lp,
halloo. I'm off to seek it for you, and that itself will show you if I
speak at random. Good-bye, Jim."

And Dr. Livesey shook hands with me through the stockade, nodded to
Silver, and set off at a brisk pace into the wood.

31

The Treasure-hunt--Flint's Pointer

"JIM," said Silver when we were alone, "if I saved your life, you saved
mine; and I'll not forget it. I seen the doctor waving you to run for
it--with the tail of my eye, I did; and I seen you say no, as plain as
hearing. Jim, that's one to you. This is the first glint of hope I had
since the attack failed, and I owe it you. And now, Jim, we're to go in
for this here treasure-hunting, with sealed orders too, and I don't like
it; and you and me must stick close, back to back like, and we'll save
our necks in spite o' fate and fortune."

Just then a man hailed us from the fire that breakfast was ready, and
we were soon seated here and there about the sand over biscuit and fried
junk. They had lit a fire fit to roast an ox, and it was now grown so
hot that they could only approach it from the windward, and even there
not without precaution. In the same wasteful spirit, they had cooked,
I suppose, three times more than we could eat; and one of them, with an
empty laugh, threw what was left into the fire, which blazed and roared
again over this unusual fuel. I never in my life saw men so careless of
the morrow; hand to mouth is the only word that can describe their way
of doing; and what with wasted food and sleeping sentries, though they
were bold enough for a brush and be done with it, I could see their
entire unfitness for anything like a prolonged campaign.

Even Silver, eating away, with Captain Flint upon his shoulder, had not
a word of blame for their recklessness. And this the more surprised me,
for I thought he had never shown himself so cunning as he did then.

"Aye, mates," said he, "it's lucky you have Barbecue to think for you
with this here head. I got what I wanted, I did. Sure enough, they have
the ship. Where they have it, I don't know yet; but once we hit the
treasure, we'll have to jump about and find out. And then, mates, us
that has the boats, I reckon, has the upper hand."

Thus he kept running on, with his mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he
restored their hope and confidence, and, I more than suspect, repaired
his own at the same time.

"As for hostage," he continued, "that's his last talk, I guess, with
them he loves s