Summary
The pirates launch their assault on the stockade, and Captain Smollett reveals why he's a true leader. When he catches his men abandoning their posts to watch Silver leave, he doesn't just get angry—he uses shame and duty to snap them back into focus. His preparation shows: every weapon positioned, every man assigned a role, ammunition ready. When the attack comes, it's chaos. Pirates swarm over the fence, Hunter gets knocked unconscious, Joyce is killed, and suddenly the defenders are fighting hand-to-hand inside their own fortress. But Smollett's leadership training pays off. He orders everyone outside where they can maneuver, turning a trap into an opportunity. The pirates expected to find cowering victims; instead they face organized resistance. In minutes, five pirates are dead and the rest flee. The victory comes at a cost—Joyce is dead, Hunter and the captain are wounded—but they've proven something important: discipline and leadership can overcome superior numbers. Jim shows real courage, grabbing a cutlass and fighting alongside the men. This battle transforms him from passenger to participant. The chapter demonstrates that when crisis hits, preparation matters, but adaptability matters more. Smollett doesn't stick rigidly to his defensive plan when it fails—he pivots immediately, saving his men through decisive action.
Coming Up in Chapter 22
With the stockade secured but casualties mounting, Jim makes a fateful decision that will separate him from his protectors. His next adventure will test everything he's learned about courage and survival.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
The Attack As soon as Silver disappeared, the captain, who had been closely watching him, turned towards the interior of the house and found not a man of us at his post but Gray. It was the first time we had ever seen him angry. “Quarters!” he roared. And then, as we all slunk back to our places, “Gray,” he said, “I’ll put your name in the log; you’ve stood by your duty like a seaman. Mr. Trelawney, I’m surprised at you, sir. Doctor, I thought you had worn the king’s coat! If that was how you served at Fontenoy, sir, you’d have been better in your berth.” The doctor’s watch were all back at their loopholes, the rest were busy loading the spare muskets, and everyone with a red face, you may be certain, and a flea in his ear, as the saying is. The captain looked on for a while in silence. Then he spoke. “My lads,” said he, “I’ve given Silver a broadside. I pitched it in red-hot on purpose; and before the hour’s out, as he said, we shall be boarded. We’re outnumbered, I needn’t tell you that, but we fight in shelter; and a minute ago I should have said we fought with discipline. I’ve no manner of doubt that we can drub them, if you choose.” Then he went the rounds and saw, as he said, that all was clear. On the two short sides of the house, east and west, there were only two loopholes; on the south side where the porch was, two again; and on the north side, five. There was a round score of muskets for the seven of us; the firewood had been built into four piles--tables, you might say--one about the middle of each side, and on each of these tables some ammunition and four loaded muskets were laid ready to the hand of the defenders. In the middle, the cutlasses lay ranged. “Toss out the fire,” said the captain; “the chill is past, and we mustn’t have smoke in our eyes.” The iron fire-basket was carried bodily out by Mr. Trelawney, and the embers smothered among sand. “Hawkins hasn’t had his breakfast. Hawkins, help yourself, and back to your post to eat it,” continued Captain Smollett. “Lively, now, my lad; you’ll want it before you’ve done. Hunter, serve out a round of brandy to all hands.” And while this was going on, the captain completed, in his own mind, the plan of the defence. “Doctor, you will take the door,” he resumed. “See, and don’t expose yourself; keep within, and fire through the porch. Hunter, take the east side, there. Joyce, you stand by the west, my man. Mr. Trelawney, you are the best shot--you and Gray will take this long north side, with the five loopholes; it’s there the danger is. If they can get up to it and fire in upon us through our own ports, things would begin to look dirty. Hawkins, neither you...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Crisis Leadership - When Plans Meet Reality
True leadership reveals itself not in perfect planning, but in the ability to abandon failing strategies and adapt quickly when reality demands it.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to distinguish between preparation and rigidity, showing when to abandon failing plans and pivot to what the crisis actually demands.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you're clinging to a plan that isn't working and ask yourself: am I trying to be right, or am I trying to solve the problem?
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Quarters
A military command meaning 'return to your assigned battle stations immediately.' In naval and military contexts, it meant every person had a specific position and role during combat that they had to maintain.
Modern Usage:
Like when a manager calls 'all hands on deck' during a crisis at work - everyone needs to drop what they're doing and focus on their assigned role.
Broadside
Originally meant firing all cannons on one side of a ship at once. Here Captain Smollett uses it metaphorically to mean he gave Silver a harsh, direct verbal attack with everything he had.
Modern Usage:
When someone unleashes everything they've got in an argument - like finally telling your boss exactly what you think of their management style.
Loopholes
Small openings in walls or fortifications that defenders could shoot through while staying protected. They allowed you to attack while minimizing your exposure to enemy fire.
Modern Usage:
We still use this word for gaps in rules or systems that people exploit, like tax loopholes or contract loopholes.
The King's Coat
Refers to military service in the British Army. Wearing the king's coat meant you were a soldier who had sworn loyalty and should understand military discipline and duty.
Modern Usage:
Like saying someone 'wore the uniform' or 'served their country' - it implies they should know better about discipline and following orders.
Drub
To beat thoroughly in a fight or competition. It means to defeat someone so completely that there's no question who won.
Modern Usage:
We still say a team got drubbed when they lose badly, like 'The home team got drubbed 42-7.'
Stockade
A defensive barrier made of wooden posts or logs, usually built quickly for protection. It's a temporary fort that can be constructed with available materials.
