Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

THE JOUIiNEY IN THE WlLDEUNESS. 3U3
nothing but a stick, in five minutes I will show you a
sop of broken carrion, fit for dog-s to roll in/''
It was dark night when he made an end ; they had
listened in almost perfect silence ; but the firelight
scarce permitted any one to judge, from the look of his
neighbours, with what result of persuasion or convic-
tion. Indeed, the Master had set himself in the bright-
est place, and kept his face there, to be the centre
of men's eyes : doubtless ou a profound calculation.
Silence followed for awhile, and presently the whole
party became involved in disputation : the Master lying
on his back, with his hands knit under his head and
one knee flung across the other, like a person uncon-
cerned in the result. And here, I daresay, his bravado
carried him too far and prejudiced his case. At least,
after a cast or two back and forward, 02:>inion settled
finally against him. It's possible he hoped to repeat
the business of the pirate ship, and be himself, perhaps,
on hard enough conditions, elected leader; and things
went £0 far that way, that Mountain actually threw out
the proposition. But the rock he split upon was
Hastie. This fellow was not well liked, being sour and
slow, with an ugly, glowering disposition, but he had
studied some time for the church at Edinburgh Col-
lege, before ill conduct had destroyed his prospects, and
he now remembered and applied what he had learned.
Indeed he had not proceeded Very far, when the Master
rolled carelessly upon one side, which was done (in