This chapter is based on episode 24. Some of the dialogue has again been translated from the German dub of the series.
ALL THE MORE REASON
Chapter 3
Silver was feeling better the next day, thanks to Puppy who had risked his life to find the flower to cure his malaria. Hunter was glad to see the lad join their group. He didn't think Puppy was that bad deep down, and he felt a lot better when he wasn't running around the island all alone. He might have got hurt or caused trouble for them when they were looking for the treasure.
Hunter had been expecting Gray to be suspicious of him, but he seemed to accept him. Maybe Gray could sense Puppy's honesty as well, or maybe he simply trusted Captain Smollett's judgement. The captain had decided that there was no need for Puppy to face a trial when they got back to England. Hunter had felt a sense of relief at that for he was certain that Puppy wouldn't have joined the pirates if Silver hadn't been so persuasive.
Maybe that was why Gray bore no ill will towards him. Puppy had been tempted by Silver just like him. He just hadn't had the opportunity or courage to fight back, but that didn't make him a bad person.
On the other hand, even if Gray had understanding for Puppy, his attitude towards Silver hadn't changed. Their group, consisting of Silver, Jim, Hunter, Gray and Puppy, was currently scanning the cliffs near the sea. Hunter had no idea what Flint's riddle could mean, so he was happy to leave figuring that out for people cleverer than him. He stayed behind and kept an eye on the others in case there was any trouble.
And there would be; he was sure of it. Ever since his recovery, Silver had kept close to Jim. He joked with the boy and flattered him every chance he got. The delighted smile on Jim's face grew wider by the moment, which was mirrored by the deepening of Gray's frown. The happier Jim and Silver looked, the more closely Gray kept an eye on them.
Hunter wasn't the only one who had noticed that. Every now and then, Silver would glance over his shoulder and look at Gray with a stern expression. Hunter did his best to understand what the pirate was thinking, but he couldn't even begin to guess. Maybe he was trying to rub it into Gray's face that Jim preferred his company, or maybe he hated him as much as Gray hated him. In either case, soon enough one of them would grow tired of the constant glaring and make a move.
Then there was Puppy who wasn't being helpful at all and just grumbled to himself about how unfair it was that he couldn't have a share of the treasure. Hunter was glad that Captain Smollett and Squire Trelawney weren't there to hear it. They would have had no patience for such talk after they had pardoned the lad for his crimes.
"Hey, Puppy! Don't be like that! Help us find the treasure!" Jim said.
Puppy showed his tongue at Jim and turned away, sticking his nose high in the air. "Why?" he asked. "Even if I find the treasure, I won't get a share."
Hunter and Gray turned to look at him, which immediately prompted Puppy to regret his words. He ran up to them, flailing his hands in panic.
"Oh, no, Hunter and Gray! Please don't say that to the others, especially to Mr. Trelawney. Please, please, don't say anything!" he pleaded, no doubt thinking that if he didn't behave, they would take him to be hanged after all.
"Calm down, Puppy. They're all nice people. I'm sure they'll give us a share of the treasure," Silver said with laughter in his voice. His tone and the grin on his face grew darker as he continued, "Besides, if they don't share it with us, there are still ways to get our part."
Hunter gasped at Silver's bold words and immediately glanced at Gray who was glaring at the pirate with hatred in his eyes. His pose was tense, and he was clenching the musket in his hands so hard that it looked like he was having trouble standing still.
Even Puppy seemed to notice the sudden tension between the two men and backed away from them in a hurry, not wanting to get caught in their fight. Hunter steadied his hold on his musket just in case. The smile on Silver's face was taunting, and now Hunter finally understood what Gray had meant when he had said Silver was always mocking him.
"I want to say something to you, Silver. I don't care what you say or think; you'll remain our prisoner. You'll help us solve Flint's riddle, and that's it. If you try anything else, I won't hesitate to shoot," Gray said. His voice grew harsher with each word, and he didn't seem to care that everyone had their eyes fixed on him.
"I understand, Gray," Silver said. "It's not just the bullet but also your knife that's after my heart."
