SQTEN Tr [ollIntroduction
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in
1850. His father wanted Robert to become an engineer, but ill-
health 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).
Contents
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter 9...
Chapter 10.
Chapter 11.
(Ghapter! 12... tates ataccsteansnsespaursgencertremosioneeesesdes
ONAURWNHE
Activity Section
Chapter 1
(Oa Le Re vene cs ctdlsee n arsassssivssastessitacscereratestee
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter 10.
Chapter 11.
Chapter 12.
Extra ActivitiesCHAPTER 1
HE 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
iously not from any nearby town. He was tall, strong, and
in. His long hair hung over the back of
dirty blue coat in a pigtail and there was an ugly white sc:
face, Behind him, he dragged an old ches
had been a sailor a atched him curio
“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
wido
he 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 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 Benbo'
In the evenings, however, the Captain often joined the locals
downs: in the inn, and told stories of his days at sea —
5 , of bloody murders, and the horrible
ments that pirates used, such as making people walk the
His most frightening stories were about Captain Flint, a
pirate famous in England and all over the world. Flint was dead
4
Z
Xafraid that the Captain would keep people away from the inn.
nce they got used to him, however, they found the Captain quite
interesting. After all, nothing iting had ever happened
until he came to the ‘Admiral Benbo for Jim, he was ni
afraid of the Captain. However, he often wondered about the on
legged man the Captain was watching for. This one-legged sailor
seemed to be one of the two men that the C
The other one was Dr Livesey.
ey 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
sey, however, ignored the Captain and continued
talking with Mrs Hawkins. The Captain stared at him in surprise,
then shouted: “Silence there!”
“Were you addre e, sir?” the doctor asked politely.
v ain shouted back. To show he was serious,
and pointed it at the doctor.
just one thing to ‘0 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 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.CHAPTER 2
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.
“Ts 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.
“Pm 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
J: AND HIS MOTHER SOON WISHED THAT THE CAPTAIN WOULD
8down. 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. “T'll take the money I
have.” Jim noticed a leather packet still lying in the chest.
“And Tl take this,” he said and they hurried out the door,
running as fastas 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
10
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.CHAPTER 3
down the door of the ‘Admiral Benbow.’ A moment later, a
oice 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
ng. 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, bi he couldn’t
leave his mother, and the pirates would surely find them soon.
While he w ‘ing to think of what he could do, he heard the
oming. 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 w
they looking for?”
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 - j uppose - 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
FE: HIS HIDING PLACE, JIM HEARD THE PIRATES BREAKING
12X, 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.
Dear friends,
| spent all of yesterday looking for men for our ship, and found only one.
Exhausted, | went to an inn for dinner. | started talking to the innkeeper, a
Long fohn Silver. Some years ago he servedin the Navy and losta leg. He told
me he was hoping to go to sea again as a ship's cook, and I hired him right
away. Then Silver told me he had several friends who were excellent sailors,
and looking for employment. | met thei today, and was so impressed with
their experience and skills that | hired them alll | have also found a captain,
who I have heard is a good officer, although I find him overly serious and
strict. You must join me at once as we will be ready to sail in a week.
Yours truly,
Squire TrelawneyJim 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 le;
CHAPTER 4
T WASN’T LONG BEFORE JIM HAD A CHANCE TO MEET LONG
John n two days he and Dr Livese e 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. “T!
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.
“T 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?”
“Tam sure I never told anyone about the map!” said the squire,
looking puzzled.
“Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t,” said Captain Smollett.
“However, | 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.”
“J think you are worrying too much,” said Dr Livesey, “but
we will do as you suggest.” He smiled at Trelawney, who was
18still 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.CHAPTER 5
NE EVENING AFTER HE HAD FINISHED HIS DUTIES, JIM
0 decided that he would like an apple. When he got to 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 against it. Jim was about to 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’s why they are here, looking for another chance. Gentlemen of
fortune don’t usually plan for the future. But take my advice: when
this cruise is over, save your share of the money. Then you'll be able
to live well all your life.”
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; it was that of Mr Hands, another sailor:
“How long do we have to keep pretending? Why don’t we take
over the ship right now? I’m sick of taking orders from Smollett.”
“Useyourbrain,” Silver replied. “Captain Smollett knows where
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?”Jim froze with terror, butthen somebody shouted, “Land ahead!”
ilver, 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 Silver really 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.
er 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
who was going to tak sure and cut their throa
Jim walked quietly up to Livesey. “Doctor,” he said quickly, “you
and Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett must go immediately
your cabin, and then send for me. I have terrible news!”
A few minutes later, Jim joined the captain, the squire and the
doctor in the privacy of the cabin. Above them, th is noise and
excited talk as the crew prepared to anchor. While Jim told his story
as quickly as he could, none of the three men in the cabin showed
any fear, but listened ca y: done they thanked
him.
Thesquire turned to Captain Smollett. “Youwereright,and I was
wrong,” he said. “I admit | was a fool, and I wait for your orders.”
“Iwas foolish, too,”
the crew was planning this. That Silver must be a remarkable leader.
Any here’s the situa 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
est men aboard, whom we can trust.”
“Yes,” said the Squire, “I trust Joyce and Redruth with my life,
and Abraham Gray hired before meeting Silver.”
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 to
Treasure Island. It was covered in dark woods and waves
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.CHAPTER 6
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.
Ge SMOLLETT’S PLAN WAS TO LET SILVER AND HIS MEN
26“T 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. “Lhe 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?”
“Tm 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.”
