by Ian Todd
“Whit? The wan that goat ye?” Paul asked, scanning the ground and seeing the bag lying in amongst the ferns four feet away.
“No, that was another one. I dismantled the one that’s in the bag back across there,” he said, nodding towards a wee path in front ae him.
“Fur Christ’s sake! So there wis two ae them?”
“Aye, laddie. I’m not sure where the second one was planted but we need to take that one with us as well. We can’t leave it here for the Sellars to use on some other poor bugger.”
“Right, hing oan,” Paul said, walking o’er and picking up Innes’s sack.
He could feel the brick-like weight at the bottom ae it. He then gingerly walked across tae the space in the foliage that hid the roond ragged blast in it and looked through. He clocked the wooden block wae the brass snub-nosed barrel sitting oan the ground, wae the expended cartridge still sitting in it. He moved through the undergrowth. He tried lifting it, but it widnae budge. He sat doon oan the ground, sideways oan tae it and started tae kick it wae the heel ae his boot. Efter aboot hauf a dozen solid kicks, it moved. He goat up and put his fingers under the base oan each side ae it and heaved. It came straight up. At either end, it hid two metal spikes through the holes that wur drilled in the wood, each spike aboot eighteen inches long tae fasten it solidly tae the ground. He turned and ran through the undergrowth tae Innes who wis still looking pasty white, and placed the trap in Innes’s bag.
“Right, Innes, here’s whit we’re gonnae dae. Noo, listen up…Ah don’t hiv time tae argue wae ye, so don’t start gieing me any grief…okay?”
“Whatever you say, laddie,” Innes panted, clearly in pain.
“Right, I’m gonnae lift ye up and oan tae yer feet. Make sure aw yer weight goes oan yer good leg. If ye want tae take that sack ae yers wae ye, ye’ll need tae make sure it’s slung o’er yer ain back. Wance oan yer feet, Ah’m gonnae lift ye up oan tae ma back and we’ll get gaun. Hiv ye goat that?”
“Aye.”
It wis awful trying tae get Innes up oan tae they feet ae his withoot hurting him. As soon as Paul took him by the hauns and heaved him up, Innes let oot a whining, painful groan.
“Ur ye sure yer awright, Innes?” Paul asked him.
Innes jist stood there, fighting the pain wae his eyes shut tight, as he shook like a wobbly jelly.
“Right, ye’ll need tae put baith yer hauns roond ma neck, bit before ye dae, make sure yer sack is o’er yer back and ye’re haudin it. Hiv ye goat that?” Paul asked him, turning his back oan him.
“Aye, laddie.”
“Right, here we go then,” Paul said, feeling Innes’s fore-erms being wrapped roond his neck.
He bent forward, taking the weight and wrapped his hauns roond the tap ae the back ae Innes’s thighs, before moving aff. Paul wis trying no tae panic. He wisnae convinced that he’d be able tae get Innes back alive. He wis scared tae ask Innes tae drap his overalls tae let him hiv a look, in case he hid a hole right through him. The sack wae the two poachers’ retreats in it toppled forward and landed at Paul’s feet. Efter struggling tae pick it up, he managed tae pass it back tae Innes. Paul hid only moved aboot ten feet in the direction he’d come fae, when Innes decided tae offer him some advice.
“Would you not be quicker going back the way I came, laddie?”
“Innes, Ah don’t want tae be cheeky, bit shut the fuck up. We’ll go the way Ah came. That way, Ah won’t get masel shot as well and hiv tae explain tae Whitey how Ah wis as stupid as yersel. Hiv ye goat that?”
Paul followed the tree line. The ground wis firm due tae years ae rabbits’ feet trotting alang it. He felt Innes tense when he passed his snares.
“Innes, don’t even think aboot it. Ah’m in a rhythm here and Ah’m no bloody stoapping jist tae get ye yer snares back. Ah’ll come back and get them later,” Paul warned, getting nae response, bit convinced that he heard Innes let oot a wee chuckle.
He wis relieved tae be able tae turn right at the corner ae the tree line. It wis aw doonhill fae there. Paul looked across tae his left. The journey wid’ve been a good bit shorter if he could’ve gone across diagonally, bit the ground wis too rough and he wis scared ae losing his footing. He wis also scared that he widnae hiv been able tae get back up if he ended up oan the ground wae Innes oan tap ae him. He could hear Innes wheezing behind his ear and letting oot a painful groan every time Paul hid tae hitch him further back up his back when he felt him slipping. He asked Innes if he wis okay every hunner yards or so and demand a grunt back if Innes didnae answer. Paul wis aiming fur the road. It seemed tae be getting further away fae him every stagger he took, bit eventually he made it.
