03-02-06-诱拐 [10]
，but stayed a few metres away in the water．There was a third man in the boat，who was talking and laughing with the others．Then he stood up and spoke fast to me in Gaelic，which I could not understand．But sometimes he used an English word，and once I heard the word ‘tide’．This gave me a flash of hope． ‘Do you mean—that when the tide is low…？’I cried，and could not finish． ‘Yes，yes，’he called back，‘tide，’and laughed again． I turned my back on the boat and ran back excitedly to the east of the island，where Earraid was the closest to Mull．And sure enough，there was now only a little water between the is lands．I was able to wade through it easily，and reached Mull with a happy shout．How stupid of me not to realize that it was possible to get to Mull，twice a day，at low tide！Now I felt very grateful to the boatmen for guessing my problem，and coming back to help me． I walked towards the smoke that I had seen so often from Earraid，and reached a long，low house built of stone．Outside sat an old man，smoking his pipe in the sun．He spoke a little English， and told me that the officers and sailors from the ship had all arrived there safely a few days before． ‘Was one of them dressed in fine clothes？’I asked． ‘Aye，there was one like that，’he smiled．‘Ye must be the lad with the silver button！’ ‘Why，yes！’I said，surprised． ‘Well then，your friend says that ye must follow him to the house of his clansman，James Stewart，in Appin．’
He and his wife gave me food and drink，and let me sleep that night in their house． In the morning I thanked them for their kindness，and started my journey to Appin．
I walked across Mull to Torosay，where I took a boat across the water to Lochaline．Then I walked to Kingairlock，where I took another boat across Loch Linnhe to Appin．This took six days，and on my way I met and spoke to a number of travellers．I heard all about Alan's clan，the Stewarts，and their enemies，the Campbells．Although they were both High land clans，the Campbells and Stewarts had hated each other for years，and now the Campbells were helping the English army drive many Highlanders out of their homes． Indeed， in a day or two， I heard， red-haired Colin Campbell himself was com ing to Appin， with King George's soldiers， to drive the Stew arts out and so destroy his enemies． But I heard also of James Stewart， head of the Stewart clan in Appin， and that he and his clansmen would dearly love to see Colin Campbell dead．
People also talked of a man called Alan Breck． Some called him a murderer； others said that he was a brave fighter． He was in danger every time he returned to the Highlands，be cause the English would pay a good price for him-dead or alive． I listened with interest to everything that they told me．But I liked it best when I heard Alan described as a fine man and an honest Highlander．
When I got out of the boat in Appin， I sat down among some trees to decide what to do next． Should I go on， and join Alan， whose friends were King George's enemies， and whose life was full of danger，or should I go back south again，quietly and safely， to the Lowlands？
As I was thinking， four men on horses came past me on the road． As soon as I saw these men， I decided to continue my adventure， although I cannot explain why．
I stopped the first man， who was tall and red－haired．
‘Could you tell me the way to James Stewart's house，sir？’I asked．
All the men looked at each other． The red－haired man did not reply，but spoke to one of the others，who looked like a lawyer．‘Is Stewart calling his people together， do ye think？’
The lawyer replied，‘We'd better wait here for the sold iers to join us， before we go any further．’
The red－haired man，I suddenly realized，must be Colin Campbell himself．‘If you're worried about me，’ I said，‘I'm not a Stewart， but a Lowlander， and I'm for King George．’ ‘That's well said，’ replied Campbell，‘but， if I may ask，why is an honest Lowlander like you so far from his home？Today is not a good day for travelling． This is the day when the Appin Stewarts have to leave their farms， and there may be trouble．”
He was turning to speak to the lawyer again
He and his wife gave me food and drink，and let me sleep that night in their house． In the morning I thanked them for their kindness，and started my journey to Appin．
I walked across Mull to Torosay，where I took a boat across the water to Lochaline．Then I walked to Kingairlock，where I took another boat across Loch Linnhe to Appin．This took six days，and on my way I met and spoke to a number of travellers．I heard all about Alan's clan，the Stewarts，and their enemies，the Campbells．Although they were both High land clans，the Campbells and Stewarts had hated each other for years，and now the Campbells were helping the English army drive many Highlanders out of their homes． Indeed， in a day or two， I heard， red-haired Colin Campbell himself was com ing to Appin， with King George's soldiers， to drive the Stew arts out and so destroy his enemies． But I heard also of James Stewart， head of the Stewart clan in Appin， and that he and his clansmen would dearly love to see Colin Campbell dead．
People also talked of a man called Alan Breck． Some called him a murderer； others said that he was a brave fighter． He was in danger every time he returned to the Highlands，be cause the English would pay a good price for him-dead or alive． I listened with interest to everything that they told me．But I liked it best when I heard Alan described as a fine man and an honest Highlander．
When I got out of the boat in Appin， I sat down among some trees to decide what to do next． Should I go on， and join Alan， whose friends were King George's enemies， and whose life was full of danger，or should I go back south again，quietly and safely， to the Lowlands？
As I was thinking， four men on horses came past me on the road． As soon as I saw these men， I decided to continue my adventure， although I cannot explain why．
I stopped the first man， who was tall and red－haired．
‘Could you tell me the way to James Stewart's house，sir？’I asked．
All the men looked at each other． The red－haired man did not reply，but spoke to one of the others，who looked like a lawyer．‘Is Stewart calling his people together， do ye think？’
The lawyer replied，‘We'd better wait here for the sold iers to join us， before we go any further．’
The red－haired man，I suddenly realized，must be Colin Campbell himself．‘If you're worried about me，’ I said，‘I'm not a Stewart， but a Lowlander， and I'm for King George．’ ‘That's well said，’ replied Campbell，‘but， if I may ask，why is an honest Lowlander like you so far from his home？Today is not a good day for travelling． This is the day when the Appin Stewarts have to leave their farms， and there may be trouble．”
He was turning to speak to the lawyer again