In chapter 12 of Kidnapped, Alan Breck Stewart hears the name of David's old friend, Mr. Campbell, the minister, and immediately grows angry, crying out that he hates everyone with the name of Campbell.

“I know nothing I would help a Campbell to,” says he, “unless it was a leaden bullet. I would hunt all of that name like blackcocks. If I lay dying, I would crawl upon my knees to my chamber window for a shot at one.”

David is shocked at this irrational hatred, which is tribal in origin. Alan is a Stewart of Appin, and this clan has always had an intense rivalry with the Campbells, often fighting over the same land over generations. In particular, Alan claims that the Campbells have always fought by cunning and trickery, never honorably in battle.

Although Alan has clearly been brought up to hate Campbells, there is one of the clan in particular against whom he has a specific grudge and whom he wants to kill. This is Colin Campbell, the Red Fox, who is King George's agent in Appin. Alan says that the Red Fox has used every strategy at his disposal to deprive the Stewart clan of their lands in the area under his control. His plan is to replace the Stewart tenants with Campbells, even though the Campbells would not pays such high rents. However, even if he cannot have Campbell tenants on the land, he is willing to accept anyone in preference to the Stewarts.