I thought, could anyone be more lost than me? After seeing Long John Silver murder that good man, how could I go back to the boats where those terrible men were? Wouldn’t the first one who saw me kill me at once ? Wouldn’t they understand when they noticed I was absent, that I was afraid, and that I knew their secret? I thought everything was finished. Goodbye to the ship, goodbye to my friends! There was nothing left for me but to die, either from hunger or by being killed by the pirates.
Suddenly, a new fear made me stop, my heart beating very fast.
From the side of the hill, stones began to fall and drop down between the trees. I looked that way and saw something move very quickly behind a tree. I could not tell what it was—maybe a bear, a man, or a monkey. It looked dark with a lot of hair, but I could not see clearly. This new sight filled me with fear.
Behind me were the killers, and in front of me was this strange creature. I decided I preferred the danger I knew. Even Silver seemed less scary than this unknown thing. Therefore, I turned around and began to go back towards the boats, watching carefully behind me.
At once, the figure appeared again and moved quickly to stop me. I was tired, and even if I had more energy, I could see I could not run faster than whatever it was. It moved from tree to tree like a deer, but it ran on two legs like a man—though not like any man I had ever seen. However, I was now sure it was a man.
I remembered stories about cannibals and almost shouted for help. But because it was a man, it made me feel a little calmer. I stopped and thought about how to escape. Then I remembered my pistol. When I realised I was not without defence, it made me feel braver. I decided to meet him face to face.
He was hiding behind another tree, but he was watching me. When I moved closer, he came out again. He stepped forwards, then back, then forwards again. Finally, to my great surprise, he fell on his knees and held out his hands as if asking for help.
'Who are you?' I asked.
'My name is Ben Gunn,' he said. His voice sounded rough and strange. 'I’m poor Ben Gunn. I haven’t spoken to another person for three years.'
I could see now that his face was quite pleasant. But his skin was burned by the sun, and his lips were dark. His clothes were in a terrible condition, made of old pieces of material and rope.
'Three years!' I said. 'Were you in a shipwreck?'
'No, mate,' he answered. 'I was left here.'
I knew this meant he had been punished by being left alone on the island.
'I have lived here for three years,' he said. 'I eat goats, berries, and fish. But I miss real food. Do you have a piece of cheese?'
'If I get back to the ship,' I said, 'I will give you plenty of cheese.'
He smiled and looked at me with great interest. Then suddenly he became more serious.
'If you get back?' he said. 'Who will stop you?'
'Not you,' I answered, and I showed him my pistol.
'That’s right,' he said. 'What’s your name?'
'Jim,'I told him.
'Jim,' he said happily. 'I have lived a very hard life here. You wouldn’t think I had a good, Christian mother, would you?'
'Not really,' I said.
'But I did,' he answered. 'And I was a good boy once. And, Jim,' he said quietly, 'I’m rich.'
I thought he had gone crazy, but he looked serious.
'Rich!' he said again. 'And I will help you, Jim. You are lucky you found me first.'
Then he suddenly looked worried.
'Tell me the truth,' he said. 'Is that Captain Flint’s ship?'
'No,' I replied. 'Captain Flint is dead. But some of his men are on board.'
'Not a man with one leg?' he asked.
'Long John Silver?'
'Yes!' he cried.
'He is the cook—and the leader,' I said.
'If you were sent by him,' he said, 'I would be dead already.'
I suddenly began to trust this man. Briefly, I told him my whole story. I told him about the treasure that we were searching for too. He listened carefully.
'You’re a good boy, Jim,' he said. 'You are in trouble, aren’t you? But trust me. I can help. Do you think your friends would give me money if I help?'
'Yes,' I said. 'They are very generous. A share of the treasure was going to be handed out to all the crew.'
'And will he take me home?' he asked.
'Yes,' I said. 'If we get back to the ship, we’ll need help with sailing it.'
He looked happy at hearing this news. Then he told me that Captain Flint had brought the treasure to the island. He and Long John Silver had been with him on that voyage, but they had stayed on the ship while Captain Flint hid the treasure on the island with six other men. However, Flint went back to the ship without those six men who had helped him. Somehow, he had murdered all of them. Nobody knew where the treasure was except Captain Flint.
'I came back here three years ago on another ship,' Ben Gunn said. 'I persuaded the crew to help me find the treasure. We were here for two weeks but we found nothing. To punish me, they left me here and sailed off. I have been here ever since.'
Then suddenly we heard a loud cannon.
'They have started to fight!' I cried. 'Come with me!'
I began to run towards the shore, forgetting my fear. Ben Gunn ran beside me.
'Keep left!' he shouted. 'Stay under the trees!'
Soon we heard more gunfire. Then, not far ahead, I saw a flag flying above the trees. It was the Union Jack!
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