up their safe fort and live in the woods instead. On the other hand, the pirates were also in trouble. There were only six of them left, and they couldn’t go anywhere without the ship. But what if they managed to find it? Jim was sure that Silver would kill all of them immediately. He didn’tsleep that night. The next morning, Jim was surprised to see Dr Livesey come into the fort. This was part of the deal he had made with Silver. He had agreed to take care of some pirates who were sick with fever. Jim went quickly to talk to him because he believed that the doctor would be angry with him for running away. “I’m sorry I left you,” he said. Then he told the doctor of his adventure and where the Hispaniola was ashore. Dr Livesey looked at him, surprised and pleased. “Jim, it seems like you save us all the time,” he said. “First you heard Silver in the apple barrel, and then you found Ben Gunn. Now, you’ve got the ship for us.” “But Silver has the map!” Jim said, hoping the doctor would explain why. Just then, Long John Silver came over to them and they stopped talking. “I see you have met our guest, Doctor. I have treated him well. Of course, he will come with us when we go for the treasure, just to make sure there are no problems.” Silver meant Jim would be a hostage - as long as he was with the pirates, the others would not dare to attack. Dr Livesey smiled. “I wouldn’t be in a hurry to look for that treasure, ifIwere you,” he said. “But if you have to, be prepared for trouble when you find it.” Dr Livesey left without saying anything more. Jim was very confused. So was Silver, it seemed. He looked worried. “Jim,” he said suddenly. “You said that youwould defend me ifI was on trial. Will you keep that promise?”
“Of course Iwill,” said Jim, proudly. “YouareoneofthebestmenIknow,”Silversaid.Jimfeltflattered even though he knew he shouldn’t trust him. “Listen,’’continued Silver, “Idon’tknowwhatthedoctormeansby ‘prepare fortrouble.’ If I don’t find that treasure soon, my crewwill turn against me. But whatever happens, Jim, I’ll try to save yourlife. I know you’ll try to save mine, too.” Jim was amazed. One minute Silver wanted to kill him, and the next hewanted to defend him. Later, Silver,Jim, and the remaining piratesset offto look forthe treasure. They all carried guns except for Jim, who was a prisoner. Silver had the map. On the map, Flint had left a series of clues that led to the treasure. First, they had to find a tall tree on a hill. They found the hill, but how would they know which tree was the right one?When they reached the top, however,someone let out a shout. The othersran to look. Under one treewas a skeleton! “This has been here for a long time,” said Silver. “His clothes have all rotted away. He was probably one of Flint’s crew!” Jim remembered Ben Gunn’sstory. Six men had comewith Flint on the island - all of them were killed. Here was one of them. The other pirates became very quiet. “If Flint saw us here, we would be dead men,” Silver said thoughtfully. The pirates looked scared and he laughed. “Now, cheer up!Thisisn’tjust a skeleton; it’s a sign to help us. See, the feet are pointingwhichway to go next.” Silverstood atthe feet ofthe skeleton and looked straight ahead. “I see it!” he cried. “Ahead is another hill. The treasure is buried at the top. It’s all here on the map.” The sight of the skeleton had frightened the pirates, but now they were excited. The group began to hurry towards the distant hill. Silver, with only one leg, had a hard time keeping up. “Hey! Wait for me!” he called after the others, but they didn’t. Jim and Silver struggled to climb the last part of the hill. Jim remembered the treasure map, itsredX marking the spotwhere theywere now. “Here it is! Here it is!” the pirates cried, ahead of them. Then, suddenly, there was complete silence. Silver, breathing heavily, finally reached the top. The other pirates were standing there, staring down. In a moment, Jim saw why. Below them was a deep
hole.Abroken shovel lay at the bottom, beside an empty chest. They were too late. Somebody else had already taken the treasure!
chapter 12
Silver was the first to get over the shock. He took Jim’s arm and quickly stepped away from the others. The pirates jumped into the hole and began to dig with their fingers. George Merry found two coins, which he held up to Silver. “This is Flint’s treasure?” he shouted. “This is the thousands of pounds you promised us?” “Keep digging,” Silver said. “Maybe you’ll find another couple of coins. Feel free to keep them.” Jim admired his courage. The disappointment of the pirates was terrible. But they did not seem to know what to do. Finally, Merry faced the others.
