The voyage began smoothly as we sailed across the open sea. Captain Smollett proved to be an excellent sailor. The crew worked hard and seemed to respect him. Long John Silver was the most popular man on the ship. He had a parrot named Captain Flint that sat on his shoulder. The parrot would scream 'Pieces of eight!' over and over. Silver claimed the bird was two hundred years old. 'She's sailed with great pirates,' Silver would say proudly. The crew loved to hear Silver's stories about the sea. He was kind to me and taught me about ships and sailing. I spent many hours in the galley watching him cook. Despite his missing leg, Silver moved around the ship easily. He had tied a rope around his waist to steady himself. The squire also admired Silver and called him the bravest man aboard. Only Captain Smollett seemed to keep his distance from the cook. Days turned into weeks as we sailed further from England. The weather grew warmer, and the sea turned a deeper blue. One evening, the captain announced we were close to the island. 'We should see it by tomorrow noon,' he said. The crew cheered and celebrated the news. Silver gave everyone extra rum to drink. That night, I wanted an apple before going to sleep. The apples were stored in a large barrel on deck. I climbed inside to reach the few apples at the bottom. Suddenly, I heard voices and footsteps approaching. Someone sat down heavily against the barrel. It was Long John Silver, and he began to speak. What I heard made my blood run cold. 'I sailed with Captain Flint himself,' Silver was saying. 'I lost my leg in the same battle where Flint lost his eye.' Silver was a pirate! He had sailed with the infamous Captain Flint! Another man spoke up; his name was Israel Hands. 'When do we make our move, Silver?' Hands asked. 'After we have the treasure aboard,' Silver replied. 'Then we kill the captain, the squire, and the doctor.' My heart pounded so loud I feared they would hear it. 'What about the boy?' another pirate asked. 'Young Jim? He might join us, or he dies with the rest.' I trembled with fear inside the dark barrel. Silver continued explaining his plan to the other pirates. Nineteen of the crew were secretly pirates, he said. Only the captain and a few loyal men stood in their way. 'We wait for the right moment,' Silver warned them. 'Anyone who moves too soon will answer to me.' The pirates agreed and drank to their success. Then someone shouted from the lookout above. 'Land ho! I can see the island!' Everyone rushed to the side of the ship to look. This was my chance to escape from the barrel. I climbed out quickly and ran to find Doctor Livesey. 'Doctor, I must speak with you in private!' I whispered urgently. He saw the fear in my eyes and led me to the captain's cabin. The squire and captain were already there, looking at the island. I told them everything I had heard in the apple barrel. Their faces grew pale as they listened to my story. 'Silver is a pirate, and most of the crew are with him!' I finished. The captain nodded slowly and took command. 'We cannot fight them at sea,' he said. 'We must wait and find the right moment to act.' Through the cabin window, Treasure Island grew larger on the horizon.
B1Chapter 5 / 12587 words60 sentences
Chapter 5: The Apple Barrel
Chapter 5 · Treasure Island · B1 English. Tip: Click on any word while reading to see its translation. Take your time with each chapter and review the vocabulary before moving on.
Chapter Summary
During the voyage, Jim hides in an apple barrel and overhears Silver's true plans. Silver is a pirate who sailed with Captain Flint, and most of the crew are his men. They plan to kill the captain, squire, and doctor after finding the treasure. Jim warns his friends just as the island comes into view.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Where was Jim hiding when he overheard the pirates' plans?
2
What did Jim learn about Silver's past from the conversation?
3
How many of the crew were secretly pirates according to Silver?
4