The _Hispaniola_ lay some way out, and we went under the figureheads andaround the sterns of many other ships, and their cables sometimes gratedbeneath our keel, and sometimes swung above us. At last, however, weswung alongside, and were met and saluted as we stepped aboard by themate, Mr. Arrow, a brown old sailor, with earrings in his ears and asquint. He and the squire were very thick and friendly, but I soonobserved that things were not the same between Mr. Trelawney and thecaptain.

This last was a sharp-looking man, who seemed angry with everything onboard, and was soon to tell us why, for we had hardly got down into thecabin when a sailor followed us.

"Captain Smollett, sir, axing to speak with you," said he.

"I am always at the captain's orders. Show him in," said the squire.

The captain, who was close behind his messenger, entered at once, andshut the door behind him.

"Well, Captain Smollett, what have you to say? All well, I hope; allshipshape and seaworthy?"

"Well, sir," said the captain, "better speak plain, I believe, at therisk of offense. I don't like this cruise; I don't like the men; and Idon't like my officer. That's short and sweet."

"Perhaps, sir, you don't like the ship?" inquired the squire, veryangry, as I could see.

"I can't speak as to that, sir, not having seen her tried," said thecaptain. "She seems a clever craft; more I can't say."

"Possibly, sir, you may not like your employer, either?" said thesquire.

But here Doctor Livesey cut in.

"Stay a bit," said he, "stay a bit. No use of such questions as that butto produce ill-feeling. The captain has said too much or he has said toolittle, and I'm bound to say that I require an explanation of his words.You don't, you say, like this cruise. Now, why?"

"I was engaged, sir, on what we call sealed orders, to sail this shipfor that gentleman where he should bid me," said the captain. "So far sogood. But now I find that every man before the mast knows more than Ido. I don't call that fair, now, do you?"

"No," said Doctor Livesey, "I don't."

"Next," said the captain, "I learn we are going after treasure--hear itfrom my own hands, mind you. Now, treasure is ticklish work; I don'tlike treasure voyages on any account; and I don't like them, above all,when they are secret, and when (begging your pardon, Mr. Trelawney) thesecret has been told to the parrot."

"Silver's parrot?" asked the squire.

"It's a way of speaking," said the captain. "Blabbed, I mean. It's mybelief neither of you gentlemen know what you are about; but I'll tellyou my way of it--life or death, and a close run."

"That is all clear, and, I dare say, true enough," replied DoctorLivesey. "We take the risk, but we are not so ignorant as you believeus. Next, you say you don't like the crew. Are they not good seamen?"

"I don't like them, sir," returned Captain Smollett. "And I think Ishould have had the choosing of my own hands, if you go to that."

"Perhaps you should," replied the doctor. "My friend should, perhaps,have taken you along with him; but the slight, if there be one, wasunintentional. And you don't like Mr. Arrow?"

"I don't, sir. I believe he's a good seaman, but he's too free withthe crew to be a good officer. A mate should keep himself tohimself--shouldn't drink with the men before the mast."

"Do you mean he drinks?" cried the squire.

"No, sir," replied the captain; "only that he's too familiar."

"Well, now, and the short and long of it, captain?" asked the doctor."Tell us what you want."

"Well, gentlemen, are you determined to go on this cruise?"

"Like iron," answered the squire.

"Very good," said the captain. "Then, as you've heard me very patiently,saying things that I could not prove, hear me a few words more. They areputting the powder and the arms in the fore hold. Now, you have a goodplace under the cabin; why not put them there?--first point. Then youare bringing four of your own people with you, and they tell me some ofthem are to be berthed forward. Why not give them the berths here besidethe cabin?--second point."

"Any more?" asked Mr. Trelawney.

"One more," said the captain. "There's been too much blabbing already."

"Far too much," agreed the doctor.

"I'll tell you what I've heard myself," continued Captain Smollett;"that you have a map of an island; that there's crosses on the map toshow where treasure is; and that the island lies--" And then he namedthe latitude and longitude exactly.

"I never told that," cried the squire, "to a soul."

"The hands know it, sir," returned the captain.

