The wary Friend replied, “Thou hast just told me that this man says he is.  Dost thou not believe him?”

“But I wish to know from yourself whether he is in your house or not,” rejoined the magistrate.

“If the mayor reflects a little, I think he will see that he has no right to ask such a question; and that I am not bound to answer it,” replied Friend Hopper.  “If he is in my house, and if this man can prove it, I am liable to a heavy penalty; and no man is bound to inform against himself.  These people have not behaved so civilly, that I feel myself under any especial obligations of courtesy toward them.  Hast thou any further business with me?”

“Did you say I dared not grant a warrant to search your house?” asked the mayor.

He answered, “Indeed I did say so; and I now repeat it.  I mean no disrespect to anybody in authority; but neither thou nor any other magistrate would dare to grant a warrant to search my house.  I am a man of established reputation.  I am not a suspicious character.”

The mayor smiled, as he replied, “I don’t know about that, Mr. Hopper.  In the present case, I am inclined to think you are a very suspicious character.”  And so they parted.

The master resorted to various stratagems to recapture his victim.  He dressed himself in Quaker costume and went to his house.  The once happy home was desolate now; and the anxious wife sat weeping, with her little ones clinging to her in childish sympathy.  The visitor professed to be very friendly to her husband, and desirous to ascertain where he could be found, in order to render him advice and assistance in eluding the vigilance of his master.  The wife prudently declined giving any information, but referred him to Isaac T. Hopper, as the most suitable person to consult in the case.  Finding that he could not gain his object by deception, he forgot to sustain the quiet character he had assumed, but gave vent to his anger in a great deal of violent and profane language.  He went off, finally, swearing that in spite of them all he would have his slave again, if he was to be found on the face of the earth.

John Smith remained under the protection of Friend Isaac about a week.  Spies were seen lurking round the house for several days; but they disappeared at last.  Supposing this was only a trick to put them off their guard, a colored man was employed to run out of the house after dark.  The enemies who were lying in ambush, rushed out and laid violent hands upon him.  They released him as soon as they discovered their mistake; but the next day Friend Hopper had them arrested, and compelled them to enter into bonds for their good behavior.  On the following evening the same man was employed to run out again; and this time he was not interrupted.  The third evening, John Smith himself ventured forth from his hiding-place, and arrived safely in New-Jersey.

He let himself to a worthy farmer, and soon gained the confidence and good will of all the family.  He ate at the same table with them, and sat with them on Sunday afternoons, listening to their reading of the Scriptures and other religious books.  This system of equality did not diminish the modesty of his deportment, but rather tended to increase his habitual humility.