The Map and Billy Bones

My father owned a small inn called the Admiral Benbow, near the sea in the south of England. One evening, an old sailor came to our door. He was tall and brown from many long voyages at sea, and a long scar ran across one cheek. He carried a heavy sea chest and asked for a room. "I will pay well," he said, "if you leave me alone and do not ask questions."

We called him the Captain. Every night he sat alone and drank rum, and told a terrible story about pirates, storms, and battles at sea. He often watched the road outside, as though some old threat might appear at any moment, ready to murder him for what he knew. One quiet evening he pulled me close and gave me a silver coin. "Watch for a sailor with one leg," he said, sounding afraid. "Tell me the moment you see him, and I will pay you well."

Late one night, after too much rum, the Captain told me more than he meant to. Long ago, he had sailed under the pirate Captain Flint, and had helped hide a treasure on a lonely island. But not every man on that ship stayed loyal — some had tried to take the map for themselves, and Flint had punished any traitor without mercy. Now, old and alone, the Captain was always afraid that his old crew would come to find him, and take back what they believed was theirs.

Weeks passed, and I almost forgot what he had said. Then, one cold morning, another sailor came to the inn. His name was Black Dog, and I later learned he had once betrayed the Captain over gold he had taken from him. The two men went into a room alone, and soon I heard loud voices and the sound of swords. Black Dog ran away and disappeared down the road, and the Captain fell to the floor, sick and pale. My mother and I helped him to bed, but Doctor Livesey said his heart was weak from being afraid, and that another shock might kill him.

A few days later, a blind old man came walking down the road, using a stick to find his way. He asked me to lead him to the Captain. When I did, he put something small and hard into the Captain's hand, then left quickly. The Captain opened his hand and saw a black paper spot. His face turned pale with terror. "It is a pirate's command," he said, "one that every old pirate still has to obey. They have found me at last." Then he fell down dead on the floor.

My mother and I were now alone, and afraid. The Captain had died still in debt to us for his room, so we opened his sea chest to look for money. Inside, under some clothes and coins, we found an old map, wrapped carefully in oilskin paper — a map that would soon reveal a secret kept for a very long time. Before we could look closely, we heard footsteps outside — more of the Captain's old pirate friends had come for the chest.

We picked up the map and escaped into the dark fields near the inn. Far away, we watched the blind man and his men break into the house, searching every room. They shouted angrily when they could not find the map. Then, far away, we heard horses — soldiers riding horses, pursuing them down the road. The pirates tried to flee, but the blind man was too slow, and the horses ran over him in the dark.

The soldiers helped us go home safely. I knew we could not keep the map a secret any longer, so I carried it straight to Doctor Livesey and Squire Trelawney, our two good friends nearby. When the Squire opened the paper and saw the map, his eyes grew big and excited. "Do you know what this is?" he cried. "Captain Flint's treasure has vanished for a long time — but this is a map to where it lies! Gold and silver, buried on a secret island!"

"We must sail there before anyone else finds it," the Squire declared. Doctor Livesey looked worried. "This voyage will not be without risk," he said. "We must pick our crew very carefully. Pirates never forget a treasure, and other pirates may already know about this map." But the Squire only laughed. "Then we shall be ready for danger," he said. "Jim, my boy, prepare yourself — we sail for Treasure Island!"

In the weeks that followed, the Squire searched the docks for a crew, and bought a fine ship, which he named the Hispaniola. He found a one-legged cook named Long John Silver to help him pick the sailors — a friendly man everyone seemed to like. None of us yet knew that some of those same sailors already had a plan to rebel once at sea, and how much danger that choice would soon bring.

At last, on a bright morning, the Hispaniola raised her anchor and began the long journey to Treasure Island.