to me what we were to do? Your plans for
tomorrow?"

"Because I scarcely have any," I replied, comprehending that now she
claimed partnership in this adventure. "This has all occurred so
suddenly, I have only acted upon impulse. No doubt those back at the
Landing will endeavor to pursue us; they may have discovered already
our means of escape and procured boats. My principal hope is that they
may take it for granted that we have chosen the easier way and gone
down stream. If so we shall gain so much more time to get beyond their
reach. Anyway we can easily out-distance any rowboat, and Sam tells me
there is nothing else to be had at the Landing."

"But why have you chosen the northern route? Surely you had a reason?"

"Certainly; it was to deceive them and get out of slave territory as
quickly as possible. There are friends in this direction and none in
the other. If we should endeavor to flee by way of the Ohio, we would
be compelled to run a thousand-mile gauntlet. There are slaves in
Illinois--it has never been declared a free state--but these are held
almost exclusively in the more southern counties. North of the river
the settlers are largely from New England, and the majority of them
hate slavery and are ready to assist any runaway to freedom."

"But you have spoken of a man--Amos Shrunk--who is he?"

"You have certainly heard rumors, at least, that there are regular
routes of escape from here to Canada?"

"Yes; it has been discussed at the house. I have never clearly
understood, but I do know that slaves disappear and are never caught.
I was told white men helped them."

"It is accomplished through organized effort by these men--Black
Abolitionists, as they are called--haters of slavery. They are banded
together in a secret society for this one purpose and have what they
call stations scattered all along at a certain distance apart--a
night's travel--from the Mississippi to the Canadian line, where the
fugitives are hidden and fed. The runaways are passed from one station
to the next under cover of darkness, and are seldom recaptured. A
station keeper, I am told, is only permitted to know a few miles of the
route, those he must cover--the system is perfect, and many are engaged
in it who are never even suspected."

"And this man, is he one?"

"Yes, a leader; he operates the most dangerous station of all. The
escaping slaves come to him first."

"And he passes them on to the next man--d