03-02-06-诱拐 [19]
， and soon afterwards my friends found a lad， half－dead， on the beach．Your nephew， Mr Balfour． Since then they've been taking care of him． And now they'd like to know， Mr Balfour， if ye want him back． Ye'll have to pay， if ye do． My friends are very poor．
‘I don't want him back，’ said my uncle．‘He wasn't a good lad． I won't pay a shilling for him！’
‘Blood's thicker than water， sir，’ said Alan．‘He's your brother's son！ But if ye don't want him back， will ye pay us to keep him？ And ye'll have to hurry． I'm not waiting here all night！’
‘Give me a minute to think， will ye？’ cried my uncle．
‘In two words， sir， do ye want us to kill or keep the lad？’
‘Oh，sir！’ cried Ebenezer．‘Don't talk of killing！’
‘Well， killing's easier， and quicker， and cheaper．’
‘I'm an honest man，’ said my uncle，‘and no murderer．’
‘ Well， well，’ replied Alan，‘ and now how much will ye pay for us to keep him？ First I need to know how much ye paid Hoseason to kidnap the lad．How much was it？’
‘Hoseason？ Kidnap？ What are ye talking about， man？’ screamed my uncle， jumping up and down on the doorstep．
‘Hoseason himself has told me about it，’ said Alan calmly，‘so ye needn't pretend．Just answer the question，or ye'll find my sword in your stomach！’
‘Don't get angry！’ cried my uncle．‘I gave him twenty pounds， that's all． But to be honest with ye—he was going to sell the lad as a slave， and keep that money，ye see．’
‘ Thankyou， Mr Thomson，that's excellent，’ saidthe lawyer，stepping forward．‘Good evening，Mr Balfour，’
he said politely to the old man．
And，‘Good evening， uncle Ebenezer， ’ said I．
And，‘It's a grand evening， Mr Balfour，’ added Torrance．
My uncle said nothing， but stood there on the doorstep with his mouth open． We took him into the kitchen， and sat down to discuss matters． After an hour， it was all decided． My uncle accepted that Shaws belonged to me， but he would stay there during his lifetime． He agreed to pay me money every year，and Mr Rankeillor would check that he did．
We all stayed that night at the house of Shaws． But while Alan and Torrance and Mr Rankeillor slept on the hard beds upstairs， I lay down on the kitchen chests，which now belonged to me． I， who had slept out on the hills for so many days and nights， was now the owner of a large house and several farms．
My head was full of exciting plans and ideas，and I found it difficult to sleep．
The next day， while Mr Rankeillor and I were having breakfast together， I talked to him about Alan．
‘Mr Thomson is still in danger，’ said the lawyer．‘He must leave the country as soon as possible， and stay with his friends in France for a while． I'll give you money to buy him a place on a ship． He'll have to stay hidden until then．’
‘And his clansman， James Stewart， who's in prison？’ I asked．‘I know he didn't kill Colin Campbell． I saw the mur derer！ I must speak for James Stewart in court！’
‘My dear boy，’ said Rankeillor，‘it's dangerous for anyone to speak for a Stewart in Campbell court． But you must do what you think is right． I'll write you a letter to a good lawyer who will be able to help Mr Thomson's clansman．’ He stood up．‘Well， I think that we've finished our business here． I must leave now，and go back to my work．
Come and see me often， Mr David！ Goodbye！’
Alan and I started walking towards Edlnburgh，while Mr Rankeillor and Torrance turned back to Queensferry． we talked about what would happen next． Alan was going to hide in the countryside near Edinburgh， until it was safe for him to take a ship to France．
When I had found him a place，I would send him a message． Then I planned to go back to the High lands to help James Stewart return to his family．
Alan and I walked slowly． We were both thinking that soon we would have to leave each other． And we had been through so much together！We stopped when we came to the top of the Corstorphine Hill， and looked down at Edinburgh． We knew that this was the moment to say goodbye， but we stood there silently for a while．
