The ship was leaning to one side. Jim Hawkins sat high up on the mast. Below Jim Hawkins, Israel Hands was in the water. Israel Hands sank to the bottom of the sea. Jim Hawkins saw him on the bright sand. Israel Hands did not move. He was dead. Now, the fish started to eat him.
Jim Hawkins felt very sick and afraid. Blood ran down his back and chest. The dirk (a sharp, heavy knife) was still in his shoulder. It felt very hot like fire. Jim Hawkins was afraid of falling into the water. He did not want to fall near the body of Israel Hands. Jim Hawkins held the ropes with both hands. Finally, he felt a little better.
Jim Hawkins tried to pull the knife out. He shook with fear. This movement tore his skin. He was free from the mast. His coat and shirt were still stuck, but he pulled them away. He climbed down the ropes to the deck. Jim Hawkins was careful. He did not use the ropes where Israel Hands fell.
Jim Hawkins went below the deck. He washed his wound. The cut was not deep. He could still use his arm. Then, Jim Hawkins looked at the body of O’Brien. O’Brien looked like a large, strange doll. Jim Hawkins was not afraid of dead bodies now.
Jim Hawkins picked up O’Brien by the waist. He threw the body into the sea. O’Brien sank into the water with a splash. O’Brien landed on the knees of Israel Hands. The two dead men lay together under the water. Small fish swam over them. Jim Hawkins was now alone on the schooner (a fast ship with two or more masts).
The sun was going down. The wind started to blow. Jim Hawkins saw a danger to the ship. He had to take down the sails. He pulled down the small sails easily. The big sail was too heavy. Jim Hawkins took his knife.
Jim Hawkins cut the halyards (the ropes used to pull a sail up or down). The big sail fell into the water. Now the ship was safe for the night. The sun went down completely. The water moved away from the shore. The ship leaned more to its side.
Jim Hawkins climbed to the front of the ship. He looked at the water. It was not deep. Jim Hawkins jumped into the sea. The water reached his waist. He walked to the beach. He was very happy. He had the ship. Now he wanted to find his friends.
Jim Hawkins walked toward the stockade (a strong fence made of wood for protection). He walked through the woods. He crossed a small river. He was near the place where he met Ben Gunn. The sky was dark. Jim Hawkins saw a red light in the sky. He thought Ben Gunn was cooking dinner.
The night became very dark. Jim Hawkins could not see the path. He tripped on bushes. He fell into holes in the sand. Then the moon rose. The moonlight helped Jim Hawkins see the trees. He walked and ran toward the house.
Jim Hawkins came to the clearing around the house. He was very careful. He did not want his friends to shoot him by mistake. He saw a big fire near the house. This was strange. Captain Smollett did not like big fires. Jim Hawkins climbed over the palisade (the tall wooden fence around the house).
Jim Hawkins crawled on his hands and knees. He moved toward the corner of the house. Suddenly, he heard a sound. It was his friends. They were snoring loudly in their sleep. Jim Hawkins was happy to hear them. He thought they were safe.
Jim Hawkins walked to the door. It was very dark inside. He heard the snoring and another small sound. He walked into the house. He wanted to lie down in his bed. He wanted to surprise his friends in the morning. Jim Hawkins stepped on a man’s leg. The man groaned but did not wake up.
Suddenly, a loud voice cried out in the dark. "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!" It was Captain Flint. This was the green parrot of Long John Silver. The bird was better at watching than the men. The bird told everyone that Jim Hawkins was there.
The men woke up quickly. Long John Silver shouted, "Who is there?" Jim Hawkins tried to run. He ran into one man. Then another man caught him and held him tight. Long John Silver told a pirate named Dick to bring a light. Jim Hawkins was a prisoner.