`Is this Ben Gunn a man?' he asked.

`I do not know, sir,' said I. `I am not very sure whether he's sane.'

`If there's any doubt about the matter, he is,' returned the doctor. `A man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature. Was it cheese you said he had a fancy for?'

`Yes, sir, cheese,' I answered.

`Well, Jim,' says he, `just see the good that comes of being dainty in your food. You've seen my snuff- box, haven't you? And you never saw me take snuff; the reason being that in my snuff-box I carry a piece of Parmesan cheese - a cheese made in Italy, very nutritious. Well, that's for Ben Gunn!'

Before supper was eaten we buried old Tom in the sand and stood round him for a while bareheaded in the breeze. A good deal of firewood had been got in, but not enough for the captain's fancy; and he shook his head over it, and told us we `must get back to this to-morrow rather livelier.' Then when we had eaten our pork, and each had a good stiff glass of brandy grog, the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss our prospects.

It appears they were at their wits' end what to do, the store being so low that we must have been starved into surrender long before help came. But our best hope, it was decided, was to kill off the buccaneers until they either hauled down their flag or ran away with the Hispaniola. From nineteen they were already reduced to fifteen, two others were wounded, and one at least - the man shot beside the gun - severely wounded if he were not dead. Every time we had a crack at them, we were to take it, saving our own lives, with the extremest care. And, besides that, we had two able allies - rum and the climate.

As for the first, though we were about half a mile away, we could hear them roaring and singing late into the night; and as for the second, the doctor staked his wig that, camped where they were in the marsh, and unprovided with remedies, the half of them would be on their backs before a week.

`So,' he added, `if we are not all shot down first they'll be glad to be packing in the schooner. It's always a ship, and they can get to buccaneering again, I suppose.'

`First ship that ever I lost,' said Captain Smollett.

I was dead tired, as you may fancy; and when I got to sleep which was not till after a great deal of tossing, I slept like log of wood.

The rest had long been up, and had already breakfasted and increased the pile of firewood by about half as much again, when I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices.

`Flag of truce!' I heard someone say; and then, immediately after, with a cry of surprise, `Silver himself!'

And, at that, up I jumped, and, rubbing my eyes, ran to a loophole in the wall.