With an intelligence far superior to his condition, Hatchie discovered the villany that lurked in the eye of Jaspar, on the night of the forgery of the will.  As we have before said, no one better than he knew the character of Jaspar; no one better than he knew of what villany he was capable.  When he had been sent for the keys, an undefined sense of duty prompted him to watch, and, if possible, to prevent the mischief which he foresaw was gathering.  When ordered to retire, he had pretended to obey; but he placed himself beneath the window through which De Guy had entered, a small crack of which had been accidentally left open.  In this position he saw Jaspar take out the packet which he knew contained the will.  He heard De Guy read the fictitious will, and at once discerned enough of the plot to comprehend the danger that hovered over his mistress.  He understood that the real will was to be destroyed; and his first impulse was to save it, which he had adroitly accomplished as before related.

When Hatchie reached the open air, he was sensible of the dangerous position in which his bold act had placed him.  So sudden and unpremeditated had been his action that no thought of future consequences had accompanied it.  But, undismayed, he ran at his fleetest speed towards the river.  He heard the footsteps of his pursuers, and every step he advanced he expected to receive the bullet of Jaspar.  Trusting for safety to the darkness of the night, he quickened his speed, till he gained the steep bank of the river.  Leaping into the canoe which he discovered in his flight, he pushed out into the stream, and was several rods advanced towards the opposite shore when his pursuers reached the bank.

Plying the canoe with all the strength and skill of which he was master, his progress was suddenly interrupted by a log, upon which his frail bark struck with much violence.  The collision checked his progress, and swung the canoe round by the side of the log.  Satisfied that Jaspar would fire as soon as he saw the canoe, his ready ingenuity supplied him with the means of avoiding the ball, and of escaping further pursuit.  Taking the will in his mouth, he grasped the canoe with one hand, and paddled silently with the other and with his feet.  He had turned the canoe adrift, and Jaspar, without waiting to examine it, had fired.  Hatchie then jumped up in the water, and produced the splash which had deceived his pursuers.

With much difficulty the mulatto had propelled the log beyond the reach of the current into comparatively still water.  Here he remained quietly on the log, using only sufficient exertion to avoid the current, until he was satisfied that Jaspar and his companion had departed from the bank.  He then returned to the shore, using the greatest precaution to avoid his enemies; but all was still.

Immediate danger being at an end, he bethought him of securing his future safety,—­a matter of extreme difficulty for one in his position.  He was satisfied that Jaspar would invent some story to account for his disappearance; and just as well satisfied that he would shoot him, if he again showed himself on the plantation.  He congratulated himself on the happy scheme he had adopted to deceive Jaspar; for he had now a reasonable security from being advertised and pursued as a runaway slave.