Ben Gunn led me through the forest toward the sound of the guns. He moved quickly despite his ragged condition. Through the trees, I saw a British flag flying. It flew above a wooden stockade on a small hill. 'Your friends are there,' Ben said, pointing at the fort. 'I cannot go with you now, but I will help you later.' Ben disappeared into the forest like a ghost. I ran toward the stockade, waving my arms. 'Don't shoot! It's Jim!' I shouted. Doctor Livesey opened the gate and pulled me inside. I was overjoyed to see my friends alive and well. The stockade was an old wooden fort with a log cabin inside. Captain Smollett had brought supplies and weapons from the ship. A fresh spring provided water inside the fort. Our group was small: the captain, doctor, squire, and three loyal sailors. With me, we were seven against Silver's nineteen pirates. The captain counted our food and ammunition carefully. 'We can hold out for a while,' he said. 'But eventually we must defeat them or escape.' I told them about meeting Ben Gunn in the forest. The squire laughed at the idea of a half-wild castaway helping us. But the doctor listened thoughtfully. 'Ben Gunn may know things about this island,' he said. That night, we took turns keeping watch. The pirates had fires burning on the beach. We could hear them singing and drinking rum. The morning came foggy and damp. We were eating breakfast when someone shouted a warning. 'Flag of truce! Silver is coming!' Long John Silver was walking up the hill with a white flag. He looked as friendly as ever, smiling broadly. The captain met him at the stockade gate. 'What do you want?' Captain Smollett asked coldly. 'Let's make a deal,' Silver proposed. 'Give us the treasure map, and we'll let you live.' The captain's face hardened. 'We will not bargain with pirates,' he declared. 'If you attack us, half your men will die.' Silver's smile faded, and his eyes grew cold. 'You'll regret this, Captain,' he growled. 'Before an hour, I'll storm this fort and kill every one of you.' He spat on the ground and limped away. The captain immediately ordered everyone to their positions. 'They'll attack soon,' he warned. 'Load every musket and prepare the swords.' I was given a pistol and told to guard the north side. My hands shook as I waited for the attack. The minutes felt like hours. Then we heard a great shout from the forest. Pirates came running from every direction. They fired their guns as they charged the stockade. Bullets whistled past my head. I fired back, not knowing if I hit anything. Some pirates climbed over the fence with swords raised. The fighting became close and desperate. Captain Smollett was shot in the shoulder but kept fighting. Slowly, we pushed the pirates back. They retreated into the forest, leaving their dead behind. We had won the battle, but we had also lost men. The captain needed rest, and our situation remained dangerous.
B1Chapter 7 / 12511 words60 sentences
Chapter 7: The Stockade
Chapter 7 · 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
Jim finds his friends in a wooden stockade on the island. Silver arrives with a white flag and demands the treasure map in exchange for their lives. Captain Smollett refuses, and the pirates attack. After a fierce battle, the pirates retreat, but both sides suffer casualties.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What did Silver offer in exchange for the treasure map?
2
What happened to Captain Smollett during the pirate attack?
3
How many people defended the stockade against the pirates?
4