He s the cook, and the ringleader too.
He was still holding me by the wrist, and at that he give it quite a
wring.
If you was sent by Long John, he said, I m as good as pork, and I
know it. But where was you, do you suppose?
I had made my mind up in a moment, and by way of answer told him
the whole story of our voyage and the predicament in which we found
ourselves. He heard me with the keenest interest, and when I had done he
patted me on the head.
You re a good lad, Jim, he said; and you re all in a clove hitch,
ain t you? Well, you just put your trust in Ben Gunn--Ben Gunn s the man
to do it. Would you think it likely, now, that your squire would prove
a liberal-minded one in case of help--him being in a clove hitch, as you
remark?
I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.
Aye, but you see, returned Ben Gunn, I didn t mean giving me a gate
to keep, and a suit of livery clothes, and such; that s not my mark,
Jim. What I mean is, would he be likely to come down to the toon of, say
one thousand pounds out of money that s as good as a man s own already?
I am sure he would, said I. As it was, all hands were to share.
AND a passage home? he added with a look of great shrewdness.
Why, I cried, the squire s a gentleman. And besides, if we got rid of
the others, we should want you to help work the vessel home.
Ah, said he, so you would. And he seemed very much relieved.
Now, I ll tell you what, he went on. So much I ll tell you, and no
more. I were in Flint s ship when he buried the treasure; he and
six along--six strong seamen. They was ashore nigh on a week, and us
standing off and on in the old WALRUS. One fine day up went the signal,
and here come Flint by himself in a little boat, and his head done up in
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