Yo-ho-ho and a Bottle of Rum "Treasure Island" from 2YA

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 27, 16 January 1931, Page 3

Yo-ho-ho and a Bottle of Rum "Treasure Island" from 2YA

A MYSTERIOUS brown old seaman took up his lodgings at the Admiral Benbow, an old inn that faced the wavebeaten English coast. He was afraid of strangers, and when an old shipmate who called himself "Black Dog" arrived he was literally terrified. A brawl ensued, and at the point of the cutlass the unwelcome visitor was driven away. Being a very heavy rumdrinker, the old seaman was unable to stand the exertion, and a fit seized him " "Black Dog’ is a bad ’un," he told Jim Hawkins, the son of the dying owner of the inn, when he lay in his room recovering; "but there are worse than him. It’s my old sea Seeest they're after." And they were a bad t.'In another terrible meeting the old salt was threatened with his life and given the "Black Spot," a kind of summons, to deliver the chest. The anxiety was too much and another fit killed him. To his landlady he owed his board and, though timorous. Jim and his inother turned out the bulky chest intent on removing no more than the money owing them. Jim, who had not received the kindest of handling from the seafaring mer, picked up an oilskin packet "to square the count." No sooner were they out of the house { than it was ransacked by the villainous crew who had caused the death of the old salt. They "were disturbed and routed by the coastguards. The packet contained a map of an island on which was buried the famous treasure ot the equally famous Captain Flint. The

squire and the doctor resolved to commission a ship, with Jim as cabin boy, and recover the buried booty. Among the crew was John © ‘tver, the cook. Although possessing only one leg he could move about with the agility of a bird; he was deep, ready and clever, and he had | the confidence of all but th. captain. He was cook, but nevertheless appeared to be a leader among the crew, and had to be rebuked for taking too much interest in the matters that should have concerned the mate and the captain. T xz squire believed in treating the crew well. They had liberal grog served and a barrel of apples provided for all to dip into at will. The captain openly »bjected. "Never

any good come of it yet. Spoils foc’s’le hands; make bad sailors. That’s my" belief." But good came of the apple barrel in a way that the squire did not imagine. To get the last apple Jim Hawkins crawled into the keg and went to sleep. He was awakened by the bulk of Silver letting itself down hard by. "Not I," Silver was heard to say to his companions. "Flint was captain and I was quartermaster. Flint was ‘feared of me, and proud of it." Within earshot Hawkins heard one of the younger members of the. crew throw in his lot with the now obviously buccaneers. Jim escaped from the barrel through the appearance-of land attracting the crew to the side of the ship. It was Treasure Island. "I am an ass and wait your orders," was all the squire could say to the captain when Jim unfolded the plot. "We must sooner or later come to blows," returned the captain, "and we must take the wind out of their sails by surprising them." There were seven of them against nineteen. In the first boat that went ashore Jim was curled, and evading Silver ran into the undergrowth. Coming later upon the pirates

he heard the dying screams of a murdered man and-saw another die by the wooden leg and knife of John Silver. Fearing a similar fate, he crawled away, and wandering among the bushes encountered what he thought to be a wild animal. It darted about and slipping ahead cut off his retreat. It was a marooned man-Ben Gunn, a former member of Flint’s crew, and although he would not return to the ship-he was afraid of the. terrible Silver -promised to help for a passage to England and a portion of the treasure. A cannon shot disturbed them; the fight had begun. In the meantime the doctor and party had also left the boat and decided to shift headquarters to the old (Concluded on page 29.)

Treasure Island _ (Continued from page 3.) quarters to the old stockade where there was plenty of water and shelter. The cannon fired by the mutineers who Were aboard caused the loss of food and ammunition, but. no one was injured. The stockade was attacked, but the attackers lost more than the defenders, and the odds were now about two to one. Under the cover of night two persons left the stockade-the doctor, to visit Gunn, and the boy Hawkins on a wild adventure to the ship. This ‘almost cost him his life at the hands ot Flint’s old gunner, who, though badly wounded in a brawl, was still capable of doing considerable damage. Hawkins cut the ship from its moorings and it drifted out to sea. The Wind carried it round the island and by the combined efforts of its. two occapants it was brought into another inlet. Once the ship was. safe the mutineer tried to do away with the boy, but failed and: lost his own life im the attempt. ETURNING to the stockade, Hawkins stumbled over something which yielded and a shrill voice cut the still night air: "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!" Yt was Silver’s green parrot, Captain Fiint. A mighty oath, followed by "Who goes?’ told Jim that he was in the enemy’s camp. "So, here’s Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers! Dropped in like, eh? Well, come, I take that friendly." And then Hawkins learned what he feared to be for the worse. The stockade had been surrendered and with it the map of the treasure. The party had shifted up among the rocks away from the treacherous marsh. "They're dead against you, Jim, and uniess you start a third company you'll have to join with Captain Silver." "Let the worst come to the worst. Ire seen too many die, it’s little I eare; kill another and you'll do yourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness who might help to save you from the gallows." Among the buceaneers not a one stirred, for they were moved by this utterance of the mere boy. *It was this same boy that stole the chart from Billy Bones. First and last we’ve split upon Jim Hawking," broke in Flint’s former quartermaster. "Then here goes,’ and one of the yufifianly mob sprang forward drawing his knife, but Silver intervened. The action nearly cost him his command, He was blamed for furthering his own ends and betraying his companions. A council was held, but Silver, as usual, swayed the pirates and was again returned to favour.

Jim slept, but was awakened by the arrival of the doctor to tend . the wound and fever of the buccaneers. He was allowed a private consultation with Jim, who told of the adventure with the ship. ‘There is a kind of fate in it all," observed the doctor. "Bvery step, it’s you who saves our lives. You found out the plot, you found Ben Gunn-the best deed you ever did, or you will do, though you live to ninety !" "Silver, look out for squalls when you go for that treasure. If we ever get out of this wolf trap I’ll do my best to save you." Silver’s face was radiant. "You couldn’t say more, I’m sure, sir." "Keep the boy close to you, and that itself will show you if I speak at random. Good-bye," and the doctor set off at a brisk pace. The party were madly keen to get to the treasure, but when they came upon the skeleton of a seaman with his hands over his head their superstitions took hold of them, and except for Silver they might have delayed the hunt for some time. "Take a bearing along the line of them bones. .,..I1

thought so; it’s a pointer. Right up there is our line for the Pole Star and the jolly dollars." But the spirits of the party had been damped, and when suddenly out of the deep forest came an air sung in Flint’s voice, "Wifteen men on the dead man’s chest-Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!" the party was petrified and showed the signs of utmost fear. "Fetch aft the rum, Darby!’ broke out the voice again. "That fixes it," gasped someone. "That was Flint’s last words. Let’s go." "I’m here to get the stuff, devil or no devil!’ cried Silver, and he led the straggling party onward. "Twas liker somebody else’s voice now," ventured someone, "like-it was liker---" "Ben Gunn!" roared Silver, "and no one here’s frightened of the ghost of Ben Gunn, for I'll warrant he’s not alive here more’n Flint." And away they went in better spirits.