‘Well， goodbye，’ said Alan， and held out his hand．
‘ Goodbye，’
‘I don't want him back，’ said my uncle．‘He wasn't a good lad． I won't pay a shilling for him！’
‘Blood's thicker than water， sir，’ said Alan．‘He's your brother's son！ But if ye don't want him back， will ye pay us to keep him？ And ye'll have to hurry． I'm not waiting here all night！’
‘Give me a minute to think， will ye？’ cried my uncle．
‘In two words， sir， do ye want us to kill or keep the lad？’
‘Oh，sir！’ cried Ebenezer．‘Don't talk of killing！’
‘Well， killing's easier， and quicker， and cheaper．’
‘I'm an honest man，’ said my uncle，‘and no murderer．’
‘ Well， well，’ replied Alan，‘ and now how much will ye pay for us to keep him？ First I need to know how much ye paid Hoseason to kidnap the lad．How much was it？’
‘Hoseason？ Kidnap？ What are ye talking about， man？’ screamed my uncle， jumping up and down on the doorstep．
‘Hoseason himself has told me about it，’ said Alan calmly，‘so ye needn't pretend．Just answer the question，or ye'll find my sword in your stomach！’
‘Don't get angry！’ cried my uncle．‘I gave him twenty pounds， that's all． But to be honest with ye—he was going to sell the lad as a slave， and keep that money，ye see．’
‘ Thankyou， Mr Thomson，that's excellent，’ saidthe lawyer，stepping forward．‘Good evening，Mr Balfour，’
he said politely to the old man．
And，‘Good evening， uncle Ebenezer， ’ said I．
And，‘It's a grand evening， Mr Balfour，’ added Torrance．
My uncle said nothing， but stood there on the doorstep with his mouth open． We took him into the kitchen， and sat down to discuss matters． After an hour， it was all decided． My uncle accepted that Shaws belonged to me， but he would stay there during his lifetime． He agreed to pay me money every year，and Mr Rankeillor would check that he did．
We all stayed that night at the house of Shaws． But while Alan and Torrance and Mr Rankeillor slept on the hard beds upstairs， I lay down on the kitchen chests，which now belonged to me． I， who had slept out on the hills for so many days and nights， was now the owner of a large house and several farms．
My head was full of exciting plans and ideas，and I found it difficult to sleep．
The next day， while Mr Rankeillor and I were having breakfast together， I talked to him about Alan．
‘Mr Thomson is still in danger，’ said the lawyer．‘He must leave the country as soon as possible， and stay with his friends in France for a while． I'll give you money to buy him a place on a ship． He'll have to stay hidden until then．’
‘And his clansman， James Stewart， who's in prison？’ I asked．‘I know he didn't kill Colin Campbell． I saw the mur derer！ I must speak for James Stewart in court！’
‘My dear boy，’ said Rankeillor，‘it's dangerous for anyone to speak for a Stewart in Campbell court． But you must do what you think is right． I'll write you a letter to a good lawyer who will be able to help Mr Thomson's clansman．’ He stood up．‘Well， I think that we've finished our business here． I must leave now，and go back to my work．
Come and see me often， Mr David！ Goodbye！’
Alan and I started walking towards Edlnburgh，while Mr Rankeillor and Torrance turned back to Queensferry． we talked about what would happen next． Alan was going to hide in the countryside near Edinburgh， until it was safe for him to take a ship to France．
When I had found him a place，I would send him a message． Then I planned to go back to the High lands to help James Stewart return to his family．
Alan and I walked slowly． We were both thinking that soon we would have to leave each other． And we had been through so much together！We stopped when we came to the top of the Corstorphine Hill， and looked down at Edinburgh． We knew that this was the moment to say goodbye， but we stood there silently for a while．
‘Well， goodbye，’ said Alan， and held out his hand．
‘ Goodbye，’