robert falconer-第94章

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bows　modelled　efter　the　cheeks　o'　a　resurrection　cherub　upo'　a

gravestane；　draws　a　heap　o'　watter：　an'　the　bar　they　say　's　waur　to

win　ower　nor　usual：　it's　been　gatherin'　again。'



As　they　spoke；　the　boys　were　making　for　the　new　town；　eagerly。　　Just

opposite　where　the　Amphitrite　lay　was　a　public…house：　into　that　they

made　up　their　minds　to　go；　and　there　to　write　a　letter；　which　they

would　give　to　Miss　Lindsay　if　they　could；　or；　if　not；　leave　with

Skipper　Hoornbeek。　　Before　they　reached　the　river；　a　thick　rain　of

minute　drops　began　to　fall；　rendering　the　night　still　darker；　so

that　they　could　scarcely　see　the　vessels　from　the　pavement　on　the

other　side　of　the　quay；　along　which　they　were　hurrying；　to　avoid　the

cables；　rings；　and　stone　posts　that　made　its　margin　dangerous　in　the

dim　light。　　When　they　came　to　The　Smack　Inn　they　crossed　right　over

to　reach　the　Amphitrite。　　A　growing　fear　kept　them　silent　as　they

approached　her　berth。　　It　was　empty。　　They　turned　and　stared　at　each

other　in　dismay。



One　of　those　amphibious　animals　that　loiter　about　the　borders　of　the

water　was　seated　on　a　stone　smoking；　probably　fortified　against　the

rain　by　the　whisky　inside　him。



'Whaur's　the　Amphitrite；　Alan？'　asked　Shargar；　for　Robert　was　dumb

with　disappointment　and　rage。



'Half　doon　to　Stanehive　by　this　time；　I'm　thinkin'；'　answered　Alan。

'For　a　brewin'　tub　like　her；　she　fummles　awa　nae　ill　wi'　a　licht

win'　astarn　o'　her。　　But　I'm　doobtin'　afore　she　win　across　the

herrin…pot　her　fine　passengers　'll　win　at　the　boddom　o'　their

stamacks。　　It's　like　to　blaw　a　bonnetfu'；　and　she　rows　awfu'　in　ony

win'。　　I　dinna　think　she　cud　capsize；　but　for　wamlin'　she's　waur　nor

a　bairn　with　the　grips。'



In　absolute　helplessness；　the　boys　had　let　him　talk　on：　there　was

nothing　more　to　be　done；　and　Alan　was　in　a　talkative　mood。



'Fegs！　gin　't　come　on　to　blaw；'　he　resumed；　'I　wadna　wonner　gin　they

got　the　skipper　to　set　them　ashore　at　Stanehive。　　I　heard　auld　Horny

say　something　aboot　lyin'　to　there　for　a　bit；　to　tak　a　keg　or

something　aboord。'



The　boys　looked　at　each　other；　bade　Alan　good…night；　and　walked

away。



'Hoo　far　is　't　to　Stonehaven；　Shargar？'　said　Robert。



'I　dinna　richtly　ken。　　Maybe　frae　twal　to　fifteen　mile。'



Robert　stood　still。　　Shargar　saw　his　face　pale　as　death；　and

contorted　with　the　effort　to　control　his　feelings。



'Shargar；'　he　said；　'what　am　I　to　do？　　I　vowed　to　Mr。　Ericson　that；

gin　he　deid；　I　wad　luik　efter　that　bonny　lassie。　　An'　noo　whan　he's

lyin'　a'　but　deid；　I　hae　latten　her　slip　throu'　my　fingers　wi'　clean

carelessness。　　What　am　I　to　do？　　Gin　I　cud　only　win　to　Stonehaven

afore　the　Amphitrite！　　I　cud　gang　aboord　wi'　the　keg；　and　gin　I　cud

do　naething　mair；　I　wad　hae　tried　to　do　my　best。　　Gin　I　do　naething；

my　hert　'll　brak　wi'　the　weicht　o'　my　shame。'



Shargar　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　　Robert　was　on　the　point　of

knocking　him　down；　but　took　him　by　the　throat　as　a　milder

proceeding；　and　shook　him。



'Robert！　　Robert！'　gurgled　Shargar；　as　soon　as　his　choking　had

overcome　his　merriment；　'ye're　an　awfu'　Hielan'man。　　Hearken　to　me。

I　beggg　yer　pardon。　　What　I　was　thinkin'　o'　was'



Robert　relaxed　his　hold。　　But　Shargar；　notwithstanding　the　lesson

Robert　had　given　him；　could　hardly　speak　yet　for　the　enjoyment　of

his　own　device。



'Gin　we　could　only　get　rid　o'　Jock　Mitchell！'　he　crowed；　and　burst

out　again。



'He's　wi'　a　wuman　i'　the　Gallowgate；'　said　Robert。



'Losh；　man！'　exclaimed　Shargar；　and　started　off　at　full　speed。



He　was　no　match　for　his　companion；　however。



'Whaur　the　deevil　are　ye　rinnin'　till；　ye　wirrycow　（scarecrow）？'

panted　Robert；　as　he　laid　hold　of　his　collar。



'Lat　me　gang；　Robert；'　gasped　Shargar。　'Losh；　man！　ye'll　be　on　Black

Geordie　in　anither　ten　meenits；　an'　me　ahin'　ye　upo'　Reid　Rorie。

An'　faith　gin　we　binna　at　Stanehive　afore　the　Dutchman　wi'　's

boddom　foremost；　it'll　be　the　faut　o'　the　horse　and　no　o'　the　men。'



