174                                   KIDNAPPED.
"And that's a choice very easily made," said I; and
we shook hands upon it.
"And now let's take another keek at the red-coats,"
says Alan, and he led me to the north-eastern fringe of
the wood.
Looking out between the trees, we could see a great
side of mountain, running down exceeding steep into
the waters of the loch. It was a rough part, all hang-
ing stone, and heather, and bit scrags of birchwood;
and away at the far end towards Balachulish, little wee
red soldiers were dipping up and down over hill and
howe, and growing smaller every minute. There was no
cheering now, for I think they had other uses for what
breath was left them ; but they still stuck to the trail,
and doubtless thought that we were close in front of
them.
Alan watched them, smiling to himself.
"Ay," said he, "they'll be gey weary before they've
got to the end of that employ ! And so you and me,
David, can sit down and eat a bite, and breathe a bit
longer, and take a dram from my bottle. Then we'll
strike for Aucharn, the house of my kinsman, James of
the Glens, where I must get my clothes, and my arms,
and money to carry us along ; and then David, we'll
cry 'Forth, Fortune!' and take a cast among the
heather."
So we sat again and ate and drank, in a place
whence we could see the sun going down into a field of
great, wild and houseless mountains, such as I was now