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The wind was favorable, and we arrived at North Inlet early.
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"Captain," Israel Hands said after a while, smiling uncomfortably, "look at my old shipmate here."
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He pointed to his dead companion. "Let's heave him overboard."
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"I'm not strong enough," I said.
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"Ah, this ship is an unlucky ship, Jim," Hands said. "Many men have died on the Hispaniola.
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Do you believe that a ship can be cursed?"
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"I don't know, Mr. Hands," I replied. "But I do believe that the men sailing her can be, especially when they plan to murder their captain."
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"Now, Jim, don't go on about that," said the pirate.
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"I'm a sick man and can't do you any harm." Then he rubbed his nose.
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"Um, Jim, would you mind getting me a bottle of wine? This brandy's too strong."
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"He's lying," I thought. "And he's planning something."
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Israel Hands smiled, looking guilty and embarrassed.
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"Some wine?" I said, playing along. "White or red?"
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"It doesn't matter to me," he grunted.
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"As long as it's strong, and there's plenty of it."
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"I'll get you some, Mr. Hands," I told him. "But I'll have to hunt for it."
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I noisily ran downstairs, and then I took off my shoes.
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Running quietly to another part of the ship, I climbed a ladder and peeked out at the top deck to get a good view of the wounded pirate.
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"I knew I couldn't trust him," I muttered, as I watched him get on his hands and knees and crawl across the deck.
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He picked a dagger out of a coil of rope and concealed it in his jacket.
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Then he quickly crawled back to his old place.
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"He's armed," I thought, "and I'm to be his next victim!"
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I went back to the cabin, put on my shoes, grabbed a bottle of wine, and went back up on the deck.
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The pirate lay as I'd left him. His eyes were half closed, as if he felt weak, but he opened the bottle easily.
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"Here's to luck!" he said and gulped the wine. Then the pirate sighed.
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"I have no strength. Every breath may be my last, lad."
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"If you're so ill," I said, "you should start praying for God to have mercy on you."
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"For thirty years," said Israel Hands, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, but I've never seen good come from goodness yet.
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Whoever strikes first wins. Dead men don't bite. Those are my views—amen."
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Suddenly his tone changed. "That's enough of this nonsense," he declared.
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"The tide's low enough. Take my orders, Captain Hawkins, and we'll sail in and be done with it."
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Navigation was delicate and tricky, but Israel Hands was an excellent pilot.
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"We'll beach her there." He pointed. "It's fine, flat sand, no wind, with trees all around. Get ready now, boy.
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We're near the beach. Steer right a little—steady—right—steady—steady!
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Now, my lad," he commanded, "sail the bow into the wind!"
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I swung the Hispaniola around rapidly and pointed her bow toward the wooded shore.
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I was so busy I'd almost forgotten my danger, but a sudden uneasiness seized me and I turned my head.
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Mr. Hands was coming at me, with the dagger in his right hand.
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I screamed, and he roared like a charging bull as he jumped toward me.
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I leaped away, letting go of the wheel, which struck him sharply across the chest.
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I ran to the main mast, drew a pistol from my pocket, and took aim.
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I pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.
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"The gunpowder's wet!" I cursed.
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"Not your lucky day, Jim," laughed the pirate.
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Though wounded, Hands moved fast. Using the main mast as a shield , I waited, every nerve tingling.
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He came at me from one side of the mast and then the other as I dodged back and forth.
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Just then, the Hispaniola struck the beach, shuddered, and tipped to one side, until the deck stood at a 45-degree angle .
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Both of us fell over, rolling almost together, with the body of Red Cap tumbling after us.
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I got up first, but I had no place to run, so I sprang up onto the rigging, climbing hand over hand.
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"Your luck has run out, Jim!" yelled Hands as he threw the dagger at me.
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It missed, but I didn't stop to breathe until I reached the crosspiece on the mast.
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I quickly changed the gunpowder in one pistol and started to reload the other.
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Israel Hands pulled himself into the ropes with a groan, retrieved the dagger, and put it between his teeth.
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Then, slowly and painfully, he began to climb.
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I finished reloading when he was about a third of the way up.
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With a pistol in each hand, I shouted, "One more step, Mr. Hands, and I'll blow your brains out!
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Dead men don't bite, you know," I added with a chuckle.
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His eyebrows rose and he stopped.
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"Ha-ha!" I laughed.
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The pirate took the dagger from his mouth. "Jim," he said, "I reckon we'll have to make a deal.
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I'd have killed you if that ship hadn't beached just then. Bad luck for me again!"
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As he spoke, his right hand went back over his shoulder.
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Then something sang like an arrow through the air, and I felt a blow and then a sharp sting.
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He had pinned my shoulder to the mast with his dagger!
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In the horrible pain and surprise of the moment—and without my intention—both my pistols went off and fell from my hands.
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They didn't fall alone. With a choked cry, Israel Hands fell off the ropes and plunged headfirst into the water.