Викрадений
Chapter 26
ThatnightwestruckAllanWater,andfolloweditdown;andcomingtotheedgeofthehillssawthewholeCarseofStirlingunderfoot,asflatasapancake,withthetownandcastleonahillinthemidstofit,andthemoonshiningontheLinksofForth.
“Now,”saidAlan,“Ikennaifyecare,butye’reinyourownlandagain.WepassedtheHielandLineinthefirsthour;andnowifwecouldbutpassyoncrookedwater,wemightcastourbonnetsintheair.”
InAllanWater,nearbywhereitfallsintotheForth,wefoundalittlesandyislet,overgrownwithburdock,butterburandthelikelowplants,thatwouldjustcoverusifwelayflat.Hereitwaswemadeourcamp,withinplainviewofStirlingCastle,whencewecouldhearthedrumsbeatassomepartofthegarrisonparaded.Shearersworkedalldayinafieldononesideoftheriver,andwecouldhearthestonesgoingonthehooksandthevoicesandeventhewordsofthementalking.Itbehovedtoliecloseandkeepsilent.Butthesandofthelittleislewassun-warm,thegreenplantsgaveusshelterforourheads,wehadfoodanddrinkinplenty;andtocrownall,wewerewithinsightofsafety.
Assoonastheshearersquittheirworkandtheduskbegantofall,wewadedashoreandstruckfortheBridgeofStirling,keepingtothefieldsandunderthefieldfences.
