Chapter 13

Treasure Island

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

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.

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

Crossword

1			2	3	4

	5
		6				7

		8




9

Across

Across 1. went beyond; surpassed
Across 3. get into a boat or ship
Across 6. stopped for lack of wind
Across 7. politeness
Across 8. shape; the way parts are arranged
Across 9. a sudden feeling of sickness or unease

Down

Down 2. unhappiness; grumbling dissatisfaction
Down 4. a ring of rising ground, like a round theatre
Down 5. unwillingly; with resentment
Down 7. a companion boat or ship

The words in the chapter

outstripped He fairly outstripped himself in willingness and civility;
civility in willingness and civility;
discontent as if to conceal the discontent of the rest.
becalmed were now lying becalmed about half a mile to the south-east of the low eastern coast.
configuration was likewise the strangest in configuration,

qualm this standing still and being rolled about like a bottle was a thing I never learned to stand without a qualm or so,
amphitheatre the hilltops standing round at a distance in a sort of amphitheatre,
grudgingly received with a black look and grudgingly and carelessly obeyed.
embark the remaining thirteen, including Silver, began to embark.
consort shot far ahead of her consort,

Critical thinking

1. Silver steers the ship into the anchorage and “never hesitated once.” Using two pieces of evidence, what does his piloting show about him?

2. Jim reasons that the cabin party has “no present need” of him, and slips ashore. Using two pieces of evidence, was that sound reasoning?

3. 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?