After considerable discussion, Friend Hopper urged him to allow his bondman until ten o’clock next morning, to see what could be done among his friends; and he himself gave a written obligation that the man should be delivered up to him at that hour, in case he could not procure five hundred dollars to purchase his freedom.

When the master was gone, Friend Hopper said to the alarmed fugitive, “There now remains but one way for thee to obtain thy freedom.  As to raising five hundred dollars, that is out of the question.  But if thou wilt be prompt and resolute, and do precisely as I tell thee, I think thou canst get off safely.”

“I will do anything for freedom,” replied the bondman; “for I have made up my mind, come what may, that I never will go back into slavery.”

“Very well then,” rejoined his friend.  “Don’t get frightened when the right moment comes to act; but keep thy wits about thee, and do as I tell thee.  Thy master will come here to-morrow at ten o’clock, according to appointment.  I must deliver thee up to him, and receive back the obligation for one thousand dollars, which I have given him.  Do thou stand with thy back against the door, which opens from this room into the parlor.  When he has returned the paper to me, open the door quickly, lock it on the inside, and run through the parlor into the back-yard.  There is a wall there eight feet high, with spikes at the top.  Thou wilt find a clothes-horse leaning against it, to help thee up.  When thou hast mounted, kick the clothes-horse down behind thee, drop on the other side of the wall, and be off.”  The premises were then shown to him, and he received minute directions through what alleys and streets he had better pass, and at what house he could find a temporary refuge.

Col.  Ridgeley came the next morning, at the appointed hour, and brought a friend to stand sentinel at the street door, lest the slave should attempt to rush out.  It did not occur to him that there was any danger of his running in.

“We have not been able to raise the five hundred dollars,” said Friend Hopper; “and here is thy man, according to agreement.”

The Colonel gave back his obligation for one thousand dollars; and the instant it left his hand, the fugitive passed into the parlor.  The master sprang over the counter after him, but found the door locked.  Before he could get to the back yard by another door, the wall was scaled, the clothes-horse thrown down, and the fugitive was beyond his reach.  Of course, he returned very much disappointed and enraged; declaring his firm belief that a trick had been played upon him purposely.  After he had given vent to his anger some little time, Friend Hopper asked for a private interview with him.  When they were alone together in the parlor, he said, “I admit this was an intentional trick; but I had what seemed to me good reasons for resorting to it.  In the first place, thou didst not keep the agreement made with me, but sought to gain an unfair advantage.  In the next place, I knew that man was thy own son; and I think any person who is so unfeeling as to make traffic of his own flesh and blood, deserves to be tricked out of the chance to do it.”