“Right, Innes, Ah’m gonnae hiv tae drap ye oan the other side ae the dyke. We’re nearly there, so hing oan in there. Okay?” Paul wheezed, as he gently dumped Innes o’er the dyke oan tae the saft long grass.
Paul winced when Innes let oot a painful yelp. Wance the weight ae Innes wis aff his back, Paul could hardly staun up straight wae the pain in his back.
“Right, the same again, Innes, and this time we’ll dae it in wan go,” Paul said, jumping o’er the dyke and repeating the lifting procedure perfected up in the wood.
He clocked Whitey when he staggered roond the bend at the auld schoolhouse, still staunin at the croft entrance, wringing her hauns. When she saw them, she came running like the clappers.
“Innes, Innes…oh my God, what have ye done to yourself?” she screamed, trying tae see where the damage wis.
“Whitey, please, leave him alane the noo. If Ah stoap, Ah won’t be able tae take another step,” Paul grunted and groaned, as he picked up speed at the sight ae the entrance tae the croft.
“Put him on here, Paul,” Whitey shouted, clearing the dinner table by swishing her erm across it, sending everything flying oan tae the flair.
Paul backed himsel up tae the table and Innes let himsel go, falling back oan tae it, his fall being broken by Whitey’s erms. Paul fell forward and placed his hauns oan tae his knees, wheezing like a burst kettle, as Whitey undid Innes’s bibs and rolled his troosers doon his legs and o’er his ankles, leaving his boots oan his feet, still laced up. When Paul wis able tae staun up and take a look, Whitey hid pushed Innes oan tae his left side. Innes wis still haudin oan tae his sack, looking ghastly.
“How is he, Whitey?”
“I don’t know. We’ll need an ambulance. He’ll need to go to hospital,” she stammered, wiping the blood fae Innes’s right arse cheek wae a towel, only fur mair tae take it’s place instantly.
“I think it’s buckshot. He’s peppered with holes,” she said.
“I’m going to no hospital, Whitey, so you can get that idea out of your head,” Innes said through clenched teeth.
“Whit dae ye want tae dae noo, Whitey?” Paul asked her, ignoring Innes.
As far as Paul wis concerned, Whitey wis in charge noo and whitever she said, he’d go alang wae. Whitey hesitated. Paul could see her brain whirling roond, trying tae come up wae a solution. It only took her a few seconds and then she wis back in control.
“If we could get Packer to come across, he’d know what to do.”
“Good idea,” Innes grunted, as Whitey started tae tie a makeshift bandage roond Innes tae try and stem the bleeding.
The place looked like the casualty department ae The Royal Infirmary oan a Friday night back in Glesga, Paul thought.
“Ah’ll go,” Paul said.
“It’s such long a way to Lairg from here, Paul…and we don’t have transport,” Whitey cursed, frustration in her voice.
“If you give me a hand up, I’ll row the boy across the Kyle to the River Shin. It’ll only be about five or six miles from there,” Innes volunteered, bravely.
“You’ll do no such thing, Innes MacKay!” Whitey snapped, astonished at the audacity ae the body oan the table.
“So, how dae Ah get there, and whit Ah’m Ah looking fur when Ah arrive, Whitey?”
“Packer stays just beside the vet. Once
you go into Lairg, turn right up the main street. Take the second opening on the left and Packer’s house is the one on the left beside the vet’s. You can’t miss it.”
“And Lairg?”
“You’ll have to go back down the strath about five miles to Culrain Station, which is taking you away from where you want to go. At the station, you’ll need to cross the Kyle using the railway viaduct, which will take you to the other side. Once you get across, you’ll come to the Bonar Bridge to Lairg Road. Turn left onto the road. Keep on the road until you come to Lairg, which is about another seven or eight miles further up. It’s a long way,” Whitey said, shaking her head doubtfully.
“Twelve miles? Is that aw? Christ, that won’t take me anytime. Ah’ll jist get masel a drink ae water and Ah’ll get oan ma way,” Paul said, heiding fur the sink.
“You’ll have to change, Paul. If anyone sees you in those blood-covered clothes, they’ll think you’ve been butchering a deer and have you arrested for poaching.”
“Nae problem, Ah’ll jist go and get changed. Will ye be awright, Whitey?”
