Treasure Island — Chapter IX (Part 1 of 3)

THE Hispaniola lay some way out, and we went under the figureheads and round the sterns of many other ships, and their cables sometimes grated underneath our keel, and sometimes swung above us. At last, however, we got alongside, and were met and saluted as we stepped aboard by the mate, Mr Arrow, a brown old sailor, with earrings in his ears and a squint. He and the squire were very thick and friendly, but I soon observed that things were not the same between Mr Trelawney and the captain.

This last was a sharp-looking man, who seemed angry with everything on board, and was soon to tell us why, for we had hardly got down into the cabin when a sailor followed us.

`Captain Smollett, sir, axing to speak with you,' said he. `I am always at the captain's order. Show him in,' said the squire.

The captain, who was close behind his messenger, entered at once, and shut the door behind him.

`Well, Captain Smollett, what have you to say? All well, I hope; all shipshape and seaworthy?'

`Well, sir,' said the captain, `better speak plain, I believe, even at the risk of offence. I don't like this cruise; I don't like the men; and I don't like my officer. That's short and sweet.'

`Perhaps, sir, you don't like the ship?' inquired the squire, very angry, as I could see.

`I can't speak as to that, sir, not having seen her tried,' said the captain. `She seems a clever craft; more I can't say.'

`Possibly, sir, you may not like your employer, either?' says the squire.

But here Dr Livesey cut in.

`Stay a bit,' said he, `stay a bit. No use of such questions as that but to produce ill-feeling. The captain has said too much or he has said too little, and I'm bound to say that I require an explanation of his words. You don't, you say, like this cruise. Now, why?'

`I was engaged, sir, on what we call scaled orders, to sail this ship for that gentleman where he should bid me,' said the captain. `So far so good. But now I find that every man before the mast knows more than I do. I don't call that far now, do you?'

`No,' said Dr Livesey, `I don't.'

`Next,' said the captain, `I learn we are going after treasure - hear it from my own hands, mind you. Now, treasure ticklish work; I don't like treasure voyages on any account; and I don't like them, above all, when they are secret, and when (begging your pardon, Mr Trelawney) the secret has been told to the parrot.'

`Silver's parrot?' asked the squire.

`It's a way of speaking,' said the captain. `Blabbed, I mean. It's my belief neither of you gentlemen know what you are about; but I'll tell you my way of it - life or death, and a close run.'

`That is all clear, and, I daresay, true enough,' replied Livesey. `We take the risk; but we are not so ignorant as you believe us. Next, you say you don't like the crew. Are they not good seamen?'

`I don't like them, sir,' returned Captain Smollett. `And I think I should have had the choosing of my own hands, you go to that.'

`Perhaps you should,' replied the doctor. `My friend should, perhaps, have taken you along with him; but the slight, if there be one, was unintentional. And you don't like Mr Arrow?'