"Livesey, that must have been you or Hawkins," cried the squire.

"It doesn't much matter who it was," replied the doctor. And I could seethat neither he nor the captain paid much regard to Mr. Trelawney'sprotestations. Neither did I, to be sure, he was so loose a talker; yetin this case I believe he was really right, and that nobody had told thesituation of the island.

"Well, gentlemen," continued the captain, "I don't know who has thismap, but I make it a point it shall be kept secret even from me and Mr.Arrow. Otherwise I would ask you to let me resign."

"I see," said the doctor. "You wish us to keep this matter dark, and tomake a garrison of the stern part of the ship, manned with my friend'sown people, and provided with all the arms and powder on board. In otherwords, you fear a mutiny."

"Sir," said Captain Smollett, "with no intention to take offense, I denyyour right to put words into my mouth. No captain, sir, would bejustified in going to sea at all if he had ground enough to say that. Asfor Mr. Arrow, I believe him thoroughly honest; some of the men are thesame; all may be for what I know. But I am responsible for the ship'ssafety and the life of every man Jack aboard of her. I see things going,as I think, not quite right; and I ask you to take certain precautions,or let me resign my berth. And that's all."

"Captain Smollett," began the doctor, with a smile, "did ever you hearthe fable of the mountain and the mouse? You'll excuse me, I dare say,but you remind me of that fable. When you came in here I'll stake my wigyou meant more than this."

"Doctor," said the captain, "you are smart. When I came in here I meantto get discharged. I had no thought that Mr. Trelawney would hear aword."

"No more I would," cried the squire. "Had Livesey not been here I shouldhave seen you to the deuce. As it is, I have heard you. I will do as youdesire, but I think the worse of you."

"That's as you please, sir," said the captain. "You'll find I do myduty."

And with that he took his leave.

"Trelawney," said the doctor, "contrary to all my notions, I believe youhave managed to get two honest men on board with you--that man and JohnSilver."

"Silver, if you like," cried the squire, "but as for that intolerablehumbug, I declare I think his conduct unmanly, unsailorly, and downrightun-English."

"Well," said the doctor, "we shall see."

When we came on deck the men had begun already to take out the arms andpowder, yo-ho-ing at their work, while the captain and Mr. Arrow stoodby superintending.

The new arrangement was quite to my liking. The whole schooner had beenoverhauled; six berths had been made astern, out of what had been theafter-part of the main hold, and this set of cabins was only joined tothe galley and forecastle by a sparred passage on the port side. It hadbeen originally meant that the captain, Mr. Arrow, Hunter, Joyce, thedoctor, and the squire were to occupy these six berths. Now Redruth andI were to get two of them, and Mr. Arrow and the captain were to sleepon deck in the companion, which had been enlarged on each side till youmight almost have called it a round-house. Very low it was still, ofcourse, but there was room to swing two hammocks, and even the mateseemed pleased with the arrangement. Even he, perhaps, had been doubtfulas to the crew, but that is only guess, for, as you shall hear, we hadnot long the benefit of his opinion.

We were all hard at work changing the powder and the berths, when thelast man or two, and Long John along with them, came off in ashore-boat.

The cook came up the side like a monkey for cleverness, and, as soon ashe saw what was doing, "So ho, mates!" said he, "what's this!"

"We're a-changing the powder, Jack," answers one.

"Why, by the powers," cried Long John, "if we do, we'll miss the morningtide!"

"My orders!" said the captain, shortly. "You may go below, my man. Handswill want supper."

"Ay, ay, sir," answered the cook; and, touching his forelock, hedisappeared at once in the direction of his galley.

"That's a good man, captain," said the doctor.

"Very likely, sir," replied Captain Smollett. "Easy with that,men--easy," he ran on, to the fellows who were shifting the powder; andthen suddenly observing me examining the swivel we carried amidships, along brass nine--"Here, you ship's boy," he cried, "out o' that! Offwith you to the cook and get some work."

And then as I was hurrying off I heard him say, quite loudly, to thedoctor:

"I'll have no favorites on my ship."

I assure you I was quite of the squire's way of thinking, and hated thecaptain deeply.