The black spot
Later that day, I took the captain a cool drink.
‘Jim,’ he said, you’re the only person here worth anything. You’ll bring me some rum, won’t you,boy?’
‘ The doctor said- I began.
He swore about the doctor. ‘Look, Jim, one glass is all I ask. I’ll pay you for it.’
‘The only money I want,’ I said, ‘is the money you owe my father. But I’ll get you one glass of rum, no more.’
He was grateful and drank it quickly. ‘Did the doctor say how long I must lie in my bed?’ he asked.
‘A week,’ I told him.
‘A week!’ he cried. ‘I can’t do that. They’ll have the black spot on me by then. They’ll come for me.’
‘Who will? Black Dog?’ I said.
‘Yes, but there’sworse than him. It’s my old sea-chest they want, but I’ll show them! Jim, if I get the black spot, you go to that doctor. Tell him to bring a crowd of law officers and a local judge to the inn. They can catch Flint’s crew – all that are left – at the Admiral Benbow. I was Flint’s first ship’s officer, and I’m the only one who knows the place. He told me when he was dying . But don’t call the law unless they give me the black spot, or if you see the seaman with one leg – he’s worse than any of them.’
‘But what is the black spot, captain?’ I asked.