kly enough; several
animals carry two men, and, to complete the ludicrousness of the scene,
one man, fearing he might be too late, grips fast the tail of the steed
to which the proper rider has just set spurs, and, vainly trying to
spring on behind, is seen with his feet off the ground, being whirled
through the air. A few prisoners are speedily added to Brown's little
company, who, thinking it is perhaps prudent to keep men off horseback
who were so prone to flight, orders them to walk.

But he has ideas of courtesy, has this rough old warrior, and says he
means them no unkindness and will walk with them. Such a favourable
opportunity must in no wise be missed, so the old soldier-prophet gives
them his mind upon the wickedness of slave-holding and the meanness of
slave-hunting, which discourse, let us hope, is not wholly unfruitful.
When he has held them for one night he thinks they have been brought
far enough from their haunts to prevent further mischief, and sets them
free. That one night spent with him they are not likely to forget. He
would not so much as allow them the privilege of swearing. 'No taking
of God's name in vain gentlemen; if there is a God you will gain
nothing, and if there is none you are fools indeed.' Such is the old
man's plain argument.

One of them, a harum-scarum young physician, is taken specially under
charge by John Brown. Before retiring Brown desires him to pray. 'I
can't pray,' he says, with an oath. 'What, did your mother never teach
you?' asks Brown. 'Oh yes,' he replies; 'but that was a long time
ago.' 'Well, you still remember the prayer she taught you?' continued
Brown. 'Yes,' is the answer. 'Say that for want of a better,' is the
order. Then, to the amusement of all, the poor doctor repeats the
rhyme:

And now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

Said the young doctor after he was released, 'John Brown knows more
about religion than any man I ever met. He never used harsh language;
we were treated like gentlemen; we shared food with them. Only it went
against the grain to be guarded by niggers.'

Thus the journey proceeds. As they get farther north there is more
bark than bite about the opposition they encounter. In the street at
one town where they are sheltered, Brown strolls alone and finds a
champion of slavery haranguing the crowd and denouncing Brown as a
reckless, bloody outlaw, a coward who skulked and would never fight i