Dragonfire by Anne Forbes Read Free Book Online Page A

Rothlan is still quite a young man.”
    â€œAnd this Amgarad?” queried Neil.
    â€œAmgarad was the captain of his eagles. I knew him well in the old days. A fine, proud bird.”
    â€œHe isn’t now,” Clara remarked, remembering the foul monster that had attacked them at the well. Her heart softened in pity. “Poor Amgarad,” she said sadly.

9. The Dragon’s Lair
    A few days after Sir James’s memorable visit, a triumphant Dougal MacLeod also found his way into the hill. As he made his way down the steep tunnels, he was bursting with pride at his own cleverness. Convinced that Sir James was engaged in a mammoth plot to defraud Customs and Excise, he had had no difficulty at all in picking up the illicit pipeline with a metal-detector. Its steady clicking had led him straight to a slit-like opening on the lower slopes of the Park, not far from the distillery itself. Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed. The aroma was unmistakeable. Whisky! Good Scotch whisky!
    â€œWhisky!” he said aloud. “My, oh my, Sir James, I’ve got you this time!”
    Gleefully he followed the tunnel downwards until he came to a large cavern. By this time, the smell of whisky was overpowering. Moving forward he flashed his torch around the walls of the cave, which, had he but known it, was Arthur’s lair.
    Arthur, as it happened, was in an extremely bad temper. Since their visit to the hill, Sir James and Jamie Todd had been busy in the distillery and between them had managed to rig up a powerful pump that in a few days had reduced Arthur’s wonderful lake to little more than the odd puddle. Bored and disgruntled, he lay (as dragons do) on his bed of treasure and bemoaned his loss.
    It so happened that the beam of the torch passed over Arthur as he reared his horned head to investigate the unaccustomed sound of the metal-detector. Dougal MacLeod froze in absolute horror as his brain registered the unbelieveable sight of a creature he had previously only seen in the décor of Chinese restaurants! Interestedly, Arthur watched as the beam of thetorch stopped abruptly and then, gingerly, moved slowly back to light up not only Arthur, but also the magnificent treasure that he lay upon. Amid the glittering piles of gold plate, sovereigns and ornate crowns, sparkled rubies, sapphires, diamonds and emeralds but, more startling than any of them, were jewels that shone with a translucent amber brilliance that pierced Dougal to the heart.
    Transfixed by the sprawling glory of the treasure, he was brought sharply back to reality as the dragon moved its sinuous body and bent its great head to investigate the intruder.
    Gasping in horror at the sudden movement, Dougal involuntarily jerked his torch upwards, blinding Arthur with its glare. The dragon reared in annoyance, spread his wings and gave a roar that shook the cavern, totally drowning out Dougal’s scream of fear as he dropped his metal-detector and ran for his life.
    It was much later that Hamish entered the MacArthur’s Hall followed by a prisoner who shambled unwillingly after him. Hamish bowed before the MacArthur and gestured towards the bound man at his side.
    â€œHis name, he says, is Dougal MacLeod. I’m thinking that he’s the man that keeps count of all the whisky in Sir James’s wee factory outside.”
    The MacArthur looked disapproving. “I hope ye will not be referring to Sir James’s grand distillery as a ‘wee factory’ in his hearing, Hamish. You know how proud he is of it. Now, where did you find this fellow?”
    â€œIn the tunnels, MacArthur. He must have found Arthur and got a bit of a fright, for we found this weapon in his cave where he dropped it.” Archie stepped forward and waved the metaldetector at MacLeod, who cowered back.
    â€œWho are you?” thundered the MacArthur. “You come here to threaten us! With weapons!”
    â€œNo, no,” gabbled MacLeod