Treasure Island: Going Ashore

When Jim climbed out of the barrel, the moon had risen, and far away to the south-west he could see two low hills and a third, taller hill behind them.Captain Smollett showed the crew a copy of the map, and Silver studied it eagerly, but it had none of the red crosses, and if Silver was disappointed, he hid it well.As soon as he could, Jim whispered to Dr. Livesey that he had terrible news, and the doctor called him down to the cabin.

There, with the squire and the captain listening, Jim told them everything he had heard in the apple barrel.“We must go on, because we can’t turn back,” said the captain. “If I gave the order to turn around, they would rise at once.”They counted the men they could trust, and there were only seven out of twenty-six, and one of the seven was a boy.

“Jim can help us more than anyone,” said the doctor. “The men are not shy with him, and Jim is a noticing lad.”The next morning the Hispaniola anchored behind Skeleton Island, but the island looked grey and gloomy, and Jim hated the very thought of it.The heat was terrible, the men grumbled at every order, and the captain could see that trouble was coming.

So he gave the crew the afternoon ashore, hoping that some time on land would calm them down.Thirteen men went with Silver in the boats and six stayed on board, while the squire’s three loyal servants were quietly given pistols.Then, on a sudden idea, Jim slipped over the side and curled up in the front of the nearest boat.

Jim’s boat reached the shore first, and he jumped out, caught hold of a branch, and ran into the trees.“Jim, Jim!” he heard Silver shouting behind him, but he did not stop.He ran and ran until he could run no more, and now he was all alone on Treasure Island.