Chapter 13 · Treasure Island

Copywork

He fairly outstripped himself in willingness and civility; he was all smiles to everyone. If an order were given, John would be on his crutch in an instant, with the cheeriest Aye, aye, sir! in the world; and when there was nothing else to do, he kept up one song after another, as if to conceal the discontent of the rest. Of all the gloomy features of that gloomy afternoon, this obvious anxiety on the part of Long John appeared the worst.

The last sentence says "Of all the gloomy features of that gloomy afternoon". Why do you think Jim uses "gloomy" twice so close together? What does the long middle sentence, with its "one song after another", do to the pace of the passage?

Discussion

Narration Tell what happens from the morning view of the island to the moment Jim runs into the thicket.

Jim says that from the first look, “I hated the very thought of Treasure Island,” though the sun was bright. What might lie behind that feeling? Tone
Anderson, in charge of a boat, grumbles as loudly as the men: “it's not forever.” What does that tell us about how things stand on the ship? Inference
Silver works the deck with smiles and songs, and Jim calls his anxiety the worst feature of the afternoon. Why would that worry Jim more than the men's scowls? Character
Jim says it is “one thing to be idle and skulk and quite another to take a ship and murder.” Does that excuse the honest hands for catching the grumbling too? Moral reasoning
Why might Stevenson end the chapter with Jim running “till I could run no longer,” with Silver's voice behind him, before we learn what happens ashore? Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a time a place gave you a feeling before you knew why.

Vocabulary

outstripped: He fairly outstripped himself in willingness and civility; went beyond; surpassed
civility: in willingness and civility; politeness
discontent: as if to conceal the discontent of the rest. unhappiness; grumbling dissatisfaction
becalmed: were now lying becalmed about half a mile to the south-east of the low eastern coast. stopped for lack of wind
configuration: was likewise the strangest in configuration, shape; the way parts are arranged
qualm: this standing still and being rolled about like a bottle was a thing I never learned to stand without a qualm or so, a sudden feeling of sickness or unease
amphitheatre: the hilltops standing round at a distance in a sort of amphitheatre, a ring of rising ground, like a round theatre
grudgingly: received with a black look and grudgingly and carelessly obeyed. unwillingly; with resentment
embark: the remaining thirteen, including Silver, began to embark. get into a boat or ship
consort: shot far ahead of her consort, a companion boat or ship

Critical thinking

Silver steers the ship into the anchorage and “never hesitated once.” Using two pieces of evidence, what does his piloting show about him?
Jim reasons that the cabin party has “no present need” of him, and slips ashore. Using two pieces of evidence, was that sound reasoning?
The captain says any order will bring the ship down “about our ears.” Using two pieces of evidence, how much room does he really have to act?