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1
The old seaman Squire
Squire Trelawney； Dr Livesey； and the others have asked me to write down all I know about Treasure Island 。My name is Jim Hawkins； and I was in the story right from the start； back in 17…。I was only a boy then； and it all began at the time my father owned the Admiral Benbow inn； at Black Hill Cove 。I remember so clearly the day when the old seaman came to stay…I can almost see him in front of me as I write。
He arrived with his sea…chest； a tall； strong man with a cut across one cheek。 He sang that old sea sang as he walked up to the inn door：
Fifeen men on the dead man's chest…
Yo…ho－ho，and a bottle of rum！
The old seaman called for a glass of rum，and stood outside，drinking and looking around。 Our inn was on me cliffs above Black Hill Cove； and was a wild ；lonely place。 But the seaman seemed to like it。
‘Do many people come here？’ he asked。
‘No；’my father told him。
‘Then it's the place for me；’said the seaman。‘I'll stay here for a bit。 You can call me Captain。’He threw down three or four gold coins。‘Tell me when I've spent all that。’
He was a silent man。 All day he walked around the cove； or up on the cliffs ；all evening he sat in a corner of the room； and drank rum and water 。He only spoke to our other customers when he was drunk。 Then he told them terrible stories of his wild and criminal life at sea。 Our customers were mostly quiet ；farming people； the captain frightened them and they soon learned to leave him alone。
Every day； he asked if any seamen had gone along the road。 At first we thought he wanted friends of his own kind； but then we began to understand that there was a different reason 。He told me to watch for a seaman with one leg and to let him know the moment when a man like that appeared。 He promised to give me a silver coin every month for doing this 。I dreamed about this one－legged seaman for many nights afterwards。
The captain stayed week after week； month after month。 His gold coins were soon used up； but my father was a sick man and afraid to ask for more。
Dr Livesey came late one afternoon。 After he had seen my father ；he had dinner with my mother； then stayed to smoke his pipe 。I noticed the difference between the doctor with his white hair and pleasant way of speaking； and that dirty； heavy； red－faced seaman； drunk with rum。
The captain began to sing his song：
Fifteen men on the dead man's chest…
Yo－ho…ho； and a bottle of rum！
Drink and the devil had killed off the rest…
Yo－ho－ho and a bottle of； rum！
Dr Livesey did not like the song。He looked up angrily before he went on talking to old Taylor； the gardener。 Others in the room took no notice of the song。 The captain beat the table with his hand for silence。 The voices in the room died away； all except Dr Livesey's．The doctor continued to speak。
The captain swore softly； then said；‘ Silence！’
‘Are you speaking to me ；sir？’asked the doctor。
‘Yes；’the captain told him； swearing again。
‘I have only one thing to say to you； sir；’ replied the doctor。‘If you keep on drinking rum ；the world will soon be free of a dirty scoundrel！’
The captain jumped to his feet with a knife in his hand ；but the doctor never moved 。He spoke to the captain in a calm and clear voice so that others in the room could hear：
‘If you don't put that knife away； I promise you shall die a criminal's death under the law。’
Then followed a battle of looks between them； but the cap－tain soon put away his weapon and sat down like a beaten dog。 Soon after Dr Livesey rode away on his horse。 The captain was silent for the rest of the evening； and for many evenings after－wards。
2
Black Dog
One January morning ；the captain got up early and walked down to the beach。 It was a cold winter's day with the sun still low in the sky。 My mother was upstairs with my father； who was now very ill。 That year the winter was long and hard ；and we knew my father would not see another spring。
I was getting the table ready for the captain's breakfast。 Suddenly； the door of the inn opened and a man stepped inside。 I had never seen him before。 He wore a sailor's short sword by his side ；and I noticed he had only three fingers on his left hand。
I asked him what he wanted and he said；‘ I'll take a glass of rum。’But before I could fetch it ；he told me to come near him。‘Is this table for my old friend Bill？’the stranger asked； with a terrible smile。
