er little girl with them. The lady was to assume the
proprietorship of the horse, carriage and coachman. In so doing all
dangers would be, in their judgment, averted. The scheme being all ready
for execution, the time for departure was fixed, the carriage hired,
David having secured his master Joshua's horse, and off they started in
the direction of Pennsylvania. White people being so accustomed to
riding, and colored people to driving, the party looked all right. No
one suspected them, that they were aware of, while passing through
Virginia.

[Illustration: ]

On reaching Chambersburg, Pa., in the evening, they drove to a hotel,
the lady alighted, holding by the hand her well dressed and nice-looking
little daughter, bearing herself with as independent an air as if she
had owned twenty such boys as accompanied her as coachman. She did not
hesitate to enter and request accommodations for the night, for herself,
daughter, coachman, and horse. Being politely told that they could be
accommodated, all that was necessary was, that the lady should show off
to the best advantage possible. The same duty also rested with weight
upon the mind of David.

The night passed safely and the morning was ushered in with bright hopes
which were overcast but only for a moment, however. Breakfast having
been ordered and partaken of, to the lady's surprise, just as she was in
the act of paying the bill, the proprietor of the hotel intimated that
he thought that matters "looked a little suspicious," in other words, he
said plainly, that he "believed that it was an Underground Rail Road
movement;" but being an obliging hotel-keeper, he assured her at the
same time, that he "would not betray them." Just here it was with them
as it would have been on any other rail road when things threaten to
come to a stand; they could do nothing more than make their way out of
the peril as best they could. One thing they decided to do immediately,
namely, to "leave the horse and carriage," and try other modes of
travel. They concluded to take the regular passenger cars. In this way
they reached Philadelphia. In Harrisburg, they had sought and received
instructions how to find the Committee in Philadelphia.

What relations had previously existed between David and this lady in
Virginia, the Committee knew not. It looked more like the time spoken of
in Isaiah, where it is said, "And a little child shall lead them," than
any thing that had ever been previousl