Chapter 4 — IV<br/>The Sea-chest

 lost no time, of course, in telling my mother all that I knew, and perhaps
should have told her long before, and we saw ourselves at once in a difficult
and dangerous position. Some of the man’s money—if he had any—was certainly due
to us, but it was not likely that our captain’s shipmates, above all the two
specimens seen by me, Black Dog and the blind beggar, would be inclined to give
up their booty in payment of the dead man’s debts. The captain’s order to mount
at once and ride for Doctor Livesey would have left my mother alone and
unprotected, which was not to be thought of. Indeed, it seemed impossible for
either of us to remain much longer in the house; the fall of coals in the
kitchen grate, the very ticking of the clock, filled us with alarms. The
neighbourhood, to our ears, seemed haunted by approaching footsteps; and what
between the dead body of the captain on the parlour floor and the thought of
that detestable blind beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return, there
were moments when, as the saying goes, I jumped in my skin for terror.
Something must speedily be resolved upon, and it occurred to us at last to go
forth together and seek help in the neighbouring hamlet. No sooner said than
done. Bare-headed as we were, we ran out at once in the gathering evening and
the frosty fog.