Kitabı oku: «Остров сокровищ / Treasure Island. Уровень 1», sayfa 7

5. The Last of the Blind Man

My curiosity was stronger than my fear, and I could not stay where I was and hid behind a bush. Then I saw three men. They were running together. In the middle of this trio was the blind beggar.

“Down with the door!¹¹” he cried. “In, in, in!¹²”

They came in. There was a pause, then a cry of surprise. Then a voice shouting from the house, “Bill’s dead.”

The blind man cursed them for their delay.

“Search him,” he cried.

Promptly afterwards, fresh sounds of amazement arose.

“Pew¹³,” cried somebody, “The chest is open! Someone was here before us.”

“It’s these people of the inn – it’s that boy!” cried the blind man, Pew. “Find them!”

Suddenly the pirates heard a whistle. Almost at the same time, a pistol-shot came from the hedge side. That was the signal of danger. The men turned at once and ran in every direction. The blind one cried, “Johnny, Black Dog, Dirk, you won’t leave old Pew!”

Just then, four or five riders came in sight. Pew ran straight under the nearest of the horses. The rider tried to save him but couldn’t. The blind man was dead.

The riders were officers. I greeted them. We brought my mother to the village and went back to the ‘Admiral Benbow’. Inside, everything was ruined.

“Did they look for the money?” asked one of the officers.

“No, sir; not money, I think,” I replied. “In fact, sir, I have the thing in my breast pocket.”

“I’ll take it, if you like,” he said.