Похищенный
Chapter 21
”
“Eh,man,”saidI,drollingwithhimalittle,“you’reveryingenious!Butwoulditnotbesimplerforyoutowritehimafewwordsinblackandwhite?”
“Andthatisanexcellentobserve,Mr.BalfourofShaws,”saysAlan,drollingwithme;“anditwouldcertainlybemuchsimplerformetowritetohim,butitwouldbeasorejobforJohnBrecktoreadit.Hewouldhavetogototheschoolfortwo-threeyears;andit’spossiblewemightbeweariedwaitingonhim.”
SothatnightAlancarrieddownhisfierycrossandsetitinthebouman’swindow.Hewastroubledwhenhecameback;forthedogshadbarkedandthefolkrunoutfromtheirhouses;andhethoughthehadheardaclatterofarmsandseenared-coatcometooneofthedoors.Onallaccountswelaythenextdayinthebordersofthewoodandkeptacloselook-out,sothatifitwasJohnBreckthatcamewemightbereadytoguidehim,andifitwasthered-coatsweshouldhavetimetogetaway.
Aboutnoonamanwastobespied,stragglinguptheopensideofthemountaininthesun,andlookingroundhimashecame,fromunderhishand.NosoonerhadAlanseenhimthanhewhistled;themanturnedandcamealittletowardsus:thenAlanwouldgiveanother“peep!”andthemanwouldcomestillnearer;andsobythesoundofwhistling,hewasguidedtothespotwherewelay.
Hewasaragged,wild,beardedman,aboutforty,grosslydisfiguredwiththesmallpox,andlookedbothdullandsavage.
