can；　and　lie　very　quiet　to…morrow　until　it　is　time　to　start。　　It　would
  be　terrible　if　you　were　to　be　caught　now；　just　as　we　have　arranged
  for　you　to　get　away。〃
  On　the　following　afternoon　Vincent　told　his　mother　that　he　was
  going　over　that　evening　to　his　friend　Furniss；　as　an　early　start　was
  to　be　made　next　morning；　they　intended　to　go　down　the　river　as　far
  as　Yorktown；　if　not　further；　that　be　certainly　should　not　be　back
  for　two　days；　and　probably　might　be　even　longer。
  〃This　new　beating　freak　of　yours；　Vincent；　seems　to　occupy　all
  your　thoughts。　　I　wonder　how　long　it　will　last。〃
  〃I　don't　suppose　it　will　last　much　longer；　mother；〃　Vincent　said
  with　a　laugh。　　〃Anyhow；　it　will　make　a　jolly　change　for　a　week。
  One　had　got　so　sick　of　hearing　nothing　talked　about　but　secession
  that　a　week　without　hearing　the　word　mentioned　will　do　one　lots
  of　good；　and　I　am　sure　I　felt　that　if　one　had　much　more　of　it；　one
  would　be　almost　driven　to　take　up　the　Northern　side　just　for　the
  sake　of　a　change。〃
  〃We　should　all　disown　you；　Vin；〃　Annie　said；　laughing；　〃we　should
  have　nothing　to　say　to　you；　and　you　would　be　cut　by　all　your
  friends。〃
  〃Well；　you　see；　a　week's　sailing　and　fishing　will　save　me　from　all
  that；　Annie；　and　I　be　all　be　able　to　begin　again　with　a　fresh　stock　of
  patience。〃
  〃I　believe　you　are　only　half　in　earnest　in　the　cause；　Vincent；〃　his
  mother　said　gravely。
  〃I　am　not　indeed；　mother。　　I　quite　agree　with　what　you　and　every
  one　say　as　to　the　rights　of　the　State　of　Virginia；　and　if　the　North
  should　really　try　to　force　us　and　the　other　Southern　States　to
  remain　with　them；　I　shall　be　just'　as　ready　to　do　everything　I　can　as
  any　one　else；　but　I　can't　see　the　good　of　always　talking　about　it；
  and　I　think　it's　very　wrong　to　ill…treat　and　abuse　those　who　think
  the　other　way。　　In　England　in　the　Civil　War　the　people　of　the　towns
  almost　all　thought　one　way；　and　almost　all　those　of　the　counties
  the　other；　and　even　now　opinions　differ　almost　as　widely　as　to
  which　was　right。　　I　hate　to　hear　people　always　laying　down　the　law
  as　if　there　could　not　possibly　be　two　sides　of　the　case；　and　as　if
  every　one　who　differed　from　them　must　be　a　rascal　and　a　traitor。
  Almost　all　the　fellows　I　know　say　that　if　it　comes　to　fighting　they
  shall　go　into　the　State　army；　and　I　should　be　quite　willing；　if　they
  would　really　take　fellows　of　my　age　for　soldiers；　to　enlist　too；　but
  that　is　no　reason　why　one　should　not　get　sick　of　hearing　nothing
  but　one　subject　talked　of　for　weeks。〃
  It　was　nearly　dark　when　Vincent　started　for　his　walk　of　ten　miles；
  for　he　had　decided　not　to　take　his　horse　with　him；　as　he　had　no
  means　of　sending　it　back；　and　its　stay　for　three　days　in　his　friend's
  stables　would　attract　attention　to　the　fact　of　his　long　absence。
  After　about　three　hours'　walking　he　reached　the　boat。　house；
  having　seen　no　one　as　he　passed　through　the　plantation。　　He　took
  the　oars　and　sails　from　the　boathouse　and　placed　them　in　the　boat；
  and　then　sat　down　in　the　stern　to　await　the　coming　of　the　negroes。
  In　'an　hour　they　arrived；　Tony　carrying　a　bundle　of　clothes　that
  Dan　had　by　Vincent's　orders　bought　for　him　in　Richmond；　while
  Dan　carried　a　large　basket　of　provisions。　　Vincent　gave　an
  exclamation　of　thankfullness　as　he　saw　the　two　figures　appear；　for
  the　day　having　been　Sunday　he　knew　that　a　good　many　men　would
  be　likely　to　join　the　search　parties　in　hopes　of　having　a　share　in　the
  reward　offered　for　Tony's　capture；　and　he　had　felt　very　anxious　all
  day。
  〃You　sit　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　Tony；　and　do　you　steer；　Dan。
  You　make　such　a　splashing　with　your　oar　that　we　should　be　heard
  a　mile　away。　　Keep　us　close　in　shore　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　the
  less　we　are　noticed　the　better　at　this　time　of　night。〃
  Taking　the　sculls；　Vincent　rowed　quietly　away。　　He　had　often　been
  out　on　boating　excursions　with　his　friends；　and　had　learned　to　row
  fairly。　　During　the　last　two　days　he　had　diligently　instructed　Dan；
  and　after　two　long　days'　work　the　young　negro　had　got　over　the
  first　difficulties；　but　he　was　still　clumsy　and　awkward。　　Vincent
  did　not　exert　himself。　He　knew　he　had　a　long　night's　row　before
  him；　and　he　paddled　quietly　along　with　the　stream。　　The　boat　was　a
  good…sized　one；　and　when　not　under　sail　was　generally　rowed　by
  two　strong　negroes　accustomed　to　the　work。
  Sometimes　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time　Vincent　ceased　rowing；　and
