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Old Anchor lnn, Bristol

Dr Livesey went to London, to find another doctor to look after his patients while he was away. I waited at his home with Tom Redruth. Weeks passed, and I spent many hours studying Flint's map and dreaming of treasure. Then a letter arrived, addressed to Dr Livesey "or Jim Hawkins, if the doctor is away":

"Dr Livesey won't like that," I said to Tom Redruth. "The squire's been talking." I read on:

Dear Livesey,

1st March 17 --

I wanted a crew of twenty men -- as we may meet pirates or enemy ships -- but I had the greatest difficulty finding six. Then good fortune brought me the very man that I needed. I met the man quite by accident, and we began a conversation, I learnt he was an old seaman who kept an inn, and he knew all the seamen in Bristol. The poor man had lost his health on shore and wanted to get work as a cook, and go to sea again.

I do not know whether you are at home or in London, so I am sending copies of this letter to both places.

The ship is bought and ready for sea. You never saw a better ship -- and with the name Hispaniola. I got her through my old friend, Blandly, who, with everyone in Bristol, worked hard to find me a suitable ship when they heard the reason for our voyage-treasure, I mean.

I am in wonderful health, but I shall not enjoy a moment until my ship goes to sea. So come quickly, Livesey, do not lose an hour! And let young Hawkins go at once to say goodbye to his mother, and then come quickly to Bristol with Redruth.

I felt sorry for him and employed him immediately, to be the ship's cook. Long John Silver, he is called, and he has lost a leg fighting for his country. Well, sir, I thought I had only found a cook, but it was a crew I had discovered! Between Silver and myself, we got together a crew of the toughest seamen you can imagine.

John Trelawney

PS: Blandly found us an excellent man to be captain, and Silver found a man called Arrow to be first officer.

Next day, I went to the Admiral Benbow and said goodbye to my mother. I was sad to leave, but when Redruth and I began our journey to Bristol, my thoughts turned to the voyage and the search for treasure.

Mr Trelawney was waiting for us at an inn, near the sea. "Here you are!" he cried when we arrived. "The doctor came from London last night, so now the ship's company is complete. We sail tomorrow!"

It was a bright little place where the customers were mostly seamen. As I entered, a man came out of a side room and I knew immediately he must be Long John. His left leg was cut off above the knee and he walked with a crutch under his left shoulder. He was tall and strong with a big, smiling face.

Just then, a customer got up suddenly and hurried to the door. I recognized him as the man with only three fingers on his left hand -- the one who had come to the Admiral Benbow!

After I had finished breakfast, the squire gave me a note to take to Long John Silver at the Spyglass Inn.

"Mr Silver, sir?" I asked, holding out the note.

"Yes, my boy," he said. "That's my name. And who are you?" And then he saw the squire's letter and looked surprised. "Oh!" he said loudly. "I see you're our new cabin-boy. I'm pleased to meet you."

Now, when I read about Long John in Squire Trelawney's letter, I had been afraid he might be the one-legged seamanthat old Bill had talked about. But one look at the man in front of me was enough. I knew old Bill, and Black Dog, and the blind man Pew. I thought I knew what a pirate looked like -- a very different person from this clean and smiling man.

"What was his name?" asked Silver. "Black what?"

A man jumped up and ran after Black Dog.

"A pirate! I didn't know that," said Silver. "I've seen him before, when he came with a blind man."

"That was his name!" said Silver.

When we got to the inn, the squire and Dr Livesey were there. Long John told them about Black Dog, saying, "That was how it was, wasn't it, Hawkins?" And I had to agree. We were all sorry about Black Dog getting away, but there was nothing we could do.

"I don't care who he is," said Silver. "He hasn't paid for his drinks. Run and catch him, Harry!"

"Stop him!" I shouted. "It's Black Dog!"

"Dog, sir," I said. "Hasn't Mr Trelawney told you about the pirates? He was one of them."

"That was blind Pew, another pirate," I said.

I watched the sea cook carefully. But when the man Harry came back without the pirate, Silver seemed angry and I believed he was.

"I'll come with you to tell Mr Trelawney what's happened," he said. "This is a serious matter."

As we walked back, Silver told me many interesting things about the ships that we passed. I began to think he was going to be a good companion to have when we were at sea.

"Right, sir!" said the sea cook, and he left us to return to his inn.

"All the crew must be on board by four o'clock this afternoon," Trelawney told Long John.

"Trelawney," said Dr Livesey, "I don't always think you find the best men, but I'll say this: John Silver seems a good man. Now, let's go and see the ship!"