“I…I think so.”
“Paul?”
“Aye.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I…we…would have done if you weren’t here.”
Paul kept an even pace as his feet pounded oan the road surface. When he’d reappeared fae his bedroom, Whitey hid made up a wee goody bag in wan ae Innes’s shoulder satchels fur him. She’d put in a couple ae her delicious plums, a piece ae crusty breid wae cheese in it, two ae her big home-made oat biscuits and a jam jar full ae fresh water tae wash it aw doon wae. He’d nae intentions ae stoapping oan route, so apart fae the water, he’d eat oan the hoof. It wis a pity he hidnae hid a chance tae speak tae Morven. He probably wid’ve gone across and apologised fur the lip he’d gied her in front ae The Gardener’s Daughter. He still couldnae believe the cheek ae Richie Rich…asking him, ae aw people, tae help her oot. Granted, he’d experience ae shooting the craw fae places like remand homes and approved schools, bit she wisnae tae know that. She must take him fur a bloody eejit, he scowled tae himsel. And they basturts working fur her da…the Sellars? He’d love tae deal wae they fuckers, good and proper, before he left the strath, bit he knew that widnae happen. If he wis tae gain his liberation, he’d need tae leave well alane, which wis a pity. He knew Innes wis in real trouble. It wis bad enough wae the jail hinging o’er him, bit being shot by the poachers’ retreat could’ve killed him stane deid. Whitey wis sure he’d survive as long as it didnae become infected and they goat aw the buckshot oot ae that arse ae his. He wis tae mind and tell Packer that it wis buckshot and whereaboots Innes hid been hit. Paul hid asked aboot Tim, fearing the worse. Whitey hid said he’d be okay. Like Innes, he’d copped it in the arse as well. She’d strapped him up as best as possible, hoping he widnae pull aff the bandage wae his teeth until Paul returned wae Packer. He heard a car coming jist as he turned the bend at the castle gates and slowed doon. He picked up the pace wance he clocked it turning left through the gates. He prayed that he widnae bump intae any ae they Sellar pricks as he probably widnae be able tae keep his hauns tae himsel. Jist before the station, he nipped o’er the fence and scrambled up the embankment. He stepped in between the rails and started running. As a wee snapper he used tae play up at the railway line a lot and he managed tae get intae a wee rhythm ae landing wae each step oan every third sleeper. He wis jist coming oot ae the curve oan tae the straight that took ye across the water when he saw two dugs coming bounding towards him barking. Their barks wurnae threatening and they stoapped wance they reached him, wagging their tails, wanting tae be petted. He wisnae sure whit kind ae breed they wur other than they wur friendly. As he wis making a fuss ae them, taking the opportunity tae catch his breath, he looked up and noticed somewan walking towards him further doon the line. He wisnae too sure whit tae dae, so he walked towards whoever it wis. It didnae take him long tae find oot that it wisnae a friendly face.
“You!” snarled The Duke, as the dugs looked at him quizzically, due tae the tone ae their master’s voice.
“Me,” Paul acknowledged, noticing that the pair ae them wur exactly hauf way across the viaduct and staunin above the middle ae the Kyle.
He looked aboot and wondered whit the chances wur ae being spotted if he threw this stupid basturt, staunin there in his yellow checked waistcoat and plus fours, doon intae the water.
“Don’t get impertinent with me, you young whipper-snapper. What are you doing on my bridge?” he harrumphed.
“Your bridge? Somehow, Ah don’t think so,” Paul said casually, knowing fine well that this wid get the silly basturt mair uptight than he clearly wis awready.
“Why, you!” The Duke snarled, lifting up his erm, grasping the end ae his walking stick as if he wis gonnae whack Paul across the napper wae it.
“If that fucking thing touches me, it’ll be the last thing ye’ll ever dae oan this earth, ya fucking bampot, ye,” Paul snarled, staring straight intae The Duke’s eyes.
“This is my property! You’re trespassing! I’ll get the law on to you.”
“Where Ah come fae, aw property is theft...and fair game,” Paul added, steady in his eyes.
“Oh, I know all about you, Lost Boy. A lot more than you think,” The Duke hissed.
“Then ye’ll know that if ye don’t step oot ae ma bloody way this instant and let me pass, Ah’ll dae tae you whit Ah done tae they arse-licking Sellars that ye’ve goat bullying auld people,” Paul said calmly, clearly enjoying the opportunity ae meeting and talking tae a real live Duke.
