Chapter XXXI - The Treasure Hunt — Flintʼs Pointer
“Jim,” said Silver when we were alone, “if I saved your life, you saved mine; and I’ll
not forget it. I seen the doctor waving you to run for it — with the tail of my eye, I
did; and I seen you say no, as plain as hearing. Jim, that’s one to you. This is the
first glint of hope I had since the attack failed, and I owe it you. And now, Jim,
we’re to go in for this here treasure-hunting, with sealed orders too, and I don’t like
it; and you and me must stick close, back to back like, and we’ll save our necks in
spite o’ fate and fortune.”
Just then a man hailed us from the fire that breakfast was ready, and we were soon
seated here and there about the sand over biscuit and fried junk. They had lit a fire
fit to roast an ox, and it was now grown so hot that they could only approach it from
the windward, and even there not without precaution. In the same wasteful spirit,
they had cooked, I suppose, three times more than we could eat; and one of them,
with an empty laugh, threw what was left into the fire, which blazed and roared
again over this unusual fuel. I never in my life saw men so careless of the morrow;
hand to mouth is the only word that can describe their way of doing; and what with
wasted food and sleeping sentries, though they were bold enough for a brush and be
done with it, I could see their entire unfitness for anything like a prolonged
campaign.
Even Silver, eating away, with Captain Flint upon his shoulder, had not a word of
blame for their recklessness. And this the more surprised me, for I thought he had
never shown himself so cunning as he did then.
“Aye, mates,” said he, “it’s lucky you have Barbecue to think for you with this here
head. I got what I wanted, I did. Sure enough, they have the ship. Where they have
it, I don’t know yet; but once we hit the treasure, we’ll have to jump about and find
out. And then, mates, us that has the boats, I reckon, has the upper hand.”
Thus he kept running on, with his mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he restored
their hope and confidence, and, I more than suspect, repaired his own at the same
time.
“As for hostage,” he continued, “that’s his last talk, I guess, with them he loves so
dear. I’ve got my piece o’ news, and thanky to him for that; but it’s over and done.
I’ll take him in a line when we go treasure- hunting, for we’ll keep him like so much
gold, in case of accidents, you mark, and in the meantime. Once we got the ship and
treasure both and off to sea like jolly companions, why then we’ll talk Mr. Hawkins
over, we will, and we’ll give him his share, to be sure, for all his kindness.”
It was no wonder the men were in a good humour now. For my part, I was horribly
cast down. Should the scheme he had now sketched prove feasible, Silver, already
doubly a traitor, would not hesitate to adopt it. He had still a foot in either camp,
Treasure Island! Robert Louis Stevenson! Page 126/142