`That fixes it!' gasped one. `Let's go.'

`They was his last words,' moaned Morgan, `his last words above board.'

Dick had his Bible out, and was praying volubly. He had been well brought up, had Dick, before he came to sea and fell among bad companions.

Still, Silver was unconquered. I could hear his teeth rattle in his head; but he had not yet surrendered.

`Nobody in this here island ever heard of Darby,' he muttered; `not one but us that's here.' And then, making a great effort, `Shipmates,' he cried, `I'm here to get that stuff, and I'll not be beat by man nor devil. I never was feared of Flint in his life, and, by the powers, I'll face him dead. There's seven hundred thousand pound not a quarter of a mile from here. When did ever a gentleman o' fortune show his stern to that much dollars, for a boosy old seaman with a blue mug - and him dead, too?'

But there was no sign of re-awakening courage in his followers; rather, indeed, of growing terror at the irreverence of his words.

`Belay there, John!' said Merry. `Don't you cross a sperrit.'

And the rest were all too terrified to reply. They would have run away severally had they dared; but fear kept them together, and kept them close by John, as if his daring helped them. He, on this part, had pretty well fought his weakness down.

`Sperrit? Well, maybe,' he said. `But there's one thing not clear to me. There was an echo. Now, no man ever seen a sperrit with a shadow; well, then, what's he doing with an echo to him, I should like to know? That aint in natur', surely?'

This argument seemed weak enough to me. But you can never tell what will affect the superstitious, and, to my wonder, George Merry was greatly relieved.

`Well, that's so,' he said. `You've a head upon your shoulders, John, and no mistake. `Bout ship, mates! This here crew is on a wrong tack, I do believe. And come to think on it, it was like Flint's voice, I grant you, but not just so clearaway like it, after all. It was liker somebody else's voice now - it was liker--'

`By the powers, Ben Gunn!' roared Silver.

`Ay, and so it were,' cried Morgan, springing on his knees. `Ben Gunn it were!'

`It don't make much odds, do it, now?' asked Dick. `Ben Gunn's not here in the body, any more'n Flint.'

But the older hands greeted this remark with scorn.

`Why nobody minds Ben Gunn,' cried Merry; `dead or alive, nobody minds him.'

It was extraordinary how their spirits had returned, and how the natural colour had revived in their faces. Soon they were chatting together, with intervals of listening; and not long after, hearing no further sound, they shouldered the tools and set forth again, Merry walking first with Silver's compass to keep them on the right line with Skeleton Island. He had said the truth: dead or alive, nobody minded Ben Gunn.

Dick alone still held his Bible, and looked around him as he went, with fearful glances; but he found no sympathy, and Silver even joked him on his precautions.

`I told you,' said he - `I told you, you had sp'iled your Bible. If it aint no good to swear by, what do you suppose a sperrit would give for it? Not that!' and he snapped his big fingers, halting a moment on his crutch.