out of earshot, and
there sat down upon a tree-stump and began to whistle; spinning round now
and again upon his seat so as to command a sight, sometimes of me and the
doctor, and sometimes of his unruly ruffians as they went to and fro in
the sand, between the fire--which they were busy rekindling--and the
house, from which they brought forth pork and bread to make the
breakfast.

"So, Jim," said the doctor sadly, "here you are. As you have brewed, so
shall you drink, my boy. Heaven knows, I cannot find it in my heart to
blame you; but this much I will say, be it kind or unkind: when Captain
Smollett was well, you dared not have gone off; and when he was ill, and
couldn't help it, by George, it was downright cowardly!"

I will own that I here began to weep. "Doctor," I said, "you might spare
me. I have blamed myself enough; my life's forfeit anyway, and I should
have been dead by now, if Silver hadn't stood for me; and, doctor,
believe this, I can die--and I daresay I deserve it--but what I fear is
torture. If they come to torture me----"

"Jim," the doctor interrupted, and his voice was quite changed, "Jim, I
can't have this. Whip over, and we'll run for it."

"Doctor," said I, "I passed my word."

"I know, I know," he cried. "We can't help that, Jim, now. I'll take it
on my shoulders, holus bolus, blame and shame, my boy; but stay here I
cannot let you. Jump! One jump, and you're out, and we'll run for it like
antelopes."

"No," I replied, "you know right well you wouldn't do the thing yourself;
neither you, nor squire, nor captain; and no more will I. Silver trusted
me; I passed my word, and back I go. But, doctor, you did not let me
finish. If they come to torture me, I might let slip a word of where the
ship is; for I got the ship, part by luck and part by risking, and she
lies in North Inlet, on the southern beach, and just below high water. At
half-tide she must be high and dry."

"The ship!" exclaimed the doctor.

Rapidly I described to him my adventures, and he heard me out in silence.

"There is a kind of fate in this," he observed, when I had done. "Every
step, it's you that saves our lives; and do you suppose by any chance
that we are going to let you lose yours? That would be a poor return, my
boy. You found out the plot; you found Ben Gunn--the best deed that ever
you did, or will do, though you live to ninety. Oh, by Jupiter, and
talking of Ben Gunn! why, this is the mischief in person. Silver