The next morning, the group began to work. It was a very big job for a small number of men. They had to move all the gold. They carried the gold one mile to the beach. Then they took it by boat to the Hispaniola. The three pirates on the island did not cause trouble. One man watched the hill to keep everyone safe. The pirates were probably too tired to fight.
The work moved very quickly. Gray and Ben Gunn moved the boat back and forth. The other men put the treasure on the beach. Two bars of gold were very heavy. One man could only carry two bars at a time. Jim Hawkins was not strong enough to carry the bars. He stayed in the cave and put the coins into bread-bags (large cloth bags used for carrying food).
There were many different types of coins in the cave. Jim Hawkins saw gold from England, France, Spain, and Portugal. There were doubloons (old Spanish gold coins) and guineas (old English gold coins). Some coins were round and some were square. Some coins had holes in the middle. Jim Hawkins saw the faces of many different kings on the money. His back and fingers were very tired from the work.
This work continued for many days. Every evening, they put a fortune on the ship. But there was always more gold waiting for the next day. During this time, they did not see the three pirates. Then, on the third night, Jim Hawkins and Dr. Livesey were walking on the hill. They heard a strange sound from the trees below. It was a sound between singing and screaming.
Dr. Livesey said the sounds came from the pirates. Long John Silver was walking behind them. Long John Silver said the pirates were all drunk. Long John Silver was free to walk around now. He was very polite to everyone. He tried to make the group like him. But no one liked Long John Silver. Only Ben Gunn was still afraid of him.
Dr. Livesey was very cold to Long John Silver. Dr. Livesey said the pirates were either drunk or sick. The doctor wanted to help them. He did not want the pirates to die of malaria (a serious illness caused by insects). But Long John Silver told the doctor to stay away. Long John Silver said the pirates were dangerous. He said they would kill Dr. Livesey if he went near them.
That was the last time they heard the pirates for a while. Later, they heard one gunshot far away. They thought the pirates were hunting for food. The group had a meeting. They decided to leave the three pirates on the island. Gray and Ben Gunn were happy with this plan. They left many things for the pirates. They left tools, clothes, medicine, and a sail. Dr. Livesey also left some tobacco (dried leaves that people smoke).
Finally, they were ready to leave. They put plenty of water and meat on the ship. One beautiful morning, they pulled up the anchor (a heavy metal object that holds a ship in one place). The ship began to move away from the island. They saw the three pirates on a piece of sand. The three pirates knelt down and raised their arms. They were asking for mercy.
The pirates did not want to stay on the island alone. They called out the names of the men on the ship. They asked the group not to leave them. It was a sad sight. But the group could not take the pirates. The pirates were too dangerous. Then, one pirate jumped up and fired a gun. The bullet went over Long John Silver’s head and hit the sail.
After that, the group stayed behind the walls of the ship. Soon, the island was far away. Jim Hawkins was very happy. At noon, the highest rock of Treasure Island disappeared. The ship was in the blue sea. They did not have many men to work the ship. Captain Smollett lay on a bed and gave orders. He was getting better, but he needed to rest.
They sailed to the nearest port in Spanish America. They needed more men for the long journey home. The winds were very strong and everyone was very tired. They arrived at a beautiful place at sunset. Many small boats came to the ship. There were many people selling fruit and vegetables. The lights of the town were very bright. It was a happy change from the dark island.
Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, and Jim Hawkins went to the town. They met the captain of an English warship and had a good time. When they returned to the Hispaniola the next morning, Ben Gunn was alone on the deck. Ben Gunn looked very nervous. He told them a secret. Long John Silver was gone. Ben Gunn helped Long John Silver escape in a small boat.
Ben Gunn said he did this to save their lives. He was sure Long John Silver would try to kill them again. But Long John Silver did not go away empty-handed. He broke a wall and stole one bag of gold coins. The coins were worth about four hundred guineas. Everyone was happy that Long John Silver was gone. It was a small price to pay to be safe from him.
The group found more workers and sailed home to England. The Hispaniola reached Bristol safely. Only five men from the original crew returned. Many men died because of "drink and the devil." Everyone got a share of the treasure. Some men used their money wisely, and some used it foolishly. Captain Smollett stopped working at sea and retired.
Gray saved his money and studied hard. Now, Gray is a leader on a fine ship. He is married and has a family. Ben Gunn received one thousand pounds. He spent all his money in nineteen days. Then he became a gatekeeper (a person who guards an entrance). He still lives in the country and sings in the church on Sundays. No one ever heard from Long John Silver again.
Jim Hawkins says he will never go back to that island. Some silver and old guns are still buried there. But Jim Hawkins does not want them. He still has bad dreams about Treasure Island. In his dreams, he hears the sea hitting the rocks. He hears the sharp voice of the parrot, Captain Flint. The bird still shouts, "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!"