The pirates celebrate: today is the day they'll be digging up the treasure…or so they think.
9. An empty pit and Ben Gunn's surprise
In the stockade the pirates are celebrating - today they'll be digging up Flint's treasure…or so they think.
They set off, following the treasure map, Silver leading them. Along the way they pass one of Flint's 'pointers' - the skeleton of a young pirate who Flint killed and then placed so that his arm would show the way.
They arrive at the spot where the treasure should be…and sure enough there's a pit in the ground. But it quickly becomes apparent that someone has been there before them - the pit is empty.
The pirates are about to turn on Silver when suddenly shots ring out…and two pirates fall dead. Then Dr Livesey and Ben Gunn come out of the undergrowth, pistols blazing. Jim, Silver and the others make their escape and Ben takes them to a cave where he has stored Flint's treasure hoard. He reveals that he had found the treasure himself some years before and had moved it to the cave for safe keeping.
That night the group have a party on the beach, with provisions taken from the Hispaniola. The next morning they set sail for England.
Resources
Resource Pack
Guidance, worksheets and follow-up activities for use in school and at home (pdf)
Meet the characters. image
A quick guide to the characters in Treasure Island.
Sequencing activity. document
Number the images on the PDF to place the events of the story in the correct order.
Resource Sheet 9. document
Download / print worksheet: create a pirate slogan for Long John Silver (pdf)
Resource Sheet - Illustrations. document
Download / print illustrations for follow-up activities (pdf)
More from this series
7. A fight and the Hispaniola captured. video
Jim slips away at night, sets the Hispaniola adrift and in the morning boards the ship.
8. The pirates parley and the black spot. video
Jim returns to the stockade to discover that it is now in the hands of the pirates
10. Silver escapes and the heroes return. video
The Hispaniola puts ashore during the voyage home...and Silver grasps his opportunity
