a mere name in the latter State, and the fugitive learned,
from some colored persons that he met, that it was not safe to travel by
daylight. While making his way one night, with nothing to cheer him but
the prospect of freedom in the future, he was pounced upon by three men
who were lying in wait for another fugitive, an advertisement of whom
they had received through the mail. In vain did Jerome tell them that he
was not a slave. True, they had not caught the man they expected; but,
if they could make this slave tell from what place he had escaped, they
knew that a good price would be paid them for the negro's arrest.

Tortured by the slave-catchers, to make him reveal the name of his
master and the place from whence he had escaped, Jerome gave them a
fictitious name in Virginia, and said that his master would give a large
reward, and manifested a willingness to return to his "old boss." By
this misrepresentation, the fugitive hoped to have another chance of
getting away. Allured with the prospect of a large sum of the needful,
the slave-catchers started back with their victim. Stopping on the
second night at an inn, on the banks of the Ohio River, the kidnappers,
in lieu of a suitable place in which to confine their prize during the
night, chained him to the bed-post of their sleeping-chamber. The white
men were late in retiring to rest, after an evening spent in drinking.
At dead of night, when all was still, the slave arose from the floor,
upon which he had been lying, looked around and saw that Morpheus had
possession of his captors. For once, thought he, the brandy bottle has
done a noble work. With palpitating heart and trembling limbs, he viewed
his position. The door was fast, but the warm weather had compelled them
to leave the window open. If he could but get his chains off, he might
escape through the window to the piazza. The sleepers' clothes hung upon
chairs by the bedside. The slave thought of the padlock-key, examined
the pockets, and found it. The chains were soon off, and the negro
stealthily making his way to the window. He stopped, and said to
himself, "These men are villains; they are enemies to all who, like
me, are trying to be free. Then why not I teach them a lesson?" He then
dressed himself in the best suit, hung his own worn-out and tattered
garments on the same chair, and silently passed through the window to
the piazza, and let himself down by one of the pillars, and started once
more for t