ns as to deem it unwise to attempt to follow them, lest I should
miss my way, and get into evil hands.

I, however, left the road, and went into a small piece of wood, but not
finding a sufficient hiding-place, and it being a busy part of the day,
when persons were at work about the fields, I thought I should excite less
suspicion by keeping in the road, so I returned to the road; but the
events of the next few moments proved that I committed a serious mistake.

I went about a mile, making in all two miles from the spot where I met my
young friend, and about five miles from the toll-gate to which I have
referred, and I found myself at the twenty-four miles' stone from
Baltimore. It was now about ten o'clock in the forenoon; my strength was
greatly exhausted by reason of the want of suitable food; but the
excitement that was then going on in my mind, left me little time to think
of my _need_ of food. Under ordinary circumstances as a traveller, I
should have been glad to see the "Tavern," which was near the mile-stone;
but as the case stood with me, I deemed it a dangerous place to pass, much
less to stop at. I was therefore passing it as quietly and as rapidly as
possible, when from the lot just opposite the house, or sign-post, I heard
a coarse stern voice cry, "Halloo!"

I turned my face to the left, the direction from which the voice came, and
observed that it proceeded from a man who was digging potatoes. I answered
him politely; when the following occurred:--

"Who do _you_ belong to?"

"I am free, sir."

"Have you got papers?"

"No, sir."

"Well, you must stop here."

By this time he had got astride the fence, making his way into the road. I
said,

"My business is onward, sir, and I do not wish to stop."

"I will see then if you don't stop, you black rascal."

He was now in the middle of the road, making after me in a brisk walk.

I saw that a crisis was at hand; I had no weapons of any kind, not even a
pocket-knife; but I asked myself, shall I surrender without a struggle.
The instinctive answer was "No." What will you do? continue to walk; if he
runs after you, run; get him as far from the house as you can, then turn
suddenly and smite him on the knee with a stone; that will render him, at
least, unable to pursue you.

This was a desperate scheme, but I could think of no other, and my habits
as a blacksmith had given my eye and hand such mechanical skill, that I
felt quite sure that if I could o