Chaos erupts in Chapter 5 of Treasure Island as the ruthless pirates descend upon the Admiral Benbow Inn. Jim Hawkins and his mother, hidden in a ditch just beyond the tavern, hold their breath as the night comes alive with the sounds of destruction—boots stomping, furniture crashing, and doors splintering under the weight of their search. The treasure map, Captain Flint’s key to unimaginable riches, remains just out of the pirates’ grasp.

Led by the menacing Pew, the buccaneers tear the inn apart, their frustration growing as their hunt turns up nothing. Every crash and shout sends a fresh wave of terror through Jim and his mother.

But salvation comes in an unexpected twist—a group of riders gallops toward the inn, firing a pistol shot that scatters the pirates like shadows at dawn.

In their haste to escape, the buccaneers abandon the blind and desperate Pew, whose pleas for mercy echo into the darkness. His fate is sealed, and it’s as brutal as the world he inhabits.

As the dust settles, Jim steps forward with a secret he can no longer keep: the treasure map is in his possession.

But this isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning. Instead of handing it over to the revenue officer, Jim insists they take it to Dr. Livesey, a man of honor and authority. The officer agrees, setting the stage for a momentous meeting that will propel Jim into a world of peril, loyalty, and high-stakes adventure.

What secrets will the map reveal? And how long before the pirates regroup and come after Jim? The journey toward Treasure Island is about to begin, but danger is never far behind.

MAKE AN ANTIQUATED TREASURE MAP

“I believe I have the thing in my breast-pocket; and, to tell you the truth, I should like to get it put to safety…”

We can’t have a Reading Plan for Treasure Island without an opportunity to make our own treasure maps. We’ve provided a list of preferred materials, some creative ideas, and instructions. But the rest is up to you to make a mysterious sea-worthy map.

TERMS TO KNOW

Flint’s fist – represents Captain Flint’s powerful and feared reputation, as well as his iron grip on his treasure.

“They left their glim here” – a light or lantern. This refers to the lanterns Jim and his mother left burning in their hurry to escape.

“Pew’s cursed patience” – despite being frail and blind, Pew exudes a calm and calculated demeanor.

“The pluck of a weevil in a biscuit” – refers to a lack of courage. A weevil is a tiny insect often found in dry food like biscuits or ship rations, and it would take very little “pluck” or bravery for such a small creature to live in something as harmless as a biscuit.

“A pistol shot, flash and report” - “flash” refers to the visible burst of light from the gunpowder igniting, while “report” is the loud sound or echo that follows the shot.

“News of the lugger in Kitt’s Hole” – information about a mysterious, small ship with a distinctive lug sail that appears in Kitt’s Hole, suggesting that pirates are close by.

“Grope down the dingle” – moving carefully and feeling one’s way down a wooded valley or ravine, known as a “dingle.”

“Warn the cutter” – sending a warning to a small, fast boat (a “cutter”) used by naval or pirate crews for quick maneuvering.

“I’m glad I trod on Master Pew’s corns” – an idiom meaning to irritate or bother someone—“corns” being a term for painful calluses on the feet, and “trod on” implying stepping on them.