amekeeper, almost a prisoner, but full of sea-dreams and
the most charming anticipations of strange islands and adventures. I
brooded by the hour together over the map, all the details of which I
well remembered. Sitting by the fire in the housekeeper's room, I
approached that island in my fancy, from every possible direction; I
explored every acre of its surface; I climbed a thousand times to that
tall hill they call the Spy-glass, and from the top enjoyed the most
wonderful and changing prospects. Sometimes the isle was thick with
savages, with whom we fought; sometimes full of dangerous animals that
hunted us; but in all my fancies nothing occurred to me so strange and
tragic as our actual adventures.

So the weeks passed on, till one fine day there came a letter addressed
to Dr. Livesey, with this addition, "To be opened, in the case of his
absence, by Tom Redruth, or young Hawkins." Obeying this order, we found,
or rather, I found--for the gamekeeper was a poor hand at reading
anything but print--the following important news:--

"_Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March 1, 17--._

"DEAR LIVESEY,--As I do not know whether you are at the Hall or still
in London, I send this in double to both places.

"The ship is bought and fitted. She lies at anchor, ready for sea.
You never imagined a sweeter schooner--a child might sail her--two
hundred tons; name, _Hispaniola_.

"I got her through my old friend, Blandly, who has proved himself
throughout the most surprising trump. The admirable fellow literally
slaved in my interest, and so, I may say, did every one in Bristol,
as soon as they got wind of the port we sailed for--treasure, I
mean."

"Redruth," said I, interrupting the letter, "Dr. Livesey will not like
that. The squire has been talking, after all."

"Well, who's a better right?" growled the gamekeeper. "A pretty rum go if
squire ain't to talk for Dr. Livesey, I should think."

At that I gave up all attempt at commentary, and read straight on:--

"Blandly himself found the _Hispaniola_, and by the most admirable
management got her for the merest trifle. There is a class of men in
Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. They go the length of
declaring that this honest creature would do anything for money, that
the _Hispaniola_ belonged to him, and that he sold it me absurdly
high--the most transparent calumnies. None of them dare, h