Table of Contents
Dear Reader,
How to Use This Book
An Important Note
Words to Know
Prologue: Treasure Map
1. An Old Sea Dog
2. Long John Silver
3. Treasure Island
4. Battle for the Island
5. The Treasure
Epilogue: Book Report
Can You Survive These Titles?
About Robert Louis Stevenson
About Treasure Island
About the Author
Dedication
For my mother—my #1 fan
Edited by Ryan Jacobson
Cover art by Elizabeth Hurley
Cover logo by Shane Nitzsche
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013904299
Copyright 2013 by Blake Hoena
Published by Lake 7 Creative, LLC
Minneapolis, MN 55412
www.lake7creative.com
All rights reserved
ISBN: 978-0-9883662-6-8 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-940647-02-9 (ebook)
Dear Reader,
I grew up a huge fan of Walt Disney’s Treasure Island, the classic
movie from the 1950s. I wanted to be Jim Hawkins, find a treasure map
where X marks the spot, and set sail across the deep blue seas.
At the time I first saw Treasure Island, I wasn’t much of a reader. So I
was amazed to learn that my favorite movie was actually based on a book
by Robert Louis Stevenson. I begged my parents to get me the big
Illustrated Junior Library version. It was probably the most difficult book I
had ever read, but I loved it.
Treasure Island is a great tale, full of adventure. I thought it would
make a fantastic Choose Your Path book. I have taken great care to stay true
to the original story and to use as much of Stevenson’s dialogue as possible.
Pirates of the 1800s don’t talk like we do today. I wanted the characters in
this adaptation to sound as if they were seafaring men.
When you’re ready, I encourage you to also seek out the original
version of Treasure Island and give it a read. For now, please enjoy this
adaptation.
—Blake Hoena
How to Use This Book
As you read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, you will
sometimes be asked to jump to a distant page. Please follow these
instructions. Sometimes you will be asked to choose between two or more
options. Decide which you feel is best, and go to the corresponding page.
(But be careful; some options will lead to disaster.) Finally, if a page offers
no instructions or choices, just go to the next page.
Your choices will always be located on their own separate page. This
allows us to ensure that your choices appear together, with no page breaks
in between.
Enjoy the story, and good luck!
An Important Note
This ebook is best read by holding your eReader vertically, as shown
above. It allows the book to be viewed one page at a time, rather than two.
This helps to avoid any potential confusion, after making a choice, about
which page to read next.
Words to Know
Bow: the front of a ship
Crosstree: a beam at the top of a mast; a ship’s sails are attached to it
Gangplank: the ramp on which sailors board a ship
Hold: a storage space in the lower part of a ship
Hull: the outer shell of a ship
Mast: a tall pole that holds up a ship’s sails and ropes
Port: the left side of a ship
Rigging: ropes that attach a sail to a ship’s mast
Starboard: the right side of a ship
Stern: the back of a ship
Tiller: a lever used for steering a ship
Topmast: the top of the main, middle pole (or mast) that holds a ship’s sails
and ropes
Prologue: Treasure Map
Every day this week you’ve raced home from school. Your dad has a
rule that if you’re caught up on homework, you get some game time before
dinner. And you just bought the new version of Zombie Pirates. It’s what all
your friends are playing, and you can’t get enough of it. Not only do you
battle zombie pirates, but there are zombie squids and zombie sharks, too.
You burst through the front door, race to your room, and drop your
backpack in the middle of the floor. Sure, you have homework, but it’s
nothing you can’t wrap up on the bus tomorrow. Well, except for your book
report. It’s already a few days late, but maybe Mrs. Johnson will give you
the weekend to finish it.
You turn on your game system, and you reach for your controller. You
always set it next to your console, but now it’s not there! You start checking
around your room. You toss aside your blankets, rummage through the junk
on your desk, and glance at your bookshelves.
Nothing.
You find yourself standing in front of your game system empty-handed.
Where could the controller have gone? you wonder.
That’s when you notice the slip of paper folded and tucked under your
console; only a sliver of it is showing. You pull it out and unfold it. It’s a
note.
Arr, matey, if it be a real adventure you’re after, follow this here map to
find me pirate treasure.
You roll your eyes. The message is from your dad. You can tell by the
handwriting—and the sad attempt at humor. He worries when you get too
involved in your video games. He’s probably hidden your controller, so you
have to take a break from it. For now, there’s only one thing you can do:
follow the map.
It takes a while to figure out where to start. That’s because your dad
hasn’t labeled anything on the map and because of his drawings. What you
thought was a stick man with an Afro is actually a tree—the big oak tree in
your front yard. That’s the starting point. You dig out a compass from your
little brother’s Cub Scout supplies, and you head outside.
From the tree, you walk fifteen paces northeast, then another twenty
north. That puts you in your backyard. Then it’s fifteen more paces
northwest. As you count them off... nine... eight... seven... you notice the
sound of singing.
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest— Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of
rum!”
You stop. Glancing from side to side, behind you and in front of you,
you see nothing unusual. Just some trees rustling in the wind.
You read the next part of the map, “ten paces west,” and you head
straight for your brother’s sandbox.
Ten... nine...
You hear the crash of waves.
Six... five...
Next it’s the sound of clanging swords. You wonder if your dad buried
an MP3 player.
Two... one...
You stand at the edge of the sandbox.
“Drink and the devil had done for the rest— Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of
rum!”
You hear more singing. More crashing waves. More clanging swords.
At this point, you’re beyond curious. You can’t help but wonder what sort
of “pirate treasure” your dad has hidden.
You kneel down in the sandbox, pick up one of your brother’s plastic
shovels, and start digging. As you scoop sand, the noises get louder and
louder.
You find a metal box about a foot deep. Could it be filled with
treasure? Its clasp is broken, so you throw the lid open. You discover... a
book?
It’s old and tattered, and across the top are the words Treasure Island
emblazoned in gold letters.
You groan, disappointed. Why would Dad bury a book for you to find?
But then you realize that the sounds are coming from within the book.
A part of you wants to pick it up, to find out what the strange noises mean.
But you’re afraid of what will happen if you do. There’s a powerful aura
coming from that book. You sense that opening it could lead to a dangerous
adventure, filled with life-or-death choices.
The noises start to fade. Your instincts tell you that it’s now or never.
You must decide, and you must decide fast. Will you pick up the book, or
will you leave it be? What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next
page.)
Grab the book.
Leave the book.
The best thing to do is leave the book alone. After all, it’s just a silly
book. So what if it’s making weird noises? What you really want is your
controller back.
You drop the metal box—and the book—back into the hole. Then you
kick sand over it.
You head into the house and go to your room. Your dad is sitting on the
bed. He holds your game controller in his hand. “Mrs. Johnson called,” he
says. “You haven’t turned in your book report.”
You look down at your feet. “I know,” you reply.
Your dad stands and moves toward the doorway. But before he walks
through it, he looks back at you.
You’re unable to meet his eyes.
“No video games for a week,” he says. “Then we’ll discuss some
changes to the rules. After that, maybe you’ll get your controller back.”
Without waiting for you to answer, he exits the room.
You slump down on your bed. Great, you think, no Pirate Zombies for
a week. Maybe you should’ve picked up that strange book after all.
Try again.
What could be more exciting than an adventure with life-or-death
choices? You reach into the metal box and pull out the book. It’s thicker and
heavier than you expected. It sends a tingling shock through your fingers
and up your arms.
Suddenly, the strange noises loudly surround you: the singing, the
crashing waves, the clanging swords. They’re deafening!
The book flips open. The pages in front of you begin to glow, and you
find that you cannot look away. You grow dizzy. Your head begins to swirl.
Your knees buckle. Then you fall forward, into the book, and everything
becomes very, very dark.
1. An Old Sea Dog
Your name is Jim Hawkins. You help your mother run the Admiral
Benbow, an old inn on the outskirts of Black Hill Cove. The small village
lies along the western coast of England.
This morning, there are few customers. You quickly clean up after
breakfast is served and head outside. You enjoy watching the sailors walk
up the road from the city of Bristol. The sailors are a rough and sea-worn
bunch. But you admire them for the places they’ve seen and the adventures
they’ve had.
Every so often, one of those sailors stops and stays at the Admiral
Benbow. Today is one of those days.
While you watch the road, an old “sea dog” of a sailor strolls toward
the inn. He’s tall and wearing a dirty blue coat. His hair is pulled back in a
pigtail. His hands are rough with black, broken nails. But the detail that you
latch onto is the scar, looking like a sabre cut, across his right cheek.
He must have amazing stories to tell, you think.
In his arms, the old sailor carries a sea chest. And as he walks, he
hums.
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest— Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of
rum!”
When he reaches the Admiral Benbow’s front door, he stops and
glances down at you.
“This looks like a pleasant grog-shop,” he says. “Much company,
mate?”
You shake your head.
“Well, then,” he says, “this is the place for me.”
You open the door for him, and he saunters inside.
Your mother is waiting in the parlor to greet him. “What can I do for
you, sir?” she asks.
“I think I’ll stay here a bit,” he says. Then turning to you, he adds,
“Can you take this up to my room, matey?”
He hands you his sea chest. Its weight nearly knocks you over, but you
grit your teeth and carry it toward the stairs that lead up to the guest rooms.
As you’re stumbling away, you hear the old sailor say to your mom,
“You ought call me Captain.”
Captain’s stay at the inn turns from days into weeks, from weeks into
months. Each month, your mother has to hound him to settle his bill. After
much grumbling, he tosses her a few silver coins.
In the mornings, Captain hangs around the cove. He watches the ships
sailing into the harbor through his brass telescope. At night, he sits by the
fireplace and drinks rum. He’s secretive and keeps mostly to himself.
On some nights, he sings loudly in the parlor.
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest— Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest— Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
You wonder if the “dead man’s chest” is the chest you carried to his
room. But you’re too afraid to ask him.
Yet, one day, he pulls you aside and holds out a silver coin. “Listen,
lad, I’ll give you a fourpenny on the first of every month if you’d do me a
favor,” he says as he squeezes your arm. There’s a strange quiver of fear in
his voice. His eyes dart about wildly, as if danger lurks around every corner.
“Keep a lookout for a seafaring man with one leg. Can you do that for me?”
Captain is big and a cutlass sword dangles from his belt. You wonder
what sort of man could scare him. Would it be safe to get involved in his
affairs? And is a little extra money worth the risk? What will you choose to
do? (Choices are on the next page.)
Agree to help Captain.
Say no.
You worry it could be dangerous getting involved in Captain’s affairs.
So you tell him, “No, I don’t think I can help you.”
“Why not, matey?” he asks.
“I— I— I’m busy with chores,” you say, stumbling for an answer. “My
mom wouldn’t like it if I didn’t get to them.”
Captain runs his thumb along the scar on his cheek and scowls at you.
You can tell he’s mad, and you worry about what he might do. You don’t
think he will harm you, but you back away.
As you do, Captain spins on his heels and turns from you. He stomps
up the stairs. A moment later, you hear his door slam shut.
The next morning, as you’re helping your mom prepare breakfast, you
see Captain at the top of the stairs. His sea chest is in his arms. Slowly, he
waddles down the steps.
“Are you leaving?” your mother asks. She’s worried that she’ll have
one less paying guest.
“Aye,” he says. “It’s not safe in these here parts for an old sea dog like
me.”
He casts a dark glance in your direction. You know he’s leaving
because you refused to help him.
Your mom holds the door open for him as he squeezes past you.
If you let him leave, you’ll never know about the one-legged man. And
you’ll never know what’s in that chest of his. But then, as he said, it’s not
safe here for him. That also means it’s probably not safe for you or your
mother. Will you change your mind and offer to help Captain, or will you
let him go? What will you choose to do?
Offer to help Captain
Let Captain leave.
You will never know or understand Captain’s secrets, but you feel that
it’s far too dangerous to be involved with him. You let him walk out the
door, and you go back to your morning chores.
As the days, weeks, and months pass, you continue to enjoy watching
the sailors come up the road from Bristol. Most often, they just walk on by.
But sometimes they stop at the Admiral Benbow and share with you stories
of their adventures.
As you listen, you think back on Captain. You do not know how he’s
fared with the one-legged seafaring man. Part of you wishes you’d said yes
when he asked for help. If you had, perhaps you would’ve experienced your
own adventure. Instead, you remain stuck here, at the Admiral Benbow,
where you will probably work for the rest of your life.
Try again.
Curiosity gets the best of you. You decide to change your mind and
offer to help Captain. You want to know about the seafaring man with one
leg. More importantly, you hope to find out what’s in Captain’s chest.
You sprint through the door. “Captain, wait!”
He is only a few steps ahead of you and stops when you call to him.
“What is it, lad? Come to see me off, did ye?”
Click here to continue.
You tell Captain, “I will help you.” After all, business has been slow at
the Admiral Benbow. Any amount of money will benefit you and your
mother.
Captain places a coin in your palm. “Good, now get along. And
remember, if you see a seafaring man with one leg, you let me know.”
Every day, as he returns from the cove, Captain asks, “Have you seen
him?”
Every day, you tell him, “No.”
As the days wear on, visions of the man with one leg begin to haunt
your dreams. Did he lose his leg in an accident? A battle? Was it cut off at
the knee? The hip? Is he a criminal? Or worse, a pirate? You soon develop
as much fear of the one-legged man as Captain has.
