`` A trifle more of that man , '' he would say , `` and I shall explode . '' We had some heavy weather , which only proved the qualities of the HISPANIOLA . Every man on board seemed well content , and they must have been hard to please if they had been otherwise , for it is my belief there was never a ship 's company so spoiled since Noah put to sea . Double grog was going on the least excuse ; there was duff on odd days , as , for instance , if the squire heard it was any man 's birthday , and always a barrel of apples standing broached in the waist for anyone to help himself that had a fancy . `` Never knew good come of it yet , '' the captain said to Dr. Livesey . `` Spoil forecastle hands , make devils . That 's my belief . '' But good did come of the apple barrel , as you shall hear , for if it had not been for that , we should have had no note of warning and might all have perished by the hand of treachery . This was how it came about . We had run up the trades to get the wind of the island we were after -- I am not allowed to be more plain -- and now we were running down for it with a bright lookout day and night . It was about the last day of our outward voyage by the largest computation ; some time that night , or at latest before noon of the morrow , we should sight the Treasure Island . We were heading S.S.W. and had a steady breeze abeam and a quiet sea . The HISPANIOLA rolled steadily , dipping her bowsprit now and then with a whiff of spray . All was drawing alow and aloft ; everyone was in the bravest spirits because we were now so near an end of the first part of our adventure . Now , just after sundown , when all my work was over and I was on my way to my berth , it occurred to me that I should like an apple . I ran on deck . The watch was all forward looking out for the island . The man at the helm was watching the luff of the sail and whistling away gently to himself , and that was the only sound excepting the swish of the sea against the bows and around the sides of the ship . In I got bodily into the apple barrel , and found there was scarce an apple left ; but sitting down there in the dark , what with the sound of the waters and the rocking movement of the ship , I had either fallen asleep or was on the point of doing so when a heavy man sat down with rather a clash close by . The barrel shook as he leaned his shoulders against it , and I was just about to jump up when the man began to speak .
It was Silver 's voice , and before I had XXXXX a dozen words , I would not have shown myself for all the world , but lay there , trembling and listening , in the extreme of fear and curiosity , for from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard depended upon me alone .
Spoil allowed berth excepting explode heard leaned looking occurred said