Kidnapped: Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis

Although Alan and David try to move quickly through the Highland wilderness, Alan insists on pausing at every hidden house they pass to spread news of the Red Fox’s murder. Most people already know. Still, it is a duty Alan refuses to neglect, even while fleeing. The route is confusing, with no landmarks David recognizes, and all place names given in Gaelic. At dawn, they find themselves in a grim valley and Alan grows nervous. He leads David down to a churning river, where they must leap between slippery rocks. Alan makes the first jump and forces David to follow. David hesitates, panics, and nearly falls, but Alan saves him by hauling him up by the collar.

Alan and David flee uphill to a natural hideout formed by two leaning rocks and rest inside. Alan is unusually quiet, clearly fearing they have been spotted. They try to rest, but by midmorning, Alan shakes David awake to tell him he has been snoring. They peek out and see the valley crawling with redcoats. Alan says they will be safe as long as the soldiers stay low. The day drags on in blistering heat. The sun bakes the rock beneath them, so they take turns lying in a narrow patch of shade. With no water and only raw brandy, they begin to suffer. At one point, an English soldier comes right up to the rock and almost discovers them.

By midafternoon, the heat becomes unbearable. Alan decides that he and David must risk exposure and drop to the shaded side of the rock. They collapse, out of sight but dangerously vulnerable. After resting, they begin crawling and dashing from cover to cover, slowly working their way out of the valley as the soldiers relax their guard. Near sundown, they find a river and dive in, drinking and bathing until they feel renewed. They eat a cold meal of oatmeal and water, then continue their journey under cover of night. Once Alan feels confident that they are safe, he whistles and sings as they walk along the moonlit cliffs, lifting their spirits as they press on into the dark.