ng master's
benefit, who had commenced business as a tobacco merchant, with about
seven head of slaves in his possession. A year or two's experiment
proved that the young master was not succeeding as a merchant, and
before the expiration of three years he had sold all his slaves except
Henry. From such indications, Henry was fully persuaded that his time
was well nigh at hand, and great was his anxiety as he meditated over
the auction-block. "In his heart" he resolved time and again that he
would never be sold. It behooved him, therefore, to avert that ill fate.
He at first resolved to buy himself, but in counting the cost he found
that he would by no means be able to accumulate as much money as his
master would be likely to demand for him; he, therefore, abandoned this
idea and turned his attention straightway to the Underground Rail Road,
by which route he had often heard of slaves escaping. He felt the need
of money and that he must make and save an extra quarter whenever he
could; he soon learned to be a very rigid economist, and being
exceedingly accommodating in waiting upon gentlemen at the hotel and at
the springs, he found his little "pile" increasing weekly. His object
was to have enough to pay for a private berth on one of the Richmond
steamers and also to have a little left to fall back on after landing in
a strange land and among strangers. He saved about two hundred dollars
in cash; he was then ready to make a forward move, and he arranged all
his plans with an agent in Richmond to leave by one of the steamers
during the Christmas holidays. "You must come down to the steamer about
dark," said the agent "and if all is right you will see the Underground
Rail Road agent come out with some ashes as a signal, and by this you
may know that all is ready."

"I will be there certain," said Henry. Christmas week he was confident
would be granted as usual as a holiday week; a few days before Christmas
he went to his master and asked permission to spend said holiday with
his mother, in Cumberland county, adding that he would need some
spending money, enough at least to pay his fare, etc. Young master
freely granted his request, wrote him a pass, and doled him out enough
money to pay his fare thence, but concluded that Henry could pay his way
back out of his extra change. Henry expressed his obligations, etc., and
returned to the American Hotel. The evening before the time appointed
for starting on his Underground Rail