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Chapter 21
“Wearehereinadesertplace,whichyetwedarenotleave;andunlessyegetthefowlsoftheairtobeyourmessengers,Iseenotwhatweshallbeabletodo.”
“Ay?”saidAlan.“Ye’reamanofsmallcontrivance,David.”
Thereuponhefellinamuse,lookingintheembersofthefire;andpresently,gettingapieceofwood,hefashioneditinacross,thefourendsofwhichheblackenedonthecoals.Thenhelookedatmealittleshyly.
“Couldyelendmemybutton?”sayshe.“Itseemsastrangethingtoaskagiftagain,butIownIamlaithtocutanother.”
Igavehimthebutton;whereuponhestrungitonastripofhisgreat-coatwhichhehadusedtobindthecross;andtyinginalittlesprigofbirchandanotheroffir,helookeduponhisworkwithsatisfaction.
“Now,”saidhe,“thereisalittleclachan”(whatiscalledahamletintheEnglish)“notveryfarfromCorrynakiegh,andithasthenameofKoalisnacoan.TheretherearelivingmanyfriendsofminewhomIcouldtrustwithmylife,andsomethatIamnojustsosureof.Yesee,David,therewillbemoneysetuponourheads;Jameshimsel’istosetmoneyonthem;andasfortheCampbells,theywouldneversparesillerwheretherewasaStewarttobehurt.Ifitwasotherwise,IwouldgodowntoKoalisnacoanwhatever,andtrustmylifeintothesepeople’shandsaslightlyasIwouldtrustanotherwithmyglove.”
“Butbeingso?”saidI.
“Beingso,”saidhe,“Iwouldaslieftheydidnaeseeme.There’sbadfolkeverywhere,andwhat’sfarworse,weakones.
