trongly tempted to take his own
life and that of Covey. Finally, his sufferings of body and soul
became so great that further endurance seemed impossible. While in
this condition he determined upon the daring step of returning to his
master, Thomas Auld, in order to lay before him the story of abuse. He
felt sure that, if for no other reason than the protection of property
from serious impairment, his master would interfere in his behalf. He
even expected sympathy and assurances of future protection. In all
this he was grievously disappointed. Auld not only refused sympathy
and protection, but would not even listen to his complaints, and
immediately sent him back to his dreaded master to face the added
penalty of running away. The poor, lone boy was plunged into the
depths of despair. A feeling that he had been deserted by both God and
man took possession of him.

Covey was lying in wait for him, knowing full well that he must return
as defenseless as he went away. As soon as Douglass came near the
place where the white man was hiding, the latter made a leap at Fred
for the purpose of tying him for a flogging. But Douglass escaped and
took to the woods, where he concealed himself for a day and a night.
His condition was desperate. He felt that he could not endure another
whipping, and yet there seemed to him no alternative. His first
impulse was to pray, but he remembered that Covey also prayed.
Convinced, at length, that there was no appeal but to his own courage,
he resolved to go back and face whatever must come to him. It so
happened that it was a Sunday morning and, much to his surprise, he met
Covey, who was on his way to church, and who, when he saw the runaway,
greeted him with a pleasant smile. "His religion," says Douglass,
"prevented him from breaking the Sabbath, but not from breaking my
bones on any other day of the week."

On Monday morning Douglass was up early, half hoping that he would be
permitted to resume his work without punishment. Covey was astir
betimes, too, and had laid aside his Sunday mildness of manner. His
first business was to carry out his fixed purpose of whipping the young
runaway. In the meantime Fred had likewise fully decided upon a course
of action. He was ready to submit to any kind of work, however hard or
unreasonable, but determined to defend himself against any attempt at
another flogging. In the cold passion that took possession of him, the
slave-boy becam