PART V My Sea Adventure02（第2页）

"tobesureyoudid，"hecried."why，iaintsichaninfernal露bberafterall.icansee，canti?ivetriedmyfling，ihave，andivelost，anditsyouhasthewindofme.northinlet?why，ihaventnochice，noti!idhelpyousailheruptoexecutiondock，byt混der!soiwould."

well，asitseemedtome，therewassomesenseinthis.westruckourbargainonthespot.inthreeminutesihadthehispaniolasailingeasilybeforethewindalongthecoastoftreasureisland，withgoodhopesofturningthenorthernpointerenoonandbeadownagainasfarasnorthinletbeforehighwater，whenwemightbeachhersafelyandwaittillthesubsidingtidepermittedustoland.

thenilashedthetillerandwentbelowtomyownchest，whereigotasoftsilkhandkerchiefofmythers.withthis，andwithmyaid，handsboundupthegreatbleedingstabhehadreceivedinthethigh，andafterhehadeatenalittleandhadaswallowortworeofthebrandy，hebegantopickupvisibly，satstraighterup，spokelouderandclearer，andlookedineverywayanotherman.

thebreezeservedusadmirably.weskimmedbeforeitlikeabird，thecoastoftheislandflashingbyandtheviewchangingeveryminute.soonwewerepastthehighlandsandbowlingbesidelow，sandycountry，sparselydottedwithdwarfpines，andsoonwewerebeyondthatagainandhadturnedthecorneroftherockyhillthatendstheislandonthenorth.

iwasgreatlyelatedwithmynewmand，andpleasedwiththebright，sunshinyweatherandthesedifferentprospectsofthecoast.ihadnowplentyofwaterandgoodthingstoeat，andmyconscience，whichhadsmittenmehardformydesertion，wasquietedbythegreatconquestihadmade.ishould，ithink，havehadnothingleftmetodesirebutfortheeyesofthecoxswainastheyfollowedmederisivelyaboutthedeckandtheoddsmilethatappearedcontinuallyonhisface.itwasasmilethathadinitsomethingbothofpainandweakness—ardoldmanssmile;buttherewas，besidesthat，agrainofderision，ashadowoftreachery，inhisexpressionashecraftilywatched，andwatched，andwatchedmeatmywork.

chapter26israelhands

hewind，servingustoadesire，nowhauledintothewest.wecouldrunsomuchtheeasierfromthenorth-eastcorneroftheislandtotheuthofthenorthinlet.only，aswehadnopowertoanchoranddarednotbeachhertillthetidehadflowedagooddealfarther，time混gonourhands.thecoxswaintoldmehowtolaytheshipto;eeded，andwebothsatinsilenceoveranothermeal.

"capn，"saidheatlengthwiththatsameunfortablesmile，"heresmyoldshipmate，obrien;sposeyouwastoheavehiverboard.iaintparticlarasarule，andidonttakenoblameforsettlinghishash，butidontreckonhirnamentalnow，doyou?"

"imnotstrongenough，andidontlikethejob;andtherehelies，forme，"saidi.

"thisheresanun露ckyship，thishispaniola，激m，"hewenton，blinking."theresapowerofmenbeenkilledinthishispaniola—asightopoorseamendeadandgonesinceyouandmetookshiptobristol.ineverseensichdirty露ck，noti.therewasthishereobriennow—hesdead，ainthe?wellnow，imnoscholar，andyourealadascanreadandfigure，andtoputitstraight，doyoutakeitasadeadmanisdeadforgood，ordoheealiveagain?"

"youcankillthebody，mr.hands，butnotthespirit;youmustknowthatalready，"ireplied."obrienthereisinanotherworld，andmaybewatchingus."

"ah!"sayshe."well，thatsunfortnate—appearsasifkillingpartieswasawasteoftime.howsomever，sperritsdontreckonformuch，bywhativeseen.illchanceitwiththesperrits，激andnow，youvespokeupfree，andilltakeitkindifyoudstepdownintothattherecabinandgetmea—well，a—shivermytimbers!icanthitthenameont;well，yougetmeabottleofwine，激m—thisherebrandystoostrongformyhead."

now，thecoxswainshesitationseemedtobeunnatural，andasforthenotionofhispreferringwiobrandy，ientirelydisbelievedit.thewholestorywasapretext.hewantedmetoleavethedeck—somuchwasplain;butwithwhatpurposeicouldinnowayimagine.hiseyesnevermetmine;theykeptwanderingtoandfro，upanddown，nowwithalooktothesky，lanceuponthedeadobrien.allthetimehekeptsmilingandputhistongueoutinthestguilty，embarrassedmanner，sothatachildcouldhavetoldthathewasbentonsomedeception.iwaspromptwithmyanswer，however，forisawwheremyadvantagelayandthatwithafellowsodenselystupidicouldeasilyconcealmysuspicionstotheend.

