would　willingly　give　five　hundred　dollars　to　get　him　safely　away。〃
  This　is　a　very　serious　business　in　which　you　are　meddling；　young
  sir；〃　the　sailor　said。　　〃Putting　aside　the　consequences　to　yourself；
  you　are　asking　me　to　break　the　law　and　to　run　the　risk　of　the
  confiscation　of　my　ship。　Even　if　I　were　willing　to　do　what　you
  propose　it　would　be　impossible；　for　the　ship　will　be　searched　from
  end　to　end　before　the　hatches　are　closed；　and　an　official　will　be　on
  board　until　we　discharge　the　pilot　after　getting　well　beyond　the
  mouth　of　the　river。〃
  〃Yes；　I　know　that；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃but　my　plan　was　to　take　a
  boat　and　go　out　beyond　the　sight　of　land；　and　then　to　put　him　on
  board　after　you　have　got　well　away。〃
  〃That　might　be　managed；　certainly；〃　the　captain　said。　〃It　would　be
  contrary　to　my　duty　to　do　anything　that　would　risk　the　property　of
  my　employers；　but　if　when　I　am　out　at　sea　a　boat　came　alongside；
  and　a　passenger　came　on　board；　it；　would　be　another　matter。　　I
  suppose；　young　gentleman；　that　you　would　not　interfere　in　such　a
  business；　and　run　the　risk　that　you　certainly　would　run　if　detected；
  unless　you　were　certain　that　this　was　a　deserving　case；　and　that　the
  man　has　committed　no　sort　of　crime；　for　I　would　not　receive　on
  board　my　ship　a　fugitive　from　justice；　whether　he　was　black　or
  white。〃
  〃It　is　indeed　a　deserving　case；〃　Vincent　said　earnestly。　〃The　poor
  fellow　has　the　misfortune　of　belonging　to　one　of　the　worst　masters
  in　the　State。　　He　has　been　cruelly　flogged　on　many　occasions；　and
  was　finally　driven　to　run　away　by　their　selling　his　wife　and　child。〃
  〃The　brutes！〃　the　sailor　said。　　〃How　you　people　can　allow　such
  things　to　be　done　is　a　mystery　to　me。　　Well；　lad；　under　those
  circumstances　I　will　agree　to　do　what　you　ask　me；　and　if　your　boat
  comes　alongside　when　I　am　so　far　away　from　land　that　it　cannot　be
  seen；　I　will　take　the　man　to　England。〃
  〃Thank　you　very　much　indeed；〃　Vincent　said；　〃you　will　be　doing　a
  good　action。　　Upon　what　day　do　you　sail？〃
  〃I　shall　drop　down　on　Monday　into　Hampton　Roads；　and　shall　get
  up　sail　at　daylight　next　morning。　　I　shall　pass　Fortress　Monroe　at
  about　seven　in　the　morning；　and　shall　sail　straight　out。〃
  〃And　how　shall　I　know　your　ship？〃　Vincent　asked。　〃There　may　be
  others　starting　just　about　the　same　time。〃
  The　sailor　thought　for　a　moment。　　〃When　I　am　four　or　five　miles
  out　I　will　hoist　my　owner's　flag　at　the　foremast…head。　　It　is　a　red
  flag　with　a　white　ball；　so　you　will　be　able　to　make　it　out　a
  considerable　distance　away。　　Yon　must　not　be　less　than　ten　or
  twelve　miles　out；　for　the　pilot　often　does　not　leave　the　ship　till　she
  is　some　miles　past　Fortress　Monroe；　and　the　official　will　not　leave
  the　ship　till　he　does。　　I　will　keep　a　sharp　lookout　for　you；　but　I
  cannot　lose　my　time　in　waiting。　　If　you　do　not　come　alongside　I
  shall　suppose　that　you　have　met　with　some　interruption　to　your
  plans。〃
  〃Thank　you　very　much；　sir。　　Unless　something　goes　wrong　I　shall