Silver caught empty air with his hand and clenched his fist, his smile becoming even more crooked. "But before your knife gets me, I'll capture it with my right hand. I bet your knife flies much slower than my poor parrot Flint," he said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gray asked. "Are you trying to throw me off?"
That was enough in Hunter's opinion. It was clear that if someone didn't step in, Gray and Silver would be at each other's throats any minute now. He ran between the two men, facing Silver.
"Not so fast! What are you doing? Don't be idiots," he said and turned to look at Gray over his shoulder. "Gray, we should try to find Flint's house, not start fights." He wished he could get through to his friend, but part of him doubted that. Gray and Silver were an explosion waiting to happen, and now there was no Captain Smollett to keep order.
He turned back to Silver. "You said we only have two more days. Don't waste this time," he said. To emphasise his words, he pointed his musket at Silver's chest and ordered him to keep going. The others were working hard to solve the riddle, and all their group was able to do was bicker and complain.
"I'm working hard, too," Silver said. All of a sudden, he caught Hunter's musket and twisted it. Hunter was so surprised by the action and how much strength Silver had in one arm that he fell over without a fight or even a yelp, his weapon falling from his hands. He grimaced at how the skin on his palms was scratched open as he fell and turned around just in time to see Silver advance towards Gray.
Hunter opened his mouth to yell at the two to stop when he saw Gray pull out a knife, but he was too late. Silver brought his crutch up to protect his face, and the knife was stuck on it right before it would have hit him. Not wasting another moment, Silver threw the crutch at Gray, but the man blocked it with his musket. He was too close to shoot, so he tried to strike Silver with the weapon. The pirate leapt aside with surprising agility for someone who only had one leg.
Silver landed behind Gray, and Hunter held his breath as he waited for the two of them to attack each other again. To his surprise, however, both men remained still and didn't even properly look at each other.
"I don't like it when someone is keeping an eye on me. I must be able to use my head if I want to solve the riddle. This is a battle between Flint's intellect and mine. I don't want to be disturbed by pitiful guard dogs," Silver said, his voice rising in anger as he spoke.
Without another word, he took his crutch and started walking away, leaving the rest of them to stare at his back. Captain Flint landed on his shoulder, and for once the parrot remained silent.
Jim and Puppy quickly hurried after Silver, both looking nervous because of the skirmish. Hunter got up from the ground and picked up his musket. When he turned to look at Gray, he was glad to see a small amount of shame on his face.
"What were you thinking?" he asked, not quite able to hide his anger.
"You saw how Silver was taunting me," Gray replied.
"I did, and you fell right into his trap. Why is it so hard for you to just let it go and ignore him?" Hunter asked.
"I've already told you why," Gray said.
Hunter sighed. "And I thought you had got over it," he said. He felt disappointed, but he guessed it had been stupid of him to expect Gray to let go of his issues like that. He just wished he would at least learn to tolerate Silver for as long as they had to work together with him.
"It's not because of how I feel about him," Gray said. He turned to look below them where Silver, Jim and Puppy were following a path that would take them closer to the shore. Hunter followed his gaze and instantly knew what was bothering Gray.
"You're worried about Jim," he said.
"If Silver cared about him at all, he wouldn't be so friendly with him. He knows what will happen to him and how much it's going to hurt Jim. It would be easier for Jim if they were no longer friends," Gray said.
"Maybe," Hunter admitted in thought, watching how Silver ruffled Jim's hair after something the boy had just said. "But I think it would make it a lot harder for Silver."
Gray turned to glare at him. "You can't really think his friendship is genuine," he said.
"Why not?" Hunter asked.
"Because he's dishonest and only interested in the treasure," Gray said.
"But he can't have the treasure now. He has no reason to be Jim's friend anymore, unless he truly cares for him," Hunter said. He felt the same worries Gray did, and he didn't want to think about Jim's sorrow upon learning of Silver's trial. However, all of that felt somehow distant. The island was a world of its own, and England was so far away. At the moment it was easy to forget that he was looking at a hardened pirate rather than just a man who was having fun with a friend.
"Or do you think Silver is doing that on purpose to hurt him or annoy us?" he asked.
