Kidnapped

I SET OFF UPON MY JOURNEY TO THE HOUSE OF SHAWS I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the ...

I COME TO MY JOURNEY’S END On the forenoon of the second day, coming to the top of a hill, I saw all the country fall away before me down to the sea; and in the midst of this desc...

I MAKE ACQUAINTANCE OF MY UNCLE Presently there came a great rattling of chains and bolts, and the door was cautiously opened and shut to again behind me as soon as I had passed. ...

I RUN A GREAT DANGER IN THE HOUSE OF SHAWS For a day that was begun so ill, the day passed fairly well. We had the porridge cold again at noon, and hot porridge at night; porridge...

I GO TO THE QUEEN’S FERRY Much rain fell in the night; and the next morning there blew a bitter wintry wind out of the north-west, driving scattered clouds. For all that, and befo...

WHAT BEFELL AT THE QUEEN’S FERRY As soon as we came to the inn, Ransome led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal. At ...

I GO TO SEA IN THE BRIG _COVENANT_ OF DYSART I came to myself in darkness, in great pain, bound hand and foot, and deafened by many unfamiliar noises. There sounded in my ears a r...

THE ROUND-HOUSE One night, about eleven o’clock, a man of Mr. Riach’s watch (which was on deck) came below for his jacket; and instantly there began to go a whisper about the fore...

THE MAN WITH THE BELT OF GOLD More than a week went by, in which the ill-luck that had hitherto pursued the _Covenant_ upon this voyage grew yet more strongly marked. Some days sh...

THE SIEGE OF THE ROUND-HOUSE But now our time of truce was come to an end. Those on deck had waited for my coming till they grew impatient; and scarce had Alan spoken, when the ca...

THE CAPTAIN KNUCKLES UNDER Alan and I sat down to breakfast about six of the clock. The floor was covered with broken glass and in a horrid mess of blood, which took away my hunge...

I HEAR OF THE “RED FOX” Before we had done cleaning out the round-house, a breeze sprang up from a little to the east of north. This blew off the rain and brought out the sun. An...

THE LOSS OF THE BRIG It was already late at night, and as dark as it ever would be at that season of the year (and that is to say, it was still pretty bright), when Hoseason clapp...

THE ISLET With my stepping ashore I began the most unhappy part of my adventures. It was half-past twelve in the morning, and though the wind was broken by the land, it was a cold...

THE LAD WITH THE SILVER BUTTON: THROUGH THE ISLE OF MULL The Ross of Mull, which I had now got upon, was rugged and trackless, like the isle I had just left; being all bog, and br...

THE LAD WITH THE SILVER BUTTON: ACROSS MORVEN There is a regular ferry from Torosay to Kinlochaline on the mainland. Both shores of the Sound are in the country of the strong clan...

THE DEATH OF THE RED FOX The next day Mr. Henderland found for me a man who had a boat of his own and was to cross the Linnhe Loch that afternoon into Appin, fishing. Him he preva...

I TALK WITH ALAN IN THE WOOD OF LETTERMORE Alan was the first to come round. He rose, went to the border of the wood, peered out a little, and then returned and sat down. “Well,”...

THE HOUSE OF FEAR Night fell as we were walking, and the clouds, which had broken up in the afternoon, settled in and thickened, so that it fell, for the season of the year, extre...

THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER: THE ROCKS Sometimes we walked, sometimes ran; and as it drew on to morning, walked ever the less and ran the more. Though, upon its face, that country a...

THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER: THE HEUGH OF CORRYNAKIEGH Early as day comes in the beginning of July, it was still dark when we reached our destination, a cleft in the head of a great...

THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER: THE MOOR Some seven hours’ incessant, hard travelling brought us early in the morning to the end of a range of mountains. In front of us there lay a pie...

CLUNY’S CAGE We came at last to the foot of an exceeding steep wood, which scrambled up a craggy hillside, and was crowned by a naked precipice. “It’s here,” said one of the guid...

THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER: THE QUARREL Alan and I were put across Loch Errocht under cloud of night, and went down its eastern shore to another hiding-place near the head of Loch ...

IN BALQUHIDDER At the door of the first house we came to, Alan knocked, which was of no very safe enterprise in such a part of the Highlands as the Braes of Balquhidder. No great ...

END OF THE FLIGHT: WE PASS THE FORTH The month, as I have said, was not yet out, but it was already far through August, and beautiful warm weather, with every sign of an early and...

I COME TO MR. RANKEILLOR The next day it was agreed that Alan should fend for himself till sunset; but as soon as it began to grow dark, he should lie in the fields by the roadsid...

I GO IN QUEST OF MY INHERITANCE Having made what change I could in my appearance; and blithe was I to look in the glass and find the beggarman a thing of the past, and David Balfo...

I COME INTO MY KINGDOM For some time Alan volleyed upon the door, and his knocking only roused the echoes of the house and neighbourhood. At last, however, I could hear the noise ...

GOOD-BYE So far as I was concerned myself, I had come to port; but I had still Alan, to whom I was so much beholden, on my hands; and I felt besides a heavy charge in the matter o...