Викрадений
Chapter 18
Yourbedshallbethemoorcock’s,andyourlifeshallbelikethehunteddeer’s,andyeshallsleepwithyourhanduponyourweapons.Ay,man,yeshalltaiglemanyawearyfoot,orwegetclear!Itellyethisatthestart,forit’salifethatIkenwell.Butifyeaskwhatotherchanceyehave,Ianswer:Nane.Eithertaketotheheatherwithme,orelsehang.”
“Andthat’sachoiceveryeasilymade,”saidI;andweshookhandsuponit.
“Andnowlet’stakeanotherpeekatthered-coats,”saysAlan,andheledmetothenorth-easternfringeofthewood.
Lookingoutbetweenthetrees,wecouldseeagreatsideofmountain,runningdownexceedingsteepintothewatersoftheloch.Itwasaroughpart,allhangingstone,andheather,andbigscrogsofbirchwood;andawayatthefarendtowardsBalachulish,littleweeredsoldiersweredippingupanddownoverhillandhowe,andgrowingsmallereveryminute.Therewasnocheeringnow,forIthinktheyhadotherusesforwhatbreathwasleftthem;buttheystillstucktothetrail,anddoubtlessthoughtthatwewerecloseinfrontofthem.
Alanwatchedthem,smilingtohimself.
“Ay,”saidhe,“they’llbegeywearybeforethey’vegottotheendofthatemploy!Andsoyouandme,David,cansitdownandeatabite,andbreatheabitlonger,andtakeadramfrommybottle.
