Treasure Island

THE BLACK SPOT AGAINcome to sea. Sea! Gentlemen o' fortune! I reckon tailorsisyour trade.""Go on, John," said Morgan."Speak upto the others.""Ah, the others!" returned John. "They're a nice lot,ain't they? You say this cruise isbungled. Ah! by gum,ifyoucould understand how bad it 'sbungled,We 're that near the gibbet that myyouneck 's stiffwould see!with thinkingon it. You 've seen 'em, maybe, hanged in chains, birdsabout 'em, seamen p'inting 'em out as they go down with thethat's Johntide. 'Who's that?' says one. 'That! Why,Silver. I knowed him well,' says another. And you can hearthe chains a-jangle as you goabout and reach for the otheibuoy. Now, that 's about where we are, every mother's sonof us, thanks to him, and Hands, and Anderson, and otherruination fools of you. And ifyou want to know about numberfour, and that boy, why, shiver my timbers! isn't he ahostage? Are we a-going to waste a hostage? No, not us;he might be our last chance, and I shouldn't wonder. Killthat boy? not me, mates! And number three? Ah, well,there 's a deal to say to number three. Maybe you don'icount itnothing to have a real college doctor come to see youevery day- -you, John, with your head broke -- or you,George Merry, that had the ague shakes upon you not sixhours agone, and has your eyes the colour of lemon peel tothis same moment on the clock ? And maybe, perhaps, youdidn't know there was a consort coming, either ?i$ut thereis ;and not so long till then ;and we '11 see who '11 be glad tohave a hostage when it comes to that. And as for numbertwo, and why I made a bargain - - well, you came crawling[229 ]