The History: the Treasure Island-Chapter 4

Treasure Island

CHAPTER

4

Storming the Inn

Por: Shamir Galvá

The sound drew nearer and nearer. We sat there holding our breath. Then the stick struck sharply upon the inn door. We could hear the handle being turned. The bolt rattled as that awful man tried to enter the inn. Then there was a long silence. The tapping began once again. But to our joy, it slowly died away.

“Mother,” I said, “takes the whole of it and let’s be going.”

That the door was bolted must have seemed unusual to the blind man, but I was glad I had locked it. Still, my mother, frightened as she was, would not agree to take a bit more of the money than what was owed her. She also would not take less. So she continued her count until a low whistle sounded. That was enough—more than enough—for both of us.

“I’ll take what I have,” she said quickly.

“I’ll take this to even our account,” said I, picking up the package from the chest.

  

We raced down the stairs, opened the door, and made our escape. We had not started a moment too soon. The fog that had hidden the inn from view was disappearing. The moon was shining clearly around us. It was only just around the tavern door that a bit of fog still hung about to cover the first few steps of our escape. We saw that beyond the bottom of the hill, we would come forth into the moonlight. I grasped my mother’s hand tightly.

This was not all. We heard the sound of running footsteps coming toward us.

We had just made it to the little bridge near the inn when my mother and run on. I am going to faint.” This was certainly the end for both of us, I thought.

I helped her to the edge of the bank where, sure enough, she gave a sigh and fell on my shoulder. I do not know how I found the strength to do it, and I am afraid I did it roughly—but I managed to drag her a little way under the bridge. There we were partly hidden; and it was there that we had to stay—within earshot of the inn.

I crept back to the bank again and lay down behind a bush. From where I was, I could see the inn.  I had hardly been there a moment when some men arrived.

There were seven or eight of them.

Their feet were beating out of time along the road. A man with a lantern was leading them.

 Three men ran together. Through the mist I could see that the one in the middle was the blind beggar. At the next moment his voice showed me I was right.

“Down with the door!” he cried.

“Aye, aye sir!” answered two or three of the others. Then a rush was made upon the inn.

I saw them wait. They spoke in low whispers, as if they were surprised to find that the door had already been opened, but the wait was brief. The blind man again gave his orders. His voice sounded louder and higher, as if he were filled with rage.

“In, in, in!” the blind man shouted.

I heard a voice shout from inside—“Bill’s dead!” But the blind man swore at them. “Search him, you shirking lubbers, and get the chest,” he cried.

I could hear their feet rattling up our stairs. The window of the captain’s room opened with a shatter of broken glass. A man called, “Pew, they’ve been here before us. I can’t find the map!”

“it’s that boy,” said Pew. “I wish I had put his eyes out. They were here—they had the door bolted when I tried it. Scatter, lads, and find them!”

Just then we again heard that same low whistle that had frightened us when my mother was counting the dead captain’s money. I understood now that it was a warning signal telling of some danger.

“There’s that whistle again,” said one man. “Let’s go.”

“Scatter and look for them,” cried Pew. “If only I had eyes!”

The men began to run. As they did so, the noise of horses could be heard. Almost at the same time came a pistol shot. The men ran in every direction and, in no time, not a sign of them remained—except for Pew.

Pew was tapping up and down the road calling in vain for his friends. Some riders came at a gallop down the hill. Pew turned and, with a cry, rolled into a ditch. He was on his feet in a second, but being very confused, he fell right under the nearest of the oncoming horses. The rider tried to save him but the blind man fell onto his side and moved no more.

I soon saw that they were officers. I leaped up and called loudly to them. They said that they had heard of a strange ship moored at Kitt’s Hole and were going to see whose it was. As for Pew, he was dead—stone dead.

My mother was brought back to the village and with a little cold water and smelling salts; she was soon back to good health. I went back to the inn. Everything was smashed, and I could see at once that we were ruined.

Mr. Dance and a few of the other officers rode as fast as they could to Kitt’s Hole, but when they got there, the ship was already under sail. He called for them to come back. A voice called back to him saying that he had better keep out of the moonlight or he would get some “lead in him.” Then a bullet whizzed by his arm.

Soon after that, the ship was gone.

“And that,” said Mr. Dance, “is just about as good as nothing. They’ve gotten off clean. Only I’m glad I stomped upon Master Pew.”

From: Treasury of Illustrated Classics Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Adapted by Barbara Green 1996-2004.