Who Billy Bones is
Billy Bones is a tall, strong old sailor with a sabre scar across his face. He arrives at the lonely coastal inn with a sea chest and takes a room. Though he calls himself the captain, no one knows of any ship he commands.
He drinks rum in the parlour, sings a pirate song and frightens the farmers with his tales. His first payment runs out, but he continues to stay at the inn.
What Billy Bones wants
Billy wants warning if a seafaring man with one leg appears near the inn. He promises Jim a small monthly payment in silver to keep watch for this stranger. His fear reaches Jim, who begins dreaming of a single leg pursuing him through the dark.
Billy Bones and the others in the story
Billy's presence puts Jim's family in an uneasy position because they cannot afford to lose a paying guest. When Dr Livesey visits Jim's sick father, Billy threatens the doctor with a knife. Livesey remains calm and stern, warning Billy against ever using it.
Black Dog, an old shipmate, comes looking for Billy, and their meeting becomes a quarrel and a fight. The visit makes the danger surrounding Billy more immediate, bringing his feared past into the inn.
A best-known line
“Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
Questions
Who is Billy Bones in Treasure Island?
Billy Bones is the frightening old sailor whose stay at Jim Hawkins's family inn brings pirate danger to their door.
Why does Billy Bones pay Jim Hawkins?
He pays Jim to look out for a one-legged sailor whom he fears.
How does Billy Bones know Black Dog?
Black Dog is Billy's old shipmate, and his visit to the inn leads to a violent quarrel.