Gray was silent for a moment. "I don't think Silver wants to hurt Jim. Either he doesn't realise what he's doing or he's sure he will escape somehow," he said.
"I wouldn't put that past him," Hunter said. In fact, he'd be surprised if Silver didn't try to escape at some point once he had properly recovered from the effects of malaria and his wound.
"Me neither, and that's why I have to keep an eye on him," Gray said. With that, he started following the path the others had already taken. Hunter took one more look at Silver and Jim and then went after Gray.
There were no more arguments between Gray and Silver that day, and Hunter even thought that the tension had eased a little. Maybe the little skirmish had done good to both men. Gray held a little back now and no longer kept his eyes glued to Silver. The pirate ignored him in return.
After a while, they reached the rocky cliffs at the shore. Massive waves were crashing against the rocks and sending water even up to where they were standing. The wind blowing from the sea was surprisingly cool for that time of the day. As they stood there, watching the waves lick the cliffs, Silver started telling them about Flint and how it was possible that the spot they were looking for was at sea, not on land.
As soon as Silver had said it, everyone seemed to be filled with new energy. They all jumped down the cliffs and tried to beat each other at reaching the shore first. Despite having only one leg, Silver was easily the fastest of them and moved nimbly with his crutch. He gave them the order to search the shore and the little rocky islands. Not even Gray objected to him taking command.
They made their way through the slippery rocks, careful not to fall into the water. Hunter chose to climb on top of a tall cliff and look at the sea through a spyglass. He didn't know much about the legendary Captain Flint, but the certainty with which Silver had spoken his words made him believe that he was right. They would surely find what they were looking for at sea.
After a while, he had to admit that there was nothing to be seen. He brought down the spyglass and turned away from the sea, but then he heard Jim's alarmed yell. At first he couldn't see what was wrong. Then he saw Jim and Benbow among the surging waves, struggling to climb back on shore.
"Jim!" he called out and started running towards the boy. From the corner of his eye, he saw that everyone else was doing the same. Every time Jim made it to the cliffs, the waves pulled him back into the water. It wouldn't take long before his strength ran out, and then he would drift too far away. Hunter ignored how his feet were slipping on the rocks and tried to hurry to Jim's side as quickly as he could.
"A shark!"
Just when Hunter thought it couldn't get any worse, he heard Silver's exclamation. He felt a chill go through him when he spotted the dorsal fin among the waves. Despite his hurry, he had to stop and stare in horror at the beast as it was closing in on Jim and Benbow.
"Silver!" Jim yelled as soon as he got his head above the surface. His voice prompted Silver to move, and he hopped across the rocks to get as close to Jim as possible, not caring how dangerous the path was.
Once he reached the closest cliff to Jim, he stopped there and took a frantic look around him. It was like he hadn't even thought about what he would do once he made it there and now had no idea how to save Jim.
The answer came from Gray. He called out Silver's name to get his attention and tossed his musket to the man. Silver caught it with his free hand and aimed it at the shark. He waited until it came closer to the surface and then fired, hitting the beast straight to its head. It died immediately, but Jim still couldn't get out of the water on his own.
"Come on, Hunter," Gray urged him. Before Hunter could ask what he had in mind, Gray had already jumped into the sea. Hunter followed his example without hesitation, and together they managed to drag Jim and Benbow back to the shore.
Jim was coughing up water and panting to catch his breath, but he insisted on not taking a moment to rest. Hunter and Gray tried to support him, but Jim assured them he didn't need any help.
"I just swallowed some water," he said.
The sun was setting, so they decided to end their search for the day and return to the blockhouse before the others got worried. It was another day wasted, but Hunter didn't have the energy to feel disappointed that they weren't any closer to finding the treasure. Seeing Jim in such danger had given him a scare, and all he could think about was how lucky they had been. If Gray hadn't had a musket prepared and if Silver hadn't been such a good shot, Jim would have probably died.
It was almost funny in a way. Gray's suspicions of Silver and Silver's craftiness and strength were the qualities that made the men resent each other, and yet it was these traits that had saved Jim's life. If Hunter hadn't been so exhausted after the day's events, he might have cracked a smile at that.
