Chapter I
Date: July 27 1813, am to pm
Location: Minden Cottage, Antony, to the Copenhagen Academy, Falmouth.
Harry Brooks is the son of widower Major James Brooks of Minden Cottage. Harry travels with housekeeper Amelia Plinlimmon in the Royal Mail coach, from Antony to Falmouth, so as to enrol at the Copenhagen Academy. It is run by the Revd Philip Stimcoe, B.A. (Oxon), and his wife, with Captain Branscome as an assistant teacher.
Chapter II
Date: July 27, 1813, pm
Location: The Copenhagen Academy, 7 Delaware terrace, Falmouth
Introduction to: the Revd Philip Stimcoe, a drunkard, and his wife, who runs the academy on credit; the four boarders and six day school boys; and the opposing and better run school of Rogers.
Chapter III
Date: July 27, 1813, evening
Location: Falmouth, Market Strand (Market Street)
Captain Coffin emerges drunk from the Plume and Feathers to be mobbed by the scholars of Stimcoe and Rogers. Harry Brooks fights with Bully Stokes until the fight is stopped by Stimcoe and a constable. Coffin admires Brooks and invites him to his lodgings.
Chapter IV
Date: July or August, 1813, a Saturday
Location: Copenhagen Academy, Falmouth
Captain Branscome resigns from the academy owing to a failure of payment. Harry Brooks takes a letter containing 5s from Mrs Stimcoe to Captain Branscome at his lodging off Killigrew Street, where he encounters Captain Coffin learning navigation. With Branscome temporarily absent, wrestling with his conscience, Coffin speaks to Brooks about a treasure island and invites him to a meeting the following day.
Captain Branscome returns the 5s with a promise to recommence teaching.
Harry Brooks notices the gold-rimmed eye-glasses of Captain Branscome; these will later be found at a murder scene. These and a sword had been awarded to Branscome after he was forced to retire from the sea. In 1808-9, he had been in charge of the Londonderry when it conveyed Major James Brooks and the King's Own from Corunna to Plymouth following the failure of the Galicia campaign led by Sir John Moore. He exists on a small pension which hardly covers his expenses.
Chapter V
Date: The following Sunday
Location: Captain Coffin's lodgings
The reader is introduced to George Goodfellow, whose fiancée works in Plymouth. Goodfellow walks to and from Plymouth, passing Minden Cottage, every weekend. He is helping Coffin with the construction of a whaleboat.
In Captain Coffin's lodgings, the reader is shown some details that will be relevant in later chapters: the walking stick later used for his murder near Minden Cottage; a corner cupboard painted in green and yellow tulips which contains his log.
Captain Coffin gives a veiled account of his first expedition to Mortallone, with Klootz and Glass, in January 1799, where they encounter Dr Beauregard. He is building the whaleboat to make a second attempt, as it can be transported on the deck of a Kingston packet to Jamaica.
Chapter VI
Date: Sunday
Location: Captain Coffin's Lodgings
George Goodfellow tells Harry Brooks of his speaking to Amelia Plinlimmon at Minden Cottage during his recent walk to and from Plymouth.
Coffin shows Harry Brooks the chart of Mortallone that he keeps in an oilskin wrapper.
Chapter VII
Date: Christmas holiday
Location: Minden Cottage
Major James Brooks recalls knowledge of Captain Branscome of the Londonderry in 1808-9.
Date: January 1814
Location: Falmouth
Harry Brooks informs Captain Branscome of Major Brooks memory of the journey in 1808-9. Captain Branscome formulates a plan of visiting Minden Cottage.
Date: May 11
Location: Plume and Feathers, off Market Strand, Falmouth
A boat containing released POWs docks at Market Stairs (now Prince of Wales Pier). One is Aaron Glass who repairs to the Plume and Feathers where he recognises Captain Coffin as a surviving shipmate from the Mortallone venture. We later learn that Coffin had sold Glass to a press-gang . Coffin rushes terrified for the door. (5pm).