On some nights during Captain’s stay, he tells tales of life on the high
seas: deadly storms, men walking the plank, and wild exotic places. You
find the stories both frightening and thrilling. You hope that you will hear
about the one-legged man. But Captain never mentions him in his stories.
One day, as you clean up after breakfast, you watch Captain leave for
the cove. His cutlass sword swings at his hip, and the brass telescope is
tucked under his arm. As you continue with your chores, you wonder what
he’s looking for. It must be important. He’s been carrying on with this odd
habit for several months now.
Some hours later, the creak of the front door startles you. In walks a
strange man. He is pale and thin, and immediately you look down to see if
he’s missing a leg. There are two legs. You’re disappointed and relieved to
learn that he’s not the seafaring man whom Captain has been looking for.
“Have you seen my mate Bill?” he asks. “I heard he was staying here.”
“I don’t know any Bill,” you reply.
“Well, my mate Bill has a cut on one cheek,” the man explains. “That
cheek’s the right one. You sure he ain’t staying at this inn?”
You realize he’s looking for Captain. But he’s not the one-legged
seaman. He calls Captain his “mate,” so they could be friends.
“Captain is out for a walk,” you say.
“Aye, he calls himself Captain, eh?” the man says. “When will he be
back then?”
“He usually stops in around lunchtime for a bite to eat,” you answer.
“Then I guess I’ll just wait for my mate Bill,” he says. “We have some
business to discuss.”
As he says this, he fingers the hilt of the cutlass that hangs from his
belt. You begin to wonder if you’ve made a mistake. You’re not sure if this
man means Captain any harm.
Should you warn Captain before he returns, and will the stranger get
angry if you do? Or will you wait for Captain’s return and hope the men are
friends? What will you choose to do?
Warn Captain.
Stay at the inn.
You need to warn Captain, to let him know about this man. But you
have to be smart about it. You return to your chores.
The minutes tick away, and the man eventually steps outside. That
gives you your chance to get away. While it may not be safe to leave
through the front door, there is another way. You hurry through the kitchen.
Then you sneak out the back door.
You can’t go down the main road. The man might see you from the
Admiral Benbow. So you take the long way. You duck behind houses and
sprint through fields.
By the time you reach the harbor, you’re exhausted. You search the
cove, but Captain is nowhere to be seen.
You make your way toward the docks. Crowds of sailors and fishermen
mill about. There are too many people and too many ships. And it’s almost
noon.
You decide to hurry back to the Admiral Benbow. Maybe you can catch
Captain on his way to the inn.
As you race along the road, you don’t see Captain anywhere. You
worry that it’s too late, that he’s already at the Admiral Benbow.
Just as you reach the inn, the stranger bursts out the front door. His
eyes dart about wildly, as if he’s looking for danger. He doesn’t notice you,
but you see that his left arm hangs loose at his side. There’s been a fight.
He’s hurt, and his shirt is blood-stained.
“Black Dog,” Captain shouts weakly from inside.
The stranger runs down the road. You dash inside. In the middle of the
parlor, Captain lies face down.
“Dear, deary me,” your mother cries from the top of the stairs. “Send
for Dr. Livesey.”
Click here to continue.
The stranger isn’t the one-legged sailor. Maybe Captain and this man
are even friends. You decide to stay at the inn and do your chores.
The stranger waits just behind the door. Every now and then, he peers
around the corner like a cat waiting for a mouse.
You try stepping outside, but he blocks your path. “And where do you
think you’re going, sonny?” he says.
“I need to fetch some water.”
“Well, it’s near noon,” he says. “Why don’t you and me just go back
into the parlor and wait for Bill there?”
As the stranger backs away from the door, he drags you along with
him. He pushes you into a corner and stands in front of you. Then he pulls
his cutlass from its sheath. Surely, he’s no friend of Captain’s.
At last, in walks Captain. He slams the door closed behind him and
marches across the parlor without even noticing you or the stranger.
“Bill,” the stranger whispers.
Captain spins on his heels. All the color rushes from his face, as if he’s
seen a ghost.
“Black Dog!” Captain curses.
“And who else would come to see you here at the Admiral Benbow?”
Black Dog asks.
“So you’ve found me,” Captain says. “What is it that you want?”
“Now, Billy, let’s talk like old shipmates,” Black Dog says. Then he
turns to you. “Get along, sonny.”
You leave to do your chores as they sit down near the fireplace. They
begin to chat in hushed tones. You cannot hear what they’re saying.
A few moments pass. Then, while your back is turned, there is a
tremendous explosion of words. The table tips over. Both men stand, and
their chairs crash to the floor. Swords are drawn. The clang of steel rings
out—then a cry of pain.
Black Dog dashes out the door. His left arm hangs loosely at his side.
Captain gives chase, but he doesn’t make it far. He suddenly stops and
collapses face down in the middle of the parlor.
“Dear, deary me,” your mother cries from the top of the stairs. “Send
for Dr. Livesey.”
Go to the next page.
By the time Livesey arrives, you’ve rolled Captain onto his back. The
doctor pulls up Captain’s sleeve to begin examining him. On the exposed
arm you see the words “Billy Bones” tattooed into his flesh. That must be
Captain’s name.
“Oh, doctor,” your mother cries, “what shall we do? Where is he
wounded?”
The doctor replies, “He’s no more wounded than you or I. He had a
stroke.”
Slowly, Captain awakens. You and Livesey manage to get him to his
room, where he collapses onto his bed. Then, back down in the parlor,
Livesey tells your mother that Captain will need to rest for several days.
“And as soon as he’s well,” Livesey says, “I would see him out the
door. His sort will only bring you trouble.”
Not only is he the town’s doctor, Livesey serves as its magistrate,
enforcing the local laws.
Over the next few days, you visit Captain to bring him food and water.
Usually he is too tired to stir, but one day, he grabs your arm as you’re
about to leave. “Have you seen that one-legged seafaring man today?”
“You mean Black Dog?” you ask.
“Nah! Not Black Dog,” he says. “He’s a bad un, but there’s worse than
he.”
“What do they want with you?” you ask.
Captain sucks in several deep breaths. Then he points to his sea chest.
“That,” he says.
Before you can ask what’s in the chest, he starts to rant on about a man
named Flint and knowing some secret. Then he collapses, exhausted.
You don’t know what it all means. But you’re sure there’s a connection
between Flint, the one-legged man, and Captain’s sea chest.
A few days later, Captain is strong enough to come downstairs for
meals. He eats, has a drink, and heads back to bed. You aren’t sure he’s
getting any better, though. He still looks weak and pale, and he struggles to
get up and down the stairs.
One morning, while Captain is in the parlor eating breakfast, you step
outside. It’s a bright, sunny day. The sun is behind you, and your shadow
stretches down the road to Bristol. You watch people walking up from the
coast. Among them is a hunched-over man wearing a tattered sea cloak. He
holds out a long stick in front of him and tap-tap-taps his way down the
road.
Lifting his head every now and then, he calls out, “Will any kind friend
help a poor, blind beggar? Tell me, where am I?”
“You are at the Admiral Benbow,” you say as he reaches the inn.
The man scuttles over to you. “Will you give me your arm, my kind
young friend?” he asks.
You do so, and he grips your arm like a vice. “Now, boy,” he whispers
into your ear, “take me to Captain Billy, or I’ll break your arm.”
He’s blind, but might he pose any danger to you or to Captain? You
could lead him away. But will you risk a broken arm to do so? What will
you choose to do?
Lead the man away.
Lead the man to Captain.
You worry about Captain’s health, and you sense that this man means
him harm. So you decide to lead the man away from the inn.
“Here, it’s this way,” you say.
First, you spin the man around to face the inn and take a step forward.
Then, as you take another step, you spin him back down the road to Bristol.
You take a few more steps when suddenly you feel his grip tighten.
“Lad,” he curses, “I can feel the sun on my back. You’re leading me
back the way I just came.”
With surprising strength, the blind man yanks you around. You hear a
muffled crack and feel a sharp pain as your arm goes limp. He has just
broken your arm!
“I keep my promises, boy,” he snarls. “Now take me to Captain, or I’ll
break your other arm.”
Click here to continue.
The man gives your arm a yank. You wince in pain.
“Well, what will it be, boy?” he snarls.
You decide to lead him into the Admiral Benbow. He doesn’t seem as
dangerous as Black Dog. You hope Captain is well enough to handle a little
excitement.
“Right this way,” you say.
Go to the next page.
You walk into the Admiral Benbow’s parlor. The blind beggar still
holds your arm. You see Captain across the room. He’s hunkered over his
breakfast. You lead the beggar over to him.
Captain glances up as you shuffle near. Suddenly, he looks frail and
weak, as if all life has left his body.
“Pew?” Captain gasps, about to stand. “What are you doing here?”
“Now, Bill, sit where you are,” Pew says. “And hold out your hand.”
Pew lets go of you and reaches into his pocket. He takes out a scrap of
paper, which he hands to Captain. “And now that’s done,” he says.
Pew spins away from you and scurries out the door. You hear the taptap-tapping of his stick echoing from down the road.
On the piece of paper in Captain’s palm is a large black spot.
“This means they’re coming for me,” is all he says. Slowly, he leans
forward and collapses onto the floor. He’s had another stroke; this time he
doesn’t survive.
You run and tell your mother what’s happened. “What should we do?”
you ask.
“He still owes us rent for last month,” your mother says. “If we don’t
take it from his chest now, we’ll never see our money.”
She locks the front door. “Once we have our money,” she adds, “we’ll
send for Dr. Livesey.”
You nod. Money is tight; you know that she worries about the costs of
running the Admiral Benbow.
You follow her upstairs and into Captain’s room. Your mother rushes
over to the sea chest. She throws the lid open.
The first thing you see is a nice suit of clothes that look as if they’ve
never been worn. Your mother digs further into the chest and pulls out a
silver compass, a pistol, a brass telescope, and a tattered book. There are
some other trinkets and pieces of clothing. The last thing she finds is a
canvas bag full of coins. It jingles as she holds it up.
“I’m an honest woman,” your mother says. “I’ll only take what’s owed
me.” She pours out some coins and begins to count them.
Before she’s done, you hear a familiar tap-tap-tapping coming from
outside.
“Mother,” you say, “that blind beggar is back. We’d better go.”
Then you hear Pew shout, “Black Dog, check the front door!”
The handle rattles loudly.
“It’s locked,” Black Dog yells.
You have to hurry. Your mom scoops up the coins she’s counted out,
but what will you take?
If the blind beggar broke your arm, you can only grab one item. If not,
select two items. Write on a piece of paper the item(s) you choose, so you’ll
remember what you selected during the rest of your adventure.
Brass telescope—Captain carried his telescope everywhere he went.
Maybe it’s more than just a simple telescope. Does it hold any secrets?
Pistol—with Pew and Black Dog outside, you could use the pistol for
protection. But you’re young. Do you know how to use it correctly?
Silver compass—your mom was only able to grab a handful of coins, but
Captain owes you more. Is the compass valuable?
Tattered book—the book doesn’t have a title, so maybe it’s Captain’s
journal. What sorts of secrets might it contain inside?
After you’ve chosen, go to the next page.
You and your mother rush downstairs.
“Come on, you oafs,” Pew yells from outside. “Break the door down.”
You hear the impact of a couple of large bodies against the door. The
bolt holds, but the wooden door creaks painfully. It won’t last long. Luckily,
there’s a back way out of the inn.
“My dear,” your mother says suddenly. She looks pale. “Take the
money and run. I am going to faint.”
You know you can’t leave her. She wouldn’t be safe with the villains
just on the other side of the door. You grab your mother by the arm and lead
her through the kitchen. Then you sneak out the back door just as the front
door gives way.
“Bill’s dead!” someone shouts from inside.
“Find his chest,” Pew yells.
Without daring a glance back, you rush toward Dr. Livesey’s house.
You’re there within a few minutes, exhausted and breathing heavily.
Livesey is not alone. He and a friend of his, Mr. Trelawney, greet you at the
door.
“What’s the matter, lad?” Trelawney asks as Livesey attends to your
mother.
You tell him about what happened at the inn.
“I will sound the alarm,” Trelawney says, and then he runs off.
“What do you think they were after?” Livesey asks while he takes care
of your mother.
“Probably something in Captain’s sea chest,” your mother whispers
weakly. “He had a bag of coins. Maybe they wanted money.” She holds out
the coins she took.
“I might have the thing they were after,” you say.
Livesey looks from your mother to you. “What is it, Jim?”
You hold out what you took.
If you have the tattered book, click here.
If not, click here.
Livesey considers what you took from Captain’s sea chest. Then he
says, “I’m not sure this would be worth killing him for. Is this all that was
in the chest?”
You describe everything you saw.
“Hmmm...” the doctor thinks. “Nothing sounds very valuable.”
Just then, Trelawney comes through the door. “They got away,” he
says. Then he walks over to your mother. “I’m sorry, but they ransacked
your house, knocking over furniture and tossing your belongings about.
Those ruffians must have been looking for something.”
“What about Captain’s sea chest?” Livesey asks. He repeats the items
that you described. “Did you notice anything missing?”
“There wasn’t any book,” Trelawney replies.
“That’s what they must have been after,” Livesey says. “Jim, are you
sure you didn’t grab that?”
