CHAPTER XXII.
KIDNAPED.
Unable to silence Mike's shouts, the scandalized guards began dragginghim roughly from the spot, cuffing him as they went. But the door of thetent opened, and General Leslie appeared.
"What means all this unseemly uproar?" he asked.
"This malapert boy, general, wished to force his way into your tent, andwhen we stopped him, and told him that he must apply to the lieutenantof the guard if he had aught of importance which he wished tocommunicate to you, he began to shout like one possessed."
"Loose him," the general said. "Now, varlet, what mean you by thisuproar?"
"Forgive me, sir," Mike pleaded, "but I come on an errand which concernsthe life of my master, Colonel Furness."
"Come within," the general said briefly, for by this time a crowd hadgathered round the tent. "Now," he went on, "what is it you would tellme?"
"I would ask you, sir, whether an hour since you sent an order to mymaster that he should forthwith go on board the ship Royalist to inspectrecruits and stores of arms just arrived from Holland?"
The general looked at him in astonishment.
"I sent no such order," he said. "No ship has arrived from Holland ofthat or any other name. What story is this that you have got hold of?"
"My master received such an order, sir, for I heard him read it aloud,and he started at once with his major to carry out the order. Knowing,sir, how great, as you are doubtless aware, is the enmity which the Earlof Argyll bears to my master, I followed him to the port, and therelearned that the ship called the Royalist had not come from Holland, butis a coaster from the north. I found, moreover, that she was butyesterday named the Royalist, and that she was before known as theCovenant, and that she is commanded by a Campbell. Then it seemed to methat some plot had been laid to kidnap my master, and I ran straight toyou to ask you whether you had really ordered him to go on board thisship."
"This must be seen to at once," the general said; for having beenpresent at the scene when Harry produced Cromwell's letter, he knew howdeadly was the hatred of the earl for the young colonel. "Withoutthere!" he cried. A soldier entered. "Send the lieutenant of the guardhere at once." The soldier disappeared, and the general sat down at histable and hastily wrote an order. "Lieutenant," he said, when theofficer entered, "give this letter to Captain Farquharson, and tell himto take his twenty men, and to go on the instant down to the port. Therehe is to take boat and row out to the ship called the Royalist. He is toarrest the captain and crew, and if he see not there Colonel Furness,let him search the ship from top to bottom. If he find no signs of him,let him bring the captain and six of his men ashore at once."
As soon as he heard the order given Mike, saluting the general, hurriedfrom the tent, and ran at full speed to the camp of Harry's regiment.There he related to Donald Leslie and William Long the suspiciouscircumstances which had occurred, and the steps which the general hadordered to be taken.
"This is bad news, indeed," Captain Leslie exclaimed; "and I fear thatthe colonel has fallen into the hands of Argyll's minions. If it be soFarquharson is scarce likely to find the Royalist at anchor when hearrives at the port. Come, Long, let us be stirring. I will hand overthe command of the regiment to Grahame till we return. While I amspeaking to him pick me out ten trusty men."
He hurried off, and in five minutes was hastening toward the port, withWilliam Long, Mike, and ten men. Such was the speed they made that theyreached the quay just at the same time with Captain Farquharson and hismen.
Mike gave a cry of despair. The Royalist had disappeared. He ran up to asailor who was still sitting on an upturned basket, smoking as he hadleft him before.
"Where is the Royalist?" he exclaimed.
"Halloo! young fellow, are you back again? I thought you had gone offwith a bee in your bonnet, so suddenly and quickly did you run. TheRoyalist? ay, she hoisted her sails two minutes after her boat reachedher. I was watching her closely, for I wondered whether she had aught todo with your sudden flight. Methinks that something strange has happenedon board, for I saw what seemed to be a scuffle, and certainly the sunshone on the gleam of swords. Then, too, instead of heaving her anchor,she slipped the cable, and a Scotch captain must be in a hurry indeedwhen he does that."
"Where is she now?" Mike asked.
"Over there, full four miles away, making across the Forth for thenorthern point of land."
"Is she a fast ship?" Captain Leslie, who had come up, inquired.
"She has the name of being the fastest sailer in these parts."
"There is nothing here would catch her?" Donald Leslie asked. "Would arowboat have a chance of overtaking her?"
