In the meanwhile , I was innocent of any wrong being done me . For not only I knew no word of the Gaelic ; but what with the long suspense of the waiting , and the scurry and strain of our two spirts of fighting , and more than all , the horror I had of some of my own share in it , the thing was no sooner over than I was glad to stagger to a seat . There was that tightness on my chest that I could hardly breathe ; the thought of the two men I had shot sat upon me like a nightmare ; and all upon a sudden , and before I had a guess of what was coming , I began to sob and cry like any child . Alan clapped my shoulder , and said I was a brave lad and wanted nothing but a sleep . `` I 'll take the first watch , '' said he . `` Ye 've done well by me , David , first and last ; and I would n't lose you for all Appin -- no , nor for Breadalbane . '' So I made up my bed on the floor ; and he took the first spell , pistol in hand and sword on knee , three hours by the captain 's watch upon the wall . Then he roused me up , and I took my turn of three hours ; before the end of which it was broad day , and a very quiet morning , with a smooth , rolling sea that tossed the ship and made the blood run to and fro on the round-house floor , and a heavy rain that drummed upon the roof . All my watch there was nothing stirring ; and by the banging of the helm , I knew they had even no one at the tiller . Indeed -LRB- as I learned afterwards -RRB- there were so many of them hurt or dead , and the rest in so ill a temper , that Mr. Riach and the captain had to take turn and turn like Alan and me , or the brig might have gone ashore and nobody the wiser . It was a mercy the night had fallen so still , for the wind had gone down as soon as the rain began . Even as it was , I judged by the wailing of a great number of gulls that went crying and fishing round the ship , that she must have drifted pretty near the coast or one of the islands of the Hebrides ; and at last , looking out of the door of the round-house , I saw the great stone hills of Skye on the right hand , and , a little more astern , the strange isle of Rum . CHAPTER XI THE CAPTAIN KNUCKLES UNDER Alan and I sat down to breakfast about six of the clock . The floor was covered with broken glass and in a horrid mess of blood , which took away my hunger . In all other ways we were in a situation not only agreeable but merry ; having ousted the officers from their own cabin , and having at command all the drink in the ship -- both wine and spirits -- and all the dainty part of what was eatable , such as the pickles and the fine sort of bread . This , of itself , was enough to set us in good humour , but the richest part of it was this , that the two thirstiest men that ever came out of Scotland -LRB- Mr. Shuan being dead -RRB- were now shut in the fore-part of the ship and condemned to what they hated most -- cold water . `` And depend upon it , '' Alan said , `` we shall hear more of them ere long . Ye may keep a man from the fighting , but never from his bottle . '' We made good company for each other . Alan , indeed , expressed himself most lovingly ; and taking a knife from the table , cut me off one of the silver buttons from his coat .
`` I had them , '' says he , `` from my father , Duncan Stewart ; and now give ye one of them to be a keepsake for last XXXXX 's work .
Alan David day first gulls hours night round-house spirts tightness