04-02-05-金银岛 [18]
．I found a bottle with some rum left in it，and found some water and some bread and cheese for myself．I took the bottle back on deck，where Hands drank half the rum before taking the bottle from his mouth．
‘By thunder！’he said．‘I wanted some of that．But where have you come from？’
I've come to take control of this ship，Mr Hands，’I said，‘so please remember I'm your captain．’
He watched me pull down the Jolly Roger and throw it overboard，then he said，‘I expect you'll want to go ashore now．Suppose we talk about it．’There was some colour back in his cheeks but he looked very sick．‘Who's going to sail the ship now？You can't do it；but if you give me food and drink and a handkerchief to tie up my wound，I'll tell you how to sail her．’
‘All right，’I agreed．‘We'll go into North Inlet and quietly put her on the beach there．’
In three minutes I had the Hispaniola sailing easily before the wind，along the coast of Treasure Island．Then I went be-low and got a handkerchief and helped．Hands tie up the great bleeding wound in his leg．He ate a little and drank more of the rum，then he began to look a little better．
We sailed ahead of the wind，the island moving past quickly．After my success，I was less sorry about deserting the stockade．There was only one thing that worried me．It was the way Israel Hands watched me at my work，a cold little smile on his face．
We could not put the ship on the beach when we reached North Inlet because the sea was too high．We had to wait，sit ting in silence over another meal．
‘Cap’n，’Hands said to me，still with that smile on his face，‘my old mate，O’Brien，is dead．Can you throw him overboard？’
‘I'm not strong enough，’I said．
There was a pause，then he said，‘Well now，would you be very kind and go down to the cabin and fetch me a bottle of wine，Jim？This rum's too strong for my head．’
I listened to his words but didn't believe them．He wanted me to leave the deck，that was clear，but why？
‘Wine？’I said．‘Will you have white or red？’
‘I don't mind，’he said，‘as long as it's strong and there's plenty of it．’
‘I'll have to search for it，’I told him．
I went below，then took off my shoes and went quietly up the other stairs to watch him．He was on his hands and knees and，although his leg hurt him，he moved quickly across the deck and took a long knife from among some ropes．I could see the blood on it．Then he hid it under his coat and went back to his place．
This was all I needed to know Israel Hands could move about and now had a weapon，and he was going to try to kill me．But I knew that he wouldn't use the knife until the ship was safely on the beach．I went back to the cabin，put my shoes on again，and picked up a bottle of wine．Then I went back up on deck．
He took a long drink from the bottle of wine，saying，Here's luck！’
Afterwards，we sailed into North Inlet and I forgot to watch Hands carefully．We were nearly on the beach and I was looking over the side of the ship．Perhaps I heard a sound or saw his shadow moving，I don't know．But when I looked round，there he was，half-way towards me with the knife in his right hand！
He threw himself at me and I jumped to one side，leaving him to fall on the deck．Quickly，I took a pistol from my pocket and aimed it at him----he powder was wet and the pistol didn't fire！He got up and came at me with surprising speed，but suddenly the Hispaniola hit the sand and went over on one side．We were．both thrown down and began to roll across the deck，but I was on my feet first and climbed up into the sails，hand over hand．When I was in a safe place，I loaded my pistols，this time with dry powder．
Hands was pulling himself up among the sails now，the knife between his teeth．
‘One more step，’I said，‘and I'll kill you！’
‘Jim，’he said．He took the knife from his mouth to speak，and looked beaten．‘We'll have to make peace，you and I．You're too sharp and quick for an old sailor like me…’
But then，with a sudden movement，his hand went back and something went speeding through the air．I felt a sharp pain，and I was pinned to the mast by my shoulder．In the terrible pain and surprise of the moment
‘By thunder！’he said．‘I wanted some of that．But where have you come from？’
I've come to take control of this ship，Mr Hands，’I said，‘so please remember I'm your captain．’
He watched me pull down the Jolly Roger and throw it overboard，then he said，‘I expect you'll want to go ashore now．Suppose we talk about it．’There was some colour back in his cheeks but he looked very sick．‘Who's going to sail the ship now？You can't do it；but if you give me food and drink and a handkerchief to tie up my wound，I'll tell you how to sail her．’
‘All right，’I agreed．‘We'll go into North Inlet and quietly put her on the beach there．’
In three minutes I had the Hispaniola sailing easily before the wind，along the coast of Treasure Island．Then I went be-low and got a handkerchief and helped．Hands tie up the great bleeding wound in his leg．He ate a little and drank more of the rum，then he began to look a little better．
We sailed ahead of the wind，the island moving past quickly．After my success，I was less sorry about deserting the stockade．There was only one thing that worried me．It was the way Israel Hands watched me at my work，a cold little smile on his face．
We could not put the ship on the beach when we reached North Inlet because the sea was too high．We had to wait，sit ting in silence over another meal．
‘Cap’n，’Hands said to me，still with that smile on his face，‘my old mate，O’Brien，is dead．Can you throw him overboard？’
‘I'm not strong enough，’I said．
There was a pause，then he said，‘Well now，would you be very kind and go down to the cabin and fetch me a bottle of wine，Jim？This rum's too strong for my head．’
I listened to his words but didn't believe them．He wanted me to leave the deck，that was clear，but why？
‘Wine？’I said．‘Will you have white or red？’
‘I don't mind，’he said，‘as long as it's strong and there's plenty of it．’
‘I'll have to search for it，’I told him．
I went below，then took off my shoes and went quietly up the other stairs to watch him．He was on his hands and knees and，although his leg hurt him，he moved quickly across the deck and took a long knife from among some ropes．I could see the blood on it．Then he hid it under his coat and went back to his place．
This was all I needed to know Israel Hands could move about and now had a weapon，and he was going to try to kill me．But I knew that he wouldn't use the knife until the ship was safely on the beach．I went back to the cabin，put my shoes on again，and picked up a bottle of wine．Then I went back up on deck．
He took a long drink from the bottle of wine，saying，Here's luck！’
Afterwards，we sailed into North Inlet and I forgot to watch Hands carefully．We were nearly on the beach and I was looking over the side of the ship．Perhaps I heard a sound or saw his shadow moving，I don't know．But when I looked round，there he was，half-way towards me with the knife in his right hand！
He threw himself at me and I jumped to one side，leaving him to fall on the deck．Quickly，I took a pistol from my pocket and aimed it at him----he powder was wet and the pistol didn't fire！He got up and came at me with surprising speed，but suddenly the Hispaniola hit the sand and went over on one side．We were．both thrown down and began to roll across the deck，but I was on my feet first and climbed up into the sails，hand over hand．When I was in a safe place，I loaded my pistols，this time with dry powder．
Hands was pulling himself up among the sails now，the knife between his teeth．
‘One more step，’I said，‘and I'll kill you！’
‘Jim，’he said．He took the knife from his mouth to speak，and looked beaten．‘We'll have to make peace，you and I．You're too sharp and quick for an old sailor like me…’
But then，with a sudden movement，his hand went back and something went speeding through the air．I felt a sharp pain，and I was pinned to the mast by my shoulder．In the terrible pain and surprise of the moment