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Chapter 20
Itwasstrangeindeedtoseethisvalley,whichhadlainsosolitaryinthehourofdawn,bristlingwitharmsanddottedwiththeredcoatsandbreeches.
“Yesee,”saidAlan,“thiswaswhatIwasafraidof,Davie:thattheywouldwatchtheburn-side.Theybegantocomeinabouttwohoursago,and,man!butye’reagrandhandatthesleeping!We’reinanarrowplace.Iftheygetupthesidesofthehill,theycouldeasyspyuswithaglass;butifthey’llonlykeepinthefootofthevalley,we’lldoyet.Thepostsarethinnerdownthewater;and,comenight,we’lltryourhandatgettingbythem.”
“Andwhatarewetodotillnight?”Iasked.
“Liehere,”sayshe,“andbirstle.”
ThatonegoodScotchword,“birstle,”wasindeedthemostofthestoryofthedaythatwehadnowtopass.Youaretorememberthatwelayonthebaretopofarock,likesconesuponagirdle;thesunbeatuponuscruelly;therockgrewsoheated,amancouldscarceendurethetouchofit;andthelittlepatchofearthandfern,whichkeptcooler,wasonlylargeenoughforoneatatime.Wetookturnabouttolieonthenakedrock,whichwasindeedlikethepositionofthatsaintthatwasmartyredonagridiron;anditraninmymindhowstrangeitwas,thatinthesameclimateandatonlyafewdays’distance,Ishouldhavesufferedsocruelly,firstfromcolduponmyislandandnowfromheatuponthisrock.
