Treasure Island: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

Mr. Dance and Jim arrive to Dr. Livesey’s house, where Squire Trelawney, a tall, rough-faced man, is also sitting by the fire. Mr. Dance tells the story, and Jim pulls out the oilskin packet.

First, though, they eat dinner, and the squire talks about Captain Flint, the most violent and bloodthirsty pirate of all time. Dr. Livesey asks if Flint had money: the squire exclaims that his treasure is well-known. The three then open the bundle. On the first page there are only a few scrawled lines; the next few pages include latitude and longitude and some accounts of debts. The squire exclaims that this must be Billy Bones’ account book, including the ships sunk and towns plundered.

The final page is folded and sealed. When Dr. Livesey pries open the seal, a detailed map of an island falls out. There’s a hill in the center marked “the Spy-glass” and a careful mark signaling where treasure is located, along with directions written on the back.

Jim isn’t sure what all the fuss is about, but the squire and doctor are thrilled. Squire Trelawney cries that they’ll draw up a crew, bring Jim on as a cabin-boy, and set out on the next ship available. The doctor, however, is a little concerned, realizing that the other pirates know about the existence of this map too—the three of them must not breathe a word to anyone, and must never be alone until they set sail from Bristol.