vent us. Uncle Moses relieved my fears on
this score, telling me that, while the swamp was little more than
half a mile across, it stretched laterally for several miles, and
we should reach the haven whither we were making long before the
swiftest horses could complete the circuit.

On the other point, the well being of Mistress Lucy, he could give
me no reassurance. 'Twas Wednesday: she came of age tomorrow; even
if Vetch was not aware of this, but believed that Friday, the day
of her birthday celebrations, was the actual birthday, it gave us
terribly little time to concert any movements on her behalf. And so
my joy of having recovered my freedom was tempered by uneasiness.

It was heavy going across this sagging morass. Uncle Moses told me
that we were in no danger of sinking into it so long as we took
short and rapid steps; but we were both mightily fatigued, and my
feet as I lifted them seemed heavy as lead. The negro was in far
worse case than I, and had I not grasped him firmly by the arm and
fairly pulled him along, I think he would never have gained the
other side. Towards the middle the surface of the swamp was nothing
but liquid ooze, and once or twice, in spite of our swamp shoes, we
sank in it up to the ankles. But at length we reached more solid
ground; then Uncle Moses said we must strike off to the right, and
after a tramp of two miles or thereabouts we should come to a
well-concealed spot where he had no doubt we should find fugitives
of his color.

As we neared the place he put his fingers to his mouth and blew a
whistle of three quick notes that reminded me of the piping of a
thrush. And immediately I started back: a black man had risen
almost from beneath our feet. So well hidden was he in a
low-growing bush that we might have passed within a yard of him and
been none the wiser. I perceived that he carried a long knife in
his hand.

"Hi, Sam!" said Uncle Moses, stepping in advance of me.

I stood leaning on one of the muskets while the two men spoke
together in tones too low to reach my ears. But I knew from his
gestures and his manner of looking at me that the stranger was
loath to comply with the request Uncle Moses was putting to him.
His demeanor said, as plainly as words, that he distrusted me; I
was a white man, and doubtless the poor runagate had too much
reason to regard all white men as his enemies. But Uncle Moses took
him by the arm and appeared to plead with him; and by and by the