When I was well again. we left the Maclarens.
It was neat the end of August. The weather waswarm and beautiful. We had only a little money，and had to hurry on. Alan thought. too，that thehunt for us had almost ended. We could move moreboldly.
我的病好了后，我们就告别了那些麦克拉伦人上路了。当时已是八月下旬，天气晴朗，也很暖和。我们带的盘费不多，只好匆忙赶路。
艾伦也认为对我们的搜捕已经放松了，可以更加放心大胆地赶路。
We walked by night and travelled to thesouth- east. The first day we slept at the house ofanother Maclaren. He was one of Duncan ’ sfriends. The next day we lay in warm，dry heather.
That night we reached Allan Water and followedthat stream down. The third morning we lookeddown from a hill - top. Below we saw the town ofStirling and its castle on the plain.
我们晚上行路，朝东南方向走去。第一个白天在另一个麦克拉伦族人的家里休息。他是邓肯的朋友。第二天白天，我们躺在暖和、干燥的灌木丛里休息。那天夜里，我们抵达阿伦河后，便沿河走去。第三天早晨，我们从一个山上头看见平原上的施特林镇和镇子里的那座城堡。
“Now，”Alan said,“you a re in your own la nd a -ga in . If we c a n cros s the Rive r Forth，we s ha ll bes a fe .”
艾伦说：“现在，你又回到自己的家乡了。咱们要是能渡过福斯河，就可以脱险了。”
Allan Water flowed into the great river. Nearthis place. we found a little island with low.
阿伦河是这条大河的支流。在它们的汇合处，我们找到一个长满
bushes. Here we made out camp. We could seeStirling Castle and hear the soldiers’drums beating.
Men were working in the fields，and we couldeven hear their words. We lay silent . It was warmand we had food and drink Wa thought our troubleshad almost ended.
低矮灌木的小岛，就在那里露宿了。
在那儿可以看到斯特林城堡，可以听到士兵们的鼓声。男人们在地里劳动，连他们的说话声我们都听得到。我们静静地躺着。天气暧和，我们随身又带着吃的喝的，就认为基本上平安无事了。
At sunset，the men went home from the fields.
We waded ashore，and moved quietly along underthe field fences.
太阳落山时，地里的人收工回家去了。我们趟过河，借着地里的围篱隐蔽悄悄地走着。
The bridge was close under the castle hill . Itwas an old. high，narrow bridge. The moon was notyet up. A few lights shone，but all was quiet. Therewas no sign of a guard on the bridge.
城堡山下不远的地方，有一座又高又窄的老桥。月亮还没有升起，除了几处闪烁的灯光外，万籁俱寂，桥上似乎根本没有人把守。
I thought we could cross at once. Alan was wiser.
我想我们可以马上过桥，但是艾伦更加小心谨慎。他说：
“It is ve ry quie t，”he said,“but we ’ll lie he re be -hind a wa ll. We mus t be s ure .”
“四周很安静。咱们还是在堤岸后面躺一会儿，等有把握时再说。”
We lay there for a quarter of an hour. At lastau old woman with a stick came along. She wascoughing. She moved slowly up the curve of thebridge. We heard the sound of her steps. aud herstick and her cough，farther and farther away.
我 们在那里躺了一刻钟。末了，一位老太太拄着拐杖走了过来。
她不停地咳嗽，慢腾腾地走上桥的拱起处。我们听见她的脚步声，拐杖接触桥面声和咳嗽声渐渐地消失了。
“S he mus t be a cros s now，”I whispered.
“她肯定过桥啦。”我小声说。
“No，”Alan replied.“He r s te p ha s a hollows ound. S he is s till on the b ridge .”
艾伦回答说：“还没有，她脚下的声音是空的，她还在桥上呢。”
Just then a voice cried，“Who goe s ？”Weheard the sharp sound of a gun on the stones. Thesentry had been asleep. Now he was awake，and ourchance had gone.
话音刚落，有人吆喝道：“谁？”
一支枪碰在石头上，发出刺耳的声响。哨兵原来睡着了，这时醒了过来，我们失掉了过桥的机会。
“This is no us e to us ，”Alan said.
“桥对我们没有用。”艾伦说。
Without another word，he crept away throughthe fields. I followed. Then he got to his feet andstarted along a road. He was going east. What washe doing？
他二话没说，就开始从地里往外爬，我紧紧跟在后面。然后，他站起来，沿着一条路向东走出。他要干什么呢？
The evening had disappointed me. I hadthought I was going to Mr Rankeillor’s to claim myinheritance. Now I was still biding from the law.
这天晚上的事使我失望。我满以为我可以去兰基勒先生家里，得到我的继承权。可现在仍然是个在逃的罪犯，在东躲西藏。
“We ll，”said Alan,“the re d - coa ts a re s tillwa tching. I thought the y we re fools ，I’ve ma de a mis -ta ke .”
艾伦说；“唉，红外套还在搜捕我们。我还以为他们是些笨蛋呢。
我估计错了。”
“Why a re you goin g e a s t?”I asked.
“你干吗朝东走呢?”我问道。
“It is ju s t a cha nc e . ”Alan replied “Th e y a rewa tching the rive r，If we ca nnot pa s s the bridge ，wemus t try the rive r mouth.”
“只是想碰碰运气。他们在监视着这条河。咱们要是从桥上过不去，就只好去河口试一试。”艾伦回答说。
“But the s e a is wide r tha n the rive r，Ala n，”Isaid.“How ca n we cros s ？”
“可是，海比河宽多了，艾伦，咱们可怎么能过去呢?”我说。
“We ca n us e a boa t. ”Alan said.
“咱们可以雇条船。”艾伦说。
“We ha ve n o mone y，”I reminded him.
“咱们没钱呐。”我提醒他说。
“I s ha ll find a wa y，”he said. If I can’t borrow aboat，I will take one！”
“我来想办法。如果借不到船的话，就偷一条。”他说。
“If we cros s the rive r mou th，the b oa t will be onthe wrong s ide ，Some one will notice th a t a nd the nthe y will s e a rch for us .”
“咱们要是从河口过河，船就得停在对岸，总有人会看见它的，那时他们就要搜寻咱们了。”
“If I ta ke a boa t，I’ll ma ke some one ta ke itba c k！”Alan cried,“Don ’t a rgue with me . jus t wa lkon ，a nd le t me think.”
“我弄到船，就会叫人把它再划回去的！别再跟我罗嗦。你尽管走吧。动脑子的事交给我好了。”
Once again，we walked through the night，我们又开始在夜幕中赶路。
