l.

The unfettered boy was healthy, and made rapid advance in a few years.
That any one should ever claim him was never for a moment feared.

The old master, however, becoming tired of country life, had also moved
to Baltimore. How, they knew not, but he had heard of the existence of
this boy.

That he might satisfy himself on this point, he one day very slyly
approached the house with George. No sooner was the old man within the
enclosures than he asked Dinah, "Whose child is that?" pointing to the
boy. "Ask Jacob," was the reply of the mother. The question was then put
to Jacob, the father of the boy. "I did not think that you would ask
such a question, or that you would request anything like that," Jacob
remarked, naturally somewhat nervous, but he added, "I have the
privilege of having any one I please in my house." "Where is he from?"
again demanded the master. The father repeated, "I have a right to
have," etc., "I am my own man," etc. "I have found out whose he is," the
hunter said. "I am going presently to take him home with me." At this
juncture he seized the little fellow, at the same time calling out,
"Dinah, put his clothes on." By this time the father too had seized hold
of the child. Mustering courage, the father said, "Take notice that you
are not in the country, pulling and hauling people about." "I will have
him or I will leave my heart's blood in the house," was the savage
declaration of the master. In his rage he threatened to shoot the
father. In the midst of the excitement George called in two officers to
settle the trouble. "What are you doing here?" said the officers to the
slave-holder. "I am after my property--this boy," he exclaimed. "Have
you ever seen it before?" they inquired. "No," said the slave-holder.
"Then how do you know that he belongs to you?" inquired the officers. "I
believe he is mine," replied the slave-holder.

All the parties concerned were then taken by the officers before an
Alderman. The father owned the child but the mother denied it. The
Alderman then decided that the child should be given to the father.

The slave-holder having thus failed, was unwilling, nevertheless, to
relinquish his grasp. Whereupon he at once claimed the mother. Of course
he was under the necessity of resorting to the Courts in order to
establish his claim. Fortunately the mother had securely preserved the
paper given her by her master so many years before, releasing her.
Notwithstanding this th