Hunter didn't know which would happen first. Either his arms would drop off or he'd pass out from the pain in them. His chest was burning with the lack of breath, but he didn't stop his mad paddling even for a moment. He didn't look at the others, and he could barely hear what they were talking. All that mattered to him was that they had to make it to the shore as quickly as possible.
Even worse than the physical pain were the worry and fear that were tormenting him. It was more than likely that Gray was already dead. He had disappeared under the surface with the shark and hadn't come back no matter how long they had waited. There hadn't been blood, but it was possible the shark had attacked him further away from their raft. No matter what he wanted to believe, Hunter knew that even Gray would never survive that.
The cliffs in that area had been too rocky for them to go ashore, so Captain Smollett had ordered them to go back to the sandy beach where they had started. Hunter would have liked to wait longer in case Gray came back, but the others thought it was better to go ashore and start searching for him.
He jumped off the raft as soon as the water was shallow enough for him to walk. He waded to the shore and was about to run off when Captain Smollett's voice stopped him.
"Hunter! Where do you think you're going?" he asked.
"Looking for Gray," Hunter said, stopping and turning to glare at the others.
"Not so fast. You aren't going to achieve anything by running off on your own. Help the others to get the raft on shore," Captain Smollett said.
This is a waste of time, Hunter thought in frustration, but he followed the captain's order without hesitation. Soon enough, they had the raft and their supplies secured on the beach.
"We're going to form two groups. I, Jim and Ben Gunn will go this way. Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney and Puppy will search over there," Captain Smollett said.
"What about me?" Hunter asked.
"You're staying here with Silver. The cliffs are too dangerous for someone with a crutch," Smollett replied.
Silver flashed a crooked grin at the captain. "Why, Captain Smollett, I had no idea you value my well-being so much," he said.
"Don't be ridiculous. You're enough trouble for us already. We don't need you to break your bones and become even more of a burden. And I'm not leaving you unguarded for a single moment. That's why Hunter is staying," Smollett explained.
"But why me?" Hunter asked. He didn't want to stay back with Silver. Worry for Gray was nibbling away his insides, and the thought of not doing anything to help filled him with apprehension.
"Because you're clearly too upset to start climbing on cliffs now. We don't need to lose you, too," Smollett replied.
There were many things Hunter would have liked to say to that. He wasn't upset; he was just worried. Unlike the others, he just didn't want to waste precious time talking. And most importantly, they hadn't lost Gray. Not yet. However, he said none of this, not having it in him to disobey Smollett's orders even at a moment like this.
With a heavy heart, he sat down on the raft, clutching his musket in his hands. He watched how the others gathered some supplies and prepared to leave.
"Don't worry, Hunter. We'll find Gray," Jim said with an encouraging grin before running off to follow Captain Smollett and Ben Gunn. Hunter forced a smile on his face, but he dropped it as soon as Jim was gone.
How could this have happened? Everything had been fine one moment, and then Jim had suddenly emerged from the water, warning them about a shark. Then they had seen Gray attack it in the most foolish way imaginable instead of climbing to safety on the raft. Perhaps he had thought it was the only way to stop it from attacking Jim or the rest of them, but that hardly mattered. Gray had yet again risked his life in order to protect them.
I hate it how he keeps doing that, Hunter thought in frustration and picked up a small stone from the sand. He started throwing it up and down in his hand. Did Gray think they would be grateful if he died in their place? Was he really so stupid he thought it would make his friends glad?
"Dammit!" he cursed and threw the stone away. When Gray got back, he would tell him exactly how reckless his behaviour was and how much he hated it.
A chuckle from his side made him lift his eyes from the sand. He had already forgotten that Silver was there, too. Some guard he was.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind," Silver said, smiling down at him. He was standing beside the raft with Captain Flint on his shoulders. When Hunter said nothing, Silver turned his eyes towards the sea, and the smile disappeared from his face.
"Are you worried about Gray?" he asked.
"Of course I am!" Hunter snapped.
"I don't think there's a need for that. He knows how to take care of himself," Silver said.