Robert's　heart　gave　a　bound　of　hope。



'Hoo　'ill　ye　get　them；　Shargar？'　he　asked　eagerly。



'Steal　them；'　answered　Shargar；　struggling　to　get　away　from　the

grasp　still　upon　his　collar。



'We　micht　be　hanged　for　that。'



'Weel；　Robert；　I'll　tak　a'　the　wyte　o'　't。　　Gin　it　hadna　been　for

you；　I　micht　ha'　been　hangt　by　this　time　for　ill　doin'：　for　your

sake　I'll　be　hangt　for　weel　doin'；　an'　welcome。　　Come　awa'。　　To

steal　a　mairch　upo'　brither　Sandy　wi'　aucht　（eight）　horse…huves　o'

's　ain！　　Ha！　ha！　ha！'



They　sped　along；　now　running　themselves　out　of　breath；　now　walking

themselves　into　it　again；　until　they　reached　a　retired　hostelry

between　the　two　towns。　　Warning　Robert　not　to　show　himself；　Shargar

disappeared　round　the　corner　of　the　house。



Robert　grew　weary；　and　then　anxious。　　At　length　Shargar's　face　came

through　the　darkness。



'Robert；'　he　whispered；　'gie　's　yer　bonnet。　　I'll　be　wi'　ye　in　a

moment　noo。'



Robert　obeyed；　too　anxious　to　question　him。　　In　about　three　minutes

more　Shargar　reappeared；　leading　what　seemed　the　ghost　of　a　black

horse；　for　Robert　could　see　only　his　eyes；　and　his　hoofs　made

scarcely　any　noise。　　How　he　had　managed　it　with　a　horse　of　Black

Geordie's　temper；　I　do　not　know；　but　some　horses　will　let　some

persons　do　anything　with　them：　he　had　drawn　his　own　stockings　over

his　fore　feet；　and　tied　their　two　caps　upon　his　hind　hoofs。



'Lead　him　awa'　quaietly　up　the　road　till　I　come　to　ye；'　said

Shargar；　as　he　took　the　mufflings　off　the　horse's　feet。　'An'　min'

'at　he　doesna　tak　a　nip　o'　ye。　　He's　some　ill　for　bitin'。　　I'll　be

efter　ye　direckly。　　Rorie's　saiddlet　an'　bridled。　　He　only　wants　his

carpet…shune。'



Robert　led　the　horse　a　few　hundred　yards；　then　stopped　and　waited。

Shargar　soon　joined　him；　already　mounted　on　Red　Roderick。



'Here's　yer　bonnet；　Robert。　　It's　some　foul；　I　doobt。　　But　I　cudna

help　it。　　Gang　on；　man。　　Up　wi'　ye。　　Maybe　I　wad　hae　better　keepit

Geordie　mysel'。　　But　ye　can　ride。　　Ance　ye're　on；　he　canna　bite　ye。'



But　Robert　needed　no　encouragement　from　Shargar。　　In　his　present

mood　he　would　have　mounted　a　griffin。　　He　was　on　horseback　in　a

moment。　　They　trotted　gently　through　the　streets；　and　out　of　the

town。　　Once　over　the　Dee；　they　gave　their　horses　the　rein；　and　off

they　went　through　the　dark　drizzle。　　Before　they　got　half…way　they

were　wet　to　the　skin；　but　little　did　Robert；　or　Shargar　either；　care

for　that。　　Not　many　words　passed　between　them。



'Hoo　'ill　ye　get　the　horse　（plural）　in　again；　Shargar？'　asked

Robert。



'Afore　I　get　them　back；'　answered　Shargar；　'they'll　be　tired　eneuch

to　gang　hame　o'　themsel's。　　Gin　we　had　only　had　the　luck　to　meet

Jock！that　wad　hae　been　gran'。'



'What　for　that？'



'I　wad　hae　cawed　Reid　Rorie　ower　the　heid　o'　'm；　an'　left　him

lyin'the　coorse　villain！'



The　horses　never　flagged　till　they　drew　up　in　the　main　street　of

Stonehaven。　　Robert　ran　down　to　the　harbour　to　make　inquiry；　and

left　Shargar　to　put　them　up。



The　moon　had　risen；　but　the　air　was　so　full　of　vapour　that　she　only

succeeded　in　melting　the　darkness　a　little。　　The　sea　rolled　in

front；　awful　in　its　dreariness；　under　just　light　enough　to　show　a

something　unlike　the　land。　　But　the　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　air　was

clearer。　　Robert　asked　a　solitary　man；　with　a　telescope　in　his　hand；

whether　he　was　looking　out　for　the　Amphitrite。　　The　man　asked　him

gruffly　in　return　what　he　knew　of　her。　　Possibly　the　nature　of　the

keg　to　be　put　on　board　had　something　to　do　with　his　Scotch　reply。

Robert　told　him　he　was　a　friend　of　the　captain；　had　missed　the

boat；　and　would　give　any　one　five　shillings　to　put　him　on　board。

The　man　went　away　and　returned　with　a　companion。　　After　some

further　questioning　and　bargaining；　they　agreed　to　take　him。　　Robert

loitered　about　the　pier　full　of　impatience。　　Shargar　joined　him。



Day　began　to　break　over　the　waves。　　They　gleamed　with　a　blue…gray

leaden　sheen。　　The　men　appear