By: Robert Louis STEVENSON (1850 - 1894)
David Balfour, a lad of seventeen and newly
orphaned, is directed to go and live with his rich uncle, the master of
the estate of Shaws in the lowlands of Scotland near Edinburgh. His
uncle, Ebenezer (as close a miser as Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge), is
shocked to suddenly have his young relative descend on him and tries to
rid himself of David with an arranged accident. Failing that, he pays
the captain of a brig to kidnap David and sell him into slavery in
Carolina.
A collision in the fog brings onboard the brig a survivor, Alan Breck
Stewart, who is carrying a dangerous amount of gold on his person. David
warns him of a plan by the brig's captain and crew to overpower him and
seize the money, and then finds himself fighting alongside Alan in a
battle royale. By good fortune, Alan is handy with a sword and they have
access to the firearms locker, and the pair so completely defeat the
crew that barely enough hands remain to sail her. Limping to port, she
is holed by rocks, and David finds himself a castaway.
Being in Alan's presence continues to be a chancey business. David is
talking to Colin Roy Campbell, the King's Factor who has been oppressing
Alan's people, when the man is shot to death, and David is chased as an
accomplice. The two "take to the heather" and barely survive near
brushes with redcoats as they thread through the Trossachs and other
highland ranges of Scotland. Only after an arduous weeks-long trek
through territory where they are actively hunted do they emerge in the
more settled districts around the river Forth, only to find guards upon
the bridge. With no money remaining, they must somehow cross to
Queensferry, find Ebenezer's lawyer, and lay claim to David's
inheritance in order to send Alan safely on to France. (summary by Mark
F. Smith)
Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Action & Adventure Fiction
Language: English
Running Time: 8:16:42
Zip file size: 232.8MB
Catalog date: 2008-07-31
Read by: Mark F. Smith
Book Coordinator: Mark F. Smith
Meta Coordinator: J. M. Smallheer
Proof Listener: Ans Wink
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