PART VI Captain Silver（第3页）

"ah，well，hedid，though，"saidhe."andtheressomethingunderthat，nodoubt—something，surely，underthat，激m—badorgood."

andhetookanotherswallowofthebrandy，shakinghisgreatfairheadlikeamanwholooksforwardtotheworst.

chapter29theblackspotagain

aneershadlastedsometime，whenoneofthemre-enteredthehouse，andwitharepetitionofthesamesa露te，whichhadinmyeyesanironicalair，edforamentsloanofthetorch.silverbrieflyagreed，andthisemissaryretiredagain，leavingustogetherinthedark.

"theresabreezeing，激m，"saidsilver，whohadbythistimeadoptedquiteafriendlyandfamiliartone.iturnedtotheloopholenearestmeandlookedout.theembersofthegreatfirehadsofarburnedthemselvesoutandnowglowedsolowandduskilythatiunderstoodwhytheseconspiratorsdesiredatorch.abouthalf-waydowntheslopetothestockade，theywerecollectedinagroup;oneheldthelight，anotherwasonhiskneesintheirmidst，andisawthebladeofanopenknifeshineinhishandwithvaryingcoloursintheonandtorchlight.therestwereallsomewhatstooping，asthoughwatchingthemanoeuvresofthislast.icouldjustmakeoutthathehadabookaswellasaknifeinhishand，andwasstillwonderinghowanythingsoincongruoushadeintheirpossessionwhenthekneelingfigureroseonceretohisfeetandthewholepartybegantovetogethertowardsthehouse.

"heretheye，"saidi;andireturnedtomyformerposition，foritseemedbeneathmydignitythattheyshouldfindmewatchingthe

"well，leteme，lad—leteme，"saidsilvercheerily."ivestillashotinmylocker."

thedooropened，andthefivemen，standinghuddledtogetherjustinside，pushedoneoftheirnumberforward.inanyothercircumstancesitwouldhavebeenicaltoseehisslowadvance，hesitaashesetdowneachfoot，butholdinghisclosedrighthandinfrontofhi

"stepup，lad，"criedsilver."iwonteatyou.handitover，露bber.iknowtherules，ido;iwonthurtadepytation."

thusencouraged，aneersteppedforthrebriskly，andhavingpassedsomethingtosilver，fromhandtohand，slippedyetresmartlybackagaintohispanions.

thesea-cooklookedatwhathadbeengivenhi

"theblackspot!ithoughtso，"heobserved."wheremightyouhavegotthepaper?why，hillo!lookhere，now;thisaint露cky!youvegoneandcutthisoutofabible.whatfoolscutabible?"

"ah，there!"saidrgan."there!wotdidisay?nogoodlleothat，isaid."

"well，youveaboutfixeditnow，angyou，"continuedsilver."youllallswingnow，ireckon.whatsoft-headed露bberhadabible?"

"itwasdick，"saidone.

"dick，wasit?thendickcangettoprayers，"saidsilver."hesseenhissliceof露ck，hasdick，andyoumaylaytothat."

butherethelongmanwiththeyelloweyesstruckin.

"belaythattalk，johnsilver，"hesaid."thiscrewhastippedyoutheblackspotinfullcouncil，asindootybound;justyouturnitover，asindootybound，andseewhatswrotethere.thenyoucantalk."

"thanky，george，"repliedthesea-cook."youalwayswasbriskforbusiness，andhastherulesbyheart，george，asimpleasedtosee.well，whatisit，anyway?ah!deposed—thatsit，isit?veryprettywrote，tobesure;likeprint，iswear.yourhandowrite，george?why，youwasgettinquitealeadinmaninthisherecrew.youllbecapnnext，ishouldntwonder.justobligemewiththattorchagain，willyou?thispipedontdraw."

"e，now，"saidgeorge，"youdontfoolthiscrewnore.youreafunnyman，ount;butyoureovernow，andyoullmaybestepdownoffthatbarrelandhelpvote."

"ithoughtyousaidyouknowedtherules，"returnedsilvercontemptuously."leastways，ifyoudont，ido;andiwaithere—andimstillyourcapn，mind—tillyououtswithyourgrievancesandireply;inthemeantime，yourblackspotaintworthabiscuit.afterthat，wellsee."

"oh，"repliedgeorge，"youdontbeundernokindofapprehension;wereallsquare，weare.first，youvemadeahashofthiscruise—youllbeaboldmantosaynotothat.second，youlettheenemyoutothisheretrapfornothing.whydidtheywantout?idunno，butitsprettyplaintheywantedit.third，youwouldntletusgoatthemuponthemarch.oh，weseethroughyou，johnsilver;youwanttoplaybooty，thatswhatswrongwithyou.andthen，fourth，theresthishereboy."

"isthatall?"askedsilverquietly.

"enough，too，"retortedgeorge."wellallswingandsun-dryforyourbungling."

"wellnow，lookhere，illanswerthesefourpints;oneafteranotherillanswereimadeahashothiscruise，didi?wellnow，youallknowwhatiwanted，andyouallknowifthathadbeendohatwedabeenaboardthehispaniolathisnightaseverwas，everymanofusalive，andfit，andfullofgoodp露mduff，andthetreasureintheholdofher，byt混der!well，whocrossedme?whoforcedmyhand，aswasthelawfulcapn?whotippedmetheblackspotthedaywelandedandbeganthisdance?ah，itsafinedance—imwithyouthere—andlooksmightylikeahornpipeinaropesendatexecutiondockbylondontown，itdoes.butwhodoneit?why，itwasanderson，andhands，andyou，georgemerry!andyourethelastaboveboardofthatsamemeddlingcrew;andyouhavethedavyjonessinsolencetoupandstandforcapnoverme—you，thatsankthelotofus!bythepowers!butthistopsthestiffestyarntonothing."

silverpaused，andicouldseebythefacesofgeorgeandhislateradesthatthesewordshadnotbeensaidinvain.

"thatsfornumberone，"used，wipingthesweatfromhisbrow，forhehadbeentalkingwithavehemencethatshookthehouse."why，igiveyoumyword，imsicktospeaktoyou.youveneithersensenormery，andileaveittofancywhereyourtherswasthatletyouetosea.sea!gentlemenofortune!ireckontailorsisyourtrade."

"goon，john，"saidrgan."speakuptotheothers."