You nod.
“Too bad,” Livesey says. “Now we’ll never know what secrets Captain
was hiding.”
During the days that follow, Livesey takes care of you and your mother.
Trelawney helps you fix up the Admiral Benbow.
You don’t see Black Dog again, but you still keep watch for the
seafaring man with one leg. A part of you senses that you’ve missed out on
a great adventure. Now, you’ll probably be stuck here for the rest of your
life.
Try again.
Livesey takes the book from you and opens it. “Have you heard of
anyone named Flint?” he asks, looking up at you. “This appears to be a
journal of his.”
“No, not really,” you reply. “Captain did mention a Flint once, but I
wasn’t sure who he was.”
Just then, Trelawney comes through the door. “They got away,” he
says. Then he walks over to your mother. “I’m sorry, but they ransacked
your house, knocking over furniture and tossing your belongings about.
Those ruffians must have been looking for something.”
“Probably this,” Livesey says, holding out the book for Trelawney. As
he does, a folded slip of paper falls from the book. You pick it up.
“Why, this is Cap’n Flint’s,” Trelawney says.
“You know of him?” Livesey asks.
“Heard of him,” Trelawney answers. “He was the bloodthirstiest pirate
that ever sailed.”
The doctor points at the book in Trelawney’s hands. “I think that’s his
logbook,” he adds.
Trelawney thumbs through a few pages. “It is!” he exclaims. “This is a
record of every ship he’s sunk, every town he’s plundered, and every ounce
of gold he stole. When he died a few years back, people were wondering
what happened to all his loot.”
“But it doesn’t say in the book,” the doctor notes.
“What about this?” you ask, holding out the paper.
Livesey excitedly snatches it from you. “It’s a map,” he yelps as he
smooths it out on a table.
You and Trelawney lean over the piece of paper with him. It’s the map
of an island, Treasure Island. There are latitude and longitude markings, as
well as the names of hills, bays, and inlets. In the center of the island,
there’s a hill called “Spyglass.” There is also an X drawn in red ink, with the
words “bulk of treasure here” next to it, on the southern half of the island.
Southeast of Treasure Island is a smaller isle called Skeleton Island.
“A treasure map!” Trelawney shouts.
The doctor flips the map over. On the backside are some cryptic
instructions.
Skeleton Island E.S.E. and by E.
Tall tree, Spyglass shoulder, bearing a point to the N. of N.N.E.
Ten feet.
“It’s Flint’s treasure map,” Trelawney says. Then he rambles on about
buying a ship and hiring a crew to go and search for Flint’s treasure. “I bet
we can set sail from Bristol within two weeks!”
As you listen to Trelawney, you rub your arm. It’s very sore. In all the
excitement, you didn’t realize just how much it hurts. Now it’s throbbing
painfully.
Livesey looks over at you. “Are you okay, Jim?” he asks. “Let me take
a look at your arm.”
If Pew broke your arm, click here.
If not, click here.
Livesey gently takes your arm. You cry out in pain.
“What’s wrong?” Trelawney asks. “I was about to tell Jim that he could
serve as our cabin boy.”
Livesey shakes his head. “Jim’s arm is broken. He won’t be going with
us.”
You can’t believe it. Just as the grandest adventure of your life is about
to begin, something horrible has happened. You look from Livesey to
Trelawney to your mother. You aren’t sure whether it’s sadness or pity in
their eyes. But they are all in agreement. Going after Flint’s treasure will be
a long and dangerous quest. It won’t be safe for you, not with a broken arm.
During the days that follow, Livesey takes care of you and your mother.
Trelawney helps at the Admiral Benbow. You can tell that something else is
on both of their minds. Treasure Island. Riches. Adventure. The things that
you will miss.
The days slip by quickly, and before you’re ready to accept your fate,
you watch them sail off.
Weeks pass and then months and eventually years. There’s no word of
your friends. It’s not until many years later that you hear rumors about
Cap’n Flint’s treasure being found. But even then, Livesey and Trelawney
don’t return. Something must have happened to them. Something horrible.
If only Pew hadn’t broken your arm, you might have prevented whatever
disaster has befallen the men.
Try again.
Livesey gently takes your arm. You yelp in pain.
“What’s wrong?” Trelawney asks. “I was about to tell Jim that he could
serve as our cabin boy.”
“His arm’s just bruised,” Livesey says. “It’s nothing that will prevent
him from joining us.”
You glance at your mother. She nods slowly. She may be afraid for
your safety, but she also knows this is something you’ve wanted your whole
life: adventure!
2. Long John Silver
The next two weeks pass slowly as you wait for the adventure ahead to
begin. You still have one item that you took from Captain’s sea chest.
Livesey lets you hold on to it.
“You never know when you might need that,” he says. So you keep it
in your pocket at all times.
Finally, when you feel like you can’t wait any longer, you receive a
note from Trelawney.
Dear Jim Hawkins,
Our ship is bought and fitted—her name, Hispaniola. Rounding up a
crew was fairly easy once they got wind of the port we sailed for—treasure,
I mean.
I found a half a dozen good men. Then I had a remarkable stroke of
fortune. I met a man who owns the Glass Eye, a restaurant, in Bristol. He
wanted to be our cook. His name’s Long John Silver. I felt pity on him, as he
had lost one leg in service to our country. I hired him on the spot.
Well, I thought I had only found a cook, but it was a crew I had
discovered. Silver got together a company of the toughest old salts
imaginable—solid seamen.
I’d like you to go and meet him at the Glass Eye, so you can tell me if
you think he’s the right sort of character for our crew. And then join me and
Dr. Livesey at our inn near the docks. We leave in two days’ time.
Mr. Trelawney
A sense of dread overwhelms you. Long John Silver only has one leg!
Is he the man Captain feared? You don’t know, and you won’t until you do
as Trelawney asks. If he is, then you’ll have to warn him and Livesey at
once.
The next day, you share a long goodbye with your mother. She waves
as you leave the Admiral Benbow to start your journey. You are excited to
finally be on your way, to have your grand adventure.
Once you reach the cove, you search for the Glass Eye. It turns out to
be a small place with a large brass telescope for a sign. The tables inside are
filled with rugged seafaring men. Their clothing is worn and dirty. You
notice some have eye patches and others are missing fingers or even whole
hands.
As you stand by the door, a man walks out of the kitchen. It’s Long
John Silver; you’re sure of it. His left leg is cut off close to the hip, and
under his left shoulder he cradles a crutch. Despite that, he gets around
easily, hopping from table to table. All the while, a squawking parrot
balances on his shoulder.
Long John is tall and strong, with a smiling face. He’s nothing like
Captain’s one-legged seafaring man, the man who haunted your dreams.
And Long John doesn’t bear any resemblance to seafaring men like Black
Dog or Pew or even Captain. He is friendly to his guests and whistles
happily as he hops from table to table.
Then he notices you standing in the doorway. “Hey there, lad,” he says
as he bounces over to you. “Might you be Jim Hawkins, cabin boy of the
Hispaniola?”
You nod.
“Mr. Trelawney said you were a fine, trustworthy lad,” he continues.
“From the looks of you, I gather everything he said is true.”
You blush a little at Long John’s flattery. He is so friendly that when he
puts an arm around your shoulders to pull you inside, you let him.
“Come on in,” he says. “Meet some of my mates.”
As you enter the Glass Eye, one of the customers stands up. He bumps
into you, nearly knocking you over as he pushes his way out the door. For a
second, you’re stunned. You recognize the pale, thin man.
“That’s Black Dog,” you cry. “Stop him!”
“I don’t care two coppers who he is,” Long John cries. “He hasn’t paid
his bill. Israel, run and catch ’im.”
A large man near the door leaps up and rushes out in pursuit.
“Who did you say he was, lad?” Long John asks. “Black what?”
“Dog, sir,” you say. “Black Dog.”
“Was he one of the pirates that Mr. Trelawney told me about?” Long
John asks.
“He was,” you reply.
Just then, the man who had chased after Black Dog returns. “I wasn’t
able to catch him,” he admits before going back to his seat.
Long John gives you a serious look. “This Black Dog means trouble,
I’ll bet,” he says. “We best tell Mr. Trelawney and Dr. Livesey the news.”
You and Long John leave for the docks. You find Trelawney and
Livesey in their room at an inn. By the charts and papers they have on the
table, you can tell they’ve been discussing Treasure Island and the map.
Long John quickly tells them what happened.
“Thanks for the warning, Silver,” Trelawney says. “It’s a good thing we
set sail tomorrow.” Turning to you, he asks, “Well, Jim, what do you think
of our cook? Is he the right man for the job?”
What should you tell him? Do you trust Long John? He doesn’t seem to
know Black Dog, and he’s nothing like the one-legged seafaring man whom
Captain feared. On the other hand, he could be pretending. In that case, he
might be the man who was after Captain’s treasure map. What will you
choose to do?
Trust Long John.
Distrust Long John.
Long John seems nothing like the man Captain feared, but you’re still
not sure about him.
You tell Trelawney and Livesey what you think. “It was a one-legged
man that Captain feared,” you say. “That could be Long John, maybe not.
Either way, I don’t think we can trust him.”
The three adults look at you. Disappointment fills their eyes.
Then Trelawney turns from you to Long John. “I’m sorry, Silver, but
this is Jim’s adventure,” he says. “He found the map. He knows the people
who are after it. I have to follow his judgment.”
“That goes for me as well,” the doctor adds.
Long John turns to you. A hint of anger flashes across his smiling face.
“Are you sure, lad?” he asks.
You nod, not daring to meet his gaze.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he says with a sneer. “Good luck finding a new
crew!” Then Long John storms out of the inn.
“What does he mean by that?” Livesey asks.
“Those men he signed up for our voyage will not sail without him,”
Trelawney answers.
“We’ll just hire another crew,” you suggest.
But it isn’t that simple. Almost no one is willing to work with you. The
new sailors Trelawney does finally hire are a sorry lot of misfits.
The night before you are to set sail, two of them break into Livesey’s
room. One attacks the doctor with a club while the other ransacks his room.
You find the doctor the next morning. You call for Trelawney, and he
rushes to help. The two of you lift the doctor onto his bed.
“Did they get the map?” Livesey groans.
“Where did you leave it?” you ask.
“On the table,” he mutters.
The table is covered with letters and lists of supplies needed for your
voyage. But you can’t find the map.
“It’s not here!” you shout.
The doctor groans painfully, and Trelawney mutters to himself. Your
grand adventure is over before it even began—because you mistrusted the
one sailor who could have helped you the most.
Try again.
Long John seems nothing like the man that Captain feared; he’s
friendly and cheery. Besides, Captain was looking for a seafaring man with
one leg. Long John owns a restaurant by the docks. He was here the whole
time you knew Captain. You tell Trelawney and Livesey that you do trust
Long John.
“That’s good to hear,” Trelawney says. “Silver helped us put our crew
together. I don’t know what we’d do without him.”
“And I won’t let you down either, sirs,” Long John says. “Now I best
be off to see about my things, as we’re setting sail soon.”
With that, Long John leaves you, the doctor, and Trelawney alone.
Livesey quickly gathers the papers and maps. He tucks them under his arm
and says, “Now, Jim, let’s take you aboard the Hispaniola.”
“Yes, yes,” Trelawney stammers. “He needs to meet Captain Smollett.”
The three of you head down to the docks.
The Hispaniola is a stout, three-masted schooner, with one small
cannon near the bow. You dart up the gangplank. You’re excited to finally
be aboard the ship. And tomorrow, you will set sail on the high seas.
As Livesey and Trelawney show you the way to your quarters, Captain
Smollett approaches.
“Well, Captain, what say you?” Trelawney greets the man. “All
shipshape and seaworthy?”
“Well, sir,” the captain says, “I better speak plain. I don’t like this
cruise. That’s the short and sweet of it.”
“You don’t?” Livesey replies, surprised. “Why not?”
“We are going after treasure,” the captain begins. “Now, treasure is
ticklish work. I don’t like treasure voyages on any account, and I don’t like
them, above all, when the crew knows why we’re setting sail.”
“We take a risk, true enough,” Livesey agrees. “But without the
promise of treasure, we may never have rounded up a crew.”
“Well, gentlemen, if you are set to go on this cruise,” the captain says,
“I suggest we lock all the guns in the hold under my cabin, just to be safe.
And do keep that map of yours hidden.”
“Aye, aye, Captain Smollett,” Livesey says.
With that, the captain turns and struts off.
“He’s all business, that man,” Trelawney says with a bit of scorn. “I
hope he can sail this ship as well as he can tell us what to do.”
“Mr. Trelawney,” the doctor says with a smile, “I believe you have
managed to get two honest men on board with us: the captain and John
Silver.”
All that night there is a great bustle about the ship. Supplies are stowed,
and sailors rig the sails. You hardly sleep a wink. The next thing you know,
the sun, all bright and golden, is rising over the horizon. The crew jumps to
their places and prepares to set sail.
As they work, Long John cries out, “Fifteen men on the dead man’s
chest—”
The whole crew sings the chorus. “Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
This is the most exciting moment of your life. The anchors are hauled
up, dripping wet, onto the bow. The sails puff out with a slight breeze. The
Hispaniola sways from side to side as you watch all signs of land disappear
behind you.
