Fifteen

THE MAN OF THE ISLAND

From the side of the hill, which was here very steep, a number of small stones were loosened, and came rolling and jumping through the trees. My eyes turned in that direction, and I saw a figure leap very rapidly behind the trunk of a tree. What it was, whether bear or man or monkey, I could in no way tell. It seemed dark and hairy; more I knew not. But the terror of this new thing brought me to a stand.

I was now, it seemed, cut off from both sides, behind me the murderers, before me this something waiting in hiding. And immediately I began to prefer the dangers that I knew to those I knew not. Silver himself appeared less terrible than this creature of the woods. I turned on my heel, and, looking sharply behind me over my shoulder, began to go in the direction of the boats.

Instantly the figure appeared again. It made a wide circle and began to try to get in front of me. I was tired; but, had I been as fresh as when I rose, I could see it was useless for me to escape from this enemy by speed. From trunk to trunk the creature went like a deer. It ran man-like on two legs, but unlike any man that I had ever seen, bending almost double as it ran. Yet a man it was—I could no longer be in doubt about that.

I began to call to mind what I had heard of wild men; and I was just thinking of calling for help. But the mere fact that he was a man, however wild, gave me greater hope and courage, and my fear of Silver began to return to me. I stood still, therefore, and tried to think of some way of escape. Then I remembered that I was carrying a pistol, and so was able to defend myself; and with that thought my courage glowed again in my heart; and I set my face in the direction of this man of the island, and walked quickly towards him.

He was concealed by this time behind another tree trunk; but he must have been watching me closely, for as soon as I began to move in his direction, he appeared and took a step to meet me. Then he paused, drew back, came forward again, and at last, to my great surprise, threw himself on his knees and held out his clasped hands as if praying for mercy.

At that I once more stopped.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Ben Gunn," he answered, and his voice sounded rough and strange, as a thing long unused. "I'm poor Ben Gunn, I am; and I haven't spoken with a human creature these three years."

I could now see that he was a white man like myself, and that his face was even pleasing. His skin was burnt by the sun; even his lips were black; and his fair eyes looked quite surprising in so dark a face. Of all the ragged men I had seen or fancied, he was the chief for raggedness. He was clothed in pieces of sail-cloth held together in the strangest and most varied ways, by bits of string, pieces of stick, and such things.

"Three years!" I cried. "Were you shipwrecked?"

"No," said he, "I was marooned."

I had heard that this terrible punishment of "marooning" was common enough among the pirates. The unfortunate man would be put on shore with a little powder and shot, and left behind on some desert and distant island.

"Marooned three years ago," he continued, "and I've lived on goats since then, and forest fruits and shell-fish. 'Wherever a man is,' said I, 'a man can provide for himself.' But, my heart is sick with desire for proper food. You don't happen to have a piece of cheese about you, now? No? Well, many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese, and woken up again—and here I was."

"If ever I can get on board again," said I, "you shall have pounds and pounds of cheese."

All this time he had been feeling the cloth of my coat, stroking my hands, looking at my shoes, and generally showing a childlike pleasure in the presence of a fellow-creature. But at my last words he seemed to be a little frightened.

"If ever you can get on board again?" he repeated. "Why now, who's to prevent you?"

"Not you, I know," was my reply.

"And you are right," he cried. "Now you—what do you call yourself?"

"Jim," I told him.

"Jim, Jim," says he, seeming quite pleased. "Well, now, Jim, I've lived so rough that you'd be ashamed to hear of it. Now, for example, you wouldn't think that my mother was a good church woman—would you—to look at me?" he asked.

"Why no, perhaps I wouldn't," I answered.

"Ah, well," said he, "but she was—she was indeed—a very good and holy woman. And I was a good boy, and could say off my prayers so fast that you couldn't tell one from another. And here's what it has come to, Jim, and it began with throwing 'heads or tails' with half-pennies in the street! That's what it began with; but it went further than that; and so my mother told me, and said just how it would be, she did, the good woman. But it was God's will that put me here. I've thought it all out alone in this island, and I'm going back to a good and holy life. You won't catch me tasting rum so much; just a tiny glassful for good fortune, of course, the first chance I have. I've promised myself that I'll be good, and I see the way to. And, Jim"—looking all around him, and speaking in a whisper—"I'm rich."

I now felt sure that the poor fellow had gone mad from being so much alone, and I suppose I must have shown the feeling in my face; for he repeated the words angrily:

"RichI rich! I say. And I'll tell you what: I'll make a man of you, Jim. Ah, Jim, you'll bless your stars, you will, that you were the first that found me!"

And at this there came suddenly a shadow over his face, and he tightened his hold upon my hand, and raised a finger before my eyes.

"Now, Jim, you tell me true: that isn't Flint's ship?" he asked.

At this I had a happy thought. I began to believe that I had found a helper, and I answered him at once.