"Not this evening," the sailor said, looking at the sky. "The wind isrising now, and it will blow a gale before morning."
"Tell me, my man," Leslie asked, "and here is a gold piece for yourpains, where you think she is likely to put in?"
"That will all depend," the sailor replied, "upon what errand she isbound. I must know that before I can answer you."
Leslie looked at William Long. The latter said:
"It were best to tell this honest fellow the facts of the case. Lookyou, my 'man, the two king's officers who have gone on board are illfriends with the Campbells, and we doubt not that these have kidnapedand carried them off."
"The Campbells are an ill crew to deal with," the sailor said, "and I donot love them myself. If it be as you say, they might be landed eitherat Anstruther, near which is a hold belonging to Andrew Campbell ofGlencoulie, or at St. Andrews, or at Leuchars, a little bay north ofthat town, whence they might take them to Kilbeg Castle, also held by aCampbell. It is a lonely place ten miles inland, and their friends wouldbe little likely to look for them there. Besides, the Royalist mightland them and sail away without any being the wiser, while at the otherports her coming would be surely noticed."
"Think you that we can obtain horses on the other side?"
"You might obtain four or five," the sailor said, "of Tony Galbraith,who keeps the inn there, and who lets horses on hire to those travelingnorth."
"If a storm comes on," Leslie asked, "which way is it likely to blow,and will the Royalist be like to make the bay you name?
"Ah! that is more than I can tell," the sailor replied. "Methinks 'twillblow from the west. In that case, she might be able to make her wayalong the shore; she might run into port for shelter; she might be blownout to sea."
"At any rate," Leslie said, "our first step is to cross. Get us a stoutsailing boat. Be not sparing of promises."
The man at once went off to a group of sailors, but these at first shooktheir heads, and looked toward the sky. Its aspect was threatening. Thewind was getting up fast, and masses of scud flew rapidly across it.Leslie went up to the group.
"Come, lads," he said, "five pounds if you put us across."
The offer was too tempting to be rejected, and the men hurried down andbegan to prepare a large sailing boat. Leslie and Lieutenant Long had ahasty consultation, and agreed that, seeing the difficulty there wouldbe in obtaining horses, it was useless to take more than ten men in all.Accordingly, as soon as the boat was in readiness, the two officers,Mike, and seven soldiers took their places in her. The sails wereclosely reefed, and she at once put out into the Firth. Every minute thewind rose, until, by the time they were half across, it was blowing agale. The boat was a stout one, but the waves broke freely over her, andfour of the soldiers were kept at work baling to throw out the water shetook over her bows. Once or twice they thought that she would capsize,so furious were the gusts, but the boatmen were quick and skillful. Thesheets were let go and the sails lowered until the force of the squallabated, and at last, after a passage which seemed rapid even to thoseon board, anxious as they were, she entered the little port.
Hurrying to the inn, they found that six horses were obtainable. Thesethey hired at once. The host said that he could send to some farms, notfar distant, and hire four more, but that an hour or so would elapse erethey came
. Leslie and William Long had already decided that theprisoners would most probably be taken to Kilbeg Castle, as being moresecluded than the others. They now agreed that they themselves with Mikeand three soldiers should start at once, to intercept them if possiblebetween the sea and the castle. When the other horses arrived two of thesoldiers were to ride with all speed to Anstruther, and two to St.Andrews, and were there to keep sharp watch to see if the Royalistarrived there, and landed aught in the way either of men or goods.
The point to which they were bound lay fully forty miles away. Theydetermined to ride as far as the horses would carry them, and then, ifable to obtain no more, to walk forward. Night was already setting in,and a driving rain flew before the gale.
"We shall never be able to keep the road," Leslie said, "Landlord, haveyou one here who could serve as guide? He must be quick-footed and sure.Our business is urgent, and we are ready to pay well."
