Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-08-03
KIDNAPPED,
BEING MEMOIRS OF THE ADVENTURES OF DAVID
BALFoUR IN THE YEAR 1751.
BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
CHAPTER IX.-(Continued.)


nose likewise the powder. Now, if |,
or one of the officers, was to go in and
take them, he would fall to thinking.
But a lad like you, David, might snap
up Il horn and a pistol or two without
remark And if We can do it cieyerly,
I'll bear it in mind when it'll be good
for you to have friends; and that's when
we come to Carolina"
Here Mr.. Riach whispered him little.
".Very right. sir" said the captain; and
then to myself: And see here DAVID
Won man has a beltful of gold, and l
give you my word that you shall have
your fingers in it.
[ told him [ would do as he wished,
though indeed I had scarce breath to
speak with; and upon that he gave me
the key of the spirit locker, and | be
gan to go slowly back to the round
house. What was / to do? They were
dogs and thieves; they had stolen me
from my own country; they had Killed
poor Ransome; and was l to hold the
candle to another murder? But then,
upon the other hand, there was the fear
of death very plain before me; for what
could a boy and a man do, if they were
as brave as lions, against whole ship
company! ,
| was still arguing it back and forth,
and getting no great clearness, when l
came into the roundhouse and saw the
,5acobite eating his supper under the
lamp; and at that my mind was made
up all in a moment. have no credit
by it; it was by no choice of mine, but
as if by compulsion that | walked right
up to the table and put my hand on his
shoulder.
'"Do We want to be killed?" said l.
He sprang to his feet, and looked a
question at me as clear as II ne had
spoken.
cor cried I, they're all .murderers
here; it's a ship full of them! They'ye
murdered a boy already. Now it's you.
GAY, ay," said he; ''but they haven't
got me yet
And. then looking at me curiously,
''Will We stand with me?'
THAT will I!'' said l. 81 am no thief,
nor yet murderer. I'll stand by you.
''Why, them" said he, whats your
nameY'
''David Balfour,' said 1; and then
thinking that a man with so fine coat
must like fine people, | added for the
first time "of Shaws."
1t never occurred to him to doubt me-
for a Highlander is used to see great
gentlefolk in great poverty; but as ne
had no estate of his own, my words
nettled a very childish vanity he had.
MY name is Stewart" he said, draw
ing himself up. "Alan Breck, they
call me. A kings name is good enough
for me, though bear it plain and have
the name of no farm-midden to clap
to the hind end of it.
And having administered this rebuke,
as though it were something of a chief
Importance, he turned to examine our de-
lenses.
The roundhouse was built very strong,
to support the breachings of the seas.
Of its five apertures, only the skyllght
and the two doors were large enough Tor
the passage of man. The doors, be-
sides, could be drawn close; they were
of stout oak, and ran in grooves, and
were fitted with hooks to keep them
either shut or open, as the need arose.
The one that was already shut. secured
in this fashion; but when | was proceed,
ing to slide to the other, Alan stopped
me.
David" said he-"for I cannae bring
to mind the name of your landed estate,
and so will make so bold as call you
David-that door, being open, is the best
part of my defenses."
ct would be yet better shut" says I:
''NOt SO, David" says he. "1e see,
have but one face but so long as that
door is open and my face to it, the best
part of my enemies will be in front Of
me, where L would aye wish to ind
them"
Then he gave me from the rack a cut
lass (of which there were a few besides
the irearn1s), choosing it with great care,
shaking his head and saying he had new
er IN all his life seen poorer weapons;
with poWder-horn, a bag of bullets and
all the pistols, which he babe me charge
"And that will be better work, let me
tell you" said he, "for a gentleman of
decent birth. than scraping plates and
raxing [reachingl drains to a wheen
larry sailors"
Thereupon he stood up in the midst
with his face to the door, and drawing
his great sword, made trial of the room
he had to WELD it in.
1ic1y 70 4hn int hn
shaking he head; ''and it's pity, too.
1t doesn't set my genius, which is all
for the upper guard. And now, said
he, ''do you keep on charging the pistols,
and give heed to me-"
I told him | would listen closely. My
chest was tight, my mouth dry the light
dark 10 my eyes; the thought of the
plumbers that were soon to leap in upon
us kept my heart in futter; and the
sea. which [ heard washing round the
brig. and where | thought my dead body
would be cast ere morning, ran IN my
mind strangely.
First of ALL" said he, chow many are
against usT"
| reckoned them up; and such was
the hurry of my mind, [ had to cast the
Alan whistied "Wen.'' said he.
''that can't be cured. And now follow
me. 1t is my part to keep this door,
where [ look for the main battle. In
that We nave no mana. ana m!-!u anu
dinnae fire to this side unless they get
me down; for | would rather have ten
foes in front of me than one friend like
you cracking pistols at my back"
l told him indeed [ was no great
shot.
"And that's very bravely said" he
cried in a great admiration of my can
dor There's many pretty gentleman
that wouldnae dare TO say it,"
But them SIR said 1, there is the
door behind you, which they may per-
haps break in
''Ay," said he, "and that is a part of
your work. No sooner the pistols
charged, then We must climb up into yon
bed where ye're handy at the window;
and if they lift hand against the door
ye're to shoot. But that's not all. Let's
make a Bit of a soldier of We, David
What else have We to guard?"
There's the skylght" said / But
indeed, Mr.. Stewart, | would need to