  be　alongside　on　Tuesday。〃
  〃That's　settled；　then；〃　the　captain　said；　〃and　I　must　be　off；　or　else　I
  shall　lose　my　train。　　By　the　way；　when　you　come　alongside　do　not
  'rake　any　sign　that　you　have　met　me　before。　　It　is　just　as　well　that
  none　of　my　crew　should　know　that　it　is　a　planned　thing；　for　if　we
  ever　happened　to　put　in　here　again　they　might　blab　about　it；　and　it
  is　just　as　well　not　to　give　them　the　chance。　　Good…by；　my　lad；　I
  hope　that　all　will　go　well。　　But；　you　know；　you　are　doing　a　very
  risky　thing；　for　the　assisting　a　runaway　slave　to　escape　is　about　as
  serious　an　offense　as　you　can　commit　in　these　parts。　　You　might
  shoot　half　a　dozen　men　and　get　off　scot　free；　but　if　yen　were
  caught　aiding　a　runaway　to　escape　there　is　no　saying　what　might
  come　of　it。〃
  After　taking　leave　of　the　captain；　Vincent　recrossed　the　river　and
  rode　home。　　He　had　friends　whose　fathers'　estates　bordered　some
  on　the　James　and　others　on　the　York　River；　and　all　of　these　had
  pleasure…boats。　　It　was　obviously　better　to　go　down　the　York　River；
  and　thence　round　to　the　mouth　of　the　James　at　Fortress　Monroe；　as
  the　traffic　on　the　York　was　comparatively　small；　and　it　was
  improbable　that　he　would　be　noticed　either　going　down　or
  returning。　　He　had　at　first　thought　of　hiring　a　fishing…boat　from
  some　of　the　free　negroes　who　made　their　living　on　the　river。　　But
  he　finally　decided　against　this；　for　the　fact　of　the　boat　being　absent
  so　long　would　attract　its　owner's　attention；　and　in　case　any
  suspicion　arose　that　the　fugitive　had　escaped　by　water；　the　hiring
  of　a　boat　by　one　who　had　already　befriended　the　slave；　and　its
  absence　for　so　long　a　time；　would　be　almost　certain　to　cause
  suspicion　to　be　directed　toward　him。　　He　therefore　decided　upon
  borrowing　a　boat　from　a　friend；　and　next　morning　rode　to　the
  plantation　of　the　father　of　Harry　Furniss；　this　being　situated　on　a
  convenient　position　on　the　Pamunky；　one　of　the　branches　of　the
  York　River。
  〃Are　you　using　that　sailing…boat　of　yours　at　present；　Harry？
  Because；　if　not；　I　wish　you　would　let　me　have　the　use　of　it　for　a
  week　or　so。〃
  〃With　pleasure；　Vincent；　and　my　fishing…lines　and　nets　as　well；　if
  you　like。　　We　very　seldom　use　the　boat。　　Do　you　mean　to　keep　it
  here　or　move　it　higher　up　the　river；　where　it　would　be　more　handy
  for　you；　perhaps？〃
  〃I　think　I　would　rather　leave　it　here；　Furniss。　　A　mile　or　two　extra
  to　ride　makes　no　difference。　　I　suppose　it's　in　the　water？〃
  〃Yes；　at　the　foot　of　the　boathouse　stairs。　　There　is　a　padlock　and
  chain。　　I　will　give　you　the　key；　so　you　can　go　off　whenever　you　like
  without　bothering　to　come　up　to　the　house。　　If　you　just　call　in　at
  the　stable　as　you　ride　by；　one　of　the　boys　will　go　down　with　you
  and　take　your　horse　and　put　him　up　till　you　come　back　again。〃
  〃That　will　do　capitally；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃It　is　some　time　since　I
  was　on　the　water；　and　I　seem　to　have　a　fancy　for　a　change　at
