Chapter 6: The Captain's Papers
When they reach Doctor Livesey's house, Jim knocks on the door.
"Is Doctor Livesey in?" he asks.
"No, he's at the town hall," says the housekeeper.
"Then we'll go there," says the IRS agent.
"Well this interlude seems unnecessary," says Skep.
Doctor Livesey
When they arrive, Livesey is sitting by the fireplace, smoking cigars with his aide, a fellow gentleman named Trelawney. The IRS agent describes the events of the evening. After learning what happened to the blind man, Squire Trelawney shrugs and goes, well, he probably deserved it, so really it's for the best that you ran him down. "Black" is even one of the adjectives he uses to describe the blind man. I invite you to insert your own value judgement of the upper-class law enforcement official here.
They give the IRS agent a pint of beer and send him back to work. Livesey and Trelawney have a brief expository conversation about Captain Flint to tell the reader how legendary and fearsome a pirate he was, and how rich he was sure to have been. Then, Livesey unwraps the oilcloth-wrapped bundle Jim had brought him. Inside is a detailed ledger confirming all the piracy Flint did, documenting a great many ship names—some of which Trelawney recognizes as having been sunk—and the amount of money each brought in.
The bundle also contains a sealed envelope. When they open it, they discover a detailed, hand-drawn map of an island, complete with coordinates. It even has a spot marked with a red X, with instructions on the back:
Tall tree, Spy-glass shoulder, bearing a point to the N. of N.N.E.
Skeleton Island E.S.E. and by E.
Ten feet.
The bar silver is in the north cache; you can find it by the trend of the east hummock, ten fathoms south of the black crag with the face on it.
The arms are easy found, in the sand-hill, N. point of north inlet cape, bearing E. and a quarter N.
Immediately and excitedly, Squire Trelawney begins planning an expedition. He can procure a boat and crew within three weeks, at which point the three of them will journey out, have a delightful cruise, effortlessly collect the stash, and spend the rest of their lives living like kings.
Doctor Livesey is on board with the plan, but he reminds Trelawney, "Those pirates are still out there, and they're still hunting for this map. So keep this under wraps until we leave, you damn blabbermouth."