For the most part, the voyage is uneventful. You do your duties,
tending to the needs of Smollett, Livesey, and Trelawney. The crew keeps
the ship sailing on course. And the Hispaniola cuts through the endless blue
waves.
The most enjoyable parts of the voyage are spent alongside Long John.
“Come away, Jim. Sit down and hear a yarn with John,” he calls while
he works in the kitchen.
“This here’s Cap’n Flint,” he tells you, pointing to his parrot in its cage.
“I calls him Cap’n Flint after the famous pirate. Now, this here Cap’n Flint
is predicting success on our voyage. Wasn’t you, Cap’n?”
The parrot screeches, “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of
eight!” It doesn’t stop till Long John throws his handkerchief over the cage.
Long John tells you tales of famous sea captains and faraway places.
But whenever you ask about Cap’n Flint, he grows silent, as if there are
things he doesn’t want to tell you. “Cap’n Flint was a bad un. One of the
worst,” is all he will say.
One night, as you near your destination, you go to fetch an apple before
heading off to bed. There is always a barrel of apples kept on deck for
anyone to help themselves if they are hungry.
The barrel is nearly empty, and your arms aren’t quite long enough to
reach the bottom. You stretch and lean over its lip, and you tumble into the
barrel. You’re able to find a couple apples that weren’t squished by your
fall. As you chomp on one, you hear voices approaching.
“... the Walrus,” you hear Long John whisper. “That was Cap’n Flint’s
old ship.”
It sounds as if he’s about to tell another of his stories. This one’s about
Cap’n Flint, but you can’t hear Long John very well. Should you stand up
so you can listen better? Or do you stay hidden and hope to hear as much as
you can? What will you choose to do?
Stand up and listen.
Stay put.
You enjoy Long John’s stories more than anything else, so you stand
up. “Long John!” you say as you poke your head out of the barrel.
Long John is with Israel Hands and another sailor. They are obviously
startled by your sudden appearance.
“That’s a funny spot to be hiding, lad,” Long John says with a smile.
“How much have you heard?”
“Just the part about Cap’n Flint’s ship, the Walrus,” you reply.
Long John’s smile loses some of its cheerfulness.
The sailor with Long John and Israel turns pale.
“He’s heard too much,” Israel says to Long John.
“Sorry, lad,” Long John says with a frown. “I truly like you, but this
here’s business.”
You sense danger, but before you can scream, rough hands shove your
head down into the barrel. Then the lid slams shut. The men grunt as they
heave the barrel, with you inside it, overboard.
Splash!
You land hard and knock your head against the wooden slats of the
barrel. You feel dazed and sick as the barrel bobs atop the waves.
In your confused state, it takes a moment to realize the danger that
you’re in. You’ve been thrown overboard. And no one knows—except for
the men who tossed you into the sea.
You’re adrift with only a few apples to eat. You won’t last more than a
matter of days. Sadly, you will spend the rest of your short life lost and
alone.
Try again.
Long John might share more of his secrets about Cap’n Flint if he
doesn’t know you’re listening. So you decide to stay hidden.
“... I served as quartermaster for Cap’n Flint,” Long John says. “Now,
you know my side of the story. What about you? You’re young, you are, but
you’re smart. I seen that when I first set my eyes on you, and I’ll talk to you
like a man.”
You aren’t sure who he’s talking to.
“I need to know if you’re with us,” Long John says.
“Well, I tell you this,” a sailor replies. “I didn’t like our voyage much
till I had this talk with you, Silver. I’m with you, as long as I get my fair
share of the treasure.”
“That you will,” Long John replies.
As you listen, you’re glad you stayed hidden. They seem to be
discussing some sinister plan. You’re angry with yourself for ever trusting
Long John. Then you hear a third voice, one you recognize.
“Here’s what I want to know, Silver. How long are we a-going to
wait?” Israel Hands asks. “I’ve had it with Captain Smollett. He’s bossed
me around long enough, by thunder!”
“Israel,” Long John whispers, “you keep doing your duty, now, and I’ll
tell you when.”
You hear Hands mutter under his breath.
“I don’t know where Flint’s map is, no more than you. We’ll have to
trust Captain Smollett, the doctor, and Mr. Trelawney to get us where we’re
going. Once we’re there, then we act,” Long John explains.
“So what will you do with everyone who’s not with you?” the sailor
asks.
You gulp as that question is raised. What will be your fate? You begin
to worry that you won’t even survive this night.
“Dead men don’t bite,” Israel says. “So what say you, Silver?”
Before Long John can answer, someone shouts, “Land ho!”
The three men stomp off toward the front of the ship. Other sailors
quickly follow. They all gather at the bow as a large shadow looms along
the horizon.
While everyone is distracted, you sneak out of the barrel. You need to
find Livesey and Trelawney and tell them of the danger that you’re all in.
They and Captain Smollett are near the front of the ship, with the rest
of the sailors.
“Has any one of you ever seen that island ahead?” the captain asks.
“I have, sir,” Long John says. “I’ve watered there with a trader while
serving as cook aboard his ship.”
“Where’s the best place to lay anchor?” the captain asks. “I have a
chart here of the island.”
You watch, horrified, as the captain shows Long John a map of
Treasure Island. But then you notice that it’s not the treasure map; there’s
no red X on it. It’s only a copy of the original map. You let loose a sigh of
relief while you see a look of disappointment cross Long John’s face.
He quickly recovers and says, “The best anchorage is on the south
side.” He points at a place on the map.
While Smollett and Long John talk, you seek out Livesey. He’s at the
railing and staring out at the island ahead. You casually stroll over to him,
so as not to draw attention to yourself.
You whisper, “Doctor, we need to speak. Get the captain and
Trelawney, and meet me in the captain’s cabin. I have terrible news.”
Before Livesey can reply, you saunter off.
Some moments later, the four of you are gathered in the cabin.
“I gave the crew each a spot of rum to celebrate reaching the island,”
the captain says. “They won’t be bothering us. What’s all this about?”
The three adults look to you, and you quickly tell them what you heard.
As you recall it all, worry twists your friends’ faces into looks of concern.
“Captain Smollett,” Trelawney says, “you were right. Chasing after
treasure is a tricky thing. Who knew the crew would turn against us?”
“Nothing we can do about it now,” the captain says. “We’ll have to find
out how many men are with us and how many are pirates.”
“At least we have all the guns under lock and key,” Livesey adds.
3. Treasure Island
The next day is tense. The captain orders that the ship be anchored on
the south side of the island while Livesey and Trelawney determine how
many of the crew can be trusted. Along with your small group, there are
three trusted sailors that you know of. Tom could be a possible fourth. That
means, out of the twenty-six men aboard the Hispaniola, you are greatly
outnumbered.
Meanwhile, the crew grows restless, as if they can smell treasure in the
air. They are lazy in their duties, and Captain Smollett has to coax them
with threats to get them to obey.
Near day’s end, Long John approaches the captain. He says, “Maybe a
turn ashore’ll calm the men.”
That night in the captain’s cabin, your small group discusses Long
John’s suggestion.
“If I wait any longer, the whole crew will turn on me,” the captain
warns.
“You’re right. I sense it, too,” Trelawney says. “And I don’t know if
Silver can even control his men.”
“It’s best to do as he says,” the doctor adds. “We may risk them finding
the treasure, but at least we’ll be in a better position to defend ourselves
with fewer pirates on board.”
The doctor’s plan sounds good. If you stay on board, maybe you can
help your small group keep control of the ship. On the other hand, if you
sneak ashore with Long John’s men, you might be able to find the treasure
before they do. What will you choose to do?
Stay aboard the ship.
Sneak ashore.
You’ve traveled all this way in search of treasure, and now you don’t
want to be left behind. Long John and his men hope to find the treasure, and
you plan to look for it too.
Captain Smollett assigns twelve men to go ashore with Long John.
They are all thought to be loyal to Long John, except maybe Tom. That
leaves Israel Hands and five other pirates on board with the seven in your
group. But since you’re about to sneak away, your group is soon to be six.
Two small boats are prepared. A tarp covers the front of each one.
Before the men load onto these boats, you crawl under the first boat’s tarp
and hide.
You feel the boat drop into the water. It sways with the waves, and you
hear the men grunt as they pull at the oars. You stay hidden until you feel
the bottom of the boat scrape against sand.
You crawl from your hiding spot, leap into the water, and splash your
way to land.
“Jim!” Long John shouts after you.
You ignore him as you run along the shore and dart into the nearest
thicket.
You run through a marshy tract of willows and bulrushes. As you get
even farther inland, the ground rises and is drier, dense with trees. In the
distance, the Spyglass Hill peeks above the forest top.
You let your pace slow, and you eventually stop. You need to explore
the island, and it would be much easier with a compass.
If you have a compass, click here.
If you do not, click here.
You pull out Captain’s compass from your pocket and watch its pointer
spin until it finds due north. The ship is anchored at the southern end of the
island, so you don’t want to move in that direction.
From what you remember of the map, the treasure is somewhere near
the Spyglass, the hill in the center of the island.
Using the compass as your guide, you walk north. But soon the land
gets too hilly, and you are forced to go northwest.
Suddenly, you hear a shriek in the distance. A cloud of birds zooms by
overhead. Was it man or animal that made the noise?
You stop to listen.
A moment later, another scream breaks the silence. This time, it’s much
closer—and you’re sure it’s human. It sounds as if something terrible is
happening. And not very far from you!
Fear creeps up inside you. You begin to run as fast as you can.
Click here to continue.
Without a compass, you’re not sure which direction you’re moving.
But you remember from the map that the treasure is somewhere near the
Spyglass, the hill in the center of the island.
You walk straight ahead until the land gets too hilly. Then you are
forced to go left. You continue onward for what must be hours.
Suddenly, a cloud of birds takes flight up ahead. What scared the birds
away? Are the pirates near?
You stop to listen, and you hear someone speak. The voice is too far
away to understand clearly, but it sounds like Long John.
Then there’s another voice, maybe Tom’s. He’s the one sailor you don’t
know whether or not to trust.
The voices grow louder as Long John and Tom get closer and closer.
Long John is dangerous, and there might be other pirates in the area. So you
wonder if you should flee. Yet, this is also a chance to hear what Tom has to
say. If you hide and listen, you might even find out which side Tom is on.
What will you choose to do?
Flee.
Hide.
It doesn’t matter which side Tom is on. Long John is far too dangerous
for you to take any chances. You turn and make a mad dash for safety.
You hardly get ten strides before you run into a wall of flesh: one of
Long John’s men. He grabs you by the wrists.
“I found Jim!” the man shouts.
“Bring ’im here,” Long John answers.
The man’s hands are big enough to hold both of your wrists in just one
of his fists. As he drags you through the woods, you scream for help.
“You make another peep, and I’ll break your arms,” the pirate warns.
So you choose to remain quiet until you reach Long John and Tom. The
two men are red-faced, as if they have been arguing.
“What are you planning on doing with the boy?” Tom asks.
“Depends on your answer,” Long John replies.
“Well, to be honest, I’d sooner lose my hand than turn from my duty
—”
Before Tom finishes, a human shriek echoes off the surrounding hills.
“What was that?” Tom asks, looking horrified.
“That?” Long John says with a smile. “Oh, I reckon that was someone
else I couldn’t trust.”
More swiftly than you can imagine, Long John swings his crutch. It
catches Tom on the forehead, and he flies backward into some bushes.
With Tom down and out, Long John turns to you. “Sorry you had to see
that, lad.” There is true sadness in his eyes as he says his next words. “I
wish I could spare you, Jim. You’ve been a good cabin boy, but you’re a bit
too trustworthy for pirating.”
After a long sigh, he turns and begins to hop away. He pulls out a
whistle from his pocket. He blows a shrill tweet, which must be a signal to
the rest of his men.
“Make it quick and painless,” he says to the pirate who found you.
You feel a sharp pain in your side. And then you feel nothing, not ever
again.
Try again.
You need to know if Tom is on your side. If he is, he could help even
the odds against Long John and his men. You crawl under the nearest bush
and hide, as silent as a mouse, while the two men approach. You can’t fully
hear what they’re staying until they get very close to your spot.
“... Tom, if you wish to save your neck, my mates will want to know
which side you’re on,” Long John says. “Ours or theirs?”
“Silver, I thought you were an honest man,” Tom replies. “But I’d
sooner lose my hand than turn from my duty—”
Before Tom finishes, a human shriek echoes off the surrounding hills.
“What was that?” Tom gasps, looking horrified.
“That?” Long John says with a smile. “ Oh, I reckon that was someone
else I couldn’t trust.”
More swiftly than you can imagine, Long John swings his crutch. It
catches Tom on the forehead, and he flies backward into some bushes.
Tom is down and out so suddenly that you don’t have time to react—
and that’s probably a good thing. As you lie in your hiding spot, heavy
footsteps come from behind you.
Long John turns toward the sound. “You can come out now. I won’t be
needing your help with good ol’ Tom here.”
You hear a laugh. Then a pair of boots stomps past. Long John pulls a
whistle from his pocket. He blows a shrill tweet, which must be a signal to
his pirates. Then he and his man head back toward the beach.
Between Tom and the scream you heard, two men have just died. The
odds now stand at more than a dozen pirates against you and six others.