"Even he can't survive that. Nobody can," Hunter said.
"I wouldn't be so sure. I fought a shark or two in my days before this happened," Silver said and patted the knee of his amputated leg.
Hunter didn't even think to doubt Silver. The idea that this crooked pirate had survived something that might have killed Gray felt like a punch to his abdomen and left Hunter clenching his fists in anger. He glared at Silver, feeling his hands shake.
"What if he's dead?" he asked. "What would you do then?"
Silver shrugged nonchalantly. "What would you have me do? If he's dead, then he died like a man," he said.
Hunter was up on his feet before he even realised it. "That's what you have to say? That he died like a man?" he asked, almost yelling.
"What else is there for me to say?" Silver asked. He tore his gaze away from the sea and looked at Hunter with a solemn look in his eyes. "I don't like Gray. He's always watching me, ready to shoot the moment I make a mistake. I can deal with many kinds of men, but not those who've decided they can judge me like that and think they're better than me."
Silver snorted, amusement returning to his voice. "Gray has quite a lot of gall to treat me like that. He's the one who joined my group and agreed to betray the rest of you. He's not as high and mighty as he thinks," he said.
"Shut up!" Hunter snapped. He drew back his arm and aimed a punch at Silver's jaw, but the pirate caught his fist with ease and shoved him aside. Hunter landed painfully to his side. He held back a growl and turned around so that he could face Silver.
"Gray is a far better man than you could ever be. He made the right decision and came to our side when he had every reason not to do it. He's better than you or all of your rotten men together," he said. He got up from the ground, brushing sand off his trousers.
He continued, "It doesn't matter what Gray did at first. He has proven his loyalty many times already." He felt a little foolish for his sudden attack on Silver. He should have known he could never hit the man, and he was embarrassed by how easily Silver had provoked him. It was only yesterday that he had scolded Gray for the same thing.
"So many times, in fact, that I wish he'd just stop," he added.
"You think he's trying to prove something?" Silver asked.
"Of course he is. Why else would he take so many risks for us?" he asked.
For a moment Silver just stared at him with a baffled expression on his face. Then he threw his head back and started to laugh. The sound made Hunter see red; what right did Silver have to laugh at such a serious matter?
"What's there to laugh about?" he demanded to know.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Silver said. "I just find it hilarious that Gray has decided to make an enemy out of me, and yet I understand him better than any one of you who claim to be his friends."
"What do you mean?" Hunter asked.
"You shouldn't be asking that of me. Ask Gray if he comes back," Silver said. He kept a small pause. "I hope he doesn't hurry. It's nice to have a break from him keeping a constant eye on me."
"Gray is just worried for Jim. You're hurting him with your friendship," Hunter said.
"Jim looks quite happy to me," Silver remarked.
"You know what I mean. He'll be crushed when you're taken to England and he learns what is going to happen to you," Hunter said.
He wasn't surprised when Silver didn't look at all bothered by his words. "What makes you think I won't take my leave before we reach England?" he asked.
"There is no way you can escape. Gray won't let you," Hunter said.
Silver just smiled at that. Hunter swallowed in discomfort, wishing that Silver would at least try to argue that Gray was dead. The fact that he didn't even bother to address the issue made Hunter feel like it was the unspoken truth and that Silver chose not to bring it up out of pity for him.
"I don't mean to hurt Jim. He has always been my friend," Silver said.
"Then why did you let your men attack the fort? Why did you poison our water? Why did you fire the cannon at the blockhouse? Why did you take Jim a prisoner?" Hunter challenged him. Everything Silver had done ever since setting foot on the island could have got Jim killed. Even if he did consider Jim his friend, he obviously cared more about the treasure.
"Those things had to be done. I wanted the treasure, and I wasn't going to let anything come in my way," Silver said. He turned to look at the sea again, his voice somber as he continued, "It would have been a shame if something had happened to Jim, but I trusted that he's a capable lad."
"That was still quite a risk to take," Hunter pointed out.
"Well, we all knew the risks when we came here," Silver said.
