found me in the morning.
My foot struck something yielding--it was a sleeper s leg; and he turned
and groaned, but without awaking.
And then, all of a sudden, a shrill voice broke forth out of the
darkness:
Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!
Pieces of eight! and so forth, without pause or change, like the
clacking of a tiny mill.
Silver s green parrot, Captain Flint! It was she whom I had heard
pecking at a piece of bark; it was she, keeping better watch than any
human being, who thus announced my arrival with her wearisome refrain.
I had no time left me to recover. At the sharp, clipping tone of the
parrot, the sleepers awoke and sprang up; and with a mighty oath, the
voice of Silver cried, Who goes?
I turned to run, struck violently against one person, recoiled, and ran
full into the arms of a second, who for his part closed upon and held me
tight.
Bring a torch, Dick, said Silver when my capture was thus assured.
And one of the men left the log-house and presently returned with a
lighted brand.
PART SIX--Captain Silver
XXVIII
In the Enemy s Camp
146