A guide was speedily found, a lad on a shaggy pony, who had the daybefore come down from the north with cattle. While the horses were beingprepared the party had taken a hasty supper, and Leslie had seen thateach of the soldiers had a tankard of hot spiced wine. So quickly hadthe arrangements been made that in half an hour after their arrival atthe port the party started from the inn. The ride was indeed a roughone. The country was heavy and wild. The rain drenched them to the skinin spite of their thick cloaks, and the wind blew at times with suchviolence that the horses were fain to stop and stand huddled togetherfacing it to keep their feet. Hour after hour they rode, never gettingbeyond a walk, so rough was the road; often obliged to pause altogetherfrom the force of the gale. Twice they stopped at inns at quietvillages, knocked up the sleeping hosts, and obtained hot wine forthemselves and hot gruel for their horses. Their pace grew slower as theanimals became thoroughly knocked up, and at last could not be urgedbeyond a walk.
At the next village they stopped, and as they found that there was nopossibility of obtaining fresh horses, they determined to push forwardon foot. It was now four o'clock in the morning, and they had riddenover forty miles. Another guide was obtained, and they set forward.Although they had hurried to the utmost, it was ten o'clock in themorning before they came down upon a valley with a narrow stream whichtheir guide told them fell into the sea, near Leuchars. They were, hesaid, now within two miles of the castle, the track from which to thesea ran down the valley. The wind was still blowing a gale, but theclouds had broken, and at times the sun streamed out brightly.
"Thank Heaven we are here at last," Donald Leslie said, "for a hardernight I have never spent. I think we must be in time."
"I think so," William Long said. "Supposing the Royalist made the baysafely, she would have been there by midnight, but the sea would havebeen so high that I doubt if they would have launched a boat tillmorning. It was light by five, but they might wait for the gale to abatea little, and after landing they have eight miles to come. Of course,they might have passed here an hour ago, but a incline to think thatthey would not land till later, as with this wind blowing off shore, itwould be no easy matter to row a boat in its teeth."
The guide saying that there was a cottage a mile further up the valley,he was sent there with instructions to ask whether any one had been seento pass that morning. After being half an hour absent he returned,saying that there was only an old woman at the hut, and that she hadtold him she was sure no one had passed there since daybreak. They nowfollowed the stream down the valley until they came to a small wood.Here they lay down to rest, one being placed upon the lookout. Two hourslater the sentry awoke them with the news that a party of men werecoming up the valley. All were at once upon the alert.
"Thank Heaven," Leslie said, "we have struck the right place. There seemto be ten or twelve of them, of whom two, no doubt, are the prisoners.We shall have no difficulty in overcoming them by a sudden surprise.Capture or kill every man if possible, or we shall have hot work ingetting back to Edinburgh."
When the party came nearer it could be seen that it consisted of eightarmed men, in the center of whom the two Royalist officers were walking.Their arms were bound to their sides. Leslie arranged that he with Mikeand one of the soldiers would at once spring to their aid, as likelyenough, directly the attack began, the captors might endeavor to slaytheir prisoners, to prevent them from being rescued. Mike was instructedto strike no blow, but to devote himself at once to cutting their cords,and placing weapons in their hands.
The surprise was complete. The sailors forming the majority of theparty, with two trusty retainers of the earl, who had special charge ofthe affair, were proceeding carelessly along, having no thought ofinterruption. So far their plans had succeeded perfectly. The momentthe two officers had reached the quay they were addressed by the mensent on shore with the Royalist's boat. Unsuspicious of danger they tooktheir place in it, and therefore missed the opportunity, which theywould have had if they had entered any of the other boats, of learningthe true character of the Royalist. They had been attacked the instantthey gained the deck of the vessel. Harry, who was first, had beenknocked down before he had time to put his hand to his sword. Jacob hadfought valiantly for a short time, but he too had been knocked senselessby a blow with a capstan bar. They had then been roughly tumbled below,where no further attention had been paid to them. The Royalist had beenblown many miles out to sea, and did not make her anchorage until teno'clock in the morning. Then the hatches were removed, and the prisonersbrought on deck.