"No, we didn't!" Hunter snapped, his anger suddenly returning. "Nobody said there would pirates, mutiny or fighting! This was supposed to be a peaceful voyage." He glared at Silver's face, but there was no understanding in his eyes. The man was a pirate; he probably didn't even realise what point Hunter was trying to make.
"There's always trouble when men go to sea. You shouldn't be so surprised," Silver said.
"Don't talk like that, like it's not important! Joyce was -" Hunter stopped to catch a shaky breath as his voice broke. "My brother was shot in the back by one of your men. Don't you dare tell me I have to take something like that in stride!"
He hadn't thought much about Joyce after they had buried him. Every time he allowed himself to recall the memory of his brother, it felt like his chest was being torn open. Joyce had been the most important person in his life, the big brother who had always taken care of him. He had long since decided that he wouldn't hate Silver for what had happened, but it was very tempting to just give in now. The ideals and greed Silver represented were the main reason Joyce had died. How Silver refused to acknowledge how much pain his actions had caused left him feeling like someone had just punched him.
Silver stared at him in surprise. "Joyce was your brother? I didn't know that," he said.
"It wouldn't have made a difference for you," Hunter said.
"No," Silver admitted. "But if it makes you feel any better, the man who shot him is dead. I think I heard Gray say he let good old George taste his knife."
That didn't change anything. Hunter had already known that Joyce's killer had to be dead, unless it was either Silver or Puppy. That had been an unlikely possibility. Now he at least had a name for the killer, but he couldn't recall much of what George Merry had been like.
"I would have been happier if we could have brought him to hang in England, but it's not important. It wouldn't have brought Joyce back," he said.
Silver nodded. He sat down on the raft, leaving Hunter standing alone. All of a sudden, Hunter realised how exhausted he really was, both from the mad paddling and the fear and anger he had felt earlier. Now it was like there was nothing going on anymore, and he felt empty and tired of everything. Still, he refused to sit down.
"I meant it when I said Gray can take care of himself," Silver said after a moment of silence.
"Do you think he's still alive?" Hunter asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he were. He's tough," Silver said.
"I know, but I don't think even he can survive that. Even if the shark didn't kill him, he might have drowned," Hunter said.
"You should have a little more faith in him," Silver said. "But if he is dead, I'm sure this is the way he wanted to go. I can't imagine Gray dying of old age."
Hunter frowned at Silver's words. Was he supposed to be happy because Gray had got the kind of death he liked? He thought that people who considered the way you died to be of any importance were fools. It didn't change anything.
"Death is death," he said.
"I agree," Silver said. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the mast on the raft, crossing his hands behind his head.
Hunter didn't know how long he and Silver sat there in almost complete silence. He had nothing else to say to the pirate as he knew that Silver didn't really care if Gray came back or not. Right now he wanted to talk to someone who would understand how much the thought of losing a good friend frightened him. A few days ago he had been happy to know that there was no more danger, but now the preceding anxiousness was back.
It suddenly felt like it was only minutes since Joyce had died. The memory of holding his dead body in his arms and crying against his chest came crashing back, making it hard to breathe. Joyce had been the only person he had ever been able to talk to about everything, and right now Hunter missed him so hard it bordered on physical pain. He had to turn away from Silver and put his hands into his pockets so that Silver wouldn't see his face or how much his hands were shaking.
The sun was already starting to set, painting the sky a light shade of orange and pink, when the others came back. Hunter felt his heart sink when he saw how Jim's shoulders were slumped in defeat. He swallowed to remove the lump in his throat and tried to will his heart to beat slower.
"Didn't you find him?" he asked as soon as Captain Smollett, Jim and Ben Gunn reached them.
Smollett shook his head. "No, there was no sign of him," he said.
"But maybe the others had better luck," Jim said. He turned to Silver with eyes full of hope. "Isn't that right, Silver?"
"It's possible," Silver said.
But they were all in for a disappointment only a moment later when Dr. Livesey's group returned. They hadn't seen Gray either.
"What are we going to do now?" Squire Trelawney asked.
"There isn't much we can do," Dr. Livesey said, his voice filled with regret.
