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to slip out and settle down as the ship banged about. `By-the-bye,' I continued, `I can't have these colours,
Mr Hands; and, by your leave, I'll strike 'em. Better none than these.' And, again dodging the boom, I
ran to the colour lines, handed down their cursed black flag, and chucked it overboard. `God save the
king!' said I, wavkng my cap; `and there's an end to Captain Silver!' He watched me keenly and slyly, his
chin all the while on his breast. `I reckon,' he said at last - `I reckon, Cap'n Hawkins, you'll kind of want
to get ashore, now. S'pose we talks.' `Why, yes,' says I, `with all my heart, Mr Hands. Say on.' And I went
back to my meal with a good appetite. `This man,' he began, nodding feebly at the corpse - `O'Brien
were his name - a rank Irelander - this man and me got the canvas on her, meaning for to sail her back.
Well, he's dead now, he is - as dead as bilge; and who's to sail this ship, I don't see. Without I gives
you a hint, you aint that man, as far's I can tell. Now, look here, you gives me food and drink, and a old
scarf or ankecher to tie my wound up, you do; and I'll tell you how to sail her; and that's about square
all round, I take it.' `I'll tell you one thing,' says I: `I'm not going back to Captain Kidd's anchorage. I mean
to get into North Inlet, and beach her quietly there.' `To be sure you did,' he cried. `Why, I aint sich an
infernal lubber, after all. I can see, can't I? I've tried my fling, I have, and I've lost, and it's you has the
wind of me. North Inlet? Why, I haven't no ch'ice, not I! I'd help you sail her up to Execution Dock, by
thunder! so I would.' Well, as it seemed to me, there was some sense in this. We struck our bargain
on the spot. In three minutes I had the Hispaniola sailing easily before the wind along the coast of
Treasure Island, with good hopes of turning the northern point ere noon, and beating down again as
far as North Inlet before high water, when we might beach her safely, and wait till the subsiding tide
permitted us to land. Then I lashed the tiller and went below to my own chest, where I got a soft silk
handkerchief of my mother's. With this, and with my aid, Hands bound up the great bleeding stab he
had received in the thigh, and after he had eaten a little and had a swallow or two more of the brandy,
he began to pick up visibly, sat straighter up, spoke louder and clearer, and looked in every way another
man. The breeze served us admirably. We skimmed before it like a bird, the coast of the island flashing
by, and the view changing every minute. Soon we were past the high lands and bowling beside low,
sandy country, sparsely dotted with dwarf pines, and soon we were beyond that again, and had turned
the corner of the rocky hill that ends the island on the north. I was greatly elated with my new command,
and pleased with the bright, sunshiny weather and these different prospects of the coast. I had now
plenty of water and good things to eat, and my conscience, which had smitten me hard for my desertion,
was quieted by the great conquest I had made. I should, I think, have had nothing left me to desire
but for the eyes of the coxswain as they followed me derisively about the deck, and the odd smile that
appeared continually on his face. It was a smile that had in it something both of pain and weakness - a
haggard, old man's smile; but there was, besides that, a grain of derision, a shadow of treachery, in his
expression as he craftily watched, and watched, and watched me at my work.
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