Chapter 23 of Treasure Island is a pulse-pounding mix of danger and daring as Jim Hawkins sets out on a life-or-death mission aboard Ben Gunn’s fragile coracle.

The makeshift boat, barely seaworthy, spins wildly under Jim’s inexperienced paddling, refusing to stay on course.

“She turned in every direction but the one I was bound to go.”

Despite the struggle, Jim reaches the Hispaniola, where he quietly pulls out his knife to cut the rope anchoring the ship.

One strand at a time, he works in tense silence, until the schooner drifts free—carrying both Jim and the Hispaniola out to sea.

But Jim’s relief is short-lived. From the cabin, the sound of loud, angry voices reaches his ears. Curiosity and terror drive him to peer through the window, where he sees Israel Hands locked in a deadly fight with another pirate. The violent clash inside the cabin turns Jim’s stomach, but worse, it brings the mutineers dangerously close to discovering the ship is no longer anchored.

When the combatants notice the ship’s movement, Jim panics and dives into the bottom of the coracle, hiding from view and hoping against hope he won’t be discovered.

Will Jim’s bold gamble leave him stranded at sea—or worse, in the hands of the mutineers? With the ship adrift and tensions rising aboard the Hispaniola, Chapter 23 builds to a nerve-shredding climax. Jim’s courage is being tested like never before, and the danger has never been more real.

BUILD A MODEL CORACLE

“She turned in every direction but the one I was bound to go.”

A coracle is a small, lightweight boat, typically oval or circular in shape, with a simple, shallow frame covered by waterproof materials. They’re usually homemade out of the resources available and, because they’re not crafted like more sophisticated boats, are more difficult to navigate and steer. We’re going to make one just like Ben Gunn’s coracle.

TERMS TO KNOW

“Cross-grained lop-sided craft to manage” – suggests the boat has a stubborn, uncooperative nature, making it challenging to handle. “Lop-sided” means the boat isn’t balanced.

Spars and hull – “spars” are the beams, such as masts, booms, and yards, used to support the sails and rigging of a ship. The hull is the main body, including the frame and outer shell.

Hawser – a thick rope or cable used for mooring or towing a ship.

One cut with my sea-gully – a type of sailor’s knife or short blade.

Gunner – a crew member responsible for the ship’s firearms and artillery, such as cannons.

A droop and a quaver at the end of every verse – the way a singing voice trails off at the end of each line. “Droop” is a decrease in volume, while “quaver” is a slight tremble.

Ditty – a short, simple song with a catchy, repetitive melody.

The schooner sidled – moving sideways in an unsteady manner, as if it’s shifting or creeping along.

“The ship was talking” – the creaking and groaning of the ship.

An incessant weltering splash – the constant, chaotic sound of water splashing and churning.

Unsteady skiff – a small, lightweight boat that is difficult to balance or control.

Two furious, encrimsoned faces – faces reddened in anger.

“She yawed sharply and seemed to change her course” – refers to an abrupt, unsteady side-to-side movement, often caused by shifts in wind, waves, or steering.

Phosphorescent – a natural glow or light in the ocean that is emitted by certain organisms.

Wheeling to the southward – a smooth, sweeping motion.

Some bar of raging breakers – a sandbar or underwater ridge where waves crash violently, creating turbulent, foaming water.

Beaten to and fro upon the billows – being tossed around by the waves, or “billows,” of the sea. “Beaten to and fro” suggests a forceful, relentless movement back and forth.