In an adjacent hollow they found several Highlanders, with a
horse or two. They had not joined them above a few minutes, which
Waverley's attendant employed, in all probability, in communicating the
cause of their delay (for the words 'Duncan Duroch' were often repeated),
when Duncan himself appeared, out of breath indeed, and with all the
symptoms of having run for his life, but laughing, and in high spirits at
the success of the stratagem by which he had baffled his pursuers. This
indeed Waverley could easily conceive might be a matter of no great
difficulty to the active mountaineer, who was perfectly acquainted with
the ground, and traced his course with a firmness and confidence to which
his pursuers must have been strangers. The alarm which he excited seemed
still to continue, for a dropping shot or two were heard at a great
distance, which seemed to serve as an addition to the mirth of Duncan and
his comrades.
The mountaineer now resumed the arms with which he had entrusted our
hero, giving him to understand that the dangers of the journey were
happily surmounted. Waverley was then mounted upon one of the horses, a
change which the fatigue of the night and his recent illness rendered
exceedingly acceptable.
Pages:
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557