Modern Usage:
Any makeshift defensive position, like when protesters build barricades or when people board up windows before a hurricane.
Characters in This Chapter
Captain Smollett
Military leader
Shows true leadership under pressure by first disciplining his men for abandoning their posts, then adapting his strategy when the defensive plan fails. He turns a potential disaster into victory through quick thinking and decisive action.
Modern Equivalent:
The emergency room supervisor who stays calm during a crisis and makes split-second decisions that save lives
Gray
Loyal subordinate
The only crew member who stays at his post when everyone else abandons their positions to watch Silver leave. His reliability earns him praise from the captain and shows the value of steady, dependable people.
Modern Equivalent:
The coworker who keeps doing their job even when everyone else is gossiping or slacking off
Jim Hawkins
Coming-of-age protagonist
Transforms from observer to active participant in the battle, grabbing a cutlass and fighting alongside the men. This marks his transition from boy to someone who can hold his own in a crisis.
Modern Equivalent:
The teenager who steps up during a family emergency and proves they're more mature than anyone expected
Joyce
Sacrificial character
Dies during the pirate attack, showing that victory comes with real costs. His death makes the stakes concrete and personal for the remaining defenders.
Modern Equivalent:
The first responder who doesn't make it home, reminding everyone that some jobs carry real risks
Hunter
Wounded defender
Gets knocked unconscious during the fight but survives, representing those who pay a price for standing their ground but live to fight another day.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who gets hurt standing up to bullies but doesn't regret doing the right thing
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I'll put your name in the log; you've stood by your duty like a seaman."
Context: Praising Gray for being the only one who stayed at his post when everyone else abandoned their positions
This shows how real leaders recognize and reward reliability, especially when it stands out against everyone else's failure. Public recognition motivates good behavior and sets standards for others.
In Today's Words:
I'm putting this in your permanent record - you did your job when nobody else would.
"We're outnumbered, I needn't tell you that, but we fight in shelter; and a minute ago I should have said we fought with discipline."
Context: Addressing his men before the pirate attack, acknowledging their disadvantages while emphasizing their advantages
Great leadership means being honest about challenges while highlighting strengths. He doesn't sugarcoat the danger but reminds them why they can still win if they stick together.
In Today's Words:
Yeah, there's more of them than us, but we've got better position and training - if you people would actually follow orders.
"I've given Silver a broadside. I pitched it in red-hot on purpose."
Context: Explaining to his men that he deliberately provoked Silver to force the confrontation to happen now
This reveals strategic thinking - sometimes you have to force a fight when the timing favors you rather than wait for the enemy to choose when to attack.
In Today's Words:
I really let Silver have it on purpose - better to deal with this now when we're ready than wait for him to surprise us.
Thematic Threads
Leadership
In This Chapter
Smollett demonstrates adaptive leadership under pressure, pivoting from defensive to offensive strategy when his plan fails
Development
Evolution from his earlier rigid authority to flexible command that prioritizes results over ego
In Your Life:
You might see this when you're supervising others and have to choose between sticking to your plan or adapting to what actually works
Class
In This Chapter
Jim fights alongside the men as an equal, crossing class lines through shared danger and courage
Development
Continues Jim's journey from passive upper-class observer to active participant regardless of social position
In Your Life:
You might see this when crisis situations strip away social pretenses and reveal who actually steps up
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Jim transforms from passenger to participant, grabbing a cutlass and joining the fight
Development
Major leap from his earlier passive role to actively choosing courage and engagement
In Your Life:
You might see this when you stop watching from the sidelines and decide to fully engage in challenging situations
Identity
In This Chapter
The battle reveals true character - who fights, who leads, who adapts under pressure
Development
Continues the theme that crisis reveals authentic self beyond social roles
In Your Life:
You might see this when high-pressure situations show you who you really are versus who you thought you were
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Traditional roles dissolve in combat - the boy fights, the captain adapts, hierarchy becomes fluid
Development
Further breakdown of rigid social structures when survival demands practical cooperation
In Your Life:
You might see this when emergencies at work require everyone to step outside their usual job descriptions
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific actions did Captain Smollett take when the pirates broke into the stockade, and how did this change the outcome of the battle?
analysis • surface - 2
Why did Smollett order his men outside the stockade instead of continuing to defend from inside? What does this reveal about effective leadership under pressure?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about a workplace or family situation where someone stuck to a plan that clearly wasn't working. How might things have gone differently if they had adapted like Smollett?
application • medium - 4
When you're in charge of something that starts going wrong, what's your natural instinct - to double down on your original plan or to pivot? How could you train yourself to be more flexible?
application • deep - 5
What's the difference between a leader who prepares well and one who just tries to control everything? How does this battle show us which approach actually works?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Plan Your Pivot Points
Think of a current situation where you have a plan - maybe at work, with your kids, or a personal goal. Write down your plan, then identify three specific signs that would tell you it's time to change course. For each warning sign, brainstorm one alternative approach you could try instead.
Consider:
- •Focus on what you can control, not what you can't
- •Consider what success actually looks like vs. just following your original plan
- •Think about who else is affected by your decisions and what they need from you
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you held onto a plan too long because changing course felt like admitting failure. What would you do differently now, and how would you recognize the signs earlier?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 22: Jim's Dangerous Solo Mission Begins
The coming pages reveal isolation and boredom can drive risky decision-making, and teach us young people take dangerous risks despite knowing better. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.