“T 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. “TI see the flag of England flying above
28those 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
havea little boat hidden by the tall rock on the shore. You can use
it! Now don’t forget to tell your friends about me!”
“J won't!” promised Jim. Then he heard Dr Livesey calling out
his name.
CHAPTER 7
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.
J FRIENDS WERE RELIEVED TO SEE HIM ALIVE AND WELL.
31“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 himselfl”
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?”
32He 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.
34i CHAPTER 8
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, | 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.
Ina 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
C APTAIN SMOLLETT’S WOUNDS LOOKED BAD, BUT FORTUNATELY
36person 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.
Ina 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.
38CHAPTER 9
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? e 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 saw Mr Hands, fast asleep or unconscious. Blood
was spilled everywhere. The pirate Hands had stabbed looked dead.
Feeling more confident, Jim went into the cabin and walked up to
Hands. “ up, Mr Hands!” he said, in his loudest and firmest
voice.
Hands tried to get up. But his leg was badly cut, and he could not
move much. “What do you want?” he asked Jim.
“Tam t ig command of this ship,” Jim said. “Pll be your
captain, until Mr Smollett arrives.”
“Captain Hawki said Mr Hands. “At your service, sir! Do
you have any orders?
“Yes, I do,” said Jim. “You will sail this ship somewhere where no
one can find it, and put it ashore. We will work together to do thi:
You haven’t gota choice anyway, because if we don’t sail this ship, it
will hita rock soon later.”
“Why, certainly, Captain Hawkins,” said Hands. “You seem
cl ,and I think you are ri
J: WOKE SUDDENLY WITH THE MORNING SUN SHINING DOWN
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
red. How pleased they would be when he told them he had
the ship! “Very well then, Mr Hands,” he said calm
st thing we need to do is put up a small sail.”
“Tcan help you set the sail,” said the man. “But listen, Captain.
Pve hurt my leg badly, and I’m feeling quite weak. Do you think you
40could 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 that Jim was sure he was 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
saw the pirate pick up a long knife and hide it in his shirt.
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 together to put up a sail. Jim steered
the ship and felt like a real sailor. After an hour or so, Hands pointed
towards the shore.
“Do yousee that beach over there?” he said. “The ship will be safe
there. That’s where we'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 about the knife. Just before
the ship hit the sand, a funny feeling made him turn around.
There was Mr Hands behind him, holding the knife! Jim jumped
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 its side. The masts were now over the water.
Moving quickly, Jim climbed up the mast. Hands stared up at him,
surprised. Then he put his knife between his teeth and he began
climbing the mast too. But because of his injured 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, Hands threw the knife towards
42him. It struck Jim in the shoulder. At that moment, Jim fired both
guns. Hit in the chest, the man fell off the mast and into the sea. The
two guns fell out of Jim’s hands and joined the pirate at the bottom
of the sea.CHAPTER 10
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
Iwas 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
Sis AT WHAT HE HAD JUST DONE, JIM STARTED TO SHIVER.
46.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. “Yesterda
Dr Livesey came to see us with a flag of truce. He said: ‘The sh
gone - we need to talk.’ | 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
ea I peau you: ne way, Handsi at be bottom eae) sea nov
sound jus ike Captain Smoliett 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'l save you if I can.”
No one spoke for a moment. Then George Merr
“Kill him! He’s caused us too much trouble al. y
“Shut your mouth!” shouted Silver, “I’m still Captain around
here!” He smiled at Jim. “I always thought you were smart, Jim.
»me to join my crew. But you’re wrong about one
‘e do have the treasure. Or we will very soon.”
Jim stared in amazement. holding up the treasure
map!
ohCHAPTER 11
He also didn’t understand why his friends 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’t sleep 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.
“T 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, if I were 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 you would defend me if]
was on trial. Will you keep that promise?”
J' WAS PUZZLED. WHy DID DR LIVESEY GIVE SILVER THE MAP?
50* “Ofcourse I will,” said Jim, proudly.
“You are one ofthe best men I know,” Silver said. Jim felt flattered.
even though he knew he shouldn’t trust him. “Listen,”’continued
Silver, “Idon’t knowwhat the doctor means by ‘prepare for trouble.’
If1 don’t find that treasure soon, my crew will turn against me. But
whatever happens, Jim, I’ll try to save your life. | know you'll try to
save mine, too.” Jim was amazed. One minute Silver wanted to kill
him, and the next he wanted to defend him,
Later, Silver, Jim, and the remaining pirates set off to look for the
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 ona 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 others ran to look. Under one tree was 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’s story. Six men had come with 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! This isn’t just a skeleton; it’s a sign to help
us. See, the feet are pointing which way to go next.”
Silver stood at the feet of the skeleton and looked straight ahead.
“T 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, its red X marking the spot where they were 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
52A broken shovel lay at the bottom, beside an emp’
y v
treasure!
e too late.
Somebody else
had already
che:
taken the
CHAPTER 12
ILVER WAS THE FIRST TO GET OVER THE SHOCK. HE TOOK JIM’S
arm and quickly stepped away from the othe he pirates
jumped into the hole and began to dig with their finger
George Merry found two , Which he held up to Silver
‘This is Flint’s treasure?” he shouted. “This is the thousands of
pounds you promised u
“Keep digging,” Silver said. “Maybe you'll find another couple
of coins. Feel free to keep them.” Jim admired his courage. The
ppointment of the pirates was terrible. But they did not seem
to know what to do.“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.
“T 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 asa 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 hear you got my
ship back for me,” he said. “Soon, we will go home.”
56It took three days to load Flint’s gold onto the Hispaniola. What
asight 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!”
58