The squire went to Bristol to outfit a ship and get us ready to go to sea, and it took longer than he thought.
The doctor had to go to London to seek a physician to take over his practice, and I stayed at the squire's house with Tom Redruth, his loyal gamekeeper.
I spent all of my time brooding over the map, and I was full of sea dreams and anticipations of strange islands.
But I never imagined anything as strange and tragic as what our actual adventures would be.
After I'd spent many weeks daydreaming by the fire, Tom came to me and said, "This letter arrived.
It's addressed to Dr. Livesey but says ‘To be opened, in his absence, by Tom Redruth or young Hawkins.' I can only read print, so you read it."
I opened the letter and read aloud:
Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March 1, 1746
Dear Livesey—
I don't know whether you are at home or in London, so I'm sending this letter to both places.
The ship is ready, and you won't believe how sweet she is—a child could sail her!
Her name is Hispaniola, and my old friend Blandly purchased her for a trifle and worked hard to get her ready for us.
So did everyone in Bristol, as soon as they got wind of what we'd be searching for—treasure, I mean.
"Oh, Dr. Livesey won't like that," I commented.
"He told the squire not to talk about the treasure."
"He can talk if he wants—he's the squire!" Tom grumbled.
I gave up any more attempts at commentary and continued to read.
Finding a crew was difficult.
I needed about twenty men, and I had a devil of a time finding even half a dozen, but then the most remarkable luck brought me the very man I required.
I was standing on the dock, and by accident, I started talking with him.
He's an old sailor who owns a tavern and knows all the seafaring men in Bristol.
He told me he'd been ashore a long time, and wanted a position as cook to get to sea again.
He'd hobbled down there that morning, he said, just to breathe the salt air.
I was touched and, out of pure pity, I hired him on the spot to be the ship's cook.
He's called Long John Silver and he lost a leg in the service of England—which I thought was a strong recommendation as to his character.
He helped me find the crew, and we put together a company of the toughest old sailors imaginable—
not pretty to look at, but they have the most indomitable spirit.
Long John even got rid of two of the men I'd already hired, after he showed me they wouldn't be suitable for an adventure of this importance.
I'm eating like a bull and sleeping like a tree, yet I shall not enjoy a moment until we are under way. Seaward, ho!
Let young Hawkins stop to see his mother, with Tom Redruth, and then both should come to Bristol immediately.
—John Trelawney
Postscript—Blandly also found an admirable fellow to captain the ship; he's a bit businesslike and stiff, but in all other respects, a treasure.
And Long John Silver unearthed a very competent first mate, a man named Arrow, so things shall go very well on board the good ship Hispaniola.
J. T.
"Hooray!" I shouted, gleeful to be starting our adventure, even if I did have to travel with a grumpy old man like Tom Redruth.
The next morning, we set out on foot for the Admiral Benbow, and I found Mother in good spirits.
"The squire arranged for repairs, some repainting, and new furniture," said Mother.
"There's even a beautiful new armchair for me.
He also hired a boy, so I won't need help while you're gone," she added.
All I had thought of up until then had been the adventures in front of me,
but meeting this boy who would be taking my place made me feel homesick already and a bit angry.
"You missed a spot," I said to him, pointing out a dirty area on the table he was cleaning.
The next day, after dinner, I said good-bye to Mother, and the cove where I'd lived since I was born, and the dear, old Admiral Benbow.
Within minutes, Tom Redruth and I turned a corner in the road and my home was out of sight.
A stagecoach picked us up at dusk, and I dozed the whole way.
When I opened my eyes, it was morning and we were in a bustling city.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"Bristol," Tom said. "Get out."
Mr. Trelawney was rooming at an inn down by the docks to supervise the work being done on the ship.
Tom and I started walking to the inn, and on the way, we saw a great multitude of ships of all sizes and from all nations.
On one ship, sailors were singing at their work, and on another, men were aloft, high up on ropes that seemed no thicker than a spider's thread.
"I can't believe I'm going to sea, to an unknown island, on a ship with singing seamen!" I said excitedly to Tom.
Suddenly, we came to the inn and met Squire Trelawney, who was all dressed up like an admiral.
"Here you are," he cried. "The doctor came last night. Bravo! The ship's company is complete!"
"Oh, sir," I cried, "when do we sail?"
"Sail?" he said with a laugh. "We sail tomorrow!"