The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-05
DAVID BALFOUR.
BE ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Part II.
copyright, 1893. By Robert Louis stevenson ]
CHAPTER XIy.--THE Bass.

Et~pyfsEHss 1890 W kAIDelA 4<D11s otsseI90Q-l
CHAPTER XIv.--THE Bass
had no thought where they were tax
ing me; only looked here and there for the
appearance of a ship; and there ran the
while in my head word of Ransome's-
the twen;y-pounders. If were TO be ex-
posed second time TO that same former
danger Of the plantations, / judged il must
turn Ill with me: there was no second
Alan, and no second shipwreck and spare
yard to be expected now; and l saw my
self hoe tobacco under the whips lash
The thought chilled me; the air was
sharp upon the water, the stretchers OF
the boat drenched with cold dew; and
snivered in my place beside the steersman.
This was the dark man whom / have
called hitherto the Lowlander; his name
was Dale, ordinarily called Black Andie.
Feeling the thrill Of my shiver, he very
kindly handed me rough jacket full of
fish scales. with which was glad to cover
myself.
II thank Won for this kindness. said I.
sand will make so free as to repay il with
warning. You take high responsibility
in this affair. You are not like these
ignorant. barbarous Highlanders, but
know what the Law is and the risks of those
shat break it,
Il am TO inst exactly what ye would ca
an extremist for the law says he, "a, the
best OF times; bat in this business / &C.
with good warranty"
What are you going to do with me?"
asked
Nae harm" SAID he. mae harm, ava.
Yen hae strong freens, I'm thinking.
fe'il be RIGHT eneuch vet
There began TO fall grayness on the face
OF the sea. Little dabs of pink and like
5coais o. slow lire came III the east, and at
the same time the geese awakened and be-
gan crying about the top of the Bass. II
Is just the one crag of rock. as everybody
knows. but great enough TO carve a city
from. The sea was extremely little but
there vent a hollow plowter round the base
OF il. With the growing of the dawn /
could see il clearer and Clearer. The
straigh, crags painted with sea eirds' drop
pings like q morning frost, the sloping top
of II green with grass. the clan of white
geese that cried about the sides, and the
black, broken buildings of the prison sit
ting close on the sea edge.
Al the sight the truth came in upon me
in clap
Its no there you're taking me. " cried
Just 70 the Bass, mamie" said he
"Whaur the auld saints were aiore ye and
] misdoubt If We have come SO fairly by
your preeson."
'.Bui none dwells there now" / cried;
''the place is long a rum"
It'll De the mar rieisand change fur
the soan geese, then. quoth Andie dryly.
The day coming slowly brighter, ob-
served on the bilge, among the big stones
with which fisnerfolk ballast their boats.
several kegs and baskets and a provision
Of fuel. Ali these were discharged upon
the crag. Andie. myself and my three
Hlghianders q call them mine, although
IL was the other way about landed along
with them. The sun was not yet up when
the boat moved away again; the noise of
the oars on the thoiepIns echoed from the
ellis. and left Us in our singular reciusion.
Andie Dale was the project tas would
peculiarly call bim) OF the Bass, being at
once the shepherd and the gamekeeper of
that small and rich estate He had to
mind the dozen or so OF sheep that fed and
fattened on the grass Of the sloping part
OF it, like beasts grazing the roof of ca
thedral. lie had charge besides of the
soian geese that roasted in the crags, and
from these an extraordinary income is
derived. The young are dainty eating, as
much as shliiings apiece being a com
mon price. and paid willingly by epicures;
even the grown birds are valuable for their
oil and feathers, and part of the minis
ter's stipend OF North Berwick is paid to
this day in soan geese. which makes it lin
some folks eyes, parish to be coveted.
To perform these several businesses as
well as TO protec. the geese from poachers.
Andie had frequent occasion 10 sleep
and pass days together on the crag:
and we found the man at home there like
a farmer in his stealing. Bidding Us all
shoulder some Of the packages, matter