  present。　　One　is　sick　of　riding　into　Richmond　and　hearing　nothing
  but　politics　talked　of　all　day。　　Don't　be　alarmed　if　you　hear　at　any
  time　that　the　boat　has　not　come　hack　at　night；　for　if　tide　and　wind
  are　unfavorable　at　any　time　I　might　stop　at　Cumberland　for　the
  night。〃
  〃I　have　often　had　to　do　that；〃　Furniss　said。　　〃Besides；　if　you　took　it
  away　for　a　week；　I　don't　suppose　any　one　would　notice　it；　for　no
  one　goes　down　to　the　boathouse　unless　to　get　the　boat　ready　for　a
  trip。〃
  The　next　day　Vincent　rode　over　to　his　friend's　plantation；　sending
  Dan　off　an　hour　beforehand　to　bale　out　the　boat　and　get　the　masts
  and　sails　into　her　from　the　boathouse。　　The　greater　part　of　the　next
  two　days　was　spent　on　the　water；　sometimes　sailing；　sometimes
  fishing。　　The　evening　of　the　second　of　these　days　was　that　upon
  which　Vincent　had　arranged　to　meet　Tony　again；　and　an　hour　after
  dark　he　went　down　through　the　garden　to　the　stable；　for　that　was
  the　time　the　fugitive　was　to　meet　him；　for　he　could　not　leave　his
  place　of　concealment　until　night　fell。　After　looking　at　the　horses；
  and　giving　some　instructions　to　the　negroes　in　charge；　he　returned
  to　the　shrubbery；　and；　sending　Dan　up　to　summon　Dinah；　he　went
  to　the　bushes　where　he　had　before　met　Tony。　　The　negro　came　out
  as　he　approached。
  〃How　are　you；　Tony？〃
  〃Much　better　dan　I　was；　massa。　　I　hab　not　been　disturbed　since　I
  saw　you；　and；　thanks　to　dat　and　to　de　good　food　and　to　massa's
  kind　words；　I'm　stronger　and　better　now；　and　ready　to　do　whatever
  massa　think　best。〃
  〃Well；　Tony；　I　am　glad　to　say　that　I　think　I　have　arranged　a　plan　by
  which　you　will　be　got　safely　out　of　the　country。　　Of　course；　it　may
  fail；　but　there　is　every　hope　of　success。　　I　have　arranged　for　a　boat；
  and　shall　take　you　down　the　river；　and　put　you　on　board　a　ship
  bound　for　England。〃
  The　black　clapped　his　hands　in　delight　at　the　news。
  〃When　you　get　there　you　will　take　another　ship　out　to　Canada；　and
  as　soon　as　I　learn　from　you　that　you　are　there；　and　what　is　your
  address；　I　will　give　Dinah　her　papers　of　freedom　and　send　her　on　to
  you。〃
  〃Oh；！　massa；　it　is　too　much；〃　Tony　said；　with　the　tears　running
  down　his　cheeks；　〃too　much　joy　altogeder。〃
  〃Well；　I　hope　it　will　all　come　right；　Tony。　　Dinah　will　be　here　in　a
  minute　or　two。　　Do　not　keep　her　long；　for　I　do　not　wish　her　absence
  from　the　house　to　be　observed　just　now。　　Now；　listen　to　my
  instructions。　　Do　you　know　the　plantation　of　Mr。　Furniss；　on　the
  Pamunky；　near　Coal　harbor？〃
  〃No；　sir；　but　me　can　find　out。〃
  〃No；　you　can't；　because　you　can't　see　any　one　or　ask　questions。
  Very　well；　then；　you　must　be　here　again　to…morrow　night　at　the
  same　hour。　　Dan　will　meet　you　here；　and　act　as　your　guide。　　lie　will
  presently　bring　you　provisions　for　to…morrow。　　Be　sure　you　be
  careful；　Tony；　and　get　back　to　your　hiding…place　as　soon　as　you
  can；　and　lie　very　quiet　to…morrow　until　it　is　time　to　start。　　It　would
  be　terrible　if　you　were　to　be　caught　now；　jus