ached the gigs. The doctor, with the pickaxe,
demolished one of them, and then we all got aboard the other and set out
to go round by sea for North Inlet.

This was a run of eight or nine miles. Silver, though he was almost
killed already with fatigue, was set to an oar, like the rest of us, and
we were soon skimming swiftly over a smooth sea. Soon we passed out of
the straits and doubled the south-east corner of the island, round which,
four days ago, we had towed the _Hispaniola_.

As we passed the two-pointed hill we could see the black mouth of Ben
Gunn's cave, and a figure standing by it, leaning on a musket. It was the
squire; and we waved a handkerchief and gave him three cheers, in which
the voice of Silver joined as heartily as any.

Three miles farther, just inside the mouth of North Inlet, what should we
meet but the _Hispaniola_, cruising by herself? The last flood had lifted
her; and had there been much wind, or a strong tide current, as in the
southern anchorage, we should never have found her more, or found her
stranded beyond help. As it was, there was little amiss, beyond the wreck
of the main-sail. Another anchor was got ready, and dropped in a fathom
and a half of water. We all pulled round again to Rum Cove, the nearest
point for Ben Gunn's treasure-house; and then Gray, single-handed,
returned with the gig to the _Hispaniola_, where he was to pass the night
on guard.

A gentle slope ran up from the beach to the entrance of the cave. At the
top the squire met us. To me he was cordial and kind, saying nothing of
my escapade, either in the way of blame or praise. At Silver's polite
salute he somewhat flushed.

"John Silver," he said, "you're a prodigious villain and impostor--a
monstrous impostor, sir. I am told I am not to prosecute you. Well, then,
I will not. But the dead men, sir, hang about your neck like
mill-stones."

"Thank you kindly, sir," replied Long John, again saluting.

"I dare you to thank me!" cried the squire. "It is a gross dereliction of
my duty. Stand back."

And thereupon we all entered the cave. It was a large, airy place, with a
little spring and a pool of clear water, overhung with ferns. The floor
was sand. Before a big fire lay Captain Smollett; and in a far corner,
only duskily flickered over by the blaze, I beheld great heaps of coin
and quadrilaterals built of bars of gold. That was Flint's treasure, that
we had come so far to seek, and that had cost already the l