Fiction > Book editions > Leipzig, 1888 - Kidnapped

I RUN A GREAT DANGER IN THE HOUSE OF SHAWS. ;^S
I tried to get this out of my head; but though I
took down many interesting authors, old and new,
history, poetry, and story-book, this notion of my father's
hand of writing stuck to me; and when at length I
went back into the kitchen, and sat down once more to
porridge and small beer, the first thing I said to Uncle
Ebenezer was to ask him if my father had not been
very quick at his book.
"Alexander? No him!" was the reply. "I was far
quicker mysel'; I was a clever chappie when I was young.
Why, I could read as soon as he could."
This puzzled me yet more; and a thought coming
into my head, I asked if he and my father had been
twins.
He jumped upon his stool, and the horn spoon fell
out of his hand upon the floor. "What gars ye ask
that?" he said, and caught me by the breast of the
jacket, and looked this time straight into my eyes: his
own, which were little and light, and bright like a bird's,
blinking and winking strangely.
"What do you mean?" I asked, very calmly, for I
was far stronger than he, and not easily frightened.
"Take your hand from my jacket. This is no way to
behave."
My uncle seemed to make a great eftbrt upon him-
self. "Dod, man David," he said, "ye shouldnae speak
to me about your father. That's where the mistake is."
He sat a while and shook, blinking in his plate: "He
was all the brother that ever I had," he added, but
with no heart in his voice; and then he caught up his
spoon and fell to supper again, but still shaking.
Now this last passage, this laying of hands upon
Kidnapped. 3