Although I had so completely frustrated their designs for the moment, I knew that it would by no means answer for me to go into that town, where there were prisons, handbills, newspapers, and travellers.  My intention was, to start with him, but not to enter the town alive.

I sat down to eat; it was Wednesday, four o’clock, and this was the first regular meal I had since Sunday morning.  This over, we set out, and to my surprise, he proposed to walk.  We had gone about a mile and a-half, and were approaching a wood through which the road passed with a bend.  I fixed upon that as the spot where I would either free myself from this man, or die in his arms.  I had resolved upon a plan of operation—­it was this:  to stop short, face about, and commence action; and neither ask or give quarters, until I was free or dead!

We had got within six rods of the spot, when a gentleman turned the corner, meeting us on horseback.  He came up, and entered into conversation with my captor, both of them speaking in Dutch, so that I knew not what they said.  After a few moments, this gentleman addressed himself to me in English, and I then learned that he was one of the magistrates on whom we had called in the morning; I felt that another crisis was at hand.  Using his saddle as his bench, he put on an extremely stern and magisterial-like face, holding up his horse not unlike a field-marshal in the act of reviewing troops, and carried me through a most rigid examination in reference to the statement I had made.  I repeated carefully all I had said; at the close, he said, “Well, you had better stay among us a few months, until we see what is to be done with you.”  It was then agreed that we should go back to the tavern, and there settle upon some further plan.  When we arrived at the tavern, the magistrate alighted from his horse, and went into the bar-room.  He took another close glance at me, and went over some points of the former examination.  He seemed quite satisfied of the correctness of my statement, and made the following proposition:  that I should go and live with him for a short time, stating that he had a few acres of corn and potatoes to get in, and that he would give me twenty-five cents per day.  I most cheerfully assented to this proposal.  It was also agreed that I should remain at the tavern with my captor that night, and that he would accompany me in the morning.  This part of the arrangement I did not like, but of course I could not say so.  Things being thus arranged, the magistrate mounted his horse, and went on his way home.

It had been cloudy and rainy during the afternoon, but the western sky having partially cleared at this moment, I perceived that it was near the setting of the sun.

My captor had left his hired man most of the day to dig potatoes alone; but the waggon being now loaded, it being time to convey the potatoes into the barn, and the horses being all ready for that purpose, he was obliged to go into the potatoe field and give assistance.