There was a great rush of feet across the deck. I slipped out of the barrel, ran behind a sail and joined the others at the front of the ship. In the moonlight we saw three hills, the highest with its top in the fog. I was still shaking with fear.
“Men,” said the captain, “have any of you seen that land before?”
“I have, sir,” said Silver. “I was a cook on a trading ship that stopped there for water. You anchor in the south, behind a small island. They call it Skeleton Island. And the big hill, with the cloud on it, they call the Spyglass.”
“I have a map here,” said Captain Smollett. “See if that’s the place.”
Long John’s eyes burned as he took the map, but I saw that the paper was new. It was not the map from Billy Bones’s chest, but a copy, complete in every way except for the red crosses and the notes. Silver must have been very angry, but he hid it well.
“Yes, sir,” he said, “this is the place. Very nicely drawn.”
“Thank you, my man,” said the captain. “I’ll ask for your help later. You may go.”
I was frightened when Silver came toward me. He did not know what I had heard, but I could hardly hide my horror when he put his hand on my arm.
“Ah,” he said, “this is a sweet place for a lad. You’ll swim, and climb trees, and hunt goats. It makes me young again. When you want to explore, just ask old John, and he’ll give you some food to take with you.” He patted me on the shoulder in the friendliest way and went below.
The captain, the squire and the doctor were talking together, and I did not dare to go to them. Then the doctor called me to fetch his pipe. When I was close enough to speak without anyone hearing, I said quickly, “Doctor, let me speak. Take the captain and the squire down to the cabin, and then find a reason to send for me. I have terrible news.”
For a moment the doctor’s face changed. Then he said loudly, “Thank you, Jim. That was all I wanted to know.” It sounded as if he had asked me a question.
He went back to the others, and soon the captain called all the men together.
“My lads,” said Captain Smollett, “this land is the place we have been sailing for. Every man on board has done his duty, so Mr. Trelawney is giving you all a drink. Give a good cheer for the gentleman!”
The men cheered so loudly and happily that I could hardly believe they were planning to kill us.
“One more cheer for Captain Smollett!” cried Long John, and they cheered again.
Then the three gentlemen went below, and soon someone came to say that Jim Hawkins was wanted in the cabin.
They were sitting round the table with some wine, and the doctor was smoking with his wig on his knee. I knew that this was a sign that he was worried.
“Now, Hawkins,” said the squire, “you have something to say. Speak up.”
I told them everything I had heard, as briefly as I could. Nobody spoke or moved, and they kept their eyes on my face until I finished.
“Jim,” said Dr. Livesey, “sit down.”
They gave me a glass of wine and filled my hands with raisins, and all three of them drank to my health, my luck and my courage.
“Captain,” said the squire, “you were right, and I was wrong. I have been a fool, and I am waiting for your orders.”
“Captain,” said the doctor, “this is all Silver’s work. He is a very unusual man.”
“He would look very well hanging from a rope, sir,” said the captain. “First, we must go on, because we can’t turn back. If I gave the order to turn, they would fight at once. Second, we have time, at least until the treasure is found. Third, there are honest men on board. Sooner or later it must come to a fight, and we must choose the day, when they least expect it. Mr. Trelawney, can we trust your own servants?”
“As I trust myself,” said the squire.
“Three,” said the captain. “With us, that makes seven, counting Hawkins. For now, we must wait and keep a careful watch until we know which sailors are honest.”
“Jim can help us more than anyone,” said the doctor. “The men talk freely in front of him, and Jim notices things.”
“Hawkins, I have great faith in you,” said the squire.
I felt quite hopeless at this, because I did not know what I could do. And yet, in a strange way, it was through me that we were saved in the end. But for now, of the twenty-six men on board, there were only seven we could trust, and one of the seven was a boy. So we were six men against nineteen.