You didn’t think Long John would kill people. He seemed so pleasant
when you met him. Now, you fear for your life.
You crawl from your hiding place. You peek your head over the bushes
to make sure Long John is out of sight. Then you turn and run as fast as you
can.
Go to the next page.
As you race along, you notice the land changing. It slopes upward and
grows even thicker with trees. You draw near to the foot of a little hill, and
you dash up it.
Suddenly, something leaps out in front of you. You can’t tell whether
it’s a bear or an ape! All you know is that it’s dark and shaggy.
You can try to avoid it by changing direction, either left or right. Of
course, who knows what will happen if you do? Or you can run straight at
the shape. Perhaps you will scare it away. What will you choose to do?
Dart left.
Dart right.
Run straight.
The doctor’s right. With most of the pirates going ashore, staying on
board is the wisest option. Besides, even if those pirates search for the
treasure, it will be nearly impossible to find without the map.
Two boats are prepared. Captain Smollett assigns twelve men to go
with Long John. They are all thought to be loyal to him. That leaves Israel
Hands and five other pirates aboard with the seven in your group.
As the pirates get into their small boats, the captain sends the three
sailors he trusts back to his cabin. They are told to arm themselves with
pistols.
Leaning over the ship’s rail, you watch the two small boats bob on the
waves. The men in them grunt as they pull at the oars. Slowly they make
their way to shore. Once there, they drag the boats onto the sandy beach.
When you turn from the island, you see Livesey, Trelawney, and
Smollett whispering together. You also see four pirates, with their cutlasses
drawn, creeping toward your friends. “Look out!” you warn.
Your friends look up and notice that they’re about to be attacked. They
draw their weapons just as the pirates strike. The clang of swords rings out.
“Get to my cabin,” the captain shouts.
“Go on, Jim,” the doctor calls.
As fast as you can move, you dart around the fray and into the captain’s
cabin. Outnumbered, your friends hurry into the cabin behind you. Before
you can safely close and lock the door, the pirates burst in, with blades
ready to strike.
That’s when the three trusted sailors enter the battle. They have pistols
drawn, and they fire.
Bang! Bang!
Two pirates crumple to the ground.
The sailors pull out their swords and charge. The pirates back out of the
cabin as the sailors attack. One of your rescuers slams the cabin door shut
and bolts it.
Livesey, Trelawney, and the captain each grab a musket. The three
sailors quickly reload their pistols. All the men grab a powder horn full of
gunpowder and a bag of shot, preparing for a battle.
“What do we do now?” Livesey asks.
“The pirates are only armed with swords,” Trelawney says. “And now
we outnumber them! Surely we can take the ship.”
“Swords are as good as pistols in close quarters,” Smollett says.
“There’s an extra boat if we want to escape to the island.”
The men look to you. This is your adventure, and they want to know
what you think. Should you stay and fight for the ship? You will need the
Hispaniola to sail home. Or should you escape to the island? That’s where
the treasure is, and Livesey has the map. What will you choose to do?
Fight.
Escape.
“We should stay and fight,” you say. “We have guns, and the pirates
don’t.”
The men nod in agreement.
You listen as they plan their attack. The three sailors armed with pistols
will go first. Once they’ve fired their guns, Livesey, Trelawney, and
Smollett will attack. They will keep the pirates at bay with their muskets
while the sailors draw their swords. Your job is to help anyone who gets
wounded.
It’s a good plan, and everyone is determined to win the ship. As soon as
you’re all ready, the three trusted sailors burst out the cabin door.
That’s when you see it: the cannon at the ship’s bow. While you were
planning your attack, the pirates must have aimed the cannon right at the
cabin.
You see a brilliant flash of light and hear a loud boom! Then your
world goes black.
Try again.
“We should escape,” you say. “The pirates won’t leave without the
treasure. And since Livesey has the map, we’ll be able to find it before they
do.”
You don’t know what will happen after that, but there is something else
that you remind the men about. “The cannon at the ship’s bow,” you note.
“The pirates might be aiming the cannon at us right now.”
“Good point,” Trelawney says.
The captain adds, “We’ll stand a better chance against that cannon out
at sea than we would here.”
“From looking at the map, there’s a small fort on the eastern edge of
the island,” Livesey says. “We could make that our base.”
In the back of the ship, outside the stern port, the captain’s rowboat
hangs. Your group loads it with all the food and weapons you can find in
the captain’s cabin. Then the boat is lowered into the water.
The men pull gently at the oars so as not to make a sound. You are
about one hundred yards from the ship when one of the pirates finally
notices you.
“They’re off the starboard bow!” you hear him shout.
Then you see the four pirates gather at the railing. They quickly discuss
something before disappearing.
“Trelawney,” the captain says. “Are you a good shot with that
musket?”
Trelawney nods.
“Then prepare to fire as soon as you see them rolling the cannon up to
the rail,” the captain orders. “The rest of you, row as if your lives depend on
it.”
The men dig in with the oars, and the boat lurches forward. A moment
later, you see the cannon poke above the ship’s railing. The pirates are
beside it.
“Aim for the man at the fuse,” the captain says.
Trelawney raises his musket. He takes aim.
Bang!
The shot rings out, and the pirate nearest the cannon falls into the sea.
“Give me another musket, quick,” Trelawney shouts as another pirate
steps up to the cannon.
The men at the oars continue to pull as hard as they can. The boat is
only about twenty yards from shore.
Trelawney fires again. This time he misses.
Seconds later, there’s a loud boom from the cannon. A black dot
screams toward your boat like an angry hornet. It explodes in the water less
than ten feet away. The waves from the explosion tip over the boat. You,
your friends, and all your supplies are tossed into the ocean.
Luckily, the water is only waist deep. Everyone grabs what they can
salvage and runs to the shore.
When you make it to the beach, everything turns to chaos. The rest of
your group is ahead of you and races off to the right, down the sandy beach.
From the left, pirates burst out of the woods. With swords drawn, they give
chase.
A cannonball explodes in front of you. You’re thrown backward,
dazed. The sound of ringing fills your ears.
Men fire guns. Swords clash. Then one pirate turns in your direction.
He smiles cruelly. Knife drawn, he stalks toward you.
Should you race after your friends toward the fort? Pirates are already
chasing them. Or is it better to escape to the left, in the direction from
which the pirates just came? There might be more pirates that way, too.
What will you choose to do?
Chase after your friends.
Escape to your left.
You dash to the right, in the direction that your friends went. You find
men battling each other along the beach. Your friends fire their weapons.
Two pirates fall. The other pirates slash back.
You try to weave your way through the battle, but there are too many
pirates between you and your friends. One of them reaches out and grabs
you by the wrist. You struggle to escape as he raises his blade. Your arm is
slick from seawater, and you slip from his grasp. You fall backward onto
the sand as his sword cuts through the air just above your head.
Quickly, you roll to your feet. You try to run away, but the pirate with
the cruel smile catches up with you. And this time there’s nowhere to go.
You feel a sharp pain in your side, and then you feel nothing—not ever
again.
Try again.
Even though your friends are racing to the fort, that may not be the
safest direction. Most of the pirates are also moving in that direction.
Down the beach, you hear the sounds of guns firing and swords
clashing. You dart left, away from the battle and into the woods.
You run through a marshy tract of willows and bulrushes. As you get
even farther inland, the land rises and is drier, dense with trees. In the
distance, the Spyglass Hill peeks above the forest top.
You let your pace slow, and you eventually stop. You need to explore
the island, and it would be much easier with a compass.
If you have a compass, click here.
If you do not, click here.
You don’t want to run straight at the creature. You don’t know how
dangerous it might be. So you dart left to avoid it.
“Wwraayyttt!” it growls, and it leaps at you.
You race past it. The hill begins to slant downward, allowing you to
build up speed as you run. The footing gets rocky as the vegetation thins.
You hear the creature chasing after you.
“Wwraayyttt!” it screams.
The ground before you suddenly disappears. You try to stop, but the
hill is too slippery. You slide along its gravelly surface.
The hill drops away, and you tumble off a steep cliff. You flail and spin
as you plummet toward the rocks and boulders below. For the briefest of
moments, you have time to wonder what might have happened if you made
a different choice. Then you crash against the rugged ground, and you know
no more.
Try again.
You don’t want to run straight at the creature. You don’t know how
dangerous it might be. So you dart right to avoid it.
“Wwraayyttt!” it growls, and it leaps at you.
You race past it. The side of the hill you’re on grows thick with trees.
Branches slap at you with every step, and you can hear the creature chasing
you.
“Wwraayyttt!” it shrieks again. The creature quickly flits between trees
like a deer, only it’s running on two legs, not four.
That’s when you realize it’s not a bear or an ape. It’s a man. A filthy,
dirty man with hair down to his waist.
“Wwaaaitt,” he calls in a voice rough from disuse.
You slow to a stop as you understand him. Then the man drops to his
knees and clasps both of his hands in front of you as if he were about to beg
for food.
Click here to continue.
You don’t know what might be to the left or to the right of this hill.
Either direction could hide a deadly cliff. So you run straight at the creature.
You hope to scare it, so you flail your arms and scream, “Raaahhh!”
You’re surprised to see the creature cower in fear.
“Wwraayyttt!” it growls.
It falls to its knees as you rush past. When you turn around to face it,
the creature clasps both of its hands in front of you as if it were about to beg
for food.
“Wwaaaitt,” it says in a voice rough from disuse.
It’s not a bear or an ape. It’s a man. A filthy, dirty man with hair down
to his waist.
4. Battle for the Island
“Who are you?” you ask.
“Ben Gunn,” he answers in a rusty voice. “I’m Ben Gunn, I am! But I
haven’t spoken with anyone these three years.”
His skin has been burned by the sun. He is clothed in the tatters of a
ship’s sail. Around his waist he wears an old brass-buckled leather belt,
which helps keep his clothing together.
“Three years!” you cry. “Were you shipwrecked?”
“Nay, mate,” he says, “marooned three years ago. I’ve lived on goats
and berries since.” His eyes turn bright and pleading. “You mightn’t happen
to have a piece of cheese about you, now?” he asks.
You shake your head. “No, but if I can get aboard the Hispaniola again,
I can get you some.”
Ben looks disappointed for a moment, but then an odd twinkle lights up
his eyes. He stands and leans in close to you, as if he’s about to whisper a
secret, and then he pinches you.
“Ouch!” you shout.
“Just making sure you’re real,” he says with a giggle.
You find yourself chuckling as well.
Once the laughter quiets down, Ben turns to you and asks, “Now that
ain’t Cap’n Flint’s ship anchored off the coast?”
“It’s not Flint’s ship. Flint is dead,” you reply. “But since you ask—
some of Flint’s men sail with us.”
“Not a man with one leg?” he gasps.
“You mean, Long John Silver?” I ask.
“Ah, Silver! That were his name,” he says. “We used to be mates. Did
he send you?”
“No, no, I’m not with Long John,” you say. For some reason, you trust
Ben. He seems a little crazy—but who wouldn’t be after three years alone
on an island? He also seems trustworthy.
You tell him about your adventures. Then he tells you his story—that
he was once part of Flint’s crew, so he knew the pirate’s treasure was buried
on this island. After leaving Flint’s ship, he crewed on another ship. He
convinced its captain to stop here and look for Flint’s treasure. But after
twelve days, they didn’t find anything. The captain was so angry at Ben for
wasting his time that he left Ben here.
After he finishes his story, you hear a loud boom!
“A cannon,” Ben says. “There’s fighting.”
He grabs you by the wrist and leads you up a tall hill. From there, you
can see the whole southern tip of the island. Just off its coast is the
Hispaniola.
Ben draws your attention to the eastern coastline. “There’s a fort built
some years back.” He points to a small shack with a wooden fence around
it.
People are inside its walls, and smoke rises out of its chimney. But you
cannot tell if they are the pirates or your friends.
If you have a telescope, click here.
If not, click here.
Luckily, you took the telescope from Captain’s sea chest. You pull it
out of your pocket and look through it, toward the fort.
To your surprise, you see the Union Jack flag flying from a pole.
Livesey, Trelawney, Smollett, and the trusted sailors are there! You see
them aiming muskets toward the forest that surrounds them. They must be
expecting an attack.
You look out toward the Hispaniola. From its topmast flies the Jolly
Roger flag. The pirates now control the ship. Spying further, you see three
men on board. They are drinking bottles of rum as they fire the cannon at
the fort.
“If you want to get back to the ship, I have a small boat hidden down
by the shore, under a fallen willow tree,” Ben says. “Or I can lead you to
the fort.”
The fort is the safer option—if you can get there. It appears to be under
attack, perhaps even surrounded by pirates. On the other hand, there are
only three pirates aboard the ship. You will eventually need the Hispaniola
to leave the island. It’s dangerous, but this may be your chance to recapture
it. What will you choose to do?
Travel to the fort.
Find Ben’s boat.
Without a telescope, you’re unable to see who’s at the fort. You also
can’t tell who controls the ship, but it looks like the ship’s cannon is firing
at the fort. So far, the cannonballs are landing off target.
“If you want to get back to the ship, I have a small boat hidden down
by the shore, under a fallen willow tree,” Ben says. “Or I can lead you to
the fort.”
You don’t know where your friends are, so you don’t know which is
the safer option. The fort appears to be under attack, but your friends could
be the attackers. However, if they are in the fort, they might need your help
against the pirates. What will you choose to do?