"You mean he's dead?" Jim asked. He was staring at the adults with a fearful expression on his young face, demanding them to tell him that everything would be alright. It broke Hunter's heart to see him like that. Jim had already seen too much death for a boy his age.
Trelawney put a hand on Jim's shoulder. "You see, Jim, it doesn't look too good now, but you should never give up hope," he said.
"He's right," Silver said, "I won't believe Gray is dead until I see the body."
"Thanks, Silver," Jim said, brightening immediately.
"In any case, we can't just stand here. Let's move the raft further up the shore so that the waves won't take it away. Then we'll get back to the blockhouse to think about the situation," Captain Smollett said.
Hunter joined the others in their work, trying his best not to think about what had happened. He couldn't let anyone see how much it upset him to think that Gray was dead, especially not Jim. He realised he was more angry than sad, and that moment he felt sick to his stomach when he thought about the treasure. Silver had been wrong when he had said this was the kind of death that Gray would have wanted. If he was dead, he had lost his life because of their greed and hunger for the treasure. Just like Joyce. There was nothing honourable about that.
"Gray is there!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing when they heard Jim's surprised voice. Hunter felt all his fears suddenly wash away when he spotted Gray's form in the distance.
When Gray got closer, everyone could see that he was holding the skull of a shark in his hands. He threw it at his feet and explained that he had found the solution to the riddle. He didn't look like he was hurt in any way, and he had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. If Hunter hadn't felt so relieved to see him alive, he would have been compelled to punch that smile away.
Gray told them how he had discovered the grave of the sharks. Everyone's joy of seeing him alive mixed with the excitement of knowing where to find The Devil's Top and eventually the treasure. They were all in good spirits as they gathered their supplies and set off to solve the last lines of Flint's riddle.
They had found the treasure. It felt like a dream after everything they had been through. They had finally been rewarded for all their struggles and fights, for all the pain and fears. Even when he had held gold coins in his hands, Gray had been tempted to think that it wasn't really happening. The treasure was so massive and glorious that it was from a different world.
They had all gone a little insane after finding it. Once the first shock had worn out, everyone had rushed to the cave to see what was inside and turned over every silver plate, vase and chest to discover more and more riches. Gray felt like an idiot when he thought back to it, but at least he hadn't been the only one. Even Captain Smollett had been taken in by the sight of Flint's treasure.
Things had thankfully quieted down somewhat. They had set up a camp near the treasure, not wanting to leave it alone now that it had been discovered. It would be moved to the ship the next day, and then they would start preparations for their departure. Returning to civilization felt almost as unbelievable as the treasure.
In some ways Gray was sad to leave the island. Things were so simple there; there was only the fight for survival. He always felt the most alive when he was in the middle of a battle and could push everything else away from his mind. He liked letting his knives do the talking for him, but there wouldn't be any toleration for that once he returned home.
He was sitting with his back against a tree, watching the flames of the campfire dance in the dark. Everyone had quieted down, but nobody was able to sleep. Even Dr. Livesey, who initially had ordered the others to get some rest, hadn't been able to follow his own advice. He was currently appraising some of the vases and jewellery among the treasure together with Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett. Puppy was right by their side, almost drooling on the riches. The fact that he wouldn't be getting a share hadn't yet sullied his excitement.
"What are you thinking about?"
Gray turned to look at Hunter who was sitting a little closer to the fire. For some reason, he had got the feeling that Hunter had been the person least excited about the treasure. The thrilled grin on his face hadn't quite reached his eyes the way Gray had expected.
"Nothing important," he replied.
"Really?" Hunter asked with a teasing smile. "What about the treasure? You know that now we can get anything we've ever wanted, don't you?"
If it only were that simple. Even if he took every last coin of this treasure, it wouldn't be enough to get Gray what he wanted. As far as he was concerned, that couldn't be bought with gold, only with blood. However, that had nothing to do with the others, and he didn't want to ruin Hunter's good mood with his musings.
"And what do you want?" he asked.
"I'll tell you if you promise you won't laugh," Hunter said.
"Go ahead."
"Well, I've always wanted to become a farmer. Everyone in my family has always been a servant, but I would love to own a little of land and start a family. There's this Joan I've known since I was a boy…" Hunter said. He got a dreamy look in his eyes as he drifted off, no doubt picturing his perfect idyll in his mind.
