Jim's quest begins at the first appearance of Billy Bones, who is his initial helping figure, telling him in veiled terms about the map, the treasure, and the ritual of "the black spot." Black Dog and Pew are the first adversarial threshold guardians Jim encounters, and he successfully takes the map in spite of them. Silver appears at the outset to be another helper, but he is soon revealed as a more dangerous threshold guardian. By luck and stealth, however, Jim passes the difficult test of recognizing the danger Silver presents, when, from the apple barrel, he overhears Silver's revelations. Invited into the cabin to tell his story, Jim is given a glass of wine, ritually "initiating" him into the company of the men.
Jim encounters a second helping figure in Ben Gunn, who gives him information, again in veiled terms. Jim is tested a second time when the mutineers attack the stockade and a third time when he cuts the Hispaniola adrift and, on board the ship, strikes the pirates' colors. This third test so enrages the final threshold guardian, Israel Hands, that Jim is faced with his most challenging test of courage. His test of worthiness comes when, having given his word to Silver, Jim refuses to run away from the pirates' stronghold. This is the decision, made in spite of his fear, that figuratively (and perhaps literally) saves him and delivers the treasure to his friends. After he has survived that test, Jim encounters the skeleton of the man (an unsuccessful treasure seeker) whom Flint killed and left as a marker. Ben Gunn had earlier pointed out the graves where he buried the man's five companions.
