Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog Oscar (3).pdf/8

 reflecting on the consequence, rejoiced in the event and thought of nothing else than furthering his escape from the ruthless tyrant who now claimed him. For this purpose he thought it would be best to leave the road, accordingly he crossed it in order to go over a waste moor to the westward. He had not got forty paces from the road, until he the enraged Englishman running towards him without his coat, and having his staff heaved over his shoulder. Duncan’s heart fainted within him knowing it was all over with Oscar, and most likely with himself. The peasant seemed not to have observed them, as he was running, and rather looked the other way; and as Duncan quickly lost sight of him in a hollow that lay between them, he crept into a bush of heath and took Oscar in his bosom, the man had observed from whence the dog started in the morning, and hasted to the place expecting to find him sleeping beyond thothe [sic] the earthen dike; he found the nest, but the birds were flown:—he called aloud; Oscar trembled and clung to Duncan’s breast. Duncan peeped through his purple covert like a heath-cock on his native waste, and again beheld the ruffian coming towards them, with his staff still heaved, and fury in his looks;—when he came within a few yards he bellowed out ‘Oscar, yho yho!’ Oscar quaked, and still clung closer to Duncan’s breast; Duncan almost sunk to the earth ‘D—n him,’ said the Englishman, ‘if I had a hold of him I should make both him and the little thievish rascal dear at a small price; they cannot be far gone—I think I hear them; he then stood listening, but at that instant a farmer came up on horseback and having heard him call, asked him if he had lost his dog? The peasant answered in the affirmative, and added, that a blackguard boy had stolen