Why, John, you re not afraid? asked Dr. Livesey.
Doctor, I m no coward; no, not I--not SO much! and he snapped his
fingers. If I was I wouldn t say it. But I ll own up fairly, I ve the
shakes upon me for the gallows. You re a good man and a true; I never
seen a better man! And you ll not forget what I done good, not any more
than you ll forget the bad, I know. And I step aside--see here--and
leave you and Jim alone. And you ll put that down for me too, for it s a
long stretch, is that!
So saying, he stepped back a little way, till he was 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 dare say 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.
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