Chapter 3: The Black Spot
When the captain wakes up next, he immediately asks for rum, and then tries to get out of bed. When it's clear that he's not strong enough to do so, he lays back down and tells Jim what he suspects is going to happen, which is possibly that Black Dog or the one-legged man are going to come after him. Or more likely, he's going to be given the black spot, which he specifies is a summons but otherwise doesn't elaborate on.
Well, Jim doesn't have time to think about any of the captain's problems because his ailing father passes away that night, and the days following that go by in a blur; he mostly just recalls the captain growing weaker, and oddly, both more violent and more peaceful.
One morning, Jim is taking a break outside when he sees a wretched-looking blind man tapping his way up the street with a walking stick. As he reaches the inn, he very conveniently stops and asks, hey, I don't suppose there's somebody standing nearby who can tell me where I'm at? Perhaps somebody standing on the front porch right next to me maybe?
Probably remembering not to be dim-witted enough to name-drop his tenant this time Jim simply replies, yep, you're at the Benbow inn! Unfortunately, that's all the information the beggar needs, and he grabs Jim's arm and threatens to break it if he doesn't lead him inside to see the captain. Poor Jim can't catch a break.
Jim acquiesces and shows in the blind man, and the captain can't bring himself to move a muscle upon seeing him. Little is said; the man deposits something into the captain's palm, and then departs entirely unaided.
After sitting dumbfounded for some time, the captain finally decides to look at what's been placed into his hand. Upon doing so, he jumps up, exclaiming, six hours! We still have time!
And then he falls dead from stroke.