Chapter VIII
Date: May 11, 1814, between 5pm and 8pm
Location: Falmouth
In fear of his life, Coffin, accompanied by Harry Brooks, makes for a deserted windmill, where Coffin hints at his dark past. Major James Brooks of Minden Cottage is suggested as a safe keeper of the map. To obtain money for the trip, he sends Harry Brooks, with the key to the corner cupboard, to Captain Branscome with orders to enter the lodgings and remove the cash but not a roll of papers (Coffin's log).
6.30: Harry Brooks arrives at Branscome's lodging to find him absent.
7.00: Harry Brooks reports the absence of Branscome to Coffin at the windmill. Coffin decides to catch the St Mawes ferry from a row boat off Arwenack (North Quay), to borrow money from the landlord of the Lugger at St Mawes and to travel to Minden Cottage.
Instead of returning to Stimcoe's, Harry Brooks walks down to the St Mawes ferry, where he sees and is seen by Aaron Glass, who is about to board.
Chapter IX
Location: Captain Coffin's Lodgings
With Glass departing, Harry Brooks goes to the lodgings of Coffin, only to find it ransacked (by Glass) and the corner cupboard gone (by Goodfellow). Brooks returns to Stimcoes.
Chapter X
Date: May 11, 1814, night
Location: Copenhagen Academy
Harry Brooks returns to Stimcoe's to find the Revd Stimcoe suffering from alcohol poisoning and shortly to be attended by Dr Spargo.
Date: May12
A day’s holiday owing to the condition of Stimcoe and the absence of Branscome (at Minden).
Date: May 13, 7pm
Captain Branscome reappears (from Minden Cottage), without his gold-rimmed eyeglasses.
A letter arrives for Harry Brooks from Amelia Plinlimmon summoning him to Minden by coach but without giving a reason (the murder of his father). Captain Branscome pays for the journey on the Royal Mail with a guinea (one given him by James Brooks).
Chapter XI
Date: May 13, after 8 pm
Location: Falmouth to Minden Cottage
The Royal Mail leaves Truro but is stopped by Jack Rogers JP, driving a tilbury, who has just come from the murder scene at Minden.
Date: May 14, dawn
Location: Minden Cottage
Harry Brooks is greeted at Minden Cottage with news of the stabbing of Major James Brooks in the summerhouse on the previous evening, and with a cashbox, normally kept in the bedroom, battered open – it having been removed from the bedroom to provide ten guineas for Branscome.
Harry Brooks reflects upon the possible arrival of Captain Coffin and Aaron Glass (Coffin had arrived before, followed by Glass).
Between the summerhouse and a side gate Harry Brooks discovers Branscome's eyeglasses.
Chapter XII
Date: May 14, early morning
Location: Minden Cottage, garden
May 14, early morning
Harry Brooks reflects upon Captain Branscome's eyeglasses, his guinea payment of the Royal Mail and his presence in Minden Garden for reasons unknown. He investigates the three approaches to the summerhouse:
- the garden path to the house
- the side gate leading out to a lane connecting the turnpike road to the park of Lydia Belcher
- the door in the wall to the park across a bridge.
Inspecting the side gate, Harry Brooks comes to a bloodstained stile but has to turn back with the arrival of Jack Rogers and a possible murder suspect, George Goodfellow, who is actually on his way to visit his fiancée in Plymouth. He calls attention to the stile and the company discover the body of Captain Coffin, with a battered head, in a coppice beyond.
Chapter XIII
Date: May 14, early morning
Location: Minden Cottage
Coffin had been hit with his own stick and his pockets rifled. Goodfellow informs them that the absence of the cupboard in Coffin's lodgings was because he had removed it for repairs during Coffin's absence at the Plume and Feathers on May 11. Lydia Belcher arrives.
Chapter XIV
Date: May 14, early morning
Location: Minden Cottage
Characters: Lydia Belcher, Amelia Plinlimmon, Jack Rogers, George Goodfellow and Harry Brooks.
Harry Brooks recounts the proceedings at Falmouth, including the mysterious absence of Captain Branscome from the evening of May 11 to the afternoon of May 13.
Jack Rogers suggests that Coffin gave the treasure map to Major Brooks before being murdered at the stile by Aaron Glass, who then went on to murder Major Brooks and steal the cashbox. Lydia Belcher questions why the cashbox was in the summerhouse at all.
