Treasure Island: Chapter 29 Summary & Analysis

After a long council, one of the pirates enters again and asks for the torch. Jim peers out, and sees a kneeling figure with a book and knife in his hand. Then they all march back towards the house, where one pirate slips something into Silver’s hand and then steps back. It’s the black spot—Silver declares that he’s not surprised, but they’ve cut the paper out of a Bible, which is deeply unlucky. He asks who had a bible, and one says that it was Dick.

Silver continues to taunt Dick and George Merry, the pirate who wrote “deposed” on the slip, but Merry sullenly tells him he’s no longer captain, and he now has to help vote. Silver says the rules are that he waits, still as captain, while the others air their grievances and then choose a new leader. Merry cries that Silver has ruined the voyage, has let the enemy slip away, and prevented the pirates from murdering them during the truce—besides, there’s the boy Jim. One by one, Silver answers the complaints, identifying Anderson, Hands, and Merry as the pirates who have made mischief and meddled from the start. He says that “tailors” is a better word for these men than “gentlemen of fortune.” Finally, he says it’s idiotic to kill Jim, a hostage, who might be their last chance, or to kill the doctor, who has been taking care of the wounded. Finally, he throws the treasure map onto the ground. Jim still can’t imagine why the doctor gave it to Silver.

But the pirates, with a cry, grab hold of the map and pass it from hand to hand. Merry wonders aloud how they’ll get the treasure out with no ship. It was Merry’s men who lost the ship and Silver’s who found the treasure, Silver reminds them, saying that he now resigns for anyone to replace him as captain. But now the pirates cry that they do want him: satisfied, Silver tells Merry that he’ll have to wait his turn a little longer. Silver tosses Jim the black spot to examine: one side contains a verse from Revelations, including “Without are dogs and murderers,” while on the other side has been scrawled, “Depposed.”

Jim lies awake late that night, amazed by Silver’s careful game, keeping the pirates content even while desperately trying to save his own life. Jim knows Silver is wicked but still feels sorry for the “gibbet” (gallows) that awaits him.