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We took my mother to a house in the villag； then went back to the Admiral Benbow。 Inside； everything was smashed and broken。
‘What were they looking for Hawkins？’asked Mr Dance。
‘They got the money from the chest；’I said；‘ but I think I have what they wanted most。 I'd like to get it to a safe place。 I thought； perhaps； Dr Livesey…’
‘Quite right；’ said Mr Dance。 ‘He's the local judge； and I ought to report Pew's death to him or Squire Trelawney。 I'll take you with me to his house。’
Dr Livesey was not at his house but with the squire at his home ；so Captain Dance and I went on there。
I had never seen Squire Trelawney so near 。He was a big tall man； with a red face； and was sitting beside a fire with Dr Livesey。‘Come in； Mr Dance；’he said。
Mr Dance gave his report and both men listened with deep interest。
‘And so； Jim；’ said the doctor；‘you have the thing that they were looking for； have you？’
‘Here it is； sir； I said； and gave him the papers tied inside the cloth。 The doctor looked at them and put them quietly in the pocket of his coat。 After that； Mr Dance went away and I was given some food。
‘And now ；squire ；said the doctor；‘you have heard of this Flint；I suppose？’
‘Heard of him！’ cried the squire。 ‘He was the worst pirate that ever sailed。 The Spanish used to tremble just to hear his name！’
‘Well ；I've heard of him myself；’said Dr Livesey。‘But the question is； did he have money？’
‘Money！’said the squire。‘Of course Flint had money！ Those scoundrels were after it。’
‘Well then； suppose I have here in my pocket a paper that shows where Flint hid his treasure；’ said the doctor。‘Would the treasure be worth looking for？’
‘Worth looking for！’ cried the squire； with great enthusiasm。 I'll tell you what it's worth。 I'll prepare a ship at Bristol ；take you and Hawkins with me； and have that trea－sure if I have to search for a year！’
We opened the cloth and found two things…a book and a paper 。The book gave a list of all the money Flint had stolen from different ships during twenty years at sea。 The doctor opened the paper and found a map of an island。 There was a hill in the centre marked Spyglass； and several names that had been added later。 There were three big black crosses—two in the north of the island and one in the south－west。 Beside the last cross were the words： Most of the treasure here。 On the back of the paper； the same person had written：
Tall tree。 Spyglass shoulder； to the North of North－
North…East。
Skeleton Island East…South－East and by East。
The squire and Dr Llvesey were delighted。
‘Tomorrow I start for Bristol；’ said Squire Trelawney。‘In three weeks we will have the best ship ir；and the finest crew in England。 Hawkins can come as cabin－boy。 You； Livesey； are the ship's doctor。 I am admiral。 We'll take three of my men ；Redruth； Joyce ；and Hunter。’
‘Trelawney；’said the doctor；‘I'll go with you。 So ；I am sure； will Hawkins。 There's only one man I'm afraid of。’
‘And who's that？’cried the squire。‘Name the scoundrel！’
‘You；’said the doctor；‘because you cannot keep silent。 We aren't the only men who know of this paper。 Those who broke into the inn tonight want to find the same treasure 。We must none of us go alone until we get to sea。 You'll take Joyce and Hunter to Bristol。 Meanwhile ；Jim and I will stay together 。And not one of us must say a word about what we have found。’
‘Livesey； replied the squire；‘you're always right。 I'll be as silent as a dead man。’
5
I go to Bristol
Dr Livesey went to London； to find another doctor to look after his patients while he was away。 I waited at his home with Tom Redruth。 Weeks passed； and I spent many hours studying Flint's map and dreaming of treasure 。Then a letter arrived； addressed to Dr Livesey‘or Jim Hawkins ；if the doctor is away’：
Old Anchor lnn； Bristol
1st March 17…
Dear Livesey；
I do not know whether you are at home or in London； so Iam sending copies of this letter to both places。
The ship is bought and ready for sea。 You never saw a bet－ter ship——and with the name Hispaniola 。I got her through my old friend； Blandly； who； with everyone in Bristol； worked hard to find me a suitable ship when they heard the reason for our voyage－treasure ；I mean。
‘Dr Livesey won't like that ；I said to Tom Redruth。‘The squire's been talking。 ’I read on：
I wanted a crew of twenty men——as we may meet pirates or enemy ships——but I had the greatest difficulty finding six。Then good fortune brought me the very man that I needed 。I met the man quite by accident ；and we began a conversation ；I learnt he was an old seaman who kept an inn； and he knew all the seamen in Bristol。 The poor man had lost his health on shore and wanted to get work as a cook ；and go to sea again。
I felt sorry for him and employed him immediately； to be the ship's cook。 Long John Silver ；he is called ；and he has lost a leg fighting for his country。 Well； sir ；I thought I had only found a cook； but it was a crew I had discovered！ Between Silver and myself； we got together a crew of the toughest seamen you can imagine。
I am in wonderful health； but I shall not enjoy a moment un－til my ship goes to sea。 So come quickly ；Livesey ； do not lose an hour ！And let young Hawkins go at once to say goodbye to his mother； and then come quickly to Bristol with Redruth。
John Trelawney
PS： Blandly found us an excellent man to be captain； and Sil－ver found a man called Arrow to be first officer。
Next day；I went to the Admiral Benbow and said goodbye to my mother 。I was sad to leave ；but when Redruth and I began our journey to Bristol ；my thoughts turned to the voyage and the search for treasure。
Mr Trelawney was waiting for us at an inn； near the sea。‘Here you are！’he cried when we arrived。‘The doctor came from London last night ；so now the ship's company is complete。 We sail tomorrow！’
After I had finished breakfast ；the squire gave me a note to take to Long John Silver at the Spyglass Inn。
It was a bright little place where the customers were mostly seamen。 As I entered ；a man came out of a side room and I knew immediately he must be Long John。 His left leg was cut off above the knee and he walked with a crutch under his left shoulder 。He was tall and strong with a big ；smiling face。
Now ；when I read about Long John in Squire Trelawney's letter； I had been afraid he might be the one…legged seamanthat old Bill had talked about 。But one look at the man in front of me was enough。 I knew old Bill； and Black Dog； and the blind man Pew 。I thought I knew what a pirate looked like…a very different person from this clean and smiling man。
‘Mr Silver ；sir？’I asked； holding out the note。
‘Yes ；my boy；’he said。‘That's my name 。And who are you？’And then he saw the squire's letter and looked surprised。‘Oh！’he said loudly。 ‘I see you're our new cabin－boy。 I'm pleased to meet you。’
Just then； a customer got up suddenly and hurried to the door。 I recognized him as the man with only three fingers on his left hand—the one who had come to the Admiral Benbow！
‘Stop