Treasure Island. Louis Stevenson Robert

agreed there was nothing to be done, and after he had been complimented, Long John took up his crutch and departed.

      "All hands aboard by four this afternoon," shouted the squire after him.

      "Aye, aye, sir," cried the cook, in the passage.

      "Well, squire," said Dr. Livesey, "I don't put much faith in your discoveries, as a general thing; but I will say this, John Silver suits me."

      "The man's a perfect trump," declared the squire.

      "And now," added the doctor, "Jim may come on board with us, may he not?"

      "To be sure he may," says squire. "Take your hat, Hawkins, and we'll see the ship."

      9 Powder and Arms

      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 orders. 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."