I Go to Bristol

           Itwaslongerthanthesquireimaginederewewerereadyforthesea,andnoneofourfirstplans—notevenDr.Livesey’s,ofkeepingmebesidehim—couldbecarriedoutasweintended.ThedoctorhadtogotoLondonforaphysiciantotakechargeofhispractice;thesquirewashardatworkatBristol;andIlivedonatthehallunderthechargeofoldRedruth,thegamekeeper,almostaprisoner,butfullofsea-dreamsandthemostcharminganticipationsofstrangeislandsandadventures.Ibroodedbythehourtogetheroverthemap,allthedetailsofwhichIwellremembered.Sittingbythefireinthehousekeeper’sroom,Iapproachedthatislandinmyfancyfromeverypossibledirection;Iexploredeveryacreofitssurface;IclimbedathousandtimestothattallhilltheycalltheSpy-glass,andfromthetopenjoyedthemostwonderfulandchangingprospects.Sometimestheislewasthickwithsavages,withwhomwefought,sometimesfullofdangerousanimalsthathuntedus,butinallmyfanciesnothingoccurredtomesostrangeandtragicasouractualadventures.

           Sotheweekspassedon,tillonefinedaytherecamealetteraddressedtoDr.Livesey,withthisaddition,"Tobeopened,inthecaseofhisabsence,byTomRedruthoryoungHawkins."Obeyingthisorder,wefound,orratherIfound—forthegamekeeperwasapoorhandatreadinganythingbutprint—thefollowingimportantnews:

           OldAnchorInn,Bristol,March1,17—

           DearLivesey—AsIdonotknowwhetheryouareatthehallorstillinLondon,Isendthisindoubletobothplaces.

           Theshipisboughtandfitted.Sheliesatanchor,readyforsea.Youneverimaginedasweeterschooner—achildmightsailher—twohundredtons;name,Hispaniola.