I told him I did not know his friend Bill and the breakfast was for a man who was staying at the inn。‘We call him the captain；’I said。
‘Does he have a sword cut on his face？’he asked。
‘Yes；’I said。
‘That's Bill；’said the stranger。‘Is he here？’
I told him the captain was out walking； and the man waited ；like a cat waiting for a mouse。 I did not like the look on his face and was sure the captain would not be pleased to see him。
When the captain came back ；the man pulled me behind the door。 The captain opened the door and walked across the room。
‘Bill；’said the stranger。
The captain turned quickly and saw us。 The colour went from his face and be looked old and sick。‘Black Dog！’he said。 He stared at the stranger。‘And what do you want？’
‘I'll have a glass of rum；’ said Black Dog； ‘then you and I'll sit and talk like old friends。’
I fetched the rum and they told me to go away。 I went out of the room ；but the voices became louder。
‘No； no； and that's an end of it！I heard the captain shout。 ‘If one is caught ；we'll all be caught！’
There were more shouts； and then the sound of the table crashing over。 Next； I heard the sound of swords； then out ran Black Dog with blood running down his shoulder 。He ran out of the inn and along the road。 In a few seconds ；he had disap－peared from sight。
The captain watched him go ；then said；‘Jim； quick！ Bring me rum。
He turned and went back into the inn； but he could only just stand on his feet。 I realized he was feeling ill and ran to fetch the rum。 Then I heard him falling and hurried back to find him on the floor。
My mother heard the noise and came downstairs 。We lifted the captain's head。 His eyes were closed and his face was a ter－ rible colour。
At that moment Dr Livesey arrived to see my father 。He looked at the captain and said to my mother：‘ His heart can't take much more of this 。I told him drinking rum would kill him ；and it nearly has。’
The captain opened his eyes and tried to sit up。‘Where's Black Dog？’he asked。
‘There's no Black Dog here；’ said the doctor； ‘Get on your feet and I'll help you to your bed。’
3
The black spot
Later that day； I took the captain a cool drink。
‘Jim； ’he said；‘you're the only person here worth anything 。You'll bring me some rum ；won't you； boy？’
‘The doctor said—’I began。
He swore about the doctor。‘Look； Jim； one glass is all I ask。 I'll pay you for it。’
‘The only money I want； ’I said；‘is the money you owe my father 。But I'll get you one glass of rum ；no more。’
He was grateful and drank it quickly。‘Did the doctor say how long I must lie in my bed？’he asked。
‘A week；’I told him。
‘A week！’he cried。‘I can't do that 。They'll have the black spot on me by then。 They'll come for me。’
‘Who will？ Black Dog？’I said。
‘Yes； but there's worse than him。 It's my old sea－chest they want； but I'll show them！ Jim； if I get the black spot； you go to that doctor。 Tell him to bring a crowd of law officers and a local judge to the inn。 They can catch Flint's crew…all that are left…at the Admiral Benbow 。I was Flint's first ship's officer； and I'm the only one who knows the place。 He told me when he was dying。 But don't call the law unless they give me the black spot； or if you see the seaman with one leg…he's worse than any of them。’
‘But what is the black spot； captain？’I asked。
‘That's a message； boy。 I'll tell you if they give me that。 Keep your eyes open； Jim； and I'll give you half of everything I have。’He talked for a little longer then fell into a heavy sleep ；and I left him。
That night； my father died。 This put all other thoughts to one side and I had no time to worry about the captain。
The next morning； the captain came downstairs。 He didn't eat much food but he drank more rum than usual。 He helped himself and we were too busy to stop him。 There were visits from neighbours； and my father's burial to arrange。
The day after the burial was cold and foggy 。At about three o’clock in the afternoon； I was standing at the door of the inn when I saw a blind man coming along the road。 He was feeling his way with a stick。
‘Will any kind friend tell a poor blind man where he is？’he said。
‘You're at the Admiral Benbow inn； Black Hill Cove； my good man；’I said。
‘I hear a young voice；’ he said。 Will you give me your hand； my kind young friend ；and take me inside？’
I held out my hand； and the terrible； soft…speaking ；eyeless man took hold of it like a dog biting a bone 。He pulled me vio－lently towards him。
‘Now ；boy；’he said；‘take me to the captain or I'll bre