Chapter 4

Treasure Island

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

But my mother, frightened as she was, would not consent to take a fraction more than was due to her and was obstinately unwilling to be content with less. It was not yet seven, she said, by a long way; she knew her rights and she would have them; and she was still arguing with me when a little low whistle sounded a good way off upon the hill. That was enough, and more than enough, for both of us.

Read the passage aloud and notice that the second sentence runs on with semicolons until a "little low whistle" stops it. What has the whistle cut short, and what does the short last sentence tell you about how the two of them took it?

Discussion

Narration Tell what happens from Jim and his mother running to the hamlet to their hiding under the little bridge.

1. No one in the hamlet will go back to the inn with Jim and his mother. Was that cowardice, or good sense?Moral reasoning

2. Everyone cries out at the foolhardiness of going back, yet Jim says “of course” he will go with his mother. Why might he?Character

3. Jim reads “You have till ten tonight,” and then the clock strikes six. How does the author use time to shape what comes next?Author's choice

4. Jim wonders why the captain carried five or six West Indian shells about with him. What does the chest as a whole suggest about the man?Inference

5. Crouched under the bridge, Jim curses the neighbours and blames his own mother. Is his anger fair?Theme

Make a Connection Tell about a time you had to do something frightening because no one else would.

Vocabulary

Crossword

1	2				3	4


		5		6			7

				8


9

			10

Across

Across 1. agree to something
Across 8. reckless boldness
Across 9. hateful; deserving to be loathed
Across 10. walking unsteadily, about to fall

Down

Down 2. stubbornly; refusing to change one's mind
Down 3. a risky undertaking
Down 4. strong disgust
Down 5. listen carefully
Down 6. spreading quickly from one person to another
Down 7. scattering; clearing away

The words in the chapter

consent my mother, frightened as she was, would not consent to take a fraction more than was due to her
obstinately and was obstinately unwilling to be content with less.
detestable the thought of that detestable blind beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return,
hearken we sometimes stopped to lay hold of each other and hearken.
infectious They say cowardice is infectious;

foolhardiness they all cried out at our foolhardiness,
venture in the cold night upon this dangerous venture.
repugnance Overcoming a strong repugnance, I tore open his shirt at the neck,
dispersing The fog was rapidly dispersing,
tottering I helped her, tottering as she was, to the edge of the bank,

Critical thinking

1. Jim and his mother search the house for the key and the gold. Using two pieces of evidence, explain who leads: Jim or his mother.

2. Jim slips the bolt when they return, and the blind man cannot get in. Using two pieces of evidence, did the bolt help them or put them in danger?

3. Fog, frost and moonlight change through the night. Using two pieces of evidence, does the night help Jim and his mother more than it hurts them?