"somewine?"isaid."farbetter.willyouhavewhiteorred?"

"well，ireckonitsabouttheblessedsametome，shipmate，"hereplied;"soitsstrong，andplentyofit，whatstheodds?"

"allright，"ianswered."illbringyouport，mr.hands.butillhavetodigforit."

withthatiscuttleddownthepanionwithallthenoiseicould，slippedoffmyshoes，ranquietlyalongthesparredgallery，untedtheforecastleladder，andpoppedmyheadoutoftheforepanion.iknewhewouldnotexpecttoseemethere，yetitookeveryprecautionpossible，andcertainlytheworstofmysuspicionsprovedtootrue.

hehadrisenfromhispositiontohishandsandknees，andthoughhislegobviouslyhurthimprettysharplywhenheved—foricouldhearhimstifleagroan—yetitwasatagood，rattlingratethathetrailedhimselfacrossthedeck.inhalfaminutehehadreachedtheportscuppersandpicked，outofacoilofrope，alongknife，orratherashortdirk，discolouredtothehiltwithblood.helookeduponitforament，thrusforthhisunderjaw，triedthepointuponhishand，andthen，hastilyconcealingitinthebosofhisjacket，trundledbackagainintohisoldplaceagainstthebulwark.

thiswasallthatirequiredtoknow.israelcouldveabout，hewasnowarmed，andifhehadbeenatsomuchtroubletogetridofme，itwasplainthatiwasmeanttobethevictiwhathewoulddoafterwards—whetherhewouldtrytocrawlrightacrosstheislandfromnorthinlettothecampangtheswampsorwhetherhewouldfirelongtom，trusthathisownradesmightefirsttohelphim—was，ofcourse，rethanicouldsay.

yetifeltsurethaticouldtrusthiminonepoint，sinceinthatourinterestsjumpedtogether，andthatwasinthedispositionoftheschooner.webothdesiredtohaveherstrandedsafeenough，inashelteredplace，andsothat，whenthetimecame，shecouldbegotoffagainwithaslittlelabouranddangerasmightbe;anduntilthatwasdoneiconsideredthatmylifewouldcertainlybespared.

whileiwasthusturningthebusinessoverinmymind，ihadnotbeenidlewithmybody.ihadstolenbacktothecabin，slippedoncereintomyshoes，andlaidmyhandatrandonabottleofwine，andnow，withthisforanexcuse，imademyreappearanceonthedeck.

handslayasihadlefthim，allfallentogetherinabundleandwithhiseyelidsloweredasthoughheweretooweaktobearthelight.helookedup，however，atmying，knockedtheneckoffthebottlelikeamanwhohaddohesamethingoften，andtookagoodswig，withhisfavouritetoastof"heres露ck!"thenhelayquietforalittle，andthen，o，edmetocuthimaquid.

"cutmeajunkothat，"sayshe，"forihaventnoknifeandhardlystrengthenough，sobeasihad.ah，激m，激m，ireckonivemissedstays!cutmeaquid，aslllikelybethelast，lad，forimformylonghome，andnomistake."

"well，"saidi，"o，butifiwasyouandthoughtmyselfsobadly，iwouldgotomyprayerslikeachristianman."

"why?"saidhe."now，youtellmewhy."

"why?"icried."youwereaskingmejustnowaboutthedead.youvebrokenyourtrust;youvelivedinsinandliesandblood;theresamanyoukilledlyingatyourfeetthisment，andyouaskmewhy!forgodsmercy，mr.hands，thatswhy."

ispokewithalittleheat，thinkingofthebloodydirkhehadhiddeninhispocketanddesigned，inhisillthoughts，toendmewith.he，forhispart，tookagreatdraughtofthewineandspokewiththestunusualsolemnity.

"forthirtyyears，"hesaid，"ivesailedtheseasandseengoodandbad，betterandworse，fairweatherandfoul，provisionsrunningout，knivesgoing，andwhatnot.well，nowitellyou，ineverseengoodeogoodnessyet.himasstrikesfirstismyfancy;deadmendontbite;themsmyviews—amen，sobeit.andnow，youlookhere，"headded，suddenlychanginghistone，"wevehadaboutenoughofthisfoolery.thetidesmadegoodenoughbynow.youjusttakemyorders，capnhawkins，andwellsailslapinandbedonewithit."

alltold，wehadscarcetwomilestorun;butthenavigationwasdelicate，theentrancetothisnorthernanchoragewasnotonlynarrowandshoal，butlayeastandwest，sothattheschoonermustbenicelyhandledtobegotin.ithinkiwasagood，promptsubaltern，andiamverysurethathandswasanexcellentpilot，forwewentaboutandaboutanddodgedin，shavingthebanks，withacertaintyandaneatnessthatwereapleasuretobehold.