Travel to the fort.
Find Ben’s boat.
With the fort under attack, you aren’t sure it’s a safe place to be. Of
course, neither is the ship, not if pirates are there.
“Take me to your boat,” you say.
Ben leads you down from the hill. He knows all the animal trails, so the
trek is quick. Thankfully, you don’t run into any pirates along the way.
As you near the coast, the trees thin. You clearly see the Jolly Roger, a
black flag with a skull and crossbones, defiantly waving from the topmast
of the Hispaniola.
Ben stops when you’re at the edge of the forest. He points to a fallen
willow tree. “There’s my boat, under there,” he says. “She may not be a
sturdy craft, but she’ll get you out to your ship.”
“Aren’t you coming with me?” you ask.
“Nay, mate,” Ben replies. “Nothing would bring me out there, where
you’re going—not with Flint’s men aboard that ship.” Then he pinches you.
“You’re still real,” he says with a smile. “Next time you see your mates, tell
them I have an offer to propose. Send one of them to find me if they want to
deal.”
“But how will we find you?” you ask.
“When Ben Gunn is wanted,” he says, “go where you found him earlier
today. And bring him some cheese.” With that, Ben disappears back into the
forest.
You wait where you are until the sun sets. You don’t want the pirates to
see you and start firing the cannon at you. Then finally, under the cover of
darkness, you pull Ben’s boat out from underneath the willow.
Click here to continue.
“Take me to the fort,” you say. You hope to reunite with Livesey and
Trelawney there.
Ben leads you down from the hill. He knows all the animal trails, so the
trek is quick. And thankfully, you don’t run into any pirates along the way.
As you near the coast, the trees thin. You clearly see the flag flying
from within the fort. It’s the Union Jack, England’s flag, proudly waving in
the wind. Trelawney and Livesey must be inside.
Ben stops when you’re within shouting distance of the fort. “There’s
your friends, sure enough,” he says.
“Aren’t you coming with me?” you ask.
“Nay, mate,” Ben replies. “Nothing would bring me in there—not till
your friends give their word of honor that they won’t hurt poor Ben Gunn.”
Then he pinches you. “You’re still real,” he says with a smile. “Now go tell
your mates that I have an offer to propose. Send one of them to find me if
they want to deal.”
“But how will we find you?” you ask.
“When Ben Gunn is wanted,” he says, “go where you found him earlier
today. And bring him some cheese.” With that, Ben disappears back into the
forest.
The area around the fort is sandy and has been cleared of trees. As you
get nearer, you notice musket barrels poking over the fort’s wall.
“Hello!” you call out as you step into the clearing. “Doctor! Trelawney!
Captain!”
The musket barrels swivel in your direction. Then one of the trusted
sailors pokes his head over the wall.
“It’s Jim,” he yells. “Come on, hurry in!”
You dash for the entrance.
Livesey is there to greet you. “Jim, I thought you’d been lost,” he says
as he gives you a hug.
From this vantage point, you clearly see the Jolly Roger, a black flag
with a skull and crossbones, defiantly waving from the Hispaniola’s
topmast. The pirates have control of the ship.
“They’ve been firing on us since we made it to the fort,” Livesey says.
“But they’ve also broken into the ship’s supply of rum. Their aim has gotten
worse as the day wears on.”
Within the fort is a small, wooden shelter. The doctor leads you inside.
Captain Smollett and Trelawney are sitting at a table, loading muskets and
pistols.
“Jim!” Trelawney shouts. “How did you find your way here?”
You tell them about your adventure, about running into Ben Gunn, and
that he has an offer for them.
“Was it cheese you said he has a fancy for?” Livesey asks you.
“Yes, sir, cheese.”
“Well, Jim,” he says, “it just happens I carry a piece of Parmesan
cheese—a cheese made in Italy and very nutritious—wrapped up in my
pocket, should I need it for a patient. Now, that cheese is for Ben Gunn!”
You now count six in your group. One of the trusted sailors died on the
beach.
You aren’t sure how many pirates are left. Captain Smollett guesses
that maybe a dozen or so are still alive. Three of them are on the ship, while
the rest lay hidden in the woods around the fort.
“Here, Jim,” Trelawney says. He holds out a powder horn of black
powder and a bag of shot. “In case there’s a skirmish, you can help reload
the muskets.”
Just after sunset, one of the trusted sailors yells, “Someone’s
approaching.”
You hear Long John’s voice. “Flag of truce! Flag of truce!” he yells.
You peek through a crack in the wall. Just inside the clearing stands
Long John, leaning on his crutch. He waves a white piece of cloth that
flashes in the moonlight. The rest of your group also gathers around to see
what’s happening.
“Keep behind the walls, men,” your captain says. “Ten to one this is a
trick.”
“Stop or we fire!” Trelawney shouts.
“Flag of truce!” Long John cries out again.
“And what do you want with your flag of truce?” the captain asks him.
“I wish to talk terms,” Long Johns shouts, “involving that map of
yours. The men with me are getting a little restless about wanting to look
for Flint’s treasure.”
Livesey looks to you. “What do you think, Jim? Should we trust him?”
What will you choose to do?
Accept the flag of truce.
Send Long John away.
You don’t say anything to the doctor. You don’t want Long John to hear
you, so you simply shake your head no. You trusted Long John once; it
wouldn’t be safe to do so again.
“If you take one step closer,” Trelawney warns Long John, “we’ll fire!”
“Well, then,” Long John says, “if we cannot discuss the treasure map in
a friendly-like manner, then I ain’t responsible for what my mates do in
return.”
From all around the fort, shouts of anger erupt. In the dark, it’s hard to
distinguish between pirates and shadows. The members of your group fire
blindly into the trees. Then, as they reload, the pirates charge from out of
the forest and climb over the fort’s walls.
Swords are drawn. Steel clashes. Your side fights valiantly, but you’re
outnumbered. The battle quickly sways in favor of the pirates. Trelawney
fires his musket again. Then he is overwhelmed by two villains.
You see the captain fall. Livesey goes next. Before you can think of
escaping, your friends all lie in the sand while four pirates surround you.
There is nothing you can do. There is no escape. The pirates descend
on you with their cutlasses glinting in the moonlight. The end comes
quickly.
Try again.
You don’t say anything to the doctor. You don’t want Long John to hear
you, so you simply nod your head yes. You’re not sure you can trust Long
John, but you and your friends are outnumbered. It might be helpful to hear
what he has to say.
“Silver,” the captain shouts, “I haven’t the slightest desire to talk to
you. But Jim says we should listen to what you have to say.”
“And I’m grateful for that,” Long John replies. “That Jim’s a good
lad.”
Long John hops across the sandy clearing and to the fort’s entrance.
Captain Smollett meets him there.
“Whatever you have to say, say it,” the captain spits.
“Well, here it is,” says Long John Silver. “We want that treasure, and
we’ll have it. Your lives for the map. That’s our terms.”
“That won’t do with me,” the captain says. “Once we give you the
map, who says you won’t just kill us?”
“Me, that’s who. You have my word as a gentleman,” Long John says.
“See, as things stand, all that’s holding my mates back is that map of yours.
I told them you’d exchange it for your lives.”
“Well you steered them wrong,” the captain replies.
“By thunder!” John Long curses. “Refuse, and you’ve seen the last of
me but for a cutlass.”
“Now you’ll hear me,” the captain answers. “You can’t find the
treasure. You can’t sail the ship—there’s not a man among you fit to sail.
You need us more than we need you.”
“That so,” Long John says. “Well, I’ll give you till sunup to hand over
that there map of yours. After that, I ain’t responsible for what the rest of
my lot does.” Long John turns and hops back into the woods.
During the rest of the night, you don’t see any of the pirates. But you
can see the glow of their fire down by the beach. You can hear them
shouting and laughing amongst themselves.
“They must have brought some of the rum ashore,” Trelawney says.
“This might be a good time for me to seek out Ben Gunn,” Livesey
says.
“Be back before sunup,” Captain Smollett orders. “We’ll need all hands
armed and ready for their attack.”
After Livesey leaves, Captain Smollett assigns the rest of the men each
a shift on watch. “Holler, if you see anything suspicious,” the captains tells
them. “We don’t want to be taken by surprise. We may have more
firepower, but they have us outnumbered.”
You try to sleep. But between nervousness at what tomorrow will bring
and the pirates’ laughter rolling up from the beach, you’re unable to get any
rest.
You think about the Hispaniola. There are only three pirates aboard.
They have been drinking rum all day. Maybe you could use Ben’s boat to
sneak aboard and retake the ship. It would be dangerous, but you will
eventually need the ship to sail home.
On the other hand, would it be better to stay in the fort? The captain
seems set on defending the fort against the pirates. You have guns, and the
pirates only have swords. Surely you can win any battle against them.
What will you choose to do?
Sneak aboard the ship.
Defend the fort.
Trying to recapture the ship is too dangerous. And besides, you want to
find out what Livesey learns from Ben Gunn. With nothing more to do, you
close your eyes and try to sleep.
The doctor returns just before sunrise. All the men meet him in the
middle of the fort to hear what he has to say.
“We’re doomed,” Livesey declares. “Ben Gunn knows where Flint’s
treasure is. He wanted to offer us each a share of it for passage home aboard
the Hispaniola.”
“But we don’t control the ship,” Trelawney says.
“We are such fools,” the captain exclaims. “We should’ve tried
recapturing her last night.”
Your thoughts echo the captain’s. The idea crossed your mind, but you
weren’t brave enough to act.
“I’m afraid Ben Gunn planned to offer Silver the same deal,” Livesey
says.
You run and peek over the walls of the fort. The sun casts its golden
light over the ocean. On the beach, you see the pirates loading their two
boats with sea chests and other items that sparkle in the morning light.
The men gather next to you. You all watch as the two boats bob in the
waves while the pirates row out to the Hispaniola. It takes them less than an
hour to get the treasure loaded onto the ship.
The sails are unfurled. They billow in the wind, and slowly the
Hispaniola sails out of sight.
Weeks go by. Then months. One by one, members of your party starve
or suffer fatal illnesses. You wonder how Ben lived so long on this island
alone.
Eventually, you are the only one left. You spend your days searching
for something to satisfy your never-ending hunger. What you wouldn’t do
for a simple bite of cheese! Your nights are filled with dreams of home, of
your mother, of your life at the Admiral Benbow. A life you will never
know again.
You can only hope that some day a ship will anchor off the coast of
Treasure Island—and that you will live long enough to see it.
Try again.
While you trust the captain’s instincts, you realize that you won’t be
very helpful in a battle. So you don’t feel bad for thinking about leaving.
You might be of more use by sneaking onto the ship. While the pirates
aboard are sleeping, you could run the ship aground so they can’t sail away.
Everyone at the fort soon falls asleep, except for the sailor keeping
watch. While he isn’t looking, you sneak over the wall, where a beam has
splintered in half. After a quick glance around to make sure all is clear, you
dart into the forest and disappear from sight.
Ben told you that his boat was down by the shore and hidden under a
fallen willow tree. It takes you a couple hours to wind your way to the
beach and find the boat.
Go to the next page.
Ben’s boat is actually a small raft made up of a few logs tied together.
There is also a paddle crafted out of a tree branch and palm fronds. You
drag the boat into the water.
In front of you, the night sparkles with the light of a thousand stars.
The Hispaniola looms like a dark shadow. Within that space, you see the
dim light of one lantern flickering. That is your guide.
Paddling is slow, and waves toss Ben’s boat about. By the time you
reach the ship, it’s well past midnight.
You circle around the Hispaniola until you find the anchor rope. You
could never pull up the ship’s anchor by yourself, so you begin cutting the
rope.
As you’re sawing away, you hear voices overhead. Arguing. Then an
explosion of shouts. The crash of wooden objects being thrown. A clang of
swords.
Once the anchor is cut loose, the ship starts to lazily drift. You hold
onto the rope attached to the Hispaniola and are instantly pulled off the
small boat.
The Hispaniola spins in the breeze and crushes Ben’s boat under its
hull. You have no other choice now but to climb aboard.
All is silent as you peek over the ship’s railing. To one side, you see a
fallen pirate. To the other side, you see another pirate lying just as the first.
In front of you, Israel Hands is slouched down against the main mast. You
can’t tell if he’s alive or dead, but he doesn’t flinch as you pull yourself, wet
and dripping, over the rail.
The ship lurches in the breeze. Israel tips over and moans. His eyes roll
open and find you. You can’t tell if he’s hurt. But he doesn’t move. He just
watches you.
The part of your plan you didn’t think through is that you don’t know
how to sail a ship. Maybe you can convince Israel to help you.
“Much hurt?” you ask.
“If that doctor was aboard,” he grunts, “I’d be right enough in a couple
of turns.”
“Well,” you say, “if you help me, I’ll take you to the doctor as soon as
we’re ashore.”
He looks at you sourly. “What do you be wanting me to do?” he asks.
“I want to sail the ship along the western coast and then run her
aground,” you say. There, the ship will be hidden from the pirate camp.
“Okay, I’ll help ye,” Israel says. “But first, help me sit up.”
You’re not sure you can trust Israel, but he looks barely alive. And his
help is worth the risk. You grab one of his arms and tug until he is in a
sitting position. Then you let go of him. His arm slaps down on the wooden
deck.