Jack Rogers and George Goodfellow leave to collect the cupboard from Falmouth and to make enquiries at St Mawes.
Harry Brooks sleeps around the clock.
Date: May 15, early morning
Harry Brooks discovers Coffin's map and its oilskin bag in the summerhouse.
Chapter XV
Date: May 15, morning
Location: Minden Cottage
Captain Branscome arrives in the garden of Minden Cottage searching for his lost eyeglasses. Harry Brooks returns them. Enter Lydia Belcher. Captain Branscome gives an account of his poverty, the reason for his approach to Major Brooks and his view of a figure that could possibly have been Coffin.
Chapter XVI
Date: May 15, am
Location: Minden Cottage
Branscome continues his account of May13: he approached Major Brooks, who appeared to have had one visitor (Coffin) and to be expecting another (Glass). Taking pity on Branscome's poverty, Brooks collects his cashbox from the bedroom and in the summerhouse extracts ten guineas. Branscome leaves in the evening light.
Weighed down with conscience, Branscome retraces his steps to the garden to restore the money, only to find Brooks dead in the summerhouse. He flees the scene of crime, losing his eyeglasses in the process, but observes a figure in a plantation (Glass).
Harry Brooks presents to the group the map of Mortallone he had discovered in the summerhouse.
Chapter XVII
Date: May 15, am
Location: Minden Cottage
The map in the oilskin bag is examined.
Chapter XVIII
Date: May 15, am
Location: Minden Cottage
Jack Rogers and George Goodfellow arrive at Minden Cottage by tilbury with the corner cupboard, to which Harry Brooks possesses the key. Rogers gives an account of Coffin's and Glass's movements from when they left Falmouth. The corner cupboard is then opened to reveal Captain Coffin's log.
Chapters XIX and XX
Date: May 15, am, 1814
Location: Minden Cottage
The log begins with Coffin's early life and ends with his arrival, along with Aaron Glass, on Mortallone.
Chapter XXI
Date: May 15, am, 1814
Location: Minden Cottage
Amelia Plinlimmon suggests that the party organise an expedition to Mortallone to be financed by Lydia Belcher and Jack Rogers.
Members: Captain Branscome, Lydia Belcher, Jack Rogers, Amelia Plinlimmon, George Goodfellow, Harry Brooks.
Chapter XXII
Date: May to August
Location: Minden Cottage
Aaron Glass is last reported to have been seen in Plymouth on May 15, and is now presumed overseas. The expedition is held up with the sale of Minden Cottage.
Date: August 5, evening
Location: Minden Cottage, garden
A stranger (Dr Beauregard) speaks to Harry Brooks in the garden of Minden Cottage. We learn that:
- He knows the name and whereabouts of the murderer.
- He had spoken to Napoleon on Elba and knows of his plans of escape (March 1815).
- He has delayed his embarkation at Falmouth because of his curiosity regarding the murder of Major Brooks.
- He hopes to bring the murderer to justice on an island at a future time.
Date: August 6
Lydia Belcher purchases Minden Cottage at auction with a stranger (Dr Beauregard) as an observer.
Chapter XXIII
Date: August to November, 1814
Location: Jamaica
Date: August 28: Captain Branscome books a passage on the Townsend from Falmouth to Kingston, Jamaica.
Date: September 1
Expedition leaves Falmouth.
Date: October 14
Arrives Kingston, Jamaica.
Date: October 22
Leaves Kingston overland.
Date: October 27
Arrives Savannah-la-Mar and purchases the Espriella, a thirty tons schooner, from Mr Jacob Paz for £370.
Date: October 30
Sails out of Savannah-la-Mar harbour in Jamaica in a southerly direction.
Date: November
They sight the northern tip of the island of Mortallone.
Chapter XXIV
Date: November 5, 1814
Location: Mortallone
The Espriella sails south along the west coast of Mortallone to Gow's Gulf and into Gow's Creek at the southern end. Captain Branscome, having commanded the boat, is put in command of the expedition on the island, which later results in trouble from Harry Brooks. The Espriella is moored a mile from the shore for defensive reasons.
