Fiction > Book editions > London, 1886 - Kidnapped

MY   JOURNEY   TO  THE   HOUSE   OF   SHAWS.               8
a surety ? But the name of that family, Davie boy, is
the name you bear�Balfours of Shaws: an ancient,
honest, reputable house, peradventure in these latter
days decayed. Your father, too, was a man of learning
as befitted his position; no man more plausibly con-
ducted school; nor had he the manner or the speech of
a common dominie; but (as ye will yourself remember)
I took aye a pleasure to have him to the manse to meet
the gentry; and those of my own house, Campbell of
Kilrennet, Campbell of Dunswire, Campbell of Minch,
and others, all well-kenned gentlemen, had pleasure in
his society. Lastly, to put all the elements of this
affair before you, here is the testamentary letter itself,
superscrived by the own hand of our departed brother."
He gave me the letter, which was addressed in these
words: "To the hands of Ebenezer Balfour, Esquire, of
Shaws, in his house of Shaws, these will be delivered
by my son, David Balfour." My heart was beating
hard at this great prospect now suddenly opening before
a lad of sixteen years of age, the son of a poor country
dominie in the Forest of Ettrick.
"Mr. Campbell," I stammered, "and if you were
in my shoes, would you go?"
"Of a surety," said the minister, "that would I,
and without pause. A pretty lad like you should get to
Cramond (which is near in by Edinburgh) in two days
of walk. If the worst came to the worst, and your
high relations (as I cannot but suppose them to be some-
what of your blood) should put you to the door, ye can
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