  let　the　boat　drift　along　quietly。　　There　was　no　hurry；　for　he　had　a
  day　and　two　nights　to　get　down　to　the　month　of　the　river；　a
  distance　of　some　seventy　miles；　and　out　to　sea　far　enough　to
  intercept　the　vessel。　　At　four　o'clock　they　arrived　at　Cumberland；
  where　the　Pamunky　and　Mattapony　Rivers　unite　and　form　the
  York　River。　Here　they　were　in　tidal　waters；　and　as　the　tide；　though
  not　strong；　was　flowing　up；　Vincent　tied　the　boat　to　the　branch　of　a
  tree；　and　lay　down　in　the　bottom　for　an　hour's　sleep；　telling　Dan　to
  wake　him　when　the　tide　turned；　or　if　he　heard　any　noise。　　Day　had
  broken　when　the　boat　drifted　round；　and　Dan　aroused　him。
  The　boat　was　rowed　off　to　the　middle　of　the　river；　as　there　could
  be　no　longer　any　attempt　at　concealment。　Dan　now　took　the　bow
  oar；　and　they　rowed　until　a　light
  The　Jacksons　were　newcomers　in　Virginia。　　Six　years　before；　the
  estate；　of　which　the　Cedars；　as　their　place　was　called；　formed　a
  part；　was　put　up　for　sale。　　It　was　a　very　large　one；　and　having　been
  divided　into　several　portions　to　suit　buyers；　the　Cedars　had　been
  purchased　by　Jackson；　who；　having　been　very　successful　as　a
  storekeeper　at　Charleston；　had　decided　upon　giving　up　the　business
  and　leaving　South　Carolina；　and　settling　down　as　a　land…owner　in
  some　other　State。　His　antecedents；　however；　were　soon　known　at
  Richmond；　and　the　old　Virginian　families　turned　a　cold　shoulder　to
  the　newcomer。
  Had　he　been　a　man　of　pleasant　manners；　he　would　gradually　have
  made　his　way；　but　he　was　evidently　not　a　gentleman。　　The　habits　of
  trade　stuck　to　him；　and　in　a　very　short　time　there　were　rumors　that
  the　slaves；　whom　he　had　bought　with　the　property；　found　him　a
  harsh　and　cruel　master。　　This　in　itself　would　have　been　sufficient
  to　bring　him　disrepute　in　Virginia；　where　as　a　rule　the　slaves　were
  treated　with　great　kindness；　and　indeed　considered　their　position　to
  be　infinitely　superior　to　that　of　the　poorer　class　of　whites。　　Andrew
  Jackson　had　been　for　a　few　months　at　school　with　Vincent；　he　was
  unpopular　there；　and　from　the　rumors　current　as　to　the　treatment　of
  I　he　slaves　on　the　estate；　was　known　by　the　nickname　of　he
  〃slave…driver。〃
  Had　Vincent　been　the　son　of　a　white　trader；　r　a　small　cultivator；　he
  knew　well　enough　that　his　position　would　be　a　very　serious　one；
  and　that　he　would　have　had　to　ride　to　the　border　of　the　State　with
  all　speed。　　He　would　have　been　denounced　at　once　as　an
  Abolitionist；　and　would　have　been　accused　of　stirring　up　the　slaves
  to　rebellion。　against　their　masters；　a　crime　of　the　most　serious
  kind'；　in　the　Southern　States。　　But　placed　as　he　was；　as　the　heir　of　a
  great　estate　worked　by　slaves；　such　a　cry　could　hardly　be　raised
  against　him。　　He　might　doubtless　be　fined　and　admonished　1'or
  interfering　between　a　master　and　his　slave；　but　the　sympathy　of　the
  better　classes　in　Virginia　would　be　entirely　with　him。　　Vincent；
  therefore；　was　but　little　concerned　for　himself；　but　he　doubted
  greatly　whether　his　interference　had　not　done　much　more　harm
  than　good　to　the　slave　and　his　wife；　for　upon　them　Andrew
  Jackson　would　vent　his　fury。　　He　rode　direct　to　the　stables　instead
  of　alighting　as　usual　at　the　door。　　Dan；　who　had　been　sitting　in　the
  veranda　waiting　for　him；　ran　down　to　the　stables　as　he　saw　him
  coming。
  〃Give　the　horse　to　one　of　the　others；　Dan；　I　want　to　speak　to　you。
  Dan；〃　he　went　on　when　he　had　walked　with　him　a　short　distance
  from　the　staNes；　〃I　suppose　you　know　some　of　the　hands　on
  Jackson's　plantation。〃
  Dan　grinned；　for　although　there　was　not　supposed　to　he　any
  communication　between　the　slaves　on　the　different　estates；　it　was
  notorious　that　at　night　they　were　in　the　habit　of　slipping　out　of
  their　huts　and　visiting　each　other。
  〃I　know　some　oh　dem；　Massa　Vincent。　　What　you　want　ob　dem？
  Berry　had　master；　Massa　Jackson。　　Wust　master　hereabouts。〃
  Vincent　related　what　had　happened；　to　Dan's　intense　delight。
  〃Now；　Dan；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　am　afraid　that　after　my　interference
  they　will　treat　that　poor　fellow　and　his　wife　worse　than　before。　　I
  want　you　to　find　out　for　me　what　is　going　on　at　Jackson's。　　I　do　not
  know　that　I　can　do　anything；　however　badly　they　treat　them；　but　I
  have　been　thinking　that　if　they　ill…treat　them　very　grossly；　I　will　get
  together　a　party　of　fifteen　or　twenty　of　my　friends　and　we　will　go
  in　a　body　to　Jackson's；　and　warn　him　that　if　he　behaves　with
  cruelty　to　his　slaves；　we　will　make　it　so　hot　for　him　that　he　will
  have　to　leave　the　state。　　I　don't　say　tha