"It's not Flint's ship, and Flint is dead; but I'll tell you true, as you asked me—there are some of Flint's men on board; and that's bad for the rest of us."

"Not a man—with one—leg?" he whispered.

"Silver?" I asked.

"Ah, Silver!" said he; "that was his name."

"He's the cook; and their leader, too."

He was still holding me by the hand, and at that he clasped it so tight that I almost cried out.

"If you have been sent by Long John," he said, "I'm as good as dead, and I know it."

I had made my mind up in a moment, and by way of an answer told him the whole story of our voyage, and the danger in which we found ourselves. He heard me with the keenest interest, and when I had done he put his hand on my head.

"You're a good lad, Jim," he said, "and you're all in a tight place, aren't you? Well, you just put your trust in Ben Gunn; Ben Gunn's the man to do it. Would you think it probable, now, that Mr. Trelawney would be generous to anyone who helped him—seeing that he is in such a nasty corner?"

I told him that Mr. Trelawney was the most generous of men.

"Yes, but you see," replied Ben Gunn, "I didn't mean making me a gate-keeper in the park, or giving me a place as a servant; that's not my mark, Jim. What I mean is, do you think he would pay me as much as—say—one thousand pounds out of money that's as good as my own already?"

"I am sure he would," said I. "As it was, all the men were to share."

"And the trip home?" he added, with a sharp look.

"Why," I cried, "Mr. Trelawney is a gentleman. And, beside that, if we have not got the others, then we should want you to help work the vessel home."

"Ah," said he, "so you would." And he seemed easier in his mind.

"Now, I'll tell you what," he went on. "So much I'll tell you, and no more. I was in Flint's ship when he hid the treasure; he and six others—six strong seamen. They were on shore nearly a week, and all the rest of us remained on board the old Walrus. One fine day up went the flag, and here came Flint by himself in a little boat, and his head done up in a blue handkerchief. The sun was getting up, and terribly white he looked about the face. But there he was, you see, and the six all dead—dead and laid under ground. How he had done it, not a man on board could guess. It was battle, murder, and sudden death—him against six. Billy Bones was his officer, Long John, he was in charge of stores; and they asked Flint where the treasure was. 'Ah,' said he, 'you can go on shore, if you like, and stay,' he said; 'but as for the ship, she is going in search of more, by thunder!' That's what he said.

"Well, I was in another ship three years back, and we caught sight of this island. 'Boys,' said I, 'here's Flint's treasure, let's land and find it.' The captain was displeased at that; but my companions were all agreed and landed. Twelve days they looked for it, and every day they had the worse word for me, until one fine morning all of 'em went on board. 'As for you, Benjamin,' said they, 'here's a gun,' they said, 'and an axe. You can stay here, and find Flint's money for yourself,' they said.

"Well, Jim, three years have I been here, and not a bit of proper food from that day to this. But now, you look here; look at me. Do I look like a common seaman? No, say you. Nor was I, neither, I say."

And with that he nodded and took hold of my arm.

"Just you mention those words to Mr. Trelawney, Jim," he went on: "'Nor was he, neither'—that's the words. For three years he was the man of this island, light and dark, fair and rain; and sometimes he would, perhaps, think of a prayer, and sometimes he would, perhaps, think of his old mother, if she's alive; but the greater part of Gunn's time (this is what you'll say to Mr. Trelawney)—'The most part of his time was taken up with another matter.' And then you'll give him a nod, like I do."

And he nodded at me again in the most secret manner.

"Then," he continued, "then you'll say this: Gunn is a good man (you'll say), and he puts a great deal more trust in a gentleman born than in these gentlemen of fortune, having been one himself."

"Well," I said, "I don't understand one word that you've been saying. But that doesn't matter; for how am I to get on board?"

"Ah," said he, "that's the difficulty, for sure. Well, there's my boat, that I made with my two hands. I keep her under the White Rock. If the worst come to the worst, we might try that after dark. Hi!" he broke out, "what's that?"

For just then, although the sun had still an hour or two to run, there rolled over the silent island the thunder of the ship's gun.

"They have begun to fight!" I cried. "Follow me."

And I began to run towards the bay, my terrors all forgotten; while, close at my side, the marooned man in his goat-skins moved easily and lightly.

"Left, left," said he; "keep to your left hand, Jim! Under the trees with you! There's where I killed my first goat. They don't come down here now; they're all up above in those mountains for the fear of Benjamin Gunn. Ah! and there's the graveyard. You see the graves? I came here and prayed, now and then, when I thought that perhaps it might be Sunday. It wasn't quite a church, but it seemed more solemn."

So he kept talking as I ran, neither expecting nor receiving any answer.

The sound of the ship's gun was followed, after some time, by a number of shots from the small arms.

Another pause, and then, not a quarter of a mile in front of me, I beheld the English flag flying above a wood.