“Now just do as I say,” Israel orders.
Soon, you have one of the sails unfurled. It flaps loudly as the wind
fills it. You feel the ship being pushed forward. Then Israel has you go to
the tiller. As the ship slogs forward, you steer it around the western shore.
When you’re far enough around the coast, you plan to beach the ship.
The pirates will be less likely to attack your friends if they don’t know
where the ship is.
“How am I doin’, Israel?” you ask as you sail through the dark waters.
There’s no reply.
You turn to see if Israel is okay, when suddenly a large shadow staggers
toward you. It’s Israel; his knife glints in the moonlight.
“We’ve had about enough of this foolery,” he says, lunging at you.
You stumble backward, letting go of the tiller. As you do, it spins
wildly. One of its handles knocks the blade out of Israel’s hand.
“By thunder!” he curses.
You back up against the railing. Israel is unarmed now, but he has you
trapped.
If you have a pistol, click here.
If not, click here.
Luckily, you took the pistol from Captain’s sea chest. You pull it from
your pocket and aim it at Israel.
“You aren’t gonna shoot your mate Israel, are ya?” he asks. His eyes
dart from side to side, as if he’s looking for some sort of weapon.
“G— g— get back or I’ll shoot,” you stammer.
Israel smiles at you. “You ain’t never killed a man before, have you?”
he says.
You say nothing. You don’t want him to know how afraid you really
are.
He takes a step toward you.
You pull the trigger. Click! Nothing happens.
“Ha!” Israel laughs. “The primer must a got wet.”
He roars at you and charges forward like an angry bull. You scream
back at the bigger man, but your cry is shrill and filled with terror.
Israel lunges at you. You try to leap sideways, out of his reach, but he
has you cornered. You punch and kick and bite at his hands as he reaches
for you.
Just as his hands entwine their fingers around your neck, the
Hispaniola stops suddenly, tilting on its side. You and Israel are thrown
across the deck. The hull groans as it grinds into the sand. The ship has run
aground!
Quickly, you roll away from the pirate and spring to your feet. Israel
lies moaning in front of you. Slowly, he sits up.
You look over the railing, but the sea is too shallow and the leap is too
far down for you to jump.
You glance around as Israel rises to his feet. He stands between you
and the captain’s cabin, so there will be no escape there.
Then you look up. You could climb one of the masts and hope that
Israel can’t follow.
You quickly climb into the rigging, out of the pirate’s reach. You make
it to one of the crosstrees. There, you sit on a wooden platform, breathing
heavily.
You dare a look down. To your horror, Israel is ever so slowly making
his way up the rigging. He is moving toward you with a knife clenched
between his teeth.
If you’ve been to the fort, click here.
If not, click here.
You don’t have a weapon, but neither does Israel. You hope that in his
weakened state, you’re able to fight past him. If you can find a cutlass or
some other weapon on board, you might be able to defend yourself.
Israel roars at you and charges forward like an angry bull. You scream
back at the bigger man, but your cry is shrill and filled with terror.
Israel lunges. You try to leap sideways, out of his reach, but he has you
cornered. You punch and kick and bite at his hands as he reaches for you.
Just as his hands entwine their fingers around your neck, the
Hispaniola stops suddenly, tilting on its side. You and Israel are thrown
across the deck. The hull groans as it grinds into the sand. The ship has run
aground!
You roll away from him and spring to your feet. Israel lies moaning in
front of you. Slowly, he sits up.
You look over the railing. The sea is too shallow, and the leap is too far
down for you to jump.
You glance around as Israel slowly stands up. He’s between you and
the captain’s cabin, so there can be no escape there.
Then you look up. You could climb one of the masts and hope that
Israel can’t follow. But it would still be nice to have a weapon.
You glance around the deck and spy an empty pistol five feet away.
You lunge for it just as Israel regains his footing. Then you quickly climb
into the rigging, out of the pirate’s reach. You make it to one of the
crosstrees. There, you sit on a wooden platform, breathing heavily.
You dare a look down. To your horror, Israel is ever so slowly making
his way up the rigging. He is moving toward you with a knife clenched
between his teeth.
If you’ve been to the fort, click here.
If not, click here.
You’re trapped. You can’t climb any higher, and the only weapon you
have is a useless, unloaded pistol. You throw it at Israel.
“Ouch!” he yells as it strikes him in the shoulder. “You’ll pay for that,
sonny.”
You gulp in fear.
The tips of Israel’s fingers curl around the edge of the crosstree. You
back up against the mast. A hand slaps down on the board in front of you.
You kick it.
“Stop that now,” Israel hisses. His hairy and tattooed arm reaches up
over the platform. Israel pokes his head above the crosstree. He smiles
sinisterly. “I’ll make this painless,” he says.
You kick at him again, but he’s quicker than you. He snatches your foot
out of the air before it can connect with his head. He gives it a tug, and you
lose your grip on the mast. You teeter on the edge of the platform. Then a
wave slams into the ship, throwing you off balance. Gravity does the rest.
You fall toward the deck of the Hispaniola. And then your world ends.
Try again.
You’re trapped. You can’t climb any higher, but at least you have a
pistol. And you have spare powder and shot to reload it. You just hope the
gunpowder didn’t get wet.
You open the powder horn. You’re in luck! The powder is dry. You
quickly reload the pistol.
Thunk! A knife suddenly sticks to the mast next to your cheek. Israel
must have thrown it.
“Nearly got you,” he shouts from below.
You’re so frightened that you almost drop the pistol as you tap down
the gunpowder. Next, you must put a ball of shot in the barrel.
You need to hurry. The tips of Israel’s fingers curl around the edge of
the crosstree. You back up against the mast. A hand slaps down on the
board in front of you. You kick it.
“Stop that now,” Israel hisses. His hairy and tattooed arm reaches up
over the platform. He pokes his head above the crosstree and smiles
sinisterly. “I’ll make this painless,” he says.
With the gun reloaded, you take aim.
Israel’s smile fades.
“Wait,” he says. “I calls a truce.”
You let your aim waver slightly, and Israel makes a grab for your gun.
Bang! The pistol goes off.
Israel wheels backward with his arms flailing. Then gravity takes hold
of him and slams him onto the deck. He’s down and out... forever.
You’re saddened yet also relieved. You have control of the ship, so the
pirates cannot sail away. You just need to tell your friends the good news.
Hopefully you can get back to the fort before the pirates attack.
5. The Treasure
You scramble down from the riggings. Then you slide down the anchor
rope, onto the beach.
To the east, the sky is turning from black to a deep blue. Soon, the sun
will break above the horizon. You must get back to the fort before sunup;
Long John will be expecting an answer from Captain Smollett. And
hopefully Livesey was able to find Ben Gunn. You also have news of the
ship to share with your friends.
You run up the beach and into the forest. As quickly as you can, you
trace your steps back to the fort.
Once you reach the clearing that surrounds the fort, you stay in the
shadows. You do not want whomever is on guard to accidentally shoot at
you.
You creep to the side of the fort where you snuck out earlier. Then you
stop to listen.
Within the fort, all is quiet, except for the snoring of men. You quickly
climb over the splintered beam and into the fort. Then, with your hands out
before you, you stumble through the darkness toward the shack. You hope
to find Livesey inside.
Before you get ten paces, you trip over someone on the ground. He
turns and groans, without waking.
Suddenly, a shrill voice breaks the silence. “Pieces of eight! Pieces of
eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”
How did Long John’s parrot, Cap’n Flint, get inside the fort? You spin
away—directly into the arms of a pirate, who grabs you by the wrists.
“Who’s there?” Long John shouts from the shack.
“It’s Jim,” the pirate holding you replies.
A torch is lit, and you see that four pirates surround you, plus Long
John. Cap’n Flint sits on his shoulder.
Long John says, “Here’s Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers! I wasn’t
expecting you to just drop in on us.”
While he talks, you wonder what happened to your friends. You glance
around the fort. In the torchlight, you cannot see any signs of a fight.
“Now, Jim, I’ve always liked you, I have,” Long John says. “That
Captain Smollett is a fine seaman but stiff on discipline. Livesey and
Trelawney are true gents, but I’ve always favored you, lad.”
The way Long John talks about your friends makes it sound as if they
are still alive.
“So I ask you this, thinking of what’s best for you, have you come to
join us?” Long John asks.
“Well,” you say, feeling bold, “if I’m to choose, I have a right to know
what’s what, and why you’re here, and where my friends are.”
“I suppose that’s your right,” Long John agrees. “During the night,
Doctor Livesey came to us with a flag of truce. He tells us that the ship’s
gone, which we didn’t know till then, and he wanted to strike a bargain for
seeing to your safety, should I find you.”
The four pirates listen in on the conversation and appear to grow
restless.
“I don’t know what you two are going on about,” one of the pirates
says. “But I says we kill the lad.”
Long John turns and scowls at the pirate. “Avast, there!” Long John
curses. “It’s up to me who dies and who lives.”
“He’s right,” another pirate chimes in. “We should kill the boy. He’s
caused us enough trouble.”
“But the boy’s worth more to us as a hostage,” Long John says. “In
case Smollett and his crew take possession of the ship, we have something
to bargain with.”
“Silver, we’re tired of you and your bullying of us,” a third pirate says.
“I’m cap’n here,” Long John says, “because I’m the best man by a long
sea-mile. And you’ll obey.”
There is a long pause as the four pirates glance at each other.
“I think it’s time to give it to him,” one of them says.
“Aye,” another adds.
One of the pirates reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled
scrap of paper. He hands it to Long John. You watch it unfurl in his palm. A
black spot colors the middle of the paper.
“So this is how it’s going to be?” Long John says, looking from man to
man.
“Because of you,” one of the braver pirates says, “we don’t have the
treasure. And now we don’t have our ship. You’ve bungled everything.”
The four pirates finger the hilts of their cutlasses. Sweat drips down
Long John’s brow.
The pirates look as if they mean to kill Long John. And if they kill him,
surely you will be next. It is four against two, and Long John has just one
leg while you are young. There is no way you can defeat the pirates in a
fight. Maybe you can bargain with them for your lives. You know where the
ship is, and they don’t. Or maybe you should wait to see what Long John
does. He knows these men better than you. What will you choose to do?
Tell the pirates where the ship is.
See what Long John does.
Long John is about to say something to the pirates, but you interrupt
him. “I know where the ship is!”
Everyone, including Long John, turns to you.
“You shouldn’t have told them that,” he whispers.
One of the pirates grabs you by your shirt collar. “Where is it?” he
shouts as he shakes you. “And where’s my mate, Israel?”
“Hands off the lad,” Long John commands.
But the other three pirates take hold of him. They wrestle him to the
ground.
The pirate holding you draws a knife. “Long John can’t help you, lad,”
he says. “Tell us where the ship is.”
He shakes you violently, and you know that you have no choice.
“It’s off the western shore,” you confess. “I beached it there.”
He tosses you onto the ground, next to Long John.
“Now what should we do with them?” one of the pirates asks.
“If Long John likes the boy so much, I think they should meet Davy
Jones together,” another pirate says.
The pirates move quickly. You do not have time to react. Thankfully,
they end your life fast.
Try again.
You let Long John speak. After all, he knows these men. He might find
the right words to say.
“Well, mates,” he says with a smirk. He digs into a pocket and pulls out
a familiar piece of paper. “If I bungled things so badly, then how come I
have this?” He throws the treasure map at the feet of the pirates.
They leap upon it like cats on a mouse. It is passed from hand to hand,
one tearing it from another.
“Mighty pretty,” one pirate says. “How did you come by it?”
“Livesey used it to bargain for Jim’s safety,” Long John says. “Now
who here’s cap’n of this lot?”
“Silver!” the four pirates cry in excitement. “Long John forever! Long
John for cap’n!”
Smiling, Long John turns to you and whispers, “Lad, I know that you
know where the ship is. But let’s keep that a secret, so we still have
something to bargain with.” He winks at you.
When the excitement finally dies down, you follow Long John into the
shack. Inside, a fifth pirate leans against one of the walls. He looks pale,
and you see blood on his shirt.
“I’m not sure he’s going to make it,” Long John tells you. “We have a
long trek ahead of us tomorrow.”
Both of you find spots to lie down and rest. It has been a long night,
and it will be light out all too soon.
You are awakened when you hear a familiar voice shouting, “Ahoy!
Here’s the doctor.”
You leap to your feet and rush to the fort’s entrance. Sure enough, you
spy Livesey.
He looks in your direction but says nothing. Only nods. Yet you can see
the relief in his eyes. He is glad to know you are safe.
“You, doctor! Top o’ the morning to you, sir!” Long John says. “Your
patient is inside.”
The doctor goes and attends to the injured pirate in the shack while you
wait outside impatiently.
After he finishes, the doctor addresses Long John. “Now that’s done, I
wish to have a talk with Jim, please.” And he nods in your direction.
“Aye, go ahead,” Long John says.
Livesey takes you to the side, away from any of the pirates.
“Jim, where have you been?” the doctor asks. “We were worried that
the pirates might have killed you.”
You quickly tell him why you disappeared, and you let him know about
the ship.
“The ship!” the doctor exclaims.
“Yes, she lies to the west,” you say. “I beached her.”