"That's a good dream. Why would I laugh at it?" Gray asked.
Hunter shrugged. "It just doesn't feel like something you might like," he said.
"It's not, but that just gives you the right to laugh at me. You're the one with the right ambitions in life," Gray replied. He couldn't see himself ever settling down anywhere, least of all getting married and having children. He'd rather face a whole pirate crew armed with only his fists.
"Then what about you? What do you plan to do when we return home?" Hunter asked.
"I don't know yet," Gray said. He had partaken on this voyage because he had felt he needed some distance from his homeland to clear his head and decide what he wanted. As far as he was concerned, this adventure had only made everything more complicated. He had made friends with people he would have earlier considered his enemies.
"Well, I'm sure you'll think of something," Hunter said.
Gray started to voice his agreement, but his words turned into a yawn before he could stop himself.
"Are you tired?" Hunter asked.
"Fighting with the shark took its toll on me. My arms are killing me," Gray replied. It hadn't been the closest he had ever come to death, but it had been the most interesting of such experiences. He might get a few free rounds if he told his story in some pub at home.
The smile on Hunter's face dropped at these words. "I was really worried for you. For a moment I thought you were dead," he said.
"You shouldn't have. It was nothing," Gray said.
"How can you say that? Don't you have any idea how important you are to us? Jim was close to tears when we couldn't find you," Hunter said, anger creeping to his voice. He was glaring at Gray with eyes that demanded a better answer.
Gray sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, hoping that they could leave it at that.
"I know you don't do it on purpose, but why can't you be more careful? I don't want to see anyone else die after I lost Joyce," Hunter said.
"This is how I live my life," Gray said, growing somewhat frustrated despite his best efforts not to. His life had no room for anything stable; he was always moving on and leaving people behind. He always did what he felt had to be done, and Hunter's anger was almost insulting. It was like he was trying to chain him down to live the kind of life that he thought was appropriate.
"If I'm going to die doing something that I think is right, so be it. I won't let anyone control me, even my friends," he said. His voice was harsher than he meant, and he saw how his words made Hunter frown.
"Then I fear you may have to lead a lonely life," Hunter said.
"That's my problem," Gray said.
For a moment Hunter looked like he wanted to argue about that, but then the annoyed lines melted from his face. He slumped back against the tree behind him and sighed.
"I'm sorry," he said. "But surely you understand how I feel. You must have felt the same worry for Jim yesterday."
"Of course," Gray replied. He turned to glance to the other side of the camp where Jim and Silver were. After they had found the treasure, Silver had shown suspiciously little interest in it. He played along with Jim's enthusiasm, but he hadn't made a single claim and hadn't tried to take anything. He was probably waiting for a better moment.
There was one thing that Gray couldn't stop thinking about. When Jim had fallen into the sea, it was Silver's name he had called out. Out of all of his friends, it was the treacherous pirate whom Jim's instincts told him to trust the most. Gray couldn't help but feel bothered that he hadn't realised until now how strong Jim and Silver's friendship really was.
If Jim truly cared that much for Silver, maybe it was wrong of him to resent Silver that much for his actions. A friendship that strong was valuable, even if it ended in misery. It would hurt Jim to witness Silver's trial, but maybe it would hurt him even more if Silver abandoned him.
Jim's happy laughter cut through his thoughts like a knife. "I still can't believe we found the treasure, Silver!" he said.
"Neither can I," Silver said. There was a smile on his face, but he was staring at the fire with a thoughtful expression. The flames made shadows dance on his features, giving him an otherworldly appearance.
"I've been looking for it for such a long time," Silver continued.
"And now you found it," Jim said, oblivious to the melancholy tone of Silver's voice.
Gray watched the two of them for a while longer. He only moved his eyes away when Silver suddenly turned to look at him, eyes sharp with a questioning and challenging gleam. For once Gray didn't want to react to the provocation. He turned to stare up at the tatters of the starry sky that were visible through the trees, wondering where the sudden stab of guilt had come from.