Ebenezer does not want the boy dead, and as he haggles over how much he will pay he admits that the plan had been for Hoseason to sell the boy into slavery in the Carolinas. David and Alan finally move on and, after some difficulties, reach Queensferry once more. A central theme of the novel is the concept of justice, the imperfections of the justice system and the lack of a universal definition of justice. Rankeillor says the agreement is not legally binding, and that David is the true heir of the estate. After his death many viewed it with scepticism, seeing it as simply a boys' novel, but by the mid-20th century it had regained critical approval and study. Cluny agrees to give them their money back, plus more, but Cluny is mortified that they thought he would keep the money, David is angry that Alan gambled it away and he has to swallow his pride and ask for it back, and Alan feels guilty for having gambled it all away. When David and Alan resume their flight in cold and rainy weather, David becomes ill again, and Alan carries him on his back down the burn to reach the nearest house, fortuitously that of a Maclaren, Duncan Dhu, who is both an ally of the Stewarts and a skilled piper. Kidnapped is set around real 18th-century Scottish events, notably the "Appin murder", which occurred in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745. Alan feels remorseful for some time, but when David refuses to warm up at all, Alan thinks that he has personally suffered enough, and soon becomes his usual happy self, taunting David for being a Whig. When David stops the Campbell man to ask him for directions, a hidden sniper kills the King's hated agent. David is denounced as a conspirator and flees for his life, but by chance reunites with Alan. There, they meet a lawyer of David's uncle's, Mr. Rankeillor, who agrees to help David receive his inheritance. Kidnapped was well received and sold well while Stevenson was alive. But instead of using guns, they duel by playing the bagpipes, and the two men quickly respect one another and a crisis is averted. David tells this to the stranger, and agrees to fight by his side. Kidnapped tells the story of David Balfour, a young man of the Lowlands, the southern part of Scotland. Many of the characters are real people, including one of the principals, Alan Breck Stewart. The main character and narrator is 17-year-old David Balfour. This page was last edited on 18 September 2020, at 03:00. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Alan and David continue on their journey toward the Lowlands, but David is now angry and bitter toward Alan. Alan left instructions that David should follow him to Torosay, and from there go to Alan's homeland of Appin. SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble. David and the lawyer hide in bushes outside Ebenezer's house while Alan speaks to him, claiming to be a man who found David nearly dead after the wreck of the Covenant and says he is representing folk holding him captive in the Hebrides. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: A Graphic Novel in Full Colour, Treasure Island And Kidnapped: (Illustrated Classic) 100Th Anniversary Collection, Edinburgh UNESCO City Of Literature Trust chose Kidnapped as their `One. She also sends a little more money for David and Alan. Hoseason then asks to speak to David on the boat, and David agrees, being interested in seeing more of the boat. Hoseason later offers to take them on board the brig briefly, and David complies, only to see his uncle returning to shore alone in a skiff. Alan convinces Cluny to give them shelter, and David is tended by a Highland doctor. The novel ends with David and Alan parting ways on Corstorphine Hill; Alan returns to France, and David goes to a bank to settle his money. A sequel, Catriona, was published in 1893. David walks two days to Edinburgh, and soon finds his way to Cramond. Ebenezer treats David badly, almost as if David were a thief, but he wins some of David's respect by giving the lad nearly forty pounds. 1-Click ordering is not available for this item. As he drifts in and out of sleep, he quickly becomes ill, and soon he is lingering near death. 226 – Hilary Mantel", "18th Century murder conviction 'should be quashed, "Episode 1, Robert Louis Stevenson: Kidnapped, Drama – BBC Radio 4", "Further Thoughts on Robert Louis Stevenson's, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kidnapped_(novel)&oldid=978985134, Works originally published in Young Folks (magazine), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Sorry, there was a problem saving your cookie preferences. (Balfour is Stevenson's mother's maiden name.)