“Friends,” he said, “Silver lied to us. There’s no treasure. Maybe he took it all. Now he’s making fun of us! And who’s his only friend? That boy, who has ruined almost everything. We should kill them both right now. Who’s - ” But before he could finish, there was a shot from the trees and he fell down dead. Then Silver took out his gun and fired on his own crew. Another man fell. The other three turned and ran. Dr Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Ben Gunn walked out of the trees, guns smoking. “Greetings, gentlemen,” said Silver. “You came just in time to save me and Jim! I am very thankful to you.” Now that he had lost the treasure, and his crew had run away, Silver had decided to be friends with the honest men once again. He even smiled at Ben Gunn, who looked terrified of him. The last time they had seen each other, they were both crew on Captain Flint’s ship. Now Dr Livesey could fill in the rest of the story, and reveal its hero, the marooned Ben Gunn. Alone on the island, Ben Gunn had nothing to do except explore. One day, he found the same skeleton that Jim and Silver had just seen on the hill. This pointed him to the treasure, which he dug up from its hiding place and carried to his home in the caves. All this happened about a year before the Hispaniola came to Treasure Island. When Dr Livesey met Ben Gunn, he learned about the true location of Flint’s treasure. Realising the map was useless, he happily gave it to Silver as part of their truce. All that remained was to rescue Jim from the pirates. They raced to the treasure site ahead of Silver and his crew, and waited for them there. “We were worried the pirates would kill you before we could get you away,” said the squire. “I would never let anyone hurt Jim!” Silver cried out. He was trying to earn their trust. “Jim, you must come and see the treasure,” the doctor said. “Mr Silver, you may come with us as a prisoner.” Together they went to Ben Gunn’s cave, where they found Captain Smollett resting. He was feeling much better and he smiled at Jim. “I heard you got my ship back for me,” he said. “Soon, we will go home.”
It took three days to load Flint’s gold onto the Hispaniola. What a sight it was! English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese gold coins were all mixed together, along with strange pieces from lands in Asia. Jim noticed Silver looking at it greedily. He was so near to the treasure, and now he was losing it forever! But Silver never let his disappointment show. He was always polite, friendly and helpful in every way. It was as if he was once again the ship’s cook, and nothing had happened at all. At last, the treasure was on the ship and they were ready to go back home. The three surviving pirates were left on the island, with some food and gunpowder and the Hispaniola sailed for England. Along the way, though, they had to stop at a port in Spanish America to get supplies. It was there that Silver escaped, taking a bag full of coins with him. Jim was glad he was gone. Nobody could sleep peacefully when a pirate as clever and dangerous as Silver was on board. And so the adventure ended. They heard no more of Long John Silver. He probably lived his life out quietly in some remote port, as he had advised his ‘gentlemen of fortune’ to do some time before. Captain Smollett retired from the sea. Ben Gunn spent all his share of the treasure in a month, and then begged Dr Livesey for more help. The doctor gave him a room and enough money to live on, and he spent the rest of his life telling stories of pirates and hidden gold. As for Jim, he never wanted to see Treasure Island again. But sometimes, it came back to him in his dreams. He would wake up in the middle of the night still hearing the sound of waves crashing on the shore and the sharp voice of Captain Flint shrieking: “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”
1. Why do you think the Captain chose to stay at the ‘Admiral Benbow’
inn?
2. Is an inn a suitable place for a child to grow up? Why? / Why not?
3. Jim notices a big difference between the Captain’s and Dr Livesey’s
appearance. Do you think it is right to judge people by their
appearance? Why? / Why not?