“I’m warning you, boy. Stay well clear of my property. I may not be alone the next time we meet,” The Duke warned him, haudin his walking stick oot in front ae himsel like a sword, as he shuffled past Paul’s left haun side.
Paul slowly turned, keeping his eyes oan The Duke as he passed, as he widnae hiv put it past the basturt tae gie him a fly skelp o’er the napper wae that walking stick ae his.
“Nice dugs ye’ve goat there, by the way. Whit kind ae breed ur they?” Paul shouted efter him jovially, as The Duke turned his back and strode away towards his dugs, who wur sitting between the rails, quite the thing, waiting fur their master tae catch up.
Paul took the opportunity tae scoff the two biscuits and tae take a slug ae water oot ae the jam jar, as he casually walked across the bridge, deliberately taking his time, jist in case The Duke thought he’d scared him aff. Paul set aff up the road. He’d never been oan this side ae the Kyle, apart fae oan the night when Innes hid taken him fishing in the boat. It gied him a good opportunity tae see the castle fae a different angle. He wondered how many rooms it hid in it as the whole side facing him wis full ae windaes. He’d need tae ask The Gardener’s Daughter the next time he saw her, if she wis still talking tae him efter the cheek he’d jist gied her auld man. He wis quite chuffed wae the ‘aw property is theft’ lip he’d hit The Duke wae. He’d been sitting talking tae Whitey and Innes wan night and he’d asked how Whitey hid managed tae escape fae Russia when they’d hid their revolution in nineteen canteen. She’d explained that the problem wae her family and anywan else who’d owned property back then wis that the wans who’d started the revolution and taken o’er the joint, hid gone aboot, saying how aw property wis theft before confiscating everywan else’s property tae keep fur themsels.
“Christ almighty, Paul. What are you doing away up here?” Packer asked him when he opened his front door, staunin aside tae let Paul in.
“Who’s at the door, Packer?” he heard Struana shout.
“Innes his been shot wae a poachers’ retreat,” Paul wheezed, catching his breath.
“Christ! How bad is he?”
“Ah don’t know. It wis oan that arse ae his. Tim copped it as well. Whitey says she thinks they’ll baith live, so long as their wounds don’t become infected.”
“Innes his been shot,” Packer said tae Struana, as Paul followed him intae their tiny wee living room.
Struana automatical
ly put the fingers ae baith hauns up tae her mooth.
“He’s refused tae go tae hospital. He goat caught by a poachers’ retreat. Ah’ve tae tell ye it wis buckshot,” he said tae Packer.
“Right, I’ll be back in a minute,” Packer said, picking a set ae keys up aff the mantelpiece and heiding oot the front door.
Paul saw him disappear past the front windae, heiding fur the vet’s.
“Take a seat, Paul. You must be tired. You haven’t run all this way, have you?”
“Aye, bit it wis okay. It didnae take me that long,” Paul replied, grateful tae be sitting doon while looking aboot, as Struana disappeared oot ae the living room door.
“Right, let’s get going. Struana, Innes will be dead with the time you take,” Packer shouted up the stairs, as they heided oot tae the same wee van that they’d taken Billy the Goat up tae Glencalvie in, when Paul hid visited Croick Church.
Chapter Twenty Nine
“Oh Paul, I’m glad you’ve come. This was the last night I was planning on coming up here. I didn’t think you wanted to speak to me again. I’m sorry if I upset you by bringing Saba along the last time,” Morven said, clearly relieved tae see him, as she jumped up fae the burn and gied him a hug.
“Aye, Ah’m sorry, Morven. Ah wis definitely bang oot ae order, speaking tae ye like that, especially in front ae yer boss pal, so Ah wis.”
“No, I deserved it. I was kicking myself for being so stupid. I knew you would refuse, but Saba kept pressing me to bring her along. I’m sorry.”
“Well, Ah widnae worry, eh? Listen, Morven, Ah need tae ask ye a favour…a big favour,” he said.
“What?”
He explained whit hid happened tae Innes at court the previous Friday.
“Yes, I heard. The whole strath is talking about it. Seemingly, The Duke and John Sellar and his boys were celebrating by drinking The Duke’s good drams and smoking cigars till all hours of the morning.”
“There is absolutely nae way in a month ae Sundays that Innes and Whitey will be able tae find that kind ae dosh. The only income they hiv coming in is fae the lambs and selling an odd jar ae honey every noo and again.”