03-02-06-诱拐 [14]
， but luckily they did not look up at our rock． In the afternoon， when the soldiers seemed sleepy after their lunch， we decided to try to escape， and we climbed very quietly down from the rock． The soldiers did not notice us as we moved carefully from rock to rock， and soon we were safely in the next valley． That evening we washed ourselves in the river， and ate cold porridge， which is a good meal for a hungry man．
We continued walking eastwards all night， over the great dark mountains． Alan was very pleased that we had left the soldiers behind， and whistled happily as he walked．
Before daylight we reached a cave that Alan had used before， and here we stayed hidden for five days． Alan went down one night to the nearest village， to the housc of one of his clansmen． He sent this man to James Stewart， to tell him where we were hiding， and after three days the clansman re turned， with a purse of money for us and a message from Mrs Stewart． We discovered that James was already in prison， ac cused of murder， although people were saying that Alan Breck had actually fired the shot． And there was a price of one hun dred pounds on my head， as well as on Alan's．
I began to think that I would be safer alone． Alan was very recognizable in his fine French clothes． It was going to be dan gerous to stay with Alan， and expensive， too． Mrs Stewart had only managed to send five pounds， and Alan had to travel as far as France． But I still had two pounds， and only needed to reach Queensferry， so I would have to give some of my money to Alan． Staying with Alan meant both danger and ex pense．
But my honest friend did not think in this way at all． He felt sure that he was helping me． So what could I do， except keep quiet， and hope that everything would be all right？
We started travelling again， across the mountains， and by daylight came to wild， open moors， covered with purple heather．Because anyone on the hills around us could easily see us when we stood up， we had to walk or run on our hands and feet， like animals It was another hot summer day， and my back achcd badly after a few hours． I wanted a rest and a drink of water， but when we stopped， we saw the redcoats of soldiers on one of the hills， and we had to go on．
We walked or ran all day and all night． People who talk of tiredness do not know what the word really means， I did not know who I was or where I was going， and I did not care． I thought that every step would be my last， and I hoped that death would come soon．Alan drove me onwards， and I felt that I hated him， but I was too afraid of him to stop and rest．
When daylight returned， we were stupid with tiredness，and had become careless． Suddenly， three or four wild－looking men jumped out of the heather， and took us prisoner．I was not afraid， only happy to stop running for a moment． But Alan spoke to them in Gaelic．
‘These are Cluny Macpherson's men，’ he said quietly to me．‘Ye remember him， the head of the Macpherson clan？They fought well against the English in the Forty-Five．After that， he didn't go to France， like the other clan chiefs．No，he's been hiding here ever since， and the soldiers have never managed to find him． His clansmen bring him what he needs．’
We were taken to a cave， well hidden by trees and rocks，and Cluny Macpherson himself came forward to welcome us，like a king in his palace． He seemed to live well in his cave，and he offered us an excellent meal， prepared by his cook． But I was too tired to eat， so I lay down at once and slept． In fact，although I did not know it， I was seriously ill， and could not get up for two days．
I woke up once，in a kind of fog， to find Cluny and Alan playing cards， and a second time， to hear Alan asking to borrow my money． I was too sick and sleepy to refuse， and gave him my purse．
But when I woke up again， on the third day，I felt much better， although not very strong． I noticed that Alan was looking very ashamed， and I realized at once what had hap pened．
‘David，’ he said miserably，‘I've lost all our money at cards， yours as well as mine．’
‘No，no，ye haven't lost it
We continued walking eastwards all night， over the great dark mountains． Alan was very pleased that we had left the soldiers behind， and whistled happily as he walked．
Before daylight we reached a cave that Alan had used before， and here we stayed hidden for five days． Alan went down one night to the nearest village， to the housc of one of his clansmen． He sent this man to James Stewart， to tell him where we were hiding， and after three days the clansman re turned， with a purse of money for us and a message from Mrs Stewart． We discovered that James was already in prison， ac cused of murder， although people were saying that Alan Breck had actually fired the shot． And there was a price of one hun dred pounds on my head， as well as on Alan's．
I began to think that I would be safer alone． Alan was very recognizable in his fine French clothes． It was going to be dan gerous to stay with Alan， and expensive， too． Mrs Stewart had only managed to send five pounds， and Alan had to travel as far as France． But I still had two pounds， and only needed to reach Queensferry， so I would have to give some of my money to Alan． Staying with Alan meant both danger and ex pense．
But my honest friend did not think in this way at all． He felt sure that he was helping me． So what could I do， except keep quiet， and hope that everything would be all right？
We started travelling again， across the mountains， and by daylight came to wild， open moors， covered with purple heather．Because anyone on the hills around us could easily see us when we stood up， we had to walk or run on our hands and feet， like animals It was another hot summer day， and my back achcd badly after a few hours． I wanted a rest and a drink of water， but when we stopped， we saw the redcoats of soldiers on one of the hills， and we had to go on．
We walked or ran all day and all night． People who talk of tiredness do not know what the word really means， I did not know who I was or where I was going， and I did not care． I thought that every step would be my last， and I hoped that death would come soon．Alan drove me onwards， and I felt that I hated him， but I was too afraid of him to stop and rest．
When daylight returned， we were stupid with tiredness，and had become careless． Suddenly， three or four wild－looking men jumped out of the heather， and took us prisoner．I was not afraid， only happy to stop running for a moment． But Alan spoke to them in Gaelic．
‘These are Cluny Macpherson's men，’ he said quietly to me．‘Ye remember him， the head of the Macpherson clan？They fought well against the English in the Forty-Five．After that， he didn't go to France， like the other clan chiefs．No，he's been hiding here ever since， and the soldiers have never managed to find him． His clansmen bring him what he needs．’
We were taken to a cave， well hidden by trees and rocks，and Cluny Macpherson himself came forward to welcome us，like a king in his palace． He seemed to live well in his cave，and he offered us an excellent meal， prepared by his cook． But I was too tired to eat， so I lay down at once and slept． In fact，although I did not know it， I was seriously ill， and could not get up for two days．
I woke up once，in a kind of fog， to find Cluny and Alan playing cards， and a second time， to hear Alan asking to borrow my money． I was too sick and sleepy to refuse， and gave him my purse．
But when I woke up again， on the third day，I felt much better， although not very strong． I noticed that Alan was looking very ashamed， and I realized at once what had hap pened．
‘David，’ he said miserably，‘I've lost all our money at cards， yours as well as mine．’
‘No，no，ye haven't lost it