Kitabı oku: «Остров сокровищ / Treasure Island. Уровень 1», sayfa 15

11. What I Heard in the Apple Barrel

“No, not I,” said Silver. “Flint was a captain; I was aquartermaster³⁸. I’m fifty. Gentlemen of fortune³⁹ usually trust little among themselves, and rightly so⁴⁰. Now, here’s what I say: Captain Smollett is a first-class seaman; he sails the ship for us. Mr. Trelawney and the doctor have the map. I don’t know where it is. No more do you. This squire and doctor will find the treasure, and help us to get it aboard. I’ll finish with them at the island.”

“What will you do with them?” asked a sailor.

“Dead men don’t bite. I’m an easy man – I’m quite the gentleman. I give my vote – death.”

“John,” cried the coxswain, “you’re a man!”

And they went away.

You can imagine my horror! Almost at the same time the voice of the lookout shouted, “Land!”

12. Council of War⁴¹

I quickly got out of the barrel to join Hunter and Dr. Livesey. And then I heard the voice of Captain Smollett giving orders.

“And now, men,” said the captain, “Did any one of you ever see that land ahead?”

“I did, sir,” said Silver. “They call it Skeleton Island. That hill to the northward they call theFore-mast⁴² Hill; there are three hills in a row running southward. But the main – with the cloud on it – they usually call the Spy-glass. They cleaned their ships there, sir.”

“I have a map here,” said Captain Smollett. “See if that’s the place.”

Long John seemed excited as he took the map, but he was disappointed. This was not the map we found in Billy Bones’s chest. This was an accurate copy, the names and the heights were there but there were no red crosses or notes…