The inlet was a small one, and contained, only a little fishing village;the prisoners saw the Royalist sail off again, directly they had beenplaced in the boat. They had from the first moment when they regainedconsciousness entertained no doubts whatever into whose hands they hadfallen, and they felt their position to be desperate. The plan, indeed,had been skillfully laid, and had it not been for Harry reading theorder aloud in Mike's presence, there would have been no clew to theirdisappearance. During the night the young men were too overpowered withthe violence of the storm, and the closeness of the atmosphere in thehold, in which they had been thrown, to converse. But as the motionmoderated in the morning they had talked over their chances, andpronounced them to be small indeed. Harry, indeed, remembered that Mikehad been present when he asked Jacob to accompany him on board ship, buthe thought that no uneasiness would be felt until late that night, asit might well be thought that their duties had detained them, and thatthey had supped on board. The storm might further account for theirnon-appearance till morning. Then they imagined that inquiry would bemade, and that it would be found that the Royalist had sailed. Theircaptors would then have a start of twenty-four hours, and in suchtroubled times it was scarce likely that anything would be done. Norindeed did they see how they could be followed, as the destination ofthe ship would be entirely unknown. The very fact that they had not beenthrown overboard when fairly out at sea was in itself a proof that theircaptors entertained no fear of pursuit; had they done so, they wouldhave dispatched them at once. The captives felt sure that it wasintended to land them, in order that Argyll himself might have thepleasure of taunting them before putting them to death. Against Jacob,indeed, he could have no personal feeling, and it was by accident onlythat he was a sharer in Harry's fate. But as a witness of what had takenplace, his life would assuredly be taken, as well as that of hiscompanion. As they walked along they gathered from the talk of theirguards the distance which they had to go, and the place of theirdestination. They had never heard of Kilbeg Castle, but as they had noenemies save Argyll, they knew that it must belong to one of his clan.They spoke but little on the way. Harry was wondering how the news ofhis disappearance would be received in the camp, and thinking of thedismay which it would occasion in the minds of Mike and William Long,when suddenly he heard a shout, and on the instant a fierce fight wasraging around him.
Although taken completely by surprise, the sailors fought steadily. Buttwo were cut down before they could draw a sword, and the others,outmatched, were driven backward. The leader of the party shouted
againand again, "Kill the prisoners," but he and each of his men were toohotly engaged with the adversaries who pressed them, to do more thandefend their own lives. In a minute the fray was rendered still moreunequal by Harry and Jacob joining in it, and in less than three minutesfrom its commencement seven of the guards lay dead or dying upon theground. The other, an active young fellow, had taken to flight early inthe fight, and was already beyond reach.
The contest over, there was a delighted greeting between the rescuedprisoners and their friends.
"Come," Leslie said, "we have not a moment to lose. That fellow who hasescaped will take the news to Kilbeg, and we shall be having itsgarrison at our heels. He has but three miles to run, and they will beatto horse in a few minutes after he gets there. We must strike across thehills, and had best make a great circuit by Stirling. If we avoid theroads and towns they may not pick up our track."
Their guide fortunately knew the country well, and leaving the path bywhich they had traveled, the party started on their return. All day theytramped across the moorlands, avoiding all villages and scatteredfarmhouses. They had, they knew, three-quarters of an hour's start, andas their pursuers would be alike ignorant whence they came or whitherthey were going, the chances of their hitting the right route weresmall.
Making a circuit round Kinross and Alloa, where the Campbells might haveridden in pursuit, and sleeping in a wood, they arrived next day atStirling. Here was great excitement, for Cromwell's army, marching southof Edinburgh, had approached the town. They remained, however, a fewhours only, collecting what previsions they could, and then fallingback again to their former camp at Musselburgh. The following day Harryand his party marched to Edinburgh. That night Harry reported to SirDavid Leslie what had befallen him and the next morning he accompaniedthe general to Holyrood, and laid a complaint before the king.
His majesty was most indignant at the attempt which had been made uponhis follower, but he said to General Leslie, "I doubt not, Sir David,that your thoughts and mine go toward the same person. But we have noevidence that he had an absolute hand in it, although the fact that thisship was commanded by a Campbell, and that the hold of Kilbeg belongs toone of his kinsmen, point to his complicity in the affair. Still, thatis no proof. Already the earl is no friend of mine. When the day comes Iwill have a bitter reckoning with him, but in the present state of myfortunes, methinks that 'twere best in this, as in other matters, tohold my tongue for the time. I cannot afford to make him an open enemynow."
General Leslie agreed with the king. Cromwell's army was in a sorestrait, and would, they hoped, be shortly driven either to surrender orto fight under disadvantageous circumstances. But the open defection ofArgyll at the present moment, followed as it would be by that of thewhole fanatical party, would entirely alter the position of affairs, andHarry begged his majesty to take no more notice of the matter, and soreturned to the camp.