the characters are at crossroads, can a compromise be found? Please review!

Chapter 7

"Jim lad!"

Jim looked up at the sound of his name to see Silver wave at him from across the deck and made his way over. The cook grinned broadly at him and put a fatherly hand on his shoulder,

"Eh you're broadening up like no tomorrow Jimbo!" Silver observed, noting the pleased look Jim tried to hide.

Jim tried not to look too pleased with the compliment.

"Did you want me Long John?" He asked, putting a hand to his face to block the suns glare, Silver nodded,

"Aye lad that I did. Just to hand out the rations to the men." Silver told him, leaning heavily on his crutch. The boy nodded and turned to carry out the order but Long John caught his arm.

"Jim lad. What do ye think of this here crew?" Silver asked, quick to gauge the boys reaction which was one of wariness barely concealed.

"It's not my place to judge." Jim said cautiously. The cook laughed,

"Oh come now Jimbo. We're friends aren't we? Shipmates? So none of that!" He said lightly nudging Jim in the ribs.

"Well they're a rough sort, I'll not hide that." Jim began slowly and Silver nodded his agreement,

"Aye true enough lad, true enough."

"And sometimes I catch them looking at me in a way I don't much like. And at the captain and squire too. Even the doctor and Redruth..."

Silver tried to hide his surprise at the boy's sharpness with a laugh,

"Oh that's just the seafaring way. You learn to trust nowt but the boat that carries ye." He said waving a dismissive hand and smiling the most genuine smile he could muster.

"And you know as well as I that...well the captain and his lot...they're not the most..."Silver paused as if looking for the right words, all the time observing Jim from the corner of his eye, the boy looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"Long John, I know they don't seem the fun-loving sort but they're good men and they've commandeered this voyage well, with such an aim it would have been easy to make a right mess of things." Jim said, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Silver's eyes gleamed as the boy ducked his head and he moved closer.

"Aye well that' the crux of it lad, you're a bright one you are – bright as paint if I've not said it before. Now you know that there's more to this here voyage than the crew knows, blimey the crew know it themselves!" Long John whispered careful not to sound too urgent as the boys eyes widened and he glanced around.

"I -" Jim stopped himself, much as he liked and trusted Long John it wasn't his place to say.

"The word that's being passed around Jim, the phrase if you like," Silver said, leaning in closer still, "is treasure. Buried treasure." Jim's intake of breath was heard and noted before Long John straightened up and laughed.

"O'course it's none of my concern but...if there's something stirring I want you to keep out of it Jim, and for that ye have to know what's what." Silver said, accompanying his shameless lie with a companionable clap on the back.

Jim met his eyes awkwardly, thinking of his own father who'd never been there to look out for him, to warn him or worry about him. Since Long John had taken him under his wing he'd been thinking that a lot, how nice it was to have a father figure if not a father. Much as he knew the map was to be kept a secret, Long John only had his best interests at heart and was about to say as much when the captain's firm voice called his name.

Jim spun around and Silver had to stop himself from cursing – he'd been about to tell him! No matter, he thought, his reaction was such that he knew the rumor to be true.

"On with ye." He told Jim as the boy looked back at him before walking to join the captain and the rest of them.

"Did you want me Captain?" Jim asked, touching his knuckle to his forehead.

"Not you boy but what you carry in your shirt." The captain clarified and Jim ducked his head as he was ushered into the captains cabin.

Before the man could say anything Jim pulled out the map and gave it to him,

"The crew are talking Sir. It's safer here." He explained before turning and walking out of the room.

The men stood in silence for a few moment after the door had shut behind him then the squire cleared his throat,

"He's a good soul isn't he?" He said gruffly and the Captain gave a tight-lipped smile.

"Yes. I believe he is."

Scarlett had just finished getting the food ready for the crew when Jim joined her in the galley.

"Long John told me to bring the food up to the crew." He informed her and she rolled her eyes, slamming the plate she'd been cleaning down with unnecessary force, the memory of how she'd been...how she must have looked and seemed to him yesterday made her cringe and she thought he had no right being so normal.

"Well it's all done so why don't you take it and scamper up to do your 'master's bidding like a good little lapdog." She snapped turning away to hide her traitor of a trembling lip.

"Long John is a good man." Jim said adopting the same tone – why did she have to be so frustrating and revert back inside her defensive armor every time she showed a chink of humanity?

Scarlett scoffed under her breath, good man indeed. If he just knew...but she couldn't say – she had no doubt her life depended on it. Long John had steel in his soul, she knew from experience, and wouldn't hesitate to remove her as a mere obstacle if she got in the way.

Jim felt a flash of anger at her attitude in general,

"Do you think well of anyone?" He asked, letting annoyance color his tone. "Of yourself even? Long John's been like a Father to me since I've known him, he's honest and kind, so don't disprove of him for the qualities he has which you don't possess." He snatched up the bundle of food and walked briskly away.

"You know nothing of anything!" She screamed at his retreating back. Guilt and frustration made her sink to her knees when he was gone, like a father to him...but Long John was not what Jim believed him to be. She knew him. Knew the coldness that was in his heart and the cunning in his brain. But she could never tell Jim the extent of his deception, she valued her life too much. And, she supposed, she valued his too much as well for Silver would surely kill him if Jim obstructed his victory. Which he would, of course, try to do being the moral, conscientious, idiotic boy he was.

Angrily she began the mammoth task of washing up but was once again interrupted by Long John and Dick – one of the nicer lads amongst the crew, she didn't believe he knew of the treasure or the planned mutiny but she knew that was about to change.

"Bright lad you are – smart as paint!" Long John said in his usual jolly tone, putting an arm around the smiling young man. Lottie threw up her hands in exasperation and got a look from Long John that clearly said:

"Stow it." So she did. She 'stowed it' for the whole of the spiel John fed every guillable innocent he had a use for and she 'stowed it' whilst Dick's face lit up with every compliment and whilst he gasped or laughed at every thrilling or amusing story Silver told.

"On with ye lad." John said at last, wiping fake tears of laughter at something Dick had said from his eye. Dick smiled and bounded up the stairs, stopping to nod and smile at Scarlett first.

Lottie turned to find Silver staring at her,

"You alright then Lottie?" He asked with a smile she knew to be forced.

"Save it John." She said wearily and didn't look to see his face darken.

The slap to the back of her head, therefore, took her completely by surprise.

When she looked up to shout at him he had already gone, no doubt to fool some more fools.