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 the suit was pending nearly a year before the case was decided.  Everything was so clear the mother finally gained the suit.  This decision was rendered only about two months prior to the escape of Richard and George.

Arrival No. 6.  Henry Cromwell.  This passenger fled from Baltimore county, Md.  The man that he escaped from was a farmer by the name of William Roberts, who also owned seven other young slaves.  Of his treatment of his slaves nothing was recorded.