“And I found Ben Gunn,” he says. “I—” But before he can say
anything more, Long John approaches.
“You best be going,” Long John says to the doctor. “My mates are
getting restless to be after that treasure, now that they know I have the
map.”
“And what of Jim?” the doctor asks.
“I’ll keep the boy safe with me,” Long John says. “My mates view him
as a hostage, in case you attempt to leave us on this island. I don’t think
they’re likely to let him go just yet.”
Livesey says goodbye to you and departs the fort.
“Jim,” Long John says, “we’re to go treasure hunting. Best you stick
close to me. My mates aren’t exactly trustworthy, if you get my drift.”
After a quick breakfast, you, Long John, and the five pirates set out to
look for the treasure. You are a motley crew. Your clothes are worn and
dirty. The pirates each have a cutlass dangling from their sides. Each of you
also carries picks and shovels and food for a midday meal.
As you walk, Long John pulls out the map. On the backside are
scribbled instructions.
Skeleton Island E.S.E. and by E.
Tall tree, Spyglass shoulder, bearing a point to the N. of N.N.E.
Ten feet.
“What do you suppose they mean?” Long John asks.
The pirates just shrug their shoulders. But as they walk through the
forest, they start pointing at every tall tree they see.
“Is that it?” one says, pointing at a fifty-foot pine.
“No, it’s that one,” another says, pointing at an even taller tree.
Then one of the pirates screams as he points to yet another big pine.
“There!”
Lying next to the tree is a human skeleton, with a few shreds of
clothing. The skeleton is laid out flat on the ground with its feet pointing in
one direction and its hands, raised above its head like a diver’s, pointing
exactly in the opposite direction.
“It doesn’t look natural, him lying there like that,” one of the pirates
says.
Long John takes out his compass. “That’s because Cap’n Flint put him
there,” he says. “This skeleton’s a pointer. His hands point east and a little
bit to the south. His feet point west, and a little bit to the north.” Long John
looks at you. “Which direction do you think we should go, lad?” he asks.
Should you go east, the direction the hands point, or west, the direction
the feet point? What will you choose to do?
Go east.
Go west.
With the odd instructions on Cap’n Flint’s map, one direction seems as
good as the next. So why not go west? You tell Long John to go in the
direction of the feet.
As you trek through brush and over rocky hills, the land slants
downward. You walk for what feels like hours under the hot sun. The
pirates begin to grumble, and Long John snarls at them several times to
keep them marching.
In the middle of the afternoon, you break through the forest and step
onto a sandy beach. To your horror, you see the Hispaniola directly in front
of you.
“Well, she ain’t made of gold,” one pirate says, “but she’s a treasure
alright.”
“Now that we know where the ship is,” another pirate says, “I reckon
we don’t need our hostage.”
Three pirates take a hold of Long John. They wrestle him to the
ground. A fourth pirate tosses you onto the ground, next to Long John.
“Now what should we do with them?” one of the pirates asks.
“If Long John likes the boy so much, I think they should meet Davy
Jones together,” another pirate says.
They move quickly. You do not have time to react. Thankfully, they
end your life fast.
Try again.
You tell Long John, “Go in the direction the hands point, east.”
“Say,” Long John replies, “it looks like the hands are pointing right in
the direction of Skeleton Island. That’s the small island just off the southern
tip of Treasure Island. That seems to fit what it says here on the map.”
You and the pirates continue your march with the hot sun beating down
on you.
As you walk, you ask Long John, “Who was that skeleton back there?”
“One of Cap’n Flint’s crew,” Long John says. “I believe it was
Allardyce. He was one of the men who hauled the treasure ashore. Cap’n
Flint killed every man that helped him bury his treasure. That way, only he
knew where it was hidden.”
The land begins to slope upward, and soon you stand on a high plateau.
From this viewpoint, you can see over the treetops, all the way to Skeleton
Island. As you look in the other direction, the Spyglass rises above you.
Long John pulls out his compass and looks toward the Spyglass.
“There are two tall trees that stand above the rest.” He points toward one of
them. “The tallest is that pine directly between us and the Spyglass, and
there’s another in line with that ledge along the hill’s northern slope.” Long
John looks at you. “Which one do you think we should go to?” he asks.
Should you go to the tallest tree or the tree in line with the ledge? What
will you choose to do?
Move toward the tallest tree.
Move toward the other tree.
Cap’n Flint’s directions say “tall tree,” so that’s what you decide. You
tell Long John to pick the tallest tree.
“A sound decision,” he says with an approving nod.
You climb down the plateau and head toward the tallest tree.
It’s the middle of the afternoon before you break through the forest and
see the tall tree along the slopes of the Spyglass. From where you stand, the
tree isn’t any taller than the rest of the trees in the area. It only looked taller
from a distance because it’s part of the way up the Spyglass. This was the
wrong way!
“Silver, if you lead us astray again,” one of the pirates declares, “it’ll be
the end of you and the lad, too.”
The other four pirates nod in agreement.
Luckily, you can see the other tree from where you stand. And from
this point, looking up at the Spyglass, you notice how the ledge you saw
earlier looks as if it could be the hill’s shoulder.
Click here to continue.
“Let’s follow the tree that’s in line with the ledge on the Spyglass’s
northern slope,” you tell Long John. “It makes the hill look like it has a
shoulder.”
“Yeah, if its peak were the head,” Long John agrees with an approving
nod.
Go to the next page.
It is an easy walk, as the way lies a little downhill. The tree turns out to
be a giant—a red trunk as wide as a cottage, with a shadow in which you all
can rest, away from the sun. But it is not the size of the tree that excites the
pirates. It is the knowledge that thousands of pounds of gold lie buried
somewhere nearby.
Long John appears to be growing nervous. He keeps glancing at his
companions warily, and they act almost crazed with the thoughts of
treasure.
According to the instructions scribbled on the map, the treasure should
be just beyond the tree. The men dash forward.
Suddenly, not ten feet further, they stop. A low cry arises from them.
Silver doubles his pace, pushing hard with the foot of his crutch.
The next moment you and he come to a complete halt. Before you is a
large hole, dug a long while ago. In the hole are the shaft of a pick and the
boards of several cases. On one of the boards, it says, Walrus, the name of
Flint’s ship. Someone has already found the treasure!
“Jim,” Long John whispers to you, “follow me and stand by for
trouble.”
He begins to move quietly around the hole, putting it between you and
the pirates.
One after another, the five pirates turn to Long John. Disappointment
and hate fill their eyes.
“Mates,” one of the pirates says, “there’s two of them alone there; one’s
got just one leg and the other’s just a boy.”
“Let’s kill ’em,” another pirate says, “and be done with this farce.”
They draw their cutlasses and creep toward you. Long John grabs his
sword and pushes you behind him.
Just then, there’s the crack! crack! crack! of musket fire. Two pirates
fall; the other three turn and run.
From behind some nearby trees, you see the doctor, Ben Gunn, and one
of the sailors, all holding muskets.
“Doctor,” Long John proclaims, “you came in the nick of time. I kept
Jim safe, as I promised.” He turns to the scruffy figure of Ben.
“Is that you, Ben Gunn?” Long John says. “Well, you’re a nice one to
see, to be sure.”
“I’m Ben Gunn, I am,” Ben replies, wriggling like an eel in his
nervousness.
You are amazed to watch Long John. Not days ago, you would’ve
sworn he was out to kill you. But today, he worked to save your life, and
now he is all friendly with Ben.
The doctor isn’t fazed by this change in the pirate. He forces Long John
to march forward at the end of a musket, as he leads all of you toward Ben’s
cave.
Livesey tells you what he couldn’t risk the pirates hearing at the fort.
When he found Ben, Ben said he’d already dug up Flint’s treasure and
moved it. So Livesey gave the map to Long John; it was useless.
“It took me nearly three years to find it,” Ben says with a laugh. “Now
I’m rich! Rich! Rich!”
“By thunder!” Long John booms. “You played me.”
“Sorry about that, Silver,” the doctor says. “I couldn’t trust you, and I
still don’t. But since we knew where the treasure was, we no longer needed
the map. All we needed was the ship, and Jim took care of that for us.”
The doctor pats you on the shoulder. You smile up at him proudly.
“Ah,” Long John says, “it were fortunate that I had Jim. You would’ve
left old John behind otherwise.”
As you reach Ben’s cave, you see Trelawney standing by it, leaning on
a musket. “Jim!” he cries. “The doctor said you were safe. Good to see
you.”
Inside the cave, you find more gold and treasure chests than you could
have imagined. Coins spill onto the floor and fill every crack.
“We’re rich! Rich! Rich!” Ben giggles.
You don’t ever see the remaining pirates again, and no one wants to go
looking for them. Captain Smollett says it’s safest to maroon them here. But
on the beach, you leave them as many food supplies as you can spare.
Long John is allowed to go aboard the Hispaniola. But Smollett makes
it clear that he will be arrested for piracy once you reach Bristol.
The captain sails the Hispaniola away from Treasure Island and to a
beautiful land-locked port. Long John is locked up on the ship. Ben is too
afraid to set foot on land, lest he be marooned. The rest of you go ashore.
Natives sell fruits and offer to dive for shells. The sight of so many
good-humored faces makes you glad that you will soon be back at the
Admiral Benbow.
When you return to the ship, Ben greets everyone with a confession.
“I helped Long John escape,” he tells you. “If Long John had stayed
aboard, he would certainly of been our undoing.”
Long John did not go empty-handed. A sack of gold is missing.
A part of you is glad that Long John escaped. While he may have been
a ruthless pirate, he saved your life. And while you’ll never see him again,
when you dream of the surf booming against the Hispaniola’s hull, you will
recall a shrill voice screeching, “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”
Epilogue: Book Report
You’re standing in your little brother’s sandbox, holding the tattered,
old book. You’re not sure what just happened. The treasure map. Long John
Silver. The Hispaniola. Was it all a weird dream?
Whether it was your imagination or not, you know what you should do:
work on that book report. (It will be fun to write about pirates!)
You head into the house and go to your room. Your dad is sitting on the
bed. He holds your game controller in his hands.
“Mrs. Johnson called,” he says. “You haven’t turned in your book
report.”
You look down at your feet, and you toe the carpet. Then you look back
at your dad and confess. “It’s true, but I’m going to work on it now.” You
hold up the book for your dad to see.
“So you like it?” your dad asks, sounding surprised.
“Well, there aren’t any zombies,” you say. “But it’s got pirates and a
treasure map, so that’s pretty cool.”
“Good,” he says with a smile. “It was my favorite when I was your
age.”
Your dad stands and heads for the doorway. Before he walks through it,
he looks back at you. “You did break the rule,” he says. “So no video games
until Monday.”
“Okay,” you reply.
He smiles warmly when you don’t protest. Then he walks away.
You sit at your desk and turn on your computer. You have so many
ideas, and you want to share them. You can’t wait to get started.
Go to the next page.
Can You Survive These Titles?
Test your survival skills with a free short story at www.Lake7Creative.com
and pick up these Choose Your Path books:
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Greek Mythology’s Adventures of Perseus
Greek Mythology’s Twelve Labors of Hercules
H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines
Howard Pyle’s Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Jack London’s Call of the Wild
Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island
Sir Arthur Doyle’s Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
About Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13, 1850, in
Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a sickly child, but from an early age, he
listened to countless stories. And he soon began telling stories of his own.
His father was an engineer who designed lighthouses in Scotland. He
hoped Robert would follow in his footsteps. Yet he also encouraged his
son’s creativity. He paid for the publication of Robert’s first book, The
Pentland Rising: A Page of History 1666 (1866).
Robert’s early works were written for adults. But in the early 1880s, he
had an idea for a children’s book, Treasure Island (1883). His adventure
stories, which also include The Black Arrow (1883) and Kidnapped (1886),
helped make him famous. His most well-known adult novel is The Strange
Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886).
Unfortunately, the illnesses that Robert suffered as a child haunted him
throughout his life. In 1894, he died at the age of 44.
About Treasure Island
In 1880, Robert Louis Stevenson sat watching his stepson, Lloyd
Osbourne, paint. Robert joined in the fun and created a map. Together,
Robert and Lloyd named all the different places on the map, such as
Spyglass Hill and Skeleton Island. That map helped to inspire Robert to
write Treasure Island. Robert even used the map as the basis for the treasure
map in his book.
Up until then, Robert had mostly written essays, poems, and stories
about his travels, and about society. Treasure Island was the story that made
him popular. It was first printed a few pages at a time, in a children’s
magazine called Young Folks, between 1881 and 1882. It later became his
first full-length fiction novel, when it was published as a book in 1883.
Treasure Island has become a model for all pirate stories. It’s been
adapted into movies, TV shows, comic books—and now a Choose Your
Path book.
About the Author
Blake Hoena grew up writing stories about robots conquering the moon
and trolls lumbering around in the woods behind his parents’ house—the
fact that the trolls were hunting for little boys had nothing to do with
Blake’s pesky brothers.
He pursued a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from
Minnesota State University, Mankato, and since graduating, Blake has
written more than sixty books for children. Blake has published ABC
picture books, graphic novels about space aliens, and retellings of classic
stories such as Greek Mythology’s Adventure of Perseus, another Choose
Your Path book.
To learn more about Blake and his writing, visit his website at
www.bahoena.com.