The danger intensifies in Chapter 3 of Treasure Island, where the shadow of death and treachery looms over the Admiral Benbow Inn. After his clash with Black Dog, the grizzled Billy Bones lies bedridden, his body weakening but his thirst for rum as unrelenting as ever.

His ominous words, dripping with desperation—set a grim tone for what’s to come: “I lived on rum, I tell you… and if I’m not to have my rum now, my blood’ll be on you, Jim!”

As if the captain’s precarious state wasn’t enough, tragedy strikes when Jim Hawkins’ father passes away, leaving young Jim to shoulder unimaginable responsibility. But the worst is far from over. Into this cauldron of fear steps Pew, a sinister blind pirate whose arrival sends chills down the spine. With a cruel twist of Jim’s arm, he forces the boy to guide him to Billy Bones.

When Pew delivers a slip of paper bearing the dreaded black spot—marking a pirate’s doom—it’s more than Billy can bear. Overcome with terror, the captain collapses in a fatal stroke, leaving Jim and his mother alone in the crosshairs of a band of ruthless pirates closing in on the inn.

The walls are closing in, the stakes are higher than ever, and Jim must summon every ounce of courage to survive. What secrets has Billy Bones left behind, and can Jim and his mother escape the storm of danger that’s about to descend? Chapter 3 sets the stage for a deadly pursuit—brace yourself for what’s next!

THE BLACK SPOT GAME

“What is the black spot, captain?” I asked.

“That’s a summons, mate. I’ll tell you if they get that. But you keep your weather-eye open, Jim, and I’ll share with you equals…”

We’re playing the game “mafia” with friends, but let’s trade the crime-family theme with that of pirates and the black spot!

TERMS TO KNOW

Swabs – derogatory pirate slang for sailors. Something akin to “fools,” “scoundrels,” or “good-for-nothings.”

Yellow Jack – refers to yellow fever, a deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, common in the tropics.

“You won’t peach unless they get the black spot on me” - “peach” means to betray someone. Billy Bones is asking for assurance that Jim won’t tell his enemies about him.

Lee shore – refers to a shoreline that is on the downwind side of a body of water, meaning the wind is blowing toward the shore. A lee shore is dangerous because it can push ships into land.

The horrors – a state of extreme fear, anxiety, or even hallucinations, associated with severe alcohol withdrawal.

Golden guinea – a British coin made of gold from Guinea in West Africa that was worth one pound and one shilling (21 shillings).

Lubbers – a derogatory term to describe inexperienced or clumsy people. A “landlubber” is someone who lives on land and lacks the skills or knowledge required for life at sea.

The black spot – a pirate symbol of judgment or doom. Receiving it signifies that the pirate has been marked for death or demotion. It’s a kind of pirate court summons or a death sentence.

Apoplexy – any sudden loss of consciousness or paralysis caused by a rupture or blockage of a blood vessel in the brain. Today, we would refer to this condition as a stroke.