-day. And now I should wish to have a talk with that boy,
please."

And he nodded his head in my direction carelessly.

George Merry was at the door, spitting and spluttering over some
bad-tasted medicine; but at the first word of the doctor's proposal he
swung round with a deep flush, and cried, "No!" and swore.

Silver struck the barrel with his open hand.

"Si-lence!" he roared, and looked about him positively like a lion.
"Doctor," he went on, in his usual tones, "I was thinking of that,
knowing as how you had a fancy for the boy. We're all humbly grateful
for your kindness, and, as you see, puts faith in you, and takes the
drugs down like that much grog. And I take it I've found a way as'll
suit all. Hawkins, will you give me your word of honor as a young
gentleman--for a young gentleman you are, although poor born--your word
of honor not to slip your cable?"

I readily gave the pledge required.

"Then, doctor," said Silver, "you just step outside o' that stockade,
and once you're there, I'll bring the boy down on the inside, and I
reckon you can yarn through the spars. Good-day to you, sir, and all our
dooties to the squire and Cap'n Smollett."

The explosion of disapproval, which nothing but Silver's black looks had
restrained, broke out immediately the doctor had left the house. Silver
was roundly accused of playing double--of trying to make a separate
peace for himself--of sacrificing the interests of his accomplices and
victims; and, in one word, of the identical, exact thing that he was
doing. It seemed to me so obvious, in this case, that I could not
imagine how he was to turn their anger. But he was twice the man the
rest were, and his last night's victory had given him a huge
preponderance on their minds. He called them all the fools and dolts
you can imagine, said it was necessary I should talk to the doctor,
fluttered the chart in their faces, asked them if they could afford to
break the treaty the very day they were bound a-treasure-hunting.

"No, by thunder!" he cried, "it's us must break the treaty when the time
comes; and till then I'll gammon that doctor, if I have to ile his boots
with brandy."

And then he bade them get the fire lit, and stalked out upon his crutch,
with his hand on my shoulder, leaving them in a disarray, and silenced
by his volubility rather than convinced.

"Slow, lad, slow," he said. "They might round upon us in a twinkle of an
eye if we was seen to hurry."

Very