Chapter XXV
Date: November 5, 1814
Location: Mortallone, Gow's Creek
November 5, 1814
The Espriella carries a gig, a punt and a dinghy, with Rogers and Branscome, fully armed, rowing to shore in the dinghy. Goodfellow is left as lookout on the Espriella. Harry Brooks evades Goodfellow and rows up the creek in the punt until he sees the dinghy and lands. He sees a distant form that he takes to be Rogers, but is in fact Beauregard who is watching the landings. Walking up a tributary, Brooks comes upon parkland and spies a paper boat on a stream.
Chapter XXVI
Date: November 5, 1814
Location: Mortallone, the graveyard
November 5, 1814
Brooks doubles back along a ridge overlooking Gow's Creek and discovers a graveyard tended by 'Metta, a former opera singer, and Rosa, a negress. They inform him that the occupants had been murdered and if he remains he will stand in mortal danger. He departs.
Chapter XXVII
Date: November 5, 1814
Location: Gow's Creek
November 5, 1814
On reaching the punt Brooks encounters Branscome and Rogers who suspect the island to be occupied as a wisp of smoke had previously been seen (Glass, camp fire). When they reach the Espriella they are informed of the visit on board of Dr Beauregard (Martin).
Chapter XXVIII
Date: November 5, 1814
Location: Espriella
November 5, 1814
On reaching the Espriella in Brooks' punt, Beauregard introduces himself. He had previously seen Brooks in the garden of Minden Cottage and knew who they were. Lydia Belcher informs him of the nature of their expedition. Beauregard informs her of the previous abortive expeditions. He invites them to a picnic on the following day.
Chapter XXIX
Date: November 6, 1814, am
Location: Gow's Creek to Tryagain Inlet
The picnic party, with Rogers remaining on board, sails to a location to the north of Tryagain Inlet, which lies on the eastern side of Mortallone. Further on they observe a boat drawn up on the beach (Glass).
Chapter XXX
Date: November 6, 1814
Location: Tryagain Inlet
November 6, 1814
Beauregard admits knowledge of the boat and of one of the crew, Aaron Glass. Goodfellow is requested to drill three holes in the gunwale. He confesses to have known Glass and Coffin and the existence of the map. The picnic ends with the hearing of two cries, as one of Glass's party of three is murdered by Glass.
Chapter XXXI
Date: November 6, 1814
Location: North of Tryagain Inlet
November 6, 1814
Dr Beauregard informs the party of eleven previous treasure seeking expeditions, all of which had destroyed themselves (or been destroyed by him!); that the present three seekers are now two; and that he, Branscome and (at her own request) Lydia Belcher have to see the present business through. Harry Brooks disobeys orders and goes to watch from a distance:
Two men carry a treasure chest to their boat, namely Jim Lucky and Aaron Glass. They find the boat holed and fear it to be the work of Beauregard. Jim Lucky runs away in terror but is shot by Glass, who is then confronted by Beauregard and Brooks. He is shown the false nature of the jewels and appears to have a stroke. Beauregard administers poison to him from a phial.
Chapter XXXII
Date: November 6, 1814
Location: Tryagain Inlet
November 6, 1814
The story of Coffin and Glass is given by Beauregard. Beauregard reveals Glass to be a murderer not meriting mercy. The party climbs to Beauregard's house carrying Glass.
Chapter XXXIII
Date: November 6, 1814
Location: Dr Beauregard's house on Mortallone
From Beauregard's house the party go in search of the treasure indicated on Coffin's treasure map. Harry Brooks finds himself drawn away by 'Metta, who takes him to the treasure and warns him of the poison contained in the doctor's ice machine. They are discovered by Beauregard and 'Metta falls to her death while Brooks faints.
Chapter XXXIV
Date: November 6, 1814
Location: Dr Beauregard's house on Mortallone
Dr Beauregard admits to Lydia Belcher in a private conversation that he was the 'Martin' mentioned in Coffin's log. He then tells a story. In something approaching a confession of love, Beauregard accepts Belcher's refusal and poisons himself with the ice reserved for his guests. The expedition prepare to leave with the treasure.