I 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 specimens¹ 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 hovering² 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 forth³ 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 gathering⁴ evening and the frosty fog.
The hamlet lay not many hundred yards away though out of view, on the other side of the next cove⁵; and what greatly encouraged me, it was in an opposite direction from that whence the blind man had made his appearance, and whither he had presumably returned. We were not many minutes on the road, though we sometimes stopped to lay hold of each other and hearken. But there was no unusual sound - nothing but the low wash of the ripple⁶ and the croaking⁷ of the inmates⁸ of the wood.

It was already candle-light when we reached the hamlet, and I shall never forget how much I was cheered to see the yellow shine in doors and windows; but that, was the best of the help we were likely to get in that quarter For - you would have thought men would have been ashamed of themselves - no soul would consent to return with us to the `Admiral Benbow.' The more we told of our troubles, the more - man, woman, and child - they clung to the shelter of their houses. The name of Captain Flint, though it was strange to me, was well enough known to some there, and carried a great weight of terror. Some of the men who had been to field-work on the far side of the `Admiral Benbow' remembered, besides, to have seen several strangers on the road, and, taking them to be smugglers, to have bolted away and one at least had seen a little lugger in what we called Kitt's Hole. For that matter, anyone who was a comrade of that captain's was enough to frighten them to death. And the short and the long of the matter was, that while we could get several who were willing enough to ride to Dr Livesey's which lay in another direction, not one would help us to defend the inn.

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1 specimens
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人
参考例句：
Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。 The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hovering
鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫
参考例句：
The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。 I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

3 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 gathering
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。 He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 cove
n.小海湾，小峡谷
参考例句：
The shore line is wooded,olive-green,a pristine cove.岸边一带林木蓊郁，嫩绿一片，好一个山外的小海湾。 I saw two children were playing in a cove.我看到两个小孩正在一个小海湾里玩耍。

6 ripple
n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进
参考例句：
The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。 The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

7 croaking
v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
the croaking of frogs 蛙鸣 I could hear croaking of the frogs. 我能听到青蛙呱呱的叫声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 inmates
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )
参考例句：
One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 cowardice
n.胆小，怯懦
参考例句：
His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。 His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。

10 lawful
adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的
参考例句：
It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。 We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

11 sob
n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣
参考例句：
The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。 The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

12 tar
n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于
参考例句：
The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。 We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

13 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

14 repugnance
n.嫌恶
参考例句：
He fought down a feelings of repugnance.他抑制住了厌恶感。 She had a repugnance to the person with whom she spoke.她看不惯这个和她谈话的人。

15 brace
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备
参考例句：
My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。 You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

16 brass
n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器
参考例句：
Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。 Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

17 underneath
adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面
参考例句：
Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。 She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

18 impatience
n.不耐烦，急躁
参考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。 He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

19 jingle
n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵
参考例句：
The key fell on the ground with a jingle.钥匙叮当落地。 The knives and forks set up their regular jingle.刀叉发出常有的叮当声。

20 rogues
n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽
参考例句：
'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道，我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛 The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑，但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

21 random
adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句：
The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。 On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

22 rattling
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句：
This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。 At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

23 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

24 obstinately
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。 Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。

25 unwilling
adj.不情愿的
参考例句：
The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。 His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

26 dispersing
adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式
参考例句：
Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。 Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

27 tavern
n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店
参考例句：
There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。 Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。

28 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

29 tottering
adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠
参考例句：
the tottering walls of the castle 古城堡摇摇欲坠的墙壁 With power and to spare we must pursue the tottering foe. 宜将剩勇追穷寇。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

30 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。