The glare of the torch showed me that the pirates had possession of the house and provisions. There were six of them, so these men were all that was left of the mutineers. Most of them were standing, sleepy and confused. One was lying on the floor, deadly pale with a bloodstained bandage around his head. The parrot sat on Long John’s shoulder.
"Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers!" exclaimed Long John. "Dropped in to see me, eh?"
I stood looking at them, my back against the wall, and I was certain my friends were dead. My heart ached because I hadn’t been there to die with them.
Long John Silver lit his pipe. "Now, Jim, I’ve always liked you. You remind me of myself when I was young. I always hoped you’d join me and my men, and now, I think you must. The captain doesn’t want to see you again, and I heard the doctor call you an ‘ungrateful scamp.’ So you can’t go back to your friends."
"My friends are still alive!" I thought joyfully.
"Your fate is in our hands," continued Long John, "but I never threaten. If you like our company, you’ll join. If you don’t, Jim, why, you’re free to answer no."
"Well," I said, growing a bit bolder, "if I’m to choose, I have a right to know where my friends are."
"Yesterday morning," said Long John, "Dr. Livesey came to me with a flag of truce. He said, ‘Captain Silver, your ship’s gone.’ We looked out, and by thunder, the ship was gone! ‘Well,’ says the doctor, ‘let’s make peace.’ We bargained, so here we are with everything—the food, the brandy, and the firewood you were thoughtful enough to cut. As for your friends, I don’t know where they are."
He puffed on his pipe. "But, Jim, you weren’t included in that treaty. The doctor said, ‘I don’t know where that boy is and I don’t care.’"
"And now I must choose?" I asked.
"You must choose," replied Long John.
"Well, there’s something I need to tell you first."
"Speak, boy," ordered Long John.
"A ship has been lost, treasure lost, men lost, and all your plans have been ruined. If you want to know who did it—it was me! I was in the apple barrel when we sighted land, and I heard you, Long John, and you, Dick Johnson, and Israel Hands, who’s now at the bottom of the sea—and I told the captain every word. I cut the ship’s anchor line and killed the men aboard. Kill me or spare me. But I’ll say this—if you spare me, I’ll do the best I can to save you all when you men are before a judge. It’s for you to choose. Kill me and do yourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness to save you from hanging."
I stopped, out of breath, and no one moved. "Long John," I added, "if you decide to kill me, please let the doctor know I died bravely."
"I’ll bear it in mind," said Long John in a voice that sounded so peculiar that I couldn’t tell if he was laughing at me or had been impressed by my courage.
"Let’s kill him!" yelled one pirate. He sprang up and drew his knife.
"Stop!" shouted Long John. "Do you think you’re the captain here, Tom Morgan? Don’t cross me, or you’ll be food for the fish."
Morgan paused, but the others were grumbling out loud.
"Do any of you want to challenge me?" Long John roared. "Well, I’m ready. Take a cutlass, any who dares, and we’ll see the color of the inside of your stomach."
Not a man stirred; not a man answered. Then Long John continued: "I was elected captain because I’m the best man here by a long sea mile. You won’t fight me? Then, by thunder, you’ll obey! I like that boy. He’s more a man than any of you rats. Touch him and you’ll be sorry."
My heart was beating like a sledgehammer, but now, I had a ray of hope. Long John calmly leaned back against the wall, but his eyes never left the men. The pirates huddled together and started whispering in low hisses. Once in a while, one of them would look up nervously at Long John.
Finally one pirate—a tall fellow—spoke up. "The crew is dissatisfied, and we claim our right to hold a meeting outside. You know the rules."
The pirate saluted and left. One after another, the rest followed his example, saluting and marching out the door, until Long John Silver and I were alone.
"Now, look here, Jim Hawkins," Long John whispered, "you’re close to death, and even worse, torture. But I’ll stand by you."
I dimly began to understand. "You mean they’re going to kill me?"
"Aye, I do!" he answered. "I’ll save you from them—if I can. But you must save Long John from hanging."
"I’ll do what I can," I said.
"It’s a bargain!" cried Long John. "By thunder, I’ve a chance!"
He hobbled to the torch and lit his pipe again.
"Understand me, Jim," he said, returning to his seat. "I’m on the squire’s side now, because I know you’ve got that ship safe somewhere. I’ll ask no questions, and I won’t tell the others. Ah, you are so young—you and I might have done a powerful amount of good together!"
He poured himself some brandy. "Why did that doctor give me the map, Jim?"
I looked so surprised that he knew I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Ah, he did," said he. "There’s some reason why, no doubt—some reason, surely, Jim—bad or good."
Long John took a swallow of the brandy and shook his head like a man who looks forward to the worst kind of luck.