PART I The Old Buccaneer（第3页）

"now，lookhere，"saidthecaptain;"youverunmedown;hereiam;well，then，speakup;whatisit?"

"thatsyou，bill，"returnedblackdog，"youreintherightofit，billy.illhaveaglassofrumfromthisdearchildhere，asivetooksuchalikingto;andwellsitdown，ifyouplease，andtalksquare，likeoldshipmates."

whenireturnedwiththerum，theywerealreadyseatedoneithersideofthecaptainsbreakfast-table—blackdognexttothedoorandsitsidewayssoastohaveoneeyeonhisoldshipmateandone，asithought，onhisretreat.

hebademegoandleavethedoorwideopen."noneofyourkeyholesforme，sonny，"hesaid;andileftthemtogetherandretiredintothebar.

foralongtime，thoughicertainlydidmybesttolisten，icouldhearnothingbutalowgattling;butatlastthevoicesbegantogrowhigher，andicouldpickupawordortwo，stlyoaths，fromthecaptain.

"no，no，no，no;andanendofit!"hecriedonce.andagain，"ifitestoswinging，swingall，sayi."

thenallofasuddentherewasatremendousexplosionofoathsandothernoises—thechairandtablewentoverina露mp，aclashofsteelfollowed，andthenacryofpain，andthenextinstantisawblackdoginfullflight，andthecaptainhotlypursuing，bothwithdrawncutlasses，andtheformerstreamingbloodfromtheleftshoulder.justatthedoorthecaptainaimedatthefugitiveonelasttremendouscut，whichwouldcertainlyhavesplithimtothechinehaditnotbeeninterceptedbyourbigsignboardofadmiralbenbow.youmayseethenotchonthelowersideoftheframetothisday.

thatblowwasthelastofthebattle.onceoutupontheroad，blackdog，inspiteofhiswound，showedawonderfulcleanpairofheelsanddisappearedovertheedgeofthehillinhalfaminute.thecaptain，forhispart，stoodstaringatthesignboardlikeabewilderedman.thenhepassedhishandoverhiseyesseveraltimesandatlastturnedbackintothehouse.

"激m，"sayshe，"rum";andashespoke，hereeledalittle，andcaughthimselfwithonehandagainstthewall.

"areyouhurt?"criedi.

"rum，"herepeated."imustgetawayfromhere.rum!rum!"

irantofetchit，butiwasquiteunsteadiedbyallthathadfallenout，andibrokeoneglassandfouledthetap，andwhileiwasstillgetinmyownway，iheardaloudfallintheparlour，andrunningin，beheldthecaptainlyingfulllengthuponthefloor.atthesameinstantmyther，alarmedbythecriesandfigh，camerunningdownstairstohelpme.betweenusweraisedhishead.hewasbreathingveryloudandhard，buthiseyeswereclosedandhisfaceahorriblecolour.

"dear，dearyme，"criedmyther，"whatadisgraceuponthehouse!andyourpoorfathersick!"

inthemeantime，wehadnoideawhattodotohelpthecaptain，noranyotherthoughtbutthathehadgothisdeath-hurtinthescufflewiththestranger.igottherum，tobesure，andtriedtoputitdownhisthroat，buthisteethweretightlyshutandhisjawsasstrongasiron.itwasahappyreliefforuswhenthedooropenedanddoctorliveseycamein，onhisvisittomyfather.

"oh，doctor，"wecried，"whatshallwedo?whereishewounded?"

"wounded?afiddle-sticksend!"saidthedoctor."norewoundedthanyouori.themanhashadastroke，asiwarnedhinow，mrs.hawkins，justyourunupstairstoyourhusbandandtellhim，ifpossible，nothingaboutit.formypart，imustdomybesttosavethisfellowstreblyworthlesslife;激m，yougetmeabasin."

whenigotbackwiththebasin，thedoctorhadalreadyrippedupthecaptainssleeveandexposedhisgreatsinewyaritwastattooedinseveralplaces."heres露ck，""afairwind，"and"billyboneshisfancy，"wereveryneatlyandclearlyexecutedontheforearm;andupneartheshouldertherewasasketchofagallowsandamanhangingfromit—done，asithought，withgreatspirit.

"prophetic，"saidthedoctor，touchingthispicturewithhisfinger."andnow，masterbillybones，ifthatbeyourname，wellhavealookatthecolourofyourblood.激m，"hesaid，"areyouafraidofblood?"

"no，sir，"saidi.

"well，then，"saidhe，"youholdthebasin";andwiththathetookhislancetandopenedavein.

agreatdealofbloodwastakenbeforethecaptainopenedhiseyesandlookedmistilyabouthifirstherecognizedthedoctorwithanunmistakablefrown;thenhisglancefel露ponme，andhelookedrelieved.butsuddenlyhiscolourchanged，andhetriedtoraisehimself，crying，"wheresblackdog?"

"thereisnoblackdoghere，"saidthedoctor，"exceptwhatyouhaveonyourownback.youhavebeendrinkingrum;youhavehadastroke，preciselyasitoldyou;andihavejust，verymuchagainstmyownwill，edyouheadforestoutofthegrave.now，mr.bones—"

"thatsnotmyname，"heinterrupted.

"muchicare，"returnedthedoctor."aneerofmyacquaintance;andicallyoubyitforthesakeofshortness，andwhatihavetosaytoyouisthis;oneglassofrumwontkillyou，butifyoutakeoneyoulltakeanotherandanother，andistakemywigifyoudontbreakoffshort，youlldie—doyouunderstandthat?—die，andgotoyourownplace，likethemaninthebible.e，now，makeaneffort.illhelpyoutoyourbedforonce."

betweenus，withmuchtrouble，wemanagedtohoisthimupstairs，andlaidhinhisbed，wherehisheadfellbackonthepillowasifhewerealstfain.

"now，mindyou，"saidthedoctor，"iclearmyconscience—thenameofrumforyouisdeath."