4. Why do you think the Captain is so afraid of the one-legged sailor?
1. How would you feel if someone borrowed something from you, such
as a DVD or money, and did not return it? How long would you wait
before saying something about it? What would you say?
2. Jim’s mother only tried to take the money that the Captain owed her
from the dead man’s chest. Was she right or wrong to do so? Why?
3. The Captain kept a big secret until he died. Why do some people have
secrets?
4. What do you think will happen next? Will the pirates find Jim and his
mother or will they manage to escape?
1. How would you feel if someone broke into your house?
2. What do you think will be the best and the worst part of Jim’s life as a
cabin boy? Give examples.
3. Jim and his friends are going after Flint’s treasure. What are the
dangers they might face at sea?
4. Do you think the men will be able to find the treasure?
Why? / Why not?
1. Would you like to find hidden treasure, like that belonging to Captain
Flint? What would you do with it?
2. Jim dislikes Captain Smollett because he is too strict. Do you think that
makes him less good as a captain? Are things always as they seem?
3. Smollett says that he won’t have any favourites aboard his ship. How
would you feel if someone is a favourite in class?
4. Do you think that the one-legged man that the Captain was afraid of
and Long John Silver is the same person? What is your opinion of
Long John Silver? Is Jim right to consider him a friend?
1. Do you think Jim was right to tell his friends what he heard in the
apple barrel? Why?/Why not?
2. Who would you want to be with you at a moment of danger? Family?
A friend? Why?
3 . What sort of adventures might Jim and his friends have on the
island?
1. Jim thinks that Ben Gunn is slightly crazy. Do you agree? Why? / Why
not?
2. What would you do if you were in Jim’s position when he met the wild
man? Would you stay and talk to him or run away? Why?
3. Ben Gunn has been alone on Treasure Island for three years. If
something like that happened to you, what would you do to keep your
mind in good condition?
4. Do you think Jim and his friends should stay in the fort? Why? / Why not?
1. What do you think of Captain Smollett’s attitude towards Long John
Silver?
2. What do you think of Silver’s offer to the men?
3. Now that Smollett is badly wounded, who do you think should be
the new leader? Why?
1. Jim Hawkins doesn’t want to sit and watch while the others make all
the decisions. Is it easy to be patient when you want something very
much? Why? / Why not?
2. What do you think of Jim’s decision to leave the fort and go back to
the Hispaniola?
3. If you see two people fighting should you try to stop them? Why? / Why
not?
4. What do you think will happen to Jim next? Will the pirates discover
him? What will they do?
1. Jim gave Mr Hands the chance to do something good. Do you think
his decision was right? Why? / Why not?
2. The Hispaniola went into the sand. Do you think that was good or
bad for Jim? Why?
3. Jim has been injured by a knife. Do you think he will be alright?
What will he do next?
1. Long John Silver tries to frighten Jim. We often call such behaviour
bullying. What sort of person tries to bully someone?
2. Jim does not let Silver control him. Do you think he is right or wrong
to do so? What is the best way to react to a bully?
3. Do you think that Jim was right to tell Silver what he had done?
Why? / Why not?
4. How do you think Long John Silver got the treasure map?
5. What will Jim’s friends do now?
1. Do you think Long John Silver treated Jim well? Why? / Why not?
2. Do you think the pirates should blame Silver for the treasure not
being there? Why? / Why not?
3. People like Captain Flint or Silver seem to believe that nothing is
as important as money. What do you think? What other things are
important in life?
4. What do you think has happened to the treasure?
1. When Dr Livesey gave the map to Silver, he already knew that there
wasn’t any treasure there. Do you agree with Dr Livesey’s behaviour?
Why? / Why not?
2. Do you think it was right to leave the three pirates on Treasure
Island? How else could they have been treated?
3. Do you think Long John Silver deserved his freedom? Why? / Why not?
4. Who do you think is the hero of the story? Why?