Israel Hands lay against the side of the ship, bleeding. He looked weak, but his eyes watched me carefully. 'Give me something to drink, boy,' he begged. I found some wine and gave it to him. While he drank, I studied the sails and ropes. I had to sail this ship to a safe place. 'I'll help you sail her,' Hands offered. 'You give me food and bandages, and I'll tell you what to do.' I did not trust him, but I needed his knowledge. Together, we managed to get the ship under control. Hands told me to steer toward the north inlet. There we could beach the ship safely. The wind filled our sails, and we moved steadily. I stood at the wheel, feeling proud and brave. But I kept my pistol close and watched Hands constantly. Something in his eyes made me nervous. As we approached the inlet, he seemed to grow stronger. I saw him slowly pulling a knife from his belt. He thought I was not watching, but I saw everything. We were almost at the beach when he made his move. Hands jumped at me with the knife raised. I leaped aside, but he was fast despite his wound. I pulled my pistol and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened; the powder was wet from sea spray. Hands laughed and slashed at me again. I ran toward the mast and began to climb. Hands followed me up, the knife between his teeth. I climbed higher and higher, onto the crossbeam. The ship lurched suddenly as it hit the sand. We both nearly fell, but held on tight. While clinging to the mast, I reloaded my pistols. Hands was climbing up after me again. 'One more step and I'll shoot!' I warned him. He grinned wickedly and threw his knife at me. The blade stuck in my shoulder, pinning me to the mast. Pain shot through my arm, but I did not let go. Without thinking, I fired both pistols. Israel Hands cried out and fell from the mast. He hit the water with a great splash and sank. I pulled the knife from my shoulder with a gasp. Blood ran down my arm, but the wound was not deep. I climbed down carefully and bandaged myself. The Hispaniola was beached at an angle on the sand. She was safe now, out of Silver's reach. I waded to shore as the sun began to set. My plan had worked better than I had hoped. Now I had to return to the stockade and tell my friends. I walked through the dark forest, guided by the stars. Finally, I saw the stockade on the hill ahead. Everything was quiet; no one was on watch. I crept inside and felt my way to the cabin. I stepped on someone sleeping on the floor. Suddenly, a voice screamed out in the darkness. 'Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!' It was Silver's parrot, Captain Flint. Someone struck a light, and I saw the truth. The pirates had captured the stockade. Six of them surrounded me with weapons ready. Long John Silver sat in the corner, smiling at me. 'Well, well,' he said softly. 'Look who dropped in for a visit.'
B1Chapter 9 / 12539 words60 sentences
Chapter 9: Israel Hands
Chapter 9 · 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 boards the drifting Hispaniola and finds Israel Hands wounded but alive. They agree to work together to beach the ship, but Hands plans to kill Jim. During their deadly fight on the mast, Jim shoots Hands just as the pirate throws his knife. Jim survives and returns to the stockade, only to find it captured by pirates.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Why did Jim agree to work with Israel Hands?
2
Why did Jim's pistol fail to fire when Hands attacked him?
3
How did Jim finally defeat Israel Hands?
4